Scarlet Scarab

Scarlet Scarab
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	First: The Invaders #23 (December 1977) Second: Thor #326 (December 1982)
Created by	First: Roy Thomas, Archie Goodwin, and Frank Robbins. Second: Doug Moench and Alan Kupperberg.
In-story information
Alter ego	First: Abdul Faoul Second: Mehemet Faoul
Abilities	Superhuman strength and durability Flight Fire concussive bursts of mystical energy Ability to sap the power from others on contact

Scarlet Scarab is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

The first Scarlet Scarab first appeared in The Invaders #23 (December 1977), and was created by Roy Thomas, Archie Goodwin, and Frank Robbins. The character also appeared in The Invaders #25 (February 1978).

The second Scarlet Scarab first appeared in Thor #326 (December 1982), and was created by Doug Moench and Alan Kupperberg. He received an entry in the original The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #9.

According to Roy Thomas, the Scarlet Scarab, like the Silver Scarab in Infinity, Inc., was an homage to the Dan Garret incarnation of the Blue Beetle "about whom I had written my second professional comics story back in 1965." The magician and warrior who created the Ruby Scarab were named Garret and Dann.

Fictional character biography

Abdul Faoul

Abdul Faoul was a famous archeologist during World War II. He unearthed the Ruby Scarab, an artifact that was originally created to battle the Elementals, around 3500 B.C. When Dr. Faoul touched the mystical power-object, he became the Scarlet Scarab and became a champion of Egypt during World War II.

Dr. Faoul worked as a liaison between the Allied Forces and the Egyptian government, and led the Human Torch and Namor to a recently excavated pyramid in search of the fanatic nationalist group, the Sons of the Scarab. Faoul, who was actually the leader of the Sons of the Scarab, tricked the heroes into opening the vault where the fist-sized ruby was kept. As the Scarlet Scarab, he first ousted the British, and then the Nazis, from Egypt. Following the war, the Scarlet Scarab continued to battle criminals until one day in the 1950s, the ruby simply disappeared.

Dr. Faoul had not realized that the gem's crafter, a powerful pre-dynastic Egyptian sorcerer named Garret, had placed an enchantment on it that it would return to Garret's tomb whenever it had exhausted its store of mystical power. Faoul spent the next twenty years in search of the ruby, not realizing it had returned to where he had found it. Eventually, the Elementals sent N'Kantu, the Living Mummy to fetch the ruby. The ruby changed hands a number of times after N'Kantu recovered it, going from the Living Monolith, a thief named Daniel "the Asp" Aspen, the Elementals, and an extra-dimensional traveler named Hecate, before exhausting its power once again and returning to its tomb.

Meanwhile, Dr. Faoul continued searching until his death. As his dying act, he requested his son Mehemet to continue his quest.

Mehemet Faoul

Mehemet received from his father the strongbox in which he had kept the Ruby Scarab. Inside was the costume he had worn as the Scarlet Scarab, a journal of his exploits, and a photo of the ruby. Mehemet considered it his duty to continue his father's quest, searching for years as his father had. Finally, Mehemet came to the gem's final resting place. Holding the ruby, he gained the powers of the Scarlet Scarab, and set out to become Egypt's new champion. One of his goals was the protection of Egypt's priceless ancient artifacts. In one mission to recover some stolen artifacts, the Scarlet Scarab encountered Thor, who mistook his intentions and the two fought to a standstill.

Powers and abilities

Abdul and Mehemet have superhuman strength and durability, the ability to fly at high speeds, the ability to fire concussive bursts of mystical energy, and the ability to sap the power from others on contact. Abdul needed to maintain contact with the Scarab to use its power.

In other media

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Moon Knight, May Calamawy appears as Layla El-Faouly / Scarlet Scarab, an archeologist and adventurer, who is Spector's wife and is aware he is Moon Knight. El-Faouly was originally not Egyptian, a change lead director Mohamed Diab pushed for, but rather a Caucasian woman which Elle reported was the character Marlene Alraune, Spector's wife in the comics. Creator Jeremy Slater later clarified that Marlene was never part of the series, citing the importance of diversity within the writers room, and that the character was originally named Zayna Faoul. Calamawy described her character as someone with "a lot of healing to do", who "step[s] into herself more" and "develops more confidence and trust in herself" through supporting Spector. She drew inspiration from Middle Eastern women, who "have a very unassuming, soft strength to them", and avoided Western actresses, such as Angelina Jolie who had portrayed the tomb-raiding Lara Croft. Calamawy called El-Faouly a street fighter, and wanted her stunts to reflect that by having them be reactionary and not choreographed or clean. El-Faouly becomes the Scarlet Scarab, the temporary avatar of the Egyptian goddess Taweret; this name was revealed by Marvel.com following the series' finale, with Diab noting he had not connected her to that character from the comics, explaining, "Sometimes Marvel picks a name and then gives it to the character that is developed." He pointed out that at the moment, she did not receive her powers from the scarab, but ultimately felt what the character represented was more important than her name.

External links

• Scarlet Scarab at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Scarlet Scarab at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• The Ruby Scarab at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe