Legion of Night
Encyclopedia
The Legion of Night is a fictional organization in the Marvel Comics
universe
. They were dedicated to opposing occult
threats. The group was composed of Ariann Wight, Dr. Chan Liuchow, Dr. Katherine Reynolds, Martin Gold, Jennifer Kale
, and Omen/Charles Blackwater. Later, Omen brought private investigator Leena Wolfe onto the team, but she has not been shown in action with them.
The group was created by Steve Gerber
and Whilce Portacio
.
and Jack Kirby
, first appearing in Strange Tales
#89, the discoverer and original opponent of Fin Fang Foom
, who in the group's eponymous two-issue prestige format
mini-series
, became possessed by a demon, Aan Taanu.
Gerber had previously introduced Dr. Katherine Reynolds as a supporting character to Daimon Hellstrom
in Marvel Spotlight
#14, and Martin Gold as a supporting character to Lilith, Daughter of Dracula in Vampire Tales
#6, while Jennifer Kale debuted in Adventure into Fear
#11, which was Gerber's first story for Marvel. The other members of the team were introduced specifically for the series.
Man-Thing
appeared in the series as well, but only in a vision, in which the normally mute
and non-sentient character was able to speak with Jennifer.
Gerber expressed interest in writing about the characters again, but Marvel has not. The only follow-up to the initial prestige format
limited series
was a backup story in Midnight Sons Unlimited #9.
, was abducted by a group known only as The Agency and given drugs that enhanced her latent psionic powers.
Jennifer Kale, now in college and living with an overweight
boyfriend, Bernard Drabble, has not used her magic in years (she was last seen midwifing the "birth" of Quagmire
through Man-Thing in Marvel Comics Presents
vol. 1 #29), but suddenly feels compelled to, and receives encouragement from Man-Thing when she dreams that he is sitting next to her on an airplane.
In China, Dr. Chan is trying to explain to officials that there is a new part of the prophecy of Fin Fang Foom that he has only recently uncovered, while in New York, Martin Gold is now working for a paranormal magazine, having previously done hard journalism, having rethought his life after his relationship with Angel O'Hara and her possession by Lilith.
The group finally meets at the occult bookshop of Casper Wight, father of Ariann Wight. They are summoned there by Reynolds on directions from Omen.
Blackwater was forced to commit suicide by a former client, The Beyond Reason Spiritual Fellowship, which was resurrecting their hedonistic god, Aan-Tanu, through the body of Fin Fang Foom. The Fellowship was based on a rare religious tome that its male leader, Reeve Calder, believed was a hoax. Its female leader, Hildreth, mates with Aan Tanu to create a demonic child. Ariann, however, rips the child out of her womb and kills it.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
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...
. They were dedicated to opposing occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
threats. The group was composed of Ariann Wight, Dr. Chan Liuchow, Dr. Katherine Reynolds, Martin Gold, Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Jennifer Kale was created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, and debuted in Adventure into Fear #11 . She is the cousin of Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, and a founding member of the...
, and Omen/Charles Blackwater. Later, Omen brought private investigator Leena Wolfe onto the team, but she has not been shown in action with them.
The group was created by Steve Gerber
Steve 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 Whilce Portacio
Whilce Portacio
William "Whilce" Portacio is a Filipino-American comic book writer and artist. Noted for his work on such titles as The Punisher, X-Factor, and the Uncanny X-Men. Portacio was also one of the seven co-founders of Image Comics, though he did not become a partner in the company.-Early life:Portacio...
.
Publication history
Dr. Chan Liuchow was created by Stan LeeStan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, first appearing in Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
#89, the discoverer and original opponent of Fin Fang Foom
Fin Fang Foom
Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 Fin Fang...
, who in the group's eponymous two-issue prestige format
Prestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
, became possessed by a demon, Aan Taanu.
Gerber had previously introduced Dr. Katherine Reynolds as a supporting character to Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...
in Marvel Spotlight
Marvel Spotlight
Marvel Spotlight is the name of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics as a try-out book for new characters. The first series ran for 33 issues from November 1971 to April 1977...
#14, and Martin Gold as a supporting character to Lilith, Daughter of Dracula in Vampire Tales
Vampire Tales
Vampire Tales was a black-and-white horror-comics magazine series published by Curtis Magazines in the 1970s, featuring vampires as both protagonists and antagonists....
#6, while Jennifer Kale debuted in Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear is an American horror comic book series published by Marvel Comics from cover dates November 1970 through December 1975, for 31 issues...
#11, which was Gerber's first story for Marvel. The other members of the team were introduced specifically for the series.
Man-Thing
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
appeared in the series as well, but only in a vision, in which the normally mute
Muteness
Muteness or mutism is an inability to speak caused by a speech disorder. The term originates from the Latin word mutus, meaning "silent".-Causes:...
and non-sentient character was able to speak with Jennifer.
Gerber expressed interest in writing about the characters again, but Marvel has not. The only follow-up to the initial prestige format
Prestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
was a backup story in Midnight Sons Unlimited #9.
Plot
The story of the limited series deals with the suicide of Charles Blackwater, whose soul is morphed into Omen, and the visions of Dr. Katherine Reynolds, now a patient in a mental institution, who keeps saying "Fin Fang Foom." Reynolds, who had previously worked with Daimon HellstromDaimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...
, was abducted by a group known only as The Agency and given drugs that enhanced her latent psionic powers.
Jennifer Kale, now in college and living with an overweight
Overweight
Overweight is generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary...
boyfriend, Bernard Drabble, has not used her magic in years (she was last seen midwifing the "birth" of Quagmire
Quagmire (comics)
Quagmire is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics who is a native of the universe of the Squadron Supreme. He first appeared in Squadron Supreme #4 Quagmire (Jerome Meyers) is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics who is a native of the universe of the Squadron Supreme. He first...
through Man-Thing in Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
vol. 1 #29), but suddenly feels compelled to, and receives encouragement from Man-Thing when she dreams that he is sitting next to her on an airplane.
In China, Dr. Chan is trying to explain to officials that there is a new part of the prophecy of Fin Fang Foom that he has only recently uncovered, while in New York, Martin Gold is now working for a paranormal magazine, having previously done hard journalism, having rethought his life after his relationship with Angel O'Hara and her possession by Lilith.
The group finally meets at the occult bookshop of Casper Wight, father of Ariann Wight. They are summoned there by Reynolds on directions from Omen.
Blackwater was forced to commit suicide by a former client, The Beyond Reason Spiritual Fellowship, which was resurrecting their hedonistic god, Aan-Tanu, through the body of Fin Fang Foom. The Fellowship was based on a rare religious tome that its male leader, Reeve Calder, believed was a hoax. Its female leader, Hildreth, mates with Aan Tanu to create a demonic child. Ariann, however, rips the child out of her womb and kills it.
External links
- The Legion of Night at the Marvel Universe
- The Legion of Night at the Marvel Database Project