Michael Morbius (Earth-616)

Morbius the Living Vampire
Name	Michael Morbius
Current Alias	Morbius the Living Vampire
Aliases	Doctor Morgan Michaels
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	A.R.M.O.R., Midnight Sons Formerly Legion of Monsters, Horizon Labs
Relatives	Makarioa Morbius (father) Vic Slaughter (vampiric progeny)
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	5′10″ (1.78 m)
Weight	170 lbs (77.11 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Red
Hair	Black
Unusual Features	Morbius possesses chalk-white skin, red eyes, fangs, and retractable claws.
Origin and Living Status
Origin	In an effort to cure his own rare blood disease, Dr. Michael Morbius used untested methods (including serums derived from the blood of vampire bats and electroshock), accidentally transforming himself into a "living vampire."
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Greece
Personal Information
Identity	Public
Citizenship	Greek
Occupation	Nobel Prize winning Biochemist
Education	Degree in biochemistry, specializing in blood disease
Base of Operations	Mobile
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Roy Thomas, Gil Kane
First	Amazing Spider-Man #101 (October, 1971)
First	Amazing Spider-Man #101 (October, 1971)

 Accept this vow, then: If I must drink blood, let it be the blood of the corrupt -- of those who deserve to die. The blood of the guilty. 

—Morbius

History

Early Life

Dr. Michael Morbius was a brilliant scientist born in Greece. He became a Nobel Prize winning biochemist, but suffered from a debilitating blood disease. He developed an experimental treatment involving vampire bats and electroshocks, but its side effects turned him into a sort of pseudo-vampire who needed to consume blood in order to survive. He also gained an aversion to sunlight as well as abilities similar to a vampire such flight, enhanced strength, speed, and a healing factor. His overall appearance changed as well, as he gained fangs, his nose flattened to appear more like a bat's, and his skin became extremely pale. He was also able to spread his disease turning anyone he bites into a living vampires. When he first experienced the change, he killed the assistand who had helped him develop the treatment

File:Morbius 001.jpg

Dr. Michael Morbius

Meeting Spider-Man

Morbius travelled to the United States by ship, but in his bloodthirst, he slaughtered the crew. He tried to kill himself but failed and took a room at a beach house, where he encountered Spider-Man who was at the time was trying to reverse the process that had given him six arms. Morbius attacked Spider-Man, but their battle was interrupted by Dr. Connors who transformed into the Lizard.

Morbius escaped, but not before biting Connors which partially returned him to normal. Spider-Man and Connors realized that Morbius' blood could be a cure for both of them and decided to help each other. They tracked him down and after another battle extracted some of his blood, causing Connors to remain in his humman state and Spider-Man to lose his additional arms.

Human Torch

Morbius was washed ashore and found by Jefferson and Jacob Bolt, whom he tried to feed on after he revived, turning Jefferson into a vampire himself. Meanwhile, Morbius' fiancé Martine Bancroft tried contacting the Fantastic Four to help Morbius. The Human Torch sought out Morbius' formmer colleague Hans Jorgenson and joined Spider-man during another battle with Morbius. During the fight, Morbius accidentally killed Jefferson Bolt and fled.

X-Men

When news of Jorgenson's supposed kidnapping by Spider-Man reached Professor X, an old colleague of Jorgenson, he sent the X-Men to track down Spider-Man. In order to rescue his friend and save Spider-Man, Professor X sent the X-Men out to capture Morbius. After a lengthy battle, the X-Men managed to defeat Morbius and rescue Jorgenson. Jorgenson was able to cure Spider-Man, who thanked the X-Men before leaving them to deal with Morbius.

Vampire Tales

Morbius saved Amanda Saint from the demonic cult Demon-Fire and helped her in the search for her parents

Fear

Morbius and Martine Bancroft battled Reverend Daemond, and encountered the Caretakers of Arcturus IV. He visited the Land Within, home of the Cat People. Battling their greatest warrior Balkatar Balkatar and Morbius work together to take down Daemond. He was hunted by Blade the vampire slayer until Blade became aware of his plight, the two teamup to battle Daemond. Daemond creates Tara a Psychic vampire. Morbius is able to kill Daemond and Tara. He then first encountered Simon Stroud a CIA agent tasked with hunting him. Together they battled the Helleyes. Morbius, Martine and Stroud battle vampires at Mason Manor.

Legion of Monsters

Morbius joined the chance team Legion of Monsters, who united by chance to investigate the appearance of a strange being called the Starseed. Though Starseed was a benevolent entity, both the Werewolf and Morbius, overcome by their monstrous hungers attacked it. Ghost Rider and Man-Thing attempted to intervene, but Starseed was unable to overcome his fear of Man-Thing and suffered severe burns at Man-Thing's touch. The dying Starseed attempted to cure the Legion of their monstrous forms but was too weak and died little later. Morbius visited his old scientist friend Ronson Slade in hope for a cure to his disease. Ronson, however had become a werewolf and Morbius was forced to kill him.

Dimension Z

After Morbius and the Thing battled Living Eraser from Dimension Z, Morbius used the Living Eraser's dimensional transportation devices to return to Earth. The Empathoid who wished to learn how it felt to be a vampire used Morbius to attack Spider-Man, but Morbius resisted. Spider-Man managed to knock out Morbius, causing the Empathoid to leave his body and possess Spider-Man and battle Morbius once more. He tricked him into a football game and the emotions of all the sports fans overwhelmed the Empathoid, causing it to leave Spider-Man's body and pass out. Spider-Man allowed Morbius to depart.

Temporary Cure

Driven mad by his bloodlust, Morbius battled Spider-Man again but was restored to his human form when he was hit by a freak bolt of lightning. He remained human for some years, assisting both Spider Woman and the West Coast Avengers at various times, but his vampiric condition eventually returned.

Civil War

Morbius was registered under the SHRA. He was sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to convince Blade to register.

A.R.M.O.R.

Michael worked with A.R.M.O.R., an organization tasked with keeping an eye on extra-dimensional activity on the planet. As such, when cross-over with a zombie infected universe occurred in Man-Thing's swamp, Florida's Initiative team, Command, was dispatched to investigate. However, it was revealed that Morbius had been incapacitated and replaced within the organization by a zombified, extra-dimensional version of himself. How long this had been the case was not clear. A member of A.R.M.O.R came in to check on Morbius (the zombie), she found the real Morbius but then she got bitten by the zombie Morbius which started a zombie plague. When Morbius was able to move, he snuck behind his zombie counterpart and drove a stake through his heart. This surprisingly turned him into ashes.

After the zombie plague was taken care of, it was discovered that the Zombie Simon Garth and the head of Deadpool's zombie counterpart escaped. Morbius then gathered the Midnight Sons to search for Deadpool and Simon Garth and dispose of anything that is infected with the zombie plague.

While staying in Monster Metropolis, the remaining pieces of a dead Frank Castle were brought by the sewage system. Morbius and the Legion of Monsters revived him in a Frankenstein's Monster shape. They needed him to fight against Hunter of Monster Special Force who killed monsters for "not being of God."

Morbius was working on a cure for the zombie virus. He couldn't find it for the virus's genetic code is too complicated to decipher. Morbius found a Planestorm has opened a gate way to alternate realities. All of them had a different zombie virus. The only way to decipher the virus was to compare it with other zombie viruses. Morbius took some equipment from A.R.M.O.R and sent Howard the Duck and Machine Man to the alternate realities and bring him a sample of each virus. Some time later, the director of A.R.M.O.R Charles Little Sky discovered Morbius' plans and the missing A.R.M.O.R and put him under arrest.

Spider-Island

Later, he secretly joined Horizon Labs with the help of his friend and boss of the lab, Max Modell. He worked with Mr. Fantastic in a cure for the spider-virus meanwhile he worked on a cure for his situation. He took the identity of Number Six and assisted, in a hazmat suit to protect his identity, in preparing the cure to the spider-powers virus. When Peter Parker tried to investigate the identity of "Number Six," he accidentally provoked Morbius who had been using the cure to try to develop a basis for his own condition into a frenzy, prompting the lab security to step in. It also drove Morbius to leave, when it was was revealed that he had been working with the The Lizard. He was trying to find a cure for both of their conditions. He used DNA samples from the corpse Doc Connors son Billy, Morbius was able to create a cure that would restore the Lizard to human form, but he failed to recognize that the Lizard had fully destroyed Doc Connors' human persona. They left the Lizard alone in Morbius' lab, allowing the Lizard to release blood into the laboratory's air vents to provoke the injured Morbius into attacking the other scientists. Morbius fleed the laboratory with Spider-Man following. Morbius was captured by Spider-Man and locked up in a cell in the Raft.

Death of Spider-Man

When Peter Parker mind was transferred into Doctor Octopus' dying body he organizes a group of prisoners at the Raft to capture Spider-Man who now contain Doc Ocks mind in. .During the break out, Morbius offered his help but was refused, he chose to work with the Lizard instead. The cells turn off and Morbius escaped from the Raft.

Brownsville

Morbius eventually escapes the prison known as Raft, and runs to the small town of Brownsville. Morbius lives in the crime filled street where he meets a street thug named Noah St. Germain. The two end up having a fight days later in the subway. The fight leaves Morbius mortally wounded with a shot gun to the chest even after saving St. Germain life from an on coming train. Morbius kills Noah St. Germain and his gang. After killing the Godfather of Brownsville, Morbius incites a gang war against The Rose (Phillip Hayes). As Brownsville gets more treacherous, Morbius takes matters into his own hands Morbius has laid low long enough.After the Battle of Brownsville, he escapes to Manhattan, to Horizon Labs, to finally cure his vampirism. Morbius works with the new superior Spider-Man. Morbius found out The Rose has an Ultimate Nullifier in Brownsville and teams up with the Legion of Monsters. Morbius kills the Rose.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

• Pseudo-Vampirism:Morbius has been transformed into a being similar to a vampire and, as a result, possesses a number of superhuman abilities similar to those possessed by true vampires. However, Morbius isn't a true vampire as the source of his transformation is scientific, not mystical.
  • Superhuman Strength: Morbius possesses super-human strength (the extent of which depends on the amount of blood he has ingested and the type of blood). At his peak, Morbius possesses sufficient superhuman strength to lift approximately 1,500 lbs.
  • Superhuman Speed: Morbius can run and move at speeds that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.
  • Superhuman Stamina: Morbius' enhanced musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of a normal human. He can physically exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him.
  • Superhuman Agility: Morbius' agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.
  • Superhuman Reflexes: Morbius' reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.
  • Superhuman Acute Senses: Morbius' senses of sight and smell are enhanced to levels well beyond that of normal humans. Morbius is able to detect objects with perfect clarity at much greater distances than a normal human. He retains this clarity, even in near-total darkness. He is also able to see into the infra-red end of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing him to see individuals at night by their body heat. His sense of smell is similarly enhanced, able to detect the scent of blood in the air from miles away.
  • Regenerative Healing Factor: Also, like true vampires, Morbius possesses an accelerated healing factor that enables him to rapidly regenerate damaged bodily tissues much faster and more extensively than a normal human. Injuries such as gunshots, slashes, and severe burns, within hours or minutes, depending upon their severity. Though highly developed, Morbius' healing powers aren't sufficient to regenerate missing limbs or organs.
  • Fangs & Claws: Like supernatural vampires, Morbius possesses elongated canines that he uses to pierce the flesh of other beings for the purpose of consuming their blood. Morbius can also, however, use his fangs as weapons in very close combat situations. He also possesses a single retractable claw at the tip of each finger. The claws are very sharp, capable of rending human flesh and bone with ease.
  • Psionic Gliding: Through mental concentration, Morbius is able to glide through the air over short distances. However, Morbius can only glide at speeds of about 35 miles an hour. While he can run faster than that, Morbius can use this ability while flying over rooftops.
  • Mesmerism: Like true vampires, Morbius can hypnotize others if they look directly into his eyes long enough. While under his control, Morbius typically has full control over an individual. If an individual has sufficient willpower, they can resist or overcome this power.
  • Vampire Creation: Like true vampires, Morbius is able to transform individuals into pseudo-vampires like himself by draining them of all their blood. Morbius has control over the pseudo-vampires he creates, just as supernatural vampires have mental control over the vampires they create. The ones Morbius creates possess superhuman strength but they don't have accelerated healing powers. Upon receiving lethal injuries, their bodies turn to dust.
  • Immunity To Most Vampire Vulnerabilities: As Morbius isn't a supernatural vampire, he is immune to all of the special mystical vulnerabilities that they have. He is unaffected if confronted with religious icons and will not incinerate if exposed to direct sunlight. Morbius does tend to rest during the hours of the day but most supernatural vampires fall into a dormant, death-like state during the day. Though he does rest, he doesn't have to line his sleeping area with soil from the land of his birth whereas supernatural vampires must do so otherwise they're unable to travel more than 100 miles. Morbius has no special vulnerability to objects of weapons composed of silver. While he can be injured by weapons made of silver, he'll heal normally as he would from other injuries whereas injuries inflicted by silver on supernatural vampires take much longer for them to heal from, if they're not killed outright. Morbius also won't be killed by having a wooden stake driven through his heart.

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Abilities

Morbius is extremely intelligent, having won the Nobel Prize for biochemistry. While he has had no formal training, Morbius' powers make him a formidable combatant against most individuals.

Weaknesses

The one true weakness Morbius has that supernatural vampires possess is that he must regularly ingest fresh blood in order to maintain his physical and mental vitality. He must generally feed several times a week, though he can go for long periods without feeding if he pushes himself. However, the longer he goes, the weaker he becomes and the more likely he is to lose control. While he can't be killed by sunlight, his eyes and skin are sensitive to exposure to sunlight.

Notes

• Morbius is one of the many heroes mentioned in the Civil War Battle Damage Report.
• Morbius was one of the characters featured in the series of Marvel Value Stamps issued in the 1970's.

  

  Marvel Value Stamp #75

Trivia

• Morbius and Reisel might have the same blood disease.

See Also

• 223 appearance(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 13 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 30 minor appearance(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 38 mention(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 13 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 246 image(s) of Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 25 quotation(s) by or about Michael Morbius (Earth-616)
• 6 victim(s) killed by Michael Morbius (Earth-616)

Links and References

References

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