KOLOBUS
Real Name: Kolobus
Identity/Class: Ghost of a sentient stellar body
Occupation: "Monster God of the Cosmos" inhabiting a sculpture
Group Membership: Stars of the Universe
Affiliations: Libra (Gustav Brandt), Nightmask (Adam Blackveil), Starbrand (Kevin Connor)
Enemies: Cipher (Joras-Kyl), Starbrand
(Va-Sohn), several citizens of Gilstrap, South Carolina;
formerly Nightmask (Adam Blackveil), Starbrand (Kevin Connor)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: A sculpture in deep space;
formerly active in the township of Gilstrap, South
Carolina;
formerly mobile throughout the universe
First Appearance: Avengers V#34.2 (March, 2015)
Powers/Abilities: Kolobus is the sentient spirit of a sun and its form was comprised of ancient radiation. Kolobus seemed to be able to alter its size or maybe only use portion of it sometimes. While it could easily possess single, sentient beings, Kolobus' ultimate goal was to find a larger structure, be it a planet or a massive sculpture, that could contain its full ethereal essence. While possessing a sentient being, Kolobus was physically and mentally in full control of the host's actions, rendering them helpless even in danger to their own life. Kolobus could create massive energy forms and release destructive energy blasts through such a creation that could level buildings. Kolobus could also trap other powerful cosmic beings inside its own form.
Diameter: Variable (unknown in original form)
Mass: None (unknown in original form)
Eyes: White (at least in the form it chose to appear in)
Hair: None
History:
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb) - BTS) - Kolobus was a star born millions of light
years away from Earth.
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb)) - Many millennia ago Kolobus was a star until it was torn apart by another star (a white dwarf) in a stellar collision. Kolobus' ghost searched for a new host to possess ever since.
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb) - BTS) - Kolobus at some point became aware or encountered a Starbrand.
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb) - BTS) - Kolobus chose Earth as its new host and began by taking possession of people in the township of Gilstrap, South Carolina. A series of arsons committed by regular folks possessed by Kolobus troubled the local authorities, who believed the arsonists to just be deranged.
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb)) - During one incident police officer Robin was attacked by a local mechanic, who set a place on fire with kerosene and a book of matches while possessed by Kolobus and screaming about the former star.
(Avengers V#34.2 (fb) - BTS) - The incidents increased over time until 37 people possessed by Kolobus had set fires in Gilstrap. Robin of the local police asked for help, but nobody knew what to do or cared.
(Avengers V#34.2) - At the local gas station an old woman named Patricia was possessed by Kolobus. It was forced her to douse herself in gasoline and then set herself afire with a lighter while Kolobus proclaimed through her its message that everything will burn and die in fire.
(Avengers V#34.2 - BTS) - The Avengers' Nightmask detected the threat Kolobus posed to Earth when he was hit by something akin to cosmic feedback. Nightmask allied with Starbrand to investigate the threat in Gilstrap by looking for the ancient radiation Nightmask had felt. Local police officer Robin told them about the arsons and hoped they were there to help, but Starbrand revealed that they were just looking for some ancient radiation.
(Avengers V#34.2) - Nightmask felt the radiation again and moments later the local butcher named Linda, possessed by Kolobus, attacked Starbrand with a cleaver while engulfed in blue flame and screaming about Kolobus. Nightmask stopped her and she was taken to Gilstrap Memorial Hospital where Robin explained to the two Avengers what was going on in the town. Nightmask eventually realized that the fires and the ancient radiation they were looking for were connected. Starbrand expanded his awareness to find the ghost of Kolobus in outer space and began to communicate with the spirit of the dead star. In response, Kolobus possessed Cassie, a local child that had become a big fan of the two Avengers, and engulfed her in blue flame. It then created a gigantic creature that fired energy blasts at the two heroes and caused more wanton destruction in the town. Starbrand tried talking reason with Kolobus because he knew why the star spirit was there. He also tried to get through to Cassie, but had to cut her off from Kolobus' influence first by encasing her in an energy field. He then confronted Kolobus outside Earth's orbit about what he was doing to the people of Gilstrap, but to Kolobus people meant nothing and his ultimate goal was to turn Earth into a star like he once was. Starbrand offered Kolobus something else to inhabit instead of Earth and led it to a sculpture he had recently created somewhere in deep space. Kolobus took the offer and made the sculpture the new home for its spirit. Content with its new home, Kolobus then asked what Starbrand would do next because he was so similar to Kolobus and should stay in deep space with Kolobus, but Starbrand decided to return to Earth anyway.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Starbrand & Nightmask#5) - Libra teleported Nightmask and Starbrand from Empire State University to the sculpture in deep space that was inhabited by Kolobus.
(Starbrand & Nightmask#6) - Standing atop the sculpture inhabited by Kolobus, Libra explained to Starbrand and Nightmask his intention to get rid of Earth's Starbrand so that Earth could be destroyed and the balance of the universe could be restored. When the Kree Starbrand (Var-Sohn) targeted Earth in her attempt to destroy all worlds that could become a threat to the Kree Empire, Kolobus left the sculpture and pointed out that Earth's destruction would leave Starbrand open to be a true "Monster God of the Cosmos," but Libra corrected him that Starbrand and Nightmask would just lose their powers because Earth would've no need for a Starbrand and Nightmask anymore. Libra teleported Starbrand (Var-Sohn) and her Cipher (Joras-Kyl) to the sculpture to enable an ill-fated attempt to save Earth by Starbrand (Kevin Connor) and Nightmask (Adam Blackweil). Libra and Kolobus watched the Starbrands battle while Nightmask fought Cipher. Kolobus intefered on Connors' behalf and captured Var-Sohn in its form, but Var-Sohn's fire was too much even for Kolobus to hold. Kolobus and Libra suggested that Connors should just destroy her homeworld to take away her powers, but Connors was not willing to murder a billion innocent people just to protect Earth. Var-Sohn finally broke free from Kolobus' form and continued her attack on Connors only to kiss him instead. Nightmask and Cipher quickly realized that the Starbrands' attraction to each other was part of a fail-safe that prevented Starbrands from killing each other. Kolobus was appalled. All parties involved returned to their homeworlds except for Libra and Kolobus, who stayed behind at the sculpture in deep space.
Comments: Created by Sam Humphries & Bengal.
Sentient stars are not a new things in Marvel Comics. Check out Apalla's profile.
Kolobus appeared shortly before and after Secret Wars (and the temporary end to the Multiverse). It was right back where we last saw it.
According to Starbrand & Nightmask#1 (February, 2016) the events in Avengers V#34.2 took place eight months earlier.
A "Monster Gods of the Cosmos" is what Starbrand and Kolobus called each other. It was more of a description of their status than an alias IMHO...or a rather wild job description.
The name Kolobus is less likely connected to the monkeys (Colobus) and more likely to the star (Kolob) nearest to God's throne in Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham (1842). That is Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith "translating" papyrus scrolls which Egyptologists later discerned to be an ancient funerary text (Book of the Dead) that had nothing to do with what Smith claimed.
This profile was completed on 08/30/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary event.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Kolobus has no known connections to:
images:
Avengers V#34.2, p24 (main)
Avengers V#34.2, p26, pan1 (original form)
Avengers V#34.2, p19 (energy form created while possessing an Earth
girl)
Starbrand & Nightmask#5, p19 (Starbrand's sculpture, Kolobus' home)
Appearances:
Avengers V#34.2 (March, 2015) - Sam Humphries (writer), Bengal (artist)
Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editor)
Starbrand & Nightmask#5-6 (June-July, 2016) - Greg Weisman (writer),
Domo Stanton (artist), Katie Kubert (editor)
First Posted: 09/07/2026
Last updated: 08/30/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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