The New Men are a fictional Marvel Comics universe group of hyper-evolved animals created by the High Evolutionary.
Fictional group history
The New Men are the result of Wyndham's first experiments in accelerated evolution. When Wyndham learns that Wundagore Mountain (on which his advanced genetics research citadel was based) is the prison of the powerful demon known as Chthon, he decides to train some of his creations in chivalry and battle tactics so that they can oppose Chthon should he ever return where these elite New Men warriors are called the Knights of Wundagore. The High Evolutionary equips the Knights of Wundagore with advanced weaponry and armor and gives them flying "atomic steeds" on which to ride. He is assisted in this endeavor by the ghost of the 6th century magician named Magnus the Sorcerer.
When the wife of Magneto had passed away, the High Evolutionary enlisted a New-Man named Bova to watch over Magneto's children Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch
As seen in flashbacks, the New Men become an extended family to Luna Maximoff.
Wyndham later converts his citadel into a spaceship and he and most of his New Men leave to explore the stars. They eventually settle on a planet which they name Wundagore II, with the High Evolutionary staying on the planet's moon in order to look after them.
When the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth resurfaced under unknown circumstances, some of the New Men were seen living on it.
Members
Known New Men have included:
- Ani-Men III - This incarnation of the Ani-Men was created by the High Evolutionary.
- Buzzard - An uplifted hawk.
- Crushtacean - An uplifted crab.
- Flying Fox - An uplifted bat.
- Komodo - An uplifted lizard.
- Spinneret - An uplifted spider.
- Barachuudar - An uplifted fish and an agent of Man-Beast.
- Bova - An uplifted Guernsey cattle who serves as the foster mother to Pietro Maximoff and Wanda Maximoff. She was also used by the High Evolutionary to raise and nurture the young New Men as their nanny.
- Dempsey - A dalmatian who was the High Evolutionary's first creation. He was killed by some poachers and his body was taken away by the High Evolutionary.
- Dicero - A young uplifted rhinoceros and a student of Prosimia and Lady Bova.
- Eaglus - An uplifted eagle.
- Equius - An uplifted horse.
- Gorr - An uplifted golden gorilla, Gorr first appears in Fantastic Four #171. He acts as the High Evolutionary's valet.
- Inheritor - An uplifted bladehandle cockroach. Inheritor rebels against the High Evolutionary. During a battle with Hulk, he is returned to his original form.
- Kingii - Kingii is an uplifted frill-necked lizard who was created by the High Evolutionary and then experimented upon by Man-Beast. He was devolved by the High Evolutionary.
- Kohbra - An uplifted snake that resides on Counter-Earth.
- Knights of Wundagore - The Knights of Wundagore are a group of elite New Men warriors who were trained by the High Evolutionary to prepare for the return of Chthon. Each of its members were advanced armors and ride "Atomic Steeds" which the High Evolutionary constructed with help from the ghost of Magnus.
- Count Tagar - An uplifted tiger created on Counter-Earth, Tagar first appears in Thor #133 (Oct 1966). He rebels against the High Evolutionary.
- Lady Ursula - Lady Ursula is an uplifted bear who is boisterous and vicious. She proves to be just when she commits suicide rather than allow the Man-Beast to enslave her.
- Lady Vermin - Lady Vermin is an uplifted rat who uses a small jetpack to get around.
- Lord Anon (formerly Sir Wulf) - Lord Anon is an uplifted red wolf. He is killed by Man-Beast.
- Lord Byson - Lord Byson is an uplifted bison. Even though it was stated that he was evolved from a bison, Lord Byson had the appearance of a cape buffalo.
- Lord Churchill - Lord Churchill is an uplifted bulldog who is honorable, loyal, and clever. He is killed by Man-Beast.
- Lord Gator - Lord Gator is an uplifted alligator who is quiet and mysterious striking only when foes least expect it.
- Lord Tyger - Lord Tyger is an uplifted tiger who is scholarly and wise. He is paradoxically just as decadent as any civilized person. Lord Tyger is the leader of the Knights of Wundagore.
- Sir Delphis - Sir Delphis is an uplifted dolphin who is an inquisitive character that thinks through his plans before acting. He later left the team.
- Sir Gote - An uplifted goat.
- Sir Hogg - An unidentified uplifted animal.
- Sir Lepard - Sir Lepard is an uplifted leopard. He dies during a battle with the Rigellians.
- Sir Lyan - Sir Lyan is an uplifted lion. He is the second-in-command of the Knights of Wundagore.
- Sir Ossilot - Sir Ossilot is an uplifted ocelot. He dies during a battle with the Rigellians.
- Sir Panther - Sir Panther is an uplifted panther.
- Sir Porga - Sir Porga is an uplifted pig. He is killed by his fellow New Men when they started to give in to their animalistic natures.
- Sir Ram - An uplifted ram who is noble and knightly. He is pledged in faith to his lord and master. He is killed when the ship he was on with Bruce Banner was hit with radiation.
- Sir Ram II - A second character with this name that was the successor of the original Sir Ram.
- Snow Queen - Snow Queen is an uplifted white tigress who is the sister of White Tiger. She appears in chapter 2 of X-Men: Endangered Species where she fights Beast when he tries to enter Wungadore without permission.
- Lady Shadra - An uplifted black panther who is one of the High Evolutionary's first New Men. She is known for training Count Tagar and Sir Ram. Her legend is first told in Wolverine: First Class #3.
- Man-Beast - Man-Beast is an uplifted red wolf that has developed vast mental powers. He schemes to destroy humanity and the High Evolutionary, but he is eventually devolved back into a red wolf with the help of Quicksilver. He first appears in Thor #134 (Nov 1966).
- Mongoose - Mongoose possesses super strength, speed, agility and reflexes. He is a former member of the Thunderbolts.
- Mr. Steed - Steed is an uplifted horse. He jumps in front of a blast intended to kill Luna.
- Porcunis - An uplifted porcupine.
- Prosimia - Prosimia is an uplifted ring-tailed lemur and storyteller. He sacrifices his life to protect Kitty Pryde from Man-Beast's attack.
- Simbus - An uplifted lion and an ally of Man-Beast. Although Simbus was first seen with an orange mane, it changed to purple when he sided with Man-Beast.
- Squire Gulo - Gulo is an uplifted wolverine who is trained by Lady Shandra. His legend is first told in Wolverine: First Class #3.
- Tabur - Tabur was an uplifted cat. He is at one point the leader of the Cat People. Agatha Harkness casts a spell on him while he is fighting Tigra and he is reverted into a cat.
- Tantaro - Tantaro is an uplifted elephant from the Bronx Zoo.
- Triax the Terrible - Triax is an uplifted warthog who is a follower of Man-Beast.
- Urson-Wellz - Urson-Wellz is an uplifted bear from the Bronx Zoo. The High Evolutionary admitted he had a sense of humor and suggested it was the reason to name this New Man after movie star Orson Welles.
- White Tiger - White Tiger was an uplifted white tigress created to hunt down Man-Beast. She returns to her animal form following Man-Beast's defeat. White Tiger was later revealed to have a sister named Snow Queen.
In other media
Television
- The New Men appear in the X-Men episode "Family Ties". Besides Lady Bova, other New Men featured are a goat, a lion, a rhinoceros, a deer, a panda, a zebra, some musk oxen, a snow leopard, and a warthog amongst others. Lady Bova is the foster mother of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch before giving them to a man named Django and his wife to look after. Years later, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch come to Wundagore to look for her. After a DNA match, the High Evolutionary takes them to see her. She is the one who told them that Magneto is their father. Some of the New Men are sent to trap Magneto only to also trap Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Wolverine. Following the battle with the X-Men, Magneto, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch, the New Men manage to escape with the High Evolutionary.
- In Spider-Man Unlimited, Sir Ram (voiced by Ron Halder), Sir Tyger (voiced by David Sobolov), Lady Ursula (voiced by Tasha Simms), and Lady Vermin (voiced by Jennifer Hale) are the only members of the New Men that appear retaining their title of "Knights of Wundagore." In this series, the High Evolutionary's New Men and other creations that reside on Counter-Earth are called "Bestials." Within the series, the Beastials are the dominant species of Counter-Earth while the humans are a second-class minority.
References
- ^ Avengers #187
- ^ Giant-Size Avengers #1
- ^ Quicksilver #7 (May, 1998)
- ^ Thor #135
- ^ Tales to Astonish #194
- ^ Uncanny Avengers Vol. 2 #1
- ^ Scarlet Spider Unlimited
- ^ Incredible Hulk #176
- ^ Giant-Size Avengers #1 (Aug 1974)
- ^ Punisher Annual Vol. 2 #1
- ^ a b c d e Wolverine: First Class #3
- ^ Incredible Hulk #177
- ^ Thor #425
- ^ The Incredible Hulk #149 (March 1972)
- ^ Marvel Premiere #1
- ^ Thor #482 (January 1995)
- ^ a b c Excalibur #113
- ^ Quicksilver #12 (October 1998)
- ^ Quicksilver #11
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #488
- ^ a b c Quicksilver #1 (November 1998)
- ^ Quicksilver #9 (July 1998)
- ^ Quicksilver #3
- ^ Uncanny X-Men Annunal 1998
- ^ Iron Man #112
- ^ a b c Thor #134 (Nov 1966)
- ^ a b c Iron Man #111
- ^ Thor #406
- ^ Thor #132 (Sep 1966).
- ^ West Coast Avengers Annual #3 (October 1988)
- ^ Tales to Astonish #94 (Nov 1963)
- ^ Tales to Astonish #95 (Dec 1963)
- ^ a b Heroes for Hire/Quicksilver Annual 1998 (October 1998)
- ^ Thunderbolts' #104 (September 2006)
- ^ Incredible Hulk #158
- ^ Wolverine: First Class #4
- ^ a b c Thor #472
- ^ Avengers Spotlight #38 (November 1990)
- ^ Warlock #3
External links
- New Men at Marvel Wiki
- New Men at Comic Vine
- Bova at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- Porga at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- Tagar at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
