Saturday Showcase: Nebulon

 

Greetings everyone.  I hope your new year is off to a great start.  While I was going through my twitter feed, I was on the Spinner Rack page and I saw a classic Defenders cover featuring the "Villain" Nebulon and I knew right away I had to share his story.  So who dares summon Nebulon?  Well, I do because I wanted to start my Saturday Showcase of 2023 to start with a BANG!

Nebulon is an Ul'lula'n (a race of six-tentacled, finned, water-breathing extraterrestrials about 10 feet in length). He was one of a number of Ul'lula'ns dispatched to locate and secure worlds with the mineral resources that they had depleted on their own home-world of Ul'ula.  He took on a glistening, golden humanoid form in an attempt to blend with Earth's human population. Happening upon the evil Hyperion of the Squadron Sinister who was trapped in space, Nebulon rescued him. Hyperion led the alien back to Earth to let him have it. Nebulon helped Hyperion gather the other Squadron Sinister members to build a laser cannon that would melt the polar ice caps and flood the planet, making it perfectly suitable to the Ul'lula'ns.

Nighthawk, a former member of the Squadron Sinister, had been coerced into helping with this plan. He contacted the Defenders, who traveled to the North Pole and fought the Squadron and Nebulon. During the course of the battle, Nebulon expended so much energy that he lost control of his humanoid form and reverted to his monstrous form; Nighthawk took advantage of the confusion this caused among Nebulon's allies and turned the laser cannon on Nebulon, causing him to seemingly implode.  But in reality, he was sent to another dimension.

Nebulon would eventually return to Earth and try to take over yet again. This time he returned to Earth in the guise of "Mr. Nebul," and started a movement called Celestial Mind Control which promised to liberate the powers of the human mind (but actually robbed people of their free will).  Nebulon recruited the Porcupine, the original Eel, and a Plantman simulacrum as his agents.  The Defenders became aware of this movement and tried to stop him. However, he exiled the Defenders to another dimension.  At the same time as Nebulon's movement, the Headmen were attempting a similar movement. Nebulon engaged in battle with the Defenders and the Headmen. When the Defenders exposed the Headmen's political machinations, they managed to convince Nebulon of the futility of his goal, and Doctor Strange persuaded him to leave Earth.

When the Ul'lula'n government learned of Nebulon's activities, it tried and convicted him for treason. Nebulon escaped to Earth. The Defenders uncovered his location and soon afterward, an Ul'lula'n ship appeared and took custody of Nebulon.  The authorities stripped much of his power from him, fixing him in his humanoid form, and exiling him on Earth. He was ordered to do the honorable thing and commit suicide, but refused. Nebulon's wife, Supernalia, learned of his dishonor and traveled to Earth to convince him to do the right thing but Nebulon was planning to use his technology to siphon power from the Avengers and restore his powers. Supernalia enlisted the aid of the Defenders, and the Defenders and Avengers were manipulated into fighting each other on the behalf of the two Ul'lula'ns. Supernalia realized that her own actions were a violation of her people's ethics, and threw herself into the energy-draining ray; Nebulon tried to save her but fell into the ray himself. As Nebulon died from the bombardment by the energy-draining Ennui-ray, he believed he was finally acting honorably. The Avengers and Defenders buried the two aliens where they died, in the snow of the Himalayan Mountains.

Powers and Abilities

Nebulon's powers are a result of biospheric energy and his alien physiology. He has superhuman strength, durability, and reflexes. Nebulon had the ability to manipulate energy for a variety of effects, including the creation of spheres, shields, or energy bolts, teleportation across the surface of a planet and between dimensions, and shape-shifting. Nebulon's powers were dependent on the biospheric energy of planets. If he were deprived of contact with a planetary biosphere long enough, his power level would be reduced to that of a normal human being. 

Nebulon also possessed a gifted intellect and has extensive knowledge of existential philosophy.

Publication Information

Publisher:  Marvel Comics

First Appearance:  Defenders #13 (May 1974)

Created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema

Species: Ul'lula'n

Team Affiliations:  Former leader of the Celestial Mind Control Movement

Notable Aliases:

• The Celestial Man
• Mr. Nebul
• Dorma

I really hoped you enjoyed learning about Nebulon.

Until next time, get your READ on!

Saturday Showcase: Hellstorm

 

    We have 7 days until Halloween.  I knw, why state the obvious?  Well, the timing is the reason I chose the subject for this week's Saturday Showcase.  I have been enjoying the Hulu original series Helstrom and it made me reflect on the good ole days from my childhood and all of my glorious comics that I would stay up after lights out and read over and over again.   Today's showcase is one Daimon Hellstrom.  As you will come to find out from this article, he is a very unique character that could actually have a role in any Marvel movie if the writers chose to do so.  So, let's cut all the gibberish and get right to it.

    Daimon Hellstrom was born in the town of Greentown, Massachusetts. He is the son of Satan and a mortal woman named Victoria Wingate (we later find out that his father was a demon named Marduk Kurios and not the devil). Daimon and his sister, Satana, were trained by their father in the art of magic, tapping into the power granted them by their dark heritage. However, while Satana embraced her heritage, Daimon clung to his humanity. When their mother discovered who her husband really was, she was driven mad. Daimon and Satana were separated and put in different homes after his mother was institutionalized and his father banished back to Hell. Daimon grew up in a Jesuit-run orphanage, never hearing a word from his father or sister. He became a professor of anthropology at St. Louis University. He then set himself up as an occult investigator and defender of humanity, battling dark arcane forces—primarily those of his father—under the name of the "Son of Satan", as a demonologist and exorcist.

    Hellstorm was first introduced to us fighting Satan and the Witch-Woman alongside Ghost Rider. (Ghost Rider #1)  He would then join the team known as the Defenders and fight evil in many forms to protect humanity.  He also teamed up with the Thing and battled Kthara. (Marvel Two-In-One #14).  He also helped the West Coast Avengers from time to time with his love Hell Cat by his side. Although it sounds like he overcame his father's grasp, nothing could be farther from the truth.

    You see, those Daimon loves tend to get hurt, physically or mentally and sometimes both.  For example, the love of his life went insane and eventually ended her life to escape or mental state.  Daimon would continue on using his power for good, but he knew it would be a lonely journey.  A journey he felt needed to be done to protect the Earth from his father's grasp.

Publication Information

Publisher:  Marvel Comics

First Appearance:  Ghost Rider #1 (Sept. 1973)

Created by:  Roy Thomas (writer) & Gary Friedrich (artist)

Character Information

Alter Ego: Daimon Hellstrom

Species: Human/Demon hybrid

Team Affiliations:

• Defenders
• God Squad
• Hellfire Club
• Masters of Evil
• Midnight Sons
• Shadow Hunters
• S.H.I.E.L.D. Paranormal Containment Unit

Notable Aliases:  Son of Satan, Hellstorm

Abilities:

• Dark magic user
• Fire projection
• Ability to heal others
• Peak human physical capabilities

    So, that's my showcase on Hellstorm.  I really hope you enjoyed this post and find yourself looking more into this character.  I really suggest that you watch the Hulu original series Helstrom.  Even if you were not a fan of  Hellstorm from the '70s, you will enjoy the show.  If you are an old school comic lover like me, you will definitely enjoy the show!

Until next time, get your READ on!

Saturday Showcase: Goliath (Bill Foster)

    I thought I would showcase Bill Foster aka Goliath today since he has a spot in the Marvel Studios film Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Now if you are a comic book fan, you know that there has been 5 Goliaths so far in the Marvel Universe.  The first was of course Dr. Pym, then there was Clint Barton (yes, Hawkeye) and the third man to fight as Goliath was Bill Foster.  The other two Goliaths will be mentioned at another time, specifically in showcases of their own.

    Bill Foster made his comic debut back in '66 in issue #32 of the Avengers.  He was a lab assistant and fellow scientist to Dr. Henry Pym.  It wasn't until '75 when we saw the birth of Foster's Goliath in Luke Cage, Power Man #24.  He called himself Black Goliath when he first debuted.  What a way to showcase his powers than challenging the one and only Power Man.  

Luke Cage, Power Man #24 (1st Black Goliath)

    Bill later changed his persona to Giant-Man in '79 in Marvel Two-in-One #55.  He finally changed his alter ego's name to Goliath in 2006 in the Thing #1.  Bill Foster was originally created by Don Heck and the one and only Stan Lee.  It wasn't until Black Goliath came along that we can credit Tony Isabella and George Tuska for their creation.

  Bill was a Defender, Champion, as well as a member of Project: Pegasus in his career as a super hero.  Sadly, Bill's reign as Goliath ended in Marvel's Civil War.  He was killed by a Thor clone and his death made heroes realize that they were fighting a senseless war.  He died as a giant and was buried as one.  Tony Stark paid for the 38 plots it took to bury him.  He lived and died as a hero.

Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster

    Since Bill was a such big part of my life and the world of Marvel Comics, I was beyond happy when I heard that the great Laurence Fishburne was playng Bill Foster in the Ant-Man and the Wasp film.  Finally he (Bill) was getting the respect he deserves.  Now, if we could only get Netflix to put him in the net season of Luke Cage, lol.

Until next time, unleash your inner NERD and get your READ on!

Classic Cover of the Day - Defenders Edition

Classic Cover of the Day

the Defenders Vol. 1 # 19

Marvel Comics

Spoiler Free Defenders Review

I have written a spoiler free review of the new Netflix series the Defenders over at Somewhatnerdy.  Check it out - - - ->   Defenders Review

Comics You Should Read: the Defenders (2017)

     I am here once again to tell you about comics that I think you should be reading. The topic today is the 2017 line-up of the Defenders.  First of all, let me just say I have been a Defenders fan since back in the day.  My favorite line-up took place in the 70's but that is a different story.  Today we are talking about the team that consists of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, the Iron Fist, and finally the Daredevil.

     As many of you already know, Netflix is producing a series about this very team after the success of each character's series already on Netflix.  So, I am sure this what made MARVEL decide to create another run of the Defenders to give the fans a little taste of what's going on and what possibly could happen in the series.

     Well, issue #1 starts with the team being targeted, in fact Jessica is in the hospital after being shot. (Free Comic Book Day Edition of Defenders)  The team scramble to find out who was the shooter only to find out that Diamondback is back from the dead and whats vengeance.  So, now they know the who but still don't know the how (is he alive) or the what to do.  As usual Cage goes after him on his own, only to fall into a trap. 

     In issue #2, we find Luke at the Night Nurse's infirmary after Black Cat dropped him off.  While Jessica is caught up to date on what happened, Blade comes by with a little something that will help Cage recover quickly.  Once the team is ready to regroup, they go out looking for answers only to find more trouble in their way in the form of the Punisher.  God, I cannot wait until issue #3 is released!

    I tried not to ruin the stories too much because I want you to read them for yourself, hence the title of this segment.  I give this series a strong 9 out of 10.  It would have been a perfect 10, but I was not one who had the FCBD edition of the Defenders, so I was kind of lost at first.  However, in hindsight, the book does explain things out so you really do not need the issue.  Start with #1 and move on.  I love how the issues have tied into each Netflix series in so many ways and I cannot wait to see what other crossovers that the writers have in store.

Until next time, get your READ on!

Classic Cover of the Day - the Defenders #46

Classic Cover of the Day - MARVELous Monday Edition

the Defenders Vol. 1 # 46

MARVEL