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Maximus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Maximus is a fiction
al character
, a schizophrenic and genius
appearing in comic book
s published by Marvel Comics
. He first appeared in Fantastic Four
#47 (February 1966), and was created by Stan Lee
and Jack Kirby
.
, was the second son of two of Attilan
's top geneticists, Agon
, the head of the ruling Council of Geneticists, and Rynda, director of the Prenatal Care Center. Subjected to the DNA-altering Terrigen Mist when he was an infant, Maximus peculiarly showed no outward sign of any mutagenic change. As he matured, he hid his developing psionic powers from the community, but was less successful at disguising his antisocial tendencies. When he was about sixteen, his elder brother Black Bolt
was released from the protective chamber in which he had been confined since birth due to the destructive nature of his Terrigen mutation. One of Maximus's first responses to his brother's freedom was an unsuccessful attempt to make him release his power and prove Black Bolt could not control his sonic powers, and thus lose his freedom. A month later, Black Bolt witnessed Maximus making a treacherous pact with an emissary of the Kree
, the alien race responsible for genetically accelerating the Inhumans eons before. In an attempt to stop the fleeing emissary so that he could be questioned by the ruling council, Black Bolt used his forbidden power of the quasi-sonic scream and blasted the alien ship out of the sky. When the ship crashed to earth, it landed on the parliament building, killing several key members of the Genetics Council, including the boys' parents. The reverberations of Black Bolt's voice also affected Maximus, who was standing nearby, addling his sanity and suppressing his nascent mental powers. When Black Bolt assumed the throne shortly thereafter, Maximus vowed to oppose his brother and eventually usurp his rule.
Maximus staged his first successful coup a few years later. By performing an illegal experiment on the Alpha Primitive
s, the subhuman worker clones that once served the Inhumans, Maximus created the Trikon, three bodiless energy beings of great destructive power. While the Trikon wreaked havoc in Attilan, Maximus was able to drive the Royal Family of the Inhumans out of the city. Maximus later sent Gorgon in search of the amnesiac Medusa
. In the several year interval before Black Bolt and his cousins located her in America, Maximus ruled Attilan in Black Bolt's stead. Feeling secure in his position, Maximus bade his servant, the Seeker
, to locate the Royal Family and bring them back to Attilan. Immediately upon doing so, Black Bolt seized the crown back, to Maximus' dismay. Maximus also encountered the Fantastic Four
for the first time. Maximus, hoping to win back the public's affection, activated the Atmo-Gun device he had been working on, a machine he believed would kill the human race and leave all other living beings intact. Maximus miscalculated, however, and the device had no effect. Out of spite, Maximus used the device to erect a "negative zone" barrier (not to be confused with the anti-matter dimension of that name) that encased Attilan in a dark force sphere, imprisoning the entire race inside. Black Bolt liberated his people by using his quasi-sonic voice to destroy the barrier, at the price of devastating Attilan's ancient architecture.
Maximus then allied himself with six Inhuman criminals, sentenced for their treachery and subversive acts. Freeing Falcona
, Aireo
, Stallior
, Nebulo, Leonus
, and Timberius
from their place of imprisonment with the Hulk
's aid, Maximus then tricked the Hulk into breaching the protective barrier guarding a forbidden chemical substance created by the Inhuman scientist Romnar centuries previous. This substance had certain highly unstable energy absorbing capacities and Maximus intended to use it to usurp the throne again. Black Bolt overpowered him before he could do so.
Maximus succeeded in bringing about his second coup some months later. Drugging the Royal Family with will-deadening "hypno-potions," Maximus wrested the crown from Black Bolt and had the Royal Family imprisoned. Before he could activate his Hypno-Gun, which he believed would make all mankind surrender to his will, the Royal Family escaped and subdued him. Maximus's first coup had lasted several years; his second one several days. Escaping Attilan with his band of renegades in a rocket, Maximus landed in the South American country of Costa Salvador, and attempted to build a will-deadening device similar to his Hypno-Gun. His plans were opposed by the Hulk and the United States Army, however, and he and his allies were forced to flee again.
Maximus later fomented a battle between the Royal Family and the Fantastic Four. Returning to Attilan, Maximus was welcomed back by his brother Black Bolt who preferred Maximus to be somewhere he could be watched. Black Bolt detected that Maximus's psionic powers, suppressed since he was an adolescent, were beginning to return. Offering no explanation, Black Bolt had Maximus placed in a suspended animation capsule, inside which he could not use his powers. Black Bolt's cousin Gorgon, however, objected to Black Bolt's inhumane treatment of Maximus and freed him. Maximus immediately used his mental powers to subjugate the minds of the Inhuman populace and to give his brother Black Bolt amnesia. Maximus then restored the dark force barrier around Attilan and began negotiations with the alien Kree to sell certain Inhumans to the Kree to be used as soldiers. Eventually Black Bolt's memory returned, and alongside the Avengers
, he returned to Attilan and once again destroyed the barrier. The Avengers drove the Kree agent away before he could accomplish his mission and Black Bolt liberated the enslaved Inhumans. Maximus's third takeover of Attilan lasted several weeks.
With his mental powers traumatically submerged, Maximus escaped strict punishment for his treachery by feigning insanity. He then began work on his next project to usurp the throne, the construction of the android Omega
, whose power source was supposedly the collective guilt evinced by the Inhuman populace over their treatment of the subhuman Alpha Primitives. The Fantastic Four
helped the Royal Family thwart the construct, and the damage it caused was slight. Maximus staged his fourth successful coup a short time later when the Royal Family had briefly left Attilan on business. Taking Crystal
and her husband Quicksilver
captive, Maximus forced Black Bolt to give him the crown in order to spare their lives. Black Bolt did so, and allowed himself to be placed in captivity. Maximus had reestablished contact with the Kree and had negotiated a deal where the Kree would take all of the Inhumans with extraordinary abilities, leaving him the other half of the population to rule. Triton
and Karnak
managed to rescue most of Maximus's captives and outwit the Kree agent Shatterstar
. Unaware of the victory, Black Bolt let loose with his quasi-sonic scream in agony, once again leveling the city. Angered by what had happened, Black Bolt struck Maximus for the first time and had him imprisoned.
Maximus then allied himself with the Enclave
, a band of human scientists who managed to capture Medusa. The Enclave wanted to conquer Attilan and dispatched an aerial strike force. When the Enclave threatened to execute Medusa, however, Maximus turned on them out of unrequited passion for his brother's betrothed. A weapon Maximus was manning overloaded, leaving Maximus in a death-like coma. Black Bolt had his brother's body placed in a special crypt, and when Attilan was transported from the earth to the moon, Maximus accompanied it. On the moon, Maximus's mind made contact with an alien power crystal located there, and it reawakened his dormant mental powers. When Black Bolt next came to pay his respects to his brother, Maximus was able to use his power to affect a transfer of consciousness between them. For several months Maximus ruled Attilan in Black Bolt's body as Black Bolt lay imprisoned in a tube. Reestablishing contact with the Enclave, Maximus helped them implement meteoroid launchers with which they intended to bombard Earth. With the aid of the Avengers, Maximus' switch was discovered, and the Enclave's schemes were foiled. Maximus was forced to return to his rightful body and was once again placed in solitary confinement.
His next plot carried out from his prison cell involved the Inhuman Woz, and almost resulted in Attilan being conquered by Earth forces. It was foiled by Black Bolt and Medusa, who arranged for Attilan to be teleported away before its destruction.
between the U.S. government and the Inhumans, Maximus was again plotting his revenge, taunting Black Bolt from his prison and trying to sway a distressed Medusa on his side. He in fact managed to convince Medusa to try to have Luna help "cure" him, only for Luna to realize too late that the "cure" instead allowed Maximus to gain control over all the other Inhumans. After the enhanced Marines managed to destroy Attilan, Maximus usurped the throne of the Inhumans from Black Bolt, taking Medusa as his queen, and announcing a new plan to conquer Earth.
s, Maximus did not care at first. When it was discovered that Ahura
was a Skrull in disguise, Maximus defeated it.
, Black Bolt has retaken the throne of the Inhumans. Maximus is still free, and serves as Black Bolt's science advisor, devising war machines for the Kree to use against their adversaries, the Shi'ar.
Maximus's mental instability often prevents him from making full use of his powers. Also, like all Inhumans, Maximus's immune system is weaker than that of an average human.
He is an extraordinarily gifted inventor, with advanced knowledge of physics, mechanics, and biology. He has invented an Atmo-gun (able to create seismic shockwaves and "negative zone" force fields), and a Hypno-gun (able to control minds at a far distance).
, Maximus was a Horseman
of Apocalypse
, the Horseman of Death. He operated on the Blue Area of the Moon, aboard Ship
, Apocalypse's Celestial
starship. Maximus was served by his personal strikeforce formed by clones of the Inhuman Royal Family, which he had murdered himself, altered into monstrous forms by the Terrigen Mists, which Death had offered Apocalypse in exchange for his position. Maximus also experimented on Sunfire, who had been captured by Holocaust
after the destruction of Japan, leaving him unable to control his powers.
When the X-Men
appeared on the Moon, believing Apocalypse to be hibernating on Ship, Maximus captured the X-Men and sought to transform them into his servants, and use them to overthrow Apocalypse. However, Cyclops
, who had been sent to ensure the transfer of the Mists, attacked the betrayer Death and liberated the X-Men with the aid of Blink
. Maximus died, alongside his servants, in the destruction of Ship caused by Sunfire, whose powers flared out of control after he was released.
on Marvel 2099
, called Marvel Knights 2099, the Inhumans are in a space station named "Atillan", having left Earth decades ago, awaiting the cryogenic awakening of Black Bolt
. The leader of the Council, greets Black Bolt, and has Lockjaw
teleport them somewhere private, the throne room. At last, the leader revealed that he killed the rest of the Inhumans Royal Family, in cryogenic suspension, and took pleasure in killing Medusa especially and took over. The leader revealed himself as Maximus, to Black Bolt's shock and anger, and revealed that through implants, he's lived so long to see Black Bolt vulnerable, at his boiling point. Maximus pleaded to him to release his power and destroy everything, the station, the legacy, and Maximus himself. Black Bolt finally lets go and in one whisper, destroys everything. The one shot ends with Black Bolt crying and dying in space among the wreckage.
, Maximus is introduced in the series' first Annual along with the other Inhumans. He is the brother of Black Bolt and the fiancé of Crystal
. She refuses to marry him, referring to him as a "stunted little peacock" and calling him mad
.
animated series voiced by Mark Hamill
.
by several Inhumans. Gorgon says he has Maximus "locked safely in the maze."
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a schizophrenic and genius
Genius
Genius is something or someone embodying exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight....
appearing in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s 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...
. He first appeared in Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
#47 (February 1966), and was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Fictional character biography
Maximus, an InhumanInhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This race appears in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics and exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe....
, was the second son of two of Attilan
Attilan
Attilan is a fictional city in the that houses the Inhumans. It first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 . It has also been known as the Great Refuge and New Attilan.-Fictional history:...
's top geneticists, Agon
Agon (comics)
Agon is a fictional character who has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The character is a member of the Inhumans, a race of beings who exist in Marvel's main shared universe, the Marvel Universe. He is best known as the father of Black Bolt...
, the head of the ruling Council of Geneticists, and Rynda, director of the Prenatal Care Center. Subjected to the DNA-altering Terrigen Mist when he was an infant, Maximus peculiarly showed no outward sign of any mutagenic change. As he matured, he hid his developing psionic powers from the community, but was less successful at disguising his antisocial tendencies. When he was about sixteen, his elder brother Black Bolt
Black Bolt
Black Bolt is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black...
was released from the protective chamber in which he had been confined since birth due to the destructive nature of his Terrigen mutation. One of Maximus's first responses to his brother's freedom was an unsuccessful attempt to make him release his power and prove Black Bolt could not control his sonic powers, and thus lose his freedom. A month later, Black Bolt witnessed Maximus making a treacherous pact with an emissary of the Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
, the alien race responsible for genetically accelerating the Inhumans eons before. In an attempt to stop the fleeing emissary so that he could be questioned by the ruling council, Black Bolt used his forbidden power of the quasi-sonic scream and blasted the alien ship out of the sky. When the ship crashed to earth, it landed on the parliament building, killing several key members of the Genetics Council, including the boys' parents. The reverberations of Black Bolt's voice also affected Maximus, who was standing nearby, addling his sanity and suppressing his nascent mental powers. When Black Bolt assumed the throne shortly thereafter, Maximus vowed to oppose his brother and eventually usurp his rule.
Maximus staged his first successful coup a few years later. By performing an illegal experiment on the Alpha Primitive
Alpha Primitive
The Alpha Primitives are a fictional subspecies of humanity from Marvel Comics. They first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 , and were created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.-History:...
s, the subhuman worker clones that once served the Inhumans, Maximus created the Trikon, three bodiless energy beings of great destructive power. While the Trikon wreaked havoc in Attilan, Maximus was able to drive the Royal Family of the Inhumans out of the city. Maximus later sent Gorgon in search of the amnesiac Medusa
Medusa (comics)
Medusa is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Medusa first appeared in Fantastic Four #36 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
. In the several year interval before Black Bolt and his cousins located her in America, Maximus ruled Attilan in Black Bolt's stead. Feeling secure in his position, Maximus bade his servant, the Seeker
Seeker (comics)
The Seeker is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:The Seeker first appeared in Fantastic Four #46-48 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, to locate the Royal Family and bring them back to Attilan. Immediately upon doing so, Black Bolt seized the crown back, to Maximus' dismay. Maximus also encountered the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
for the first time. Maximus, hoping to win back the public's affection, activated the Atmo-Gun device he had been working on, a machine he believed would kill the human race and leave all other living beings intact. Maximus miscalculated, however, and the device had no effect. Out of spite, Maximus used the device to erect a "negative zone" barrier (not to be confused with the anti-matter dimension of that name) that encased Attilan in a dark force sphere, imprisoning the entire race inside. Black Bolt liberated his people by using his quasi-sonic voice to destroy the barrier, at the price of devastating Attilan's ancient architecture.
Maximus then allied himself with six Inhuman criminals, sentenced for their treachery and subversive acts. Freeing Falcona
Falcona
Falcona is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Falcona first appeared in Incredible Hulk Annual #1 , and was created by Gary Friedrich and Marie Severin....
, Aireo
Aireo
Aireo is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publishing history:Aireo first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, Stallior
Stallior
Stallior is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Stallior is an Inhuman who was a guardsman of the island of Attilan, originally in the Atlantic Ocean. Along with the "Evil Inhumans", Stallior became an insurrectionist and supported Maximus the Mad's military...
, Nebulo, Leonus
Leonus
Leonus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Leonus first appeared in Incredible Hulk Annual #1 , and was created by Gary Friedrich and Marie Severin....
, and Timberius
Timberius
Timberius is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Timberius first appeared in Incredible Hulk Annual #1 , and was created by Gary Friedrich and Marie Severin....
from their place of imprisonment with the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
's aid, Maximus then tricked the Hulk into breaching the protective barrier guarding a forbidden chemical substance created by the Inhuman scientist Romnar centuries previous. This substance had certain highly unstable energy absorbing capacities and Maximus intended to use it to usurp the throne again. Black Bolt overpowered him before he could do so.
Maximus succeeded in bringing about his second coup some months later. Drugging the Royal Family with will-deadening "hypno-potions," Maximus wrested the crown from Black Bolt and had the Royal Family imprisoned. Before he could activate his Hypno-Gun, which he believed would make all mankind surrender to his will, the Royal Family escaped and subdued him. Maximus's first coup had lasted several years; his second one several days. Escaping Attilan with his band of renegades in a rocket, Maximus landed in the South American country of Costa Salvador, and attempted to build a will-deadening device similar to his Hypno-Gun. His plans were opposed by the Hulk and the United States Army, however, and he and his allies were forced to flee again.
Maximus later fomented a battle between the Royal Family and the Fantastic Four. Returning to Attilan, Maximus was welcomed back by his brother Black Bolt who preferred Maximus to be somewhere he could be watched. Black Bolt detected that Maximus's psionic powers, suppressed since he was an adolescent, were beginning to return. Offering no explanation, Black Bolt had Maximus placed in a suspended animation capsule, inside which he could not use his powers. Black Bolt's cousin Gorgon, however, objected to Black Bolt's inhumane treatment of Maximus and freed him. Maximus immediately used his mental powers to subjugate the minds of the Inhuman populace and to give his brother Black Bolt amnesia. Maximus then restored the dark force barrier around Attilan and began negotiations with the alien Kree to sell certain Inhumans to the Kree to be used as soldiers. Eventually Black Bolt's memory returned, and alongside 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...
, he returned to Attilan and once again destroyed the barrier. The Avengers drove the Kree agent away before he could accomplish his mission and Black Bolt liberated the enslaved Inhumans. Maximus's third takeover of Attilan lasted several weeks.
With his mental powers traumatically submerged, Maximus escaped strict punishment for his treachery by feigning insanity. He then began work on his next project to usurp the throne, the construction of the android Omega
Omega (Marvel Comics)
Omega is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Omega first appeared in Fantastic Four #131 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Ross Andru....
, whose power source was supposedly the collective guilt evinced by the Inhuman populace over their treatment of the subhuman Alpha Primitives. The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
helped the Royal Family thwart the construct, and the damage it caused was slight. Maximus staged his fourth successful coup a short time later when the Royal Family had briefly left Attilan on business. Taking Crystal
Crystal (comics)
Crystal is a fictional character, a superhero in the . She is a member of the Inhumans and the younger sister of Medusa....
and her husband Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
captive, Maximus forced Black Bolt to give him the crown in order to spare their lives. Black Bolt did so, and allowed himself to be placed in captivity. Maximus had reestablished contact with the Kree and had negotiated a deal where the Kree would take all of the Inhumans with extraordinary abilities, leaving him the other half of the population to rule. Triton
Triton (comics)
Triton is a fictional merman published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
and Karnak
Karnak (comics)
Karnak is a fictional martial artist published by Marvel Comics. He first appears in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #45, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
managed to rescue most of Maximus's captives and outwit the Kree agent Shatterstar
Shatterstar (Kree)
Shatterstar is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Shatterstar first appeared in Inhumans #3-6 , and was created by Doug Moench and George Pérez...
. Unaware of the victory, Black Bolt let loose with his quasi-sonic scream in agony, once again leveling the city. Angered by what had happened, Black Bolt struck Maximus for the first time and had him imprisoned.
Maximus then allied himself with the Enclave
Enclave (comics)
The Enclave is a fictional subversive organization of dictatorially-minded scientists featured in comics published by Marvel Comics. The characters are a part of the Marvel Universe.-Fictional organization history:...
, a band of human scientists who managed to capture Medusa. The Enclave wanted to conquer Attilan and dispatched an aerial strike force. When the Enclave threatened to execute Medusa, however, Maximus turned on them out of unrequited passion for his brother's betrothed. A weapon Maximus was manning overloaded, leaving Maximus in a death-like coma. Black Bolt had his brother's body placed in a special crypt, and when Attilan was transported from the earth to the moon, Maximus accompanied it. On the moon, Maximus's mind made contact with an alien power crystal located there, and it reawakened his dormant mental powers. When Black Bolt next came to pay his respects to his brother, Maximus was able to use his power to affect a transfer of consciousness between them. For several months Maximus ruled Attilan in Black Bolt's body as Black Bolt lay imprisoned in a tube. Reestablishing contact with the Enclave, Maximus helped them implement meteoroid launchers with which they intended to bombard Earth. With the aid of the Avengers, Maximus' switch was discovered, and the Enclave's schemes were foiled. Maximus was forced to return to his rightful body and was once again placed in solitary confinement.
His next plot carried out from his prison cell involved the Inhuman Woz, and almost resulted in Attilan being conquered by Earth forces. It was foiled by Black Bolt and Medusa, who arranged for Attilan to be teleported away before its destruction.
Silent War
With an upcoming warSilent War
Silent War is a six-issue Marvel Comics comic book limited series which began in January 2007. It was written by David Hine, with art by Frazer Irving....
between the U.S. government and the Inhumans, Maximus was again plotting his revenge, taunting Black Bolt from his prison and trying to sway a distressed Medusa on his side. He in fact managed to convince Medusa to try to have Luna help "cure" him, only for Luna to realize too late that the "cure" instead allowed Maximus to gain control over all the other Inhumans. After the enhanced Marines managed to destroy Attilan, Maximus usurped the throne of the Inhumans from Black Bolt, taking Medusa as his queen, and announcing a new plan to conquer Earth.
Secret Invasion
When it came to the threat of the SkrullSkrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s, Maximus did not care at first. When it was discovered that Ahura
Ahura (comics)
Ahura is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe and is a member of the Inhumans species. Ahura was created by Ann Nocenti and Bret Blevins and first makes an appearance in Marvel Graphic Novel: The Inhumans ....
was a Skrull in disguise, Maximus defeated it.
War of Kings
As of War of KingsWar of Kings
"War of Kings" is a comic book crossover storyline written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, published by Marvel Comics, and set in Marvel's main shared universe. The six issue limited series was published between March and August, 2009....
, Black Bolt has retaken the throne of the Inhumans. Maximus is still free, and serves as Black Bolt's science advisor, devising war machines for the Kree to use against their adversaries, the Shi'ar.
Powers and abilities
Maximus has a genius-level intellect and great inventiveness. His Inhuman telepathic powers granted by the mutagenic effects from exposure to Terrigen Mist give him the ability to numb, control, or even blank out a person's mind. He has the ability to induce short-term amnesia in others, and the ability to exchange his consciousness with another's. Maximus's mental powers have a limited range. His influence generally functions while Maximus concentrates, but he has left long-buried influence in his subjects as well.Maximus's mental instability often prevents him from making full use of his powers. Also, like all Inhumans, Maximus's immune system is weaker than that of an average human.
He is an extraordinarily gifted inventor, with advanced knowledge of physics, mechanics, and biology. He has invented an Atmo-gun (able to create seismic shockwaves and "negative zone" force fields), and a Hypno-gun (able to control minds at a far distance).
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...
, Maximus was a Horseman
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...
of 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...
, the Horseman of Death. He operated on the Blue Area of the Moon, aboard Ship
Ship (comics)
The fictional A.I. entity originally known as Ship has appeared in several incarnations in the Marvel Universe. At times controlled by both the X-Men and their enemies, the sentient Ship A.I. has been at the core of a Celestial starship, two space stations, and a techno-organic being.-Ancient...
, Apocalypse's Celestial
Celestial (comics)
The Celestials are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters first appear in Eternals #1 and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
starship. Maximus was served by his personal strikeforce formed by clones of the Inhuman Royal Family, which he had murdered himself, altered into monstrous forms by the Terrigen Mists, which Death had offered Apocalypse in exchange for his position. Maximus also experimented on Sunfire, who had been captured by Holocaust
Holocaust (comics)
Holocaust is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men Alpha , and was created by Scott Lobdell and Roger Cruz.-Fictional character biography:...
after the destruction of Japan, leaving him unable to control his powers.
When 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...
appeared on the Moon, believing Apocalypse to be hibernating on Ship, Maximus captured the X-Men and sought to transform them into his servants, and use them to overthrow Apocalypse. However, 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...
, who had been sent to ensure the transfer of the Mists, attacked the betrayer Death and liberated the X-Men with the aid of Blink
Blink (comics)
Blink is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero featured in various X-Men-related series. Created by Scott Lobdell and Joe Madureira, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #317 .-Publication History:...
. Maximus died, alongside his servants, in the destruction of Ship caused by Sunfire, whose powers flared out of control after he was released.
Marvel Knights 2099
In an alternate takeMarvel Knights
Marvel Knights is an imprint of Marvel Worldwide, Inc. that contains material taking place within the mainstream Marvel Universe .-Production:...
on Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099 is a Marvel Comics imprint, started in 1992, that explores one possible future of the Marvel Universe. It was originally announced by Stan Lee in his "Stan's Soapbox" column as a single series entitled The Marvel World of Tomorrow, which was being developed by Lee and John Byrne...
, called Marvel Knights 2099, the Inhumans are in a space station named "Atillan", having left Earth decades ago, awaiting the cryogenic awakening of Black Bolt
Black Bolt
Black Bolt is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black...
. The leader of the Council, greets Black Bolt, and has Lockjaw
Lockjaw (comics)
Lockjaw is a fictional character and alien bulldog-like being that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
teleport them somewhere private, the throne room. At last, the leader revealed that he killed the rest of the Inhumans Royal Family, in cryogenic suspension, and took pleasure in killing Medusa especially and took over. The leader revealed himself as Maximus, to Black Bolt's shock and anger, and revealed that through implants, he's lived so long to see Black Bolt vulnerable, at his boiling point. Maximus pleaded to him to release his power and destroy everything, the station, the legacy, and Maximus himself. Black Bolt finally lets go and in one whisper, destroys everything. The one shot ends with Black Bolt crying and dying in space among the wreckage.
Ultimate Maximus
In Ultimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, Maximus is introduced in the series' first Annual along with the other Inhumans. He is the brother of Black Bolt and the fiancé of Crystal
Crystal (comics)
Crystal is a fictional character, a superhero in the . She is a member of the Inhumans and the younger sister of Medusa....
. She refuses to marry him, referring to him as a "stunted little peacock" and calling him mad
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
.
Television
Maximus appeared in the 1994 Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1994 TV series)
Fantastic Four is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996...
animated series voiced by Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
.
Video games
Maximus is mentioned in Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
by several Inhumans. Gorgon says he has Maximus "locked safely in the maze."