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Caliban (comics)
Encyclopedia
Caliban is a mutant
character in the Marvel Comics universe
.
#148 (August 1981), written by Chris Claremont
and illustrated by Dave Cockrum
.
He is born an albino mutant with a pale complexion and large yellow eyes. At some point in his life, he is banished from his home by his father, who called him Caliban
, after a character from the play The Tempest
by William Shakespeare
.
Growing up, a still young Caliban, who speaks in the third person, is discovered by the mutant Callisto
and taken under her wing. Learning of his mutant tracking ability, Callisto uses Caliban to locate other disenfranchised mutants and organizes them into the Morlocks
, a band of homeless, rejected mutants. The founding Morlocks consist of Caliban, Callisto, Masque
, Plague
, and Sunder
. The Morlocks live in the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels running underneath New York City
, and, like Caliban, most of them had grotesque appearances.
Caliban senses the presence of nearby mutants and enters a New York City nightclub seeking their friendship. He finds Storm, Dazzler
, Sprite (Kitty Pryde)
, and the original Spider-Woman
in the club, and has a misunderstood confrontation with them. Though the battle ends peacefully, Caliban returns to his home underground.
Shortly thereafter, Morlock leader Callisto desires a consort and has the Morlocks abduct Warren Worthington, the Angel and member of the X-Men, to be her husband. The X-Men arrive in the sewers to rescue their ally, and Shadowcat is infected with a virus by Plague. Caliban takes her to his quarters to care for her. Shadowcat pleads with Caliban to allow her to assist her teammates. Caliban agrees, but only if she will return after the fight and stay with him. Though Kitty promised to stay with him forever, she left and returned home. Weeks later, Callisto, vengeful after losing a one-on-one battle with X-Men leader Storm, orders the Morlocks to kidnap Shadowcat to force her to marry Caliban, knowing Storm would return. Caliban, however, realized Shadowcat did not truly love him and released her from her promise. Kitty then became Caliban's friend.
Caliban was later temporarily magically merged with Professor X
by Kulan Gath
during a confrontation with the sorcerer.
, X-Factor
rescued Caliban from the Marauders
, and Caliban swore vengeance upon the Marauders. With nowhere else to stay, he took up residence at X-Factor headquarters with several other surviving Morlocks. Soon, he forced Masque to undo damage to the Beast
's face, and then returned to the Alley. However, shortly thereafter, Rictor
went missing and Caliban volunteered to help X-Factor find him, officially joining the group at that point. Alongside X-Factor, he next battled the Horsemen of Apocalypse
. Caliban voiced his wish for increased power, so Iceman
began teaching Caliban unarmed combat. He next fought the Right
's soldiers and was nearly killed by them; then he aided X-Factor in rescuing the Right's mutant captives.
kidnaps the entire team after changing Angel into Death. Caliban, intrigued by Apocalypse's transformation of the fallen Angel, betrays X-Factor and asks Apocalypse to do the same to him. Agreeing, Apocalypse promises to give Caliban enough power to gain revenge against the Marauders who killed his Morlock family. Caliban agrees to become Apocalypse's servant and locator of mutants. Apocalypse renames him Hellhound. Caliban senses the telepathic cry of Val-Or. Through genetic manipulation, Caliban becomes the second Horseman of Apocalypse known as Death.
When Apocalypse had re-located to the moon in a confrontation with the original X-Factor and the Inhumans, Caliban returns to the Morlock tunnels. There, he locates Sabretooth
, a ferocious mutant and member of the Marauders, who is stalking the sewers to find and kill more Morlocks. In combat, Caliban breaks Sabretooth's back and leaves him for dead, not realizing that he has a healing factor. Caliban then attacks and defeats Archangel. He later finds and defeats Sabretooth again.
As Death, Caliban performs various tasks for his new master, serving as his warrior servant. During the X-Cutioner's Song
, Caliban attacks former X-Factor members (and current X-Men) Jean Grey
and Cyclops
, under Apocalypse's (actually Mister Sinister
posing as Apocalypse) orders. Alongside War and Famine
, Caliban kidnaps Cyclops and Jean Grey so Apocalypse can give the pair to the mad telepath Stryfe
, who believes the couple to be his parents. Famine, War, and Death then battle the X-Men and are defeated by them.
Caliban eventually returns to the Morlock sewers.
Though mentally unwell, he retains enormous physical power and is befriended by the mutant Cable
. Oddly, Caliban's color shifts from white and monstrous to a semi-friendly Ogre
-like form that is purple in coloration. Cable invites Caliban to join his team X-Force
. Caliban has many adventures with the team, such as confronting Mojo
and his forces, and when Apocalypse's enemy Mister Sinister
infiltrates the X-Mansion, Apocalypse's mental leash causes him to savagely maul Sinister. He also has several confrontations with Sabretooth during this time.
During his time with the team, it is discovered Caliban could play the piano with great skill.
, Deathbird
, and Wolverine
. After Apocalypse is merged with Cyclops, Caliban tracks down the merged being, and is freed from his service shortly before Cable destroys Apocalypse's spirit.
Released from his servitude to Apocalypse, Caliban once more reverts to his child-like state although he retains the monstrous physique he attained through Apocalypse's machinations. Subsequently, Caliban is captured by an anti-mutant medical research facility called the Watchtower. The Watchtower wishes to use Caliban for their own purposes but he is freed by X-Force. Caliban has devolved into a feral mental state where he only grunts and snarls but he manages to help X-Force against a menace called the Skornn
.
, Caliban turned up at the Xavier institute as a member of the 198
. He is seen carrying the 198 banner, created by Erg
, during the confrontation with O*N*E* over the "tracking chips" and again during Mr. M's
exodus from the institute. He later helps the 198 escape with Domino
and Shatterstar
to one of Nick Fury
's secret bases in the Nevada
desert. Caliban was able to sense the stockpile of weapons in the base, but they were activated and locked down by Johnny Dee
, a mutant who had puppet-like control over a fraction of the team. The original X-Men
team went to collect the 198 but Bishop's pro-registration team stopped them. After a short battle, the two sides teamed up and, thanks to a joint effort by Cyclops and Bishop, were able to free the 198.
, and crawls his way back to the Xavier Institute. Caliban enters the Morlock Tunnels with Warpath, Storm, and Hepzibah
and find what Masque was talking about.
, along with Wolverine, Wolfsbane
, X-23
, Warpath, and Hepzibah
(all of whom, except Hepzibah, form the new incarnation of X-Force). During a battle with Lady Deathstrike
and the Reavers
, Caliban sacrifices himself to save Warpath by jumping into the path of a line of bullets meant for him. His death distracts Warpath making Wolverine the only X-Force member to chase down Cable.
transmode virus
by Eli Bard
and presented to Selene
for the purpose of finding other dead mutants and resurrecting them by the same means, so Bard can sacrifice them and their powers to her. Caliban is later seen next to the grave of long time deceased New Mutants member Cypher
and began reviving him. Through him Selene resurrected many deceased mutants, and as she faced X-Force, she digest their powerful life-force energies that would help extend her life.
with the ability to psionically sense other mutants out to several miles away and track their movements. He also has the ability to psionically sense, absorb, and turn the psionic energy of fear radiated by humans against them, inducing more intense fear within their minds. He could also utilize fear from others to boost his strength to unknown levels, but proved sufficient to easily overpower the original Spider Woman (Jessica Drew).
He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained by Iceman
and later Apocalypse
.
As Death, he attained superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, coordination, balance, and endurance, as well as claws and fangs, through Apocalypse's genetic manipulation. He also has great skill at climbing and possesses superhuman leaping ability. He was also mentally conditioned to attack Apocalypse's former ally Mister Sinister
on sight.
As Pestilence, Apocalypse gave him the ability to generate a mental plague, a virus that attacks from within on the highest planes of the psyche and breaks down the mental functions of the target.
After being reverted to his original form, he still appears to retain some superhuman strength affected by his adrenalin, as he was shown lifting rubble off of Skids
that proved difficult for even Warpath to hoist.
After being resurrected through the Technarch transmode virus his ability changed to psionically sense not living mutants but dead mutants.
, Caliban was a henchman of the bounty hunter Domino, using his powers to track down Nate Grey. In this incarnation he is an egotistical coward who is nonetheless well-learned in literature and a skilled swordsman. He is killed by Toad, a member of the Outcasts.
#82 as a member of the Ultimate Morlocks. His look is somewhat different, as he is now portrayed with a darker grey color instead of chalk white. He is also a stronger physical combatant and has the ability to change into a hulking monster.
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
character in the Marvel Comics universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Publication history
Caliban's first appearance was in Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#148 (August 1981), written by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and illustrated by Dave Cockrum
Dave Cockrum
David Emmett Cockrum was an American comic book artist known for his co-creation of the new X-Men characters Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus...
.
Fictional character biography
Caliban (character)
Caliban is one of the primary antagonists in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest.- Character :Caliban is forced into servitude on an island ruled by Prospero. While he is referred to as a calvaluna or mooncalf, a freckled monster, he is the only human inhabitant of the island that is otherwise...
, after a character from the play The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
.
Growing up, a still young Caliban, who speaks in the third person, is discovered by the mutant Callisto
Callisto (comics)
Callisto is a Marvel Comics fictional character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #169 ....
and taken under her wing. Learning of his mutant tracking ability, Callisto uses Caliban to locate other disenfranchised mutants and organizes them into the Morlocks
Morlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
, a band of homeless, rejected mutants. The founding Morlocks consist of Caliban, Callisto, Masque
Masque (comics)
Masque is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Masque was originally a prominent member of the sewer-dwelling community of mutant outcasts called the Morlocks, led by Callisto.-Publication history:...
, Plague
Plague (comics)
Plague was a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She was originally a member of the Morlocks before joining the Horsemen of Apocalypse.-Publication history:...
, and Sunder
Sunder (comics)
Sunder , is a fictional comic book character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Chris Claremont and Paul Smith in Uncanny X-Men #169 .-Fictional character biography:...
. The Morlocks live in the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels running underneath New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and, like Caliban, most of them had grotesque appearances.
Caliban senses the presence of nearby mutants and enters a New York City nightclub seeking their friendship. He finds Storm, Dazzler
Dazzler
Dazzler is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #130 ....
, Sprite (Kitty Pryde)
Kitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
, and the original Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
in the club, and has a misunderstood confrontation with them. Though the battle ends peacefully, Caliban returns to his home underground.
Shortly thereafter, Morlock leader Callisto desires a consort and has the Morlocks abduct Warren Worthington, the Angel and member of the X-Men, to be her husband. The X-Men arrive in the sewers to rescue their ally, and Shadowcat is infected with a virus by Plague. Caliban takes her to his quarters to care for her. Shadowcat pleads with Caliban to allow her to assist her teammates. Caliban agrees, but only if she will return after the fight and stay with him. Though Kitty promised to stay with him forever, she left and returned home. Weeks later, Callisto, vengeful after losing a one-on-one battle with X-Men leader Storm, orders the Morlocks to kidnap Shadowcat to force her to marry Caliban, knowing Storm would return. Caliban, however, realized Shadowcat did not truly love him and released her from her promise. Kitty then became Caliban's friend.
Caliban was later temporarily magically merged with Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
by Kulan Gath
Kulan Gath
Kulan Gath is a fictional character, a villainous magician who was created at Marvel Comics as a foe of Conan the Barbarian and who was later fully integrated into the Marvel Universe and in 2006 was used in Dynamite Entertainment's revamped Red Sonja series....
during a confrontation with the sorcerer.
X-Factor
During the Morlock massacreMutant Massacre
"Mutant Massacre" was a major Marvel Comics crossover storyline, which took place during the fall of 1986. It primarily involved the superhero teams the X-Men, X-Factor and the New Mutants...
, X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
rescued Caliban from the Marauders
Marauders (comics)
The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
, and Caliban swore vengeance upon the Marauders. With nowhere else to stay, he took up residence at X-Factor headquarters with several other surviving Morlocks. Soon, he forced Masque to undo damage to the Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
's face, and then returned to the Alley. However, shortly thereafter, Rictor
Rictor
Rictor is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe, who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Walt Simonson and first appeared in X-Factor vol.1 #17...
went missing and Caliban volunteered to help X-Factor find him, officially joining the group at that point. Alongside X-Factor, he next battled the Horsemen of Apocalypse
Horsemen of Apocalypse
The Horsemen of Apocalypse is a team of fictional supervillain characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team is first mentioned in X-Factor #10 , and makes their full appearance in X-Factor #15...
. Caliban voiced his wish for increased power, so Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
began teaching Caliban unarmed combat. He next fought the Right
Right (comics)
The Right is a fictional anti-mutant organization in the Marvel Comics universe. The group first appeared in X-Factor #17 in June 1987.-Fictional biography:...
's soldiers and was nearly killed by them; then he aided X-Factor in rescuing the Right's mutant captives.
Horseman of Apocalypse
Not long after that, X-Factor's immortal enemy ApocalypseApocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
kidnaps the entire team after changing Angel into Death. Caliban, intrigued by Apocalypse's transformation of the fallen Angel, betrays X-Factor and asks Apocalypse to do the same to him. Agreeing, Apocalypse promises to give Caliban enough power to gain revenge against the Marauders who killed his Morlock family. Caliban agrees to become Apocalypse's servant and locator of mutants. Apocalypse renames him Hellhound. Caliban senses the telepathic cry of Val-Or. Through genetic manipulation, Caliban becomes the second Horseman of Apocalypse known as Death.
When Apocalypse had re-located to the moon in a confrontation with the original X-Factor and the Inhumans, Caliban returns to the Morlock tunnels. There, he locates Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
, a ferocious mutant and member of the Marauders, who is stalking the sewers to find and kill more Morlocks. In combat, Caliban breaks Sabretooth's back and leaves him for dead, not realizing that he has a healing factor. Caliban then attacks and defeats Archangel. He later finds and defeats Sabretooth again.
As Death, Caliban performs various tasks for his new master, serving as his warrior servant. During the X-Cutioner's Song
X-Cutioner's Song
"X-Cutioner's Song" is a crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics' in twelve parts from the November 1992 to early 1993. It involved the Uncanny X-Men, X-Men , X-Factor, and X-Force....
, Caliban attacks former X-Factor members (and current X-Men) Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
and Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, under Apocalypse's (actually Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
posing as Apocalypse) orders. Alongside War and Famine
Famine (comics)
Famine is a fictional character, a Mutant supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. She is most notable for being one of the original four horsemen of the villain Apocalypse.-Fictional character biography:...
, Caliban kidnaps Cyclops and Jean Grey so Apocalypse can give the pair to the mad telepath Stryfe
Stryfe
Stryfe is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . The character was created by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld, and first appears in The New Mutants #87...
, who believes the couple to be his parents. Famine, War, and Death then battle the X-Men and are defeated by them.
Caliban eventually returns to the Morlock sewers.
X-Force
Eventually, the loner Caliban defeats Apocalypse's control at the cost of his mental faculties. At one point, when Sabretooth is a reluctant X-Men member, the mutant detector kidnaps X-Man Jubilee in exchange for the savage mutant, but he flees when Sabretooth mauls his face.Though mentally unwell, he retains enormous physical power and is befriended by the mutant Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
. Oddly, Caliban's color shifts from white and monstrous to a semi-friendly Ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
-like form that is purple in coloration. Cable invites Caliban to join his team X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
. Caliban has many adventures with the team, such as confronting Mojo
Mojo (comics)
Mojo is a Marvel Comics supervillain, primarily an enemy of the X-Men and one of its members, Longshot. Mojo is one of the "Spineless Ones," an alien race that is immobile without advanced technology. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dimension where all beings are addicted to his...
and his forces, and when Apocalypse's enemy Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
infiltrates the X-Mansion, Apocalypse's mental leash causes him to savagely maul Sinister. He also has several confrontations with Sabretooth during this time.
During his time with the team, it is discovered Caliban could play the piano with great skill.
Return to Apocalypse
After some time, Apocalypse returns and takes Caliban away from X-Force. This time, Apocalypse makes him his new Horseman Pestilence (coincidentally, the former Pestilence was Caliban's Morlock ally Plague). This time, Apocalypse augments Caliban's physical power even more and gives him the ability to spread telepathic disease as well. This time, Apocalypse's horsemen include AhabAhab (comics)
Ahab , a fictional character who is a cyborg supervillain from the future in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a native of the "Days of Future Past" timeline that first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141...
, Deathbird
Deathbird
Deathbird is a fictional character. She is a Marvel Comics supervillainess, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel #9....
, and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
. After Apocalypse is merged with Cyclops, Caliban tracks down the merged being, and is freed from his service shortly before Cable destroys Apocalypse's spirit.
Released from his servitude to Apocalypse, Caliban once more reverts to his child-like state although he retains the monstrous physique he attained through Apocalypse's machinations. Subsequently, Caliban is captured by an anti-mutant medical research facility called the Watchtower. The Watchtower wishes to use Caliban for their own purposes but he is freed by X-Force. Caliban has devolved into a feral mental state where he only grunts and snarls but he manages to help X-Force against a menace called the Skornn
Skornn
The Skornn is a fictional character created by writer Fabian Nicieza for Marvel Comics.-History:The Skornn is an ancient evil demon. The monster was very well known throughout the universe, and its horrors were even known in the Shi'ar Empire. On Earth, the Skornn's evil plans were mostly thwarted...
.
Post M-Day
After M-DayDecimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, Caliban turned up at the Xavier institute as a member of the 198
X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198 is a comic book limited series that was published by Marvel Comics and set in the Marvel Universe shortly after the House of M and Decimation events...
. He is seen carrying the 198 banner, created by Erg
Erg (comics)
Erg is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:Erg's first appearance was in Power Pack #12 , and he was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman....
, during the confrontation with O*N*E* over the "tracking chips" and again during Mr. M's
Mister M (comics)
Mister M is a comic book character created for Marvel Comics by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in District X #2.-Early life:Not much is known about the enigmatic man called Mr. M...
exodus from the institute. He later helps the 198 escape with Domino
Domino (comics)
Domino is a Marvel Comics character, best known as a member of the X-Men offshoot X-Force. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld, she first fully appeared in X-Force, vol...
and Shatterstar
Shatterstar
Shatterstar is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the .-Publication history:Shatterstar first appeared in The New Mutants vol. 1 #99 , and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. Since his debut Shatterstar has mainly appeared in the original X-Force title, with some issues...
to one of Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
's secret bases in the Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
desert. Caliban was able to sense the stockpile of weapons in the base, but they were activated and locked down by Johnny Dee
Johnny Dee
Johnny Dee is a fictional mutant character, in the Marvel Comics universe. He debuted in Son of M #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
, a mutant who had puppet-like control over a fraction of the team. The original X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
team went to collect the 198 but Bishop's pro-registration team stopped them. After a short battle, the two sides teamed up and, thanks to a joint effort by Cyclops and Bishop, were able to free the 198.
Seeking The X-Men
Caliban later aids the Uncanny X-Men team after he is seriously injured by MasqueMasque (comics)
Masque is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Masque was originally a prominent member of the sewer-dwelling community of mutant outcasts called the Morlocks, led by Callisto.-Publication history:...
, and crawls his way back to the Xavier Institute. Caliban enters the Morlock Tunnels with Warpath, Storm, and Hepzibah
Hepzibah (comics)
Hepzibah is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She is a member of the intergalactic enforcers known as the Starjammers and currently a member of the Uncanny X-Men. She first appeared in X-Men #107 and was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.-Origin:Hepzibah was born on...
and find what Masque was talking about.
Messiah Complex and Death
Caliban becomes part of a strike-force, who are in search of the first newborn mutant since DecimationDecimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, along with Wolverine, Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
, X-23
X-23
X-23 is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring the X-Men. X-23 is a female clone of Wolverine.-Publication history:...
, Warpath, and Hepzibah
Hepzibah (comics)
Hepzibah is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She is a member of the intergalactic enforcers known as the Starjammers and currently a member of the Uncanny X-Men. She first appeared in X-Men #107 and was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.-Origin:Hepzibah was born on...
(all of whom, except Hepzibah, form the new incarnation of X-Force). During a battle with Lady Deathstrike
Lady Deathstrike
Lady Deathstrike , occasionally spelled "Deathstryke", is a Marvel Comics supervillain, a foe of the X-Men, especially Wolverine.Her father Lord Dark Wind created the adamantium-bonding process that was forced on Wolverine...
and the Reavers
Reavers (comics)
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe the Reavers are a team of criminal cyborgs. The most significant team of Reavers were dedicated to the destruction of the mutant X-Men, and a number of them especially wanted to take revenge on one particular X-Man, Wolverine. The name was originally used by...
, Caliban sacrifices himself to save Warpath by jumping into the path of a line of bullets meant for him. His death distracts Warpath making Wolverine the only X-Force member to chase down Cable.
Necrosha
Caliban is revived through the TechnarchTechnarchy
The Technarchy, or Technarchs, are a cybernetic, shapeshifting, fictional species of extraterrestrial origin in the Marvel Comics' universe, created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz. Its most notable members are the New Mutants member Warlock and his "siredam," the supervillain...
transmode virus
Techno-organic virus
A techno-organic virus is a fictional virus in the Marvel Comics universe. The virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material. Techno-organic material resembles both machinery and living tissue...
by Eli Bard
Eli Bard
Eli Bard is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain from the Marvel Comics universe. He is a member of the Purifiers and an enemy of the X-Men.-Fictional character biography:...
and presented to Selene
Selene (comics)
Selene Gallio is a fictional character, a comic book supervillainess from the Marvel Comics universe. She is a mutant, and an enemy of the X-Men often associated with the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle.-Publication history:...
for the purpose of finding other dead mutants and resurrecting them by the same means, so Bard can sacrifice them and their powers to her. Caliban is later seen next to the grave of long time deceased New Mutants member Cypher
Cypher (comics)
Cypher is a fictional mutant character, a superhero from Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants vol. 1 #13 .-Fictional character biography:Doug Ramsey was born to Philip and Sheila Ramsey...
and began reviving him. Through him Selene resurrected many deceased mutants, and as she faced X-Force, she digest their powerful life-force energies that would help extend her life.
Powers and abilities
Caliban is a mutantMutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
with the ability to psionically sense other mutants out to several miles away and track their movements. He also has the ability to psionically sense, absorb, and turn the psionic energy of fear radiated by humans against them, inducing more intense fear within their minds. He could also utilize fear from others to boost his strength to unknown levels, but proved sufficient to easily overpower the original Spider Woman (Jessica Drew).
He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained by Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
and later Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
.
As Death, he attained superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, coordination, balance, and endurance, as well as claws and fangs, through Apocalypse's genetic manipulation. He also has great skill at climbing and possesses superhuman leaping ability. He was also mentally conditioned to attack Apocalypse's former ally Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
on sight.
As Pestilence, Apocalypse gave him the ability to generate a mental plague, a virus that attacks from within on the highest planes of the psyche and breaks down the mental functions of the target.
After being reverted to his original form, he still appears to retain some superhuman strength affected by his adrenalin, as he was shown lifting rubble off of Skids
Skids (comics)
Skids is a Marvel Comics mutant. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jackson Guice, she first appeared in X-Factor vol. 1 #7 .-Morlocks:...
that proved difficult for even Warpath to hoist.
After being resurrected through the Technarch transmode virus his ability changed to psionically sense not living mutants but dead mutants.
Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of ApocalypseAge of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 - 1996 comic book crossover storyline published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The Age of Apocalypse briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616, although it was later retconned as having occurred in the alternate universe of Earth-295, it had...
, Caliban was a henchman of the bounty hunter Domino, using his powers to track down Nate Grey. In this incarnation he is an egotistical coward who is nonetheless well-learned in literature and a skilled swordsman. He is killed by Toad, a member of the Outcasts.
House of M
Caliban is seen as a member of the Genoshan Black Ops version of the Marauders.Ultimate Caliban
Caliban was introduced to the Ultimate Marvel Universe in Ultimate X-MenUltimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#82 as a member of the Ultimate Morlocks. His look is somewhat different, as he is now portrayed with a darker grey color instead of chalk white. He is also a stronger physical combatant and has the ability to change into a hulking monster.
Television
- Caliban made a number of cameo appearances in the 1990s X-Men: The Animated SeriesX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
, including the episode "Slave IslandSlave Island (X-Men)-Summary:Hearing that mutants are welcome on the island nation of Genosha, Professor Xavier sends Storm, Gambit, and Jubilee there for a vacation. Here they were captured by a Sentinel in last episode, Cold Vengeance....
". He also appeared in the final season episode "The Fifth Horseman" in which Caliban had been transformed by Fabian CortezFabian CortezFabian Cortez is a fictional character, a mutant comic book supervillain from the Marvel Comics universe and an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and writer/illustrator Jim Lee, he first appeared in X-Men #1 ....
into one of Apocalypse's HoundsHounds (comics)Hounds are the name given to several groups of mutant characters from Marvel Comics. This term usually refers to those who track or hunt down mutants while serving a higher authority.-Days of Future Past:...
(used in a similar role to the Horsemen), until Jubilee made Caliban turn against Cortez and the rest of the Hounds who sought out a mutant to use as a new host body for Apocalypse's reincarnation. In this episode, Caliban was retconned into a member of the Morlocks, though he had never appeared in the episodes featuring the underground mutant community.
- Caliban appeared in X-Men: EvolutionX-Men: EvolutionX-Men: Evolution is an American animated television series about the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. In this incarnation many of the characters are teenagers rather than adults...
, voiced by Michael Dobson. He is seen as a member of the Morlocks
Video games
- Caliban appears in the X-Men: DestinyX-Men: DestinyX-Men: Destiny is a video game based on the X-Men comic book series. It was developed by Silicon Knights and published by Activision. The game was released in North America on September 27, 2011 for the PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS consoles...
video game voiced by Bob GloubermanBob GloubermanBob Glouberman is an American actor and voice actor who has appeared in over 50 television shows, mainly sitcoms....
.
Toys
- To date Caliban has received one action figure in a now defunct Toy BizMarvel ToysMarvel Toys is the toy division of Marvel Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company....
X-Force toy line. This figure was in his Death persona.