BELASCO

Real Name: Belasco (full name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Class II demon (degenerated human) magic-user;
    citizen of the Florentine Republic (legally deceased);
    active around 1000 AD, as well as the 13th century;
    apparently the pre-modern era as well as the modern era;
    allegedly time-traveled or was otherwise present in the pre-Cataclysmic era;

Occupation: Sorcerer-priest, servant of the N'Garai (specifically the Mabdhara (N'Garai masters));
    intermittent ruler of limbo (Otherplace)

Group Membership: Hell-lords, Lords of the Splinter-Realms (see comments);
    formerly an unidentified sorcerers' guild (Ebrok, Orann, Yanthon)

Affiliations: Asmodeus, Balkatars (all would be under Belasco's command), Cat-8280 (Kitty Pryde), Cat People of the Land Within (pawns), the Chosen of the Rev, demons of Otherplace (when ruling limbo/Otherplace), numerous other unspecified demons, demonic offspring and descendants, Dormammu, Ghost Rider (Noble Kale; neutral alliance only), harpies, Hela, Lucifer, Mephisto, N'Garai, Nightcrawler-8280, Pluto (Hades), Helen Purvis, the Rev (Samuel "Sammy" Smith), Satan (Marduk Kurios), Sep, Carla Spelvin, S'ym (when ruling limbo/Otherplace), Witchfire (Ananym);
    formerly Bloodscream, Dherk, D'Spayre, Jigsaw (Billy Russo), Kierrok (at least formerly), Leanne of Zarhan, Lemurans of Pangea, N'astirh, warrior caste N'Garai, Maire O'Connell, Pterons of Pangea, Illyana Rasputin-616, Illyana Rasputin-8280, Storm-8280 (Ororo Munroe), Tubanti of Pangea, unidentified (and possibly unnamed) vampire coven
    possibly Colossus-8280, Storm-8280, Wolverine-8280 (either resurrected as ghouls serving him, or just demons in their forms or illusions of same);
    brief alliance with Cable (Nathan Dayspring Askani'son) and Aleytys Forrester to oppose a threat to reality;
    briefly allied with numerous other beings while opposing the Chaos King (Amatsu-Mikaboshi);
    the Right had access to some of Belasco's notes, and Cameron Hodge utilized a spell from those notes

Enemies: Joy Adams, Aerians, Agamotto, Durante "Dante" Alighieri, Alpha Flight (Aurora/Jean-Marie Beaubier, Guardian/Heather Hudson, Northstar/Jean-Paul Beaubier, Puck/Eugene Judd, Sasquatch/Walter Langkowski, Talisman/Elizabeth Twoyoungman, Windshear/Colin Hume, Wildheart/Kyle Gibney), Anole (Victor Borkowski), Beta Flight (Goblyn/Dean, Manikin/William Knapp, Pathway/Laura Dean, Persuasion/Kara Killgrave), Black Rose (Roxanne Blaze), Blindfold (Ruth Aldine), Bloodscream, Buth, Cable (Nathan Dayspring Askani'son), Chaos King (Amatsu-Mikaboshi), Children of Dis, Cyttorak, Deadpool (Jack/"Wade Wilson"), demons of Otherplace (when not ruling limbo/Otherplace), Dherk, Dr. Stephen Strange, Dracula, Excalibur (Colossus/Piotr Rasputin, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Kitty Pryde, Amanda Sefton; maybe Wolfsbane/Rahne Sinclair if you include menacing laughter as enmity), the Faltine, Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Ms. Marvel/Sharon Ventura, Thing/Ben Grimm), Flavius of the Cat People, Florentine Republic government, Aleytys Forrester, Gentle (Nezhno Abidemi), Goddess, Helene of the Cat People, der Jahrmarkt, (Feur, Gummi, Haus, Kierkegaard), Martha Johanssen, Ka-Zar (Kevin, Lord Plunder), Leanne, Leila of the Botor, Loa (Alani Ryan), Magik (Illyana Rasputin-616), Match (Ben Hammil), Megaton (sentinel piloted by Alexander "Lex" Lexington), Microchip (Linus Lieberman), Dr. Miller, N'astirh, New X-Men (Dust/Sooraya Qadir, Elixir/Josh Foley, Hellion/Julian Keller, Prodigy/David Alleyne, Mercury/Cessily Kincaid, Rockslide/Santo Vaccarro, Surge/Noriko Ashida, X-23/Laura Kinney), Maire O'Connell, Pao Fu (Lian Goh), Pilgrimm, Pixie (Megan Gwynn), Beatrice "Bice" di Folco Portinari, Punisher (Frank Castle), Satana (Satana Hellstrom), Amanda Sefton (formerly Day Tripper and Magik), Seraphim, Shanna the She-Devil (Shanna, Lady Plunder), Shuma-Gorath, Squidge, the Stepford Cuckoos (Celeste, Mindee, & Phoebe Frost), S'ym (when not ruling limbo/Otherplace), Margali Szardos (aka Margali of the Winding Way), Trance (Hope Abbott), Venezuelans forced to harvest the Pếna plant, Ver-Jeel, Wend, Wolf Cub (Nicholas Gleason), Wyre, X-Men-616 (Angel/Warren Worthington, Banshee/Sean Cassidy, Beast/Hank McCoy, Colossus/Piotr Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, Iceman, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phoenix/Jean Grey, Polaris/Lorna Dane, Kitty Pryde, Psylocke/Betsy Braddock, Rogue (Anna Marie), Storm/Ororo Munroe, Sunfire/Shiro Yoshida, Thunderbird/Neal Shaara, Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett), Zabu;
    Illyana Rasputin-8280, X-Men-8280 (Colossus/Piotr Rasputin, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett);
    formerly Cat-8280 (Kitty Pryde), the Cat People (descendents of Flavius and Helene), Dherk, N'Garai warrior caste, Nightcrawler-8280 (although he has attempted to usurp Belasco's power on occasion), Kitty Pryde-8280;
    possibly Angels of Heaven, Tigra (Florence);
    given the opporunity, the Hellphyr would have attempted to slay Belasco, along with any other mystic

Known Relatives: Ananym (Witchfire, alleged daughter);
    Beatrice "Bice" di Folco Portinari (wife (though the wedding was presumably unlawful as it was performed against her will), deceased);
    numerous unidentified demonic children and descendents (including harpies and a Cerberus-like giant canid);
    the Magik/Illyana Rasputin mystically gathered from memories and fragments of the "true" Illyana referred to Belasco as her father, but there's no true familial relationship

Aliases: Lord Belasco of the Corrupted, Master of Worlds within Worlds
    formerly "angel" (per Rogue), Lucas, "Lucifer," Mark, "master" (per Rogue), "red angel" (per Rogue), Sonny;
    impersonated Sabu, Wend;
    posed as (our simply allowed the Rev to believe him to be) Lucifer, and the Rev also referred to him as "Beelzebub,""the Devil," "the Lord of the Flies," "Lord Lucifer," "Satan,"  and ;
    "Lefty" (derogatory nickname used by Cable and Nightcrawler)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    at least formerly a castle/citadel within limbo (Otherplace);
    formerly an unidentified deconsecrated church in Natchez, Mississippi;
    formerly a temple within the Tepuis region of Venezuela, South America;
    occasionally the Land Within (realm of the Cat People);
    formerly the City of Dis, within the "Inferno" labyrinth/amusement ride below Mt. Flavius, Pangea;
    born in Florence, Florentine Republic, Italy

First Appearance: (Unidentified, human) Adventure into Fear#22 (June, 1974); (named, demon form) Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (February, 1982)

Powers/Abilities: Belasco is allegedly one of the most powerful of all Earthborn sorcerers. His abilities vary with whether he is ruling limbo/Otherplace, especially when he is within Otherplace (when they are at their greatest), as opposed to when he is acting from a position of lesser power. He has been observed to hurl bolts ot mystical force, form protective shields of mystical energy, mesmerize victims, transform people into animals or animal-person hybrids, transform and transmute matter (including removing someone's skeleton), teleport, travel interdimensionally, mesmerize victims, raise the dead (at least of those he has slain with limbo/Otherplace), cast illusions, summon demons, and generate entangling tentacles and magical cages. When ruling limbo (Otherplace), Belasco can shape and transform its matter and resurrect its denizens at will. 

    Belasco is, at least, unaging, if not truly immortal. When he can be injured, at the height of his power, such as when he is in control of limbo/Otherplace, he can shrug off non-mystical attacks almost effortlessly. He is most vulnerable to his own sword,  forged by the Mabdhara (N'Garai masters; see comments), as well as the Soulsword (or even the lesser-powered Soul Dagger). His own sword severed his arm, an injury from which he has not been able to regenerate. 

    Belasco is of gifted intelligence. His long studies of the black arts have given him an encyclopedic knowledge of spells he can access and utilize as needed. Many of his arcane texts were destroyed by Illyana Rasputin, but he may have been able to subsequently restore or replace them. He briefly aligned himself with the Winding Way, which allowed for the potential of great mystical power, but demanded in return periods of great weakness.

    Belasco has considerable knowledge of the technology the pre-Cataclysmic Atlanteans used in Pangea. He has also proved able to easily manipulate the android Dherk, also constructed from Pangean technology.

    His physical strength and other abilities vary with the strength of his magic; he is most powerful with limbo/Otherplace, generally demonstrating at least enhanced human strength (lifting over 800 lbs. to up to 2 tons) and at other times being able to physically stop the immensely strong Colossus. 

    Belasco possesses red skin, red horns originating from his forehead (though usually very short, they have been much longer at some times); a long, pointed prehensile tail (strong enough to hold a man aloft); reddish skin; fangs; claws; and pointed ears. He is missing his right arm, and contact with whatever remains of his shoulder is excruciatingly painful for him.

    Belasco is an experienced and accomplished swordsman, and a master strategist.

    When ruling limbo (Otherplace), Belasco is served by numerous demons, one of the most powerful and significant of which is S'ym.

    Belasco has wielded a number of weapons, most commonly his N'Garai-forged, rune graven sword, which is virtually indestructible and can permanently wound or possibly even slay Belasco himself.  Belasco has commonly used pendants/lockets containing pentagrams in which he could inset bloodstones (see comments), which he would form from powerful souls. Accumulating five bloodstones in a pendant represented great power, which would allow him to open a portal to allow the Mabdhara to access Earth.

During his conquest of Magik (Amanda Sefton)-ruled limbo, he wielded an axe, the nature of which is unrevealed; this may be a transformation of his sword, something he magically manifested, or an artifact he obtained under unspecified means. He has also wielded the Soulsword, a mystic item of great power forged from the soul of Magik (Illyana Rasputin), which can neutralize most forms of magic.

    On one occasion, Belasco gained a new right arm from his N'Garai masters. In addition to granting him greater strength, it also allowed him to simply reach into and tear out portions of others' souls, from which he could easily form other bloodstones (see comments).

    While on the Bermuda triangle island base, he could transform graven images of prisons into three dimensional prisons to contain his foes. While durable, they could be broken by the Beast (Hank McCoy)'s superhuman strength.

    Belasco used a "demon elixir" to transform Ka-Zar and Shanna into more demonic creatures, which he intended to breed to create a demon race. Upon his defeat/temporary destruction/banishment, they reverted to their normal forms.

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250 lbs.
Eyes: Black (sometimes red); formerly brown
Hair: Brown
Skin: Red; formerly pink (Caucasian)

History: 
(Adventure into Fear#22/What If? I#35/2 / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#1: Cat People / West Coast Avengers II#6 (fb)) <circa 1000 AD (see comments)> - Belasco, along with Orann and Yanthon (see comments), was amazed when fellow mystic Ebrok revealed he had transformed a pair of cats, Flavius and Helene, into Cat People. Though Ebrok kept his spell a secret, he created more Cat People for his friends to raise. Belasco, Orann, and Yanthon used the Cat People as servants, but found they reproduced in litters and matured rapidly, as well as resisted romantic advances; Orann's Cat-Men took too eagerly to his warlike ways. 

(What If? I#35/2 - BTS) - Eventually the Cat People rebelled.

(What If? I#35/2 / Fantastic Four I#314 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco, Orann, and Yanthon demanded the Cat People be destroyed, but Ebrok convinced them to instead send them into exile. The four mystics magically forced the Cat People (except Flavius and Helene who secretly devised mystic amulets to turn human, enabling them to resist the entrancement spell) to gather in the courtyard of Orann's citadel, after which they banished the group to the extradimensional Land Within.

(West Coast Avengers II#6 (fb) - BTS) - The sorcerers mystically arranged that one of the Cat People would always answer their call as the Balkatar.

(Fantastic Four I#314 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco retained some mastery of the banished Cat People.

(Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 1: Belasco entry) - One of the sorcerers, perhaps, Belasco, summoned the first Balkatar to Eath to serve him.

(What If? I#35/2 - BTS / Avengers: Roll Call: Cat People) - Years later (Ebrok looks at least a decade or two older), when Orann discovered Flavius and Helene's survival, he fatally wounded Ebrok with a spell, while Flavius responded by throwing a vial containing a precursor strain of the black plague. 

    Flavius and Helene retreated to a mountain.

(West Coast Avengers II#6 (fb) - BTS / Avengers: Roll Call: Cat People) - The sorcerers' guild (see comments) tracked Flavius and Helene to their retreat. 

    Attempting to defend themselves, they summoned the Balkatar (Tegnar) but found he was still in the sorcerers' thrall. 

    The sorcerers somehow blocked the spell (or at least blocked Flavius and Helene from using it) to create more Cat People from cats. 

    Flavius and Helene then transformed a human woman, Florence, into the first Tigra, and she savagely destroyed Helene and Flavius' enemies (see comments).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the ship's log of "The Vesper," written by Captain Dante Alighieri; 13th century (see comments) Florence, Italy> - Belasco had been for years an alchemist and sorcerer (practicing in black magic), and he had long harbored a secret passion for Beatrice Portinari, the beloved of Dante Alighieri (see comments).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) / Black Sun: X-Men#1 / Black Sun: Storm#2 / Black Sun: Wolverine and Thunderbird#1 / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) <13th century Italy> - Belasco managed to summon extradimensional beings he knew only as the "Elder Gods" (actually the Elderspawn known as the N'Garai, specifically the Mabdhara (N'Garai masters), spawn of the Elder God Chthon, though Belasco did not appreciate their true identities) who sought to invade and rule Earth. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb)) - Belasco struck a bargain with the N'Garai: He promised to help them enter Earth's plane permanently via an unfinished pentagram arrangement of stones and a special incantation, and the N'Garai granted Belasco's wish for extraordinary powers and immortality.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb)) - The N'Garai transformed Belasco's human form to more resemble their own, granting him horns, a tail, and light red skin (see comments). 

    They gave him the privilege of becoming father to a new demonic race, which would soon populate Earth; to accomplish this, however, he needed a bride.

(Fantastic Four I#314 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco maintained his ancient mastery over the Cat People, who had degenerated into demons.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco's sword was forged by the "Elder Gods" (N'Garai masters). When he received this sword is unrevealed.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri; circa 1289 AD> - Belasco had been tried and condemned to the stake for his practice of the black arts.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) <According to the ship's log of Vesper, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Belasco was freed from prison by his sorcerous familiars (possibly including the Balkatar).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Belasco kidnapped Beatrice Portinari (by now married to banker Simone dei Bardi).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - With Beatrice, Belasco fled Italy (actually the Florentine Republic at the time) by ship.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco sailed to Mt. Flavius -- which the N'Garai had indicated was the perfect location upon which to carry out the spell -- within the Antarctic realm known as Pangea (fashioned by pre-Cataclysmic Atlanteans as an amusement park). For safekeeping, Belasco made Beatrice wear the incomplete pentagram (with four blood-red stones -- aka bloodstones) in a locket, while Belasco kept the fifth "bloodstone" that would complete the spell in his possession.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Belasco was surprised as Durante "Dante" Alighieri (a poet enamored of Beatrice), pursued them. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - For months, Dante pursued Belasco to the "nether regions" of Earth. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#2: Belasco profile) - In his haste, Belasco forced Beatrice to marry and mate with him, leaving her impregnated.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - The chase ended in "a place of terrible cold and whiteness, a nightmarish realm where no man was meant to go." Most of Dante's crew froze in that land, but Dante continued, desperate to save his darling from this devil. Nonetheless, Belasco always remained just beyond a curtain of white blowing flakes. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Following Belasco, Dante and the few survivors with him came upon a strange, invisible force -- like a translucent wall of warm water that wasn't really there. Desperately in need of the blessed heat, they passed through it, and found a paradise within the twisted jungles and verdant forests. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - By the time Belasco and Beatrice arrived at Mt. Flavius, Beatrice was already swollen with child ("9 months pregnant"; see comments). With Dante hot on their trail, Belasco led Beatrice to take refuge underground, traveling down the network of tunnels that constituted the ancient "Inferno" amusement ride.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Ver-Jeel, of the winged Aerians, helped Dante and his crew track Belasco to a dark cavern. They navigated through the myriad marvels of the "Inferno" amusement ride, which resembled some versions of Hell (and/or the Greek/Olympian Hades; see comments).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#10 (fb) - BTS) - Beatrice apparently lost -- purposefully or by accident -- the locket given to her by Belasco on the boat ferried by Phlegyas (or a robot counterpart).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - As Belasco continued deeply into the caverns, Dante and his remaining crew, plus some volunteer Pangean men and women set up camp in an abandoned city. They separated, each of them trying a different passageway, hoping one would lead to Belasco.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco and Beatrice had barely arrived at the ninth level when Beatrice began to give birth; and Belasco's "children" burst from her rent womb. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Dante found Beatrice too late, as she lay upon an evil-looking altar, screaming in fear and pain, about to birth the monster's progeny. Belasco's children were hideous demons.
(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Dante arrived in the middle of their sacrilege and watched, dumbstruck, as his beloved Beatrice expired before his very eyes.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco went to Beatrice's body to retrieve the locket and thus seal his bargain with the N'Garai, but found to his chagrin that it had been lost somehow/somewhere during their descent.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Even as Beatrice died, Belasco leapt at Dante from behind a crimson curtain.
(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb)) - Enraged beyond reason by Beatrice's demise, Dante attacked Belasco with all his strength. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - Dante fought like a fury, driving Belasco before him into the cavern's deepest depths, but as Belasco's immortality spell was real, he could not slay Belasco.  Eventually Dante tired, after which Belasco disarmed him.
(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Dante fought fiercely, but Belasco's superior strength and skill soon won out. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - As Belasco lifted his sword, Dante whispered a prayer to Heaven. As Belasco brought the sword down towards Dante, he inadvertently slashed a pipe overhead, which spewed a freezing liquid, encasing Belasco in a mound of ice.
(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - However, as Belasco attempted to deliver the death blow, his sword slashed an overhead cooling pipe that dumped freezing liquid over Belasco. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) <According to the Vesper's log, written by Captain Dante Alighieri> - His beloved Beatrice dead, Dante staggered back toward the city and the rest of his crew. Suddenly an earthquake caused tons of rock and earth to fall down, sealing Dante from his men, but also opening a wide fissure in the mountain's side through which he escaped. He left his record behind, hoping that others who followed may know of Belasco and this Hell on Earth.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) - Dante returned to Florence and set his tale down in "Inferno."; Belasco's name was replaced by Lucifer, while Ver-Jeel became the Roman poet Virgil.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco's demon children spawned numerous other monstrous creatures that inhabited the "Inferno" ride, while the trapped Pangeans and crewmen apparently devolved over the succeeding centuries into the Children of Dis.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Even when they found the means to escape, the Children of Dis stayed behind to prevent Belasco's demon-spawn from escaping into the outer world. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - For centuries, Belasco existed in a frozen limbo, neither dead nor alive.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) <A "short time" ago, perhaps a couple of decades ago> - When the volcano Mt. Flavius became active, via an accident in the wiring system in the chamber, Belasco thawed.

(Alpha Flight I#122 (fb) - BTS / Alpha Flight I#124 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Belasco apparently fathered a daughter, Ananym, later known as Witchfire, though she would grow up unaware of her father's identity.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco learned much about the "Inferno" labyrinth and became able to control all that happened there. Nonetheless, he was unable to find the missing locket and, without it, could not keep his bargain with his masters.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - At some point, Belasco's right arm was severed by his own "elder god"-forged sword.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#9 - BTS) - After a monstrous griffin engineered by the ancient Pangeans fell into Mt. Flavius, an enormous erupted resulted, tearing a gash in the volcano's base. There the Aerian Buth, the Atlantean/Pangean android Dherk, Ka-Zar the Savage, and Shanna found an entrance over which was written, "ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE" (see comments) and from which issued sinister laughter.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#10 - BTS) - The four entered the caverns and navigated through the "Inferno" ride, encountering robots, illusions, and truly demonic/monstrous creatures en route. While traveling on ferryman Phlegyas' boat, Shanna spotted and secretly claimed Beatrice's lost locket.

    Dherk was soon cast into a deep pit by a living Cerberus creature, while the saber-toothed tiger Zabu followed the others and joined them shortly thereafter.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Dherk was recovered by Belasco or some of his agents. Belasco initially tried to mesmerize Dherk until discovering he was an automaton, after which he ("shall we say") reprogrammed Dherk to serve him.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11 - BTS) - As Buth carried Ka-Zar and Shanna across a river of blood to escape the arrow fire of the centaurs Pholus and Nessus (either creations of the Pangeans or Belasco's demon-spawn), a swarm of harpies attacked, forcing them to crash violently to the ground.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco or his agents recovered Buth and Shanna (including the locket) and brought them to his base in the 9th level of "Inferno." Belasco hypnotized them both, and Shanna changed to wear an outfit mimicking Beatrice's. Buth was affixed to a crucifix by his wings via a large clamp.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - In entrancing Shanna, Belasco established a bond with her soul.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#11) - Ka-Zar made his way into Belasco's chambers, only to be assaulted by Dherk. After Dherk hurled Ka-Zar against a computer screen, Belasco appeared, instructing Dherk to treat their guest gently before introducing himself to Ka-Zar.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12) - Belasco introduced himself, explaining that he had thawed, and then taunted Ka-Zar with his intentions for the mesmerized Shanna to mother his children. Ka-Zar lunged at him, but Dherk swiftly immobilized him, and Belasco told Ka-Zar to calm himself, promizing to reveal his whole, sordid story in good time. Belasco then had Dherk lead Ka-Zar to a cliff and showed him the nigh-crucified Buth, who Belasco then forced to sing like a bird before releasing Buth and summoning his demon-children to shoot him down with arrows. Though Ka-Zar pulled free from Dherk and assaulted the demon-creatures, Buth was struck repeatedly and fell into the waters below; Buth was rescued by Zabu.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12) - Ka-Zar leapt at Belasco with his knife, threatening to kill him for what he had done to Buth, but Belasco easily knocked the knife from Ka-Zar's hand and snared Ka-Zar's neck with his tail, by which he held up Ka-Zar. Belasco then demonstrated his power over Ka-Zar's allies by ordering Dherk to tear himself to pieces (his severed hands "magically" -- figuratively or literally? possibly due to Belasco's magic vs. the mechanical parts being able to act even when separated from his body? -- continued to follow the planned destruction). Belasco subsequently told Ka-Zar his origins up until freezing and thawing and then had his demons subdue Ka-Zar and throw him in the freezing chamber.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (fb) - BTS) - Buth returned to Aerie Shalan and gathered an army of Aerians to oppose Belasco and his forces.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12) - After his demons prepared the mesmerized Shanna for their wedding, Belasco led Shanna up through a passage to the volcano's peak.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12 - BTS) - Ka-Zar's pounding at the freezing room's window caused Dherk's head to hum to life, and his original memories restored themselves, allowing him to overcome Belasco's programming. With Ka-Zar's visual and verbal guidance, Dherk had one of his hands release Ka-Zar from the chamber. Ka-Zar sprinted through the uphill tunnels until coming to an army of demons, but he was aided by the timely arrival of the Children of Dis, who fired eyebeams that incinerated the demons; the Children also guided Ka-Zar to the tunnel to the top.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#12) - As Belasco performed the wedding at the top of the smoking volcano, Ka-Zar emerged from the tunnel. Belasco swiftly opened the locket and withdrew from his cape the final blood-red stone to complete the spell, and Ka-Zar yelled in defiance and tried to stop him, but Belasco caused the ground to split assunder, and a swarm of harpies emerged and attacked Ka-Zar. Belasco uttered the final incantation, "Iellanijo...Haviles...Kahrrk..." and the Aerian army and Zabu arrived to assault the harpies. Nevertheless, Belasco completed his spell with "Grazev...Fralik...Fro!" and a dimensional portal opened, through which the giant N'Garai masters reached. However, Ka-Zar then leapt at Shanna, tore the locket from her neck, kicked Belasco aside, and hurled the into the volcano. The blood-red stones fell from the locket, causing a brilliant burst of light as they struck the magma, after which the dimenisonal portal began to close. Belaso begged the N'Garai masters to come with him, but they instead caused him to burst into flame and fall screaming into the chasm far below. The harpies (and presumably the rest of Belasco's demon-spawn) subsequently dissolved into dust.
    While Ka-Zar figured they were all right now, Buth noted that it was a deep pit, with lots of places to hide, particularly to one the gods had made immortal...

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - The N'Garai banished Belasco to the interdimensional limbo known as Otherplace (but also frequently called "limbo"; allegedly part of the Nexus of All Realities)

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#2: Belasco profile) - While times flows differently in limbo, it is unclear how long Belasco was imprisoned; eventually, Belasco became the absolute master of Otherplace and its demonic inhabitants (see comments).

(Marvel Super-Heroes III#1/6 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 1) - Though imprisoned, through limbo Belasco gained limited access to other eras, with one report suggesting his meddling in the pre-Atlantean era. He lured the 16^th century innocent Maire O'Connell to limbo, taking her as his (allegedly first) disciple and giving her a bloodstone medallion, but as her magical mastery grew, so did her arrogance. To humble her, he gave Maire her greatest desire, immortality, then stripped her of her magic and banished her back to Earth, trusting she would grow weary of an endless existence.

(New Mutants I#71 (fb) - BTS) - The limbo demon N'astirh wished to become Belasco's apprentice, but was scorned in favor of human students; Belasco considered demons only good as servants.

(Excalibur -1) <In what would be years earlier on Earth-616> From limbo Belasco observed as the sorceress Margali of the Winding Way showed her daughter, Jimaine Szardos, the Soulsword, noting it to be Jimaine's evil destiny. Belasco then emerged on Earth from within Margali's pentagram, asserting that the Soulsword would someday belong to him (though another would stake her rights to the blade in the coming days); "For the nonce, I alone hold its hilt firm against the schemes of your duplicitious mother!" Calming Jimaine, Margali then banished Belasco.

(Excalibur -1 - BTS) - Margali noted that Belasco was a prince of lies with delusions of grandeur, though he had sown seeds of destruction in this world's soil; when his evil harvest soon came, only a true and terrible sacrifice, that Jimaine might have to make, would halt his rise to power. Margali therefore forebade Jimaine to depart, as she had planned to do with her lover and step-brother, Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler). When Jimaine insisted she was going anyway, Jimaine mystically transformed herself and somehow manipulated events so that Sabu, the aerialist who had trained Kurt and who was standing in for Jimaine in Kurt's final performance, died when his trapeze snapped in mid-performance (and Kurt couldn't reach him in time, even with his teleportational ability). Meanwhile, as Belasco, Margali confronted the packing Jimaine, taunting Jimaine that her departure would hasten "his" rise to power and weaken her mother. Jimaine denounced "Belasco" as a liar, but then she heard the snap of the trapeze and the scream, and "Belasco" told her it was a portent of things to come once she departed. 

    Desiring to avenge Sabu, Jimaine elected to stay and become her mother's disciple, and Kurt reluctantly left without her.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS / New Mutants I#71 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Belasco made contact with an island in the Bermuda Triangle, home to a long dead civilization and now the base of the X-Men; as the border between Earth and limbo/Otherplace was weak at this site, Belasco spied on the island's inhabitants.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - In Reality-8280, Belasco led Illyana Rasputin (sister of the X-Man Colossus) and the X-Men (Colossus, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Storm, Wolverine) to Otherplace/limbo.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - After Belasco fled the collective X-Men, Storm led her comrades to pursue Belasco, ultimately damning them all.

(New Mutants I#71 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#5: N'astirh entry / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update#2: N'astirh entry) - A perhaps time-traveling N'astirh saved Illyana-8280 when S'ym tried to kill her, as N'astirh's magic foretold what Illyana (or at least a version of her) would be important to him in the future.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - Illyana-8280 somehow returned to her world.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS / Magik I#2 (fb) - BTS) - When Colossus-8280 objected to Belasco's plans for Illyana, S'ym slew Colossus-8280 in Otherplace; Colossus died saving Kitty.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Wolverine-8280 perished in Otherplace, apparently at S'ym's hands.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - Nightcrawler-8280's soul was claimed by Belasco, who corrupted and reshaped him body and soul as his servant.

(Magik I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco magically transformed Kitty-8280 into a more feline humanoid; she subsequently took the name Cat.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - As Storm-8280 aged and her control over the weather began to fade, she turned to the other half of her heritage, sorcery.

(Magik I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Storm-8280 became Belasco's apprentice, and she was a superb pupil (see comments).

(Magik I#3 (fb)) - Still at the peak of both her weather and magical powers, Storm-8280 assaulted Belasco. Seemingly overwhelmed, Belasco pleaded for mercy, but Storm apparently murdered him; however, for her striking down a helpless foe, she was corrupted and transformed to have demonic features like Belasco. 

    From his throne, an unaffected Belaso reminded her that he was master of this limbo realm and that whatever existed there did so by his will and sufferance; though imprisoned there, he claimed to be immune from death. He further taunted Storm that it was not he who perished under her lightning but the last shreds of her cherished innocence; she was now "totally, irrevocably corrupted" and proved herself no better than the creature she fought. "Whatever happens, you are now bound to me -- body and soul -- 'til the end of time."

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco claimed Storm-8280's soul.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco underestimated Storm-8280, and she stole back her soul. Though she could never again be the woman she was, the good in her came to balance and eventually outweigh the evil.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 (fb) - BTS) - Despite having the mystic means to return home, Storm-8280 remained in Otherplace both because she had no one to return home to as well as to stay behind to guard Belasco and make sure he did not find another exit.

(Magik I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Cat-8280 attempted repeatedly to kill Belasco; everytime she got close enough to do some real damage, he teleported away.

(Fantastic Four I#314 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Belasco learned that Otherplace was connected to the Land Within and a number of other realms via interdimensional portals.

(Uncanny X-Men#160) <Apparent decades later from within limbo/Otherplace, but at the same relative point in the -616 timeline as when Belasco summoned the X-Men in Reality-8280> - From Otherplace/limbo, Belasco observed the six year old Illyana Rasputin as she watched the X-Men (Colossus, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Storm, Wolverine) testing their powers within their temporary Bermuda Triangle island base. Speaking telepathically, Belasco instructed Illyana to tell no one and just follow his voice.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 - BTS) - Illyana stepped on one of the light circles/stepping disks that transported her to Otherplace/limbo. She was brought to Belasco's throneroom.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 - BTS) - Following Illyana, Kitty Pryde stepped on a disk and was similarly transported.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 - BTS) - Following Kitty and Illyana's trail, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Wolverine were similarly transported in rapid succession.

(Uncanny X-Men#160) - Fleeing from the corrupted Nightcrawler-8280, Kitty tripped over Wolverine-8280's skeleton and fell at the feet of Belasco, who introduced himself and welcomed her.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 - BTS) - Belasco trapped Kitty-616 within a crystal that jammed her phasing ability.

(Black Sun: Storm#2 (fb) - BTS) - The crystal in which Kitty had been imprisoned had been secretly etched with a spell of dominion.

(Uncanny X-Men#160) - After Belasco explained the crystal's nature to Kitty, he blasted Nightcrawler, who had presumed too much by trying to "play" with Illyana. After clarifying this man to indeed be Nightcrawler, he revealed his plot to use Kitty and Illyana as the means of both his liberation and the N'Garai's triumph. Belasco then summoned S'ym to ensure suitable ends for the other X-Men. When Kitty-616 was distraught by seeing Wolverine's skeleton, Belasco taunted her by pulling her skeleton out of her body, then informed her that the crystal and his magics were maintaining her body; as long as she remained there, she would live. Belasco then gave Illyana a pentagram locket similar to the one Beatrice and Shanna had worn, telling her (apparently speaking in Russian) it was a token of his love; he further explained that, though it was empty now, when she had grown into a woman and learned the full measure of the arts arcane, when at last the five bloodstones (see comments) were in their proper place, she would ascend to a glorious destiny.

    Later, after Nightcrawler-616 had defeated Nightcrawler-8280, Nightcrawler-616 donned his counterpart's garb and appeared before Belasco, claiming to have slain the newly arrived Nightcrawler (616) and asking if that didn't earn his foregiveness. Belasco reluctantly agreed, but warned Nightcrawler that he already had his soul and would take his heart if he tempted fate again.

    Soon after, Storm-8280, who had magically aided Wolverine and Colossus-616 against S'ym, transported the two X-Men to Belasco's throneroom. When Belasco threatened them, Nigthcrawler-616 punched Belasco back, and Storm-616, presumably also summoned by Storm-8280, struck at Belasco with lightning; at a disadvantage, Belasco fled. The X-Men prepared to follow, but Storm-8280 stopped them, explaining how she had made that mistake in the past and had damned herself and her teammates.

    Storm-8280 re-merged Kitty and her skeleton and then freed her from the mystic crystal.

(Black Sun: X-Men#1 (fb) - BTS / Black Sun: Storm#2 (fb) - BTS) - The crystal's spell of dominion bonded fully with Kitty upon her flesh and bones' reintegration. Unknown to all others, Belasco maintained a connection with her, though which he could manipulate her in the future.

(Uncanny X-Men#160) - Storm-8280 then explained to Storm-616 to use her necklace to open a portal back to their island base. Almost immediately thereafter, Belasco arrived with S'ym and his demon army, and Storm-8280 held them off while Storm-616 accessed the necklace's mystic power. Belasco, however, slipped past Storm-8280 and snatched Illyana from Colossus and Kitty's unsuspecting arms. As the mystic portal closed, Belasco successfully pulled Illyana into Otherplace.

(Magik I#1) - After Belasco transported Illyana away to an altar, Storm-8280 followed them. Belasco noted that he had been expecting her and that it was time, at long last, for her to return to her rightful place by his side. Storm-616 offered to give herself to Belasco if he would release Illyana, but he refused, telling her he would soon have them both. When he bragged of using Illyana to restore the N'Garai to conquer Earth and eventually the universe, Storm fired a mystic blast to stop him, but he countered her blast and then -- with Storm helpless to stop him -- formed a bloodstone from Illyana's soul and placed it as the first one into his pentagram locket. He then fired a mystic blast that dropped Storm, but as he taunted her that he could just let nature finish off his aged foe, Cat-8280 struck his face with a throwing star. Cat told him that while he didn't age he could still die, and when he fired a mystic blast at her, she dispersed it with her sword's cold steel; however, when she attacked Belasco with her sword, he teleported away, telling her they would meet again.

(Magik I#1 - BTS) - Storm transported Cat and Illyana to her sanctum, after which she tried and failed to magically break Belasco's mystic hold on Illyana. During a mystic training session, a year passed for Illyana, making her 7 years old. Eventually Cat, not trusting Storm's sorcery, stunned her and convinced Illyana to join her in finding a means to go home.

(Magik I#1) - Mystically observing this, Belasco mused that Cat's efforts to bring Illyana back to those who loved her would ultimately lead to his victory and the destruction of humanity.

(Magik I#2 - BTS) - After training Illyana in combat and fitness en route (during which time Illyana aged another 2 years, making her 9), Cat brought Illyana to Belasco's citadel where Cat slew Nightcrawler-8280. Cat then tried to phase through the interdimensional walls and bring Illyana back to Earth.

(Magik I#2) - Belasco allowed Cat to proceed and made it appear that she had been successful, only to then appear on the other side of the portal and pull Illyana through into his hand, and to pull Cat and Illyana back into his realm. He taunted Illyana with how he had seen a momentary surge of joy when she realized it was him and not the X-Men; he told her that her heart knew its true allegiance even if her head denied him. Illyana denied this, and Belasco silenced S'ym's argument about what happened to those who opposed Belasco, asking him not to frighten the youngling. Noting that Nightcrawler had been an adequate servant despite his limitations, he then mesmerized Cat, forcing her to surrender her sword, and then transformed Cat even further into a quadruped, tailed-feline form to serve as Nigthcrawler's replacement. He enjoyed mocking her will-less form as she rubbed against his leg and purred. Next, Belasco instructed Illyana to cut her own wrist and use the blood to form the second of five bloodstones. Afterward, he prepared to show her her apartments, noting she would begin her apprenticeship in the morning. When Illyana asked if she couldn't please go home, he told her she already was home and would be at his side now and forever.

(Magik I#2 - BTS) - Observing this via her mystic crystal, Storm-8280 vowed that she must destroy Illyana and Cat to save Earth.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco enjoyed tormenting Cat.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco trained Illyana in magic.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Illyana was punished by S'ym; she swore she would die before she would ever allow that to happen again.

(New X-Men II#41 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco fell in love with Illyana. 

(Magik I#3) - Belasco coached Illyana -- who mentally noted her excitement at her servitude, though she both hungered and dreaded to become like him -- to show her what she had learned. He watched silently as she mystically mutated her pet, Squidge, after which it attacked her. After Cat ate the fleeing Squidge, Illyana expressed her fear that Cat might attack her as well; Belasco told Illyana if she had no fear, she had nothing to fear, and mockingly assured her that Cat wouldn't harm her once friend. He then expressed his disappointment that she had performed her soulspell without thought of its consequences. He considered that he should let her keep scars on her face to remind her of her failure, but instead instructed her to cast a healing spell before the sight of blood might incite Cat beyond all restraint. After acknowledging her promise to do better next time, he sent her to her bedchamber to meditate on tomorrow's lesson. When Cat bared her teeth, however, Illyana lost her courage and fled.

(Magik I#3 - BTS) - Illyana considered letting Cat catch and kill her, but instead ran more quickly after remembering that she had seen Belasco raise the dead.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - After Illyana learned to control the stepping disks and traveled through time and space within Otherplace, Belasco was upset to find Illyana was not in her room. He sent S'ym to find (and apparently punish) her.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Of all those Belasco's power had touched and tainted, he claimed Storm-8280 was the only one to break his hold.

(Magik I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Storm-8280 broke into Belasco's citadel and assaulted him.

(Magik I#3) - While Belasco battled Storm-8280, Illyana arrived and attempted transporting herself and Storm back to Storm's garden; she missed, and before she could try again, however, Cat (apparently mentally guided by Belasco) struck down Storm from behind. Not appreciating this defiance, Belasco sent Cat to attack Illyana, noting that a few scars might teach her proper respect. Illyana instead slew Cat, but after Storm told Illyana she was dying and would go to join those she loved, Belasco vowed to show Storm how flawed and corrupt Illyana -- who, he claimed, far outstripped Storm as a pupil -- had become under his tutelage. He told Storm that after he and Illyana, had conjured the third bloodstone, they would strip her soul from her still-living body and offer it as a sacrifice to the N'Garai, and she would suffer eternal damnation.

(Magik I#4) - With S'ym having returned to his side, Belasco noted that he could sense how Illyana was conflicted between wishing she had killed him and being happy he was pleased with her for having slain Cat; he seemed amused that there was still some of her soul to be corrupted. Illyana begged him to spare Storm-8280 and she would do anything for him, but Belasco noted how she would do anything he wished anyway to prove she was more bound to him than Storm. After he reiterated his plans to conjure the third bloodstone and then sacrifice Storm, Illyana inspired by Storm's smile to her, slew Storm with a dagger to prevent her sacrifice. Belasco yelled in rage, but his citadel was then assaulted by a powerful lightning storm, as if Ororo's spirit had become one with the lightning and she was doing her utmost to destroy Belasco and all his works. Though the tower was shattered and many of his monsters crushed, Belasco remained untouched. Nontheless enraged, he vowed that she had squandered her chances at power beyond comprehension and would instead know naught but pain from now until the end of time...no one could protect her, and there was nowhere she could hide. Illyana generated a stepping disk that transported she and Storm back to Storm's sanctuary.

(Magik I#4 - BTS) - Even there, Belasco apparently tortured her, making Storm's ghoulish corpse seem to rise from the grave. When Illyana seemingly transported herself back to her parent's Siberian home, she was confronted by ghoulish versions of the five X-Men that had accompanied her to Otherplace. Overwhelmed, she fainted. 

(Magik I#4) - While the ghoul Colossus held Illyana's arms, Belasco awakened her, wishing her to be aware of her punishment at his hands. When Illyana calmly greeted Belasco, he had ghoul Colossus stretch her arms until she screamed her throat raw. Noting the next process could have been as pleasurable for her as for him, Belasco introduced Illyana to a new level of pain as he claimed another portion of her soul to form the third bloodstone and bind it to the pentagram. Wishing her to learn who was master of Otherplace, Belasco left her in the wilderness, with his spells preventing her use of her mutant ability to control the stepping disks; he warned her she may be starved, be wracked by plagues, and/or ravaged by wild beasts, but she would not die: When he needed her, a summons would bring her to his side. Claiming the pentagram necklace, he told her he could take from her whatever he pleased and she could not prevent it..."eventually, of course, you will not want to. Then, perhaps, if you ask nicely, I may forgive..."

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb)  - BTS) - Belasco began his manipulations to return to Earth by his link to Shanna. 

(New Mutants I#71 (fb) - BTS) - To strengthen his own sorcery without Belasco’s aid, N’astirh stole his former master’s main spell book and traveled far into Otherplace’s past to study it.

(Magik I#4 - BTS) - After having grown a head taller and becoming tougher in the wilderness, Illyana marshalled her remaining strength to cast a master spell and summon a sword (the Soulsword). She was reenergized by the sword's mystic power, and the spells imprisoning her shattered; she summoned a stepping disk and traveled to Belasco's citadel. 

(Magik I#4) - As Belasco mused on how his plans to escape Otherplace via his plot involving Dherk, Ka-Zar, Leanne, and Shanna were coming together, Illyana appeared and challenged him. He attempted to dismiss her with a mystic blast, but she deflected it with the Soulsword and then countered his greater strength and reach with a sword by transporting via her stepping disks. Belasco summoned S'ym to deal with her, but he swiftly fell before a Soulsword strike. After Belasco retreated behind his desk, Illyana shattered the desk and set afire his magic grimoires with her sword. He angrily cursed her for having destroyed the accumulated knowledge of ages, but as she pressed her attack, he realized she was growing horns and fangs, while his faded, as did much of his arcane power. Belasco was hard-pressed to defend himself from Illyana, who knocked away his sword with her Soulsword after he had noted that she had grown a tail and red skin as he reverted almost completely to mortal form. The demonized Illyana mocked Belasco, asking why he didn't appeal to his masters for aid, then asked him it they might like her better. As she pinned his neck with her tail and prepared the final strike, Illyana paused, recalling Storm-8280's fate and becoming apalled at her own transformation. 

(X-Men: Soul Killer (fb) - BTS) - According to Belasco, when the "elder gods" judged Illyana would make a better servant than him, they stripped him of power and faciliated his defeat.

(Magik I#4) - As she backed off and returned to human form, Belasco called her a fool and questioned her renouncing her heritage and potential for absolute power. When he cursed her as a pitiful, pathetic human weakly, she reminded him that he was alive because she had spared him. He acknowledged that her overpowering him had earned her the right to his place as the N'Garai masters' standard bearer, but that he act of mercy (which he considered cowardice) proved how much the child she yet remained. As he teleported away, he warned her that she would come to curse this day when he delivered her planet into the embrace of his dread masters.

(Magik I#4 - BTS) - Appreciating that she could stay and rule Otherplace, Illyana instead elected to return to Earth, knowing she'd have to face Belasco again; she further appreciated that the medallion he had left her symbolized that she was more like Belasco than Storm-8280.

(X-Men: Soul Killer (fb) - BTS) - According to Belasco, when Illyana spurned his dark masters, they restored Belasco's power.

(Uncanny X-Men#160 - BTS) - Kitty regained Illyana's grasp and the other X-Men helped pull, returning Illyana to Earth-616; they were shocked to find Illyana was now 13 years old, having spent 7 years in Otherplace.

((New Mutants I#71 (fb) - BTS) - By this time, N’astirth, via his own natural affinity for darkest magic, succeeded in mastering most aspects of Belasco's master spellbook.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco anonymously contacted Sep who had repeatedly failed to revive the comatose Queen Leanne of Zarhan. Belasco convinced Sep to accept his offer to revive Leanne, as long as Sep would wait while Leanne performed a mission for Belasco.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#27 / Ka-Zar the Savage#28 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco drained the energies of Aerie Shalan and other nearby locations to enhance the power of the renegade Aerian Sep's machinery and revive the unconscious Leanne. This threatened the equipment that maintained the others' presence in Shanna's mind (into which they had traveled via technology in hopes of restoring her damaged sanity).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco manipulated Leanne, earning her allegiance by promising she would rule Pangea by his side.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS / Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb)  - BTS) - Belasco continued to cause tremors and unpredictable weather.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS / Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb)  - BTS) - Belasco influenced Dherk, drawing him to find a gemstone (actually an original gemstone from Beatrice's pendant, the only one to have survived the volcano's fire) near Mt. Flavius. Dherk collected the stone, thinking it merely a beautiful gemstone that reminded him of Shanna. He further used an ancient Atlantean jeweler's apparatus to cut the gemstone and forge a ring.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb)  - BTS) - Belasco implanted within Dherk the idea of how to handle Mt. Flavius' impending eruption.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS) - Guided by Belasco, Leanne traveled to the labyrinthian tunnels beneath Pangea to find newborn Pterons freed by the recent tremors. She convinced them to serve her master -- and his voice telepathically warned them that if they balked at serving, they would regret their very birth -- in joining her Lemuran forces (despite their previously being enemies) to gain vengeance on the Aerians that had trapped them there.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS / Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb)  - BTS) - Dherk gave the ring to Ka-Zar to give to Shanna for her engagement/wedding ring.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS / Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - Ka-Zar gave Shanna the ring and she agreed to marry him. As Shanna had already been an agent of Belasco's link to the Earthly plane, her receipt of ring (and the gem it contained) completed his bridge back to Pangea.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#28 - BTS) - Donning a pair of wings, Dherk flew over the Gorhan sea and realized that some of the lava had backed through the tunnels and out into the Gorhan from beneath the ocean's waves. Cursing his carelessness, Dherk hoped the ecological damage would be minimal. He found Naghen Island almost entirely below sea level, and on the island, he found Sep badly scalded by the lava-heated waters. Sep told Dherk he had waited because Belasco had restored "her" to life and had told him to wait.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29) - As Dherk pushed the artificial wings to their limit as he rushed back to the Aerie to warn everyone of Belasco's return, Belasco caused a giant hand to form out of the ocean waters and pull Dherk into the water, where a powerful undercurrent dragged him through an undersea cavern and passageways before dumping him on the bank where Belasco and Leanne awaited. Despite Dherk's insistence that he would never let Belasco to take complete control of him again, Belasco stared into his eyes and mesmerized (or reprogrammed) Dherk.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco apparently returned to the Aerie with Dherk, and Belasco replaced Wend and took her form.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29) - Alongside "Wend," Dherk visited Ka-Zar and Shanna shortly before their wedding. Dherk assured them that Pangea was fine, with only very minor damage in the Gorahn. "Wend" traveled with the others to the Temple of Vant, where "she" officiated the wedding. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 - BTS) - Guided by Belasco, Leanne led the Lemurans and Pterons as she recruited the Tubanti as well, telling them that the lava that had slain many of their number was caused by their mutual enemies. Leanne soon led these force to invade and overwhelm Aerie Shalan, most of whose forces were at the wedding.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29) - When "Wend" asked if there was anyone who deemed the joining unacceptable, Leanne appeared and announced that there was another fate in store for these two, after which Belasco retook his own form; as Dherk restrained Ka-Zar and Leanne held Shanna, the assembled forces of the Lemurans, Pterons, and Tubanti arrived and overwhelmed the Aerians. Dherk subdued Ka-Zar with a sleep-inducing Aerian nerve pinch, and Leanne (her abilities enhanced by Belasco's power) flattened Shanna. Though Shanna's step-daughter, Leila, leapt on Belasco back and pained him by grabbing his limbless right shoulder, Belasco pulled her free and threw her to the ground, knocking her out. As Zabu leapt at him Belasco teleported away with Leanne, Ka-Zar, Shanna, and Leila to his subterranean base, while Dherk, the Lemurans, Pterons, and Tubanti continued their assault on the Aerians and other wedding attendees.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - In Belasco's mystic throne room, Ka-Zar, Shanna, and Wend were pinned to metal columns by bonds generated by the Pangean machinery.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29) - Belasco taunted his captives, revealing that Ka-Zar's placing of the ring on Shanna's finger has been a crucial step to his re-establishing his link to Earth's dimension. He then revealed his plans to have them wed in unholy matrimony in his temple, after which they would serve as the Adam and Eve of his new race of demon children. After Leanne presented him with the Elixir, Belasco forced Ka-Zar and Shann to drink of an elixir that would turn them into demons; hearing this, however, Leanne began to question her alliance, not liking the idea of ruling a race of demons. As they began to transform, Belasco tore the original gemstone from Beatrice's pendant from Shanna's neck, explaining how this, added to the three he would reclaim from Illyana's pendant, plus one more would allow him to again summon the N'Garai, after which he would rule the demonized Earth as their regent; as they watched helplessly, Belasco performed the ritual of the bloodstone, summoning a portion of Leila's spirit and transforming it into a malevolent form "Todo...bendant...proseem...startanius narcrusta grogada mando. Tumbla! Kodabeet...Tumbla! Aru Niss Go Ditus! Yo Leeta! Spith Oglee Angusi! Hach Adooree Ann!" Fearing Belasco had this same demonization in store for herself and her people, Leanne hurled a cauldron (or vat, tub, bowl, whatever) against the machinery binding Ka-Zar and Shanna, setting them free. Though enraged, Belasco could not stop the ritual, which neared completion and was at a delicate juncture; however, rather than savor his favorite part of the ritual, he was forced to rush transforming Leila's soul fragment into the final bloodstone "Mi Kulpay Lyn! Gapo Pilz! Trumm Bolee Venn! Donsa Flooz Tee Plar!" Meanwhile, Ka-Zar was forced to stop the demonized Shanna from jealously killing Leanne, as she failed to realize Leanne was trying to help. After noting how Leila's pure soul would yield a powerful stone that would complete the ritual, Belasco then transformed Leila into a small monkey. Noting his displeasure in Leanne's betrayal, Belasco then returned Leanne to her comatose state.     

    Seeking the means to stop Belasco, Shanna began reading from Belasco's mystic tomes, though her initial efforts only summoned flowers, a radio, and balloons. However, while Belasco mocked her efforts, Ka-Zar sneaked up behind him and stomped on his tail. 

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (fb) - BTS) - Leaping from Belasco's shoulder, the monkey Leanne stole Belasco's ring (the one with Beatrice's bloodstone).

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29) - Belasco then grabbed Ka-Zar by the throat, but Ka-Zar, his strength apparently enhanced by his demonized state, tore free, snatching Belasco's sword in the process. As Belasco was driven back, he demanded Ka-Zar return the sword as he knew not its power, but Ka-Zar realized that it was this sword that had severed Belasco's right arm. His bloodlust/fury apparently amplified (and/or his mercy dulled) by the demon elixir, Ka-Zar thrust the sword into the fallen Belasco's chest; however, at that exact moment, Shanna happened across the correct spell, banishing Belasco and his sword to parts unrevealed. With Belasco gone, Ka-Zar and Shanna were purged of their demonic features, and Leila returned to normal as well.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#29 - BTS) - Shortly after Wend married Ka-Zar and Shanna (because they might not have another chance in the coming battle), Dherk -- still deranged from Belasco's influence -- led a group of Tubanti, Lemurans, an Pterons to confront them at spearpoint at the edge of a cliff.

(Ka-Zar the Savage#30 - BTS) - Dherk ignored Ka-Zar's explanation regarding Belasco and told him to save his breath for the trial. After struggling with Dherk, Ka-Zar cast Leila into the jungle and had her run away, after which both Ka-Zar and Shanna were knocked out by Tubanti, and Wend was captured by a Lemuran.

(Fantastic Four I#314 (fb) - BTS) - After Crystal approached a hidden interdimensional portal to Dis while journeying through tunnels in Subterranea, Belasco and his apparently grabbed her, rendered her unconscious (or at least stuporous) and brought her to his stronghold. 

(Fantastic Four I#314) - The rest of the Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Ms. Marvel/Sharon Ventura, Thing/Ben Grimm) located the portal and braved Belasco's stronghold, where they overhead Belasco voice his plans to make Crystal his mate.. Confronted by the heroes, Belasco fired blasts from his eyes to make a line, which he warned them they would die if they crossed. When the Torch rushed him, Belasco fired another eyeblast that turned the Torch into a pig, but his eyeblasts failed to affect the Thing and Ms. Marvel and they punched him out, causing the Torch to revert to normal; Ms. Marvel speculated they were resistant to his transformations due to their already having been transformed into monstrous form.

(Fantastic Four I#314 - BTS) - As the Fantastic Four fled his stronghold, Belasco revived and shouted in rage, but the heroes escaped through a portal to the Land Within. There they encountered the Cat People, who attacked them.

(Fantastic Four I#314) - Belasco teleported to the Land Within, where he confronted the Fantastic Four anew; when the Cat People knelt and bowed before him, he revealed that he was one of the sorcerers who had banished the Cat People to the Land Within. When he threatened to strip the flesh from the heroes' bones, however, they were distacted by an immense mystic fireball, caused by Dr. Strange's battle with the Great Old One Shuma-Gorath. Glimpsing this battle and fearing the conflict would collapse all of the nether realms, Belasco prepared a mystic counter-spell, and the Fantastic Four used the distraction to flee via boat on the River of Oblivion, escaping through another portal to the planet Arcturus IV.

(Punisher II#35 (fb) - BTS / Punisher II#39 (fb) - BTS) - Left for dead in a jungles of Guiana, the Rev (Sammy Smith) turned to "Lucifer" for salvation. Believing evil to be more powerful than good, he came to credit "Lucifer" as the source of his healing powers. This Lucifer, however, was actually Belasco.

(Punisher II#35 (fb) - BTS) - Appearing in a blaze, "Lucifer" apparently instructed the Rev to to into homes where familes slept and prepare them as for stew; a series of little deaths, to presage the coming cataclysm.

(Punisher II#40 (fb) - BTS) - "Lucifer" promised the Rev great power in return for his service.

(Punisher II#39 (fb) - BTS) - Claiming to have found mankind wanting, "Lucifer" instructed the Rev to wipe the slate clean by sterilizing the human race, except for a small band of chosen survivors. "Lucifer" assured the Rev that the chosen would live to see the year 2300, by which point the damage mankind had done to Earth would have been undone. 

(Punisher II#37 (fb) - BTS / Punisher II#39 (fb) - BTS / Punisher II#40 (fb) - BTS) - The Rev recruited a small group of natives of the Tepuis region of se Venezuela to gather the Pếna flower. These natives represented the rare few would could retrieve the flower, and most of them did so because they worshipped the Rev as a god for his powers, which he used to keep them free of contamination and disease. However, the Indians serving the Rev instead feared him as a demon and served him to protect their families, and those that tried to escape were shot or thrown off the cliff.

(Punisher II#35 - BTS) - The Punisher stumbled across an organization run by Jigsaw involving the Pếna plant and destroyed a whole truckload of it, taking a sample to his ally Microchip who brought it to Dr. Miller at Pandrake Labs Inc; she identified the plant and its properties as a sterilization agent, as well as it being found only in the Tepuis region of the Venezueluan rain forest. Angered upon learning of the Pếna load being destroyed, the Rev instructed Jigsaw he would have to join him in Venezuela to help gather more Pếna.

(Punisher II#36 - BTS) - After Jigsaw told the Rev that the Punisher was on to the sterilization plot, the Rev took him by plane to Venezuela.

(Punisher II#37 - BTS) - Jigsaw told the Rev it would take 6 months to gather enough Pếna to replace what they had lost, but the Rev revealed he was in the process of investigating a new patch, telling him this would allow them to have all the Pếna they needed within 2 weeks. 
    Meanwhile, the Punisher traveled to the region under his own means, and he learned from Joy Adams (an activities coordinator at Club Maracca) that the Pếna flower could be found along a nearby trail. She brought him to it, but found it bare, after which they were confronted by Jigsaw.

(Punisher II#38 - BTS) - Jigsaw carved up the Punisher's face but left him alive (hoping he'd come after them) and took his ally Joy Adams with him.

(Punisher II#39 - BTS) - To affirm his faith in "Lucifer," the Rev chopped off his own left hand and then regrew it. He subsequently invoked his "Lord of the Flies" as he healed a laceration on Joy's face. After the Rev had later ritualistically cut off and restored his foot, Jigsaw forced him at gunpoint to heal the scars covering his face. After the Punisher arrived and shot Jigsaw repeatedly in the chest, the Rev told Castle of his goals and named his lord as "Lucifer...Satan...Beelzebub...the Lord of the Flies." The Rev told Castle he had to believe in "Lucifer," in order for his power to work on him, and when Castle told the Rev to show him, the Rev carved a series of gashes into his own chest with his fingernail and then petitioned "Lucifer" to appear.

(Punisher II#39) - Belasco appeared before the Rev, Punisher, and Joy, acknowledging Castle as somone who had done such good work on his behalf (we only saw the demon's shadow).

(Punisher II#40) - The Rev introduced Belasco as Lucifer, the Devil, who resisted Joy's gunfire (at the Rev's request to prove his power). When "Lucifer" agreed to restore the apparently dead Jigsaw, the Punisher fired his automatic weapon at him futilely. Belasco then taunted the Punisher with having killed between 10-100 innocent people in the course of his work, then instructed the Rev to avert his eyes while he released a light flash to blind Castle. After the Rev stunned Castle with the butt of Castle's own gun and took both Castle's and Joy's weapons, Belasco told them he would give them 15 minutes to flee, after which he would revive Jigsaw and send him after them armed: Whoever survived would become the Rev's personal servant. After vowing to never serve the demon or the Rev, Castle took the Rev's advice to flee; Castle assured Amy that "Lucifer" was not a demon and that they were just using tricks. 

    When the Rev reaffirmed that Castle would never serve him, "Lucifer" said he would have to die with the rest of the humans (save the chosen few). "Lucifer" then elaborated on his plan, dumping the accumulated sterilization drug into the gulf stream to poison the oceans and wipe out humanity. Assuring the Rev he would supply him the needed strength, Belasco instructed him to revive the seemingly dead Jigsaw, which he did. After Jigsaw departed and the Rev noted that he was sure Jigsaw would succeed, "Lucifer" asked him to wager: If the Punisher triumphed, the Rev wold lose his healing powers, while if Jigsaw won, all would continue as before. The Rev then showed Belasco the Indians working on the Pếna, which Belasco noted was sufficient to do the job. When Belasco prepared to depart, the Rev reminded him of the great power he had been promised, noting that he had possessed his healing abilities since he was a child and asking what more "Lucifer" would do for him; staring back fiercely, Belasco asked, "Iss that not enough?" (sic).

    Meanwhile, the Punisher and Amy recruited the Indians, vowing to liberate them from the Rev; and the Indians showed them to a crashed drug dealer's plane, which contained weapons. Aided by Joy, the Punisher defeated Jigsaw, carved up his face anew, and left him behind.

    As the Rev prepared to depart, Punisher forced him at gunpoint to heal his face, and the Rev was surprised to find his powers still worked despite Jigsaw's defeat; he thanked "Lord Lucifer." Castle allowed the Rev's helicopter to take off, but then set off a bomb he'd planted, causing it to crash. Aflame, the Rev begged his lord Lucifer to help him.

    From a crown in some Aztec(?) ruins, Belasco noted Castle to be devilishly clever and that he would consider recruiting him someday. Tiring of the game, he decided to "seek the solace in the stars. I scatter my pieces and withdraw."

(Alpha Flight I#124 (fb) - BTS) - As the Goddess began her Infinity Crusade, Belasco anticipated trouble revealing Witchfire's heritage as his daughter before she was truly ready, but he felt it necessary to stop the Goddess.

(Alpha Flight I#122 (fb) - BTS) - Revealing to Witchfire that he was her father and showing her her true birthright, Belasco advised her to act against the Infinity Crusade being led by the Goddess, presumably via slaying the Goddess "and all of her kin."

(Alpha Flight I#123 (fb) - BTS) - Belasco apparently also told Witchfire that once the Goddess was gone, his masters, the N'Garai, would come to claim Earth once more as their own.

(Alpha Flight I#122 - BTS) - Taking a more demonic form, Witchfire assaulted her Beta Flight teammates Wyre and Persuasion and then announced her intentions to Manikin.

(Alpha Flight I#123 - BTS) - Accessing the Goddess' base on Paradise Omega, Witchfire accessed the minds of Talisman (Elizabeth Twoyoungmen) and Sasquatch (Walter Langkowski), both Alpha Flight members and two of the Goddess' converts/agents. Via memories of their pasts, she reminded them of past disbelief in the afterlife and of faith in science, respectively. Via this, she planted seeds of doubt in the Goddess' followers, creating a potential weakness in the Goddess.

(Alpha Flight I#123 - BTS) - Witchfire told Guardian (Heather Hudson) she would prove her loyalty to her father by sucking the souls dry from her, Northstar, and Wildheart.

(Alpha Flight I#124) - From his citadel in Otherplace/limbo, Belasco noted that Witchfire was everything he could have wished for and more, and that if she slew her former teammates that this would bind Witchfire to him body and soul. He further noted that the seeds of doubt in the Goddess' converted would create an opening through which she could strike at the Goddess, leaving Belasco able to tear down his pretense of servitude so he could take his rightful place as the Multiverse's supreme being.

(Alpha Flight I#124 - BTS) - Memories of his mother's guidance helped restore Walter Langkowski's religious faith, weakening Witchfire's influence on him, and he, in turn, convinced Talisman to recover her faith. Ultimately, Manikin helped Witchfire recover her memory of her past life, belief, and alliances, causing her to sever her connection to Belasco and restoring her to her previous form.

(Cable II#14 (fb) - BTS) - Seeking to thwart the plot of S'ym to use the Nexus of Realities to link limbo (Otherplace) and Earth, Belasco allied with the demon D'Spayre to enlist Cable, the son of Madelyne Pryor, aka the Goblin Queen (who had participated in the Inferno plot in which S'ym had previously been involved). Belasco agreed to allow D'Spayre to try to overcome Cable and his then-ally, Aleytys "Lee" Forrester, with despair and thus bring them under his sway (apparently in hopes of taking control of Margali and the Winding Way); if D'Spayre failed, Belasco would have his chance.

(Cable II#13) - As "Desmond" (aka "Gramps"), D'Spayre arranged a meeting with Cable and Lee near the Nexus. Amidst D'Spayre's manipulations, Belasco arrived at the shack of "Desmond," posing as the human "Lucas" (aka "Sonny"); he told "Gramps," he hadn't wanted him to start the game without him. Ultimately, when Lee and Cable overcame D'Spayre's influence, Belasco adopted his true form and told Cable they had a mutual enemy.

(Cable II#14) - When Belasco tried to send D'Spayre away, D'Spayre attacked him, but Belasco ultimately overpowered and banished D'Spayre. As they had moved within the Nexus, Belasco explained how they had each shared links via the Inferno event, that S'ym was trying to expand the Nexus to encompass Earth, and that the son of the Goblin Queeen was the only one who could stop this.

    After having traveled hours through a powerful storm, Cable angrily demanded further answers from Belasco, whom he taunted as "Lefty." Belasco responded by grabbing Cable by the neck, but Cable elbowed Belasco, knocking him to the ground. When Belasco found his magical transmutation spell had no effect on Cable, Belasco instead magically caused Lee's mouth to seal shut, threatening to suffocate her unless Cable pledged his services to Belasco; Cable agreed.

    As Belasco explained that he needed Cable because the Nexus was a product of both magic and science, and that both were being manipulated to create the dimensional rift, S'ym attacked, generating a fiery blast that toppled the trio. When Belasco tried to dispatch S'ym via a magical blast, S'ym instead smashed Belasco to the ground, noting that they were not in "limbo," and that he wasn't the same S'ym he used to be (as he had been infected by and then had taken control of the Technarch's techno-organic virus). Belasco then announced that Cable was the son of the Goblin Queen, leading to a confrontation between S'ym and Cable. By means Belasco considered too complicated to explain, Cable's cyborg strength, telepathy, familial relationships, and whatever else offered precisely the right touch necessary to defeat S'ym, who dissolved into dust after Cable impaled him.

    Belasco thanked Cable, who asked only for Belasco to close the portal as they had bargained. After doing so, Belasco told the son of the Goblin Queen he would be watching him.

(X-Men Unlimited I#9 (fb) - BTS) - During undersea salvage operations, Belasco discovered and claimed a N'Garai cairn. He brought it to his floating island (apparently a section from his limbo-base and the Bermuda Triangle island that Magneto and later the X-Men used as a base circa Uncanny X-Men#160). Warning the demonic Bloodscream of an impending invasion by the N'Garai, he convinced Bloodscream he could gain redemption by helping to repel this invasion. He then sent Bloodscream to recover a number of ships

(X-Men Unlimited I#9 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Zombies: Belaso entry) - Apparently Belasco did not realize that the N'Garai were the Elderspawn "elder gods" he served (or, at least that the lesser N'Garai (aka the warrior caste) were associated with the Mabdhara, the beings Belasco served).

(X-Men Unlimited I#9 (fb) - BTS) - Bloodscream, using a mystically ensorcelled crew, abducted a half-dozen fishing boats and a whole treasure-hunting expedition within a few week time period. 

    Learning of the ships' disappearances and with the Coast Guard unable to turn up a single crew, Aleytys Forrester contacted the X-Men for help.

(X-Men Unlimited I#9 - BTS) - Heading into the "Horse Latitudes" (around the Bermuda Triangle) to investigate the missing ships aboard Aleytys's ship, the Arcadia, the X-Men (Beast, Psylocke, and Wolverine) passed through a thick fog and then encountered Bloodscream and his crew. After a battle, Bloodscream abandoned them and continued in his quest, salvaging a number of sunken ships and submarines. The Arcadia carried the X-Men through a mystic field in the epicenter of which they found Belasco's island. They landed and the investigated.

(X-Men Unlimited I#9) - As the X-Men studied some hieroglyphics including chained beast-men (possibly mutants) and empty cages, Belasco confronted them, noting the cages were to be repositories for the enemies of the "elder gods." As the X-Men attacked, Belasco -- noting his powers were much weakened since his defeat and exile by Magik -- fired a magical blast from his sword that smashed Wolverine back and then tangled Beast with some mystic tendrils; Belasco then transformed the bas relief (meaning carved from stone) cages into three dimensional structures and trapped them both within the cages. When Psylocke leapt at him, Belasco deflected her psychic daggers with a force field and then knocked her out with a blow from the flat of his blade. Summoning a mystic crystal, a shard of a massive gemstone that resonated tot he very music of the spheres and was a conduit to great mystic power, Belasco then entrapped Psylocke within a prism, much as he had done to Kitty previously. 

(X-Men Unlimited I#9 - BTS) - Meanwhile, Bloodscream returned to Belasco's island with his recovered ships in tow.

(X-Men Unlimited I#9) - Revealing the cairn he had recovered, Belasco announced his to use his mystic crystal-enhanced powers to manipulate the cairn. Ignoring the X-Men's warnings, Belasco opened the cairn and unleashed one of the warrior caste N'Garai, which skewered him before turning on Wolverine. After the Beast had broken himself out of his cage, he helped Wolverine slay the N'Garai and then freed Wolverine as well. Before they could free Psylocke, however, Belasco focused the energies of the crystal and announced his plan to open wide the gateway to the N'Garai, so he could lead his flotilla into their darkling world -- where the crystal's power would be magnified 1000x -- to subdue and subjugate them with the old magic. He elaborated that when he had marshalled legions of demon warriors to his side, we would turn their combined might on the Earthly plane. As the released energies tore apart the island, Belasco offered the X-Men an honored place in his world order if they joined him in defeating the demons, while Beast explained Belasco's true intent to Bloodscream. When Kierrok emerged from the portal, Belasco used the crystal's energies to prove himself Keirrok's master. Belasco then confirmed his plans to Bloodscream, explaining how his world order would improve Earth, but when Bloodscream challenged him, Belasco blasted him away with eldritch lightning. Just then, however, Aleytys, via her rifle's sights, fired a bullet that shattered the crystal with Belasco's hand. This, in turn, shattered the prism holding Psylocke. As the X-Men prepared to escape back to Earth and leave the no longer crystal-enhanced Belasco to the N'Garai, Belasco noted he still had the power to slay them all before they departed that plane. However, Bloodscream, still hoping for redemption and willing to die at the hands of the N'Garai in order to be the instrument of Belasco's undoing, then assaulted Belasco, occupying his attention while the X-Men escaped, after which the portal faded as the pair were transported to the dimension of the N'Garai.

(Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry) - Belasco reclaimed rule of limbo/Otherplace.

(Excalibur I#103 (fb) - BTS / X-Men Unlimited#19 (fb) - BTS) - When Margali Szardos was at a moment of weakness following her defeat in London (circa Excalibur I#100), she was abducted and the Soulsword reclaimed by Belasco; Margali was imprisoned naked within an iron cage suspended over flames.

(Excalibur I#102 - BTS) - A sinister laugh (presumably Belasco's) was heard when Colossus, Amanda Sefton (originally Jimaine Szardos), and Wolfsbane attempted to check in on Margali Szardos' caravan in the German countryside and found it empty.

(Excalibur I#103 - BTS) - Belasco apparently tested Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Kitty Pryde with alternate reality counterparts (or falsely created duplicates) of themselves. Eventually they resolved the differences between their qualities and their counterparts', and Kitty figured that their experiences -- which included the nine circles of Hell and then a blank limbo-like realm -- were apparently a test by...(we don't hear her answer, but the scence next cuts to Belasco and it seems obvious she meant him).

(Excalibur I#103) - From his throne in "limbo" (Otherplace), Belasco noted with surprise how long it took the X-Men to figure out what was going on. After noting how they -- particularly Kitty -- had grown since they had last encountered each other in limbo, he discussed how sooner or later they would figure he had been the one to have taken Margali, and that he could hardly wait for the fun when they finally came for him.

(Ghost Rider Finale) - After Noble Kale/Ghost Rider claimed the throne of Mephisto's Hell from Blackheart, Belasco appeared alongside death gods Pluto and Hela as the only three ambassadors from the other death and/or Hell-realms to give him their blessings (with all others alleged planning Kale's destruction); Skritch introduced Belasco as "His exquisiteness, Lord Belasco of the Corrupted." When Belasco mocked Noble's two brides, Black Rose (Roxanne Simpson) and Pao Fu (Lian Goh), asking which was the wife and which the concubine, Pao Fu shoved her blade in his throat and asked which of them would bleed first, much to Pluto's amusement. Before they departed, Hela clarified that no friendship or alliance had been offered, but that they had merely wished to inform him that they would not be participating in his imminent destruction by the other realms, as they had neither the time nor the desire...to which Belasco added, "Unless, of course, you give us a reason to."

(X-Men Unlimited#19 (fb) - BTS) - Margali transferred her mind into Amanda's body and transferred Amanda's mind into her own body, trapped in Belasco's prison in Otherplace.

(X-Men Unlimited#19 - BTS) - Margali (in Amanda's form) seemingly slew der Jahrmarkt's Feur, Gummi, Haus, and Kierkegaard, allegedly to restore her ebbing power.

(X-Men Unlimited#19 (fb) - BTS) - In actuality, Margali had transformed the four into demonic forms and brought them to limbo/Otherplace, where their souls provided strength to aid those opposing Belasco.

(X-Men Unlimited#19) - Belasco interfered with a "Danger Room" style training session of Nightcrawler, taking the form of Nightcrawler's acrobatic mentor, Sabu; as Sabu was not part of the program, Nightcrawler swiftly realized the deception, but initially blamed Nightmare, before Belasco resumed his true form. Showing Nightcrawler the imprisoned Margali (actually Amanda within Margali's body), Belasco further revealed the apparent murders of der Jahrmarkt and noted how Margali was corrupting the Winding Way and named Amanda as the murderer; he initially offered to deliver Margali to Nightcrawler in exchange for permanent custody of the Winding Way. When Kurt denounced Belasco's claims as lies, Belasco -- before vanishing -- asked him if he wondered why and to where Amanda had vanished. 

    Watching from his thone in Otherplace as Kurt headed to Winzeldorf, Germany, to seek out Amanda, Belasco taunted Margali (not realizing Amanda's spirit was within Margali's form), noting how Nightcrawler would be heartbroken to learn the evil his daughter had been up to. When his servant Nightcrawler (presumably Nightcrawler-8280, either resurrected or pulled from time before his death; but possibly another Nightcrawler incarnation) agreed, Belasco silenced him with a swipe of his mystic sword, and the servant Nigthcrawler teleported away. When "Margali" remained silent, Belasco asked, "Cat got your tongue?" After he considered that he'd know if that pesky Kitty had been snooping around his castle again, he instead asked her if she had finally accepted that with the Soulsword in his possession that he had usurped her position as the Winding Way's custodian.

(Black Sun: Wolverine and Thunderbird#1 - BTS) - Belasco's castle and the NGarai cairn were left as rubble, while Belasco himself was nowhere to be seen.

(

(Deadpool Team-Up#892 - BTS) - Asmodeus tried to neutralize Satana's marriage to Deadpool via the "Till death do us part," clause, but Deadpool cut Asmodeus in twain with his hellfire-infused katana.

    With her soul regained, Satana terminated her marriage to Deadpool.

(Chaos War: Chaos King/3/3) - As the Chaos King confronted the energies of Satan (Marduk Kurios), Belasco joined the Hell-lords and many other demons and other beings who opposed the Chaos King.

    All the demons were apparently assimilated into the Chaos King's army with which he prepared to assault Earth's heroes.

(Chaos War#5 - BTS) - The Chaos King was defeated by Hercules (Heracles).

    Conventional reality was restored, presumably including Belasco.

Comments: Created by Bruce Jones, Brent Anderson, and Josef Rubinstein.

    As noted repeatedly, Belasco's limbo (best clarified by its alternate name, Otherplace) is A limbo (a timeless void) and is a pocket realm that is allegedly part of the larger Nexus of Realities, allowing access to all other dimensions. It is thus connected to the true Limbo, which is ruled by Immortus.

Belasco's masters (Mabdhara)

• Belasco initially referred to his masters as the "Elder Gods," and he has repeatedly referred to them as having ruled Earth in the past. Working chronologically (in terms of publication)...
• In the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition on Belasco, it was speculated that Belasco's Elder Gods might refer to the N'Garai or the Undying Ones, both of whom had ruled Earth in the past, vs. Earth's Elder Gods (Chthon, Gaea, Oshtur, Set).
• Chris Claremont consistently referred to the N'Garai as Elder Gods in his stories.
• Darkhold: Book of Sins#4 refers to the N'Garai as having Chthon as a father, which technically makes them Elderspawn, rather than true Elder Gods...but, you know, pretty close...
• In X-Men Unlimited#9, Belasco invades the dimension of the N'Garai and attacks them: 
• Presumably this would indicate that he doesn't realize they are his masters
• Or -- to make the most sense of it -- it may indicate that his masters are the Mabdhara (N'Garai masters), and that he didn't realize that the warrior caste N'Garai were associated with the Mabdhara
• Perhaps he did realize the connection, but tired of being servile and thought to usurp their power for himself.
• In Black Sun#1, Belasco notes his new arm to be a gift from his masters, a token of their faith as he had served them well...he continues on that he will provide them a realm ripe for conquest. 
• "Five bloodstones will be formed from the souls of five founding members of your accursed new X-Men team...these bloodstones will open the mystic gateway to the world of my masters, the Elder Gods, and your world will perish in fire."
• #2, he does say "my new allies," but I think we could spin that to mean "my newly recognized allies" (as he had just learned that the N'Garai were the masters he had long served). 
• He then goes on to note that "once the five bloodstones had been forged from the souls of the X-Men, no power in existence can prevent the true N'Garai from sweeping through limbo and onward to Earth. 
• In #5, Magik (Amanda Sefton) says Belasco is "using your souls to allow his masters, the N'Garai, to conquer both limbo and Earth."
• The interchangeable use of "my masters," "Elder Gods," and "N'Garai" make it pretty clear that they are one and the same
• Subsequent Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe profiles on Belasco, the N'Garai, and others have confirmed the above relationship.
• While Black Sun doesn't get into it, Claremont's other stories repeatedly reference the Mabdhara as N'Garai masters, in contrast to the warrior caste. It only makes sense that the rulers are the ones who would have empowered and directed Belasco.

Sorcerer's guild and the Cat People

Yanthon or Belasco:

•     Two of the four sorcerers in the sorcerers' guild are identified in story, attaching names to their forms. 
•      In the image at the top of the history in the main imageshowing their faces, the two cental characters are Orann (left) and Ebrok (right). 
•      Belasco was later ret-conned to be one of those sorcerers by Steve Englehart, and the fourth one, Yanthon, was first identified in the Marvel Zombies: Belasco profile. 
•      However, we don't know which of the two ones unidentified in the story is Belasco and which is Yanthon. 
•      The one on the left of this paragraph looks more like some of the pictures we see of Belasco
•      However, I kind of like the idea that Belasco would have been the pervert that tried to grope the female Cat Person, as shown in the image on the right.

Timeline of the Cat People:

• Tumolo claims in Giant-Size Creatures that they've existed amongst humans since the dawn of time (she was presumably exaggerating)
• Update '89 says they got created 1000 years ago
• Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #27/2 says circa 1000 AD
• West Coast Avengers II#6 supports this, saying it was 900 years after the first Tigra spawned the second bunch of Cat People (when both the original pair of Cat People were elderly) that Tumolo showed up. 
• Belasco, who was around when they were created, went to Pangea circa 1289
• I believe Dante's Inferno was written in the 14th century, though I don't know exactly when. Belasco's original story noted the events to have happened 7 centuries ago, and, regardless of the sliding timescale, that story was written in 1982, which would put it in  the 13th century.
•     The real world Beatrice died in June 1290, at the age of 24. While 616 Beatrice's history clearly differs from real world Beatrice, we generally keep the two as close together as possible, and assume only aspects shown to be different are changed between a real person and their comic counterpart. Back-tracking nine months at sea with Belasco would mean she got kidnapped in 1289. This fits for Dante's history - his whereabouts are fairly well known in June 1289 (fighting in a war), but less clear subsequently.
      Of course this could be out by a year, if she was declared dead when she vanished with Belasco, rather than when Dante returned from his ill-fated rescue mission and confirmed her demise - in that case, the abduction would be 1290. Belasco must have been denounced shortly before the kidnapping - his trial would have been swift (especially if he couldn't hide his demonic features), and his escape equally so (no long stay on death row while waiting for appeals for individuals sentenced to be burned at the stake for consorting with demons), and his kidnap of Beatrice would have followed almost immediately (hunted fugitive, he wouldn't hang around longer than needs be).
  --Loki
• Belasco may not have been absent when the sorcerers went after Flavius and Helene following Ebrok's demise (Tigra reportedly destroyed Flavius and Helene's enemies)
• Black Death, which the first of the Cat People, Flavius, unleashed when his creator, Ebrok, was an old man but Flavius was middle aged, didn't come to Europe until 1346. 
• So, either: 
• The 1000 AD date is wrong, and it all happened closer to the 13th century
• The 1000 AD date is correct, but Ebrok, Flavius and Helene all lived for hundreds of years, so that the second part of the story took place much later - but this contradicts the WCA #6 reference, plus, while wizards might live that long, it would be really bad for Cat People to do so, given the Land Within's existing population issues.
• The 1000 AD date is correct, Belasco just wasn't present for the pursuit of Flavius and Helene because he had his own stuff to do, and the plague released was not the Black Death, but a precursor which later gave birth to the Black Death. 
• Avengers: Roll Call: Cat People entry supported this latter scenario
• On a semi-related timeline note, X-Factor I#32 has Cameron Hodge described Belasco as a "fifteenth century mystic."
• We know he was active in the 13th century (and the 11th), but was thereafter frozen until recent years.
• The easiest explanation is the Hodge was either just plain wrong, or that the notes from Belasco they possessed were discovered in the 15th century, or someone copied and dated them in the 15th century, or something like that.
• It is possible that Belasco either could send out his spirit to act in the 15th century and create more notes
• Or, there's certainly convoluted stories of how he might have escaped being frozen at some point and then end up frozen again, right where he had previously been.
  

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition: Belasco entry calls into question Belasco's encounters with Dante and Beatrice.

• It notes that the accounts are contradicted by the historical records of Dante and Beatrice.
• Obviously, the accounts this references are the records of the real world, which differs from Earth-616 on so many levels that this is clearly an invalid argument.
• ...but then historical records of the real world don't mention superheroes in World War II, and let’s face it, Beatrice's family wouldn't have wanted to say she was kidnapped by a demon sorcerer, so they'd have faked the official records.
  --Loki
• It  notes that "it is impossible to believe that the pre-Cataclysmic Atlantean scientists could have built a replica of Hell that resembles in such detail the visions of Hell that were independently developed by the ancient Greek religion and later by Christianity thousands of years later. Based on this conclusion, it ascerts that it is far more likely that Belasco himself used Pangean technology to construct a mechanical replica of the underworld as it existed in Dante's poem "The Inferno." It further suggested that Dante's ship's log might be a forgery by Belasco.
• Hmmm...well, anyone who has researched mythology and religion knows that more recent religions haven often adopted/adapted/borrowed concepts from older religions. We know that there was a Hellish region Arallu as far back as Conan's era, circa 10,000 BC or so. Why is there any reason to doubt that the Greeks and the Christians based some of their concepts on those that existed or where reported in the pre-Cataclysmic era? It's certainly not "impossible to imagine"
• This misses out the idea that the Greek and Christian versions might well have been handed down by / inherited from surviving Atlanteans - in other words, this is the Atlantean version of Hell, which we inherited from them).
  --Loki
• It notes that the account of his origin conceals the fact that at some point he lost his arm.
• It doesn't conceal it, it just doesn't explain it. The simplest explanation is that he lost his arm in some, as yet unrevealed recent adventure after recovering in recent years...what was that adventure? We don't know, it's just an unrevealed adventure...did it involve Ulysses Bloodstone? Centurious? Dracula? someone else? some cat we ain't never heard of? 
• The Master Edition noted that he lost his right arm, when it was severed, under circumstances yet to be revealed, by his own sword.
• Flashbacks both from Dante's and Belasco's accounts both show Belasco as still possessing two arms when he was frozen
• Actually, beyond #3, they missed the point about the origins as shown contradicting Belasco's demonic transformation
• In the images and text from Dante's accounts, Belasco was a sorcerer, but entirely human in appearance (image to the near right, with upraised sword)
• Was this account purely in writing, and Ka-Zar and Shanna just imagined the events, having not yet met Belasco?
  
• In Belasco's account, he gained demonic form before abducting Beatrice; however, in the images shown, up to the time when he was frozen, he looks pretty much like he did in Magik I#4 when he lost his demon features. He wore his same red outfit and had the same hairstyle, but there's no obvious tail or horns (image to the far right, holding a torch)
• Given that Belasco related this verbally, the imagery may be purely from Ka-Zar's imagination...or was Belasco generating a visual version as well?
  
• So, the question is, did he actually make the physical transformation before being frozen, or did he make the physical transformation in the intervening centuries.
• Was there perhaps some art confusion?
• There was also minor contradiction as to how the fight went between Dante and Belasco, such as who was the more skilled swordsman, but the end result is the same, and certainly one might expect each person to remember themselves as having been in the right and having fought better...
  
• The Master Edition notes that much of his account of his own origin may be untrue.
• The 21st century handbooks did not question the events, but rather reported what was told in the stories themselves

I'd always assumed limbo had its own population of demons, of which Belasco (and his successors) made himself the master.

• In Belasco’s origin flashback in Ka-Zar #11 we see that Beatrice gave birth to demons. Since Belasco had married her and presumably been the one to impregnate her, they would be his children, and their offspring his descendants. The Children of Dis, descendants of Dante's crew, kept them trapped in the theme park, so they didn't spread outside, so that presumably means any demons seen in those issues of Ka-Zar as related to Belasco. And when he got banished to limbo at the end of the story, we never heard or saw of them again - either they got exterminated by the Children (seems unlikely, given they'd not managed to do so before), escaped into Pangaea (seems unlikely, as we never heard Ka-Zar mention a plague of demons causing problems around the realm), they stayed trapped in the theme park (possible, but Dherk didn't seem to expect he'd run in to them when he returned to the region in later issues), or they got exiled with their dad (seems entirely fitting and plausible). At least some, and perhaps all, limbo demons may be Belasco's descendants.
  --Loki
• Ka-Zar the Savage#12 it did specifically state that when Belasco burst into flames the harpies dissolved into dust, and the Aerians were there physically battling the harpies and other demons.
• Ka-Zar the Savage #13 starts out by saying that Belasco and his demonic brethren had been destroyed, leading me to think they either all dissolved or were slaughtered by the Aerians.
• However, Belasco burst into flames and was seemingly destroyed in #12…and we know he was actually banished extradimensionally (to limbo/Otherplace) rather than being destroyed…so, perhaps the same is true for his demonic offspring.
• IF the demons of Otherplace/limbo are the offspring/descendants of Belasco, than that may make S’ym, N’astirh, Crotus, etc. the offspring or descendants of Belasco as well.

Some of the events involving the X-Men of Reality-8280 are either not clearly defined or are somewhat contradictory as described:

    Who killed Wolverine-8280?:

• Uncanny X-Men#160 – S’ym serving Belasco. Last time he saw Wolverine, he still had meat on his bones, wanted him for himself (suggests he didn’t kill him?)
• Magik I#2 – encounters newly trapped young Illyana, says he “taught Colossus a lesson” for objecting to Belasco’s plans for her. Catches her, going to deliver her to Belasco, but Cat cuts his tail (her sword can penetrate) – annoys him, he intends to feast on her heart as he did Wolverine’s.
• That "fed off Wolverine's heart" suggests to me that he was the killer. Of course, he might have just eaten from the corpse after someone else did the killing, but that lessons the boast - Cat cuts him, and he basically tells her "once someone else manages to kill you I will eat some of your corpse" is a lot less threatening than "I'll rip your still beating heart out from your chest and eat it in front of you, like I did to your pal"
  --Loki
  

    It didn't seem to me that Storm was apprentice to Belasco before their battle.

• Possibly, though the question then arises as to who in limbo taught her. I suppose it is feasible that she just somehow picked up the knowledge and skill without someone training her, but that's not how most of the sorcerers we've seen have come into their magic. I'd read it as her having played along as being willing to be his apprentice, believing she could resist his corruption and then turn on him - her story paralleling Magik's in that respect, right down to the apprentice battling the master and so almost becoming fully corrupt too. That apparent murdering of Belasco was not the start of her corruption, but rather the conclusion of it - the start was when she became his apprentice. Or at least, that's how I interpreted it.
  --Loki

    Shanna questioned whether the entrance shouldn't read, "All hope abandon ye who entered here." I guess that's the quote from Dante's Inferno...

    In Magik#4, Belasco noted having already manipulated Shanna and Dherk but not yet having revived Leanne, when in Ka-Zar, Leanne was resurrected before the plots with Dherk, etc. started. Obviously the limbo-realm Otherplace and its time distorting nature are easy explanations...

    In the first Ka-Zar the Savage#11-12 arc Belasco referred to the formed-from-soul-gems as "blood-red stones." Pretty much every story after that shortens the term to "bloodstones." As noted in the clarfications, these should be distinguished from the bloodstones/bloodgems associated with Ulysses & Elsa Bloodstone, etc.

    Belasco was not involved in the Magik II story involving the Lords of the Splinter Realms, as Magik (Amanda Sefton) was ruler of limbo/Otherplace at this time. However, as he has frequently ruled that domain and he has been pictured associating with other demon realm masters, we can expect that he has been a member whenever he ruled limbo/Otherplace.

    It has been revealed that when Illyana/Darkchild rejected her magical/demon side, she was replaced with Illyana of Reality-8280, who later died from the Legacy virus. The Darkchild that was created in the New X-Men#37-41 arc was made from the scattered remnants of Magik/Illyana-616.

    Interestingly, the Excalibur -1 appearance takes place in Nightcrawler's history chronologically well before GS X-Men#1 and thus well before Ka-Zar the Savage#9-12, but it takes place for Belasco between Ka-Zar 12 and Uncanny X-Men#160.

    Ghost Rider Finale was the finished version of the previously unpublished Ghost Rider III#94, which would have come out in 1998.

    Belasco's appearance in the Punisher seems like a last minute editorial decision...it had been all about Lucifer, and then it turned out to be Belasco, not that anyone in the story knew who he really was. I wonder if someone balked at the idea of having "the Devil" in it...the shadow seen at the end of #39 doesn't quite look like Belasco, and the whole deal didn't really fit Belasco's motif...but then, there are plenty of stories without people being in character.

    In X-Men Unlimited#9, Wolverine noted that Belasco had

wonce pulled out his whole skeleton...that's not quite right. Belasco mystically removed Kitty Pryde's skeleton, and it was restored by Storm of Reality-8280. Wolverine's skeleton was shown in that issue, but it was the skeleton of Wolverine-8280; for all we know, Belasco may have killed that Wolverine by removing his skeleton, but it's equally possible he had just died and his soft tissue had decomposed. Wolverine-616 never lost his skeleton to Belasco. 

    X-Men: Divided We Stand#2/2 has Illyana screaming at an image of Belasco...I think that's just meant to be an image rather than a manifestation, but I'm including it in the history since it's not 100% clear.

    Deadpool Team-Up#892 repeatedly has Satana complaining about her curvy (she's implying it's chubby) 1970s body. I personally much prefer a woman with curves than the stick figure Kate Moss type. I think that's an unrealistic, unhealthy, and undesirable.

    The plot in Black Sun was overly convoluted. 

• As soon as Belasco captured the souls of Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Sunfire, why didn't he just form five bloodstones from them? 
• Plus, Havok and Polaris weren't founding X-Men...but they were part of the "original" X-Men, prior to the All-New, All-Different X-Men from Giant-size X-Men#1.
• Even the titles were confusing...the covers to each had at the top "X-Men: Black Sun," each had the numbering #1 of 5, #2 of 5, etc., and each had a subtitle a the bottom (New X-Men, Storm, Banshee and Sunfire, Colossus and Nightcrawler, and Wolverine and Thunderbird). The indicia, however, listed them as Black Sun: X-Men#1, Black Sun: Storm#2, Black Sun:Banshee and Sunfire#3, Black Sun: Colossus and Nightcrawler#1, and Black Sun: Wolverine and Thunderbird#1
• As best as I can tell, the N'Garai-possessed X-Men were meant to capture the souls of Jean Grey, Beast (Hank McCoy), Warren Worthington III, Bobby Drake, and Lorna Dane. After capturing Worthington, Drake, and Dane, Magik noted that Belasco had 3 of the 5 he needed. Then the N'Garai-possessed X-Men captured the soul of McCoy, but not Grey...and the N'Garai noted that they had all five that they needed...WTF, yo? I guess he was counting Kitty's, and they only pretended like they needed five MORE.

    Regarding the main image:

    Yes, it's the oldest (real time) costume he's worn since we've seen him, but it's pretty much his classic appearance and he keeps rebooting to that. His most recent appearance in Chaos Wars looks to be back in that vein, and, rather than show that tiny little image, this is totally the best image of him.

The cover of Amazing Heroes#5 has an interesting variation on Belasco. It shows the same scene of Belasco first meeting Ka-Zar that is the profile's main image, but a somewhat less demonic/more human looking Belasco. Same artist - Bret Anderson - and Belasco looks close to the human from images from the Ka-Zar flashbacks that covered his origin, which makes me think this is what he was originally intended to look like and what he may well have still looked like in-universe in the early days of his becoming demonic.
--Loki

    Belasco had OHotMU profiles in the Deluxe Edition#2 and Marvel Zombies, which was then reprinted/updated for the OhotMU A to Z HC #1 and SC #1.

    The Deluxe Edition lists Belasco as "One of the most powerful of all Earthborn sorcerers."

    The Master Edition noted that he was lacking in fighting skills as he was a poor hand-to-hand combatant, relying on strategy. That may be true, but he is an experienced and talented swordsman.

    The Marvel Zombies: Belasco entry notes that Beatrice was 9 months pregnant when they reached Pangea. She was certainly full-term, but I think it is debatable whether a full 9 months passed during their travel...it may have been that the pregnancy was mystically accelerated. Nine months pregnant could be taken to mean full term, rather than a literal 9 months....though the stories don't say anything one way or the other, only that she was "swollen with child" and gave birth soon after.

Thanks to Loki, Marvelous Luke, and Chris McCarver for helping me find and cover multiple stories and events for this profile.
Thanks to MarvelousLuke for some impressive image clean-up on the main image and a few others!

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Belasco should be distinguished from:

•  Bosco - a chocolate syrup enjoyed by many (including George Costanza), first available in 1928 (according to the internet, anyway)

The "blood-red gemstones," aka "bloodstones" created by Belasco have no known connections to:

• BLOODSTONE - created centuries ago by Kaman-Ru, obtained by Swami Rihva, would reveal a map to Kaman-Ru's ancient treasures when bathed in the blood of a supernatural being--Werewolf by Night I#7

• BLOODSTONES - Fragments of the Bloodgem, which empowered Ulysses and Elsa Bloodstone, Merlin Demonspawn, etc; and was, at least previously, inhabited by the Exo-Mind--Marvel Presents#1 

• BLOODSTONES - name for Black Market diamonds--Hood#2

• Ulysses Bloodstone, or his relatives Elise, Elsa, or alternate reality grandchildren Aztek & Maya, etc.; or any of his or their possessions, such as the Bloodstone choker, curios, house, or island...

• Blood-Jewel - power item used by the extradimensional Grithstane--Monsters Unleashed#9
• Bloodstone (or Bloodgem), alternate name for the Godstone (aka Moonstone) that empowered John Jameson as Man-Wolf

---

images: (without ads)
What If? I#35/2, pg. 3, panel 2 (Sorcerer's guild, faces);
            panel 4 (sorcerer sees litter);
            panel 5 (sorcerer slapped for advances);
        pg. 4, panel 1 (sorcerer's guild; full, distant)
Ka-Zar the Savage#11, pg. 11, panel 2 (Belasco as human necromancer);
            panel 4 (Dante's ship pursuing Belasco's);
        pg. 12, panel 3 (Beatrice on demonic altar);
            panel 4 (Belasco's demon-spawn born);
            panel 5 (human Belasco ambushing Dante);
        pg. 13, panel 1-2 (human Belasco strikes pipe and is frozen while trying to kill Dante);
        pg. 24-25 (Belasco standing beside Shanna dressed as Beatrice);
    #12, pg. 7, panel 3 (suspending Ka-Zar with his tail);
        pg. 9 (Belasco making deal with N'Garai masters);
        pg. 10 (Belasco and Beatrice descending into Inferno);
        pg. 11 (Belasco on ice)
Magik I#1, pg. 3 (with demon army);
        pg. 5, panel 5 (corrupting Illyana's spirit);
    #3, pg. 16, panel 3 (enslaves Storm)
    #4, pg. 1 (full body, with demons in limbo)
        pg. 18, panel 3 (losing demon features)
Ka-Zar the Savage#29, pg. 7, panel 6 (Belasco as Wend - full, somewhat distant);
        pg. 17, panel 1 (Belasco as Wend - thighs up, somewhat closer);
        pg. 22, panel 1 (mystic throne room below Pangea);
        pg. 39, panel 4 (stabbed with own sword by Ka-Zar);
Punisher II#40, pg. 1, panel 1 (allied with the Rev);
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition: Belasco entry: main image
Cable#13, second to last page, panel 1 (Lucas)
        last page (revealing identity to Cable)
X-Men Unlimited#9
    #19  (as Sabu)
        (fortress)
Black Sun: X-Men#1, pg. 19, panel 3 (N'Garai empowered arm, left oblique, shows sword);
        pg. 20, panel 2-4 (N'Garai arm in use)
Black Sun: Storm#2, pg. 4 (w/ N'Garai arm)
New X-Men#37, pg. 17 (vs. limbo's demons);
        pg. 20 (with axe)
    #38, pg. 10 (Belasco appears before mutant youths)
Deadpool Team-Up#892, pg. 7, panel 2 (college nerd face);
            panel 3 (college nerd, seated, most of body);
            panel 5 (college nerd, full, rear oblique)
        pg. 10, panel 5 (demon form)
Chaos War: Chaos King#3/3, pg. 2 (flying in Hell)
Amazing Heroes#5, Cover (almost human demonic form)

---

Appearances:
Adventure into Fear#22 (June, 1974) - Steve Gerber (writer), Rich Buckler (layouts), L. Dominguez (artist), Roy Thomas (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#9 (December, 1981) - Bruce Jones (writer, co-plotter), Brent Anderson (penciler, co-plotter), Carlos Garzon (inker; misspelled Garron in this issue), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#10 (January, 1982) - Bruce Jones (writer, co-plotter), Brent Anderson (penciler, co-plotter), Carlos Garzon (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#11 (February, 1982) - Bruce Jones (writer, co-plotter), Brent Anderson (penciler, co-plotter), Josef Rubinstein (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#12 (March, 1982) - Bruce Jones (writer), Brent Anderson (penciler), Armando Gil (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
What If? I#35: second story (October, 1982) - Roger Stern (writer), Steve Ditko (artist), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Uncanny X-Men#160 (August, 1982) - Chris Claremont (writer), Brent Anderson (penciler), Bob Wiacek (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#27 (August, 1983) - Bruce Jones (writer), Armando Gil (penciler & inker), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#28 (October, 1983) - Mike Carlin (writer; based on an idea from Bruce Jones), Armando Gil (penciler), Mike Mignola (inker), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Ka-Zar the Savage#29 (December, 1983) - Mike Carlin (writer), Ron Frenz (breakdowns/pencils), Armando Gil & Co. (finishes), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) #1 (December, 1983) - Chris Claremont (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) #2 (January, 1984) - Chris Claremont (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) #3 (February, 1984) - Chris Claremont (writer), Ron Frenz (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) #4 (March, 1984) - Chris Claremont (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition: Belasco entry
X-Factor I#32 (September, 1988) - Tom DeFalco (plotter), Louise Simonson (scripter), Steve Lightle (penciler/inker), Bob Harras (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#6 (March, 1986) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (layouts), Kyle Baker (art), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Fantastic Four I#314 (May, 1988) - Steve Englehart (writer), Keith Pollard (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Marvel Super-Heroes III#1/6 (May, 1990) - Sue Flaxman (writer), Rodey Ramos (penciler), Pat Redding (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Punisher II#35 (July, 1990) - Mike Baron (writer), Bill Reinhold (penciler), Mark Farmer (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#36-37 (Early-Late August, 1990) - Mike Baron (writer), Mark Texeira (art), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#38 (Early September, 1990) - Mike Baron (writer), Bill Reinhold (penciler), Mark Farmer (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#39 (Late September, 1990) - Mike Baron (writer), Jack Slamn (penciler), James Sherman (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#40 (Early October, 1990) - Mike Baron (writer), Bill Reinhold (penciler), Mark Farmer (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition - Keith Pollard (artist)
Alpha Flight I#122-124 (July-September, 1993) - Simon Furman (writer), Pat Broderick (penciler), Bruce Patterson (inker), Rob Tokar (editor)
Cable II#13 (July, 1994) - Glenn Herdling (writer), Steve Skroce (penciler), Mike Sellers, Kevin Conrad & Keith Champagne (inkers), Lisa Patrick (editor)
Cable II#14 (August, 1994) - Glenn Herdling (writer), Steve Skroce (penciler), Mike Sellers, Conrad & Champagne (inkers), Lisa Patrick (editor)
X-Men Unlimited I#9 (December, 1995) - Larry Hama (writer), Val Semeiks (penciler), Bob McLeod (inker), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Excalibur I#102 (October, 1996) - Warren Ellis (writer), Casey Jones & Rob Haynes (penciler), Scott Koblish & Jason Martin (inkers), Jaye Gardner & Matt Idelson (editors)
Excalibur I#103 (November, 1996) - Warren Ellis (writer), Carlos Pacheco (penciler), Scott Koblish & Bob Wiacek (inkers), Matt Idelson (editor)
X-Men Unlimited I#19 (June, 1997) - Ben Raab (writer), Jim Calafiore (penciler), Mark McKenna (inker), Frank Pittarese (editor)
Excalibur I minus 1 (July, 19997) - Ben Raab (writer), Rob Haynes and Casey Jones (penciler), Nathan Massengill with Rob Haynes & Casey Jones (inkers), Matt Idelson (editor)
X-Men: Soul Killer (1999) - Richard Lee Byers (writer), Leonard Manco (art), Keith R.A. Candido (editor)
Black Sun: X-Men#1 (November, 2000) - Chris Claremont (writer), Thomas Derenick (penciler), Sean Parsons (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Black Sun: Storm#2 (November, 2000) - Chris Claremont (plot), Len Wein (script), Thomas Derenick (penciler), Mark McKenna (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Black Sun: Banshee and Sunfire#3 (November, 2000) - Chris Claremont (plot), Roy Thomas (script), Karl Waller (artist), Mike Marts (editor)
Black Sun: Colossus and Nightcrawler#1 (4 of 5 on the cover) (November, 2000) - Chris Claremont (plot), Louise Simonson (script), Alitha Martinez (penciler), John Stanisci (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Black Sun: Wolverine and Thunderbird#1 (5 of 5 on the cover) (November, 2000) - Chris Claremont (writer), Pablo Raimondi (penciler), Jason Martin and Team X (inkers), Mike Marts (editor)
Witches#1 (August, 2004) - Brian Patrick Walsh (writer), Mike Deodato Jr. (artist), John Miesegaes (editor)
Ghost Rider Finale (2007) - Ivan Velez Jr. (writer), Javier Saltares (penciler), Mark Texeira, Javier Saltares, & Klaus Janson (inkers), Tom Brevoort (editor)
New X-Men II#36 (May, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Paco Medina (penciler), Juan Vlasco (inker), Sean Ryan (editor), Nick Lowe (supervising editor)
New X-Men II#37 (June, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Chris Yost (script), Skottie Young (penciler), Sean Parsons (inker), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Nick Lowe (editor)
New X-Men II#38 (July, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Chris Yost (script), Skottie Young (penciler), Sean Parsons with Jay Leisten (inkers), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Nick Lowe (editor)
New X-Men II#39 (August, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Chris Yost (script), Skottie Young (penciler & inker), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Nick Lowe (editor)
New X-Men II#40 (September, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Chris Yost (script), Skottie Young (penciler & inker), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Nick Lowe (editor)
New X-Men II#41 (October, 2007) - Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (writers), Chris Yost (script), Skottie Young (penciler & inker), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Nick Lowe (editor)
X-Men: Divided We Stand#2/2 (July, 2008) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), David Yardin (artist), Nick Lowe, Aubrey Sitterso, and Will Panzo (editors)
Deadpool Team-Up#892 (August, 2010) - David Latham (writer), Shawn Crystal (artist), Sebastian Girner (assistant editor), Axel Alonso (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update#2 (August, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen and the whole OHotMU team (writers)
Chaos War: Chaos King/3 (January, 2011) - Brandon Montclare (writer), Michael William Kaluta (artist), John Denning (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Avengers: Roll Call: Cat People profile (2012) - Stuart Vandal, Jeff Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan, Sean McQuaid (head writers), Dalibor Talajic (art), Jennifer Grunwald & Mark D. Beazley (assistant editors), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

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First Posted: 10/31/2015
Last Updated: 06/20/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

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