Moses Magnum

Moses Magnum
Moses Magnum in court; art by Stephen Segovia and Marte Garcia
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (Apr 1975)
Created by	Gerry Conway Ross Andru
In-story information
Alter ego	Moses Magnum
Abilities	Releasing seismic energy through his fingertips, using it to create earthquakes, shockwaves or otherwise transport earth matter.

Moses Magnum is a fictional character, an arms dealer, terrorist, and supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.

Publication history

Moses Magnum first appeared in Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (April 1975), and was created by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru.

The character subsequently appears in Power Man Annual #1 (1976), The Uncanny X-Men #118-119 (February–March 1979), Marvel Tales #212-213 (June–July 1988), Classic X-Men #25 (September 1988), Deathlok #11 (May 1992), #22-25 (April–July 1993), The Avengers #8-9 (September–October 1998), and Exiles #26-27 (July 2003).

Moses Magnum received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #6 (2006).

Fictional character biography

Magnum was born in Ethiopia, but sided with Benito Mussolini's occupying army against his own people. Magnum later became a naturalized American citizen.

Moses Magnum battling Daken, Art by Stephen Segovia, Jay Leinstein and Cam Smith

He became president of the Deterrence Research Corporation (or DRC), the world's foremost independent weapons manufacturing firm. As an arms expert, Magnum battled Spider-Man and the Punisher. Magnum surprisingly survived after the Punisher exposed him to chemical weapons.^[1] Then, he seemingly fell to his death after a battle with Luke Cage.^[2] However, Magnum was rescued by Apocalypse and granted superhuman powers which Magnum dubbed his "Magnum Force."^[3] His powers included superhuman strength and geologically-based powers to cause earthquakes and sense disruptions in the Earth.

Tyrannus and his allies, They Who Wield Power, secretly gave Magnum technology which enhanced his superhuman strength and the power to focus vast amounts of energy so as to trigger earthquakes.^[4] Magnum next threatened to create earthquakes to sink Japan unless he was named the nation's ruler. His plan was foiled by an assault by the X-Men and Sunfire on Magnum's Kuril Islands headquarters. Banshee disrupted Magnum's earthquake beam, but suffered a long-term loss of his own sonic powers in the process.^[5]

Magnum later became an adversary of Deathlok and Black Panther.^[6]

Later, Magnum's efforts to regain control of his power and destroy a floating resort using a stolen experimental seismic cannon were foiled by the combined efforts of the Avengers and future Avenger Triathlon. His own powers opened a fissure beneath him, seemingly sending him falling to his doom.^[7]

Magnum somehow survived the fall, though how has not been revealed. At that time. He was present at the Pan-African Congress on the Treatment of Superhumans.^[8]

He appeared next in Amazing Spider-Man #577.^[9]

Moses escaped from prison through a plot to by Norman Osborn to give Daken good publicity and was almost killed by him.^[10]

Magnum next appeared in Iron Man/Thor attempting to sell a special satellite he invented.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Powers and abilities

Moses Magnum’s body generated seismic force which amplified his natural strength, gave him an unknown degree of durability and attuned him to seismic vibrations. Magnum could unleash this energy to cause minor tremors or devastating earthquakes.

Other media

Television

• Moses Magnum appears in the Iron Man: Armored Adventures episode "Panther's Prey." This version is responsible for T'Chaka's death and does not demonstrate any super powers. He manages to steal a piece of Vibranium and plans to give it to A.I.M. for them to make into a harness for their MODOK project. This was thwarted by Black Panther and Iron Man.

References

1. ^ Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (April 1975)
2. ^ Power Man Annual #1 (1976)
3. ^ Classic X-Men #25
4. ^ X-Men #119 (March 1979)
5. ^ X-Men #118-119 (February–March 1979)
6. ^ Deathlok (vol. 2) #22-25 (April–July 1993)
7. ^ Avengers (vol. 3) #8-9 (September–October 1998)
8. ^ Civil War: Battle Damage Report #1
9. ^ "Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #577 | Comic Books | Comics". Marvel.com. http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=10203. Retrieved 2011-01-06. 
10. ^ Dark Wolverine #78-80

External links

• Moses Magnum at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe