Black Bolt

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Black Bolt


Black Bolt.
Art by John Watson.
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Fantastic Four vol. 1, #45 (Dec 1965)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
Characteristics
Alter ego Blackagar Boltagon
Species Inhuman, from Attilan
Team
affiliations		 Inhuman Royal Family
Illuminati
Abilities Superhuman strength, stamina and agility
Flight
Destructive hypersonic voice
Molecular manipulation

Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe and king of the offshoot of humanity known as the Inhumans. Black Bolt was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first makes a cameo appearance in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #45.

Contents

[edit] Fictional character biography

Black Bolt is the son of two formerly pre-eminent Inhumans - Agon, head of the ruling Council of Genetics, and Rynda, director of the Prenatal Care Center. In accordance with Inhuman standard practice, Black Bolt is subjected to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo. As an infant, he demonstrates the ability to manipulate energy, particularly the ability to generate quasi-sonic energy through his voice. To protect the community, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proofed chamber and given an energy-harnessing suit. Agon then tutors his son in how to control his powers, until permitted to re-enter society as a young man - having vowed never to speak. [1]

Only a month after being awarded his freedom, Black Bolt discovers his younger brother Maximus in the process of making a pact with emissaries of the alien Kree, the race whose genetic experiments first created the Inhumans. Black Bolt uses his powers to stop an escaping Kree vessel, but due to his inexperience miscalculates, causing it to crash and accidentally kill several members of the Council of Genetics - including his parents. [2] Despite his guilt, Black Bolt reluctantly accepts rulership of the Inhumans, and together with his cousins Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton and Crystal, they form the Royal Family, with giant pet bulldog Lockjaw completing their entourage. Black Bolt eventually marries his cousin Medusa[3] and they have a son called Ahura.[4]

Black Bolt has made several significant decisions in his time as ruler, the first one being when Triton was kidnapped by humans, when Triton escaped, Black Bolt decided to move Attilan. He relocated the Inhuman city of Attilan several times (from an island in the Atlantic to the Himalayas [5] to the Blue Area of the Moon [6] to the raised city of Atlantis[7] to the Himalayas again [8] and even into outer space [9] before returning to the Moon [10]), dismantling the Genetic Council's power [11] and freeing the Alpha Primitives, the slave caste of Attilan. [12] While Black Bolt has also successfully fended off several attempts by both Maximus[13] and the Kree [14] to seize power and destroy the Royal Family, his reign has also been marked by a period of exile, [15] voluntary abdication, [16] and rejection by his subjects. [17]

While the Inhumans choose to live in segregation, Black Bolt and the other members of the Royal Family have come into contact with modern age superheroes time and again. Some of Black Bolt's feats include smashing a machine devised by the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror to imprison the Avengers; [18] defeating the Sphinx; [19] aiding Fantastic Four member the Thing against mutated villain Graviton; [20] defusing a missile launched at Attilan by the villain Maelstrom [21] and empowering heroine Dazzler so that she could defeat the Absorbing Man. [22]

On several occasions Black Bolt has also required the aid of the heroes - to assist with the defeat of robotic villain Ultron; [23] an escape for the Inhumans from Earth's harmful pollutants [24] and from captivity by Maximus. [25]

Black Bolt has also chosen to remain neutral in the current Civil War. Although a one-time member of the superhero council the Illuminati (and current possessor of the Space Infinity Gem), Black Bolt rejects the Superhuman Registration Act and refuses to become involved. Courtesy of ally Sentry, Black Bolt continues to monitor the situation. [26]

When the mutant Quicksilver steals a canister of Terrigen crystals from Attilan, Black Bolt and the rest of the Royal Family attempt to retrieve them. The US military, however, wants the crystals and attacks the Inhumans. Believing the stolen crystals should be returned to Attilan, Black Bolt issues a warning to the United States concerning further acts of aggression, and eventually launches an offensive against the nation. Gorgon and others are captured attempt during their foray, which prompts Black Bolt to personally head a team to rescue their fellow Inhumans and retrieve the crystals. While the mission is successful, Maximus takes advantage of the situation and overthrows and incarcerates Black Bolt. [27][28]

Black Bolt recently suffered another serious setback. He is brutally beaten when the Hulk arrives upon the Moon, seeking revenge on Black Bolt for his role in Hulk's exile from Earth. [29]

[edit] Powers and abilities

Black Bolt's powers are the result of electron manipulation. The speech center of Black Bolt's brain contains an organic mechanism able to generate an as yet unknown type of particle which interacts with ambient electrons to create certain phenomena determined by mental control. Through electron gathering and manipulation, Black Bolt can increase any aspect of his physical nature, including his strength, speed, stamina and resistance. He can channel his power into single devastating punch called "The Master Blow", which is strong enough to momentarily drive back even a being with the Thing's level of strength.[30] This act, however, leaves Black Bolt exhausted and he must recover afterwards. Black Bolt can also harness the electrons for matter transformation, the controlled projection of energy and flight.

Black Bolt's most prominent offensive weapon is his voice, as a hypersonic shout can level a city [31] or awaken distant volcanoes and cause tremors on a continent on the far side of the planet.[32] It has even been stated as capable of destroying a planet. His maximum power is about equal to that of a nuclear explosion. It once took Black Bolt a mere whisper to stun the Hulk after the latter had defeated the entire Inhuman Royal Family. [33] Due to the extreme danger posed by his voice, Black Bolt has undergone rigorous mental training to prevent himself from uttering a sound, even in his sleep. The fork-like antenna on Black Bolt's forehead allows him to use his voice in a more channeled manner.

[edit] Other versions

[edit] Ultimate Black Bolt

Main article: Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Black Bolt has the same abilities and limitations as his mainstream counterpart, and uses his abilities to destroy Attilan after it is infiltrated by the Fantastic Four.[34]

[edit] Age of Apocalypse

Main article: Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse, the real Black Bolt was murdered by his brother Maximus, alongside the rest of the Inhuman Royal Family, and replaced with a clone servant empowered and deformed by the Terrigen Mists. The clone Black Bolt possesses the same powers of the original, though his voice is not as destructive.

[edit] Earth X

Main article: Earth X

Set on Earth-9997, Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mist into Earth's atmosphere, granting powers to all humanity.[35]

[edit] Heroes Reborn

This version of Black Bolt and the Inhumans worship statues of Galactus and his Heralds, but are unaware of the true nature of Galactus. [36]

[edit] Marvel Zombies

Black Bolt initially appears as one of the surviving heroes but is later "zombified". [37]

[edit] Mutant X

This version of Black Bolt leads a team of Inhumans and Eternals into battle against the Beyonder and Dracula.[38]

[edit] Amalgam Comics

In Amalgam Comics, Black Bolt is combined with Vykin to form Vykin the Black Bolt.

[edit] Other Media

  • Black Bolt appeared in the 1994 Fantastic Four TV series during the "Inhumans Saga", and returned in "The Sentry Sinister".

[edit] References

  1. ^ Thor vol. 1, #148 - 149
  2. ^ Avengers vol. 1, #95 (flashback)
  3. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #18
  4. ^ The Inhumans Graphic Novel (1988)
  5. ^ What If vol. 1, #30
  6. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
  7. ^ Atlantis Rising #2 (1995)
  8. ^ The Inhumans vol. 2, #12
  9. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1
  10. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 3, #54
  11. ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited #2 (1993)
  12. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #132
  13. ^ Inhumans vol. 1, #5 - 6 + The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240 + Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
  14. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1 - 4
  15. ^ The Inhumans: Untold Story (1990)
  16. ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited vol. 1, #2
  17. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #4
  18. ^ Marvel Team-Up vol. 1, #11
  19. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #12
  20. ^ Marvel Two-In-One Annual #4
  21. ^ Marvel Two-In-One vol. 1, #72
  22. ^ Dazzler vol. 1, #19
  23. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #150
  24. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
  25. ^ Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
  26. ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007)
  27. ^ Son of M #6
  28. ^ Silent War # 1 - 5
  29. ^ World War Hulk #1 (2007)
  30. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #46
  31. ^ Thor vol. 1, #148
  32. ^ Inhumans vol. 3, #4
  33. ^ Hulk vol. 1, Annual #1
  34. ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #1
  35. ^ Earth X #0 - 12 (1999 - 2000)
  36. ^ Heroes Reborn: Fantastic Four v2. #1 - 13 (1995 - 1996)
  37. ^ Marvel Zombies #1 - 8 (2003)
  38. ^ Mutant X #1 - 32 (Oct.98 - Jun 01)

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Bolt"
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