Lemuel Dorcas

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Doctor Lemuel Dorcas
Lemuel Dorcas.jpg
Lemuel Dorcas as depicted in Thunderbolts #171 (May 2012). Art by Kev Walker.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Sub-Mariner #5 (September 1968)
Created by Roy Thomas (writer)
John Buscema (artist)
In-story information
Full nameLemuel Dorcas
SpeciesHuman mutate
Partnerships Attuma
Byrrah
Warlord Krang
Tiger Shark
Abilities
  • Expert biologist
  • Device usage
  • Aquatic adaptation
  • Genius-level intellect
  • Regeneration

Lemuel Dorcas is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is notable for playing a part in the origins of Namor villains Tiger Shark, Orka, and Piranha.

Contents

Publication history

Dr. Lemuel Dorcas first appeared in Sub-Mariner #5-6 (September-October 1968), and was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

The character subsequently appeared in Sub-Mariner #15 (July 1969), #23-24 (March-April 1970), #33 (January 1971), Marvel Team-Up #14 (October 1973), and Super-Villain Team-Up #1-3 (August-December 1975). The character made a posthumous appearance in Marvel Tales #249 (May 1991), and his body was later dumped into the ocean in Namor #42 (September 1993).

Doctor Dorcas received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #17.

Fictional character biography

Dr. Lemuel Dorcas is a human scientist and would-be conqueror. Dorcas is responsible for transforming Olympic swimmer Todd Arliss into the superhuman Tiger Shark by augmenting him with the DNA of Namor and a tiger shark. Dorcas plans to use Tiger Shark as a pawn in his schemes of world conquest. [1] [2] [3]

Dorcas forms alliances with Namor's enemies Krang and Byrrah, with Krang providing his follower Orka as a test subject. Dorcas gives Orka powers akin to a orca and uses him to attack Atlantis, but is thwarted by Namor and Tiger Shark. [4] [2] [3] [5]

Dorcas was also inadvertently responsible for the creation of Piranha, a normal piranha who was exposed to radiation from Dorcas' previous experiment and mutated into a humanoid form. [6] [2] [5]

Namor is seemingly killed during a battle with Namor after one of Attuma's war machines crushes him. [7] Long after his apparent death, Dorcas is revealed to have survived due to conducting experiments with starfish, giving him regenerative abilities. [3] After setting up a base in Tetiaroa Atoll, Dorcas mutates several creatures to serve him and keeps them under his control with neuroleeches. Dorcas develops an obsession for Songbird and captures her, only for her to escape and turn his henchmen against him. [8]

Powers and abilities

Lemuel Dorcas initially did not possess powers, but had genius-level intellect. Upon resurfacing following his apparent death, Dorcas mutated himself with starfish tissue, giving him starfish-like features. This allows him to breathe underwater and regrow lost limbs. [8]

Equipment

He employed many devices ranging from the Morphotron to laser guns and nuclear bombs. [9]

Other versions

An alternate universe version of Lemuel Dorcas from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel reality. This version is an Atlantean who serves as an advisor to Namora. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Sub-Mariner (vol. 2) #5 (September 1968)
  2. 1 2 3 Caballero, David (July 21, 2022). "Black Panther: Namor's 10 Best Enemies, According To Ranker". Screen Rant . Retrieved January 3, 2026. [Dorcas] is a marine biologist and inventor who often experimented on human subjects, granting them superhuman abilities and using them in his world-domination schemes. Doctor Dorcas is best known for acting as a puppet master, manipulating events behind the scenes to inflict damage on Namor. Indeed, he contributed to the creation of several other Namor villains, mainly Tiger Shark, Orka, and Piranha. Dorcas usually allied with other, more powerful characters, including the warlord Krang and Namor's cousin, Byrrah.
  3. 1 2 3 Eckhardt, Peter (November 20, 2022). "Namor's 13 Greatest Enemies, Ranked". CBR . Retrieved January 3, 2026. Doctor Lemuel Dorcas is a classic example of a mad scientist. Through his extensive knowledge of undersea life, Dorcas hoped to conquer the world. Dorcas's specialties have led him to continual conflict with the Scourge of the Seven Seas as he frequently has made alliances with Atlantean malcontents. Dorcas has used his scientific knowledge to mutate a variety of humanoids into monstrous beings, ranging from giving Orka killer whale-like powers to transforming himself into a horrifying sea star-like being.
  4. ↑ Sub-Mariner (vol. 2) #23 (March 1970)
  5. 1 2 Misiroglu, Gina; Eury, Michael (August 6, 2006). The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood. Omnigraphics, Inc. ISBN   9780780809772.
  6. ↑ Sub-Mariner (vol. 2) #71 (May 1974)
  7. ↑ Super-Villain Team-Up #3 (December 1975)
  8. 1 2 Thunderbolts #171 (May 2012)
  9. ↑ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition (vol. 2) #17 (August 1987)
  10. ↑ Ultimate Fantastic Four #60 (April 2009)
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