WALKERS

MEMBERSHIP: Balor, Bran, Cormac, Gael, Gamael, Gurien, Gwend, Herne, Karadoc, Mordred, Scartac, Vortigen

SUBDIVISIONS:
Evil Walkers (Balor, Cormac, Gurien, Karadoc, Mordred, Scartac)
Proud Walkers (Bran, Gael, Gamael, Gwend, Herne, Vortigen)

AFFILIATIONS: Presumably the Walkers are some variation of the Pendragon spirits associated with the Knights of Pendragon.
    The "evil" Walkers were agents of
Necromon and all of his allies, and enemies of the Proud Walkers, Merlyn, Arthur Pendragon, the Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Captain Britain, and the forces of Camelot.
    The opposite is true for the Proud Walkers.

BASE of OPERATIONS: (Proud Walkers) Otherworld , (others) Netherworld associated with Otherworld; All originally dwelled on Earth

FIRST APPEARANCE: Mordred appeared way back in: The Black Knight#1 (May, 1955, Atlas Comics), and in Marvel Comics in: Marvel Super-Heroes II#17 (November, 1968).
    Vortigen appeared and the concept of the Walkers was mentioned in: Hulk Comics#6/2 (UK) (April 11, 1979).
    The surviving Walkers appeared en masse in: Hulk Comics#61/2 (UK) (May 1, 1980)

HISTORY: Originally, there were twelve Walkers: Men of power who perceived the old paths, or "ley lines," connecting the points of magic from long before the dawn of time. The Walkers passed their knowledge onto those men wise enough to understand, many of whom became the druids. The Walkers also created routes from Earth to the realm known as Otherworld, usually by way of underground tunnels, allowing the inhabitants of both worlds to mingle together.

    However, six of the twelve Walkers were corrupted by the forces of darkness. They created false paths which led men to madness and death, usually via black magic. People became mistrustful of the old way, mainly because of these six evil Walkers. Witches were burned, creatures of Otherworld like faeries, elves, trolls, and dragons were shunned and scorned. The old paths were discarded, and a rift appeared between the two worlds. The remaining six Walkers, the noble or Proud Walkers, gradually withdrew from Earth, returning to Otherworld. The evil Walkers came to dwell in the Netherworld bordering on Otherworld.

    In the modern era, Necromon, the leader of Netherworld, sought to overrun Otherworld. He realized that the forces of Camelot would rally against him, and so he sought to eliminate some of their greatest warriors. He erased the memory of Captain Britain, and sent his Mordred, one of the evil walkers to eliminate the current Black Knight. The Knight located the amnesiac Captain Britain, and the two were assisted against the Trolls of Netherworld by Vortigen, one of the Proud Walkers. Vortigen helped Braddock regain his memory, and led the two in a quest to Otherworld. In the course of the journey, losses occurred on both sides, but ultimately the Proud Walkers were gathered to fight against their surviving evil brethren. The forces of Necromon were defeated and the evil Walkers were either slain or incapacitated. Camelot was destroyed by the death-throws of Necromon, but Vortigen brought everyone to his castle to build a new Camelot. Presumably the Proud Walkers either dwell there, or have separated and returned to their homes.

COMMENTS: Created by Dez Skin, Steve Parkhouse, Paul Neary, and John Stokes.

    The history of the Walkers is detailed in Captain Britain Summer Special 1980/4.

    The credits for the story are given in that same issue in the second feature.

    Thanks to Greg O and Will U for providing background info on some of the Walkers.

    William contends that the Walkers are the crew of Bran. Most of the Walkers are actual figures, but none of them lived at the same time as Bran's journey. Vortigern, for example, was slain by Uther Pendragon around 515 AD, at least a thousand years after Bran would have been lost in Otherworld. This is like putting Ronald Reagan and Robin Hood on the Monitor and the Merrimac. In none of my sources are Bran's crew named, but I assume that Marvel picked the names when they continued the story.

Clarifications:
No known connection to:

Vortigen is also referred to as the Walker, and has no connection to:

Balor has no known connection to:

Gael has no connection to:


 

EVIL WALKERS

Balor served as the lieutenant to Scartac, and was second-in-command to Necromon's armies. He, like Scartac, made the mistake of assaulting Vortigen while he was grief stricken over the death of Moondog. Balor attempted to avenge the death of Scartac, but Vortigen caught his blade in his bare hand and dispatched him with a single sword swipe.
--[Hulk Comic#45/2(mentioned)], 62/2 ([45/2, 59/2, 61/2], 62/2

mythological/historical info on Balor (Will):
Real name Yspadden, (c. 410-465 AD) was a Celtic Chieftain  who gave all suitors for the hand of his daughter, Olwen, extremely impossible challenges to pass in order to win her hand. Of course, all the suitors who tried failed. It is probably because of this imprisonment of his daughter that he was compared to the Fomorian Balor. Apparently, he did this to keep from acquiring a son-in-law that might depose him. Culhwch, cousin of King Arthur, however, overcame all these challenges and returned and killed Balor and all his allies.

 

 

 

 

 


Cormac, the Sword-Master, took up the fight after the heroes first escaped Mordred. His trolls captured Moondog, and used him to lead Vortigen into a trap. He was a master swordsman, even with both arms simultaneously, in addition to his powers of mesmerism and telekinesis. He nearly killed Vortigen when he was weakened by the loss of the Rowan Staff, but with a distraction from Moondog, Vortigen temporarily dispatched him by throwing him into his own magic field of force. When Cormac returned, the Black Knight had gained the sword Excalibre from the Lady of the Lake. Cormac mesmerized and immobilized the Knight, but the sword came to life, animating the Knight to cut off Cormac's sword hand.
The heroes left him in the woods to continue their journey
--Hulk Comic#16/2 (17/2-19/2

mythological/historical info on Cormac (Greg and Will):
Cormac likely comes from Cormac Mac Art (or Cormac Mac Airt) who was a legendary Irish king (who R.E. Howard also wrote a few stories about incidentally). He w
as son of Art and grandson of Conn cetchatlach.
Sometimes called the Irish Solomon, his reign preceded King MacCon, and is said to have possibly been somewhere around 230-265 AD. He vanished for several months in 248 AD, when the god Manannan abducted Cormac's wife and children in lieu of an old reneged payment. Cormac followed the god back to Tir Tairngiri where the god seemed to be impressed by his daring and returned his family.  Manannan gave him mystical objects of great value to return to Ireland. Cormac employed these gifts from the sea god Manannan Mac Lir during his prosperous rein, a golden cup that broke when three lies are spoken over it and only three truths could make it whole, and a musical silver branch hung with golen apples that healed the sick and the lame when shook over their heads.
He is said to have lost an eye in a battle with Cellach of the Terrible Spear who sought revenge for Cormac's son raping his daughter. Cormac died from choking on a fishbone in 266 and was related through his brother to St. Brigid (453-523).
OR
Cormac comes from the hero Cormac (c. 525-540), son of the king of Ulster, Conchabar Mc Nessa, who voluntarily went into exile with the deposed king of Ulster, Fergus Mac Roth, due to disgust at his father's treachery. He went to return home after his father named him his successor (Gaels and other Celts didn't always follow primogeniture like the Britons) but a druidess warned he would die if he went home. Cormac heard the notes of a magic harp and fell asleep by the side of the road where he was killed in revenge for sleeping with the harpist's wife (the Celts were a lusty, adulterous lot it seems!).
Will's version is slightly different, so I'll list it separately:
Cormac was sent by Conchorbor, king of Ulster, with his father Dubthach and Fergus to Scotland to provide safe return to the Irish exiles Deirdre, Ardan and Ainnle, but Cormac murdered the exiles on their return. Upset by the turn of events, Cormac, Fergus and Dubthach made a vow to remove Conchorbor from the throne and formed an alliance with Conchobor's enemies, Ailill and Medb of Connacht. Conchorbor was slain and Cormac became the next king.


Gurien

 

    He dwelled within a mountain fortress, and convinced the giant Gargantua to be his agent. He must have been around for the final battle, unless he had already been dealt with, but I never saw him.

--[Hulk Comic#45/2] ([49/2, 50/2, 60/2-63/2]

In Hulk Weekly#55, Necromon tries to convince Merlyn the Six are at the gates of Camelot, and manifests images of them. The faux Cormac introduces all six - he calls one Gurien, although that one is later shown to be Balor. So by deduction, the one who he seemed to call Balor, is Gurien.
--Loki

mythological/historical info on Gamael (Will):
Gamael (Gamal) and Gurien- (c. 1699 BC) were sons of Milesius, leader of the Gaels (see Gael below). They drowned at sea as the Chieftain was fighting storms preventing them from landing on Eire.

 

 


Karadoc controlled an army of dragons, including Ashtoroth, Khârad Dur and Sarafand. He often rode one of his dragons into battle. He was inadvertently incinerated by Kharad Dur after being blinded by Jackdaw.
--Hulk Comic#45/2 ([46/2, 47/2], 48, 55, 57

mythological/historical info on Karadoc (Will):
Karadoc (Caradawc) (c. 37 BC) was son of Bran the Blessed, son of Leir. he was also considered a descendant of Aeneas, the Trojan prince whose grandson, Brut, was eponymous ancestor of the Britons.  Caradawc was also considered an ancestor of both Uther Pendragon and Igraine, the parents of King Arthur.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 Mordred, usually spelled Modred in this story, also known as the Lore-Master, was sent to Earth by Necromon to slay the Black Knight. He was a powerful sorcerer, who used both human pawns and his own human agents to assist him. He summoned a powerful Hellraven, enthralled an entire village, transformed the witch Sara Mumford into a lifeless tree, and set Merlyn on fire. He was weakened and driven mad when the Black Knight used Excalibre to turn his own spell back on him.
--Hulk Comic#1/2 (3/2-5/2, 7/2, 8/2, [9/2], 10/2, 11/2, [12/2-16/2], 26/2-30/2

- see the full profile on Mordred the Evil

 

 

 

 


 

Scartac was the warlord of Necromon's armies, served by his lieutenant, Balor. He made the mistake of confronting Vortigen just after his friend and ally Moondog had been killed. Vortigen split his head with his sword.

--[Hulk Comic#45/2(mentioned)], 62/2 ([45/2, 59/2, 61/2], 62/2

mythological/historical info on Scartac (Will):
Scartach (c. 510-540 AD) was a Celtic priestess who Cu Chulainn went to in order to prove his worth. He however ended up seducing her sister, Aoife who bore him a son, Conall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


PROUD WALKERS

Herne the Hunter was the first of the Proud Walkers to answer the final call back to Camelot. He found Vortigen, who had just made a new Rowan Staff, and the two assembled the remaining four. He has antlers.
--Hulk Comic#60/2 (61/2, [62/2, 63/2]
mythological/historical info on Herne (
Will):
Herne was a follower of
Cernunnos who started the first Wild Hunt during the reign of King Arthur (r. 410-465).
(Greg):
Herne I believe is a reference to Herne the Horned of Herne the Hunter, a Celtic deity of the hunt, sometimes seen as synonymous with the Wild Huntsman.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Vortigen, also known as the Walker, came to the assistance of the Black Knight and Captain Britain when they were first attacked by Mordred. He enabled Britain to recall his past and led them on the quest to Otherworld. His power was halved when his Rowan Staff was shattered by the Iron Ogre, and he was forced to leave the heroes to forge another so he would be prepared for the final battle. He returned in time to slay the last of the two evil Walkers, Balor and Scartac. After the battle, he volunteered his own kingdom to replace the fallen Camelot. He was a large and powerful man, with undefined mystical powers. His strength and powers were dependent on and focused through his Rowan Staff. At his peak he was by far the most powerful of the Walkers. He was often accompanied by his pet wolf, Lupe.

--Hulk Comic#6/2, (named) 13/2 (7/2, 8/2, [9/2], 10/2-18/2, 60/2, 61/2, [62/2], 63/2, Mighty World of Marvel#13

Note: In the letters page of Captain Britain II#10, it is confirmed that Vortigen was one of the people at Merlyn's funeral in MWOM#13.

    Vortigen's name is similar to Vortigern, who preceded Arthur Pendragon as King. I'm not sure if there is any connection there, either. Vortigern has not appeared in Marvel Comics.


mythological/historical info on Vortigern (Greg):
    Vortigern (c. 430 AD). His name comes from the vernacular term "tigernos" recalling the Roman occupational "superbus tyrannus" meaning proud tyrant. He was seneschal to King Constantine of Britain, the grandfather of King Arthur.
    Vortigern seized the throne on Constantine's death. He sought to build a castle/tower stronghold, but it kept collapsing. Merlin revealed the lake under under the tower. A seer told Vortigern he had to consecrate the ground with the blood of a man with no mortal father, thus he tried to kill Merlin. This prompted Merlin's famous vision of the white dragon and the red dragon battling, symbolizing the warring peoples of Britain. Alternately seen as a defender of the realm or an employer of foreign mercenaries such as Jutes and later the Saxons whom he hired to battle the Jutes which betrayed him.
    Vortigern was slain by Uther Pendragon (Arthur's father), who usurped the throne in his place.


 

 

 

The last four, Gwent, Gamael, Bran, and Gael, made it back in time for the final battle, and helped the forces of Camelot route Necromon's army.
--Hulk Comic#61/2 ([62/2, 63/2]

 

mythological/historical info on Bran (Greg):
The first Bran, son of Febal (a Celtic chieftain), is the hero of one of the most famous mythical Celtic sea voyages (stories which the Irish and their storytellers had a great fondness for). Bran fond a magical silver tree branch with white flowers and showed it to his kinsmen. A mysterious woman suddenly appeared and told the assembly of the wonders to be found on the otherworldly islands beyond the sea. With twenty seven of his kinsman Bran set forth travelling to many strange places including the island of Manannan Mac Lyr, the Isle of Merriment, and the Isle of Women (guess what they did there?).

According to William: Bran's crew was distracted by a water-goddess they pursued back to the Otherworldly land of Tir inna mBan. The goddess's father, Manannan, invited them to stay and indulge in their paradise for one year, but when Bran and his crew returned home, they discovered they had been tricked. One man jumped to shore, but as his foot touched earth he crumbled to dust. Bran and his crew
called a shore and heard that the only Bran they knew was the son of Leir who had died in 43 BC, five hundred years before (placing this story around the time of King Arthur, and their initial departure around 500 BC). Realizing they could not return home, Bran and his crew returned to Tir inna mBan.
The story also has parallels with Odysseus in the court of Circe. While he was on her island, time slowed for him why many more years passed in Ithaca.


ALSO (per Greg)
Bran "the Blessed" on the other hand was son of the sea god Lyr (or Lir, presumably the same as Leir) which makes him the brother or at least half-brother of Manannan Mac Lir. Apparently some sort of otherworld god Bran also had duties as a king in Britain. After a big feud, caused by giving his sister as a wife to the Irish king Matholwch without her half-brother Efnisien's consent, Bran was slain by a poisoned arrow and only seven of the British army survived though they slew every Irishman. On his deathbed he told his followers to cut off his head which was still capable of speech on the voyage home. Buried facing Europe to ward off foreign invaders King Arthur is said to have called upon the magic of Bran's head for its power. In light of this last bit I would guess the first Bran is likely the Proud Walker, and this other one a god for which he was named.

mythological/historical info on Gael (Greg and Will):
Gael (c.2350-2200 BC) was son of Niall & Scota and eponymous leader of the Gauls, a people of the Iberian peninsula, that invaded and conquered Ireland. He was an ancestor of Mil (or Milesius) , who, in 1699 BC, led them. In revenge for the death of Mil's nephew Ith, the Gaels reclaimed the island from the Tuatha du Danann in the same way the Tuatha seized it from the Formor, and became the ancestors of the modern day Irish peoples.

mythological/historical info on Gamael (Will):
Gamael(Gamal) and Gurien- (c. 1699 BC) were sons of Milesius. They drowned at sea as the Chieftain was fighting storms preventing them from landing on Eire.

mythological/historical info on Gwent :
Gwent (c. 430-450 AD) was the daughter of Cunedda, ruler of the Votadini tribes and maternal grandmother of King Arthur.


 

Last updated: 02/14/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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