"CUBISTS"
"CUBISTS"
Membership: At least 17 members, none named
Purpose: Survival, cannibalism, destruction of anything that threatened them
Affiliations: None known
Enemies: Deathlok the Demolisher, Spider-Man of Earth-616
Base of Operations: Manhattan (possibly based near the former Times Square), New York, Earth-7484 / Earth-Deathlok
Aliases: "Muties"
First Appearance: Marvel Team-Up I#46 (June 1976)
Powers/Abilities: The "Cubists" tended to remain in a stupor
until something threatened the group. They would then slowly develop a
semi-coherent group-mind, though one man appeared to be their leader. Injuries
to one of them tended to affect the others, disrupting their concentration, and
leaving them without focus or organization.
Their blood was charged with nuclear plasma. Each one carried
a small yellow cube through which they could discharge powerful energy blasts;
they seemed to require minutes to recharge after unleashing a blast.
History: The Cubists are natives of the divergent reality designated Earth-7484.
(Astonishing Tales I#35 (fb) / (Captain America I#288 (fb)) - BTS) - Explosions from an unknown source destroyed Manhattan and a dozen other American cities. Many of the survivors degenerated into savagery and even cannibalism; some of these were mutates (and their offspring were mutants).
(Astonishing Tales#35 - BTS / Marvel Team-Up I#46 (fb) - BTS) - After Simon Ryker lost control of the city, it was overrun by mutants and cannibals.
(Marvel Team-Up I#46 (fb)) - While seeking to take out the mutants and cannibals who had been running rampant since Ryker's downfall, Deathlok began being hunted by the Cubists, who smelled the decay factor inherent in his body and wished to make a meal out of him.
(Marvel Team-Up I#46) - Deathlok located several of the Cubists while on a mission in Manhattan, and he prepared to kill them. His aim was disrupted by the time-traveling Spider-Man of Earth-616 who assumed a monster cyborg was trying to kill innocent kids. Only vaguely aware of the laser blast that narrowly missed them all, the Cubists began chanting as they began to return to conscious awareness, then they became filled with rage, which they channeled into their cubes, discharging a powerful blast that Spider-Man and Deathlok narrowly dodged. Realizing his mistake, Spider-Man smashed into the Cubists, while Deathlok dropped one of them with a laser. Leaving behind one each who had been nailed by Deathlok and Spider-Man, the remaining Cubists scattered.
(Marvel Team-Up I#46 - BTS) - The Cubists reorganized under their masked leader, seeking the deaths of those who had assaulted them before
(Marvel Team-Up I#46) - The Cubists fired another blast at Spider-Man and Deathlok, who again narrowly dodged it. Losing their focus, the group mentality was disrupted by their individual hungers. They became somewhat disorganized and began rushing the heroes singly. Deathlok and Spider-Man made short work of the Cubists and, after half of their number were either unconscious or slain, the remaining members fled...to wander, reform, and regroup again...endlessly.
COMMENTS: Created by Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, and David Hunt.
This group was decidedly different from any of the other cannibals to appear in the Astonishing Tales series.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
images:
Marvel Team-Up I#46, p26, panel 1 (group)
panel 2
(Cubes)
Appearances:
Marvel Team-Up I#46 (June, 1976) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
First Posted: 04/13/2005
Last updated: 04/13/2005
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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