After a very quick turn-around,Comic Book 101is back with what you need to know about Morbius before you head to the theaters this weekend. Sit back, relax, and eat a donut while the skinny is dealt.
It seems like just yesterdayComic Book 101gave the deets onMoon Knight,and it’s back for Morbius. Sony’s Spiderverse is expanding, and with Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web set to join in the next couple of years, it is starting to look more and more like the old Saturday morning Spider-Man cartoon from the 90’s. The next stop on Sony’s train is, in fact, that of Morbius, played by Jared Leto.
Dr. Michael Morbius first appeared in 1971’s October edition ofThe Amazing Spider-Man, issue #101. He was created by Roy Thomas and designed by Gil Kane. Despite being portrayed as an anti-hero, Morbius first started his comic book life as an adversary to Spider-Man and, of course, Blade. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t untilMaximum Carnagethat he andSpideykind of formed an uneasy alliance.
Dr. Michael Morbius is a world-renowned biochemist, winning several awards in the field. He also suffers from a rare blood disease that he spent a lot of time trying to cure. Finally, he felt he had a winning combination when he would use vampire bat DNA to finally cure himself. Turns out he was wrong. Really wrong. The ensuing lab accident changed him into a blood-sucking monster imbued with a natural vampire’s powers: Superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and acute senses. He has a regenerative health factor, possesses fangs and claws, can glide up to 35 miles per hour, has the power of mesmerism, and can also create other vampires. Additionally, he is also immortal and since he is not a natural vampire, he doesn’t share their weaknesses, but he is sensitive to sunlight. It turns out Korg was right inThor: Ragnarok; vampiresare real. So, all in all, a pretty nifty little lab accident aside from the next, but obvious part: He does require the taste of human blood, and his thirst for it is insatiable. Morbius must feed on it several times a week.
While his bloodlust was much more potent at first, he has gotten a grip on it over the years he’s been a comic character. When he first met Spider-Man, he hitched a ride on a ship and killed the entire crew because of it. These days, he’s only out for the blood of criminals. Morbius can also bring awareness to a grave issue ifdone correctly. Because of his constant bloodlust, he often has suicidal tendencies and has tried to end his life on several occasions. Since this aspect of the character has been around for years, it’s hard to imagine this won’t be part of the film, and it should be. Bringing awareness to these issues is always a good thing.
Morbius is Coming to the Big Screen
Morbius hits theaters this week, and if it is done correctly, it should be a pretty good film, as the character has a rich backstory. From run-ins with the X-Men, Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and everyone in between.Michael Morbius is played by Jared Leto, Matt Smith plays Loxias Crown, aka Hunger, and Adria Arjona plays Morbius’s fiance Martine Bancroft.
