XENOCELLULAR BLOOM
XENOCELLULAR
BLOOM
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (unidentified reality) extraterrestrial fauna
Occupation: Apparent predator
Group Membership: None (see comments)
Affiliations: None known
Enemies: Darkhawk
(Chris Powell), Nova (Rich Rider), the crystalline composite life form
that existed on Shard, unidentified Kree archeologists;
apparently life in general
Known Relatives: Hatchlings
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Presumably destroyed;
formerly the planet Shard, Shard system, on the edge of the Kree Galaxy (Greater Magellanic Cloud) closest to the Shi'ar Galaxy
First Appearance: Nova IV#31 (January, 2010)
Powers/Abilities: The immense, apparently plant-based Xenocellular Bloom could extend massive tendrils to tear deeply into a planet and destabilize its structure. It apparently grew extremely rapidly, and it may or may not have been able to survive the in the frigid vacuum of space for some time and/or in some form.
It released monstrous hatchlings that burst from its surface and attacked and devoured living beings.
History:
(Nova IV#30 - BTS) - A psychic
notice generated and circulated by the Shi'ar Imperium on behalf of
Majestor Kallark included instructions to apprehend and detain Darkhawk
for treason and the regicide of Majestrix Lilandra Neramani. Unbeknownst
to pretty much everyone at the time, the Fraternity of Raptors member
Razor had usurped Darkhawk's form to commit this murder.
(Nova IV#31 (fb) - BTS) - The
Shi'ar advisory board identified Darkhawk as hiding on the outworld
Shard, and so Nova Prime (Rich Rider) directed the Resolute Duty ship
-- which contained a number of Nova trainees and their drill
instructor, Zan Philo -- there to locate Darkhawk, who was his friend
and whom he could not believe would have assassinated Lilandra.
(Nova IV#31 - BTS) - After the Resolute Duty entered the Shard System, the Xandarian Worldmind noted massive Fault disruptions due to the planet's location, and that planet Shard would collapse into the fault rift in a matter of hours.
Rider departed the ship and flew down to the planet and confronted Darkhawk.
(Nova IV#31) - As Darkhawk started to explain,
however, a huge xenocellular bloom sprouted out of the Fault and
engulfed Shard, and its massive tendrils ripped into the planet's
crust. The bloom then hatched a number of smaller lifeforms (hatchlings) that
further threatened them.
(Nova IV#31 (fb) - BTS) - The bloom crippled the Kree archeologists' ship, preventing their escape.
(Nova IV#31) - Monitoring
from the Resolute Duty, Nova Millennian Irani Rael asked whether they
deployed to assist their Nova Prime, but Rider denied this, insisting
-- as they began to fly away -- that they were not going to stay around
to enjoy the scenery. However, the Worldmind then reported that it has
picked up a distress signal and that some of the Kree archeologists had
not left the planet after all. 
Receiving their coordinates, Rider
and Darkhawk headed there as the Worldmind advised them that the
invasive fault growth had crippled their ship. As the bloom's
hatchlings threatened the archeologists, Rider and Darkhawk arrived to
destroy the hatchlings.
While Darkhawk continued this effort, Rider met with one of the archeologists who noted that while the rest of his group was present, their lead scientist was still deep in the catacombs. Rider instructed the archeologists to get into their survival tent, seal it up and start the air pumps, and he flew it up into the outer atmosphere where he had the other Nova millennians get it into the Resolute Duty.
Meanwhile, as Darkhawk searched for the lead scientist located a glowing prism that transformed him into the Raptor Gyre. When Rider returned, Gyre blasted him and departed, and Rider initial mistook Gyre for Darkhawk and attacked Darkhawk when he next saw him. As Darkhawk explained about the Fraternity of Raptors, Gyre blasted Rider and Darkhawk.
(Nova IV#32 (fb) - BTS) - The Sphinx (Anathna-Mut) transported Richard and Darkhawk across time and space.
(Nova IV#31) - The Worldmind reported to Irani and the other Novas the loss of Nova Prime's life trace seconds before the entire planet Shard shattered.
Comments: Created by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning and Andrea DiVito. This profile was completed 04/18/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for Arbor Day.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Xenocellular Bloom should be distinguished from:
  (Nova IV#31) - As Darkhawk started to explain,
however, a huge xenocellular bloom sprouted out of the Fault and
engulfed Shard, and its massive tendrils ripped into the planet's
crust. The bloom then hatched a number of smaller lifeforms (hatchlings) that
further threatened them.
(Nova IV#31 (fb) - BTS) - The bloom crippled the Kree archeologists' ship, preventing their escape. (Nova IV#31) - The Worldmind then reported that it has
picked up a distress signal and that some of the Kree archeologists had
not left the planet after all. Receiving their coordinates, Rider
and Darkhawk headed there as the Worldmind advised them that the
invasive fault growth had crippled their ship. As the bloom's
hatchlings threatened the archeologists, Rider and Darkhawk arrived to
destroy the hatchlings. While Darkhawk continued this effort, Rider met with one of the archeologists --Nova IV#31 |
First posted: 04/24/2026
Last updated: 04/19/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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