Morbius the Living Vampire (Michael Morbius) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, intended as a tragic anti-hero with vampire-like powers that actually had a biochemical origin. Self-tormented over his nature but wanting to live, he has appeared as both a villain and an ally in various Spider-Man titles, in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and in his own self-titled comic book.
Morbius was created in large part because Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee wanted to launch an indirect challenge on the ban by the Comics Code Authority on vampires. Working with writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane, they created Morbius, a living man who is given vampiric abilities via scientific means, and not the supernatural ones prohibited by the Code. Kane was instructed to specifically avoid Gothic fashion elements and design a costume for Morbius that was akin to what any other Marvel supervillain would wear, and he specifically chose the red and blue primary colors which were the staple of characters from Spider-Man to Superman.
In part because of the success of Morbius, the Comic Code was liberalized on the subject of vampires and other horror characters several months later, allowing Marvel and other publishers to use actual vampires such as Dracula.
Morbius first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #101 (Oct, 1971), in which he is attacked by the Lizard and defeated when Spider-Man and the Lizard join forces. A flashback in Amazing Spider-Man #102 reveals that Morbius was actually a Nobel prize-winning biochemist, who had attempted to cure himself of a rare blood disease with an experimental treatment involving vampire bats and electroshock therapy. However, he instead became afflicted with a far worse condition that mimicked the powers and bloodthirst of legendary vampirism. Morbius now had to digest blood in order to survive and had a strong aversion to light. He gained the ability to fly, as well as superhuman strength and healing abilities. His appearance became hideous—his canine teeth extended into fangs, his nose flattened to appear more like a bat's, and his skin became chalk-white. He also gained the ability to turn others into similar "living vampires" by biting them. Though he managed at one point to cure himself of his pseudo-vampirism, he eventually reverted back to his altered form.
He gained his own series with Adventure into Fear #20 in 1975, and was the lead feature of that title for the rest of its thirty-one issue run.
He later received his own self-titled comic book series (as well as somewhat of a costume update) in 1992 as part of the "Rise of the Midnight Sons" crossover event between Marvel's supernatural/horror themed comics. These later stories add to his repertoire of powers the ability to hypnotize others and describe his ability to fly as also psionic in nature.
In the first issue, Ghost Rider and John Blaze search for Morbius to form The Nine and stop Lilith and the Lilin from taking over the world. When they found Morbius, the vampire believed they would kill him but Ghost Rider and John Blaze successfully captured him. Dr. Langford, who tried to help Morbius's wounds, was actually trying to kill him and was working for Dr. Paine. He made a serum that would prove fatal to Morbius, but unknown to Dr. Langford, Fang, one of Lilith's children was also trying to kill Morbius by adding his own demonic blood to the serum, which would also be fatal to Morbius. When Dr. Langford injected the serum to Morbius, it did not kill him, but instead mutated him. Morbius's friend, Jacob was trying to look inside of him and see what he could do about Morbius's condition. After Martine, Morbius's wife, found out Langford was trying to kill him, Langford shot her and she bled to death. Morbius found this out and was enraged to find his wife dead. He later killed Langford and took the beaker which contained the serum. Ghost Rider and John Blaze later found out Morbius's destruction. Ghost Rider confronted him and would not tolerate Morbius drinking anymore innocent blood. Morbius then vowed he would only drink the blood of the guilty. Ghost Rider accepted the vow, but warned him not to stray from it. Morbius soon became part of The Midnight Sons.
Later, a new faction of Vampires led by Hunger, the next evolution of the supervillain Crown, tried to destroy Morbius because he had been genetically manipulated to be the perfect weapon. The chest he was to be delivered in was intercepted by the Kingpin, Blade, and Spider-Man, and he attacked all three. Unfortunately, whatever unknown party manipulated him failed; he collapsed after one battle, possibly dying. With his last breath he warned Spider-Man to beware of his employer, Stuart Ward.
Most recently Morbius appeared in issue #5 of the newest Blade series; there it was revealed that Morbius had signed the Superhuman Registration Act and was cooperating with S.H.I.E.L.D. forces in an effort to capture Blade. He had also presumably survived his Genetic Manipulation, as Blade was able distinguish him as the same Morbius who 'Took a Bite out of [him]' in their previous encounter.
Morbius was first introduced as a villain in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. He would return to battle Spider-Man over the years in the pages of Marvel Team-Up Vol.1 #3-4, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #6-8 and #38, Morbius the Living Vampire #3-4 and #21-23, and later in Peter Parker, Spider-Man Vol.1 #77-80 and Vol.2 #8.
Spider-Man and Morbius formed an uneasy alliance during the Maximum Carnage crossover series.
Blade (comics) the Vampire Hunter and Morbius have had an on-going feud which began in Adventure into Fear #24. The two also clashed in Marvel Preview #8, Blade the Vampire Hunter #8, Blade Vol.1 #2-3, and Blade Vol.4 #5. Blade, while possessed by a demonic presence, killed Morbius in Morbius the Living Vampire #12, but Morbius was resurrected in Spirits of Vengeance #13.
Simon Stroud, a rogue CIA agent first introduced in the pages of Creatures on the Loose, has been hunting Morbius since Adventure into Fear #27. Stroud and Morbius last clashed in Morbius the Living Vampire #23.
During the run of Morbius the Living Vampire, Morbius crossed paths with a handful of brand new foes. They included: Vic Slaughter (introduced in issue #7), the Basilisk (introduced in issue #5), Dr. Paine (introduced in issue #4), and Bloodthirst (first seen in issue #20). During this same period, Morbius also battled a new villain called Bloodbath in Midnight Sons Unlimited #2.
Morbius has had a friendship with Jack Russell (Werewolf by Night) since West Coast Avengers #5, where Morbius helped Russell deal with his werewolf curse. Werewolf by Night was a frequent guest-star in the pages of Morbius the Living Vampire. Together with Man-Thing and Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) they formed the Legion of Monsters.
Morbius and Doctor Strange have teamed-up on several occasions. Morbius appeared sporadically throughout the run of Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, beginning with issue #10.
Michael Morbius possesses a variety of superhuman powers, some of which are similar to supernatural vampires within the Marvel Universe.
Morbius possesses an accelerated healing factor and can recover from mild to moderate injuries at a rate beyond that of ordinary humans. While not nearly as efficient as the healing powers possessed by the X-Man Wolverine, Morbius has proven able to heal from multiple gunshot wounds in less than an hour. More severe injuries, such as broken bones or severe burns, might take several days to heal, but once was shown to take minutes even though it left him as a near-mindless creature who must feed to replenish the energy that was used to do so. He is unable to regenerate missing limbs or organs, but Slaughter, another living vampire, has shown that a living vampire can reattach cut off parts of their body and survive a beheading if they have gained enough vitality from blood consumption.
Due to his vampire-like condition, Morbius is forced to ingest fresh blood on a regular basis to maintain his life and vitality. How much blood he requires and how often he must feed has not been specified in the comics.
Most of Morbius's victims die or are severely injured by his bite. Unlike supernatural vampires, Morbius's victims do not necessarily become vampires themselves. There have only been two instances where Morbius's bite has turned other individuals into vampires: Emilio (a young man first shown in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7), and Vic Slaughter (a bounty hunter who first appeared in Morbius the Living Vampire #7). The causes behind these transformations have never been clearly explained.
One interesting fact concerns the blood of Spider-Man. Apparently, the irradiated blood of the wall-crawler has a kind of reverse-effect on Morbius, causing his vampirism to go into remission. As a result, after drinking Spider-Man's blood, Morbius does not need to feed again for some time. Morbius once developed a serum based on Spider-Man's blood (in Morbius the Living Vampire #5) which would stave off his vampirism for short periods of time.
Morbius possesses the ability of flight or levitation, navigating wind currents and gliding for various distances. In Morbius the Living Vampire #2, it was alluded to that this ability may be related to hyper-evolved portions of his brain caused by a combination of his blood disease and vampiric condition.
Morbius does not possess any of the mystical vulnerabilities that supernatural vampires are subject to, such as to garlic, holy water or silver. He is sensitive to sunlight, thanks to his photo-sensitive skin which prevents any protection from major sun burn, in contrast to "true" vampires that are incinerated by it. Morbius also lacks the shapeshifting and weather control powers of vampires, and the ability to control animals.
While briefly infected by the demon Bloodthirst, Morbius gained the ability to liquidize his body, moving through small spaces and stretching his limbs as needed. He lost these abilities when he and Bloodthirst split (Morbius the Living Vampire #20).
Like "true" vampires, Morbius does possess the ability to hypnotize others and bring them under his control, which can only be resisted by those possessing an extremely strong will.
See also Ultimate Morbius.
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