Fantomex
Encyclopedia
Fantomex is a fictional superhero
associated with the X-Men
in titles published by Marvel Comics
. Fantomex first appeared in New X-Men #128 (August, 2002) and was created by Grant Morrison
and Igor Kordey
.
The character initially comes across as a mix of Fantômas
and Diabolik
but this is all revealed to be misdirection, as he is an escaped experiment from the Weapon Plus
Program.
Diabolik
, whose film adaptation was released as Danger: Diabolik
, Diabolik's lover being named Eva. The character of Diabolik is loosely based on the character Fantômas
, the subject of a series of early-20th century French
detective thrillers and a popular Mexican comic book adaptation, whose name is more directly reflected in Fantomex's own name. Fantomex's name, Jean-Phillipe, is a reference to actor John Phillip Law
, star of "Danger: Diabolik
". In addition, his Weapon X designation -- "Weapon XIII" -- is a reference to the secret agent protagonist of the Franco-Belgian comic XIII.
Since Morrison's run the character has made sporadic appearances in Weapon X #23–25, Mystique
#20–21, 24, the Dark Reign
: The List—Wolverine one-shot and in Uncanny X-Men
#519 onwards as part of the "Nation X" storyline. He can currently be seen in the monthly Uncanny X-Force
series.
Program to serve as a super-sentinel against Earth's mutant population. Through experimentation with human-machine hybridization, Weapon Plus created a population of technorganic organisms whose living tissue was fused with Sentinel nanotechnology
at the cellular level. His mother, a member of this race, became pregnant when she was fertilized with nanomachines, resulting in the birth of Fantomex. Like the rest of his people, he was born and raised in the World, a man-made environment designed to create super-sentinels, media-friendly mutant-hunters modeled after Saturday morning cartoons
. Although his nationality is technically British, as the World was located in England, Fantomex was not raised in British culture. He adopted a French sense of identity and persona out of a fascination with the French language, particularly because of its usefulness for cursing and distracting people. His experiment designation at the World facility was "Charlie Cluster-7," but he has adopted the name "Jean-Phillipe."
in Paris while fleeing from authorities. He claims to be a mutant thief with the ill-defined power of misdirection
. Bleeding profusely from bullet wounds, he asks for asylum, which Professor X
grants him. Fantomex explains to Professor X and Jean Grey
that he is being hunted because he is one of the most wanted thieves in Europe. Neither Professor X nor Jean Grey are able to verify his claims due to his ceramic mask, a device that blocks their mental probes. However, they agree to aid him, and after escaping the soldiers who surround the building, Fantomex uses his ship E.V.A. to take Professor X and Jean Grey to his home in France. While there, he introduces them to his mother and continues to describe his success as a thief. In fact, he tells the two that he has stolen sensitive information about the Weapon Plus project while in the Chunnel, and offers to sell it to Professor Xavier for $1 billion. After submitting his proposal, he puts himself in a light hypnotic trance and removes the bullets that riddle his body. Finished, he asks Professor X and Jean Grey to accompany him back to the Chunnel in an effort to destroy Weapon XII. The three speed away in E.V.A., leaving the house and elderly woman behind.
Fantomex then leads Professor Xavier and Jean Grey to the Chunnel disaster. Packed full of people and animals that Weapon XII has turned into mindless slaves, confusion runs rampant. Knowing that those who have fallen prey to Weapon XII's influence are lost, Fantomex kills Darkstar
and all others who are mentally connected to the creature. After Fantomex destroys Weapon XII by using a remote detonator, it is noticed that there are two empty Weapon Plus transport tubes in the Chunnel: one that held the violent Weapon XII and another that held something called Weapon XIII. After the battle, Fantomex's ceramic mask slips a bit and Jean Grey uses her telepathy to deduce his true identity: Fantomex is actually Weapon XIII and had also been in transit in the Chunnel. It was during the accident in the Chunnel that he escaped and was subsequently chased to the X-Corporation building. He confesses to Jean Grey that he is not the master thief that he had claimed, but is now set out to earn that reputation. He assures Jean Grey that he refuses to be anyone's soldier, and as a result Jean Grey allows Fantomex to disappear into the Chunnel before the authorities arrive.
Fantomex later travels to Afghanistan in an attempt to steal a list of the world's richest mutant slaver traders, the names on which he intends to blackmail. There he encounters an unconscious mutant known as Dust
, a former captive who unwittingly killed her captors by turning into a deadly sandstorm. Upon his exit, he encounters Wolverine
, leaving Dust in his care.
Soon after, Fantomex contacts Wolverine and offers him information about his mysterious past if he helps Fantomex destroy Ultimaton, also known as Weapon XV, the last creation of the Weapon Plus Program. Fantomex, Wolverine, and the X-Men's Cyclops
travel to the World, an artificial, time-altering environment designed by Weapon Plus to quickly develop and evolve new generations of super-soldiers.
The three are defeated by Weapon XV (Ultimaton), who escapes by breaking through the barriers of the World and flying to the Weapon Plus space station. The team pursues their target in E.V.A., Fantomex's biological spacecraft. Upon arriving at the space station Fantomex keeps his word by showing Wolverine the complete Weapon Plus database. Shocked at learning the terrible details of his past (including his role in the slaughter of the entire population of Roanoke while under the influence of Weapon X
), Wolverine initiates the self-destruct sequence for the space station before catching and ultimately killing Ultimaton. Fantomex and Cyclops escape the explosion in one of the station's shuttles.
Back on Earth, Fantomex joins Cyclops and a group of X-Men students in their fight against Xorn
, who had taken the identity of Magneto
. He had gathered a new Brotherhood of Mutants
and had taken over New York City. With the aid of Beak, Fantomex, and the others were able to break into Xorn's skyscraper headquarters and bring him down.
and finds it abandoned except for Agent Zero. The pair reluctantly joins forces and travels to the site of Roanoke, a town whose inhabitants were slaughtered after Weapon X unleashed a brainwashed Wolverine on them years earlier. There, the three finally encounter Sublime but are opposed by his U-Men
and forced to flee against overwhelming odds. In an attempt to escape in E.V.A., Fantomex is shot down and left for dead.
However, Fantomex manages to survive and some time later is contacted by the diminutive mutant Shortpack
who seeks his help in assassinating mutant arms dealer Steinbeck, also known as the Quiet Man
, in revenge for his killing of an agent under Shortpack's care. Fantomex refuses, not wanting to become responsible for allowing the good-natured Shortpack to become a killer. Shortpack is captured by Steinbeck soon after, and whilst investigating his disappearance the shapechanging mutant Mystique
, a double agent for both Xavier and Steinbeck's ally Shepard, learns of his meeting with Fantomex. Though despising him after a past encounter in Madagascar, Mystique finds Fantomex in Monte Carlo, once again operating under the pretense of being a mutant thief, and learns of Shortpack's plan. As she leaves to rescue him, Fantomex follows and uncovers her intent to assassinate Xavier. In exchange for his silence, Fantomex bids Mystique perform a heist for him. After she returns with the stolen goods (a vintage Spider-Man costume), Mystique infects both Fantomex and E.V.A. with a techno-organic virus, seemingly killing them both to keep her plan secret. However, it was all a ruse as Mystique knew she was being monitored by Shepard. Fantomex later resurfaces and helps Mystique capture Shepard, giving her access to Steinbeck whom she finally defeats.
head to the World to try to stop Norman Osborn but are soon attacked by a large army of Weapon Plus creations infected by Allgod (Weapon XVI), the living religion. Noh-Varr is rescued by Fantomex (who has apparently spent all the time since his last appearance "stealing things mostly" and admits he should have kept an eye on the World), and the two of them make their way to the World's brain (now a sentient being) where they are confronted by the Allgod drones, Wolverine included. Fantomex is not affected by Allgod because nanites in his neocortex render him incapable of believing in anything greater than himself. Noh-Varr is able to disarm Allgod by kissing the World's brain, thus showing it some compassion, and disabling Allgod. Immediately after this, the three of them defeat Osborn's invading army of Deathlok
prototypes. Fantomex then uses a shrink-ray he reportedly stole from Doctor Doom
to shrink the World and take it for his own.
Soon afterwards Fantomex is hired by a young mutant boy to hunt a rogue Predator X stalking mutants beneath New York City. After dealing with the Predator X, Fantomex and E.V.A. run into Wolverine, Psylocke
, and Colossus
, who ask for his help to defeat the creators of the Predator X. Fantomex initially turns their request down, but is later convinced by the same young boy he helped to help the X-Men. Fantomex saves the team from a group of John Sublime's associates and later takes them home.
Fantomex remains with the X-Men on Utopia and is later seen in San Francisco fighting alongside the X-Men against Bastion's
army of Nimrod
sentinels. Once the battle is over, he's shown to have secretly joined a new iteration of X-Force
, alongside Wolverine, Archangel
, Psylocke, and Deadpool.
, reborn in the form of a child and being indoctrinated by Clan Akkaba
on their Moon base. After defeating Apocalypse's Last Horsemen and getting to the young Apocalypse, no one on the team can summon up the courage to kill a child. When the group resigns to bring the child back with them and to reeducate him, Fantomex fires a shot in the child's head, apparently killing him. He next joins the group in a mission to Australia to stop the Reavers
led by Lady Deathstrike
before they can begin a massive attack against Utopia.
Soon afterwards, Fantomex realizes there's something wrong with the World, as a presence calling itself Weapon Infinity has started manipulating the timestream within. While investigating this, he's attacked by a group of Deathlok cyborgs based on the Avengers
who apparently want to kill him and take possession of the World. The Deathlok Avengers kill Fantomex's mother but he manages to escape with his life and the World thanks to the arrival of a rogue Deathlok unit and later his X-Force companions. After interrogating the captured Captain America
cyborg, they learn that this new Deathlok program comes from a future where all superhumans have been executed and turned into a cybernetic police force that has ushered a Utopia on Earth, and that they have travelled back in time to kill the one being that can unravel this future: Apocalypse. Fantomex and the rest of X-Force head inside the World determined to assassinate the architect of Weapon Infinity, the enigmatic Father, before it can create the future Deathlok cyborgs. Once inside the World the team has to fight Deathlok versions of themselves and it is Deadpool who finally kills Father and erases the attacking Deathlok strain. The words of the Captain America Deathlok make sense when Fantomex is revealed to be, unbeknownst to the rest of the team, growing the child Apocalypse deep inside the World.
Fantomex has an external nervous system referred to as E.V.A. He has mentioned that E.V.A. emerged from his mouth during his time in the World and developed into a techno-organic flying saucer-like vessel. The relationship between E.V.A and Fantomex is symbiotic, so if E.V.A. experiences pain when she is not within Fantomex, he will feel it as well. When E.V.A. is separated from his body, Fantomex feels no pain and seems able to ignore most injuries. Along with this symbiotic relationship, Fantomex is linked to E.V.A. via telepathy. He can see through E.V.A.'s point of view and can take control of her movement. However, this requires concentration on the part of Fantomex. Moreover, E.V.A, as a bio-mechanical being, can reshape her body into a variety of forms, fly "herself," and generate energy discharges to be used as weapons. Fantomex contains multiple brains for parallel and independent thinking as well as nano-active blood; the nanites in his brain prohibit him from believing in anything greater than himself, such as gods or any supernatural beings. He also maintains an internal back-up nervous system which can be engaged if E.V.A. is damaged. However, this system is less complex than E.V.A. and does not allow Fantomex to see colors.
He possesses enhanced strength, speed, agility, dexterity, reflexes and reactions, coordination, balance, and endurance. Fantomex is also capable of registering frequencies beyond the hearing range of normal humans.
Fantomex can also enter a trance state and perform crucial tasks such as performing surgery on himself. In this state, he can also recover faster while placed in water. He can expertly read the body language of others. He is a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant and a master of stealth techniques. His title in his birthplace, the World, was "stealth-fighter."
Fantomex is a superb marksman and has been seen using special "mutant-killing" bullets. They were designed by Sir James Braddock (the father of Psylocke and the current Captain Britain
) and are unique because the bullets themselves appear to have distorted faces. He carries a variety of guns and other weapons.
His mask incorporates telepathy-blocking ceramics. This also allows him to fool some of the most powerful telepaths, including Professor X, Psylocke and Jean Grey, who also cannot tell whether he is lying or not.
timeline (entitled Days of Future Now and depicted in Frank Tieri's Weapon X
series), Weapon X and the Sentinels are at war with Wolverine's X-Men and many other mutant groups, including Excelsior and Gene Nation. In this timeline, Fantomex becomes the host of Sublime and, possessed by the sentient bacteria, sabotages Wolverine's efforts to overthrow Weapon X.
, an alternate time line set 150 years in the future, the entire world is ruled by Beast
(possessed by Sublime). E.V.A. is a member of the X-Men, a team which includes Wolverine, Tito (Beak's grandson), Tom Skylark
, his sentinel Rover, Three-in-One, No-Girl, and the X-Men's leader, Cassandra Nova
. E.V.A. has developed human form and does not want to bond with anyone's nervous system after "what happened to Fantomex." Whatever happened to Fantomex is never explicitly explained in the series, though it is strongly hinted that Beast's U-Man follower, Apollyon the Destroyer, is actually Fantomex.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
associated with the 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...
in titles published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Fantomex first appeared in New X-Men #128 (August, 2002) and was created by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Igor Kordey
Igor Kordey
-Career:While his best-known work is featured in New X-Men, he has a very diverse repertoire, moving between traditional pencils and inks to fully painted panels. Because of his speed as an artist, at his peak, he was producing artwork for three or four monthly books at the same time...
.
The character initially comes across as a mix of Fantômas
Fantômas
Fantômas is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre .One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11...
and Diabolik
Diabolik
Diabolik is a fictional character, an anti-hero featured in Italian comics. He was created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962. His stories appear in monthly black and white digest-sized booklets. The character was inspired by several previous characters from Italian and French pulp...
but this is all revealed to be misdirection, as he is an escaped experiment from the Weapon Plus
Weapon Plus
Weapon Plus is a fictional clandestine program that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. It was created by Grant Morrison during his run in New X-Men. The program's purpose is the creation of supersoldiers intended to fight the wars of the future, especially a Mutant-Human war...
Program.
Publication history
Fantomex resembles the titular character of the Italian comic bookItalian comics
Italian comics are comics made in Italy. They are locally known as fumetto – plural form fumetti – although this latter term is often used in English to describe a specific comic genre . The most popular Italian comics have been translated into many languages...
Diabolik
Diabolik
Diabolik is a fictional character, an anti-hero featured in Italian comics. He was created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962. His stories appear in monthly black and white digest-sized booklets. The character was inspired by several previous characters from Italian and French pulp...
, whose film adaptation was released as Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik is a 1968 feature film from Italian filmmaker Mario Bava based on the Italian comic character Diabolik.- About the film :...
, Diabolik's lover being named Eva. The character of Diabolik is loosely based on the character Fantômas
Fantômas
Fantômas is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre .One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11...
, the subject of a series of early-20th century French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
detective thrillers and a popular Mexican comic book adaptation, whose name is more directly reflected in Fantomex's own name. Fantomex's name, Jean-Phillipe, is a reference to actor John Phillip Law
John Phillip Law
John Phillip Law was an American film actor with over one hundred movie roles to his credit. He was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Phyllis Sallee and the brother of actor Thomas Augustus Law .He was best known for his roles as the blind angel Pygar in the science fiction cult...
, star of "Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik is a 1968 feature film from Italian filmmaker Mario Bava based on the Italian comic character Diabolik.- About the film :...
". In addition, his Weapon X designation -- "Weapon XIII" -- is a reference to the secret agent protagonist of the Franco-Belgian comic XIII.
Since Morrison's run the character has made sporadic appearances in Weapon X #23–25, Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
#20–21, 24, the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
: The List—Wolverine one-shot and in Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny 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...
#519 onwards as part of the "Nation X" storyline. He can currently be seen in the monthly Uncanny 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...
series.
Origin
Fantomex was created by the Weapon PlusWeapon Plus
Weapon Plus is a fictional clandestine program that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. It was created by Grant Morrison during his run in New X-Men. The program's purpose is the creation of supersoldiers intended to fight the wars of the future, especially a Mutant-Human war...
Program to serve as a super-sentinel against Earth's mutant population. Through experimentation with human-machine hybridization, Weapon Plus created a population of technorganic organisms whose living tissue was fused with Sentinel nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
at the cellular level. His mother, a member of this race, became pregnant when she was fertilized with nanomachines, resulting in the birth of Fantomex. Like the rest of his people, he was born and raised in the World, a man-made environment designed to create super-sentinels, media-friendly mutant-hunters modeled after Saturday morning cartoons
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
. Although his nationality is technically British, as the World was located in England, Fantomex was not raised in British culture. He adopted a French sense of identity and persona out of a fascination with the French language, particularly because of its usefulness for cursing and distracting people. His experiment designation at the World facility was "Charlie Cluster-7," but he has adopted the name "Jean-Phillipe."
New X-Men
During his first appearance, Fantomex seeks a safe haven at the X-CorporationX-Corporation
The X-Corporation is a fictional institution from the X-Men comic book series by Marvel Comics. This organization was created to ensure the protection of mutant rights throughout the world due to the increasing number of mutants....
in Paris while fleeing from authorities. He claims to be a mutant thief with the ill-defined power of misdirection
Misdirection
Misdirection is a form of deception in which the attention of an audience is focused on one thing in order to distract its attention from another....
. Bleeding profusely from bullet wounds, he asks for asylum, which 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....
grants him. Fantomex explains to Professor X and 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...
that he is being hunted because he is one of the most wanted thieves in Europe. Neither Professor X nor Jean Grey are able to verify his claims due to his ceramic mask, a device that blocks their mental probes. However, they agree to aid him, and after escaping the soldiers who surround the building, Fantomex uses his ship E.V.A. to take Professor X and Jean Grey to his home in France. While there, he introduces them to his mother and continues to describe his success as a thief. In fact, he tells the two that he has stolen sensitive information about the Weapon Plus project while in the Chunnel, and offers to sell it to Professor Xavier for $1 billion. After submitting his proposal, he puts himself in a light hypnotic trance and removes the bullets that riddle his body. Finished, he asks Professor X and Jean Grey to accompany him back to the Chunnel in an effort to destroy Weapon XII. The three speed away in E.V.A., leaving the house and elderly woman behind.
Fantomex then leads Professor Xavier and Jean Grey to the Chunnel disaster. Packed full of people and animals that Weapon XII has turned into mindless slaves, confusion runs rampant. Knowing that those who have fallen prey to Weapon XII's influence are lost, Fantomex kills Darkstar
Darkstar (comics)
Darkstar is a fictional character, a mutant superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe. She has been a member of various super-teams in her career, including X-Corporation and Champions of Los Angeles.-Fictional character biography:...
and all others who are mentally connected to the creature. After Fantomex destroys Weapon XII by using a remote detonator, it is noticed that there are two empty Weapon Plus transport tubes in the Chunnel: one that held the violent Weapon XII and another that held something called Weapon XIII. After the battle, Fantomex's ceramic mask slips a bit and Jean Grey uses her telepathy to deduce his true identity: Fantomex is actually Weapon XIII and had also been in transit in the Chunnel. It was during the accident in the Chunnel that he escaped and was subsequently chased to the X-Corporation building. He confesses to Jean Grey that he is not the master thief that he had claimed, but is now set out to earn that reputation. He assures Jean Grey that he refuses to be anyone's soldier, and as a result Jean Grey allows Fantomex to disappear into the Chunnel before the authorities arrive.
Fantomex later travels to Afghanistan in an attempt to steal a list of the world's richest mutant slaver traders, the names on which he intends to blackmail. There he encounters an unconscious mutant known as Dust
Dust (comics)
Dust , is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' X-Men-related comic books. She was created by author Grant Morrison and artist Ethan Van Sciver in New X-Men #133 , although her character was not fully developed until the New X-Men: Academy X series written by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis...
, a former captive who unwittingly killed her captors by turning into a deadly sandstorm. Upon his exit, he encounters 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...
, leaving Dust in his care.
Soon after, Fantomex contacts Wolverine and offers him information about his mysterious past if he helps Fantomex destroy Ultimaton, also known as Weapon XV, the last creation of the Weapon Plus Program. Fantomex, Wolverine, and the X-Men's 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...
travel to the World, an artificial, time-altering environment designed by Weapon Plus to quickly develop and evolve new generations of super-soldiers.
The three are defeated by Weapon XV (Ultimaton), who escapes by breaking through the barriers of the World and flying to the Weapon Plus space station. The team pursues their target in E.V.A., Fantomex's biological spacecraft. Upon arriving at the space station Fantomex keeps his word by showing Wolverine the complete Weapon Plus database. Shocked at learning the terrible details of his past (including his role in the slaughter of the entire population of Roanoke while under the influence of Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
), Wolverine initiates the self-destruct sequence for the space station before catching and ultimately killing Ultimaton. Fantomex and Cyclops escape the explosion in one of the station's shuttles.
Back on Earth, Fantomex joins Cyclops and a group of X-Men students in their fight against Xorn
Xorn
Xorn is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. First appearing in New X-Men Annual 2001, Xorn was a new addition to the X-Men membership during writer Grant Morrison's revamp of the franchise....
, who had taken the identity of Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
. He had gathered a new Brotherhood of Mutants
Brotherhood of Mutants
The Brotherhood of Mutants, originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, is a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men...
and had taken over New York City. With the aid of Beak, Fantomex, and the others were able to break into Xorn's skyscraper headquarters and bring him down.
Weapon X and Mystique
Later on, Fantomex tries to track down John Sublime, the director of the Weapon Plus program. However, upon examining his empty grave, Fantomex finds a note reading, "Roanoke." He locates the secret facility of the splinter program Weapon XWeapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
and finds it abandoned except for Agent Zero. The pair reluctantly joins forces and travels to the site of Roanoke, a town whose inhabitants were slaughtered after Weapon X unleashed a brainwashed Wolverine on them years earlier. There, the three finally encounter Sublime but are opposed by his U-Men
U-Men (comics)
The U-Men are a fictional group of villains, owned by Marvel Comics and existing in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:In the Marvel Universe the U-Men are a collection of characters that first appeared in Grant Morrison's run on New X-Men. Their name is an allusion to the early Seattle...
and forced to flee against overwhelming odds. In an attempt to escape in E.V.A., Fantomex is shot down and left for dead.
However, Fantomex manages to survive and some time later is contacted by the diminutive mutant Shortpack
Shortpack
Shortpack is a fictional character, a telepathic mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Mystique #3, created by Brian K. Vaughan and Jorge Lucas.-Biography:...
who seeks his help in assassinating mutant arms dealer Steinbeck, also known as the Quiet Man
Prudence Leighton
Prudence Leighton is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. Prudence, originally a female, was murdered by Steinbeck, a pyrokinetic mutant. She used her ability to possess his body, taking on the codename Agent 16, and also the Quiet Man...
, in revenge for his killing of an agent under Shortpack's care. Fantomex refuses, not wanting to become responsible for allowing the good-natured Shortpack to become a killer. Shortpack is captured by Steinbeck soon after, and whilst investigating his disappearance the shapechanging mutant Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
, a double agent for both Xavier and Steinbeck's ally Shepard, learns of his meeting with Fantomex. Though despising him after a past encounter in Madagascar, Mystique finds Fantomex in Monte Carlo, once again operating under the pretense of being a mutant thief, and learns of Shortpack's plan. As she leaves to rescue him, Fantomex follows and uncovers her intent to assassinate Xavier. In exchange for his silence, Fantomex bids Mystique perform a heist for him. After she returns with the stolen goods (a vintage Spider-Man costume), Mystique infects both Fantomex and E.V.A. with a techno-organic virus, seemingly killing them both to keep her plan secret. However, it was all a ruse as Mystique knew she was being monitored by Shepard. Fantomex later resurfaces and helps Mystique capture Shepard, giving her access to Steinbeck whom she finally defeats.
Dark Reign, Nation X, and Second Coming
During his tenure as leader of HAMMER, Norman Osborn tries to take control of the World and the Weapon Plus creations. Wolverine and Noh-VarrNoh-Varr
Noh-Varr is a fictional character created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones and appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appears in Marvel Boy #1 . He appeared in the Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways and the New Avengers: Illuminati limited series...
head to the World to try to stop Norman Osborn but are soon attacked by a large army of Weapon Plus creations infected by Allgod (Weapon XVI), the living religion. Noh-Varr is rescued by Fantomex (who has apparently spent all the time since his last appearance "stealing things mostly" and admits he should have kept an eye on the World), and the two of them make their way to the World's brain (now a sentient being) where they are confronted by the Allgod drones, Wolverine included. Fantomex is not affected by Allgod because nanites in his neocortex render him incapable of believing in anything greater than himself. Noh-Varr is able to disarm Allgod by kissing the World's brain, thus showing it some compassion, and disabling Allgod. Immediately after this, the three of them defeat Osborn's invading army of Deathlok
Deathlok
Deathlok is a fictional cyborg published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 , and was created by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench...
prototypes. Fantomex then uses a shrink-ray he reportedly stole from Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
to shrink the World and take it for his own.
Soon afterwards Fantomex is hired by a young mutant boy to hunt a rogue Predator X stalking mutants beneath New York City. After dealing with the Predator X, Fantomex and E.V.A. run into Wolverine, Psylocke
Psylocke
Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK...
, and Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, who ask for his help to defeat the creators of the Predator X. Fantomex initially turns their request down, but is later convinced by the same young boy he helped to help the X-Men. Fantomex saves the team from a group of John Sublime's associates and later takes them home.
Fantomex remains with the X-Men on Utopia and is later seen in San Francisco fighting alongside the X-Men against Bastion's
Bastion (comics)
Bastion is a supervillain that appears in the fictional Marvel Universe. The character was created by Scott Lobdell and Pascual Ferry and first made a cameo appearance in X-Men #52 . His first full appearance was Uncanny X-Men #333...
army of Nimrod
Nimrod (comics)
Nimrod is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #191 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr. Hailing from the "Days of Future Past" timeline, Nimrod is a powerful, virtually...
sentinels. Once the battle is over, he's shown to have secretly joined a new iteration of 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...
, alongside Wolverine, Archangel
Archangel (comics)
Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a fictional character, a comic book antihero in the Marvel Comics universe. Originally known as Angel and later Archangel, Worthington is one of the founding members of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-creator Jack Kirby, he first appeared in...
, Psylocke, and Deadpool.
Uncanny X-Force
The first mission of the new team is an assassination job to kill 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...
, reborn in the form of a child and being indoctrinated by Clan Akkaba
Clan Akkaba
Clan Akkaba is a fictional cult in the Marvel Universe. Created by Frank Tieri and Clayton Henry. The Clan is composed of the descendants of the mutant supervillain Apocalypse and first appeared in X-Men: Apocalypse vs...
on their Moon base. After defeating Apocalypse's Last Horsemen and getting to the young Apocalypse, no one on the team can summon up the courage to kill a child. When the group resigns to bring the child back with them and to reeducate him, Fantomex fires a shot in the child's head, apparently killing him. He next joins the group in a mission to Australia to stop 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...
led by 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...
before they can begin a massive attack against Utopia.
Soon afterwards, Fantomex realizes there's something wrong with the World, as a presence calling itself Weapon Infinity has started manipulating the timestream within. While investigating this, he's attacked by a group of Deathlok cyborgs based on the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
who apparently want to kill him and take possession of the World. The Deathlok Avengers kill Fantomex's mother but he manages to escape with his life and the World thanks to the arrival of a rogue Deathlok unit and later his X-Force companions. After interrogating the captured Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
cyborg, they learn that this new Deathlok program comes from a future where all superhumans have been executed and turned into a cybernetic police force that has ushered a Utopia on Earth, and that they have travelled back in time to kill the one being that can unravel this future: Apocalypse. Fantomex and the rest of X-Force head inside the World determined to assassinate the architect of Weapon Infinity, the enigmatic Father, before it can create the future Deathlok cyborgs. Once inside the World the team has to fight Deathlok versions of themselves and it is Deadpool who finally kills Father and erases the attacking Deathlok strain. The words of the Captain America Deathlok make sense when Fantomex is revealed to be, unbeknownst to the rest of the team, growing the child Apocalypse deep inside the World.
Powers and abilities
Fantomex can create extremely realistic illusions (he calls this ability "misdirection").Fantomex has an external nervous system referred to as E.V.A. He has mentioned that E.V.A. emerged from his mouth during his time in the World and developed into a techno-organic flying saucer-like vessel. The relationship between E.V.A and Fantomex is symbiotic, so if E.V.A. experiences pain when she is not within Fantomex, he will feel it as well. When E.V.A. is separated from his body, Fantomex feels no pain and seems able to ignore most injuries. Along with this symbiotic relationship, Fantomex is linked to E.V.A. via telepathy. He can see through E.V.A.'s point of view and can take control of her movement. However, this requires concentration on the part of Fantomex. Moreover, E.V.A, as a bio-mechanical being, can reshape her body into a variety of forms, fly "herself," and generate energy discharges to be used as weapons. Fantomex contains multiple brains for parallel and independent thinking as well as nano-active blood; the nanites in his brain prohibit him from believing in anything greater than himself, such as gods or any supernatural beings. He also maintains an internal back-up nervous system which can be engaged if E.V.A. is damaged. However, this system is less complex than E.V.A. and does not allow Fantomex to see colors.
He possesses enhanced strength, speed, agility, dexterity, reflexes and reactions, coordination, balance, and endurance. Fantomex is also capable of registering frequencies beyond the hearing range of normal humans.
Fantomex can also enter a trance state and perform crucial tasks such as performing surgery on himself. In this state, he can also recover faster while placed in water. He can expertly read the body language of others. He is a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant and a master of stealth techniques. His title in his birthplace, the World, was "stealth-fighter."
Fantomex is a superb marksman and has been seen using special "mutant-killing" bullets. They were designed by Sir James Braddock (the father of Psylocke and the current Captain Britain
Captain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
) and are unique because the bullets themselves appear to have distorted faces. He carries a variety of guns and other weapons.
His mask incorporates telepathy-blocking ceramics. This also allows him to fool some of the most powerful telepaths, including Professor X, Psylocke and Jean Grey, who also cannot tell whether he is lying or not.
Days of Future Now
In one variant of the Days of Future PastDays of Future Past
"Days of Future Past" is a popular storyline in the Marvel Comics comic book The Uncanny X-Men issues #141 and #142, published in 1981. It deals with a dystopian alternate future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps...
timeline (entitled Days of Future Now and depicted in Frank Tieri's Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
series), Weapon X and the Sentinels are at war with Wolverine's X-Men and many other mutant groups, including Excelsior and Gene Nation. In this timeline, Fantomex becomes the host of Sublime and, possessed by the sentient bacteria, sabotages Wolverine's efforts to overthrow Weapon X.
Here Comes Tomorrow
In Here Comes TomorrowHere Comes Tomorrow
"Here Comes Tomorrow" is the eighth and final story arc in Grant Morrison's run on the Marvel Comics series New X-Men, which ran from issues #151-154...
, an alternate time line set 150 years in the future, the entire world is ruled by 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...
(possessed by Sublime). E.V.A. is a member of the X-Men, a team which includes Wolverine, Tito (Beak's grandson), Tom Skylark
Sentinel (comic book)
Sentinel is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics as part of the Tsunami imprint. It is written by Sean McKeever and illustrated by UDON.- Publication history :...
, his sentinel Rover, Three-in-One, No-Girl, and the X-Men's leader, Cassandra Nova
Cassandra Nova
Cassandra Nova is a fictional enemy of the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, Cassandra first appeared in New X-Men #114 . Cassandra is a "mummudrai," a parasitic life form born bodiless on the astral plane...
. E.V.A. has developed human form and does not want to bond with anyone's nervous system after "what happened to Fantomex." Whatever happened to Fantomex is never explicitly explained in the series, though it is strongly hinted that Beast's U-Man follower, Apollyon the Destroyer, is actually Fantomex.
X-Men: The End
Fantomex is depicted briefly in X-Men: The End as part of X-23's dream induced by the Ladies Mastermind, as she is stated to be in love with him in this reality. In X-23's dream, they are shown together with a small daughter playing in their backyard.External links
- Fantomex on the Marvel Universe