THE ROY THOMAS
MARVEL COMICS
CHARACTERS, CONCEPTS AND CREATIONS
PART 1
*
A
Absorbo-Belt
Captain America #217 (1978)
co-created with Don Glut and Sal Buscema
Achilles of Phthia
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Adam II
What If #4 (1977)
co-created with Frank Robbins
Adamantium
Avengers
#66 (1969)
co-created with Barry Windsor-Smith
I
created and named "Adamantium" because I needed a good name for the
most powerful, harm proof metal possible in that AVENGERS issue. I chose
the name because of the use of the adjective "adamantine" which I
remembered from a book I had (and still have) collecting the plays of the Greek
tragedian Aeschylus... it's used on the first page or so of Richmond
Lattimore's translation (late 50s or early 60s) of "Prometheus
Bound." Incidentally, from that same page(s) and play I took the
names Kratos and Bia (Force and Might, in some translations), which are the
names of the two gods/whatever that, in Zeus' name, chain Prometheus to a
mountaintop, and I used that for characters that first appeared in AVENGERS #50 (you can look for them in this database). I usually have felt that my names for things
were inferior to the ones Stan Lee and/or Jack Kirby came up with, but I do think
"Adamantium" is even better than "Vibranium"... though both
are fine.
Nicole Adams
Avengers #77 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Agent Axis
Hiroyuki Kanegawa
Aldo Malvagio
Berthold Volker
Invaders Annual #1 (1977)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
I used the name "Agent Axis" because it was mentioned by Captain
America in TALES OF SUSPENSE #82 (1966). While Stan Lee wrote that dialogue, I
suspect that artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby had accidentally written it
in his margin notes and Stan
just took it from there. Years later, when I was looking for a
villain to face THE INVADERS, I remembered that "Agent Axis" reference
in TOS #82 and decided to create a new character with that name, since
it had been previously established in the Marvel
Universe. I don't know that I'd ever
even seen the original story with Agent Axis' first appearance in BOY COMMANDOS #1 (1941) from National (DC Comics) by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, so I decided to make up a triple-composite
bad-guy who was composed of one part German Nazi, one part Italian
Fascist, and one part Imperial Japanese... a new
character with an old name.
Agents of Atlas (Team)
3D Man (Charles "Chuck" Chandler)*
Gorilla-Man (Ken Hale)**
Human Robot (M-11)***
Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson)****
Venus*****
*Marvel
Premiere #35 (1977)
co-created
with Jim Craig
With the 1940s stuff like THE INVADERS going, I wanted to do a comic set in the late 1950s, so I made up 3-D Man, even though 3-D was really a phenomenon of 1953 to 1955 or so at the latest. I gave him a costume based on the original Daredevil of Lev Gleason comics, only colored red and green instead of red and blue, and with a chest symbol. Young Canadian artist Jim Craig drew, which makes him co-creator. I named him Chuck Chandler, which was the real name of another Lev Gleason character, Crimebuster... and I borrowed and altered a couple of elements of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's one-issue CAPTAIN 3-D as well. I had hoped it could be a real 3-D comic, but that was not to be.
**character created by Robert Q. Sale
***character created by Stan Lee and John Romita
****character created by Stan Lee and Russ Heath (see "Crusader" down below under "C")
*****character created by Stan Lee and Ken Bald
What If #9 (1978)
co-created
with Don Glut and Alan Kupperberg
(Team first appearance)
Alecto
(Furies)
Avengers
#50 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Greek mythology)
Alkhema
(War Toy)
Avengers
West Coast #90 (1993)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and David Ross
Paul Allen
Astonishing Tales #8 (1971)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Herb Trimpe
Alpha
Centaurians (Race)
Sub-Mariner
#17 (1969)
co-created
with John Buscema
Astonishing Tales #1 (1970)
co-created
with Wally Wood
Fantastic Four #161 (1975)
co-created
with Rich Buckler
Ani-Mutants
(Team)
Equius**
Karnivore***
Simbus*
Tantaro*
Urson-Wellz*
Unnamed
Ani-Mutants**
*Mighty
Thor #472 (1994)
co-created with M.C. Wyman
**Mighty
Thor #475 (1994)
co-created with M.C. Wyman
(Team
first appearance)
***character originally named "Man-Beast" created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
The Ultron Imperative #1 (2001)
co-created with Klaus Janson
Avengers #62 (1969)
co-created
with John Buscema (as a statue)
(first full appearance in BLACK PANTHER #18 (2006) created by Reginald Hudlin, Scot Eaton and Kaare Andrews)
Aragorn (Pegasus)
Avengers
#48 (1968)
co-created
with George Tuska
Avengers Annual #23 (1994)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Greek mythology)
Argus the One-Eye
Mighty Thor #289 (1979)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
(based on Greek mythology)
Arkon
the Magnificent
Avengers
#75 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
When I introduced Arkon the Magnificent in the pages of the Avengers, I wanted John to give him the visuals of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars crossed with Conan.
Diane
Arliss
Sub-Mariner
#3 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Asmodeus
(Charles Benton)
Dr. Strange #169 (1968)
co-created
with Dan Adkins
Asti the All-Seeing
Strange Tales #144 (1966)
co-created
with Steve Ditko
A.U.N.T.I.E.
(Automatic-Neuro-Robot in charge of Tidying-Up with Increased Efficiency)
Fantastic Four #119 (1972)
co-created
with John Buscema
Avengers
Quinjet
Avengers
#61 (1969)
co-created with John Buscema
While
writing fairly early issues of THE AVENGERS, it occurred to me that the group
needed a more distinctive type of aircraft. There was a thing called the
twinjet, so I made up the Quinjet, which had five rockets.
Avius
Fantastic Four #129 (1972)
co-created
with John Buscema
Avlekete and Ezili (Twins)
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Bova Ayrshire
Giant-Size Avengers #1 (1974)
co-created
with Rich Buckler
B
Martine Bancroft
Amazing Spider-Man #102 (1971)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Morbius' lady friend, Martine Bancroft was named after a combination of Ann Bancroft and, probably, Martine Beswich, the B-movie horror actor. By coincidence, in 1977 I met Martine Beswick through Russ Jones, who stayed at my apartment in L.A. for several months right before I met my second wife Dann.
Banshee
(Sean
Cassidy)
X-Men
#28 (1967)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Banshee was the first super-type I dreamed up for Marvel, although Stan Lee wouldn't let the character be a woman, as he should have been.
Baron
Blood
(John
Falsworth)
Invaders
#7 (1976)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
Baron
Blood II
(Victor
Strange)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #10 (1989)
co-created
with Jackson Guice
Turk
Barrett
Daredevil
#69 (1970)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Battle-Axis
(Team)
Dr.
Death/Dr. Nemesis (James Nicola Bradley)****
Human
Meteor (Duke O'Dowd)****
Golem
(Jacob Goldstein)**
Sky
Shark (Elias Schleigal)*
Spider-Queen
(Shannon Kane)****
Strong
Man (Percy van Norton)****
Vision
(Aarkus)***
Volton
(Guy Newton)****
*Marvel-Two-In-One
Annual #1 (1976)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
**Invaders
#12 (1977)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
The "Jacob Goldstien" Golem is a different character named Golem that appeared in THE INCREDIBLE HULK #134 (that version is listed down below under "Golem"). I eventually brought this Golem into THE INVADERS. I was aware at that time that one of my favorite artists, Joe Kubert, had drawn a WWII Golem story in 1944, which was the immediate influence on that storyline.
***character created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
****Invaders
#1 (1993)
public
domain character
co-created
with Dave Hoover
(Team
first appearance)
I
originally wanted to say that several of Timely's minor heroes had "gone
bad" and joined the Axis, since some people claimed that all
super-heroes were fascists
anyway. Marvel nixed that idea, and I understand their point... so I
grabbed the Human Meteor from Harvey's old CHAMP/CHAMPION COMICS, Spider-Queen from Fox's EAGLE COMICS created by Elsa Lesau, Strong Man from Tem/Holyoke's CRASH
COMICS, Volton from Holyoke's CAT-MAN COMICS created by Irwin Hasen,
and changed Ace's Dr. Nemesis from LIGHTNING COMICS & SUPER-MYSTERY
COMICS to Dr. Death (I think there was already a Dr. Nemesis somewhere,
maybe even at Marvel).
Bia
Avengers
#50 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on figure from Aeschylus' Greek tragedy PROMETHEUS BOUND)
Black
Knight
(Dane
Whitman)
Avengers
#47 (1967)
co-created
as "Dane Whitman" with John Buscema
(becomes "Black Knight" in AVENGERS #48 (1968) costume co-created with John Verpoorten and George Tuska)
The Black Knight was a combination, visually, of the Black Knight that Stan Lee and Joe Maneely made up in the mid-1950s, with the concept Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had done as a villain of that name, complete with winged horse, in THE AVENGERS. There was also a bit of an homage in there to a
DC hero I'd liked in the 1940s, the Shining Knight. I shouldn't have
named his horse Aragorn, though. I wasn't even that great an admirer
of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. John Buscema, was scheduled to be
the artist of the story that introduced Dane Whitman dressed in the Black Knight costume into THE AVENGERS, but that
wound up being a guest stint by George Tuska
when Stan Lee took John off the book for one issue to do something else. It was John Verpoorten and I that designed the costume.
BlackieCaptain Marvel #18 (1969)
co-created with Gil Kane and John Buscema
Bloodwraith
(Sean Dolan)
Black Knight #2 (1990)
co-created
as "Sean Dolan" with Dann Thomas and Tony DeZuniga
(revamped as "Bloodwraith" in AVENGERS ANNUAL #22 (1993) created by Glen Herdling and Mike Gustovich)
Moria Brandon
Avengers West Coast #100 (1993)
co-created with Dann Thomas and Dan Hudson
Blue
Bullet
(Johann
Goldstein)
Invaders
#17 (1976)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
Bogatyri (Team)
Mikula
Golubey
Comrade
Miasnikov
Morning
Star (Marya Meshkov/Dennista Zvezda)
Svyatogar
(Sasha Pokryshkin)
Dr.
Volkh
Unnamed members
Avengers West Coast #87 (1992)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and David Ross
Boute-Feu
and the Frères de la Côte (Team)
Michel
le Basque
Boute-Feu
Monbars
l'Exterminateur
Jean
David Nau (aka Francois L'Ollonais)
Vent-en-Panne
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
Mordecai
P. Boggs
Captain
Marvel #18 (1969)
co-created
with Gil Kane and John Buscema
Brain-Child
(Arnold
Sutton)
Avengers #86 (1971)
co-created
with Len Wein and Sal Buscema
Brain
Drain
(Werner
Schmidt)
Invaders
#2 (1975)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
Ellen
Brandt
Savage
Tales #1 (1971)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Dwight "Gray" Morrow
Incredible Hulk #106 (1968)
co-created
with Archie Goodwin, Marie Severin and Herb Trimpe
Brother
Brimstone
(Ross
Archer)
Daredevil
#65 (1970)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Ghost Rider #1 (1967)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Dick Ayers
Ghost Rider #1 (1967)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Dick Ayers
Brother
Voodoo
(Jericho
Drumm)
Strange
Tales #169 (1973)
co-created
with Stan Lee, Len Wein, John Romita and Gene Colan
Stan Lee wanted to put a new hero in a revival of the title STRANGE TALES. I had made up a Phantom-looking hero called Dr. Voodoo when I was 11 or 12, so I suggested just a name to Stan: Dr. Voodoo. He thought about it a second and said, after a pause: "Brother Voodoo." I knew what he meant, so I went and got Len Wein to turn that into a character. Len did pretty much all the heavy lifting on that one, looking up voodoo and coming up with the twin's idea. When he suggested that to me, I immediately thought of the old Captain Triumph character in Quality's 1940s comics (a man who was helped by his dead twin), and mentioned that to Len. He took it from there, and Gene Colan was brought in to draw... though John Romita designed the look of the character, making him a co-creator.
Brother Visara
Eternals:
The Herod Factor #1 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Mark Texeria
Brute
(Counter-Earth
Reed Richards)
Marvel Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
as "Counter-Earth Reed Richards" with Gil Kane
(becomes "Brute" in WARLOCK #6 (1973) co-created with Ron Goulart, Mike Friedrich and Rob Brown)
L.L. Burbank
Mighty Thor #280 (1979)
co-created
with Don Thompson, Maggie Thompson and Wayne Boring
Joey Burnett
Mighty Thor #273 (1978)
co-created
with John Buscema
Carrie Marie ButlerDr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #19 (1990)
co-created with Dann Thomas and Gene Colan
C
Luke
Cage
(Power
Man)
Hero
for Hire #1 (1972)
co-created
with Stan Lee, Archie Goodwin, George Tuska and John Romita
In 1972 Stan Lee decided it was time Marvel had an entire comic devoted to an African-American hero, so he conferred with me and (perhaps at the same time, or perhaps by a second meeting) Archie Goodwin to create such a hero. He wanted the character to be an escaped, naturally innocent convict who tried to make super-heroing pay (unusual for the day) and who wore a rather untypical super-hero costume. John Romita basically designed the costume, with a bit of kibitzing from me, but I don't recall any specific thing that I may have suggested be part of the costume. My own contributions were the name "Cage" (which
I realized later I'd seen in a list of potential character names Gil
Kane had shown me some time before). The name "Hero for Hire" and the
particular levels of power--bulletproof, but bullets would raise welts
on his skin... inspired by Philip Wylie's hero Hugo Danner in his novel
GLADIATOR. I proposed using the "Power Man" name
for Luke Cage from the villain in AVENGERS #21 (1965) created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Don
Heck.
Captain
Cybor
Incredible
Hulk #137 (1971)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Herb Trimpe
Captain
Tyger
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
Captain
Ultra
(Griffen
Gogol)
Fantastic
Four #177 (1976)
co-created
with Mike Friedrich and George Perez
Captain Ultra was a parody character that George Perez and I made up for FF #177, in our own spoof of DC's auditions for the Legion of Super-Heroes (it had that quasi-legion of rejected heroes, remember?). We deliberately gave him what I've always called a "church-window" costume... one that has a zillion design pieces, and nearly as many colors, with nothing to really focus the eye. But of course, since he was a virtual Superman, we had to give him a "Kryptonite," so we made it fire, as a sort of homage to the Martian Manhunter. The joke was that the Frightful Four, if they had let him join, would have been going up against the Fantastic Four--with its Human Torch--aided by a man who passed out in the presence of any kind of flame.
Warlock #1 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
David
Carter
Marvel
Premiere #1 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Nathan Carter
Marvel Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Lonnie Carver
Daredevil #69 (1970)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Avengers #83 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Black Knight #1 (1990)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Tony DeZuniga
Incredible Hulk #141 (1971)
co-created with Herb Trimpe
Centaurion
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #54 (1993)
co-created
with Frank Lopez
Cerexo
Incredible
Hulk #137 (1971)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Herb Trimpe
Fantastic Four Unlimited #1 (1993)
co-created
with Dave Hoover
Harold "Hal" Chandler
Marvel Premiere #35 (1977)
co-created
with Jim Craig
Margaret
"Peggy" Chandler
Marvel Premiere #35 (1977)
co-created
with Jim Craig
Changeling
(Kevin
Sydney)
X-Men
#35 (1967)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Marvel kinda "robbed" me with Morph who died on a rescue mission in the X-Men cartoon from the 1990s, I guess. I believe it was Neal Adam's idea in X-MEN #60 (1969) that the Professor X who died was actually the Changeling... he established this subtly at the time, he said, by showing a returned/rescue group of mutants captured by the Sentinels, and the only one captured who wasn't shown rescued was the Changeling. That sounded good to me as de facto editor, so I let it stand when I did the dialogue.
Cobalt
Man
(Ralph
Roberts)
X-Men
#31 (1967)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Code:
Gray (Team)
Tom
Jeffers
Trudy
Knockenlocker
Charlie
Pike
Woodrow
Truesmith
Thunderstrike #16 (1995)
co-created with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Grant Mieham
Cold Warrior
(Eric Sinkovitz)
Marvel Premiere #37 (1977)
co-created
with Jim Craig
Colonel Klaw
(Fritz
Klaue)
Sgt.
Fury and his Howling Commandos #39 (1967)
co-created
with Dick Ayers
Colonel
Wai Ling
Avengers
#41 (1967)
co-created
with John Buscema
Colossus
Incredible Hulk #145 (1971)
co-created with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Commander
Kraken
Sub-Mariner
#27 (1970)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
Counter-Earth (Planet)
Marvel
Premiere #1 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
H.
Warren Craddock
Avengers
#92 (1971)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
Crime-Wave
(Mason
Hollis)
Daredevil
#59 (1969)
co-created
with Gene Colan
(first
mentioned in DAREDEVIL #57 (1969))
Crusader
(Thelius
aka Robert Grayson)
Fantastic
Four #164 (1975)
co-created
with George Perez
(rechristened
character named "Marvel Boy," first appeared in MARVEL BOY #1 (1950) created by Martin Goodman, Stan Lee and
Russ Heath)
I don't think we know that Stan Lee co-created Marvel Boy, though he was the editor. Still, as editor, he--or for that matter Martin Goodman--probably came up with the name and vague concept.
Crusaders
(Team)
Captain
Wings (Roger Dicken)
Dyna-Mite
(Roger Aubrey)
Ghost
Girl (Wendy Hunt)
Spirit
of '76 (William Nasland)
Thunderfist
(Patrick Mason)
Tommy
Lightning (Thomas Lovejoy)
Invaders
#14 (1977)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
Cyttorak
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #44 (1988)
co-created with Geof Isherwood (first mention of Cyttorak was in STRANGE TALES #124 (1964) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, first statue appearance/likeness of Cyttorak was in X-MEN #12 (1965) by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Alex Toth)
Crystal of Conquest
Dr. Strange #175 (1968)
co-created
with Gene Colan
D
Damballah
(Dam-Ayido Wede/Josue Koulev)
Strange Tales #169 (1973)
co-created
with Len Wein and Gene Colan
(based on West African mythology)
Len Wein did the majority of the plotting on the Brother Voodoo origin, so Damballah was just a god-name that he looked up and put in the story.
Lester
Dant
(Lester
Leroy)
Daredevil
#65 (1970)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Carol
Danvers
Marvel
Super-Heroes #13 (1968)
co-created as "Carol Danvers"
with Gene Colan
(revamped as "Ms. Marvel" in MS. MARVEL #1 (1977) created by Gerry Conway and John Buscema, revamped as "Binary" in UNCANNY X-MEN #164 (1982) created by Chris Claremeont and Dave Cockrum, revamped as "Warbird" in AVENGERS #4 (1998) created by Kurt Busiek and George Perez, and revamped as "Captain Marvel" in AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #9 (2012) created by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Terry Dodson)
When I took over the new Captain Marvel series in MARVEL SUPER-HEROES with his second story. I don't recall if Stan Lee asked me to make up a female head of security for The Cape or if it was my own idea. I named her, although I don't think the name "Carol" appears until an issue or two later. I wrote the first few stories in which she appeared, but of course others turned her into first Ms. Marvel, then Captain Marvel... and another heroine in between called Binary. I may have been subconsciously influenced in Carol's last name by that of Supergirl's secret ID... but then, Danvers is a real name, not a made-up one, so it may just be a coincidence, and certainly Supergirl had no influence on Carol Danvers as a character.
John Darby
Red Wolf #3 (1972)
co-created
with Syd Shores
Dark Angel
(Deborah and Donald Ritter)
Eternals:
The Herod Factor #1 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Mark Texeria
Marvel Premiere #30 (1976)
co-created
with Don Heck
Death's
Head
(Paxton
Page)
Daredevil
#56 (1969)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Deathweb
(Team)
Anthro
(Hashi Noto)
Arachne
(Sylvie Yaqua)
Therak
(Theodore Davros)
Avengers
West Coast #84 (1992)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and David Ross
Defenders (Team)
Marvel
Feature #1 (1971)
co-created with Stan Lee and Ross Andru
I had done a two-issue story in SUB-MARINER #34 and 35 (1971) which teamed up Namor (sea),
Silver Surfer (air), and Hulk (land) as "Titans Three" (seen in the Marvel Part 2 List)--not
particularly with the idea that they would become a regular team, but of
course
if those issue sold well (and they did), that wasn't impossible. Stan Lee
liked the idea and the sales and decided they should become a new team,
which he christened "The Defenders," no doubt remembering the popular but
defunct TV show of that name. But, since
he wanted to write all Surfer stories himself, he insisted I replace
Surfer with Dr. Strange in the new book. This turned out to work well,
as he became the de facto "leader" (to the extent that non-group
grouping ever had one) of two characters neither of
whom would ever have willingly followed anybody. It was Steve
Englehart soon who, whether directly or through me, persuaded Stan to
let him bring Surfer into the team (as Stan became increasingly
reconciled to the fact that he wasn't going to be able to write
a revived SILVER SURFER mag), and soon added a new/third version of the
Valkyrie character John Buscema and I had introduced.
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #32 (1991)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
Diabolik
(Zirksu)
Marvel
Premier #35 (1977)
co-created
with Jim Craig
Lionel Dibbs
Amazing Adventures #5 (1971)
co-created
with Neal Adams
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Doc
Samson
(Leonard
Samson)
Incredible
Hulk #141 (1971)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
I wanted a super-powered human with green hair to fight THE INCREDIBLE HULK, and I showed Herb Trimpe copies of the "Captain Tootsie" comic strip ads that ran in 1940s comics, with a hero designed originally by Fawcett Captain Marvel co-creator C.C. Beck. I had Herb add the lightning bolt and different boots in honor of that CM, but the basic look in Captain Tootsie, as Herb remembered and often stated. His real name was Leonard Samson... I presume he's the "Leonard" who's in "The Incredible Hulk" movie from 2008 and might have joined in the action if there'd been a third solo HULK film.
Dr.
Lemuel Dorcas
Sub-Mariner
#5 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Dr. Myron MacLain
Avengers
#66 (1969)
co-created
with Barry Windsor-Smith
Dr. Nemesis
(Michael
Stockton)
Marvel
Feature #4 (1972)
co-created
with Mike Friedrich and Herb Trimpe (unnamed)
(becomes "Dr. Nemesis" in MARVEL FEATURE #9 (1973) created by Mike Friedrich and P. Craig Russell)
Dominus
X-Men
#21 (1966)
co-created
with Werner Roth (pseudonym Jay Gavin)
(first
mentioned in X-Men #20 (1966))
Dragon Kings (Group)Marvel Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created with Gil Kane
Mighty Thor #286 (1979)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
Dragorr
Tales
to Astonish #94 (1967)
co-created
with Bill Everett
Frank Drake
Tomb of Dracula #1 (1972)
co-created with Gerry Conway and Gene Colan
Frank Drake was a descendant of Count Dracula (the family name had been changed some decades before) who inherited Castle Dracula in Transylvania and went there to try to arrange to sell it in TOMB OF DRACULA #1. After a brainstorming session with Stan, who had a basic two- or three-sentence idea for the story, I fleshed it out into a several-page synopsis and gave it to Gerry Conway to script. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask Gerry to give me a co-writing credit, so my name isn't on the story. But then, Gerry once plotted a HULK storyline for me, and he didn't get credit on that one.
Dreadnoughts
Strange
Tales #154 (1967)
co-created
with Jim Steranko
Duamutef
Incredible Hulk #145 (1971)
co-created with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Dykkors
(Race)
Dr.
Strange #172 (1968)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Dynorr
the Stalker
Sub-Mariner
#17 (1969)
co-created
with Jack Katz and Marie Severin
With Jack Katz and Marie Severin as pencilers, the Stalker doesn't enter till the last part of the story and so was never drawn by Katz, I don't think, but only by Marie first.
Dyskor
the Purveyor
Marvel
Super-Heroes #14 (1993)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Greg LaRocque
E
Earth-712 (Planet)
(Earth-S)
Avengers #85 (1971)
co-created
with John Buscema
(named by Mark Gruenwald)
Ebony Dagger
Marvel Super-Heroes #17 (1968)
co-created
with Howard Purcell
El
Toro Rojo (Red Bull)
Mighty
Thor #290 (1979)
co-created
with Arvell Jones
Mighty Thor #283 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Mesopotamian mythology)
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Everinnye (Dimension)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #33 (1991)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier
(only mentioned)
F
Astonishing Tales #2 (1970)
co-created
with Wally Wood
Factor
Three (Team)
X-Men
#28 (1967)
co-created with Werner Roth
Mighty Thor #294 (1980)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
(from Norse/Teutonic myth, as adapted into Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle of operas)
Mighty Thor #294 (1980)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
(from Norse/Teutonic myth, as adapted into Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle of operas)
Fear
Lords (Group)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31 (1991)
co-created with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
Captain Marvel #2 (1968)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Fizzle
(Phzzzrrzztlzzzz)
Fantastic Four Unlimited #7 (1994)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Ghost Rider #1 (1967)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Dick Ayers
Flyx
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual #2 (1992)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Frank Lopez
Ramona Fradonia
Astonishing Tales #1 (1970)
co-created
with Wally Wood
Crimson Cavalier (Rene Duquesne)
Phantom Eagle (Karl Kaufman)*
Sir Steel (Hugh Fitzwilliam Dare)
Silver Squire (Gordon Fitzwilliam Dare)
Union Jack (Lord James Montgomery Falsworth)**
Invaders #7 (1975)
co-created with Frank Robbins
*character created by Gary Friedrich and Herb Trimpe
**I designed the costume
Mighty Thor #275 (1978)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Norse mythology)
G
G'uran
the Great
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #21 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Lee Weeks
Gaard
(Jonathan
Storm)
Fantastic
Four #162 (1975)
co-created
with Rich Buckler
Gargantos
Sub-Mariner #13 (1969)
co-created with Marie Severin
Gargantos was really nothing more than a one-eyed, octopoidal monster unleashed by Naga against Namor in SUB-MARINER #13. By coincidence, and because of his slight physical resemblance to Shuma-Gorath as developed by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner, Gargantos has now been elevated to a major opponent of Dr. Strange in the Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) movie. Well, it's not totally inappropriate, I suppose, since I was the one who, back in the earliest days of the Dr. Strange series in MARVEL PREMIERE, introduced Shuma-Gorath as the name of a hidden, evil entity who was slowly developed by myself, then by Archie Goodwin and Gardner Fox and then especially by Steve and Frank, into a major creation. (Check out the Marvel Part 2 List under The Marvel Comics Concepts and Creations and More... for more on Shuma-Gorath.)
Gears
(Rock 'n' Roll Group)
Joe Brockman
Russ Brockman
Koko
Marv
Millie
the Model #135 (1966)
co-created with Stan Goldberg
The Gears were an idea artist Stan Goldberg and I came up with together, and which I named "the Gears," when we were talking over what would be the story for MILLIE THE MODEL #135... I suppose we had that discussion in the latter months of 1965, though the issue would come out dated 1966. The group obviously reflected my fandom of the Beatles, of course; I don't know that Stan was as big an admirer, but he was aware of them and was very enthusiasm about the idea, and mentioned to me several times later that the Gears were his favorite aspect of those latter days of Millie the Model as a comics feature. I made up snatches of songs for them, usually with some idea of a (derivative) melody. I was happy that later Denny O'Neil and Stan G. used the Gears when Denny took over as writer. I saw the main two of the group as Americans, two of whom had gone to school with Millie back in Kansas. (Toto High, no doubt.) Not sure where the names Russ and Joe Brockman came from, though I have a feeling I'd known a Brockman I took their last name from. There was also Koko, the English drummer, clearly based on Ringo Starr. Not sure what the name or nationality of the fourth guy was.
Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (1968)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Avengers #43 (1967)
co-created
with John Buscema
Mighty Thor #275 (1978)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Norse mythology)
Ghost
Rider
(Jonathan "Johnny"
Blaze)
Marvel
Spotlight #5 (1972)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Mike Ploog
Basically the idea of Gary Friedrich, using the name of M.E. and Marvel's western Ghost Rider (see character below under "Phantom Rider"). I worked out the precise look/design of the character--skull head with leather costume (loosely based on the black leather outfit that Elvis wore in his 1968 comeback special)--with artist Mike Ploog in a meeting which Gary didn't attend, but I can't say whether Gary and I had ever discussed the look of the new character before I talked to Ploog. Gary was the initiator, however.
Strange Tales #158 (1967)
co-created
with Marie Severin
Glob
(Joseph
Timms)
Incredible
Hulk #121 (1969)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Gnome
Tales
to Astonish #94 (1967)
co-created
with Bill Everett
Godpack
(Team)
(The
Godlings)
Anak***
Bellam**
Blitziana*
High
Evolutionary****
Loga*
Luminor*
Riger***
Zefra***
*Mighty
Thor #472 (1994)
co-created
with M.C. Wyman
(Team
first appearance)
**Mighty
Thor #473 (1994)
co-created
with M.C. Wyman
***Mighty
Thor #475 (1994)
co-created
with M.C. Wyman
****character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Gog
Amazing
Spider-man #103 (1971)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Golem
Incredible Hulk #134 (1970)
co-created with Herb Trimpe
In 1970's INCREDIBLE HULK #134, I turned Ol' Greenskin into sort of a "golem" for a European country in thrall to a cruel dictator... and in the course of it, had Herb Trimpe draw a flashback that showed a version of the Golem of historical legend. In 1974, in the period of Marvel's "monster-heroes," I decided that with Frankenstein and all the other Golem-influenced characters around, Marvel should have a Golem series, so I had Len Wein and John Buscema launch one in STRANGE TALES #174. No doubt I instructed them as well to refer to the Golem flashback Herb and I had done, but otherwise I left them to their own devices. It quickly became apparent that the series wasn't going to be a success... although, during his brief period as editor-in-chief when he was going over sales figures, Gerry Conway pointed out to me that the Golem issues had outsold the Jim Starlin WARLOCK series that followed it... although, of course, the Warlock series proved far more important and influential in the end. It should be noted, this is a different character named Golem than the "Jacob
Goldstein" Golem that first appeared in MARVEL-TWO-IN-ONE Annual #1, that is a member of the Battle-Axis team listed above.
Goldie
Marvel Feature #4 (1972)
co-created
with Mike Friedrich and Herb Trimpe
Goliath II
(Clinton Francis "Clint" Barton)
Avengers #63 (1969)
co-created
with Gene Colan
(rechristened character named "Hawkeye," first appeared in TALES OF SUSPENSE #57 (1964) created by Stan Lee and Don Heck)
Gorr
the Golden Gorilla
Fantastic
Four #171 (1976)
co-created
with George Perez
Gortokians (Race)
X-Men #41 (1968)
co-created
with Don Heck
(named by Chris Claremont)
Grandmaster
(En
Dwi Gast)
Avengers
#69 (1969)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
Grand Vizier
Avengers #75 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Jason
Grey
Marvel Premiere #1 (1971)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Greysire
(Windracer)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #26 (1991)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
Grim Reaper
(Eric
Williams)
Avengers
#52 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Grogronk
of Gronk
Marvel
Super-Heroes #12 (1993)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier, Stuart Hopen and Brian Postman
X-Men #41 (1968)
co-created
with Don Heck
Mystic Arcana: Black Knight #1 (2007)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Tom Grummett
H
Haag
Eternals:
The Herod Factor #1 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Mark Texeria
Havok
(Alexander
Summers)
X-Men
#58 (1969)
co-created
with Neal Adams
(rechristened, redefined and reinvented character named "Alexander
Summers," first appeared in X-MEN #54 (1969) created by Arnold Drake and Don
Heck)
Arnold Drake, when writing X-MEN briefly, gave Scott (Cyclops) Summers a brother who might or might not be a mutant. When I was asked by Stan Lee to take over the next issue, I definitely made him a mutant. And when Neal Adams came aboard as artist, I asked Neal to design a costume and I planned to call him Havok, from the Shakespearean quote in JULIUS CAESAR: "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" Neal came up with a wonderful costume and added gimmick, in which the concentric circles on his chest showed how much energy he was emitting, and got larger as his power expenditure increased.
Hector of Troy
Mighty
Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Hermond Odinson
Mighty
Thor #274 (1978)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Norse mythology)
Horse (dealer)
Marvel Feature #2 (1972)
co-created
with Ross Andru
Horus
Mighty
Thor #239 (1975)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Egyptian mythology)
Horusians (Race)
Incredible Hulk #145 (1971)
co-created
with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Hounds
of Helios
Marvel
Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Tower of Shadows #5 (1970)
co-created with Barry Windsor-Smith
Hugin and Munin
Mighty
Thor #274 (1978)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Norse mythology)
Huntsman
(Cephalus)
Sub-Mariner
#29 (1970)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Greek mythology, but I dubbed him "Huntsman")
I
Ikthon
Sub-Mariner #7 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Imset
Incredible Hulk #145 (1971)
co-created with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Inhuman
("fireproof")
Fantastic Four #159 (1975)
co-created with Rich Buckler
Invaders (Team)
Giant-Size
Invaders #1 (1975)
co-created with Stan Lee and Frank Robbins
As soon as I left being editor-in-chief and needed additional comics to
write, I went looking for a way to write major super-heroes without
getting involved in current continuity, since I would be my own editor
and didn't especially want to coordinate much with other writers.
Writing stories set in WWII (as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had once set Captain
America stories) was that chance. Writing Captain America, Sub-Mariner,
and (the original) Human Torch gave me three recognizable
characters to hang that comic on; I knew I could bring in other vintage
characters (or make up new ones, like Union Jack) as I went along.
Since Stan had once considered doing a comic titled THE INVADERS
co-starring the Hulk and Sub-Mariner (after he and
Marie Severin did TALES TO ASTONISH #100 (1968)), I pitched the WWII/"Big
Three" concept with that name, knowing that Stan wouldn't go for "All
Winners Squad" as too corny. Stan said, "I like the name"--probably not
remembering that, half a dozen years earlier,
he had proposed it himself as a title. And so the concept was born,
giving me a chance to use my interest in WWII (especially the U.S. Home
Front, but soon abroad as well) in a comic. I had Winston Churchill
name the group, since he would be more interested
in having the Invaders actually invade something--namely, Hitler's
Fortress Europe.
Iron Cross
(Helmut
Gruler)
Invaders
#35 (1979)
co-created
with Alan Kupperberg and Don Heck
Iron Fist
(Daniel
"Danny" Rand)
Marvel
Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created
with Gil Kane
My first wife Jeanie and I went to see our first (?) kung fu movie called "Kick Boxer" (aka Five Fingers of Death) in 1972, and it contained a "ceremony of the iron fist." I decided that, in spite of Marvel already having an Iron Man, Iron Fist would be a good name and concept for a Caucasian kung fu super-hero... we already had Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, an Asian who was basically the creation of Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin. When Stan Lee gave me a verbal approval to star him in a series, I contacted Gil Kane and we worked out the costume and story. I had Gil give him a dragon brand on his chest, inspired by the one branded into Bullseye, a great western character created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. At Gil's urging, we took some story elements from Bill Everett's 1939 hero Amazing-Man, which itself had borrowed heavily from James Hilton's novel THE LOST HORIZON and the first movie made from it, which introduced "Shangri-La" to the world.
Isis
Mighty
Thor #239 (1975)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Egyptian mythology)
Ixar
the Invincible
Avengers
#36 (1967)
co-created
with Don Heck
J
Avengers #62 (1969)
co-created
with John Buscema
Ghost Rider #1 (1967)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Dick Ayers
Jarella
Incredible
Hulk #140 (1971)
co-created
with Harlan Ellison and Herb Trimpe
K
K'un-Lun, City of the Immortals
Marvel Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created
with Gil Kane
(based on Chinese mythology)
Karthon
the Quester
Sub-Mariner
#10 (1969)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Bucky (James Buchanan Barnes)*
Golden Girl (Gwendolyne Lou Sabuki)***
Human Top (David Mitchell)****
Toro (Thomas Raymond)**
*character created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
**character created by Carl Burgos
***Invaders #26 (1978)
co-created with Frank Robbins
****Invaders #27 (1978)
co-created with Frank Robbins
Invaders #28 (1978)
co-created with Frank Robbins
(Team first appearance)
King Agamemnon of the Argives
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
King Priam of Troy
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
King Rudolfo Haasen Fortunov
Astonishing Tales #1 (1970)
co-created
with Wally Wood
Kingdom of Tazza (Dimension)
Strange Tales #144 (1966)
co-created with Steve Ditko
Killraven
(Jonathan
Raven)
Amazing
Adventures #18 (1973)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Neal Adams
Klaatu
Incredible
Hulk #136 (1971)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Herb Trimpe
Eric
Koenig
Sgt.
Fury and his Howling Commandos #27 (1966)
co-created
with Stan Lee and Dick Ayers
(I
gave last name)
Ilsa Koenig
Sgt.
Fury and his Howling Commandos #35 (1966)
co-created
with Stan Lee and Dick Ayers
Kohbra
Marvel Premiere #1 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Kor-Konn
Sub-Mariner #4 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Kormok
Sub-Mariner
#17 (1969)
co-created
with Jack Katz and Marie Severin
Kottus the Furious
Avengers Annual #23 (1994)
co-created
with John Buscema
Kraken
(creature species)
Tales to Astonish #93 (1967)
co-created
with Dan Adkins
(based on Norse mythology)
Kenneth and Kevin Krask
Double
feature: Thunderstrike/Code: Blue #15 (1993)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
Kratos
Avengers
#50 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on figure from Aeschylus' Greek tragedy PROMETHEUS BOUND)
Krimonn
Avengers #69 (1969)
co-created
with John Buscema
Astonishing Tales #2 (1970)
co-created
with Wally Wood
Kukulkan
(Ahau)
X-Men
#25 (1966)
co-created
with Werner Roth
(based on Mesoamerican mythology)
I used the Mesoamerican god Kukulkan... or at least a mortal becoming a "reincarnation" of him... as an enemy of the X-Men back in X-MEN #25 & 26. I Did this because, in 1964, a girlfriend and I had driven around Mexico for a month, and visited such pre-Columbia ruins as Tula, the Aztec ruins (such as they are) in Mexico City, the Pyramid of the Sun, and the underground pyramid in Puebla, and of course I've always had a considerable interest in mythology.
Kulan Gath
Conan the Barbarian #14 (1972)
co-created with Michael Moorcock, James Cawthorn and Barry Windsor-Smith
Elric creator Mike Moorcock and his pal James Cawthorn made up Kulan Gath as part of a "Conan Meets Elric" plot I invited them to write for CONAN THE BARBARIAN, which I then edited down a bit and became the stories in issues #14 and 15. Marvel and/or Conan Properties must've worked out a deal with them as Kulan Gath has been in numerous Marvel stories since, and not just Conan ones. Barry Smith and I are co-creators, since we realized the character in comics.
L
Lady
Liberators (Team)
Avengers
#83 (1970)
co-created with John Buscema
It was, perhaps, the first all-female grouping of super-heroines,
composed of the Scarlet Witch, the Wasp, Medusa, Black Widow, and
Valkyrie--even if that (first) Valkyrie turned out to be Thor's old foe
the
Enchantress in disguise. She got them together to defeat the Avengers,
but it was a very temporary victory. Too bad I didn't get the
Liberators (dropping that "Lady" bit) together again! Luckily, they reformed with a few new members in the modern age.
Henri-Desire
Landru
Marvel
Super-Heroes #12 (1993)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier, Stuart Hopen and Brian Postman
Lonni Lattimer
Mighty Thor #280 (1979)
co-created
with Don Thompson, Maggie Thompson and Wayne Boring
Laurent
and Alexandre (Twins)
(First
Brother Voodoo and Vodu Spirit)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
Mambo Layla
Tales of the Zombie #1 (1973)
co-created
with Steve Gerber and John Buscema
Le Sabre
(Paul Richarde)
Marvel
Super-Heroes #17 (1968)
co-created with Howard Purcell
Legba
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Lei-Kung the ThundererMarvel Premiere #16 (1974)
co-created with Len Wein and Larry Hama
Lernean Hydra
Avengers #43 (1967)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Greek mythology)
Lethal
Legion (Team)
Avengers
#78 (1970)
co-created with John Buscema
Lethal
Legion Satannish (Team)
Axe
of Violence (Lizabeth Andrew "Lizzy" Borden)
Coldsteel
(Joseph Stalin)
Cyana
(Lucrezia Borgia)
Hangman
(Jason "Jase" Roland)*
Zyklon
(Hienrich Himmler)
*Tower
of Shadows #5 (1970)
co-created
with Barry Windsor-Smith
Avengers
West Coast #98 (1993)
co-created
team concept with Dann Thomas and David Ross
(Team
first appearance)
Leviathan
Sub-Mariner
#5 (1968)
co-created
with John Buscema
Liberty
Legion (Team)
Marvel
Premiere #29 (1976)
co-created with Don Heck
Living
Diamond (Jack O' Diamonds)
(Jack
Winters)
X-Men
#39 (1967)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Living
Lightning
(Miguel
Santos)
Avengers
West Coast #63 (1990)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Paul Ryan
I don't know if Miguel Santos, the Living Lightning was the first Hispanic super-hero at Marvel or not; that wasn't the idea when I came up with him, but he was certainly one of the first, at least. Having lived at that time in Los Angeles since mid-1976, I thought it was about time.
The name was taken from Stan Lee (who else?), who way back in the late-60s TALES TO ASTONISH had made up the Legion of the Living Lightning as one of the many "secret empire"-type groups running around in those days, drawn in that case by Marie Severin. Later, when writing THOR, I liked the phrase "living lightning" so much that I had him often refer to himself as the "lord of the living lightning." But eventually, I decided I wanted that name solidly affixed to a super-hero... an electrical echo of the Human Torch, of course. (Back when I was 10-12, something like that, I had written and drawn a few stories, or at least pages, about a similar hero I called Shockman, or occasionally Shockwave... I drew him, so far as I could, to LOOK like an electric version of the Torch. So this was just reviving that idea 40 or so years later.)
Dann and I worked him out, since, as a Los Angeleno, she had gone to school (and later worked with) numerous Hispanics. And our neighbor across the street was named Santos... so we took the last name from that. (I think we also had a "Santos" or two get killed in that ETERNAL series we did.) Dann spoke a little Spanish, and I had learned a tiny bit when gearing up for a month-long drive through Mexico in 1964... and we decided that, like some folks we'd both run into and read about in THE L.A. TIMES, he would speak mostly English, with some Spanish words tossed in for flavor. That was only one, and perhaps not perfect, way to approach LL's speech pattern, but we did the best we could. If others came up with more "authentic" speech patterns later, fine... that was up to them.
The first story with the Living Lightning (whom I tied in with the Legion of Living Lightning, partly to acknowledge the name's ultimate source) was drawn by Paul Ryan in AVENGERS WEST COAST #63... but, while Paul was a splendid artist, I was unhappy with the way LL looked in that story. I had wanted a real "crackle" to him... his human figure far less "contained" by his electrical aura than, say, the Torch's was by his flame aura. I wanted the electricity to look as if it were constantly seeking to escape the bonds of the human figure, so that as he flew his legs basically disappeared into a Mighty-Mouse-like trail of electrical crackle. That look was achieved perfectly with Canadian artist Dave Ross drew him, starting in AVENGERS WEST COAST #74.
Living
Monolith
(Ahmet
Abdol)
X-Men
#56 (1969)
co-created
with Neal Adams
(rechristened, redefined and reinvented character named "Living Pharaoh," first appeared in X-MEN #54 (1969) created by Arnold Drake and Don Heck)
Llyra
(Llyra
Morris)
Sub-Mariner
#32 (1970)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
Lobo (Wolf)
Avengers #80 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Locust
(August Hopper)
X-Men #24 (1966)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Lord Nekron
Dr. Strange #174 (1969)
co-created with Gene Colan
Lusa
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Monica Lynne
Avengers #73 (1970)
co-created
with Frank Giacoia and Herb Trimpe
M
Mahu
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Major Victory
(William Joseph White, Biljo White)
Invaders #16 (1977)
co-created with Jim Mooney
(Biljo White's comicbook character)
Man-Ape
(M'Baku)
Avengers #62 (1969)
co-created with John Buscema M'Baku the Man-Ape was an idea I came up with in a hurry when I needed to phone John Buscema from the office and get him started on the next issue of THE AVENGERS, having run out of time to send him the usual written synopsis. I figured I'd have the Panther fight a bad-guy who had his own token jungle animal... and I needed something more formidable than a panther. A lion was just another cat... an elephant looked big and clumsy... Marvel already had a rhino... so I settled on a gorilla, making his fur white to contrast with the Black Panther. I gave him the broad strokes of the story, off the top of my head, in a few minutes, then said he could start penciling and I'd send him the written synopsis so he'd get it in a couple of days. He said, "Nah, I've got enough." And the art that you see in the printed comic came from that brief conversation.
Mandroids (Kree)
Captain Marvel #18 (1969)
co-created
with Gil Kane, John Buscema and John Romita
Mandroid Armor Mark IAvengers #94 (1971)
co-created with Neal Adams
Man-Thing
(Theodore "Ted" Sallis)
Savage Tales #1 (1971)
co-created with Stan Lee, Gerry Conway and Dwight "Gray" Morrow
I'd already made up a Heap-type character called the Glob in THE INCREDIBLE HULK, and Swamp Thing was just a little in the future, when Stan Lee decided he wanted a monster-character called Man-Thing for SAVAGE TALES #1. I didn't like the name, since we already had the Thing... but Stan was the boss. We kicked around several ideas in brief, and the one Stan decided he liked (probably his) was that of a man who's tainted by a swamp to become a Man-Thing, in some sort of spy or crime story. I went off and fleshed out the idea into a synopsis that ran 2-3 pages (it's been printed), and gave it to Gerry Conway to turn into a script for artist Gray Morrow. Whether Gerry wrote it Marvel-style or full script, I don't recall... but he followed the synopsis, so that Man-Thing has three writer co-creators... Stan, myself, and Gerry. Plus Gray as the artist, who was (as I wanted) inspired by the Heap in the design of the character.
Man-Wolf
(John Jameson)
Amazing Spider-Man #124 (1973)
co-created with Gerry Conway, Gil Kane and John Romita
(rechristened, redefined and reinvented character named "John Jameson," first appeared in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 (1963) created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko)
When Stan Lee wanted a second werewolf after WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, whom he named Man-Wolf, my main contribution was to have him get his changing "powers" from a moon rock. I don't know whose idea it was to make him J. Jonah Jameson's astronaut son.
Manipulator
(Ferrel J. Thompson)
Avengers West Coast #85 (1992)
co-created with Dann Thomas and David Ross)
Master
Man I
(Wilhelm
Lohmer)
Giant-Size
Invaders #1 (1975)
co-created
with Frank Robbins
Master
Menace
(Emil Zebediah Burbank)
Mighty Thor #280 (1979)
co-created
as "Emil Burbank" with Don Thompson, Maggie Thompson and Wayne Boring
(revamped as "Master Menace" in SQUADRON SUPREME #6 (1986) created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan)
Harold Meachum
Marvel
Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Megataur
Fantastic Four Unlimited #4 (1993)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Mekano
(Tom Regal)
X-Men #36 (1967)
co-created with Ross Andru
Mephista
(Jezebel,
Daughter of Mephisto)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #6 (1989)
co-created with Dann Thomas and Jackson Guice
Mighty Thor #286 (1979)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
Metalloid
Fantastic Four #179 (1977)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Ron Wilson
Mime
Mighty
Thor #297 (1980)
co-created
with Keith Pollard
(from Norse/Teutonic myth, as adapted into Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle of operas)
Mimir
(Mimir
Burison)
Mighty
Thor #240 (1975)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Norse mythology)
Missing
Link
(Lincoln
Brickford)
Incredible
Hulk #105 (1968)
co-created
with Archie Goodwin, Bill Everett and Marie Severin
Mogol
Incredible
Hulk #127 (1970)
co-created with Herb Trimpe
Giacomo Montesi
(Custodian of Darkhold)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #13 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and David Day
Marcello
Montesi
(Custodian
of Darkhold)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #13 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and David Day
Paolo
Montesi
(Custodian
of Darkhold)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #12 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and David Day
Vittorio
Montesi
(Custodian
of Darkhold)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #15 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and David Day
Morbius the Living Vampire
(Michael Morbius)
Amazing Spider-Man #101 (1971)
co-created
with Gil Kane
When Stan Lee had to leave AMAZING SPIDER-MAN for four issues, he wanted Gil Kane and me to create Marvel's first vampire as a foe for Spidey, since the Comics Code had just been changed to allow vampires and werewolves. Gil and I were just going to bring in Dracula (not yet a Marvel character), but Stan said he wanted more of a super-villain. I came up with the name Morbius (not remembering it had been the name of the scientist Walter Pidgeon played in a beloved movie, "Forbidden Planet"--but of course, I was thinking of the word "morbid"), and instead of a real vampire, I wanted to do a man with a blood disease, an idea I borrowed from a late-50s movie called simple "The Vampire." (Not "Atom-Age Vampire," as some think.) Gil wonderfully designed the look of the character, and we did borrow a bit from DRACULA, especially in Morbius' origin and his sea voyage.
Nikolai Mordo
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #6 (1989)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Tom Sutton
Sara
Krowler Mordo
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #6 (1989)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Tom Sutton
Jim
Morita
Sgt.
Fury and his Howling Commandos #38 (1967)
co-created with Dick Ayers
(it was staffer/letterer Morrie Kuramoto, who gave me the Japanese name "Morita.")
Saul Morris
Patsy and Hedy #104 (1966)
co-created
with Al Hartley
Mutant
Master
X-Men
#37 (1967)
co-created
with Ross Andru
(behind
the scenes in X-MEN #26 (1966))
N
N'Kantu the Living Mummy
Supernatural
Thrillers #5 (1973)
co-created
with Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler
I
made up the name "The Living Mummy." I don't recall if Stan Lee
specifically wanted a mummy, or if it was just that he wanted some other
monster-related books and a mummy was a natural that I came up with... then I
turned it over to Steve Gerber, with general instructions... and left him to
it. Of course, I supervised the covers, etc, with Stan.
Naga
Sub-Mariner
#9 (1969)
co-created with Marie Severin
Nameless One, Ruler of the Undying Ones
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #41 (1992)
co-created with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof
Isherwood
Nanali
Fantastic Four Unlimited #1 (1993)
co-created
with Dave Hoover
Carter Napier
Avengers West Coast #84 (1992)
co-created
with David Ross
Ramona Napier
Captain America Annual #9 (1990)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Jim Valentino
Necromancer
(Counter-Earth
Stephan Strange)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #46 (1992)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
NeferthamenIncredible Hulk #145 (1971)co-created with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Nega-Bands
Captain Marvel #16 (1969)
co-created with Archie Goodwin, Don Heck and Gil Kane
The Nega-Bands were created for CAPTAIN MARVEL #17 as a means for Mar-Vell and Rick Jones to exchange places between Earth and the Negative Zones, with the "Nega-" obviously short for "Negative." Gil Kane was this artist, illustrating the concept that had originally been made up for the synopsis that had been sent to then-artist Don heck. The Nega-Bands were, as Mar-Vell remarks, "the only recorded antidote to the kind of radiation that blasted me into the anti-cosmos," which I guess I meant the Negative Zone. Their use had been forbidden in Kree culture, as Yon-Rogg says, "because they powers, they confer upon their wearer." Apparently, they worked the exchange when the one in the Earth-dimension clanged his wrists together... the one in the Negative Zone didn't seem to be able to use them to make the atomic exchange. (I suppose that technically the Nega-band seem to be on Mar-Vell's wrists in CM #16, which was written by Archie Goodwin and penciled by Heck, but the entire costume-change, etc., that occurs near the end of #16 was imposed on the story by me (acting as associate editor) while it was in the process of being drawn.
Nethergods (Group)
Marvel Super-Heroes #17 (1968)
co-created
with Howard Purcell
Night-Crawler
(Dark-Crawler)
Incredible Hulk #126 (1970)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Night Machine
(Nikola Tesla)
Captain America: The Medusa Effect #1 (1994)
co-created
with Rich Buckler and M.C. Wyman
Amazing Spider-man #102 (1971)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Incredible Hulk #125 (1972)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Jackson "Jack" F. Norris
Incredible Hulk #125 (1972)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Roger "Red" Norvell
Mighty Thor #273 (1978)
co-created
with John Buscema
(revamped as "Thor" in MIGHTY THOR #278 (1978) co-created with John Buscema)
Nox (Nyx)
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31 (1991)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
(based on Greek mythology)
Nuklo
(Robert Frank Jr.)
Giant-Size Avengers #1 (1974)
co-created
with Rich Buckler
O
O Bengh
(Cagliostro)
(Mentioned) Dracula Lives #1 (1973); (Seen) Dracula Lives #5 (1974)
co-created with Gerry Conway, Rich Buckler, Jean-Marc Lofficier and Tom Sutton
(based on historical figure)
O Bengh, a character apparently introduced in the first Dr. Strange episode of the animated Disney+ series What If...? is a bit of an anomaly... because he never really appeared in a Marvel or other comicbook, but was created for the "Book of the Vishanti" series Jean-Marc Lofficier and I were co-writing for the DR. STRANGE series in the 1990s. As Jean-Marc has recounted, he made up that name to be the real name of a character who had pretended to be the real-life magician Cagliostro in IRON MAN #149, in 1981; this was part of Jean-Marc's attempt, with my cooperation, to straighten out the tangled history of Cagliostro through various Marvel mags, starting with a Dr. Strange story in MARVEL PREMIERE #12 and winding through our "Vishanti" series.
However, Jean-Marc's plot for that 1990s "Book of the Vishanti" chapter, which he wrote for me to dialogue, was never dialogued or published, though it was bought and paid for by Marvel. The NYC editors at that time changed direction with the DR. STRANGE title, taking me off it after a fairly successful run of a couple of years, and later, as Jean-Marc recounts, "the script that traces the entire history of O BENGH/CAGLIOSTRO was published on the Marvel Appendix site," where it can be viewed "here" by anyone interested. Jean-Marc and I were surprised that someone connected with animated series What If...? (2021) must have perused that script and yanked O Bengh from it, to plop him into the streaming series.
Incidentally, Jean-Marc took the name "O Beng" from that of a legendary/mythical figure and added the final "h" to make it more exotic.
Ogre
(Brian Dunlap)
X-Men #26 (1967)
co-created
with Werner Roth
Ogun and Xevioso (Twins)
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Geof Isherwood
(based on West African mythology)
Oka'an
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #21 (1990)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Lee Weeks
Omega the Alpha Male
Fantastic Four #131 (1973)
co-created
with Ross Andru
Omegatron
Marvel Feature #1 (1971)
co-created
with Ross Andru
Omni-Wave
Projector
Avengers
#93 (1971)
co-created with Neal Adams
The
Omni-Wave Projector was Kree technology that allowed instantaneous
communication with the homeworld via hyperspace. It could also, in the
hands of a non-Kree, as it turned out, be turned into a weapon against the
Kree.
Orka, the Human Killer Whale
Sub-Mariner #23 (1970)
co-created
with Marie Severin
Orkie
Marvel Feature #4 (1972)
co-created
with Mike Fredrich and Herb Trimpe
Osiris
Mighty Thor #239 (1975)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
(based on Egyptian mythology)
Osprey
(Oscar Kincaid Jr.)
Fantastic Four #177 (1976)
co-created
with George Perez
Outcast
(Xorak)
X-Men #33 (1967)
co-created with Werner Roth
The Outcast was an other-dimensional alien who fought the Ancient One when he was a young man. Xorak had been created by the god Cyttorak to guard his sacred temple. Years later, when the X-Men entered that dimension in X-MEN #33, the so-called Outcast attacked them... but the mutants managed to retrieve the magical gem they were after and use it to defeat the Juggernaut.
Gil Kane penciled and inked the original cover for X-MEN #33 with the Outcast menacing Angel and Iceman, with symbolic heads of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, the Beast, and Prof. X on the margins. However, the Comics Code decided that the Outcast was too "frightening" and could not be used on the cover. So, someone at the office had to change the Outcast into the helmeted Juggernaut, although Gil Kane's hands for the Outcast remain.
Owayodata
Avengers #80 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Native American mythology)
P
Pacific
Overlords (Team)
Big
One (Kenjiro Sasaki)**
Cybertooth
(Yen Hsieh)****
Dr.
Demonicus (Douglas Birely)*****
Irezumi
(Kayama Inouye)****
Jawbreaker
(Tung Rapongan)*
Kain
(Morgan Kain)***
Kuroko
(Aya Komatsu)*
Pele
(Michi Sasaki)***
Taifu
(Toshio Sasaki)*
*Avengers
West Coast #69 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Paul Ryan
**Avengers
West Coast #70 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and Steve Butler
(Team
first appearance)
***Avengers
West Coast #71 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas, David Ross and Tom Morgan
****Avengers
West Coast #72 (1991)
co-created
with Dann Thomas and David Ross
*****character created by Dough Moench and Tom Sutton
Pantheon of Sorcerers (Group)
Holi
Moli
Torla
Incredible Hulk #140 (1971)
co-created
with Harlen Ellison and Herb Trimpe
Malicia and Reginald Parrington
Incredible Hulk #142 (1971)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Samantha Parrington
Incredible Hulk #142 (1971)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Patroclus
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Persephone
Avengers Annual #23 (1994)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Geek mythology)
Astonishing Tales #2 (1970)
co-created
with Jack Kirby
Phantom
Rider
(Carter
Slade)
Ghost
Rider #1 (1969)
co-created
with Gary Friedrich and Dick Ayers
The original (Western) Ghost Rider was a 1950s character co-created by Ray Krank and Dick Ayers for the Magazine Enterprises company. Stan Lee liked
the concept, so Marvel picked it up in 1967 as an "abandoned trademark,"
and I got myself
assigned to write it. However, Stan quickly changed his mind and
decided he didn't want me "wasting my time" on a Western comic, so we
assigned Gary Friedrich to do the actual script, though we plotted that
first story together. It was only later that he
became called, in reprints, Night Rider and/or Phantom Rider.
Philoctetes
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on Greek mythology)
Phobos
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #32 (1991)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
Phoenix
(Extremist
group)
Kragg
Unnamed members
Daredevil #68 (1970)
co-created
with Gene Colan
Augustyne
Phyffe
Marvel
Super-Heroes #12 (1993)
co-created
with Jean-Marc Lofficier, Stuart Hopen and Brian Postman
Polemachians (Race)
Avengers
#75 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Polemachus (Planet)
Avengers
#75 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
Porcunius
Incredible Hulk #158 (1972)
co-created
with Steve Gerber and Herb Trimpe
Prince Paris of Troy
Mighty Thor Annual #8 (1979)
co-created
with John Buscema
(based on character from the Iliad)
Proteus (Atlantean Sage)
Sub-Mariner #36 (1971)
co-created
with Sal Buscema
Psyche-Magnitron
Captain Marvel #18 (1969)
co-created with Gil Kane and John Buscema
Psychotron
Avengers
#41 (1967)
co-created with John Buscema
The Psychotron, invented by Dr. Yen
and overseen by the Far Eastern Communist General Ling, was a machine capable
of creating fearful delusions in people's brains, used against both the Black
Widow and Hercules in a storyline in AVENGERS #41-44. Eventually, its
mental images might cause a person to go insane.
Psyklop
Avengers
#88 (1971)
co-created
with Harlan Ellison and Sal Buscema
Q
QebehsenufIncredible Hulk #145 (1971)co-created with Len Wein and Herb Trimpe
Quantum Bands
Fantastic Four #164 (1975)
co-created
with George Perez
The Quantum Bands were, if I remember correctly, my augmentation of the unnamed wristbands worn by Marvel Boy in the 1950s issues of MARVEL BOY which later became ASTONISHING. The earlier version had mostly seemed just to send out blinding light, which didn't seem strong enough to me when I aged Marvel Boy into the Crusader, aiming for him to battle THE FANTASTIC FOUR in issue #164... so I promoted them to Quantum Bands, whatever that means. They were now full-fledged force rays, ably drawn by George Perez.
R
Heather RandMarvel Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created with Gil Kane
Wendell Rand
Marvel Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created with Gil Kane
Rand Corporation
(Rand-Meachum Incorporated)
Marvel Premiere #15 (1974)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Raptor
(Gary
Wilton Jr.)
Avengers
West Coast Annual #8 (1993)
co-created with Kris Renkewitz
Rat Pack
(Saboteurs)
Captain
Marvel #20 (1970)
co-created with Gil Kane
Frankie Raye
Fantastic
Four #164 (1975)
co-created with George Perez
(revamped as "Nova" in FANTASTIC FOUR #244 (1982) created by John Byrne)
Ann Raymond
Sub-Mariner #14 (1969)
co-created with Marie Severin
Red
Guardian
(Alexi
Shostakov)
Avengers
#43 (1967)
co-created
with John Buscema
The original Red Guardian was Alexei Shostakov, a test pilot and later KGB agent. He was also married to Natash Romanov, the Black Widow, although for years she thought he was dead. He had been turned into the Soviet Union's equivalent of Captain America, but soon perished in battle with the Avengers--shot by the Chinese General Hing.
Red
Wolf
(William
Talltrees)
Avengers
#80 (1970)
co-created
with John Buscema
I wanted an American Indian hero for THE AVENGERS, so I told John Buscema to draw one who had a wolf-mask set up on his head, plus bare chest and those rawhide leggings, with a wolf buddy named Lobo. It worked out fairly well. And at least (so far) I'm not being condemned for having no more Native American blood than Elizabeth Warren. We did the best we could.
Mego Stretch Hulk editorial interruption: Michael A. Sheyahshe had a great quote about Red Wolf in his book NATIVE AMERICANS IN COMIC BOOKS: A CRITICAL STUDY (2008):
“We must applaud Red Wolf for many reasons, the comic contains a character who is the first major Native superhero, one who is a complex character, more human than many other Indigenous characters, and one that even has his own sidekick.”
Renegades (Team)
Carlos Cortez
Little Flower
The Dude
The Kid
Western Gunfighters #1 (1970)
co-created
with Mike Friedrich and Tom Sutton
Ravonna Renslayer
Incredible Hulk #135 (1971)
co-created
with Herb Trimpe
Rhodan
Marvel
Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Roadkill
Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #38 (1992)
co-created
with Dann Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier and Larry Alexander
Barney Roberts
Marvel
Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Eddie
Roberts
Marvel
Premiere #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
Ellie
Roberts
Marvel
Premiere #1 (1972)
co-created
with Gil Kane
X-Men #24 (1966)
co-created with Werner Roth
Lissa Russell
(Lissa Russoff)
Marvel Spotlight #2 (1972)
co-created
with Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog
(Marvel list continues into Part 2)
*
*