Real Name: Dromedan

Identity/Class: Deviant Mutate, considered highly dangerous

Occupation: Would-be conqueror of humanity

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Thunder, World-Devouring Worm, Tutinax

Enemies: Ajak, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Black Panther (T'Challa), Druig, Ikaris, Jubilee (Jubilation Lee), Makkari, ProfessorX (Charles Xavier), Sersi, Thing (Ben Grimm), Thor (Thor Odinson), Valkin, Virako, Zuras

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: The Brain-Snatcher

Base of Operations: His crypt, beneath New York City, USA;
   previously, a crypt in Peru, and a temple in Peru

First Appearance: Eternals I#16 (October, 1977)

 

Powers/Abilities: Dromedan possesses massive psychic powers, which allowed him to control the sensations of others and place them under his direct mental control, or deceive them with illusions. He also apparently possessed telekinesis, which is presumably how he was able to create tidal waves.

Height: 12'
Weight: 420 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Bald

History:
(Thor Annual I#7 (fb) - BTS) - At some time in the past, likely before the Great Cataclysm, Dromedan, a powerful Deviant Mutate, was defeated by his own people, and had the Neutralizer Helmet placed upon him, then was sealed up inside of a mountain in Peru.

(Thor Annual I#7 (fb)) - One-thousand years ago, Thor had come to Earth, hoping to find new followers for his people, when he heard Dromedan's telepathic cry for help. After opening Dromedan's crypt, Thor realized he was evil, and sealed him back inside.

   However, Druig, son of Valkin, came to believe that he could control Dromedan, and built a device (also called a Neutralizer Helmet), to set him free. However, Dromedan was much more powerful than he was, and took over his mind. Dromedan then set about finding agents to defend himself against his enemies, and Incas to serve as slaves and build temples for him.

   The Eternals Virako, Valkin and Ajak came upon this scene with Thor, and Dromedan unleashed his first two agents, Thunder and Tutinax. When Thor defeated Thunder, Dromedan caused the sky to grow dark to aid Tutinax, but was surprised when Tutinax vanished from sight, having been pulled into the future by Zakka.

   Now alone, Dromedan unleashed a tidal wave against his foes, but Thor drained it into a crevice created by his hammer. Down to his last resources, Dromedan opened a Deviant Coagulation Chamber, releasing the World-Devouring Worm, a massive earthworm which continued to grow with each second. Virako managed to destroy the worm, sacrificing his own life in the process.

   Finally, Dromedan waded into battle against his foes directly, but Ajak dropped the Neutralizer Helmet upon his head, which Thor sealed with his hammer.

(Eternals I#16 (fb) - BTS) - At some point in the following centuries, Dromedan apparently escaped again, and was re-captured by Zuras, who sealed him in a new tomb, below New York City.

(Eternals I#16)- In modern times, a robot of the Hulk had gained cosmic powers due to exposure to the Uni-Mind's energies, and its energy spilled out of it and tunneled beneath the surface, unsealing Dromedan's crypt. When the Eternals Makkari and Ikaris investigated, Dromedan captured them and placed them under his control. Up above, Zuras realized what had happened, and journeyed below to the crypt, recovering Dromedan's Neutralizer Helmet. His arrival managed to briefly free Makkari and Ikaris from Dromedan's enthrallment, as they prepared to face Dromedan.

(Eternals I#17) - The three Eternals attempted to join forces against Dromedan, but his powers were so vast that it was impossible to get near enough to clamp the helmet onto his head. Finally, they were joined by Sersi, who conceived of a means to defeat him. She created multiple illusions of Ikaris and sent them against Dromedan. Dromedan falsely believed one of them was the true Ikaris, and after destroying them all, was surprised when the real Ikaris appeared from behind a rock, and fired his eye-beams at Dromedan! Dromedan disintegrated, and his crypt collapsed.




(Real Heroes#1) - Years later, the super-heroes Ant-Man and the Black Panther, with the Thing's assistance, were conducting experiments on a new Wakandan Vibranium alloy. The containment field failed, and the alloy discharged amplified energy in the form of "tendrils of pure power," which extended for miles from Four Freedoms Plaza. The discharge awakened Dromedan from his "comatose healing trance," and he used his mental powers to drive a crowd of bystanders temporarily insane.

   When the Black Panther and the Thing came upon him, Dromedan dominated their wills, and forced them to fight. At the X-Mansion, Professor X detected the goings-on, and he and Jubilee (the only X-Man not currently on a mission) arrived on the scene. The Professor broke Dromedan's control over the heroes, and read his mind to learn his history. While Jubilee held back the maddened crowd, Professor X continued to shield the four heroes from Dromedan's influence, and telepathically guided the Black Panther to find Dromedan's underground tomb, while the Thing battled Dromedan hand-to-hand. The Panther located the Neutralizer Helmet, and the other three kept Dromedan occupied until the Panther slammed the helmet back into place, freeing the bystanders from Dromedan's influence. The comatose Dromedan was thrown back underground.

Comments: Created by Jack "King" Kirby.

Big whopping thanks to Ronald Byrd for summarizing Real Heroes#1 for me! You the man!

Although Professor X assumed that the helmet "should keep him hibernating for another few millennia," the hurried circumstances of his disposal (He was simply thrown into a chasm in the sidewalk which is then sealed, not actually locked back in his [I would imagine] significantly deeper tomb) is virtually a recipe for his return; he could be found by maintenance workers, jarred by a super-battle above him, or otherwise revived anew.

Image updates and edits by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dromedan has no known connections to:

Thunder has no known connections to:

The World-Devouring Worm has no known connections to:

The Neutralizer Helmet has no known connections to:


Thunder

Thunder was one of Dromedan's Incan agents, likely another Deviant. Thunder was inspired by the Thunder God legends of the Incas; he bore a hammer, and a sling that could release fireballs. His hammer was shattered by Thor during their battle.

--Thor Annual I#7 (fb)


World-Devouring Worm

The World-Devouring Worm was an earthworm that grew larger with each passing second, and could suck objects into its body with a vacuum-like wind. Virako destroyed the worm by absorbing energies from his craft, destroying himself in the process.

--Thor Annual I#7 (fb)


Neutralizer Helmet

The Neutralizer Helmet was the only device that could shut down Dromedan's powers, when placed over his head. It was apparently constructed by the Deviants.

--Eternals I#16 (Eternals I#17, Thor Annual I#7(fb)


images: (without ads)
Eternals I#16, p17, pan4 (Main Image - Dromedan)
Eternals I#17, p7, pan4 (Headshot - Dromedan)
Thor Annual I#7, p8, pan4 (Thor discovers Dromedan (wearing Neutralizer Helmet) in his tomb)
Thor Annual I#7, p21, pan6 (Dromedan)
Real Heroes#1, p5, pan1 (Dromedan returns)
Thor Annual I#7, p22, pan2 (Thunder)
Thor Annual I#7, p25, pan2 (Thunder unleashes fireball)
Thor Annual I#7, p28, pan4 (Dromedan unleashes World-Devouring Worm)
Thor Annual I#7, p28, pan5 (World-Devouring Worm sucks)
Eternals I#16, p13, pan5 (Zuras finds Neutralizer Helmet)


Appearances:
Eternals I#16-17 (October-November, 1977) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils/editor), Mike Royer (inks), Glynis Wein (colors), Mike Royer (letters), Archie Goodwin (consulting editor)
Thor Annual I#7 (1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Walt Simonson (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks), Glynis Wein (colors), Tom Orzechowski (letters)
Real Heroes#1 (1994) - Mariano Nicieza (writer), Pete Garcia (pencils), Steve Moncuse, Dan McConnell & John Lowe (inks), Joe Caponsacco (colors), Jon Babcock (letters), Glenn Herdling (editor)


First posted: 12/19/2002
Last updated: 03/14/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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