Enemies: Avengers (Captain America/Steve Rogers, Firestar/Angelica Jones, Giant Man/Hank Pym, Hercules, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Justice/Vance Astrovik, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Thor/Odinson, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Avengers Unity Squad (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Brother Voodoo/Jericho Drumm, Captain America/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Vision), Juggernaut (Cain Marko), J. Vernon Mann, Nova (Richard Rider), Professor X, Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Carnivore

Base of Operations: His home in Greece

First Appearance: Black Panther I#4 (July, 1977)

Powers/Abilities: Zorba is ruthless and ambitious, and has no qualms with using guns as weapons. As Carnivore, Zorba possessed superhuman speed, claws which he'd use as weapons, and his fighting skills greatly increased.

History:

(Black Panther I#4) - Introduced to the Black Panther in his royal palace in Narobia, along with the other Collectors.

(Black Panther I#5) - Zorba, along with Colonel Pigman and Silas Mourner, tries to stop the Black Panther from leaving his royal palace, telling him that Princess Zanda will make him stay no matter what.

(Black Panther I#7) - Welcomes Abner Little and the Black Panther home after their mission in Samurai City. Upon learning they didn't bring back any of the water-skin, Zorba was angered, until it was revealed that Abner actually had a small portion of it. Zorba began to fight the other Collectors for the water-skin.

(Iron Man III#16) - The Count calls Stark Solutions for help. Pepper Potts directs the call to Tony Stark for him. Count Zorba tells Stark that he is a collector of rare antiquities and is currently seeking a lost treasure, and would like to hire Stark Solutions to help him do so. Stark, though intrigued, declines the offer. Zorba tells Stark he won't take no for an answer, but Stark says he's going to have to and cuts their connection. Angered, Zorba begins to think of a way he can acquire Stark's services before the other Collectors can get the treasure...

(Iron Man III#21/2) - Following a lead to the treasures, Zorba and Princess Zanda flew to Canadian Nanavut territory where Abner Little was funding an archeological dig that had uncovered the Temple of Balthakk. Zorba's airship opened fire on the dig, but was disabled by Iron Man, who had been lured there earlier by Abner. Landing, Zorba and Zanda claimed their aerial attack had merely been an attempt to disperse those below so they would not be harmed by the airship landing, and that they had come only to assist Abner as part of the Council of Antiquarians. Before their flimsy excuse could be properly challenged, events took a critical turn when the mystical power residing within the temple transformed one of Abner's party into the hostile Inferno.

(Iron Man III#22) - After escaping from Inferno, Stark, who had arrived earlier, questions Zanda, Abner and Zorba about their interest in the temple. Abner tells Stark that neither Zanda nor Zorba can be trusted, and Stark replies by telling them he doesn't trust any of them. Zorba and Zanda decide to tell Stark what they know, and the four of them, along with Dr. Mann, decided to go to the Andes, where their partner Colonel Pigman had uncovered the Temple of Farallah. Pigman is surprised to see them as they arrive, and especially surprised to see Stark, asking if he had joined their group.
Suddenly, Zorba seems to have disappeared, when a bright light signals a creature appearing before them. The creature, mutated by the Fearsome Fist of Farallah, calls himself Carnivore, and is revealed to be Zorba, with some new powers. Carnivore attacked his former partners, but Zanda is able to shoot Carnivore, who is stopped for a moment. Iron Man then appears and engages Carnivore in combat, but just before he can defeat the villain, two other Exemplars appear and takes him away with them...

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#11) - In the basement of the Daily Bugle, Spider-Man finds Carnivore and a few of the other Exemplars. Spidey is attacked by Carnivore, but is able to escape. Later, he returns, along with Iron Man and Thor, and Carnivore attacks Spider-Man again.

(Juggernaut: Eighth Day#1) - Along with the rest of the Exemplars, awaits the finish of the "God Machine". When Stonecutter finishes it, they brought it to the North Pole. Carnivore gets into an argument with fellow Exemplar, Decay. Later, after the Exemplars begin to in-fight, Carnivore attacks Juggernaut. Taken out by the Exemplar Bedlam, he disappears along with the rest...

(Avengers III#23) - Discovered in the Himalayas by three other Exemplars, Carnivore is asked to join them in their plans to get revenge on the one who betrayed them...

(Avengers III#24) - In a stone plaza built by Stonecutter, Carnivore battles Conquest as a test of strength. Later, along with the rest of the Exemplars, kidnaps Juggernaut from the Avengers.

(Avengers III#25) - Back at the stone plaza created by Stonecutter, prepares for the execution of Juggernaut and the forthcoming great battle amongst the Exemplars. When the Avengers, Nova and Spider-Man decide to crash the party, Carnivore is one of the Exemplars who joins in the fight against the heroes, teaming up with Inferno to attack Thor. The heroes, way overmatched, are defeated. Before the Exemplars can decide what to do with them, Captain America appeals to their human sides. Carnivore decides to go against Captain America anyway, but is stopped by Bedlam, who has decided that the war between the Exemplars is pointless, and then the Exemplars leave.

SECRET WAR HAPPENED

(Black Knight III#2) - The Exemplars returned and were stopped by the Avengers Unity Squad. Carnivore overpowered Black Knight and tried to use the Ebony Blade to kill him, but the Ebony Blade wouldn't allow it. Taking back his sword Black Knight stabbed Carnivore through the chest, apparently killing him to the shock of the Avengers Unity Squad and the other Exemplars.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby

According to Kurt Busiek the costumes for all the Exemplars (except for Juggernaut) were designed by Jos&eacte; Ladrönn. Thanks to Minor Irritant for the information.

Black Knight III addition by Markus Raymond. Text corrections by Loki.

Profile by: The Beetle

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• Carnivore, Dick Chalker, who sought to destroy X-Factor, but was killed before he could ever attack them, @ X-Factor I#89
• Carniverous Plants of Skornheim, native to Asgard, @ Journey into Mystery I#116
• Karnivore, alias used by the Man-Beast @ Thor I#473
• Zorba, the Latverian prince who led a (temporarily) successful rebellion against Doom, @ Fantastic Four I#198

images: (without ads)
Iron Man III#22, p13, pan5 (Carnivore main image)
Black Panther I#4, p16, pan1 (Count Andreas Zorba)
Iron Man III#22, p12, pan1 (Temple of Farallah)
Avengers III#25, p1, pan6 (Fearsome Fist of Farallah)

Appearances:
Black Panther I#4 (July, 1977) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editor)
Black Panther I#5 (September, 1977) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editor)
Black Panther I#7 (January, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editor)
Iron Man III#16 (May, 1999) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writer), Patrick Zirchner & Anthony Williams (pencils), Andy Lanning, Larry Mahlstedt & Scott Koblish (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Iron Man III#21 (October, 1999) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writer), Tom Grummett (pencils), Art Thibert (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Iron Man III#22 (November, 1999) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writer), Sean Chen (pencils), Rob Hunter, Rags Morales, Nelson & Eric Cannon (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Peter Parker Spider-Man II#11 (November, 1999) - Howard Mackie (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Juggernaut: Eighth Day (November, 1999) - Joe Casey (writer), Terry Shoemaker (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Avengers III#23-25 (December, 1999 - February, 2000) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (pencils), Al Vey & Dick Giordano (#24) (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Black Knight III#2 (February, 2016) - Frank Tieri (writer), Luca Pizzari & Kev Walker (artist), Wil Moss (editor)

First Posted: 01/21/2003
Last updated: 01/30/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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