Occupation: Cult leader

Group Membership: Vampire; formerly the Bloodpack and other groups of vampire/revenants

Affiliations: Possibly the Darkholders

Enemies: Blade (Eric Brooks), Bloodpack, Clea, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Ghost Rider (John Blaze)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Lord Verdelet, Max Blast, Old Man

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;    formerly Greenwich Village, New York;
   formerly pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis

First Appearance: Midnight Sons Unlimited#6 (July, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: Verdelet possesses the conventional powers (to a somewhat amplified degree) and weaknesses of a vampire. In addition, he has the ability to drain some of the energy from the vampires he creates, so that they lack their full power and exist as mere "revenants." He has sometimes gotten his vampire minions addicted to drugs by encouraging them to drink the blood of drugged humans.
Verdelet also possesses certain magical powers, enabling him to access the Astral Plane.

History: BTS - Verdelet is a vampire, and he claims to have been active in Atlantis prior to the Great Cataclysm. Verdelet saw himself as the heir to Varnae's role as Lord of the Vampires. He was furious that Varnae instead chose Dracula as his successor (@ 1459, see Bizarre Adventures#33).

(Midnight Sons Unlimited#6(fb) ) - Taking the alias of Max Blast, Verdelet, posed as some sort of new age guru, encouraging crowds of people to expand their minds via natural herbs. Pamphlets handed out to the crowd were laced with a narcotic substance, which drugged the audience into a mindless stupor. Verdelet then planned to have his vampire/revenant minions drain the blood from their victims, and becoming drugged themselves as a result. Among those in the audience one night were Dr. Stephen Strange and Clea. Strange fell victim to the drugs as well, but managed to purge them from his system, to destroy the revenants, and to drive off Verdelet, who revealed his true identity before fleeing.

(Midnight Sons Unlimited#6 (fb) ) - Years later, Verdelet had formed a new group of revenants on the streets of New York City, the Bloodpack. This group chafed under Verdelet's rule, and sought to recruit the pseudo-vampire Morbius for aid against them. They met with Morbius (actually Clea, posing as Morbius in order to learn who led the group) and ended up tangling with Blade, the vampire hunter. Verdelet, however, having suspected treachery on behalf of the Bloodpack, had infiltrated them as "old man." During the struggle with Blade, Verdelet revealed himself, and assisted in the slaughter of the Bloodpack as punishment for their betrayal.
Dr. Strange (having invisibly trailed Clea/Morbius) revealed himself and confronted Verdelet. Obsessing about his being passed over as lord of the vampires, Verdelet took the form of Varnae to battle Strange, Blade, and "Morbius." However, Clea revealed her true nature and skewered Verdelet, despite his efforts to seduce her. However, she failed to pierce his heart, and he escaped again.

(Midnight Sons Unlimited#6 (fb) ) - A few more years later, Verdelet infiltrated the psyche of John Blaze/Ghost Rider and set a trap for Dr. Strange. Strange was led to investigate recurring nightmares that Blaze had been suffering from, and was ambushed in his astral form by Verdelet. At the same time, Verdelet's true form emerged from within Ghost Rider, whom he controlled, and he confronted Clea and Strange's inert physical form. Clea shielded Strange's form from Verdelet and Ghost Rider's attacks, while the mind/spirit of John Blaze assisted Strange's astral self in escaping Verdelet's trap and returning to his body. Verdelet was devastated that his carefully constructed plan had been so easily overcome, and as he stood there shocked, Clea shoved a magical staff, the Atlantean Dreamwave through his chest. This time, Clea did not miss his heart, and Verdelet crumbled to ashes.

Comments: Created by David Quinn with Marie Severin, Gene Colan, and Max Douglas.

A few sources list Varnae as appearing in MSU#6. They are in error. It is Verdelet.

Verdelet's discussion implies that he was active back in Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis, and may have been one of first vampires created after Varnae. There is no other evidence to confirm or refute this. Concerning Varnae's claim of being the last surviving vampire from this time, only to have Verdelet depicted at that point in time as well, Snood observes: "perhaps Verdelet was destroyed and later resurrected, as Varnae and Dracula have both been?

While Dr. Strange has been revealed to be active prior to the modern era, the first encounter of Verdelet would appear to have taken place in the late 1960s or early 1970s, which seems a bit of a stretch (Marvel's sliding time scale indicates that Fantastic Four I#1 took place 10-15 years ago, and that date slides forward along with real time). It's possible, though, and certainly could have been at a "retro" event, or involved time-traveling, etc.
--No specific events in the MU are referenced for chronology of Strange's battles with Verdelet. The first one would seem to have occurred shortly after Clea came to Earth alongside Strange, perhaps during the time period of the original Dr. Strange series, which continued from the original Strange Tales. The second encounter would appear to be early in the second Dr. Strange (Master of the Mystic Arts) series, while the third would be later in that same series, before Clea returned to the Dark Dimension (@ the early 50's) and before the last few issues of the second Ghost Rider series.
--Chronology is not my strong suit, so if anyone who can place them better, the info would be much appreciated.

A revenant is one that returns after death or a long absence.

It is possible that Verdelet, who was seen to copy Varnae's form, was actually of the same race, which would make him a Giganthopithecus. Why? Because Varnae was revealed as one in his second appearance in Timespirits#4 (April, 1985), which is a pretty weird place for an appearance by Varnae, but it was written by his original creator. A Giganthopithecus is an extinct giant ape species.
--Markus Raymond

In Blade III#12 a prophecy was fulfilled that brought back all vampires that ever died. This most likely included Verdelet as well. We'll have to wait if he resurfaces.
--Markus Raymond

CLARIFICATIONS:
Not to be confused with:

• Varnae, the pre-Cataclysmic Atlantean sorcerer who became the first vampire, @ Bizarre Adventures#33
  --Verdelet obsesses about Varnae, and even adopts his form, hence the confusion.
• Old Man, the predecessor to Cloak, @ Cloak and Dagger III#2
• Old Man of the New Universe, apparently an aspect on Ken Connell, @ Starbrand#1
• Old Man of the Ultraverse, who trained the Freex, @ Freex#7