Korvac

Michael Korvac (often called Korvac or The Enemy) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Giant-Size Defenders #3 (Jan. 1975) and was created by Steve Gerber and Jim Starlin.

Publication history

Korvac debuted in Giant-Size Defenders #3 (1975), and according to creator Gerber: "The character really was a throwaway, created for one story. And I never intended to bring him back, because, among other things, I hated the name! I still think it sounds more like a vacuum cleaner than a villain."^[1]

However, Roger Stern and Len Wein felt that Korvac, being a native of the 31st century, made a natural adversary for the Guardians of the Galaxy, and wrote a story in Thor Annual #6 (1977) which was intended to set him up in that role.^[2] The Guardians of the Galaxy's own series, Marvel Presents, was cancelled before Thor Annual #6 was published, cutting off Stern's plans to use Korvac there.^[2] Korvac instead appeared in Avengers #159, 167, 168, 170 - 177 (January - November 1978), later called the "Korvac Saga". The eleven issues were written by Jim Shooter and David Michelinie, with art by George Pérez and David Wenzel.

A trade paperback edition reprinted the Korvac Saga in 1991, and included a new epilogue written by Mark Gruenwald and drawn by Tom Morgan. Although the revised conclusion cast Korvac as a villain, it was removed by editor Tom Brevoort when reprinted as Avengers Legends Volume 2: The Korvac Saga in 2003.

Korvac reappeared briefly in Avengers Annual #16 (1987). He is heavily referenced in a 1991 summer annual crossover storyline: Fantastic Four Annual #24 (1991); Thor Annual #16 (1991); Silver Surfer Annual #4 (1991) and Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 (1991). The character returned in Captain America vol. 3, #17 - 19 (May - July 1999).

Korvac also appeared in both volumes of the alternate universe title What If?, in issues #32 (April 1982) and vol. 2, issue #36 (April 1992). Korvac made a return to the mainstream 616 universe in Avengers Academy #11 (March 2011).

To tie-in with the movie Captain America: The First Avenger, an all-ages retelling of the Korvac Saga was issued in December 2010 and ended in March 2011 titled Captain America: The Korvac Saga. The story was condensed and focused primarily on Captain America journeying to the future in pursuit of Korvac with the help of Nikki and Firelord.^[3]

Fictional character biography

Early exploits

Michael Korvac is a computer technician in the alternate universe Earth-691.^[4] When the Sol System and its colonies are conquered by the alien Brotherhood of Badoon in the year 3007 AD, Korvac becomes a collaborator and traitor to the human race. Caught asleep at a machine while working, the Badoon punish Korvac by grafting his upper body to a machine, effectively making him a cyborg.

Korvac is then transported through time by the Elder of the Universe the Grandmaster, who utilizes him as a pawn in battling the hero Doctor Strange and the Defenders.^[5]

It is eventually revealed that Korvac deliberately lost the fight so he can be able to discreetly scan and analyze the Grandmaster's cosmic power. Gaining several new abilities from this analysis, Korvac then kills his Badoon masters and plans to conquer the cosmos. Korvac recruits a group of aliens called the "Minions of Menace" and attempts to cause Earth's sun to go nova, but is defeated by the Guardians of the Galaxy and the time-traveling Thunder God Thor.^[6]

The Korvac Saga

Korvac flees across time and space to the Earth-616 universe. Upon arrival, Korvac discovers the space station of the entity Galactus. While attempting to download the knowledge of Galactus from the station into his own system, Korvac is imbued with the Power Cosmic and becomes god-like. Korvac then recreates himself as a perfect humanoid form, and posing as a human called "Michael", travels to Earth with the intent of reshaping it into a utopia. Korvac, however, is pursued by the Guardians of the Galaxy, who join forces with the superhero team the Avengers in a bid to stop the villain.

Guardian member Starhawk finds Korvac and battles him in secret. Korvac, however, disintegrates Starhawk and then recreates him, but removes from the hero the ability to perceive Korvac in any way so as to avoid future detection. The Elder of the Universe known as the Collector foresees the coming of two beings that would be capable of challenging the Elders (Korvac and Thanos), and remakes his own daughter Carina into a being of incredible power to use as a weapon against them. Carina does meet Korvac, but the two fall in love and she begins to sympathize with him. The Collector is defeated by the Avengers after a failed bid to "collect" and protect the heroes from Korvac, who upon discovering the Collector's plot disintegrates the Elder.

Iron Man eventually tracks Korvac to a residential neighborhood in Forest Hills Gardens, in Queens, New York. The entire Avengers roster, aided by the heroine Ms. Marvel, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, confront Korvac and Carina, who pose as a middle class couple. Korvac's deception is revealed when Starhawk states he cannot see the man called "Michael". Realizing that he has been discovered, and that cosmic entities such as Odin and the Watcher are now aware of his existence, Korvac is forced into battle.

Korvac slays wave after wave of heroes, and is finally caught off guard and weakened by Captain America and Wonder Man. Although able to kill the heroes, Korvac is weakened further by the combined efforts of Starhawk, Iron Man, the Vision and Thor. Sensing that Carina now doubts him, Korvac commits suicide through an act of will. An angered Carina attacks the surviving heroes, but is finally slain by Thor. The entire battle is watched by part-time Avenger Moondragon, who realizes that Korvac only wanted to help mankind, with his dying act being to restore the Avengers and Guardians to life.^[7]

The Korvac Quest

It is revealed that Korvac discarded his power when near death after sensing that Galactus had activated the weapon the Ultimate Nullifier in retaliation for his previous intrusion. Korvac's suicidal act of will preserves his power and consciousness, which is sent forward through time to inhabit various descendants of his. Starhawk becomes aware of this, and the Guardians of the Galaxy pursue Korvac's essence through time. The power eventually reaches the year 2977 AD and inhabits Michael's father, Jordan, who is killed in battle with the Guardians. Jordan's widow, Myra, vows to teach the infant Michael that the Guardians were responsible for his father's death on the day of his birth.^[8]

Later appearances

Korvac is briefly resurrected in human form by the Grandmaster to battle Silver Surfer.^[9] When Korvac's attempt to use Captain America in a scheme to steal the power of a Cosmic Cube from Red Skull ultimately failed, Red Skull used his internalized Cube power to scatter Korvac across six dimensions.^[10]

In Avengers Academy, Korvac's wife Carina was mistakenly resurrected by Veil (believing that she is helping to resurrect Wasp). Korvac returns for her and Hank Pym offers to return Carina to Korvac, but she refuses to go with him. She chose nonexistence over him (even though she is apparently immortal, as is her father). A battle commences pitting Korvac against all current Avengers teams. He is weakened by them and then attacked by adult versions of the Academy's students.^[11] After a brutal battle, Veil phases into his body, which temporarily paralyzes Korvac, and Hazmat then completely annihilates Korvac with a projected blast of anti-matter.^[12]

Powers and abilities

Korvac was originally a normal man until the Badoon amputated the lower half of his body and grafted his upper body and nervous system onto a specialized computer module capable of siphoning energy from virtually any source. Korvac's mechanical module could also tap and synthesize any form of energy and concealed advanced weaponry.

After downloading information from Galactus' ship and acquiring the Power Cosmic, Korvac is capable of energy projection, matter alteration, teleportation, and manipulation of time and space. In his perfect human form, Korvac retained all his cosmic abilities and could use these to achieve virtually any effect.

Michael Korvac is also a brilliant computer scientist, a master strategist, and a formidable hand-to-hand combatant.

In other media

Video games

Korvac appears in Lego Marvel Avengers (2015).

Television

• Korvac appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Michael Korvac", voiced by Troy Baker.^[13] This version is a modern-day human who gained powers from the Kree after he was abducted and experimented upon by them. He crashes to Earth, creating a crater in the middle of Central Park. Two police officers find him and take him to the Avengers Mansion, hoping that the Avengers can help him. When Wasp answers the door, Korvac mistakes her for his beloved Corrina. He explains to Wasp that he was abducted by aliens but escaped from their ship. Wasp tracks down Corrina and brings her to the mansion, where she informs Korvac that he has been gone for two years. When the Guardians of the Galaxy show up at the mansion to capture Korvac, the Avengers (consisting of Iron Man, Hulk, Hawkeye, Wasp, the Black Panther, and Ms. Marvel) attack the Guardians to protect him. However, during the battle Star-Lord explains the truth about Korvac to Hawkeye. When they try to explain to the rest of the Avengers, an enraged Korvac attacks and defeats both the Guardians and the Avengers. After helping the Avengers escape, the Guardians explain that Kree experiments drove Korvac insane, and that he is wanted for killing thousands of sentient beings across the universe. A short time later, the Avengers and the Guardians team up against Korvac again only to be defeated a second time. Corrina attempts to reason with him, and reveals to him that she is terrified of what he has become. Realizing that Corrina thinks of him as a "monster", Korvac leaves Earth. At the end of the episode, he is floating in the deepest parts of space.
• Korvac appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Guardians of the Galaxy", voiced by James Marsters. This version is an intergalactic warlord and the leader of the Chitauri. Taking notice of the powerful figures on the planet Earth, including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Doctor Strange, Korvac set out to destroy the planet before those heroes had a chance to stop him. The Guardians of the Galaxy, with the help of Nova and Spider-Man, were able to stop his diabolical plan, destroy his flagship, and presumably kill Korvac in the process.

References

External links

• Korvac at the Marvel Universe wiki