SPACE PARASITE

Real Name: Randau

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Xeronian) mutate

Occupation: Former ruler of Xeronian race

Group Membership: Xeronian race (former leader and later enemy)

Affiliations: The Collector, unnamed Ovoid, various beings residing on Prison World

Enemies: Aria, Chandra, Delinquent, Hulk, Paibok, Terrax the Tamer

Known Relatives: none

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: starship (mobile throughout Milky Way galaxy), formerly planet Xeron, formerly Prison World, formerly Randau City, New Xeron

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II#103 (May, 1968)

Powers: The Space Parasite could drain the strength, abilities, and life energy from others into himself on contact. It was necessary for him to do this to maintain his own life. Even without supplementation, he possessed great superhuman strength and durability, likely in the Class 100 range. However, his energy sources are finite, and he must replenish them regularly to maintain this level of strength. Randau also used an energy sword, the "Star Sceptre" which could fire solar blasts or be used as a physical weapon.

He used a starship for space travel, which had advanced scanning capacity, as well as teleportation equipment.

Height: 6' 9"
Weight: 1200 lbs.
Eyes: Light yellow green
Hair: None

History: (Incredible Hulk II#103 (fb)) - Randau was originally a benevolent and well-loved ruler of the advanced society of the planet Xeron. When an alien armada attacked a neighboring planet, Randau realized that the armada would attack and potentially overrun Xeron next. Knowing that Xeron had no military might to battle the invaders, Randau, subjected himself to exposure to the Solar Chamber, where he was bathed in the mysterious rays of Xeron's third sun. After this exposure, he developed great power, and attacked the alien armada himself. He succeeded in destroying the entire armada, but found that he could not simply return to Xeron. Either the mutation itself, or the violence of battle, or a combination of the two awakened within him a thirst for conquest which could not be quenched. He announced he was leaving to destroy all other potential menaces to Xeron, and spent the next several years attacking and conquering every race or being he encountered.

(Incredible Hulk II#103) - When Randau approached the Earth, his scanner detected the energy of the Hulk. Realizing that the Hulk's power would nourish him for years, he teleported to Earth and attacked him. After a savage battle, Randu actually succeeded in temporarily knocking the Hulk out. However, even as Randau was actively draining his power, the Hulk revived and renewed the combat, his own anger replenishing his lost strength. At that point, Randau's power began to fade. The Hulk overpowered him and Randau was forced to flee back to his ship. However, members of his race, ashamed of his bellicose nature, decided to end Randau's existence. They activated a remote detonation of his ship while he was in mid-teleport, leaving him stranded in space.

(Wolverine II#136 - BTS) - Randau was found by the Collector and brought to his Prison World, which served the purpose of hiding sentient beings from Galactus.

(Wolverine II#136) - Randau accompanied an unnamed member of the Ovoid race as he forced Aria back into her own body.

(Wolverine II#138 - BTS) - When Galactus arrived on Prison World and consumed its energies, many of the inhabitants escaped. It is unknown if Randau was one of the beings to escape the world, or if he died in the onslaught.

(Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus#1 (fb)-BTS) - Randau enslaved beings from across the galaxy and brought them to a planet he dubbed New Xeron. There he ruled over them.

(Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus#1/1) - When Terrax, Paibok and the Delinquent crash-landed on New Xeron, they were found by Chandra, a Centaurian and slave to the Space Parasite. She pleaded with the three to help her overthrow him. The three agreed, and attacked Randau as he sat on his throne. They had little success, as the Parasite killed Chandra and fed off the others' energies, especially Terrax's axe, but when Terrax withdrew the Power Cosmic from the axe, Randau was defenseless from it, and Terrax cleaved the Space Parasite in half. When the freed slaves asked who would take care of them now that Randau was gone, an enraged Terrax destroyed the planet and all of its inhabitants.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Gary Friederich.

Just like virtually any character who appeared to die in space, the Space Parasite could easily have ended up in a state of suspended animation, etc. -And did, as evidenced by his appearance in Wolverine - Madison Carter

Another Xeronian appeared in Nova III#1, as a member of Nebula's crew, attacking Earth and confronting Nova. While this Xeronian could quite possibly be the Space Parasite as well, until it's actually proven, it will remain in the comments section.

In Captain Marvel I#27 is a Space Parasite/Xeronian among Thanos' Crew. Eros and Mentor are fighting the Villains and on the right side you can see the back of a Badoon that was thrown by one of the Titans. Below that Badoon you can see the Heads of three AliensThe one to the left is the Xeronian and the one on the right is a Sagittarian (you can barely see his head).--OliverL
And the one in the middle is a Haab!--Markus RaymondSpace Parasite has an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook.

images: (without ads)
Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook, Space Parasite entry (main image)
Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus#1, story 1, page 14, panel 2

Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#103 (May, 1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Marie Severin (pencils), Frank Giacoia (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Wolverine II#136 (March, 1999) - Erik Larsen & Eric Stephenson (writer), Jeff Matsuda (pencils), Jonathan Sibal (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
Wolverine II#138 (May, 1999) - Erik Larsen (writer), Jeff Matsuda, Steve Scott & Yancey Labat (pencils), Jonathan Sibal, Scott Elmer & Scott Koblish (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus#1 (April, 2007) - Christos N. Gage (writer), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Stefano Landini (inks), Andy Schmidt (editor)

First Posted: 09/09/2001 (?)
Last Updated: 03/27/2007

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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