Vibranium (comics)

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caption=Baru as Vibranium.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Vibranium
real_name=Baru
species=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Deathlok" vol. 2 #23 (May 1993)
creators=Pat Graphy, Mike Gustovich and Tom Palmer
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=
aliases=
powers=|

Vibranium (Baru), is a Marvel Comics superhero character. He formerly was known as Baru, the former king of the fictional country of Canaan, Africa until being turning into living Vibranium by Diablo. Baru first appeared in Deathlok II #23 (May, 1993) and was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Walter McDaniel and Brad Vancata. Soon, after the events involving Diablo Baru became living Vibranium and first appeared as Vibranium in Avengers Collector's Edition #1 (1993). Vibranium was created by Pat Graphy, Mike Gustovich and Tom Palmer.

Fictional character biography

After Moses Magnum and his agents took over Canaan, afterwards he sent spies into Wakanda. Soon the Black Panther (T'Challa) came to Canaan to question Baru about a Canaanite spy he had discovered in Wakanda, confronted by this Baru had to admit Magnum now controlled his nation and disposed him as king. Soon Magnum declared war on Wakanda but soon was defeated with the combined efforts of the Black Panther and Deathlok but after Magnum's defeat, the people of Canaan rejected Baru's leadership. No longer king of Canaan he chose to remain in Wakanda, observing a period of mourning. Soon Diablo and his Masters of Alchemy assaulted Wakanda and used hostages to force the Black Panther and the Avengers (Black Knight (Whitman), Captain America, Crystal, Hercules and Vision) to surrender. Diablo plotted to takeover the world and intended to create a new member for his team, made out of Vibranium. In fact, he sought to create a whole army of Vibranium creatures. He planned to transform the Panther's betrothed, Monica Lynne, as the first of the Vibranium warriors but Baru volunteered to sacrifice himself instead to save her. As the process was initiated, the Avengers attacked the Master of Alchemy and Baru emerged as Vibranium but he retained his own will and attacked the last remaining Element, a composite of the other forms. Vibranium absorbed the energies of the composite Element, growing in size and defeating the threat. Then Baru proclaimed himself a totem of his people's wealth and an avenging spirit of the jungle, wandering off into the wild and vowing to use this gift for the good of his people and his country.

Powers and abilities

Becoming living Vibranium gave him the ability to absorb all vibratory energy and apparently many other types of energy as well. When he absorbs large amounts of energy, he can grow in size and strength. Due to him being living Vibranium his body is as impervious as Vibranium making him nearly indestructible. In the comics it was never defined whether his body needed any form of sustenance as he now was living metal, also his normal strength and durability were never clearly defined either.

Publication error

Deathlok vol. 3 #23-25 made it seem clear that the country of Canaan was a separate nation from Wakanda. Where as in Avengers Collector's Edition #1, Baru was one of T'Challa's chieftains and Canaan was apparently a village within Wakanda. Perhaps after Magnum's defeat, Canaan was absorbed into Wakanda or it was a simple error made by the writers of Avengers Collector's Edition #1.

Bibliography

* Deathlok vol. 2 #23-25
* Avengers Collector's Edition #1

External links

* http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/vibraniumbaru.htm