Baron Blood (comics)

Baron Blood is the name of several fictional vampiric supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The first Baron Blood, John Falsworth, is a frequent foe of Union Jack. He first appeared in "Invaders" (vol. 1) #7 (1976) and was created by Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins and Vince Colletta.

The second Baron Blood, Victor Strange, is the brother of Doctor Strange. He first appeared in "Doctor Strange" vol. 3 #15 and was created by Dann Thomas, Roy Thomas and Jackson Guice.

The third Baron Blood, Kenneth Crichton, is the grandnephew of the first Baron Blood. He is a foe of the current Union Jack. He first appeared in "Captain America" vol. 1 #253 (January, 1981), and became Baron Blood in "Union Jack" vol. 1 #1. He was created by Roger Stern, John Byrne and Josef Rubinstein.

Baron Blood (John Falsworth)

Superherobox|


caption= Baron Blood 1
comic_color=background:#ff8180
character_name=Baron Blood
real_name=Lord John Falsworth
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Invaders" #7 (July 1976)
creators=Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins and Vince Colletta
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Super-Axis
aliases=John Falsworth, Jr.; Dr. Jacob Cromwell/(Dr. Charles Cromwell)
powers=Superhuman strength
Hypnosis
Animal control
Weather control
Flight|

Fictional character biography

John Falsworth was a British aristocrat, born as the younger brother of James Montgomery Falsworth in the late 19th century. He left England when James inherited their father's estate. John believed the legend of vampires to be real and traveled to Transylvania to seek out Dracula in an attempt to gain power, but instead fell under Dracula's power. Dracula turned John into a vampire, and then commanded John to wreak havoc on England. John sided with Germany during World War I as an assassin (where he gained the code-name "Baron Blood"), and fought his brother (secretly Union Jack) and Freedom's Five.

During World War II, John also sided with Germany and in exchange Nazi scientists found a way to mitigate his susceptibility to sunlight. He fought the Invaders, crippling his brother Union Jack I, and wounding Jacqueline Falsworth. He was killed when he was impaled on silver-veined stalagmite. ["Invaders" #7-9]

He was later resurrected by the forces of Lady Lotus and battled the Invaders alongside the Super-Axis. He was killed again by a wooden stake through the heart and buried in the Tower of London. ["Invaders" #39-41]

Many years later, he was again resurrected, this time by one of Dracula's servants, Dr. Jacob Cromwell. Blood returned home with Cromwell, but turned on them. He killed Cromwell and one of his daughters and turned the other daughter into a vampire, who came to be known as Baroness Blood. Baron Blood assumed Jacob Cromwell's identity. He started killing again and Union Jack suspected that his brother had returned. He asked Captain America to help him investigate the murders. Baron Blood battled Captain America and the third Union Jack. Eventually Blood was decapitated by Captain America using his shield, burned to ashes, and the ashes were scattered. [Captain America #253-254]

Baron Blood was later brought back as part of the second Legion of the Unliving; he battled Captain America and the Wasp but was again destroyed. ["Avengers Annual" #16]

Powers and abilities

The first Baron Blood had all the powers inherent to a vampire, including superhuman strength and durability, the ability instantly hypnotize humans, the ability to command mice, rats, bats, and wolves, and the standard vulnerability to garlic, silver, the presence of religious symbols, beheading, and wooden stakes through the heart.

John was also given special cosmetic treatments which enabled him to withstand sunlight and remain active in daylight. During daylight he would become weaker, but at the night he is at full strength; he once even defeated the entire Invaders at night.

He also had limited physical malleability, limited weather control over small areas, and bat-like hearing.

John also used knock out gas that would leave victims dizzy and unconscious.

Other versions

Marvel Apes

The Baron is revealed to be the person who sired the Invaders as vampires and killed Baron Zemook . He killed Zemook, then ambushed and took the form of Captain America, whom he sent to his demise. He continued to sire Namor, Bucky, Toro and the Red Raven, then they all teamed up to kill the Simian Torch. He currentally leads the Ape-vengers and is planning to enter and decimate the home universe of Marty "The Gibbon" Blank, who he is also on a man hunt for. ["Marvel Apes" #3]

Baron Blood (Victor Strange)

Fictional character biography

The sorcerer Doctor Strange once tried to resurrect his dead brother, Victor, with a spell from the Book of the Vishanti. Still inexperienced, Strange did not realize that this spell would later resurrect his brother as a vampire. For unknown reasons, Victor Strange dressed the same as Baron Blood and called himself Baron Blood as well. Unlike most vampires in the Marvel Universe, Victor was able to control his bloodlust and retained most of his personality. He tried to become a hero by only attacking and drinking the blood of criminals, but his brother was forced to slay his victims who had come back to live as vampires. Victor continued his career as the costumed vigilante Khiron, but eventually realized how violent and bloodthirsty he had become and killed himself.

Baron Blood (Kenneth Crichton)

Fictional character biography

Kenneth Crichton was next in line to take on the identity of Union Jack, but refused, stating that his friend Joey Chapman was better suited to be the new Union Jack. Joey agreed and became Union Jack III. Suffering from anemia and feeling estranged from Joey as Union Jack and his recently rejuvenated mother, Lady Crichton, Kenneth became an easy target for Baroness Blood, who turned him into the new Baron Blood as a "cure" for his anemia. The Baroness used Kenneth and several other vampires to obtain the Holy Grail, which gave her immunity to sunlight and the other traditional weaknesses vampires had, but she didn't want to share this power with other vampires and destroyed the Grail. The sun rose and Kenneth and the other vampires all died, despite Union Jack's efforts to save Kenneth.

Kenneth was one of the many vampires that returned after Blade had fulfilled an old prophecy. ["Blade" (vol. 3) #12]

Baron Blood (John Falsworth) Bibliography

* "Alias #26
* "Amazing Fantasy vol.2 #17
* "Avengers Annual" #16
* "Captain America vol.1" #253-254
* "Captain America vol.3" #20-21
* "Captain America vol.4" #31
* "Invaders" #7-9, 39-41
* "Knights of Pendragon vol.2" #10-11
* "Marvel Comics Presents" #42
* "" #2
* "Namor Annual" #2
* "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition" #16
* "Union Jack" #2

References

External links

* [http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/b/baronblood.htm Baron Blood at MarvelDirectory.com]
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/baronbloodinv.htm Baron Blood I at Marvel Universe Appendix]
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/baronblooduj.htm Baron Blood III at Marvel Universe Appendix]
* http://marvel.com/universe/Baron_Blood_%28Falsworth%29