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"Leveling a city" is out of date. In current continuity, his voice is certainly at planet busting levels.
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===[[World War Hulk]]===
===[[World War Hulk]]===
Black Bolt is shown in issue #1 of ''World War Hulk'' being confronted by Hulk outside of the Inhuman city of Attilan. Medusa warns Hulk against engaging in a fight with her husband, as Black Bolt had defeated Hulk in the past.
Black Bolt then suffered another serious setback. He is brutally beaten when the [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]] arrives upon the Moon, seeking revenge on Black Bolt for his role in Hulk's exile from Earth. <ref>''World War Hulk'' #1 (2007)</ref>

Black Bolt is subsequently defeated by Hulk, though the battle is not shown beyond Black Bolt's opening attack and it is made unclear as to how Hulk managed to win the fight.<ref>''World War Hulk'' #1 (2007)</ref> Black Bolt's defeat is likely evidence that he was a Skrull duplicate during this point in time.


===[[Secret Invasion]]===
===[[Secret Invasion]]===

Revision as of 13:47, 3 March 2008

Black Bolt
Black Bolt on the cover of Silent War #1.
Art by John Watson.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceFantastic Four #45 (vol. 1, Dec. 1965)
Created byStan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoBlackagar Boltagon
SpeciesInhuman
Place of originAttilan
Team affiliationsInhuman Royal Family
Illuminati
AbilitiesSuperhuman physical attributes
Flight
Destructive hypersonic voice
Molecular manipulation

Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe and king of the offshoot of humanity known as the Inhumans. Black Bolt was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (vol. 1, Dec. 1965).

Fictional character biography

Black Bolt is the son of two formerly pre-eminent Inhumans — Agon, head of the ruling Council of Genetics, and Rynda, director of the Prenatal Care Center. In accordance with Inhuman standard practice, Black Bolt is subjected to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo. As an infant, he demonstrates the ability to manipulate energy, particularly the ability to generate quasi-sonic energy through his voice. To protect the community, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proof chamber and given an energy-harnessing suit. Agon then tutors his son in how to control his powers, until permitted to re-enter society as a young man - having vowed never to speak. His younger brother Maximus attacks Black Bolt upon his release from confinement, in an attempt to prove that Black Bolt cannot control his sonic powers.[1]

Only a month after being awarded his freedom, Black Bolt discovers Maximus in the process of making a pact with emissaries of the alien Kree, the race whose genetic experiments first created the Inhumans. Black Bolt uses his powers to stop an escaping Kree vessel, but due to his inexperience miscalculates, causing it to crash and accidentally kill several members of the Council of Genetics — including his parents. These events drive Maximus insane.[2] Despite his guilt, Black Bolt reluctantly accepts rulership of the Inhumans, and together with his cousins Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, and Crystal, they form the Royal Family, with giant pet bulldog Lockjaw completing their entourage. Black Bolt eventually marries his cousin Medusa [3] and they have a son named Ahura.[4]

Black Bolt is later driven from Attilan by Maximus' creation, the Trikon, [5] but later regains the throne and befriends the Fantastic Four. Maximus then traps Black Bolt within Attilan using a "negative zone" barrier, [6] although Black Bolt manages to shatter the barrier, and leaves the Great Refuge to visit the outside world. [7]

Black Bolt has made several significant decisions in his time as ruler, the first one being when Triton was kidnapped by humans; when Triton escaped, Black Bolt decided to move Attilan. He relocated the Inhuman city of Attilan several times (from an island in the Atlantic to the Himalayas [8] to the Blue Area of the Moon [9] to the raised city of Atlantis[10] to the Himalayas again [11] and even into outer space [12] before returning to the Moon [13]), dismantling the Genetic Council's power [14] and freeing the Alpha Primitives, the slave caste of Attilan. [15] While Black Bolt has also successfully fended off several attempts by both Maximus[16] and the Kree [17] to seize power and destroy the Royal Family, his reign has also been marked by a period of exile, [18] voluntary abdication, [19] and rejection by his subjects. [20]

While the Inhumans choose to live in segregation, Black Bolt and the other members of the Royal Family have come into contact with modern age superheroes time and again. Some of Black Bolt's feats include smashing a machine devised by the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror to imprison the Avengers; [21] defeating the Sphinx; [22] aiding Fantastic Four member the Thing against mutated villain Graviton; [23] defusing a missile launched at Attilan by the villain Maelstrom [24] and empowering heroine Dazzler so that she could defeat the Absorbing Man. [25]

On several occasions Black Bolt has also required the aid of the heroes - to assist with the defeats of robotic villain Ultron [26] and later the immortal mutant, Apocalypse, [27] and escapes for the Inhumans from Earth's harmful pollutants [28] and captivity by Maximus. [29]

Civil War

The Sentry traveled to Attilan and informed the Inhuman royal court of his hidden past, the events of Secret War, House of M, Decimation, and Civil War. Many of the Inhumans were moved to tears at the tragedy of it all. Black Bolt had also chosen to remain neutral in the recent superhuman Civil War after hearing about this. Although a one-time member of the superhero council the Illuminati (and current possessor of the Space Infinity Gem), Black Bolt rejected the Superhuman Registration Act and refused to become involved. Courtesy of the Sentry, Black Bolt monitored the situation.[30]

Silent War

When the mutant Quicksilver steals a canister of Terrigen crystals from Attilan, Black Bolt and the rest of the Royal Family attempts to retrieve it. The US military, however, wants the crystals and attacks the Inhumans. Believing the stolen crystals should be returned to Attilan, Black Bolt issues a warning to the United States concerning further acts of aggression, and eventually launches an offensive against the nation. Gorgon and others are captured during their foray, which prompts Black Bolt to personally head a team to rescue their fellow Inhumans and retrieve the crystals. While the mission is successful, Maximus takes advantage of the situation and overthrows and incarcerates Black Bolt. [31][32]

World War Hulk

Black Bolt is shown in issue #1 of World War Hulk being confronted by Hulk outside of the Inhuman city of Attilan. Medusa warns Hulk against engaging in a fight with her husband, as Black Bolt had defeated Hulk in the past.

Black Bolt is subsequently defeated by Hulk, though the battle is not shown beyond Black Bolt's opening attack and it is made unclear as to how Hulk managed to win the fight.[33] Black Bolt's defeat is likely evidence that he was a Skrull duplicate during this point in time.

Secret Invasion

It has been revealed that Black Bolt has been impersonated by an alien Skrull agent at some point since the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War. While the Skrull doppleganger is killed by Namor, the whereabouts and status of the real Black Bolt are unknown. [34]

Powers and abilities

Black Bolt's powers are the result of electron manipulation. The speech center of Black Bolt's brain contains an organic mechanism able to generate a currently unknown type of particle which interacts with ambient electrons to create certain phenomena determined by mental control. Through electron gathering and manipulation, Black Bolt can increase any aspect of his physical nature to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, stamina, and durability. He can channel his power into a single devastating punch called "The Master Blow". This act, however, leaves Black Bolt exhausted and he must recover afterwards. Black Bolt can also harness the electrons for matter transformation, the controlled projection of energy as concussive blasts or quasi-solid particle/electron fiends, broadcasting jamming frequencies, and flight.

Black Bolt's most prominent offensive weapon is his voice, as a hypersonic whisper can level a city [35] or awaken distant volcanoes and cause tremors on a continent on the far side of the planet.[36] It has even been stated as capable of destroying a planet. It once took Black Bolt a mere whisper to stun the Hulk after the latter had defeated the entire Inhuman Royal Family. [37] Due to the extreme danger posed by his voice, Black Bolt has undergone rigorous mental training to prevent himself from uttering a sound, even in his sleep. The fork-like antenna on Black Bolt's forehead allows him to use his voice in a more channeled manner.

Black Bolt's most prominent offensive weapon is his voice, as a hypersonic whisper can level a city [38]

Other versions

Ultimate Black Bolt and Medusa. Scene from Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1 (2005). Art by Jae Lee.

Earth X

Set on Earth-9997, Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mist into Earth's atmosphere, granting powers to all humanity.[39]

Heroes Reborn

This version of Black Bolt and the Inhumans worship statues of Galactus and his Heralds. [40]

Marvel Zombies

Black Bolt initially appears as one of the surviving heroes but is later "zombified". [41]

Mutant X

This version of Black Bolt leads a team of Inhumans and Eternals into battle against the Beyonder and Dracula.[42]

Ultimate Black Bolt

The Ultimate Black Bolt has the same abilities and limitations as his mainstream counterpart, and uses his abilities to destroy Attilan after it is infiltrated by the Fantastic Four.[43]

Other media

Television

  • Black Bolt appeared in the 1994 Fantastic Four TV series during the "Inhumans Saga", and returned in "The Sentry Sinister".

Video Games

  • Black Bolt appears as a non-player character in the console game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Despite remaining silent, the Fantastic Four and Deadpool have special dialogue with him.

References

  1. ^ Thor vol. 1, #148 - 149
  2. ^ Avengers vol. 1, #95 (flashback)
  3. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #18
  4. ^ The Inhumans Graphic Novel (1988)
  5. ^ Revealed in Inhumans Special #1 (Apr. 1990)
  6. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #45 - 48
  7. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #59 - 61
  8. ^ What If vol. 1, #30
  9. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
  10. ^ Atlantis Rising #2 (1995)
  11. ^ The Inhumans vol. 2, #12
  12. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1
  13. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 3, #54
  14. ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited #2 (1993)
  15. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #132
  16. ^ Inhumans vol. 1, #5 - 6 + The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240 + Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
  17. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #1 - 4
  18. ^ The Inhumans: Untold Story (1990)
  19. ^ Fantastic Four Unlimited vol. 1, #2
  20. ^ The Inhumans vol. 3, #4
  21. ^ Marvel Team-Up vol. 1, #11
  22. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #12
  23. ^ Marvel Two-In-One Annual #4
  24. ^ Marvel Two-In-One vol. 1, #72
  25. ^ Dazzler vol. 1, #19
  26. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 1, #150
  27. ^ X-Factor vol. 1, #65-68
  28. ^ The Fantastic Four vol. 1, #240
  29. ^ Avengers vol. 1, Annual #12
  30. ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007)
  31. ^ Son of M #6
  32. ^ Silent War # 1 - 5
  33. ^ World War Hulk #1 (2007)
  34. ^ Illuminati #5 (2007)
  35. ^ Thor vol. 1, #148
  36. ^ Inhumans vol. 3, #4
  37. ^ Hulk vol. 1, Annual #1
  38. ^ Thor vol. 1, #148
  39. ^ Inhumans vol. 3, #4
  40. ^ Hulk vol. 1, Annual #1
  41. ^ Earth X #0 - 12 (1999 - 2000)
  42. ^ Heroes Reborn: Fantastic Four v2. #1 - 13 (1995 - 1996)
  43. ^ Marvel Zombies #1 - 8 (2003)
  44. ^ Mutant X #1 - 32 (Oct.98 - Jun 01)
  45. ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #1
  • ^ Earth X #0 - 12 (1999 - 2000)
  • ^ Heroes Reborn: Fantastic Four v2. #1 - 13 (1995 - 1996)
  • ^ Marvel Zombies #1 - 8 (2003)
  • ^ Mutant X #1 - 32 (Oct.98 - Jun 01)
  • ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four vol. 1, Annual #1
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