(Blaze II#9 (fb) ) - When the Oculist was still a child he worked for the Kristall Starrer, who was an oculist as well. When Austria joined the Third Reich the young boy working for the Kristall Starrer, who at this point was working on supernatural experiments for Hitler, brought a jar to the Kristall Starrer and encountered Heinrich Himmler in his master's laboratory. Kristall Starrer ordered the boy to leave the lab, but the boy was curious and looked through the keyhole when the Kristall Starrer started his machines. The boy was hit by powerful light ray, which knocked him unconscious. When the boy woke up again the Kristall Starrer told him to help him in realigning the prisms.
The boy cleaned the lab with a broom when the Kristall Starrer started his machines once again. The boy witnessed Kristall Starrer's physical form growing transparent when the energy rays hit his body. Kristall Starrer told the boy that he would look into the "light from the beginning of time" that night. Later that night the boy heard the Kristall Starrer's scream and when the boy entered the lab the Starrer was gone and his eyes were left behind in that jar the boy had brought him some time ago. The boy took the jar with the eyes and fled the country. Over the next decades the boy became a man, the Oculist, and kept studying the Kristall Starrer's notes and eyes, but was never able to unravel Kristall Starrer's secrets.
(Blaze II#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Oculist examined Clara Menninger when she was a child. At some point the Oculist told Clara that the Kristall Starrer's eyes, which had been in his possession since World War II, had their own will and were cursed.
(Blaze II#9 (fb) - BTS) - <Around ten years before the events of Blaze II#1> Because he was unable to unravel their secrets he sent the eyes to Clara Menninger, hoping she would be able to wield their power.
Over the next decade the Kristall Starrer, who had returned from the dimension he had travelled to, hunted the Oculist over three continents to get back his eyes.
(Blaze II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Due to Clara's work at the travelling Quentin Carnival the eyes never reached her (until she received it in Blaze II#1 from Schenker).
(Blaze II#9 (fb) ) - The Oculist visited Clara at Quentin Carnival and led to Clara's wagon by Roach while Yang Kwei Fei and Lobster Lad knocked on Clara's door. The Oculist was shocked that she was using the Kristall Starrer's eyes. He told her to take the eyes out and return them to him because the Kristall Starrer had returned and sought the eyes. The Oculist then told Clara and Blaze about how he worked for the Kristall Starrer during World War II. The Oculist demanded from Clara to return the eyes to him, but she didn't want to give them up. Blaze had enough of him and told the Oculist to leave, which he did when other carnies joined them.
(Blaze II#9 - BTS) - Shortly after the Oculist, influenced by the Kristall Starrer, gouged out his own eyes and committed suicide by strangling himself. Blaze was soon confronted by Captain Rawlins concerning the Oculist's death.
Comments: Created by Larry Hama (writer), Keith Pollard (pencils) & Bill Reinhold (inks).
I assume the Oculist's lifespan was increased by the energies released by the Kristall Starrer's experiments......not much of an explanation, but at least it is an attempt at one. :)
BTW the Quentin Carnival is listed under enemies because he wasn't very welcome there after insisting that Clara returned the eyes to him.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Oculist has no known connection to:
- Occultist, spellcaster and thief @ Spider-Man: The Root of All Annoyance#1
- Occulus, tyrant of Inniverse @ Fantastic Four I#363
- Oculus, Department H, monitor division director @ Alpha Flight II#2
- Oculus Oroboros, magic item, sought by Dr. Strange @ Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#62
- any other character with a similar name
images: (without ads)
Blaze II#9, p7, pan2 (main image)
Blaze II#9, p9, pan2 (as youth)
Blaze II#9, p14, pan2 (head shot)
Appearances:
Blaze II#9 (April, 1995) - Larry Hama (writer), Keith Pollard (pencils), Bill Reinhold (inks), Marie Javins (editor)
First Posted: 05/30/2014
Last updated: 05/30/2014
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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