Karl Malus

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For the comic book series about the character as the Superior Carnage, see Superior Carnage.
Dr. Karl Malus
Dr. Karl Malus as seen in Superior Carnage #2.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceSpider-Woman #30 (Sept. 1980)
Created byMichael Fleisher
Steve Leialoha
Jim Mooney
In-story information
Full nameKarlin Malus
SpeciesHuman–Symbiote hybrid
Team affiliationsCorporation
Frightful Four
Notable aliasesSuperior Carnage
AbilitiesBrilliant surgeon
Gifted intellect
Great knowledge of chemistry, genetic manipulation and radiology
Via symbiote:
Ability to mimic the powers and weaknesses of symbiotes

Dr. Karl Malus (/ˈmɑːləs/) is a fictional mad scientist and criminal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He played a part in the origins of Armadillo, Hornet, Falcon II, and many other characters, before becoming the Superior Carnage in the comic-book series of the same name.

Dr. Karl Malus / Superior Carnage was included as a playable character in the video game Spider-Man Unlimited, and appeared in the second season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Jessica Jones, portrayed by Callum Keith Rennie.[1]

Publication history

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Malus first appeared in Spider-Woman #30 (Sept. 1980) and was created by Michael Fleisher, Steve Leialoha and Jim Mooney.[2] He was featured several times opposite of Captain America and Sam Wilson as Captain America. He was also briefly a member of the Frightful Four,[3] before becoming the Superior Carnage in the 2013–14 comic-book series of the same name.[4][5]

Fictional character biography

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Karl Malus was born in Mud Butte, South Dakota. He became a surgeon and researcher. He was later the founder of the Institute for Supranormality Research and became a criminal scientist.

In his first appearance, Malus performs illegal medical experiments funded by the Enforcer to find out more about superhumans and their abilities. He is approached by the Human Fly, a supervillain who was losing his powers. Malus sends the Human Fly to steal equipment, attracting the attention of Spider-Woman. Malus offers to cure Spider-Woman's friend Scotty McDowell, who was rendered comatose by one of the Enforcer's poison bullets, in exchange for leniency. Spider-Woman agrees, but while curing McDowell, Malus also experiments on him using Human Fly's DNA, which transforms him into Hornet. Malus is sent to prison, but is released to "help" authorities battle Hornet. In actuality, he desires to capture and study Spider-Woman. Malus later contacts Hornet, who he keeps drugged and aggressive for his own purposes.[6]

Malus then contacts Jack Russell, a man cursed with lycanthropy, and tells him he could help cure his transformations. Instead, he placed a control collar on Russell and sent him and Hornet after Spider-Woman. She was able to defeat both of them and freed Russell, who then attacked Malus.[7]

Malus later studies the criminal Daddy Longlegs, who gained his powers from a modified growth-serum used by Black Goliath and had thus acquired a sample of Pym Particles, which could alter a person's size and mass. With this knowledge, Malus hopes to restore the powers of Erik Josten. He gives Josten growth powers and enhanced strength, turning him into the supervillain Goliath, but Goliath rejects Malus' offer of partnership and is in turn defeated by the West Coast Avengers.[8]

Malus also transforms Antonio Rodriguez into the Armadillo by splicing him with the genetic material of an armadillo. Malus encountered Captain America soon after that.[9]

Malus later works for the Power Broker (Curtiss Jackson), using his technology to augment the strength of paying customers to superhuman levels. Half the subjects are killed or become deformed, but this information is kept secret. Power Broker and Malus also use addictive drugs on their subjects, telling them that the chemical is necessary to stabilize their powers. In truth, the drug only serves to keep the subjects working for the Power Broker.[10] Many wrestlers of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation use the Power Broker's services and end up indebted to him.

When Power Broker, Inc. was attacked by the Scourge of the Underworld, Curtiss Jackson is exposed to his own augmentation device while attempting to defend himself. The process goes awry, leaving him so grotesquely muscle-bound that he is unable to move. Malus decides to take advantage of this situation by using Bludgeon and Mangler to abduct Vagabond. Malus sends Vagabond, who knows Jackson, to obtain a copy of his fingerprints so that Malus can access Jackson's personal accounts and vaults. He uses an explosive wristband to force Vagabond's cooperation, but she manages to knock Malus out, destroy the fingerprint mold, place the band on his wrist, and inject him with the drug he had planned to use on her.[11]

Malus then attempts to learn the secret of Daredevil's prowess and Madcap's invulnerability. He battles Hawkeye alongside Triphammer, Pick-Axe, Vice, and Handsaw.[12]

The Power Broker has Malus' legs broken for his betrayal, then promptly re-hires him to try to cure his condition. Malus captures and experiments on several augmented individuals to perfect the de-augmentation process, including Battlestar, which draws the attention of the U.S. Agent. Together, Battlestar and the Agent free the captured wrestlers and destroy Malus' equipment and records.[13]

Malus has since worked for a variety of criminal organizations, including the Corporation and the Maggia.[volume & issue needed] He also worked with the Avengers and the Thunderbolts in their efforts to defeat Count Nefaria in exchange for a reduced sentence.[14][15]

Malus is then recruited by the Wizard to become a new member of the Frightful Four, during which he is forcibly bonded to Carnage.[3] He is later eaten by Carnage, who was possessing Wizard at the time.[16]

Malus returns in "All-New, All-Different Marvel", having survived, becoming a symbiote hybrid with part of Carnage still inside him, and continued his experimentation as an employee of Serpent Solutions.[17][18] Using Redwing's DNA, Malus turns Mexican teenager Joaquin Torres into a bird/human hybrid. Captain America follows and subdues Malus, taking him into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. While most of Malus' victims are returned to normal, Joaquin is unable to be cured due to Redwing's DNA being vampiric, which granted him a healing factor.[17]

Powers and abilities

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Dr. Karl Malus possesses a gifted intellect. He has an MD specializing in surgery and a master's degree in biochemistry. Malus is a brilliant surgeon with a great knowledge of chemistry, genetic manipulation, and radiology.

Following his ingestion by Carnage, Malus gains the ability to mimic the powers and weaknesses of symbiotes.[17]

Collected edition

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Title Material collected Published date ISBN
Superior Carnage Superior Carnage #1–5 and Superior Carnage Annual #1 January 2014 978-1-8465-3567-3

In other media

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Karl Malus appears as Superior Carnage appears as a playable character in the 2014 video game Spider-Man Unlimited.

Karl Malus appears in the second season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Jessica Jones, portrayed by Callum Keith Rennie.[1] This version is one of several doctors who runs IGH, a biotech clinic specializing in state-of-the-art reconstructive surgery. Years prior, when Jessica Jones and her mother Alisa are critically injured in a car accident, Malus arranged for them to be transferred to his clinic so he could save them. Jessica was released after three weeks while Alisa's recovery took several years as she suffered more extensive damage. Over the course of treating her, Malus developed romantic feelings for Alisa, going so far as to cover up her accidentally killing of one of his nurses by framing a janitor for it and eventually marrying her. When Trish Walker begins investigating IGH in the present, Malus allows Alisa to murder the clinic's subjects and associates. Jessica later spots Malus and Alisa at an aquarium, though they escape.[19][20] Malus and Jessica get into an argument, with the former claiming he truly loves Alisa despite her condition before fleeing after the mother and daughter argue and fight.[21] After Jessica turns in Alisa, she tracks down Malus again and manages to convince him to work with her to end his work so Alisa can find peace.[22] However, Trish abducts him in an attempt to force him to give her superpowers similar to Jessica's, but Jessica foils the procedure before it can be finished. Not wanting to kill Malus, Jessica spares him. With nothing left to live for, Malus commits suicide by destroying his lab.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b Thomas, Leah (March 8, 2018). "Dr. Karl Malus Is In Marvel Comics But Jessica Jones Barely Scratches The Surface Of His Evil Deeds". Bustle. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  2. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^ a b Superior Carnage #2 (October 2013)
  4. ^ Superior Carnage #1–5 and Superior Carnage Annual #1 (September 2013–February 2014)
  5. ^ Fielder, Brennan (January 9, 2022). "Spider-Man: Who Was Karl Malus, Marvel's Superior Carnage?". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Spider-Woman #30 (September 1980)
  7. ^ Spider-Woman #31-32 (October - November 1980)
  8. ^ Iron Man Annual #7 (October 1984)
  9. ^ Captain America #308 (August 1985)
  10. ^ Thing #35 (May 1986)
  11. ^ Captain America #363–364 (November-December 1989)
  12. ^ Avengers Spotlight #29 (February 1990)
  13. ^ Captain America #375-378 (August - October 1990)
  14. ^ The Avengers (vol. 3) #32–34 (September - November 2000)
  15. ^ Thunderbolts #42–43 (September - October 2000)
  16. ^ Superior Carnage #5 (January 2014)
  17. ^ a b c Captain America: Sam Wilson #3 (January 2016)
  18. ^ Captain America: Sam Wilson #4 (February 2016)
  19. ^ Shelton, Millicent (director); Jamie King (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA The Octopus". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 5. Netflix.
  20. ^ Wilkinson, Jet (director); Raelle Tucker (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA Facetime". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 6. Netflix.
  21. ^ Fuentes, Zetna (director); Gabe Fonseca (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA Ain't We Got Fun". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 8. Netflix.
  22. ^ Hardiman, Neasa (director); Aïda Mashaka Croal (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA Pork Chop". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 10. Netflix.
  23. ^ Lynch, Jennifer (director); Jack Kenny & Lisa Randolph (writer) (March 8, 2018). "AKA Three Lives and Counting". Marvel's Jessica Jones. Season 2. Episode 11. Netflix.
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