CADUCEUS

Real Name: Mark Cadmon

Identity/Class: Human (1910's to present), mutate

Occupation: Pupil of the Celestials, former physician

Group Membership: Young Gods

Affiliations: Celestials, Gaea, Hermes, Juniper, Katos, Spider-Man

Enemies: Eternals (Ajak, Ikaris, Legba, Makkari, Sersi, Thena), High Evolutionary, Nauda

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Celestial Mothership, mobile in space
formerly Chicago, Illinois, 1889-1919

First Appearance: (unnamed) Thor I#300 (October, 1980); (named) Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8 (1988)

Powers/Abilities: Caduceus has the ability to heal and strengthen others with his touch, even ridding people of mental injuries. This power can also be used to drive out evil spirits. He can also sap strength from others, knocking them unconscious. Even without his powers, Caduceus is an able medical doctor.

History: (Thor I#301 (fb)/Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8/3) - Mark Cadmon was born in Chicago in 1889. He was a street tough for awhile, but eventually became a physician. In 1919, he was contacted by the Olympian god Hermes, who recruited him into the Young Gods. He was watched over by the goddesses of Earth's pantheons while they awaited the Fourth Host of the Celestials.

(Thor I#300) - Cadmon joined the 12 assembled Young Gods as they were presented to the Celestials by Gaea, and Arishm the Judge determined that, based on them, humanity should endure. The Young Gods were all taken aboard the Celestial Mothership with the Fourth Host.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8 (fb) - BTS) - Cadmon adopted the name "Caduceus" and began his training aboard the mothership under the guidance of Katos, who favoured a philosophy of defense.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8) - Caduceus was training aboard the mothership with the other Young Gods when they were spied upon by the High Evolutionary. Daydreamer became determined to halt his plans to reshape humanity's evolution. When Juniper's students all returned to Earth to fight the High Evolutionary, Katos sent Caduceus and his other students to stop them. After Daydreamer accidentally harmed Calculus with her powers, the Young Gods all stood down. Caduceus repaired Calculus' mind and returned to the mothership with the other Young Gods.

(Marvel Comics Presents#101/2) - After Sea Witch had a dream which was invaded by an evil spirit, Caduceus and the other Young Gods heard her distress and came to help her. Varua and Daydreamer became convinced it was tied to the creature they had fought in Israel. They decided that they would have to return to Earth to investigate, but Katos and Juniper told them they would have to bring their petition to the Celestials.

(Marvel Comics Presents#102/2) - Juniper and Katos led the Young Gods to the Celestials to present their request to visit Earth. They were granted 3 days on Earth in which to investigate the matter.

(Marvel Comics Presents#103/2) - Sea Witch, Caduceus, Highnote and Moonstalker investigated northern Ireland, and fought a band of terrorists. They located a mystical stone guarded by a creature from Sea Witch's dream, and Sea Witch destroyed it with a torrent of water.

(Marvel Comics Presents#105/2) - Sea Witch, Caduceus, Highnote and Moonstalker were contacted by Daydreamer, who had found another one of the stones. Unable to contact the other four in Sri Lanka, they decided to rendezvous in Sri Lanka.

(Marvel Comics Presents#107/2-109/2) - Caduceus, Moonstalker, Sea Witch, Highnote, Genii, Harvest, Mindsinger and Daydreamer journeyed to Sri Lanka, and found a stone which enabled them to contact Nauda, who demanded that they bring him the stones from Ireland and Wisconsin in exchange for the other Young Gods' lives. They tried to fight their way through Nauda's forces, but were overwhelmed. Daydreamer seemingly granted Nauda's wishes, but she actually gave him illusionary stones. The Young Gods were reunited, and joined in a Uni-Mind to destroy Nauda. Caduceus then destroyed the stones with his powers.

(Eternals Annual II#1 (fb) ) - Ignored by the Celestials the Young Gods slowly went mad. To get the Celestials' attention the Young Gods fought each other in vicious battles and had decadent bacchanals. Eventually Varua thought they were empowered to turn Earth's populace into a new Celestial. The Young Gods led by Varua returned to Earth and created an ever-growing Uni-Mind from the minds of Madripoor, which soon expanded ot other islands, consuming the minds of citizens in Indonesia and Singapore to its mass.

(Eternals Annual II#1 - BTS) - Alerted by the growing Uni-Mind the Eternals Ajak, Ikaris, Makkari, Sersi and Thena went to Madripoor. Caduceus healed his fellow Young Gods during the fight against the Eternals. His presence was hidden by Daydreamer.

(Eternals Annual II#1) - Due to his telepathic connection to Varua Caduceus dropped unconsciously out of the sky after the Eternal Legba had killed Varua. The Young Gods' plan had failed.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, Keith Pollard and Gene Day; fleshed out by Gerry Conway, Mark Bagley and Keith Williams.

The 1910's companions of Mark Cadmon's seen in his Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8 featurette bear a striking resemblance to DC's Newsboy Legion.

The Young god met by Hermes in Thor I#301's flashback has blonde hair while Caduceus has red, but I can't see it being any of the other male Young Gods. Also, since Hermes wields the Caduceus, he would be an appropriate contact.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Caduceus should not be confused with:

• Caduceus, the item used by Hermes to heal others, @ Avengers I#284

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