Death-Birth (Earth-691 @ 21st Century, Killraven foes)

DEATH-BIRTH

MEMBERSHIP: Atalon, Crucible Guardians, Death Breeders, Keepers, Sacrificer; inmates/subjects are all known as Adam (male) or Eve (female). Adam and Eve 3,031 were named.

PURPOSE: Farming and preparation of human infants for consumption by the Martian Masters

AFFILIATIONS: Serves the Martian Masters;

Enemies: Killraven and his Freemen, Volcana Ash (former test subject), Mint Julep (former test subject), all Adams and Eves contained in the facility

BASE of OPERATIONS: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth-Killraven @ 2019 AD

APPEARANCES: Amazing Adventures II#27 (November, 1974); (28(fb), 27, 28, 29, 31

HISTORY: Soon after arriving on the planet Earth, the Martian Masters learnedthat they could survive off of human flesh. They particularly enjoyed the taste of human infants, so they arranged to have the Death-Birth facility built. The facility served as a prison for humans captured by their agents. The prisoners were then paired together, one male, with one female, and given new Adam and Eve numbers. The sole purpose of the Adams and Eves were to provide a steady flow of human infants for the Martian Masters. The Adams and Eves were kept in small pens and chained to the walls by their necks. The facility was worked by humans who had agreed to serve the Masters in exchange for being allowed to survive, and live in relative freedom.

In addition to producing infants, certain subjects were chosen for a variety of scientific experiments. Among the survivors of these experiments were Mint Julep and Volcana Ash.

(AmzA#27-31)-Volcana Ash joined with Killraven and his band of Freemen to assault and destroy the facility, setting the inamtes free in the process. A number of former agents for the Death-Birth facility followed them, attempting to gain vengeance. However, they were virtually all killed in the process.

CLARIFICATIONS: Atalon, the Fear Master, has no connection to:

Fearmaster 2099, Darryl King, of Alchemax and the Cyber-Nostra, @ Punisher2099#2.

COMMENTS: Created by Don McGregor and Craig Russell.

Atalon, aka the Fear Master, was one of the Keepers of the Adams and Eves. He was in charge of, among others, Adam and Eve 3, 031. He had an intense dislike for getting dirty, including a fear of even being touched by others. He used his authority to abuse his charges, frequently making them lick his boots in order to clean the mud from them. When Death-Birth was destroyed, Atalon joined the pursuit of the Freemen. In the final battle, Adam 3, 031 threw mud in his face and punched him out, and then Volcana killed him with a firebolt. He used a laser pistol, but I don't think he had any superhuman powers.--AA#27 (28, 29, 31

The Crucible Guardians watched over the Crucible Center, which contained the thermonuclear fusion reactors which powered the facility. They attempted to stop Volcana and Killraven and his band from blowing them up, butwere overpowered. They used bladed weapons, and probably had laser pistols as well.--AA@29

The Death Breeders were the primary workers at the facility. They served whatever function was necessary, usually under the direction of a supervisor, such as Atalon or the Sacrificer. A number of Breeders used sky-sled devices to pursue the Freemen after the destruction of Death-Birth. Those that weren't killed by the Freemen were destroyed by the Devourer, a monster living in the waters of Lake Michigan.--AA#27 (28, 29, 31

The Keepers (not pictured) performed specific types of training or experimentation on the subjects/prisoners.

The Sacrificer (gynecologist Quarters) supervised gestation and delivered the human infants of the Eves. He then prepared the infants in a manner to please the Masters. He took great pleasure in his work, and saw himself as an artist. In the final battle, he was defeated by Killraven, and then crushed under the collapsing arches of a former McDonald's restaurant. His right hand was replaced by a multiple-bladed weapon, although he did not possess significant fighting ability.--AA#28 (29, 31

Adam and Eve 3,031 were a pair of inmates at Death-Birth. They were rescued just before Eve would give birth, saving her infant from becoming a subject of the Sacrificer and a meal of the Martian Masters. They were taken away by the Freemen, and defended by them while Eve underwent labor. Adam finally get his revenge on Atalon during the final battle, and Eve delivered a healthy baby girl. They went off to make their own destiny, joined by Volcana Ash.--AA#27 (28, 29, 31

Last updated: September 6, 2001.