Real Name: Nathaniel Omen
Identity/Class: Human technology user; possible human mutate or mutant (See Comments)
Occupation: Captain/ruler of the Infra-World
Group Membership: Infra-Worlders
Affiliations: Aquon
Enemies: Hulk (Robert Bruce Banner), crew of the Trident
Known Relatives: Filius (son, deceased)
Aliases: Pater (Latin for "father") (as called by Filius); "little man" (as called by Hulk)
Base of Operations: Mobile in the Infra-World, at the bottom of the ocean
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II#164 (June 1973)
Powers/Abilities: Captain Omen commanded the gargantuan submarine Infra-World, but he himself had no physical powers (...in fact, he was a withered, hunched old man).
However, he had access to a wealth of advanced technology, and an army of superhuman warriors and creatures (e.g. the Infra-Worlders and Aquon), all of whom he apparently genetically-engineered.
Captain Omen also designed transparent helmets with lengthy oxygen supplies, so that the Infra-Worlders could spend extended periods of time wandering the ocean floor to claim territory for him--allegedly, he could pipe in poison gas to them at any point if they turned against him (at least that's what he told the Hulk).
Omen wielded a disciplinary lash, and he demanded total obedience from his crew, or else they would face fifty lashes--he was also quite short-tempered.
Unlike his crew, Omen could survive both in surface conditions and the pressure of the ocean's depths--it was unclear if this was due to a physical ability, or a technology-based attribute of his attire. Given the size of his cranium and his creative and inventive intelligence level, Omen may have been a mutate or mutant (See Comments).
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 109 lbs.
Eyes: Black
Hair: Bald
History:
(Incredible Hulk II#164 (fb) - BTS) -
Over a half-century ago, Nathaniel Omen realized he couldn't rule the
world...but what was to stop him from ruling 3/4 of it? The
megalomaniacal genius resolved to survey and mark the whole ocean floor,
imagining that this would establish his claim to it as his private
territory; to accomplish this task, he built the gargantuan submarine
Infra-World, and outfitted it with a crew of like-minded sailors and
their wives. At a depth of 6 miles below the surface, Captain Omen's men
began to survey and mark the ocean floor, stopping only as they
approached the borders of other nations.
Over the years, the Infra-World's population gradually increased as the crew-members had children--Omen himself fathered a son, whom he named Filius, with an unidentified woman; but realizing that his project would take decades to complete, Omen mutated the crew's children--and even his own son--into massive, stocky forms that would be able to withstand the crushing pressure of the ocean's depths. As Omen's original sailors aged and retired from duty, their mutated children took their place when they reached adulthood. The Infra-Worlders captured and trained some of the dreaded Toad-Whales, which they used for transportation outside the Infra-World. At some point, Captain Omen created Aquon to be his secret weapon and enforcer, in case of attack, mutiny, or what-not.
(Incredible Hulk II#164) - Captain Omen and the Infra-Worlders observed the cruising U.S. submarine Trident on the losing side of a battle with the Hulk, so Omen ordered for the Hulk and the sub to be brought aboard the Infra-World. While the crew of the Trident was escorted to a detention area, Omen took notice of the Hulk's superhuman physique and tried to recruit him to his service. Already annoyed about being brought aboard, the Hulk was greatly angered when he learned that Captain Omen wanted him to do his work, so he smashed his way out of the Infra-World; but the Hulk got a bad case of the bends while trying to swim up to the surface, and he passed out from the pain--he had to be rescued by some of the Infra-Worlders, who rode upon the dreaded Toad-Whales to retrieve him.
In the process of being treated in a decompression
chamber, the unconscious Hulk turned back to Banner, and everything was
fine for awhile--Omen was pleased to have an intelligent
conversationalist aboard, and he even gave Banner a guided tour of his
ship. But later, during a stressful moment, Banner transformed back into
the enraged Hulk. Omen summoned some of his workers (who
were wearing oxygen helmets), and they engaged in a brief
struggle with the Hulk, until Captain Omen ejected his men and the Hulk
outside. As he stood on the ocean floor, the Hulk realized that he
couldn't just swim back to the surface, and there was no air for him to
breathe - the Hulk thought that he had just made a big mistake. Then
Captain Omen was "nice" enough to send out an oxygen helmet for the
Hulk, but he told him that he would have to wander the ocean floor,
follow the Infra-World, and obey his orders, or else Omen would pump his
helmet full of poison gas.
(Incredible Hulk II#165) - Fortunately for the Hulk, many of the younger
Infra-Worlders (including Omen's son, Filius) were planning to rebel
against Captain Omen, so they helped him back into the ship. Captain
Omen was furious when he learned of the planned mutiny, so he released
Aquon, his secret weapon, to rout his opposition. The Hulk fought Aquon,
but the hull of the Infra-World was breached during their battle, which
caused a massive cascade of seawater to flood the giant vessel. After
sealing the section where the two behemoths clashed, Captain Omen
activated the Infra-World's repair system to seal the breach; but as the
flooding water was being pumped out, Aquon got pulled into one of the
suction vents, while the Hulk had
the strength to resist the pull. With Aquon vanquished, Captain
Omen was forced to concede defeat to the rebellious Infra-Worlders, and
so--for the first time in nearly five decades--the Infra-World headed
toward the surface-world again.
The Infra-World surfaced near a small tropical island, where the joyous Infra-Worlders used smaller scout-subs to transport themselves ashore; but their joy was short-lived, for their bodies--evolved to withstand the crushing pressure of 5,000 fathoms--could not survive on the surface of the world, and they began to explode, bursting into bloody pulps because of the change in the pressure-level. Omen quickly re-pressurized the ship and saved his remaining crew still on board, but he left everyone else--including his son, Filius--outside to perish. Captain Omen then returned the Infra-World back to the ocean floor, to resume his seemingly endless mission.
(Incredible Hulk II#220 - BTS) - Captain Barracuda was shown occupying a base that Omen had once used and abandoned--no further explanation was given.
Comments: Created/adapted by Steve Engelhart and Herb Trimpe.
Omen is an anagram of Nemo, to whom I'd have to ASSume he's an homage. (I always hate putting an "an" in front of words starting with an "H." Since when is "H" a vowel, anyway? What's this world coming to? ) Captain Nemo was obviously the crazy submarine guy from Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, which was adapted in Marvel Comics Classics#4 (1976).
--all that pressure must have gone to his head! Ha, Ha, Ha,...ah...sorry.
As far as everything else...I guess it all just has to fit
DEEPLY under the category of suspension of disbelief. I'm thinking
there had to be some radioactive kelp or something that
"evolved" the Infra-Worlders to their pressure-adapted forms in the
space of a single generation. Those guys had some high blood
pressure to actually make their entire bodies pop! They must not
have done a very good job of getting the salt off of all of those fish
they ate.
New information
has been revealed in the years since this profile was originally
written: The profile for Captain Omen in World
War Hulk: Gamma Files specifically mentioned that it was Omen
who mutated the original crew's children. My guess is that Captain
Omen (like Dr.
Hydro) probably had some past association with Maelstrom,
which would explain his advanced technology and knowledge of
genetic-engineering.--Ron Fredricks
You think there'd have been some mention of contact with the Atlanteans, who might have had issues with Omen's claim to the entire ocean floor.
So, Captain Omen's still hanging around down there, along with the Infra-Worlders who apparently learned their lesson. Not that any of them are that spectacular, but I'd still like to know what they're up to these days. And I can't think of any reason why Aquon, who's half-fish and tough enough to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk, would have been killed by being sucked out a drain into the ocean. I'd love to see these guys make an assault on Atlantis. How could they lose? They've got the dreaded Toad-Whales, after all.
Given the size of his head compared to his body coupled with his scientific advancements, Captain Omen may have been a mutant (born with these attributes) or a mutate (acquiring these attributes later in life due to some type of catalyst). This would make him a member of the Appendix's M.M.M.S.
Captain Omen has a profile in World War Hulk: Gamma Files.
Profile by Snood. Expansion by Ron Fredricks (most sub-profiles, more images).
Profile edited/updated by Kyle Sims
CLARIFICATIONS:
Captain Nathaniel Omen has no known connections to:
The Toad-Whales have no known connections to:
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Over a half-century ago, in an effort to lay claim to the ocean floor, Captain Omen constructed his gargantuan submarine, the Infra-World. It had over a dozen decks, and it was thousands of feet long. It spent all of its time at a depth of 5,000 fathoms (That's six miles to you and me, kids!), and it was built to endure decades beneath the ocean without having to return to the surface--apparently, it had some means of producing oxygen and generating power. The Infra-World was equipped with tractor beams, enormous mechanical tentacles that could ensnare other normal-sized submarines (as well as Hulk-sized people), and it probably had other weaponry. It also had an automatic repair system, which sealed any breach in its hull with quick-hardening waterproof foam. The Infra World housed a crew of apparently hundreds of people (I'm also thinking they ate a lotta fish); the two generations inhabited different decks suited for their physiologies--the retired original crew lived on G Deck, while their children, the stocky mutated Infra-Worlders, inhabited B Deck. For transportation outside the vessel, the Infra-World had an unspecified number of smaller scout-subs; it also housed an unspecified number of Toad-Whales, which the Infra-Worlders had domesticated and rode upon. Captain Omen equipped the Infra-World with Vista Rooms, which projected holograms of the surface-world, and metal gardens with mechanical birds--this was all done for the benefit of the mutated stocky Infra-Worlders, who had been aboard since birth, and thus had never seen the surface-world. --Incredible Hulk II#164 (Incredible Hulk II#164-165 |
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They were the inhabitants of
Captain Omen's gargantuan submarine, the Infra-World. Although the
original crew of sailors and their wives had been normal humans,
Captain Omen mutated the original crew's children (along
with his own son, Filius; see left) into large, stocky forms, so that
they would be able to endure the weight of tons of pressure while
working on the ocean floor.
The first generation of
Infra-Worlders served Captain Omen loyally, surveying and marking the
territory that they claimed across the ocean floor, in preparation for
Omen's announcing his legal claim to 3/4 of the world.
However, the second generation (we'll call them the Thick People)
had never seen the surface-world, nor even sunlight--they could only
dream of what it was like from the metal gardens that Omen had built
and the holograms that he showed them. They regarded anyone or
anything from the surface as sacred--as their most prized possessions,
the younger Infra-Worlders kept a preserved leaf (which
one of the original crew-members accidentally carried aboard in his
trouser cuff), an old newspaper (which
Omen himself bought on the day he sailed), and an empty wine
bottle (which their cook--a
drinker--had smuggled aboard before he died).
Many of the younger
Infra-Worlders--including Omen's son Filius--grew
disenchanted with Omen's plans, and they desired to abandon their
mission and go to live on the surface-world. But Omen ruled with a
stern hand, and commanded the obedience of the Infra-Worlders,
such that they were afraid to confront him with their wishes.
However, after meeting the Hulk, they saw him as their savior.
They rescued the Hulk when Captain Omen condemned him to stay on
the ocean floor--a green-shirted Thick Person impersonated the
Hulk when they brought him back aboard the Infra-World.
Filius became the leader of the rebellion (which
he called "The Children of the New Order") against his
father, and he promised the Hulk that if he joined them against
their oppressor, they would return him to the surface-world;
desiring to get back to land, the Hulk agreed to help them.
However, Connally (another Thick
Guy; see right), found himself on the horns of a dilemma--although
curious about the surface-world, he was fearful because Captain Omen
had told them they shouldn't go up just yet; but he also feared Omen's
punishment if their revolt failed. After reaching a decision, Connally
informed Omen of the planned rebellion, allowing Omen time to prepare
to confront the mutineers with his secret weapon--Aquon..
Aquon battled with the Hulk; however, when Aquon was eventually pulled
into a suction vent, Omen was forced to concede defeat.
The Infra-World went to the surface, and smaller scout-subs took the
rebellious Infra-Worlders to the shore of an island, where they
joyfully ran around like children, loving the sunlight, and the air,
and the birds...but minutes later, the Thick People started to
pop! Apparently their adaptations had given them such high blood
pressure that without the high ocean pressures of 5,000 fathoms to
counteract it, their bodies burst into bloody pulps.
The remaining people on the Infra-World learned of their potential
fate, so they agreed to abandon their dreams, and decided to stay as
Captain Omen's crew. After pressurizing his vessel, Omen left the
others on the shore to die--even his son Filius--and returned to the
ocean floor.
(The Hulk didn't like
that, but, rather than try to do anything about it, he just yelled
"Why?" really loud.)
Named members: Filius (deceased), Mr. Bennington, Mr. Connally, Ronny (deceased--that's him popping!), Samuel
(Comment: Although the normal parents of the "Thick People" were mentioned in the story, they were not otherwise depicted.)
--Incredible Hulk II#164 (Incredible Hulk II#164-165
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Contained within the gargantuan Infra-World
submarine were at least eight of "the dreaded Toad-Whales, those awesome, half-mythological
creatures, sometimes glimpsed by foolhardy undersea
explorers...the one's who are pulled from the sea's embrace with
their minds permanently shattered."--???
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|
An American submarine with a crew of at least
24 (none identified), it was cruising near the Arctic when it
encountered the swimming Hulk. Thinking that the vessel was a giant fish
attacking him, the simple-minded Hulk punched the submarine and severely
damaged it. |
 
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images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#164, p4, pan5 (Main Image - Captain Omen)
Incredible Hulk II#164, p8, pan3 (Headshot - Captain Omen)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p10, pan1 (Captain Omen introduces Aquon to rebellious Infra-Worlders and Hulk)
Incredible Hulk II#164, p12, pan5 (Captain Omen (swelled head))
Incredible Hulk II#164, p5, pan1 (Infra-World (front view) using tentacles to ensnare Trident submarine and Hulk)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p17, pan2 (Infra-World (rear view) heading to surface)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p5, pan1 (various Infra-Worlders, kneeling before Hulk)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p17, pan1 (Filius)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p8, pan2 (Mr. Connally)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p18, pan1-2 (Ronny)
Incredible Hulk II#165, p18, pan4 (other Infra-Worlders exploding; scout-subs (background); Hulk (right))
Incredible Hulk II#164, p11, pan1 (Infra-Worlders riding Toad-Whales; Infra-World (background))
Incredible Hulk II#164, p3, pan2 (skipper and crew of Trident)
Incredible Hulk II#164, p3, pan3 (Trident encounters swimming Hulk)
Incredible Hulk II#164, p7, pan1 (Hulk-damaged Trident inside Infra-World; sailors marched to detention area by Infra-Worlders; Captain Omen and Filius (right))
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#164-165 (June-July, 1973) - Steve Englehart (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Sal Trapani (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
First Posted: 01/29/2002
Last updated: 05/16/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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