Maggott

Last updated
Maggott
Maggottproflie.jpg
Maggott
Art by Terry Dodson
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Uncanny X-Men #345 (1997)
Created by Scott Lobdell (Writer)
Joe Madureira (Artist)
In-story information
Alter egoJapheth
Species Human Mutant
Team affiliations X-Men
Generation X
Dark X-Men
Abilities
  • Slug-based digestive system
  • Psychometry

Maggott (Japheth) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was briefly a member of the X-Men.

Contents

A flamboyant South African mutant who spoke in exaggerated Afrikaans slang, Maggott was advertised as one of the strangest X-Men. His digestive system took the form of two slugs which could eat through practically any substance. After feeding, the slugs reentered Maggott's abdomen and passed nourishment into him, giving him incredible power. [1]

Publication history

Created by writer Scott Lobdell and Joe Madureira, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #345 (June 1997). [2]

Fictional character biography

Maggott was first seen as a mysterious mutant who is searching out the X-Men’s adversary Magneto for an unknown reason. [3] His search led to Antarctica where Magneto was holding the X-Men captive. Maggott then joined up with the team and returned with them to their Westchester, New York headquarters. [4]

For a short period of time, Maggott believed his companions were going off on their own and killing innocent people. He even tried to turn himself over to the police before being stopped by the X-Men. His companions turned out to be innocent, as the people had been slain by a faction of N'Garai, though they hated to be called so. These entities are a demonic-type race that the X-Men had faced many times, mainly because a regenerating magical portal lies deep in the woods on the mansion's grounds. [5] A matter which was never resolved was why Maggott's slugs were seemingly related to the N'Garai.

Maggott later was tempted by the entity Shadow King with promises of a better life in exchange for his loyalty and abandonment of the X-Men. He managed to resist the villain. Marrow and Cecilia Reyes were also propositioned by the King, but also resisted. Psylocke then rescues the X-Men after keeping Shadow King in a psionic prison, which forced her in retirement as she could not use her mind powers for anything or else the Shadow King would be released from the prison within Psylocke's mind. [6]

At first, he kept his past to himself, but Maggott eventually revealed his origin to Wolverine. [7] Maggott had been born a sickly child in Apartheid-era South Africa and was named Japheth. He was always very ill and he could not digest solid food. Feeling himself to be a burden on his family, he ran away from home with his younger brother. Having left home, hoping to die, he was found by Magneto who released the slugs from his body and revealed to Japheth his mutant power. This turned his skin blue for the first time, and he named the slugs Eany and Meany. Compassionate at heart, Japheth immediately rejected Magneto's philosophy and his offer to join him after he shortly witnessed later the Master of Magnetism brutally massacre numerous white South African soldiers who were engaged in racist atrocities against black South African civilians (despite the fact that one of these civilians was Japheth's eldest brother who died in the violence). In spite of this, he later sought out Magneto when he got older, for help in easing the pain caused by his unique mutation. After the then-current roster of the team parted ways, the X-Man Beast suggested Maggott transfer to the junior team Generation X, but his tenure there lasted only one issue and afterwards he fell out of sight. [8]

Maggott reappeared as an inmate at "Neverland," a concentration camp run by the covert government program Weapon X. Along with a number of other mutants, he was exterminated there. [9]

One of his slugs, which he gave away to two children at the camp after foreseeing his death (thanks to his psychometric powers) at the camp, was last seen in a container in Mister Sinister's laboratory. [10]

Maggott is later resurrected by means of the Transmode Virus to serve as part of Selene's army of deceased mutants. Under the control of Selene and Eli Bard, he takes part in the assault on the mutant nation of Utopia. [11] Maggott's fate is uncertain as it is unknown if he was among the mutants teleported to Genosha by Blink to serve as a sacrifice to the newly-deitious Selene or if he was among the mutants that managed to escape Utopia.

Maggott was confirmed to still be alive and powered (though with only one of his slugs) as he was a guest at a superheroes and supervillains-themed costume party of New York branch of the Hellfire Club and was later apparently passed out drunk with other party guests (such as Rocket Raccoon) around an outdoor swimming pool. [12]

Maggott appeared (along with both of his slugs) along with the other X-Men as part of Cyclops' Million Mutant March in Washington D.C. [13]

Most recently, Maggott briefly appeared during the X-Men Disassembled storyline as part of the last ditch battle against Nate Grey. Eventually returning to the primary Marvel Universe he and many others left behind while living separate lives in the Age of X-Man universe. [14]

After the proclamation set up by X was telepathically broadcast to the whole world, Japheth was one amongst thousands to accept the invitation to the new mutant nation of Krakoa. [15] He was later seen enjoying wine & revelry on his new homeland with a great many others among the revived mutant flock. [16]

During the "Judgment Day" storyline, Maggott was among the mutants that were hunted by Kraven the Hunter. [17]

Powers and abilities

Reception

Other versions

Age of X

In the Age of X alternate reality, Maggott was shown as a prisoner of the prison camp called Camp Gorge. He was killed by that reality's Iron Man.{ [19]

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, a version of Maggott made a cameo as a teenage mutant in Manhattan, killed by Mister Sinister acting on orders from Apocalypse. [20] An alternate, child version of Maggott later appears in the Morlock tunnels underneath New York. He and his slug (named Joshua) seek out Kitty Pryde and her resistance cell after Jimmy Hudson is injured by Reverend Stryker's forces. [21]

Battleworld X-Tinction Agenda

Japheth is one amongst many citizens of the X-Topia Province governed by God Emperor Doom selected baroness Rachel Grey. He was present when Havok and his Jenoshan's invaded X-City to kidnap one of Ms. Grey's people but not on scene during the battle between rival X factions. Maggott would attend the meeting wherein Rachel addressed her intent to invade Genosha to get her people back, but again he did not participate in the Melee that followed. [22]

Age of X-Man

In the new human free dimension created by Nate Grey, Maggott is a disciple of En Sabah Nur. [23] He helped Anole blow up the Hope Summers Library. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professor X</span> Comic book character

Professor X is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1. The character is depicted as the founder and occasional leader of the X-Men.

Genosha is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe and a prominent place in the X-Men chronology. The fictional nation served as an allegory for slavery and later for South African apartheid before becoming a mutant homeland and subsequently a disaster zone. The island is located off the Southeastern African coast northwest from Seychelles and northeast of Madagascar. Its capital city was Hammer Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Summers</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-plotter John Byrne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-Men</span> Comic book superhero team

The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee, the team first appeared in The X-Men #1. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to low sales, following its 1975 revival and subsequent direction under writer Chris Claremont, it became one of the most recognizable and successful franchises of Marvel Comics. They have appeared in numerous books, television shows, the Disney's 20th Century Studios X-Men films, and video games. The X-Men title may refer to the superhero team itself, the eponymous comic series, or the broader franchise including various solo titles and team books such as the New Mutants, Excalibur, and X-Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brotherhood of Mutants</span> Fictional team by Marvel Comics

The Brotherhood of Mutants is a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters are depicted as being devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magneto (Marvel Comics)</span> Fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics publications and related media

Magneto is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1 as an adversary of the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellfire Club (comics)</span> Fictional society in the Marvel Comics universe

The Hellfire Club is a fictional society appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Hellfire Club often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men. Although the Club appears to merely be an international social club for wealthy elites, its clandestine Inner Circle seeks to influence world events, in accordance with their own agenda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betsy Braddock</span> Comic book character

Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Captain Britain and the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe in 1976, she first appeared in the Marvel UK series Captain Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blink (character)</span> Superheroine from Marvel Comics

Blink is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Madureira, Blink is the pink-skinned mutant leader of the Exiles, a group tasked with correcting problems in various alternate worlds and divergent timelines in the Marvel Multiverse. "Redefined" from an Earth-616 variant of the character previously created by Lobdell and Madureira for the crossover event "The Phalanx Covenant" as a member of Generation X killed by the Phalanx, who first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #317, the "Pink Blink" of Earth-295 is considered a breakout character, serving as the protagonist of the ongoing series Exiles and limited series Blink.

<i>Uncanny X-Men</i> Comic book series

Uncanny X-Men, originally published as The X-Men, is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X-Men, a group of mutants with superhuman abilities led and taught by Professor X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow King</span> Comic book character

The Shadow King is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is particularly associated with the X-Men family of comics. His nemesis is the X-Men's leader, Professor X, while he also figures into the backstory of the X-Man Storm. As originally introduced, Farouk was a human mutant from Egypt who used his vast telepathic abilities for evil, taking the alias Shadow King. Later writers established Farouk as only the modern incarnation of an ancient evil entity that has been around since the dawn of humanity, who became one with Farouk when he grew older.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marauders (comics)</span> Group of fictional characters

The Marauders refers to one of two teams of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Marauders team included mutant warriors and assassins employed by the X-Men's enemy Mister Sinister, a mad scientist villain often intent on creating a perfect race of superhumans. At different times, the Marauders have been tasked with Sinister to perform kidnappings, assassinations, mass murder, or to simply fight Sinister's enemies. At different times, Marauders have been killed in combat, but often Mr. Sinister later uses his cloning technology to re-create them. This team of Marauders has appeared in many different stories of the X-Men franchise, as well as stories featuring other Marvel Comics heroes.

Cassandra Nova is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, Cassandra first appeared in New X-Men #114. Cassandra is a "mummudrai," a parasitic life form born bodiless on the astral plane. The mummudrai that became Cassandra became telepathically entangled with the future Charles Xavier, who possesses vast mutant telepathic powers. This granted Cassandra some psionic powers herself, including the ability to exit the womb and create a body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exodus (comics)</span> Comics character

Exodus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Quesada, he first appeared in X-Factor #92. His real name was initially given as Paris Bennett, but this was uncovered as an alias when he was revealed to have been born in 12th-century France under the name of Bennet Du Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Cargill</span> Comics character

Joanna Cargill, also known as Frenzy, is a fictional character, a mutant superhuman appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been a member of supervillain groups, including the Alliance of Evil and the Acolytes, as well as the superhero team, the X-Men.

Robert Edward Kelly is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He most often appears in Marvel's X-Men related comic books. He is a prominent United States Senator who began his career on an anti-mutant platform and tended to be an antagonist to the X-Men team, but later began to change his views on mutants as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proteus (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Kevin MacTaggert, best known as Proteus and also called Mutant X, is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is commonly associated with the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-Men: Eve of Destruction</span>

"Eve of Destruction" is an X-Men crossover storyline in the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. The storyline was written by Scott Lobdell and features artwork from Leinil Francis Yu, Salvador Larroca, and Tom Raney.

The Horsemen of Apocalypse are a team of supervillain characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Led by Apocalypse, they are loosely based on the Biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the book of Revelation, though its members vary throughout the canon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Necrosha</span> 2009–10 Marvel comic book crossover storyline

"Necrosha" is a 2009–10 comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics featuring the X-Men family of characters.

References

  1. Morris, Jon (2015). The League of Regrettable Superheroes: Half Baked Heroes from Comic Book History. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Quirk Books. pp. 216–217. ISBN   978-1-59474-763-2.
  2. DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 225. ISBN   978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. http://worldofblackheroes.com/2010/09/15/uncanny-x-men-345-review/ Uncanny X-Men #345 (June 1997). Marvel Comics.
  4. X-Men #70. Marvel Comics.
  5. X-Men #75. Marvel Comics.
  6. X-Men #77-78. Marvel Comics.
  7. X-Men #76 (June 1998). Marvel Comics.
  8. Generation X #49 (March 1999). Marvel Comics.
  9. Weapon X vol. 2 #5. Marvel Comics.
  10. Weapon X vol. 2 #14. Marvel Comics.
  11. X-Men: Legacy #231 (January 2010). Marvel Comics.
  12. Wolverine and the X-Men vol. 2 #10-11. Marvel Comics.
  13. Uncanny X-Men #600. Marvel Comics.
  14. Uncanny X-Men vol. 5 #9-10. Marvel Comics.
  15. House of X #5. Marvel Comics.
  16. Excalibur vol. 4 #1. Marvel Comics.
  17. X-Force Vol. 6 #32. Marvel Comics.
  18. June 09, Darren Franich Updated; EDT, 2022 at 12:31 PM. "Let's rank every X-Man ever". EW.com. Retrieved 2023-01-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. Age of X: Universe #1
  20. Ultimate X-Men #47
  21. Ultimate Comics: X-Men #3
  22. X-Tinction Agenda #2-3
  23. Age of X-Man: Nextgen v5 #2
  24. Age of X-Man: Nextgen v5 #4