Publication history
The character's first appearance was in Captain America #272 (August 1982). [2] He was created by J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck. [3]
He became antagonist for Spider-Man as well in Marvel Team-Up #128 (April 1983), fighting both Captain America and Spider-Man. [4] These initial stories established Vermin as a tragic figure mutated by Baron Zemo's experiments, setting the stage for his recurring role in Marvel's street-level hero narratives.
Vermin gained prominence during the acclaimed "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline in 1987, appearing across multiple Spider-Man titles including Web of Spider-Man #31-32, The Amazing Spider-Man #293-294, and The Spectacular Spider-Man #131-132. [5] The character's psychological depth was further explored in "The Child Within" arc in Spectacular Spider-Man #178-184 (1991-1992), which delved into his traumatic backstory and temporary reversion to human form under Dr. Ashley Kafka's care. [6] This culminated in "The Death of Vermin" storyline in issues #194-196 (1992-1993).
In recent years, Vermin has appeared in major crossover events including the "Hunted" arc in Amazing Spider-Man vol. 5 #16-23 (2019), where he was captured and cloned by Arcade, and the "Gang War" crossover (2023-2024), appearing in titles such as Amazing Spider-Man #41 and Spider-Boy #3. [7] The character has also appeared in alternate universe versions, including the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610) in All-New Ultimates #7 (2014).
Fictional character biography
Edward Whelan suffered severe physical and sexual abuse as a child from his father. [8] As an adult, he is a geneticist working for Helmut Zemo and Primus, who later experiment on him and transform him into a cannibalistic, humanoid rat. Vermin is defeated by Captain America and turned over to S.H.I.E.L.D. [9] He escapes S.H.I.E.L.D., however, and returns to the service of Zola and Zemo. [10]
Vermin eventually escapes the asylum, and attacks his parents at their home in Scarsdale. He is captured by Spider-Man and returned to psychiatric care. Whelan returns to his human form after being treated by Ashley Kafka, [8] but later returns to his Vermin form. [11]
In All-New, All-Different Marvel , Vermin appears as a member of Maker's New Revengers. [12]
During the "Hunted" storyline, Lizard and Taskmaster were able to defeat Vermin who was attacking some civilians while they were en route to Central Park. After being captured by Arcade, Vermin bites Arcade in the finger and mentions that Lizard and Taskmaster are working against him. Arcade then injects Vermin with a serum that causes him to spawn clones of himself. When the Vermin clones attack Spider-Man, he is saved by Kraven the Hunter. [13]
A slew of Whelen's clones were last seen kidnapping residents from a local New York stretch that'd recently fallen under the care of Moon Knight for company and food restock. The titular vigilante assailed them until he managed to talk them down and let them free to retreat to the sewers on the grounds that they wouldn't assault his protectees again. [14]
Edward would eventually turn up human again, serving as an orderly at Ravencroft while under the remedial care of Ashley Kafka. [15] Dutifully working under her supervision to ensure that the inmates received humane and proper treatment while under their care. The institute would come under assault by a clone of Ben Reilly named Spidercide, wherein the deranged replicate would rewire Edward's brain chemistry to revert to being Vermin again. But he would still retain enough of his newfound conscience to help Scarlet Spider stop the Asylum riot his enemy had caused. [16]
Having suffered a relapse into feral ways, Whelan is seen backed by an army of Vermin attacking Central Park. Evidently to draw out Spider-Girl, as the prime Vermin wore some harness around his neck, presumably being puppeteered by an advocate to The Sisterhood of the Wasp, who sought to study her quarry in action. [17]
Again, the now animalistic Vermin would reappear, as Parker had suffered a subtle emotional breakdown, which caused him to become more ruthless and uncompromising, having thrown Kraven the Hunter into a pit of swarming Vermin clones for undisclosed reasons. [18]
During the "Gang War" storyline, Vermin and his clones attack the F.E.A.S.T. building amidst the gang wars. They are repelled by Spider-Boy. [19]
Whelan would strike again as Ghost Spider was busy escorting one of the Chameleon, whose own abilities had been modified and overloaded due to an electric power surge. The two enemies would work together to subdue his enclave and escape the sewers. [20]
Vermin and his army of undergrounders would re-encounter Moon Knight after his midnight mission had been upended and those under his care had been rendered as fugitives. [21] They would recommence their blood feud with Moon Knight killing another of his duplicates before setting the rest on fire as he fought his way through them.
Vermin was later brought into the Sewer Enclave by Miles Morales' clone Shift. [22]
Doctor Tramma later dispatches Vermin to go after Spider-Girl. He attacks her at the Red Snow martial arts studio that she is attending. During the fight, Spider-Girl is surprised that Vermin knows her true identity as more Vermin clones arrive. She manages to copy Vermin's powers and orders the Vermin clones to take Vermin back to his home and "rat off". Spider-Girl then starts to figure out that a woman conducting experiments was the one who sent Whelan. [23]
Powers and abilities
Vermin's strength was enhanced by the experimental mutagenic process designed by Arnim Zola, and forced upon him. He resembles a humanoid rat and possesses enhanced strength, durability, senses, and agility.
Vermin has the ability to control rats and dogs within a two-mile (3 km) radius of himself. [24] Edward learned to shift between human and Vermin form. [25]
Thanks to an augmentative gene-therapy administered by the villainous Arcade, Vermin developed a new facility to self-replicate through accelerated mitosis. [26]
