CAPTAIN AUTOLYCUS

Real Name: Autolycus

Identity/Class: Enhanced extraterrestrial (Sark)

Occupation: Current member of the Soul Gem community, former Captain of Starship Great Divide

Affiliations: Member of Collective Community within the Soul Gem, ally of Gamora, Pip, Kray-Tor, Adam Warlock, Star Thief, and the other residents;
formerly Universal Church of Truth (UCT), one of the Black Knights of the UCT, led a crew of mercenaries

Enemies: Count Abyss;
formerly Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Drax the Destroyer, Adam Warlock and the non-productive captives aboard the Great Divide

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Brother Autolycus

Base of Operations: Currently the pocket dimension within the Soul Gem;
   formerly mobile aboard the Great Divide.

First Appearance: Strange Tales I#179 (April, 1975)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities: Autolycus' physical powers were enhanced by the church.  He possessed superhuman strength (Class 2), speed, reflexes and senses.  He also had considerable skill at hand-to-hand combat, enough to enable him to battle Adam Warlock despite Warlock's superior strength. Autolycus was a brilliant navigator; by absorbing his skills Warlock was able to safely navigate through a black hole. Autolycus carried the standard issue energy pistol of all Black Knights, as well as an energy club.

History:
Nothing is known about Autolycus' life before he became a Black Knight.  At some point, the Church granted him his enhanced "x-powers."  In conversations with Warlock, it seemed as if Autolycus disagreed with the Church's activities and only obeyed out of a sense of duty.

(Strange Tales I#179) - Adam Warlock began his crusade against the UCT by launching an ill-fated attack against the Great Divide. Warlock was blasted out of the sky and Autolycus placed him in the brig along with dozens of "non-productives" slated for execution.  The Matriarch contacted Autolycus and subtly ordered him to kill Warlock as well. Autolycus was disgusted by the Matriarch's order, but resolved to follow it nonetheless.  However, Warlock and the non-productives broke out of the cell-block, and Warlock single-handedly defeated Autolycus' crew.  Warlock and Autolycus faced off, both regretting the need to kill the other. The battle began, and Autolycus got the upper-hand when Warlock hesitated to kill the honorable captain. Autolycus was about to shoot him dead when Warlock's soul gem acted on its own and stole Autolycus' soul.

(Avengers Annual I#7, Marvel Two-In-One Annual I#2) - Autolycus was part of the large welcoming committee that welcomed Warlock's soul into Soul World. He was seen in the background as Adam began to realize and appreciate the peace within Soul World.

(Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock#1 (fb)) - Kay-Tor and Autolycus were present in Soul World during a calm moment with Adam Warlock, Pip, Gamora and Drax.

(Silver Surfer III#46) - Autolycus was present when the Silver Surfer and Drax the Destroyer entered the Soul World to convince Adam Warlock to return to the Earth Dimension to oppose Thanos. Autolycus climbed up a mountain with Pip and the Silver Surfer in Soul World to ask Adam Warlock to calm down Drax, who had gone berserk and was fighting Kay-Tor, Gamora and the others.

(Silver Surfer III#47) - Autolycus climbed back down the mountain with Pip and the Surfer while Adam Warlock dealt with Drax. He returned in time to see Drax defeated by Adam and then get sent back to the real world along with the Silver Surfer.

(Silver Surfer III#48) - Autolycus was present when Adam Warlock made the decision to leave Soul World and join the battle against Thanos.

(Warlock: Rebirth#2) - Adam Warlock's soul ended up in Soul World again after Eve Warlock took the Soul Gem from him. Doctor Strange's astral form tried to convince him to leave Soul World, but Adam had no intention to and Kray-Tor picked up Strange to protect Adam from him. Autolycus and other souls trapped in Soul World watched.

(Warlock: Rebirth#3) - Strange broke free and quickly knocked out Autolycus and the others with a mystic blast, leaving only Kray-Tor to fight him. With the other souls defeated, Strange managed to convince Adam Warlock to merge his soul with his body again.

(Infinity War I#6) - Autolycus was present when the Magus was sent to Soul World. The Magus sought to create an army from the inhabitants of Soul World, but found that since he was only an aspect of a soul, he had no substance in the Soul World. In fact, Autolycus and Kray-Tor walked right through him without ever knowing he was there.

(Infinity Crusade I#4) - Autolycus and Kray-Tor welcomed Adam Warlock when he returned to Soul World to a short visit to talk to Magus about the Goddess.

(Infinity Crusade I#6) - Autolycus was present when the Goddess was sent to Soul World. She tried to attack him when he seemingly ignored her, but Magus explained that she and him were prisoners in Soul World that could not interact with anyone else because they were only portions of souls.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - The villain Count Abyss took the Soul Gem from Adam Warlock, and used his powers to terrorize the natives of Soul World, sending their reality into a maelstrom of chaos. Ultimately, Adam Warlock was able to access the Soul Gem, and used Kray-Tor to subject the evil Abyss to the soul of a virtuous man. Kray-Tor was eventually returned to Soul World, but he was tormented by his own exposure to the evil of Abyss.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#37) - Kray-Tor's agony continued, and began to spread to the rest of Soul World, like a virus. Autolycus was only likely seen as one of the specs of figures in the distance while Kray-Tor contemplated his torment.

Comments: Created by Jim Starlin.

Markus Raymond added the missed Infinity Crusade and Silver Surfer III#47 appearances and the ones from 2018-2023.

Profile by Chuck D. Update by Markus Raymond.

Clarifications:
Autolycus the Sark should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#179, p4, pan10 (main)
Strange Tales I#179, p11, pan4 (head shot)
Strange Tales I#179, p5, pan1 (kicking Adam Warlock)
Strange Tales I#179, p14, pan4 (beating up Adam Warlock)
Avengers Annual I#7, p34, pan2 (in Soul World)
Silver Surfer III#46, p16, pan2 (in Soul World)

Appearances:
Strange Tales I#179 (April, 1975) - Jim Starlin (writer/artist), Len Wen (editor)
Avengers Annual I#7 (1977) - Jim Starlin (writer/pencils), Joe Rubinstein (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Marvel Two-In-One Annual I#2 (1977) - Jim Starlin (writer/pencils), Joe Rubinstein (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Silver Surfer III#46-48 (February-April, 1991) - Jim Starlin (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Tom Christopher (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Infinity War I#6 (November, 1992) - Jim Starlin (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Infinity Crusade I#4 (September, 1993) - Jim Starlin (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Infinity Crusade I#6 (November, 1993) - Jim Starlin (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 (October, 1994) - John Arcudi (writer), Pat Olliffe (pencils), Bob Almond (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#37 (February, 1995) - John Arcudi (writer), Pat Olliffe (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock#1 (April, 2018) - Gerry Duggan (writer), Michael Allred (artist), Laura Allred (colorist), Jordan D. White (editor)
Warlock: Rebirth#2-3 (July-August, 2023) - Ron Marz (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Don Ho (inks), Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colorist), Darren Shan (editor)

First Posted: 02/12/2002
Last updated: 03/03/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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