LEONUSLEONUS
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Sub-species of humanity (Inhuman) mutate
Occupation: Criminal;
former guardsman
Group Membership: Maximus' "Evil Inhumans" (Aireo, Falcona,
Makus, Nebulo,
Stallior, Timberius)
Affiliations: Avius, Maximus the Mad
Enemies: Blastaar, Fantastic Four
(Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Crystal/Crystalia Amaquelin, Doctor Doom/Kristoff
Vernard, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Sue Richards, Mister
Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), Hulk (Bruce Banner),
Inhumans (Ahura,
Black Bolt/Blackagar Boltagon, Gorgon, Karnak, Lockjaw,
Medusa/Medusalith Boltagon, Oracle,
Triton), Kree, Kree Kaptroids,
Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Franklin Richards, Ronan the Accuser,
Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd), Zarrko the Tomorrow Man (Artur Zarrko of
Earth-6297)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: The Lion-Man, Lionus
Base of Operations: Attilan
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II Annual#1
(October, 1968)
Powers/Abilities: After passing
through Terrigenesis shortly after
birth, Leonus developed lion-like features and abilities, including
super-strength and enhanced endurance, agility and speed. With
orange-hued
skin and hair and beard that resembled a mane, Leonus possesses a
savage
nature.
For many years, he wore sharp metal claws on his hands and feet but more recently he seemed to have grown his own thick sharp claws and the fingers on his hands changed from four to three (see comments).
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 230 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blonde
History: (Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#6
(fb) – BTS) – After passing through Terrigenesis shortly after birth,
the man
who would become Leonus took on lion-like features and traits, and
developed
super-strength and enhanced endurance, agility and speed, as well as
sharp
claws. He began wearing enhanced metal claws on his hands and feet. He
eventually became a guardsman but he believed that Maximus should be in
power
and he turned into a renegade to support Maximus.
(Incredible Hulk II Annual#1 (fb) – BTS) – A group
of
Inhumans gathered together, seeking to overthrow Black Bolt as the
ruler of
Attilan, wanting to take over the city themselves. The group included
Leonus
the Lion-Man, as well as Falcona, Aireo, Timberius, Nebulo and
Stallior. The
group attacked the city but they were defeated.
(Incredible Hulk Special I#1) – Leonus and his
allies were
put on trial, presided over by Black Bolt and the Oracle. When Stallior
tried
to turn on the others for his own gain, he was attacked by his allies,
with
Leonus out for blood. Black Bolt stopped the fight and, ignoring the
cries of
Maximus the Mad that Black Bolt should be the one on trial, the king
found the
six guilty and sentenced them to imprisonment in the Un-Place, in
another
dimension behind an impenetrable shield. The group was shocked when
Lockjaw
later teleported the Hulk into the Un-Place as well. Hulk, refusing all
offers
of alliance from the imprisoned Inhumans, began smashing at the barrier
and,
after several blows, smashed it, freeing the Inhumans along with him.
Maximus
the Mad teleported to the Un-Place and teleported the group back to
Attilan,
where he unleashed Hulk on the city while he took the others into his
secret
lab. After taking them through the lab, Maximus told them of the
ancient
scientist Romnar,
who had left behind a deadly weapon that was behind a strong barrier.
Maximus
hoped the Hulk could break through it and that he could use the weapon
to take
over Attilan. Hulk (lured there by Maximus) agreed to be friends with
the
Inhumans and he smashed the barrier, releasing Romnar's substance,
which
Maximus then weaponized. Maximus demanded control over the entire city
and the
Inhumans realized he was mad with power, causing Leonus and the others
to turn
against him. When Hulk attacked the Inhumans, Leonus and his allies
turned on
him, hoping to win the favor of the city so they could seize control of
it themselves.
Stallior led a charge against him, wrapping the Hulk in chains, then
Leonus
slashed at Hulk with his claws as Timberius pounded on him but Hulk
easily
tossed all three aside. As Black Bolt defeated Maximus, Nebulo seized
Romnar's
weapon. Black Bolt soon defeated Hulk and Maximus and got control of
Nebulo's
weapon.
(Fantastic Four I#83 (fb) – BTS) – Maximus seized
control of
the crown, imprisoning the Royal Family (Black Bolt, Triton, Karnak,
Gorgon)
while using science and hypnosis to keep control of Medusa and Lockjaw.
Maximus
managed to capture the Fantastic Four (Crystal, Human Torch, Mr.
Fantastic,
Thing) as well then made plans to conquer the world. Aireo, Stallior,
Leonus,
Falcona and Timberius worked for him.
(Fantastic Four I#83) – Maximus had Stallior and
the others
attend to him in the baths then he forced them to bow after they
dressed him
for the day. Maximus prepared to activate the Hypno-Ray that would help
him
attack the human world but the Royal Family and Fantastic Four escaped
and
destroyed it. Maximus fled with Leonus and his allies then they boarded
a ship into
space to find freedom.
(Incredible Hulk II#119 (fb) – BTS) – Maximus took
Leonus
and the others back to Earth, where Nebulo rejoined the team. Maximus
hypnotized the civilians of Costa Salvador, making them mindless slaves
while
he took over ruling the land. He planned to expand his power outward.
(Incredible Hulk II#119) – When the Hulk attacked,
Leonus
and the others fought back, with Leonus being flung off the Hulk's
back. When
the American military attacked, Maximus invited Hulk to join them.
(Incredible Hulk II#120) – While the Hulk held off
the
military, the Inhumans fought amongst themselves about whether they
should turn
on the Hulk. Maximus was prepared to kill those in the military so Hulk
fought
back and Maximus unleashed a giant robot he'd developed. Hulk destroyed
the
robot and Maximus fled in a rocket with Leonus and the Inhumans.
(Amazing Adventures II#1) – Likely mentally
manipulated by
Maximus, Leonus and his allies served him and placated to Maximus while he launched missiles on
Attilan.
(Amazing Adventures II#2) – Maximus manipulated
the Royal
Family into fighting the Fantastic Four as Aireo, Leonus, Stallior and
Timberius tended to him. Soon, Maximus was captured by the Royal
Family, who
defeated him and stopped the missiles.
(Silver Surfer I#18 (fb) – BTS) – Maximus and his
followers (including Leonus)
were exiled from the city and forced to live on their own while Black
Bolt
controlled the Great Refuge.
(Silver Surfer I#18) – When Silver Surfer got
close to
Attilan, Maximus sent Aireo, Leonus, Stallior and Timberius against
him. Stallior
knocked Surfer into Leonus' grip and Leonus, now with iron claws on his
feet
as well, leaped at Surfer, but the board knocked Leonus to the side.
Silver
Surfer sent the Inhumans scrambling back to Attilan, where Maximus
hoped to
turn Surfer against Black Bolt. After Surfer fought the Royal Family,
Maximus
and his allies attacked Attilan in their air-ship, firing electron
bolts on the
palace, but the ship was soon repelled by the Royal Family.
(Inhumans I#1) – Leonus, operating a hover
platform,
discovered a wounded Avius outside the city. Avius told him that
Blastaar had
attacked and was headed into Attilan. They rushed into the Throne Room
to give
warning, finding Medusa, Karnak and Gorgon there. They warned them
about
Blastaar but Gorgon wondered if the two were still serving Maximus.
Just then,
Blastaar attacked.
(Inhumans I#2) – Blastaar defeated Gorgon, Karnak
and
Medusa then attacked Leonus and Avius anew. Later, they were among the
crowd
that saw the fall of the Kree Kaptroids then they saw Iridia
emerge from an
Inhuman cocoon, beautiful and with butterfly wings.
(Inhumans I#5 (fb)) – Iridia saw a comet fall
toward
Attilan and she narrowly avoided it but it struck Leonus full in the
chest,
taking mental control of him. Iridia then watched as Leonus touched
Stallior
and then Maximus, taking over their minds as well. Maximus sought to
control
Attilan again and captured Quicksilver and Crystal, promising to fire a
cannon
at them if the populace did not surrender.
(Inhumans I#4) – When the Royal Family returned to
Attilan,
Falcona, Leonus, Makus and Aireo stood with Maximus as he welcomed
Black Bolt
and the others home after they shot Iridia out of the air.
(Inhumans I#5) – Leonus and Stallior were chaining
up Black
Bolt, Medusa and Gorgon when Maximus saw Lockjaw escaping with Karnak
and
Triton. Maximus threatened to kill Leonus if one more Inhuman escaped.
Leonus
watched as Black Bolt was chained to the ceiling, where the ruler
stayed for
nine straight days.
(Inhumans I#6) – After escaping and destroying
part of
Attilan with his voice, Black Bolt, through Medusa, gave a speech about
taking
the Inhumans into space as Maximus and the mind-controlled Inhumans,
including
Leonus, prepared to fire a cannon on the Royal Family but they were
swiftly
defeated.
(Marvel Fanfare I#14/2) – When Quicksilver was
accused of
stealing the Royal Scepter, Leonus joined Gorgon and others in
confronting the
hero, who swore he was innocent. Quicksilver later exposed Aireo as the
thief.
(Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2 (fb) – BTS) – The
Genetic High
Council recruited a team of Inhumans to find the boy Ahura on Earth.
Seeker
(Uys) assembled Leonus, Timberius, Falcona, Pinius and others to head
to
Earth.
(Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2) – Seeker led his
Inhumans to
find Ahura but they confused the boy Franklin Richards for Ahura and
attacked
the Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic,
Thing). Realizing
they had the wrong boy, Seeker ordered the team back to Attilan but he
soon
used tracking equipment and found Ahura with the exiled Royal Family. A
battle
broke out and the Fantastic Four got involved once more. Back in
Attilan, the Genetic
High Council was exposed for trying to take Ahura's power and Leonus
and
Timberius briefly took the side of the Council, saying they followed
those who
were in power, but the Council was defeated along with Maximus, who was
revealed as being behind the events.
(Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising#1) – When Attilan
was
threatened on the moon, the city began collapsing and the Genetics
Council
abandoned the populace. Feeling like they had no choice, Leonus and
Timberius
realized they had to awaken Maximus the Mad to save the civilians. The
Fantastic Four arrived with Dr. Doom (Kristoff Vernard) and shrank
Attilan down
so they could save the city and return it to Earth. There, Maximus,
Leonus,
Timberius, Nebulo and Stallior were enlarged to talk to the Fantastic
Four
but they ended up attacking the heroes.
(Fantastic Four I#401) – Leonus searched the Fantastic
Four's ship
and found
Boris (secretly Earth-6297's Zarrko) hiding in the shadows and he
reported back to Maximus,
who had imprisoned the Human Torch. With Leonus, Stallior, Timberius
and
Nebulo flanking him, Maximus ordered the Inhuman ship to go on to
Atlantis
(which had risen to the surface), where they could claim their land.
The
Inhumans soon saw the diminutive Fantastic Four (Ant-Man/Scott Lang,
Dr. Doom/Kristoff Vernard, Invisible Woman, Thing) escape the shrunken
Attilan. The
Invisible Woman temporarily blinded Leonus with invisible shards. When
Leonus
tried to grab Ant-Man, "Boris" hit Leonus with a concussive blast from
behind.
Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Marie
Severin, Syd Shores, Frank Giacoia and John Verpoorten.
It's difficult to know how often Leonus is
mentally
manipulated by Maximus in, well, almost all of his appearances. He at
times
appears loyal to the throne and the Royal Family but frequently is
opposed to
them and fighting against the government. There is evidence that
Maximus is
manipulating at least some of these times. Not much characterization
has been
given to this character outside of his alliances to Maximus.
The "League of Evil Inhumans" is never officially
called
that in the comics but Leonus is most associated with Falcona, Nebulo,
Stallior, Aireo and Timberius.
Leonus went through a bit of a transformation in
his last
appearance in FF #11, his claws being his own. There may have been more
Terrigenesis, this could be a natural progression of his abilities or
it could
be artistic interpretation.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Leonus should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#6,
p27, pan4 (Leonus, main image)
Incredible Hulk II Annual#1, p5, pan2 (versus Stallior)
FF I#11, p7, pan4 (vs Kree)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II Annual#1 (October, 1968) – Gary Friedrich
(writer), Marie Severin (penciler), Syd Shores, Frank Giacoia, John
Verpoorten
(inkers), Stan Lee (editor)
Fantastic Four I#83 (February, 1969) – Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack
Kirby (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker)
Incredible Hulk II#119 (September-October, 1969) – Stan Lee
(writer/editor), Herb Trimpe (artist)
Incredible Hulk II#120 (October, 1969) – Stan Lee
(writer/editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (artist)
Amazing Adventures II#1-2 (August-September, 1970) – Gary
Friedrich (writer), John Buscema (penciler), John Buscema (inker), Stan
Lee
(editor)
Silver Surfer I#18 (September, 1970) – Stan Lee
(writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Herb Trimpe (inker)
Inhumans I#1-2 (October, December, 1975) – Doug Moench
(writer), George Perez (penciler), Frank Chiramonte (inker), Len Wein
(editor)
Inhumans I#4 (April, 1976) – Doug Moench (writer), George
Perez (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Inhumans I#5 (June, 1976) – Doug Moench (writer), Gil Kane
(penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Inhumans I#6 (August, 1976) – Doug Moench (writer), Gil Kane
(penciler), Frank Chiramonte (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition II#6
(May, 1986) – Mark Gruenwald (writer/editor), Peter Sanderson
(writers), Josef Rubinstein
(penciler), Andy Yanchus (inker)
Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2 (June, 1993) – Roy Thomas
(writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Steve Montano (inker), Mike Rockwitz
(editor)
Fantastic Four I#401 (June, 1995) – Tom DeFalco (writer),
Paul Ryan (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising#1 (June, 1995) – Tom
DeFalco, Glenn Herdling (writers), MC Wyman (penciler), Rey Garcia, Don
Hudson,
Geof Isherwood, Kevin Yates (inkers), Nel Yomtov (editor)
FF I#11 (December, 2011) – Jonathan Hickman (writer), Barry
Kitson (penciler), Scott Hanna, Scott Koblish, Jay Leisten, Mark
Pennington
(inkers), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 03/28/2020
Last updated: 03/28/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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