Black Bolt
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Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe and king of the offshoot of humanity known as the Inhumans. Black Bolt was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first makes a cameo appearance in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #45.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Black Bolt is the son of two formerly pre-eminent Inhumans - Agon, head of the ruling Council of Genetics, and Rynda, director of the Prenatal Care Center. In accordance with Inhuman standard practice, Black Bolt is subjected to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo. As an infant, he demonstrates the ability to manipulate energy, particularly the ability to generate quasi-sonic energy through his voice. To protect the community, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proofed chamber and given an energy-harnessing suit. Agon then tutors his son in how to control his powers, until permitted to re-enter society as a young man - having vowed never to speak.[1]
Only a month after being awarded his freedom, Black Bolt discovers his younger brother Maximus in the process of making a pact with emissaries of the alien Kree, the race whose genetic experiments first created the Inhumans. Black Bolt uses his powers to stop an escaping Kree vessel, but due to his inexperience miscalculates, causing it to crash and accidentally kill several members of the Council of Genetics - including his parents.[2] Despite his guilt, Black Bolt reluctantly accepts rulership of the Inhumans, and together with his cousins Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton and Crystal, they form the Royal Family, with giant pet bulldog Lockjaw completing their entourage. Black Bolt eventually marries his cousin Medusa[3] and they have a son called Ahura.[4]
Black Bolt has made several significant decisions in his time as ruler, including relocating the Inhuman city of Attilan several times (from an island in the Atlantic to the Himalayas,[5] to the Blue Area of the Moon,[6] onto the raised Atlantis,[7] back to the Himalayas,[8] and even into outer space,[9] before returning to the moon[10]), dismantling the Genetic Council's power[11] and freeing the Alpha Primitives, the slave caste of Attilan.[12] While Black Bolt has also successfully fended off several attempts by both Maximus[13] and the Kree[14] to seize power and destroy the Royal Family, his reign has also been marked by a period of exile,[15] voluntary abdication,[16] and rejection by his subjects.[17]
While the Inhumans choose to live in segregation, Black Bolt and the other members of the Royal Family have come into contact with modern age superheroes time and again. Some of Black Bolt's feats include smashing a machine devised by the time-travelling Kang the Conquerer to imprison the Avengers;[18] defeating the Sphinx;[19] aiding Fantastic Four member the Thing against mutated villain Graviton;[20] defusing a missile launched at Attilan by the villain Maelstrom[21] and empowering heroine Dazzler so that she could defeat the Absorbing Man.[22]
On several occasions Black Bolt has also required the aid of the heroes - to assist with the defeat of robotic villain Ultron;[23] an escape for the Inhumans from Earth's harmful pollutants[24] and from captivity by Maximus.[25]
When the mutant Quicksilver steals a canister of Terrigen crystals from Attilan, Black Bolt and the rest of the Royal Family attempt to retrieve them. The US military, however, want the crystals and attack the Inhumans. Believing the stolen crystals should be returned to Attilan, Black Bolt issues a warning to the United States concerning further acts of aggression, thereby alienating the Inhumans further.[26]
Black Bolt has also chosen to remain neutral in the current Civil War. Although a one-time member of the superhero council the Illuminati (and current possessor of the Space Infinity Gem), Black Bolt rejects the Superhuman Registration Act and refuses to become involved. Courtesy of ally Sentry, Black Bolt is still monitoring the situation.[27]
Bolt will fight against The Hulk in the upcoming storyline, World War Hulk. Although not is much known about the fight, on ign.com, it shows an X crossed with Bolt's name on it. Seemingly he will lose the fight against Hulk.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Black Bolt's powers are the result of electron manipulation. The speech center of Black Bolt's brain contains an organic mechanism able to generate an as yet unknown type of particle which interacts with ambient electrons to create certain phenomena determined by mental control. Through electron gathering and manipulation, Black Bolt can increase any aspect of his physical nature, including his strength, speed, stamina and resistance. He can channel his power into single devastating punch called "The Master Blow", which is strong enough to momentarily drive back even a being with the Thing's level of strength.[28] This act, however, leaves Black Bolt exhausted and he must recover afterwards. Black Bolt can also harness the electrons for matter transformation, the controlled projection of energy and flight.
Black Bolt's most prominent offensive weapon is his voice, as a hypersonic shout can level a planet.[29] It once took Black Bolt's whisper to stop an enraged Hulk after he had defeated the entire Inhuman Royal Family.[30] Due to the extreme danger posed by his voice, Black Bolt has undergone rigorous mental training to prevent himself from uttering a sound, even in his sleep.
[edit] Alternate versions
[edit] Ultimate Black Bolt
- Main article: Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate Black Bolt has the same abilities and limitations as his mainstream counterpart, and uses his abilities to decimate Attilan after it is infiltrated by the Fantastic Four.[31]
[edit] Earth X
- Main article: Earth X
Set on Earth-9997, Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mist into Earth's atmosphere, granting powers to all humanity.[32]
[edit] Other appearances
- Black Bolt appeared in the 1994 Fantastic Four during the "Inhumans Saga."
- Black Bolt appears as a non-player character in the console game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance where he does not speak at all.
[edit] References
- ^ Thor vol. 1, #148 - 149
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, #95 (flashback)
- ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #18
- ^ The Inhumans Graphic Novel (1988)
- ^ What If vol. 1, #30, second story
- ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
- ^ Atlantis Rising #2
- ^ The Inhumans vol. 2, #12
- ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1
- ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 3, #54
- ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited #2 (1993)
- ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #132
- ^ Inhumans vol. 1, #5 - 6 + The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240 + Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
- ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1 - 4
- ^ The Inhumans: Untold Story (1990)
- ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited vol. 1, #2
- ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #4
- ^ Marvel Team-Up vol. 1, #11
- ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #12
- ^ Marvel Two-In-One Annual #4
- ^ Marvel Two-In-One vol. 1, #72
- ^ Dazzler vol. 1, #19
- ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #150
- ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
- ^ Son of M # 1 - 6
- ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007) Note this series has yet to finish.
- ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #46
- ^ Thor vol. 1, #148
- ^ Hulk vol. 1, Annual #1
- ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #1
- ^ Earth X #0 - 12 (1999 - 2000)
[edit] Trivia
Gene Simmons of the band Kiss stated in an interview with A & E Biography that the wings on his costume were inspired by Black Bolt.
