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Exiles (Malibu Comics)
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the Malibu Comics series, for the Marvel Comics series, see Exiles (Marvel Comics)Exiles (Marvel Comics)The Exiles are a group of fictional characters that feature in three Marvel Comics series, Exiles, New Exiles, and Exiles vol. 2. The Exiles consists of characters from different dimensions, or realities, which have been removed from time and space in order to correct problems in various alternate...
Exiles was the name of two American comic book
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series, both of which were published by Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
.
Exiles (Malibu, 1993 series)
The first Exiles comic was written by Steve GerberSteve Gerber
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
and illustrated by Paul Pelletier
Paul Pelletier
Paul Pelletier is an American comic book penciller.-Career:Pelletier began working as a professional comic artist in the late 1980s. His first work appeared in Zen: Intergalactic Ninja. He has worked for renowned comics publishers DC Comics and Marvel Comics as well as for the now out of business...
, with plot contributions from Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich and Chris Ulm (who came up with the concept and handed it to Gerber to expand upon when they got too busy to execute it). It is known for the creators' deliberate decision (as explained in the afterword to the last issue) to flout the accepted comic-book trope
Trope (literature)
A literary trope is the usage of figurative language in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
that a group of random people, who were plucked from their ordinary lives and told that they must join together to fight evil and prevent disaster, would become an effective team. Instead, key strategic mistakes led to the team's newest recruit, Amber Hunt
Amber Hunt
Amber Hunt is a fictional character from Malibu Comics' Exiles comic book series, created by Steve Gerber. She is a pyrokinetic super hero in the Ultraverse and was once host to the Phoenix Force.-Fictional character biography:...
, triggering a catastrophic explosion that killed or maimed everyone else on the team and destroyed their headquarters. This occurred at the end of issue #4, although issue #5 had been falsely solicited months in advance in order to preserve the shock value of the team's unexpected death and the comic's abrupt cancellation; retailers who had been misled into ordering Exiles #5 were subsequently reimbursed.
The four issues of Exiles covered a time period of only 18 hours. Published by Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
, the series was part of the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
, although not originally intended to be so, and served as the prelude to Break-Thru, the first crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
of that Universe.
This group was founded and led by Dr. Rachel Deming, and introduced Ghoul
Ghoul (Ultraverse)
Ghoul is a character from Malibu Comics' Ultraverse continuity. He was created by Steve Gerber, R.R. Phipps, Dave Olbrich, Chris Ulm, and Tom Mason. Ghoul first appeared in Exiles #1.-Fictional character biography:...
(one of Ultraforce's
Ultraforce (comics)
The Ultraforce is a fictional superhero group that appears in comic books published by Malibu, and later Marvel, as well as an animated series produced by DIC. Their purpose was to protect the public and keep other Ultras from getting out of line...
main members) and Amber Hunt to the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
. Much of the plot revolved around a fatal "Theta Virus", the treatment of which gave the characters their superhuman powers. Unfortunately, Dr. Deming assumed that people with powers are automatically superheroes, and their lack of training, cohesion, and leadership led to disaster. Aside from Deming (who was paralyzed from the neck down), Ghoul (who was already more or less a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
, and thus later rose from his grave), and Hunt, the other members of the team were Catapult, Deadeye, Mustang, Tinsel, and Trax. Mastodon was introduced in the series, but never joined the team, and eventually appeared in the pages of Foxfire.
Gerber had proposed to DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
a Vertigo series revamping The Inferior Five
Inferior Five
The Inferior Five are a parody superhero team that premiered in the DC Comics title Showcase #62 . Created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Joe Orlando and Mike Esposito , the group was intended as a parody not only of the Fantastic Four, but of all the superhero teams whose members had such great...
as a "dark 'n' gritty" comic, but was refused. He was offered this project around that time.
The All-New Exiles (Marvel/Malibu, 1995 series)
At one point, Marvel bought the publication rights for the Ultraverse comics. In the GodwheelGodwheel
The Godwheel is one of the main concepts of the Malibu Comics Ultraverse. While it lent its name to a 1994/1995 four-issue series, the Godwheel is actually the place of origin of quite a few Ultraverse concepts, characters and significant items that predate that series...
event it was established that the Ultraverse is part of the Marvel Multiverse
Multiverse (Marvel Comics)
Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, which in turn is part of a larger multiverse. Starting with issues of Captain Britain, the main continuity in which most Marvel storylines take place was designated Earth-616, and the multiverse was established as...
, meaning that travel between the main Marvel Universe and the Ultraverse is possible albeit difficult. One of the consequences was that a new team of Exiles was formed and included among them characters from the main Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Set after the controversial Black September event with Marvel and Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
, this series featured a group formed with Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
, Reaper
Reaper (Marvel Comics)
Reaper is the name of several fictional characters in the pages of Marvel Comics, most notably the Reaper whose real name is Pantu Hurageb, a mutant in the X-Force comic book series...
and Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze is a mutant in Marvel Comics's X-Men comics series. Introduced as a villain in the Marvel Universe, she later became a hero during her brief period in the Ultraverse. Following a long absence, the character returned in X-Force, vol...
(from the main Marvel Universe) and Amber Hunt, Hellblade, Shuriken and Strike (from the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
). They were later joined by Cayman from the Freex
Freex
Freex was a short-lived comic book series from Malibu Comics. Created By Gerard Jones and Ben Herrera, it concerned a team of teenage superheroes in the Ultraverse.Its roster over the series consisted of Anything ,...
. This team found themselves running from the law and had most of its adventures in the Ultraverse Earth and the Godwheel. Juggernaut left the team (and the Ultraverse) by All-New Exiles #5 and the team disbanded in Ultraforce
Ultraforce (comics)
The Ultraforce is a fictional superhero group that appears in comic books published by Malibu, and later Marvel, as well as an animated series produced by DIC. Their purpose was to protect the public and keep other Ultras from getting out of line...
(vol. 2) #13.