Morbius: 13 Connections to Marvel Comics

MoviesComics

Mar 21

How the living vampire connects to the larger Marvel Comics universe

The latest film from Sony featuring a Marvel comics character, Morbius stars Jared Leto in a live-action adaptation scheduled for release April 1, 2022.

When Michael Morbius attempts to cure his life-long blood disease with experimental vampire bat science, he accidentally gains a thirst for blood. Morbius, the Living Vampire, a.k.a. Dr. Michael Morbius, appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by penciler Gil Kane, Morbius first appeared as a villain in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (October 1971). Morbius went on to become a tragic hero in his own series and other titles. Here’s a list of thirteen connections that Morbius has to the Marvel universe.

#1 SPIDER-MAN

Morbius was introduced as a villain in The Amazing Spider-Man #101–102. He would return to battle Spider-Man several times over the years. Morbius’s 1971 appearance followed that year’s update of the Comics Code Authority lifting its ban on vampires and certain other supernatural characters. Writer Roy Thomas, filling in for Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, wanted to pit Spider-Man against Dracula—but Stan wanted a costumed villain. As such, they went with a man turned into a vampire by radiation rather than magic. Thomas and penciller co-creator Gil Kane created the character as a man who is given pseudo-vampiric abilities and traits via scientific rather than supernatural means.

#2 BLADE THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

Vampire hunter Blade originally got his powers from a bite by Morbius the Living Vampire—which Marvel has since changed. (This change is said to be due to the success of Blade’s first feature film.) Blade the Vampire-Slayer and Morbius have since had an ongoing feud with each other.

#3 CIA'S SIMON STROUD

Simon Stroud, a rogue CIA agent first introduced hunting the Man-Wolf, has been hunting Morbius since Adventure into Fear #27.

#4 HYDRA'S HUNGER

Dr. Loxias Crown (AKA Hunger) was a HYDRA scientist who kidnapped Morbius to study his condition. During his escape, Morbius bit the scientist, turning him into a pseudo-vampire like himself.

#05 WEST COAST AVENGERS

Morbius has been friends with Jack Russell (a.k.a. the original Werewolf By Night) since West Coast Avengers #5, where Morbius helped Russell deal with his werewolf curse. Morbius and the Werewolf joined with Man-Thing and Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) to form Legion of Monsters.

#06 DOCTOR STRANGE

Morbius and Doctor Strange have teamed up several times. Doctor Strange recruited Morbius as one of the Midnight Sons, a team that served as Earth's last defense against the occult.

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #52 (1993)

#07 POWER MAN

In the alternate reality of the House of M series, Morbius appears as one of the scientists that gave Luke Cage his powers.

#08 FANTASTIC FOUR'S THE THING

Morbius teamed up with Benjamin “Ben” Grimm, AKA The Thing in Marvel Two-in-One #15 (1974). Morbius was swept to another world where he found a being that lived on others' emotions—which merged with Morbius and made him return to Earth where he again fought Spider-Man.

#09 SHE-HULK

Struck by lightning, Morbius found it undid his vampirism. Still thirsting blood, he began research at University of California, where he analyzed the blood of Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk. He discovered a degenerative disease—but as students found out his true identity, they threatened to kill him.

#10 FANTASTIC FOUR'S INVISIBLE WOMAN

Morbius offered his expertise when Susan Storm Richards, AKA Invisible Woman, had trouble with her second pregnancy. However, when Doctor Octopus came up as a potential expert who could help, Morbius encouraged Reed Richards to ask the villain for help. Unfortunately, the process failed to save the child.

#11 VENOM

During Marvel Comics crossover event Maximum Carnage, Venom recruits Morbius to help fight against Carnage’s group of murderers. The heroic group also includes vigilantes Spider-Man, Cloak, Dagger, Back Cat, and Deathlok.

#12 DAREDEVIL

Fall From Grace is a story arc from Daredevil comics, with guests Morbius, Venom, and Elektra searching for the About Face virus. Meanwhile, Daredevil is tasked with making sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

DAREDEVIL EPIC COLLECTION: FALL FROM GRACE (2014)

#13 LEGION OF MONSTERS

Morbius has fought and/or teamed up with a slew of Marvel Comics monsters, including Man-Thing, Ghost Rider Manphibian, Living Mummy, and Werewolf By Night.