Neophyte (comics)

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Neophyte
XMEN Neophyte.jpg
Neophyte as depicted in Uncanny X-Men #300 (May 1993). Art by John Romita Jr. (penciler), Dan Green (inker), and Steve Buccellato (colorist).
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Uncanny X-Men #300 (May 1993)
Created by Scott Lobdell
John Romita Jr.
In-story information
Alter egoSimon Hall
Species Human mutant
Team affiliations Acolytes
AbilitiesIntangibility

Neophyte (Simon Hall) is a fictional mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a member of the Acolytes.

Contents

Publication history

Neophyte first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #300 (May 1993) and was created by Scott Lobdell and John Romita Jr.

Fictional character biography

Neophyte is a Swiss mutant with the ability to phase his body and others, allowing complete intangibility and high-speed transport through inanimate matter. Discovered by Joanna Cargill, Unuscione, and Milan in an abandoned church in Switzerland, he accepted their invitation to join the Acolytes. The youngest member of the group, he does not accompany the other Acolytes into battle and is assigned tasks of little importance. [1]

Neophyte later discovers that Fabian Cortez, a member of the Acolytes, has apparently killed the group's leader, Magneto. Neophyte is banished from the Acolytes' headquarters and rescued by a human woman, which confuses him as he did not believe humans would help mutants. The Acolytes kill the woman, causing Neophyte to reconsider his loyalty to them. Neophyte helps the X-Men battle the Acolytes and is offered sanctuary, but refuses. [2] [3] [4]

Neophyte is later captured by the Acolytes and put on trial for the crime of treason after aiding the X-Men. Colossus defends Neophyte in his case, intending for him to have a second chance. The Acolytes intend to kill Neophyte, but are stopped by Exodus, who intends for Neophyte to be killed after the trial. However, Colossus manages to convince Exodus to return Neophyte to Earth. [5] [6] [3]

Neophyte eventually returns to the Acolytes after Magneto resurfaces. He retains his powers following M-Day, moves to Utopia, and later helps Cyclops fight the Nimrods. [7] [8]

Powers and abilities

Neophyte is able to travel distances through mass by breaking down his physical structure and entering a solid material. When in contact with matter, Neophyte relaxes the molecular binding forces in his body so that his molecules merge with the object he is touching in a non-substantial state. He can then cause the mass of his body to reform itself at a different angle or position to emerge from the object. He can also separate his mass into multiple small masses, such as when he jumped off a balcony and disappeared into a rainstorm by dividing his mass up into the rain, only to reform as the rain hit the ground below. [1]

Other versions

An alternate universe variant of Neophyte from Earth-11326 appears in Age of X: Communiques #1. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 Manness, Dean (September 3, 2018). "The 20 Strongest X-Men Villains Of The '90s, Officially Ranked". CBR . Retrieved May 16, 2025. In 1991, another team of supervillains arose to oppose the X-Men called the Acolytes. Neophyte did not join these Magneto-followers until 1993 and as the youngest member was left behind when the rest of the group went into battle. Despite the mutant's age and inexperience he has one of the strongest powers on the team. He is able to phase his body through any object in a unique way. When he enters the substance he can merge his molecules with the material and travel through it, rematerializing his body from anywhere along the material. He is also able to separate into a number of small masses, as he did once in the rain, separating his mass among the raindrops.
  2. ↑ Lobdell, Scott  ( w ), Romita, John Jr.  ( p ), Green, Dan  ( i ), Buccellato, Steve  ( col )."Legacies" Uncanny X-Men ,vol. 1,no. 300(May 1993).Marvel Comics.
  3. 1 2 Cronin, Brian (September 30, 2018). "That Weird Time That Colossus Was One of Magneto's Acolytes". CBR . Retrieved May 16, 2025. One of the Acolytes, Neophyte, breaks from the rest of his colleagues to help the X-Men free Moira, as he realizes that the Acolytes' leader, Fabian Cortez, is a bad guy... the Acolytes captured Neophyte in Uncanny X-Men #315 and the Acolyte's new leader, Exodus, puts him on trial for his life. Colossus is his defense attorney.
  4. ↑ Dodge, John (December 10, 2020). "X-Men: Why Marvel's Most HATED Mutant Is Back on a Team". CBR . Retrieved May 16, 2025. Cortez arranged for Asteroid M, and everyone aboard it to think that Magneto had been killed, turning the elder mutant into a martyr that would inspire others to take up his mission. The Acolyte Neophyte discovered this treachery, and the Acolytes abandoned him once he had revealed what Cortez had done.
  5. ↑ Lobdell, Scott  ( w ), Cruz, Roger  ( p ), Green, Dan ; Rubinstein, Joe ; Larosa, Bud; Barta, Hilary  ( i ), Buccellato, Steve ; Javins, Marie  ( col )."Peers" Uncanny X-Men ,vol. 1,no. 315(August 1994).Marvel Comics.
  6. ↑ Dobler, Russ (November 22, 2019). "'X-Men Milestones: Fatal Attractions' review: classic masterpiece, or the beginning of the downturn?". AIPT. Retrieved May 16, 2025. New Acolyte Colossus acts as the Neophyte's defense, because yes, he'd turned villain in Fatal Attractions.
  7. ↑ Brubaker, Ed  ( w ),Tan, Billy ( p ),Miki, Danny; Martinez, Allen ( i ),D'Armata, Frank ( col )."Messiah Complex: Chapter Two" Uncanny X-Men ,vol. 1,no. 492(January 2008).Marvel Comics.
  8. ↑ Wells, Zeb  ( w ),Roberson, Ibraim; Medina, Lan; Fox, Nathan ( p ),Roberson, Ibraim; Medina, Lan; Fox, Nathan ( i ),Reber, Brian; Milla, Matt; Villarrubia, José  ( col )."Second Coming (Chapter Eleven)" The New Mutants ,vol. 3,no. 14(August 2010).Marvel Comics.
  9. ↑ "AGE OF X COMMUNIQUÉS: Basilisk, Legacy". Comic Book Resources . January 5, 2011. Archived from the original on January 8, 2011. We're missing a few links in the chain that brings her eventually into Magneto's orbit. Again, we can't link her to any of the atrocities he committed in Genosha, San Francisco or New York, but they certainly met at least once before the Fortress X barrier was raised. We're exploring the possibility that they had an intimate relationship. Testimony given under duress by subject Simon Hall (aka "Neophyte") seem to point to this.
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