Inheritors | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Morlun : The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #30 (June 2001) Family: The Superior Spider-Man #33 (November 2014) As Ancients: Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours (June 2006) |
Created by | Christos N. Gage M. A. Sepulveda Jim Butcher (Ancients) |
In-story information | |
Type of organization | Psychic vampire |
Base(s) | Loomworld (Earth-001) |
Leader(s) | Solus |
Agent(s) | See Members |
The Inheritors are a supervillain group which appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The family of Morlun, they typically are enemies of Spider-Man and the iterations of him.
The Inheritors, who made their first appearance in The Superior Spider-Man #33 as part of the "Spider-Verse" storyline, were created by Christos Gage and M. A. Sepulveda, based on the Ancients, an earlier version of Morlun's family introduced in the 2006 novel Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours , written by Jim Butcher. "Spider-Geddon" again depicts the Inheritors; Gage said, "They’re terrific villains – they literally eat spider-people! They’re like vampires who feed on their life forces. And now that they're back, they have a score to settle. They’re trying to recapture their former power and glory, and God help anyone who gets in the way." [1]
The Inheritors are a clan of totem hunters from Earth-001 who feed from animal, human and deity totems. They capture spider deity Master Weaver on Earth-000 at the cost of the life of their matriarch because Karn hesitated to strike. Patriarch Solus orders Karn to wear a mask and exiles him until he can earn his way back. They use the Master Weaver's power to conquer Earth-001, traveling between dimensions and hunting Spider-Totem avatars because those were prophesied to overthrow them. [2]
Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus's mind in Spider-Man's body) finds Karn as his new team (Spider-Man Noir, Six Arm Spider-Man, Spider-Monkey, Spider-Bitch and Assassin Spider-Man) ambushes him on the Cyborg Spider-Man's Earth-2818. Karn is unaffected by their weapons, and they escape when Karn's brother and sister Brix and Bora arrive. Karn goes into another multiverse to kill an alternate Ai Apaec. [2]
Morlun travels to Earth-31411 and encounters Aaron Aikman. [3] He then goes to Earth-51412, where he absorbs Patton Parnell's life force. [4] Morlun kills the local Spider-Man and his teammates Iceman and Firestar on Earth-1983. On Earth-999, Bora and Brix kill Spider-Cat. Daemos kills Spider-Man and several animalistic inhabitants of Counter-Earth on Earth-7891. [5]
Daemos arrives in Eastern Europe to target Kaine Parker, and Old Man Spider-Man, Spider-Man of Earth-70105, and Spider-Woman of Earth-65 appear. He breaks the spine of Spider-Man of Earth-70105, and the others escape through a portal. Verna takes her Hounds Sable, Fireheart, and Kravinoff, Puma, and Kraven the Hunter out to hunt, and Morlun is furious that Daemos was hunting on Earth-616. Solus reminds them that he knows where the Bride, the Other, and the Scion are, and about a prophecy which will doom the Inheritors. Morlun says that he wants to be his father's chosen heir; the Great Web is his legacy and obligation. Solus says that the Web is all things and everywhere, and their kingdom makes them inheritors of all creation. [6]
Spider-Man arrives on Earth-928 and finds Superior Spider-Man in charge. Old Man Spider-Man tells him about the prophecy targeting the Bride, the Other, and the Scion. When Daemos arrives and kills Spider-Cyborg, Superior Spider-Man kills Daemos but he regenerates. As the Spider-Men escape to Earth-13, Spider-Man is told by the dying Old Man Spider-Man to protect the totems. [7]
On Earth-13989, Karn kills a werewolf version of Spider-Man. Solus has the Master Weaver send him to a more challenging world. When Morlun and Jennix arrive on Earth-13, they kill Spider-Monkey and a variation of Captain Spider. As Solus kills Cosmic Spider-Man, Morlun makes off with Benjy Parker. [8]
Ben Reilly of Earth-94, Kaine, and Black Widow of Earth-1610 run into this world's version of Tony Stark and overpower him. [9] As Jennix regenerates on Earth-802 and refuses to return to battle, Black Widow of Earth-1610, Ben Reilly of Earth-94, and Kaine move on his headquarters in the Baxter Building. Solus kills Arachnosaurus and Prince of Arachne and destroys Takuya Yamashiro's Leopardon. On Earth-3145, Silk arrives as Brix and Bora cannot enter this world. As the Spider-Army moves across dimensions, Jennix monitors them. On Earth-001, Morlun gives Benjy to Brix and Bora. [10]
On Earth-802, Jennix reveals that he cloned spiders to help feed his family. As Ben Reilly prepares to sacrifice himself to destroy the lab, Kaine steals Black Widow of Earth-1610's teleporter to confront the Inheritors. [11]
Six-Arm Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, and Lady Spider of Earth-803 travel to 2099 to dissect the clone body of Daemos for clues about how to defeat his brethren. Followed to the future by a new Daemos, Six Arm Spider-Man creates a distraction, but is killed before Miguel traps Daemos. Daemos kills himself so another clone can be activated. Miguel enlists the help of the Earth-928 Punisher to hold him off until Spider-Man 2099 and Lady Spider can transport back to Earth-13 [12]
Karn comes to Earth-3123 to kill the spider-totem of the reality where Aunt May was bitten by a radioactive spider and became Spider-Ma'am. She surrenders herself to keep her husband and nephew from harm. Karn is turned by Spider-Girl, Spider-UK, Spider-Punk, Spider-Man: India, and Spider-Woman of Earth-807128 against the Inheritors. [13] After Black Widow of Earth-1610 and Kaine destroy the cloning facility on Earth-802, the Inheritors attack; Kaine arrives on Earth-001, transforms into a spider and impales Solus. [14]
The Spider-Men overpower the Inheritors with Karn's help. Morlun tries to attack Peter Parker of Earth-616, Peter teleports him to Earth-3145 and is rescued by Silk. [15] Following the Master Weaver's death, Karn takes his place as the Master Weaver. It was revealed as well that the Master Weaver was none other than Karn's future self. When asked about if Morlun and the Inheritors would survive without Spider-Totems, he says that they are feeding on mutated spiders. [16]
The Spider-Men and Master Weaver have been watching Earth-3145. Although the Inheritors are undernourished from a lack of spiders, they are collecting the heads of the Spider-Bots. [17] Spider-UK and Master Weaver learn about an Inheritor cloning engine on Earth-616. On Earth-3145, Jennix harvests the Spider-Bots' transmitters. Spider-UK advises Master Weaver to call the Web Warriors. [18]
Jennix, Morlun, and Verna emerge from Superior Octopus' cloning machine and Spider-Man Noir and Spider-UK are their first victims. Jennix tells Morlun that his score with the Earth-616 version of Spider-Man is irrelevant. [19]
As Jennix works to regenerate the rest of the Inheritors, the spiders suggest that Superior Octopus trigger the base's self-destruction while Spider-Gwen with her symbiote distracts them. The Inheritors are free, restricted to their current bodies. Verna searches for the crystal containing Solus' life-force. She takes Brix, Bora, and Daemos with her while Jennix rebuilds the cloning tubes. Superior Octopus and Spider-Punk suggest killing the Inheritors. Karn is confronted by Verna for siding with the Web Warriors. After he stabs her, she still feeds on him. [20]
Solus' body is restored as Daemos, Brix, Bora, and Jennix await for Verna's return with the crystal. Spider-Ham reports back to the group. They are attacked by Brix, Bora, and Daemos. During the retreat, Superior Spider-Man learns that Jennix is having trouble with New U Technologies' cloning technology. [21]
After having located Peter Parker, Morlun proceeded to chase him throughout Manhattan where Morlun managed to wound him by breaking his wrist and his Dimensional Teleportation Watch. Before Morlun can finish of Spider-Man, Miles Morales shows up with some Spider-Men in order to provide some distractions which frustrated Morlun. [22] When Morlun is brought down after a fierce fight with Spider-Man, he is trapped in a cage and hit with sedatives fired by Spider-Man and the police. [23]
Using a Dimensional Teleportation Watch, Verna travels to Earth-3145 where they were previously trapped in order to find the crystal with Solus' life force. She and her Hounds would engage Spider-Woman, Astro-Spider of Earth-3145, Spider-Kid of Earth-218, Spider-Woman of Earth-807128, and Kaine Parker. Before being left to die on the radiation-filled Earth, Verna uses her teleportation watch on Spider-Woman as she planned to have her be sent to the rest of the Inheritors. [24]
Spider-Woman returns to Earth-616 where she has the crystal with Solus' life force. At New U Technologies, Jennix grabs her and tells Daemos to share his food with Brix and Bora. As Daemos begins feeding on Spider-Woman, she says that she got her powers from a radiation blast. Jennix tells Daemos to place Spider-Woman in stasis so he can study her later. He puts the crystal in the cloning machine, reviving Solus, who plans to reward his children with a feast. Superior Spider-Man knocks out Ben Reilly and gives him to them as part of a deal which includes Solus sparing Earth-616. As Superior Spider-Man leaves, the Inheritors close in on the unconscious Ben Reilly. [25]
Jennix starts to feed on Ben Reilly's life force and learns from him like his sacrifice in the battle against Green Goblin where Ben saved Spider-Man, Jackal recreating him, and how the cloning banks at New U Technologies work. These memories start to affect Jennix. As Spider-Man of Earth-1048 learns that this was part of Superior Spider-Man's plans, they are attacked by the Inheritors. Daemos attacks, but Solus tells him to stand aside because he has not fed on a spider yet. Solus is then shot in the back by Miles Morales, who was transformed into Captain Universe by the Enigma Force as Spider-Punk says that Jennix is insane and Verna is missing. The Captain Universe-powered Miles attacks, vowing not to make the same mistake as the Spider-Man of Earth-13. Leopardon shows up at New U Technologies and Takuya Yamashiro has it transformed until Daemos attacks. Superior Spider-Man and Octavia Otto free Spider-Woman, who says that Verna died on Earth-3145. As Superior Spider-Man and Octavia Otto revive Ben Reilly, the other spider-powered groups fight the Inheritors. Spiderling of Earth-18199 arrives with Anya Corazon and Spider-Woman of Earth-925, and Spiderling says that she is a Pattern-Maker. The three Spider-Women use the Web of Life and Destiny fragments to take down Brix and Bora, while Spider-Woman of Earth-925 fights Daemos. Spider-Gwen arrives with more spider-powered characters – including Spider-Man who defeated Morlun. Spider-Man catches up to Superior Spider-Man and Octavia Otto, who have restored Ben Reilly to "factory settings." Spider-Man allows Superior Spider-Man to formulate a plan as the Captain Universe-powered Miles uses Leopardon's sword on Solus, Brix, Bora, and Daemos. Superior Spider-Man tells the others that he revived the Inheritors as babies because Spider-Man arranged for the same thing to be done to Morlun. Spider-Ma'am states that her family will foster the baby Inheritors. [26]
After the totemic wasp-goddess Shathra had been freed once more, she eventually corrupted Spider-Ma'am and killed all baby Inheritors, leaving Morlun the only Inheritor alive. [27]
Forced to work alongside the remaining Spider-Totems to stop Shathra, Morlun uses, in the heat of a battle, the Totem Dagger against Shatra, which can sever someone from the Great Web. The problem is that the blade only works on Spider-Totems, meaning it has no effect on her. As Shatra proceeds to beat Morlun into the ground, she reveals to Morlun's shame, the true origins of the Inheritors, stating that they are far from the all-powerful hunters they want everybody to believe. Actually they are Totems themselves, imbued with the power to drain the life force of others, the psychic vampires are simply the Totems of the Leech, the lowest of them all, who saw an opportunity to target the Spider-Totems to steal their power and their connection to the Web of Life. [28]
In the Jim Butcher novel Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours , a previous version of the Inheritors called the Ancients (consisting of Thanis, Mortia, and Malos) appear and seek revenge on Spider-Man after Morlun's first death. [31] Restricted to just this one Earth, they are defeated by Spider-Man with additional aid from Black Cat and the Rhino, culminating in Mary Jane Watson driving her car into the last Ancient standing, the wall-crawler realising that all of their kind are vulnerable when feeding as their attention is focused elsewhere. Once all three have been rendered unconscious, the Ancients are banished to another dimension by Spider-Man using three mystical objects discreetly given to him earlier by Doctor Strange (the sorcerer couldn't aid him directly as using his powers against beings like the Ancients could have dangerous side-effects).
In June 2018, Comic Book Resources ranked the Inheritors its fourteenth choice of supervillains for a subsequent Marvel Cinematic Universe. [32]
Spider-Girl is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been referred to as both Spider-Girl and Spider-Woman. The character appears in the MC2 universe. The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as the teenage daughter of Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and Mary Jane Watson, and first appeared in What If #105. She later acquired her own ongoing comic book, Spider-Girl, written by DeFalco and drawn by Frenz and Pat Olliffe, which was the longest-running superhero book with a lead female character ever published by Marvel before being relaunched as The Amazing Spider-Girl, and later The Spectacular Spider-Girl.
Benjamin "Ben" Reilly, also known as the Scarlet Spider, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Grown in a lab by Miles Warren/Jackal, he is a clone of Peter Parker/Spider-Man tasked with fighting him but instead becoming an ally, later even regarded as a "brother". Created by writer Gerry Conway, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #149 and is seemingly killed in the same issue. The character returned and featured prominently in the 1994–96 "Clone Saga" storyline, adopting the "Scarlet Spider" alias with a costume similar to Spider-Man's consisting of a red spandex bodysuit and mask complemented by a blue sleeveless hoodie sweatshirt adorned with a large spider symbol on both sides, along with a utility belt and bulkier web-shooters. This Scarlet Spider costume was designed by artist Tom Lyle. When Peter Parker temporarily left the Spider-Man role, Ben became the new Spider-Man while wearing a new costume variation designed by artist Mark Bagley. However, Reilly dies at the hands of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, sacrificing himself to save Parker who then resumes the Spider-Man role.
The Jackal is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually depicted as enemies of the superhero Spider-Man. The original and best known incarnation, Miles Warren, was originally introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 as a professor at the fictional Empire State University. Later storylines established him as also being a scientist researching genetics and biochemistry, and revealed an unhealthy romantic obsession he had for Gwen Stacy. Warren was driven mad with grief and jealousy so he created his Jackal alter-ego to seek revenge on Spider-Man, whom he blamed for Gwen's tragic death. To this end, he trained himself in martial arts, and created a green suit and gauntlets with claw-like razors. Although the Jackal initially didn't possess any superpowers, he later gained enhanced strength, speed and agility by mixing his genes with those of a jackal.
Kaine Parker is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as a superhero and former supervillain who serves as an ally, an enemy, and foil to Peter Parker / Spider-Man and Ben Reilly. Created by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler, the character first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #119 as the Jackal's first failed attempt of a clone of Spider-Man. He later appeared as the new Scarlet Spider in the Marvel Point One one-shot in November 2011 before starring in his own series.
Ezekiel "Zeke" Sims is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring Spider-Man and Silk; versions of the character from alternate timelines are also featured in the 2014 crossover event Spider-Verse.
Darkdevil is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Tom DeFalco and Pat Olliffe, the character first appeared in Spider-Girl #2. Darkdevil primarily appears in the Marvel Comics 2 future of the Marvel Universe.
Morlun is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #30.
Hounds are the name given to several fictional groups of mutant characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. This term usually refers to those who track or hunt down mutants while serving a higher authority.
"Spider-Man" is the name of multiple comic book superheroes from the Marvel Comics Multiverse. The original and most well known is Peter Parker created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko originating from the Earth-616 universe. Within the mainstream Marvel Universe there have been characters that have taken the mantle such as Ben Reilly, Mac Gargan and Doctor Octopus.
Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 as the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin. He has since endured as one of the superhero Spider-Man's most prominent villains and is regarded as one of his three archenemies, alongside Doctor Octopus and Venom.
The Superior Spider-Man is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics that ran between January 2013 and September 2014. It was written by Dan Slott, with artwork by Ryan Stegman, Humberto Ramos, and Giuseppe Camuncoli. The series continues from the events of the 2012 storyline "Dying Wish", in which Peter Parker is killed off and replaced with his nemesis Otto Octavius, who swapped consciousnesses with Parker and left him to die in his decaying body to ensure his own survival. However, Octavius becomes inspired by Parker's dying wish to have a new Spider-Man protect New York City, and decides to take on the mantle himself, becoming the self-proclaimed "Superior Spider-Man".
Spider-Verse is a comic book series issued by Marvel Comics since 2014. Its first major event/storyline started on November 5 in The Amazing Spider-Man (2014) #9 along with an individual issue named Spider-Verse Team-Up. This event took 20 publications to be completed and featured nearly every variant of Spider-People and Spider-Man that had appeared in the comics and other media in the over fifty years since Spider-Man's creation, all under attack by Morlun and his family, the Inheritors. This first major storyline, however, was preceded by a full-flagged Spider-Verse series titled Edge of the Spider-Verse, which served to introduce some new characters that would lead the event, such as Spider-Gwen and Miguel O’Hara.
Spider-UK of the Captain Britain Corps, or simply Spider-UK, is the name of several British alternate-reality superheroes appearing in American comic books published in Marvel Comics.
"Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" is a 2016–17 Marvel Comics storyline starring Spider-Man. The story was notable for bringing long-dead Spider-Man supporting character Ben Reilly back to life. The storyline led Reilly to reclaim the heroic Scarlet Spider mantle and appear in his own comic book series. The story received generally mixed reviews, with critics praising the art style and action, however criticized the story and the retcons, as well as the treatment of Ben Reilly.
Takuya Yamashiro, also known as Spider-Man and colloquially as the "Japanese Spider-Man", is a superhero portrayed by Kōsuke Kayama based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is the protagonist of Toei's 1978 Spider-Man television series, subsequently reappearing as a supporting character in the 2014–2015 Spider-Verse and 2018 Spider-Geddon comic storylines. The success of Yamashiro and his giant mecha robot Leopardon made Toei adapt the concept to their Super Sentai franchise in Battle Fever J, ultimately making the character the narrative forefather of the Power Rangers.
Spider-Geddon is a 2018 comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics featuring multiple alternative versions of Spider-Man that had appeared in various media, and his supporting cast. In this sequel to Spider-Verse, the Inheritors have found a way out of the decimated world they were imprisoned on and are now determined to take their revenge on the Spider-Army and feed on them once again. A sequel, titled End of the Spider-Verse, was released in October 2022.
Spider-Punk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an alternate version of Hobie Brown and Spider-Man who opposes President Norman Osborn, V.E.N.O.M., and the Inheritors.
Spider-Bitch is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, the character first appeared in Wolverine #67. She is the estranged daughter of Peter Parker / Spider-Man's youngest daughter Tonya and Clint Barton / Hawkeye, and the stepdaughter of Tonya's husband Ultron 8, from the alternate-future of Earth-807128/21923, in which the supervillains overthrew the superheroes three decades earlier. Having no superpowers, after being saved from execution by her estranged father and Old Man Logan in 2008's Old Man Logan storyline, Spider-Bitch kills the current Kingpin of Crime, succeeding him as the Kingpin of the Wastelands, revealing her true villainous nature, before unsuccessfully attempting to kill her father and Logan.
"End of the Spider-Verse" is a 2022–2023 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It features multiple alternative versions of Spider-Man that had appeared in various media, where they team up with Morlun to fight Shathra, the Spider-Wasp goddess. The event included appearances and cameos by a wide array of characters from over 50 years of Spider-Man comics and spinoffs. The event is the conclusion of the Spider-Verse events, and the sequel to Spider-Verse and Spider-Geddon. However, the event received mixed reviews from critics with critics criticizing the treatment of Peter Parker, story, and the underwhelming conclusion.