History:(Strange Academy I#12 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse was an orphan.
(Strange Academy I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse grew up
in several foster homes, some of which were nice, but most were not. 
CALVIN MORSE
Real Name: Calvin Morse
Identity/Class: Human magic user
Occupation: Student
Group Membership: Strange Academy student body (German Aguilar, Alvi / Alvi Brorson, Doyle Dormammu, Gus / Guslaug, Howie, Zoe Laveau, Shaylee Moonpeddle, Pia, Toth, numerous others)
Affiliations: The Ancient One (Yao), Mr.
Bright, Mrs. Bright, Bror, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Groot, Daimon
Hellstrom, Hoggoth,
Howard
the Duck, Kanna (Pkzkrfmknna), Loki (Loki Laufeyson), Magik
(Illyana Rasputin), the Mindful
One,
Nico Minoru, Mossy, Matt
Murdock, the New Orleans Council (Catriona, Doctor Voodoo/Jericho
Drumm, Jean Lafitte, Miss Hazel, Papa Mud, Shaman/Michael Twoyoungmen),
Ogre Mage Krokwel, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff),
Spider-Boy (Bailey Briggs), Zelma Stanton, Strange Academy student
body, S'ym,
Volstagg the Voluminous, Wong;
formerly the
Mindless Ones
Enemies: Emily Bright, Dessy
(Despair), Dormammu, Gaslamp, Heidi, the Hollow, Iric (Iric Brorson),
the Mindless Ones, Mister Misery, Poppet, Scribbits, Shuma-Gorath
Known Relatives: Unidentified foster parents,
unidentified foster sister; unidentified
parents (likely deceased - see
comments)
Aliases: Misery Morse;
(nicknames) "Buddy," "Friend," "Sir," "Skull Axe-y
Guy;"
(names mistakenly called) "Kevin;"
(insults) "Boy," "Child," "Kid," "Slow-Poke"
Base of Operations: Strange Academy, New
Orleans, Louisiana, USA;
formerly a
string of foster homes throughout the USA
First Appearance: (unidentified) Dr. Strange:
Surgeon Supreme#2 (March, 2020) (see
comments);
(identified) Strange Academy I#1 (May, 2020)
Powers/Abilities: Calvin Morse has no inherent superhuman powers but, with some study, he has learned to cast minor magic spells such defensive spells capable of protecting himself from possession and spells that boosted the physical force of his physical attacks.
For a time, Calvin was bonded to the mystic creation known as Mister Misery in the form of a leather jacket. Mister Misery fed on Calvin's pain and misery, often leaving Calvin in a state of constant hunger. While bonded to Mister Misery, Calvin was able to cast strong spells including the Bubble Breath enchantment that allowed him to breathe underwater as well as others such as protective spells and spells that allow the projection of mystic blasts from his hands. Mister Misery was also capable of acting independently of Calvin in the form of Calvin's jacket, leading most to believe the jacket was semi-sentient and animated, not unlike Dr. Strange's Cloak of Levitation. In the form of a jacket, Mister Misery was able to project itself outward as tentacles extending from the jacket and had enough coordination during its locomotion that it could play video games with Calvin.
While boosted by dark magic wishes
provided by Gaslamp, Calvin was quite adept at using magic such as
defensive spells strong to repel attacks with such force that it sent
the attacker flying backwards and offensive spells such as the
projection of mystic fire.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'6")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 165 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
History:
(Strange Academy I#12 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse was an orphan.
(Strange Academy I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse grew up
in several foster homes, some of which were nice, but most were not.
(Strange Academy I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Growing up, Calvin never felt like he belonged anywhere.
(Strange Academy I#8 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Calvin Morse had to take a gym class, where students were forced to wear used gym shorts.
(Strange Academy I#12 (fb)) - Calvin was sent to live
with new foster parents and as he was being dropped off at their home,
the magical entity Mister Misery, having been expelled from the
sorcerer Doctor Strange, crept up the sidewalk towards Calvin. Needing
to bond with someone and feed off their pain and misery to survive,
Mister Misery slithered into Calvin's room and took the form of a
leather jacket. Thinking the jacket to simple be magical, Calvin
unknowingly provided Mister Misery all the pain and anguish Misery
required while discovering that he himself had been granted magical
abilities by the supposed jacket.
(Strange Academy I#1 (fb) - BTS) -
Calvin began wearing the seemingly magical jacket on the regular.
(Dr. Strange: Surgeon Supreme#2 /2 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse, having
shown great mystic power and ability due to his supposed jacket, opted
to attend the newly-opened
Strange Academy to better focus and realize his potential abilities.
(Strange Academy I#1) - Calvin
Morse accompanied
Doctor Voodoo alongside students Dessy and Zoe Laveau as Voodoo
introduced them to their fellow students Emily Bright, Alvi, Iric, Gus,
Shaylee Moonpeddle and Doyle Dormammu. Doctor Voodoo then led Calvin
and the other students into Strange Academy to show them around campus
and when Zelma Stanton mentioned how some of the books in her library
predated time itself, Calvin remarked that her statement didn't make
any sense. They were then led to the dormitory, where Calvin was
partnered with Alvi as a roommate. Doctor Voodoo then suggested the
students head to the kitchen for snacks and asked that they all
acclimate themselves to their new living situations and meet back up in
an hour for the Academy's welcoming ceremony. While subsequently
snacking, Calvin commented that Strange Academy seemed much better than
the foster homes he'd grown up in and Iric responded by asking what a
foster home was. Calvin then explained how, when parents died, their
child was placed in other homes, some nice, some not, and noted that it
didn't matter now that he was at Strange Academy. Following snack time,
Calvin and Alvi ventured over to their dorm room, where Alvi mistakenly
referred to Calvin as "Kevin" and Calvin went running into the room to
plop onto the bed, excited at being there. Calvin then began
questioning whether Alvi, being from Asgard, knew Thor, Odin, Sif,
Hogun or any of the Warriors Three, much to Alvi's annoyance. He then
donned his school uniform and ventured back outside.
(Dr. Strange: Surgeon Supreme#2/2
/ Strange Academy
I#1) - Calvin was present outside in preparation for the welcoming
ceremony, where he witnessed Asgardian brothers Alvi and Iric taking a
selfie with the Frost Giant student Gus. When Doctor Voodoo arrived and
announced the start of the first year of Strange Academy, Calvin and
the other students turned their attention towards the mystic. Upon
being introduced to the Strange Academy staff and its group of guest
teachers, both Emily Bright and Calvin Morse were awestruck. The
introductions were soon interrupted when Doctor Strange appeared in
front of the students in fierce battle with a Throzil. Requesting
assistance, Dr. Strange asked the students who wanted to have a little
fun on their first day and Calvin and many other students eagerly
raised their hands.
(Strange Academy I#1) - During the battle against the Throzil, Calvin managed to destroy any tentacles the Throzil extended towards him using his seemingly enchanted jacket, prompting Dr. Strange to comment on how "gross" Calvin's jacket was. Calvin thanked Strange for the comment and found himself a bit nervous as to what to call Dr. Strange, first calling him "man" then correcting himself with "Doc," at which point Dr. Strange assured Calvin that "man" would be fine. Once the Throzil had been defeated, the excited Calvin exclaimed how awesome the fight was. Soon after, Dr. Strange welcomed the students to Strange Academy, noting the Throzil-covered students that, above all, they should try not to die.
(Strange Academy I#2) - On the
first morning of
classes, Calvin visited the cafeteria, where Mindful One had made
breakfast burritos. Happy to see the burritos, Calvin told Mindful One
he was the best and Mindful One replied that it was his pleasure before
telling Calvin to have a good day. A short time later, as the students
were separating to go to their classes, Calvin directed Doyle Dormammu
his direction, reminding him that Magik's classroom was on the other
side of the campus and she did not tolerate tardiness. Calvin later
attended a 2nd period Introduction to the Undead class taught by Doctor
Voodoo, during which Voodoo showed the class a zombie and asked the
class to identify three afterlife curses and enchantments, and even
later, Calvin attended a 4th period gym class during which an exhausted
Calvin was given a pep talk by Alvi. During lunch time, Calvin devoured
a bowl of gumbo, having never had it before, but some bullies cast a
spell over the gumbo that made demonic-looking tentacles emerge from
the bowl, scaring Calvin. The bullies then forced Calvin's head to the
table and sarcastically asked if he'd saw something in his lunch. At
the end of the school day, Calvin went happily running from class as
the final classes dismissed for the day.
(Strange Academy I#2 / Strange Academy: Finals#1
(fb)) - Later that evening, as some of
the students worked on their homework, a frustrated Emily Bright asked
if she was the only one who felt they didn't belong there, to which
Calvin, playing video games with his enchanted jacket, answered that he
too felt he didn't belong.
(Strange Academy I#2) - He further commented that he
didn't feel
like he belonged anywhere but Strange Academy was better than yet
another foster home so he would enjoy the Academy life as long as he
could even if he weren't crushing it.
(Strange Academy I#3) - Calvin
attended a Parallel Realms class
taught by the Ancient One intended to teach the students how to use
their third eye to access the world beyond. As the students practiced,
Calvin focused hard and expressed hope that he had achieved the opening
of his third eye, asking if he had the "Eye of All the Eggos." He,
along with the other students, soon became excited when Emily Bright
achieved the third eye technique and they watched as Emily Bright saw
numerous xenoplasmic parasites, unable to see them themselves. When one
of the parasites vomited all over Emily, Calvin laughed at the
situation alongside the other students. When the Ancient One dismissed
the class for the weekend, Calvin remarked to the other students that
he had the new Last Legend
video game and that it was supposed to be "lit," prompting Doyle
Dormammu to request that Calvin never say the word "lit" again and
claim that the word hurt his head. When Iric suggested they all explore
New Orleans for the weekend, Calvin accompanied the students into town
and when they had difficulty deciding what to do, an excited Calvin
opted to go eat some beignets. The rest of the students agreed that
food was a good option and half of the students followed Calvin to eat
while the other decided to check out a voodoo museum with Emily Bright.
While out and
about, Calvin and his fellow
students were accosted by a group of masked thugs and despite Calvin's
warnings that the thugs were making a big mistake, the thugs began
beating on Alvi. The rest of the Academy students soon came to Alvi's
defense but Alvi suggested they not harm the thugs, as their magic
could do serious damage. Emily opted instead to scare the thugs by
forcing them to see the xenoplasmic parasites she had earlier seen and
as the thugs fled, Calvin warned them never to mess with them again.
Alvi thanked Calvin for coming to his defense and when Emily mentioned
being hungry, Calvin suggested another round of beignets. The group
then departed to find food, unaware they were being watched by the
cult-like Hollow.
(Strange Academy I#5 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin was known for getting
midnight snacks at Strange Academy.
(Strange Academy I#4) - Calvin
and Shaylee Moonpeddle played door
tag in the Strange Academy hallways, with Calvin soon running into the
library to escape Shaylee. When Calvin escaped through a door, Shaylee
at first became annoyed that Calvin had escaped but she then decided to
tag Emily Bright as "it." More students joined in, following into doors
leading to different realms, and Calvin eventually stopped on
Weirdworld, where a resting Calvin remarked that he might stay in
Weirdworld's Candy Woods until Emily emerged from a door to tag Iric as
the new "it." Calvin and the other students quickly ran from Iric,
diving underwater to follow Weirdworld native student Toth and casting
the Bubble Breath enchantment in order to breathe underwater. As the
door tag game went long, Calvin emerged from a door into a swamp and
monologued at how he had become lost, unaware the Hollow were in the
woods behind him.
(Strange Academy I#5 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin subsequently missed his
next scheduled class.
(Strange Academy I#5) - With
Calvin missing, Doctor Voodoo visited
New Orleans medium Miss Hazel, who had problems of her own due to her
past connection with Doyle Dormammu, and she revealed that she had not
seen Calvin. Doctor Voodoo then reported back to Doctor Strange about
Calvin missing his class, who questioned whether or not Calvin's
disappearance should be considered worrisome. A short time later,
Calvin's enchanted jacket washed up on the shore at Strange Academy,
prompting his schoolmates Zoe Laveau and German Aguilar to question
where Calvin might be. Unaware of the searches going on for him, Calvin
found himself a prisoner of the Hollow and when he exclaimed how his
sorcerous schoolmates were probably on their way to rescue him as he
spoke, the Hollow remarked that they were counting on just that. The
Strange Academy students subsequently discussed Calvin's disappearance
and when his jacket seemed opposed to the idea of informing Doctors
Voodoo and Strange, the students decided to teleport to where Calvin
was being held by using the jacket as a tether to his location.
(Strange Academy I#6) - While the Strange Academy students battled the Hollow in hopes of rescuing Calvin, Zelma Stanton and Magik opted to track down Calvin on their own by bribing some of the xenoplasmic parasites seen with their third eyes. Noticing that the nine other students were missing, Doctor Voodoo gathered the other instructors and informed them of Calvin's disappearance following a game of door tag. After being rescued by his schoolmates during their battle against the Hollow, Calvin thanked them for the assistance and reunited with his enchanted jacket. The students then attempted to escape into tunnels but the Hollow was waiting for them on the other side, prompting Zoe Laveau to reveal her true nature as a zombie as she raised the dead against the Hollow. Calvin and the other students soon witnessed the Hollow feed on the mystic energy of Doyle Dormammu, seemingly killing him, and Calvin rushed over to help Emily Bright after she passed out following a retaliation for Doyle's seeming death. Calvin soon noticed that the Hollow seemed to be floating and as he questioned what was happening, the Strange Academy instructors appeared on the scene and merged the Hollow into a singular, tree-like form. Doctor Strange then turned towards the students and Calvin watched as Zelma Stanton confirmed that Emily Bright was dying and Doyle Dormammu was already dead.
(Strange Academy I#7 - BTS) -
Emily Bright regained consciousness
and when Zelma Stanton mentioned that Emily had been dreaming, Emily
asked if everything with Calvin, his enchanted coat, the Hollow and
Doyle Dormammu was nothing more than a dream, prompting Zelma to remark
that those things had all been real. At some point, Calvin Morse
received a demerit slip from Magik.
(Strange Academy I#8 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Calvin added Emily
Bright to the top of his cellphone contacts list.
(Strange Academy I#8) - Calvin
attended a class taught by the alien
Kanna on the planet Templo Offdom. After Calvin agreed with the funky
smell of the space helmets they had to wear, Kanna introduced the class
to her teacher's aides, Groot and Rocket Raccoon. Kanna then suggested
they get down to their real field trip, acquiring the mystic Mortem Orb
from the planet. Calvin questioned what the connection between the
mystical gems and the planet was and Kanna reminded him that not all
mystic items come from Earth as they all ventured down into a cavern
where the Mortem Orb was last seen. After the class was attacked by
mother Scribbit, Calvin phoned Emily Bright for help since she was the
first person listed in his contacts. He then explained how Iric had the
class' tether stone linking them back to Strange Academy but that Iric
had been swallowed hole, leading to Calvin's reaching out to Emily in
hopes that she could create a mystic portal back to the Academy. Emily
did so and Calvin and the other students immediately fell through the
portal, happily arriving back at the Strange Academy, at which point
Calvin asked the fallen Toth to get off him. The equally transported
mother Scribbit then vomited up Iric, prompting laughter from Calvin
and the others.
(Strange Academy I#9) - Calvin was shocked awake from a dream he had
about his enchanted jacket killing his foster parents and when he
awoke, still in class, Calvin tried to explain his dream to the Scarlet
Witch but she brushed off his claims, explaining that his dreams could
be interpreted in a class next semester instructed by Rick Sheridan.
Scarlet Witch then reminded the class that it was Family Day at Strange
Academy, a day in which the students' loved ones would be visiting the
school, and when Calvin sarcastically grumbled about how thrilled he
was, Doyle Dormammu shared his sentiments and reminded Calvin about his
father being the dread Dormammu. Calvin half-joked that some of his
past foster parents could give Dormammu a run for his money on the
title of "dread" and expressed his luck that he wouldn't be seeing any
of those foster parents at Family Day. While the other students
prepared for a competition with their families, Calvin and Doyle
Dormammu opted to check out a room containing a variety of magical
items. Calvin picked up an Asgardian guard long axe and played around,
pretending to be "Skull Axe-y Guy" before Doyle found an enchanted
flower that he considered giving to Emily Bright. Calvin suggested
instead that Doyle get Emily a pair of ear buds instead of Emily's
normal large headphones and admitted that everyone knew about Doyle's
feelings for Emily. As he messed around with the Lightning Gauntlets,
Calvin then assured Doyle that it was ok to talk about his feelings for
Emily and the two then started discussing how a kiss from Emily had
restored Doyle to life. The discussion was interrupted, however, when
the gloves Calvin was messing with fired off a blast of electrical
energy. The two then became worried that someone might have heard the
noise, at which point they were surrounded by Mindless Ones. When the
Mindless Ones attacked Doyle, Calvin came to Doyle's defense,
projecting large magical blasts from his jacket that downed the
Mindless Ones. Losing track of reality, Calvin's eyes then went
pitch-black and his jacket became more active. Noticing something was
wrong, Doyle tackled Calvin and begged him not to proceed, snapping
Calvin back to reality and he admitted he had no idea what had come
over him, noting that he really wanted to kill the Mindless Ones. Doyle
then assured Calvin that he had not killed anyone and noted that was
the most important thing before suggesting they leave.
Returning to
the Strange Academy main campus,
Calvin acknowledged what had happened and thought perhaps seeing Doyle
hurt had set him off. He then asked Doyle not to mention his loss of
control to anyone else and Doyle promised to keep the secret between
them. The two then wondered if the Academy students and their families
had finished their Family Day games yet as the Asgardian god Loki
tripped in front of them. Calvin and Doyle then witnessed Emily
Bright's mother take the trophy and Calvin was present when Doyle was
subsequently introduced to Emily Bright's parents. Doctor Voodoo then
confronted Calvin and Doyle, asking if they had thought not having
family present would exclude them from the Family Day obstacle course.
He then suggested the students complete another round through the
obstacle course, this time with Calvin and Doyle included. Following
the event, Strange Academy personnel filed a damage report for the
storage facility, noting several items that were damaged during Calvin
and Doyle's time there, though the damage report mentioned neither of
the students.
(Strange Academy I#10) - Calvin accompanied the other Strange
Academy students on a field trip to Asgard and when Volstagg took the
students to the Ram's Den tavern, Calvin asked what was so special
about the place. While in the Ram's Den, a fight broke out between some
of the students and some of the patrons, with Zelma Stanton holding
back Calvin and some of the others as more of the students got involved
in defense of their classmates.
(Strange Academy I#11 (fb)) -
Calvin Morse was sleeping and snoring
loudly when his dorm mate Alvi magically hurled a sneaker at Calvin in
an attempt to get him to stop snoring.
(Strange Academy I#11) - The next morning, after crystalline student
Toth was shattered, the Strange Academy staff hired Howard the Duck to
investigate the attempted murder and Howard first questioned Calvin
regarding the attack. Goofing off, Calvin joked that he wanted his one
phone call and an annoyed Howard reminded Calvin that he was not under
arrest. Calvin then joked that he wanted his lawyer then and an
increasingly angry Howard reminded Calvin that he was a kid that had no
lawyer. Agreeing, Calvin then claimed he would not talk until he was
given dinner, as Howard couldn't expect him to be there all night with
nothing to eat. Howard angrily reminded Calvin that he had only been
there three minutes and had been summoned to the office while eating
breakfast. Calvin finally admitted that he loved whodunnits and simply
wanted to play along, at which point Howard suggested Calvin save the
theatrics for Drama Club and asked where Calvin was the night before
after 11pm. Calvin informed Howard that he was in his room sleeping and
that his dorm mate Alvi could verify his story. After Calvin left the
room, Howard made a note about Calvin, noting Calvin's love of sleeping
and movies. Alvi was brought in next and when he was questioned, he did
verify Calvin's story, revealing how Calvin was the only one in their
dorm that was sleeping due to Calvin's snoring.
After learning that most of the students had a verifiable alibi, Doctor Voodoo sent Howard a photo of the crime scene and Howard noticed a pin embedded in the wall resembling one from a leather jacket. At that very moment, Calvin was asking the other students if they had any food, as he had been hungry all day despite eating. Alvi asked how that was different than any other day but the conversation was interrupted when Shaylee Moonpeddle entered the room and revealed that Toth could not be restored due to a piece of his crystalline body being missing. While the students discussed Toth, Calvin put his hands in his pockets and discovered the missing piece of Toth's body in his jacket pocket. Alvi immediately noticed and Calvin swore the piece of Toth's body being there was some sort of mistake. As Calvin panicked, a student noticed Calvin's jacket acting strangely and the demon Dessy confirmed a sudden surge of despair within Calvin that had transformed him into something else. His eyes going dark, Calvin warned the other students to stay back, as he wasn't sure what he might do. Doctor Voodoo and Howard the Duck then entered the room and Voodoo announced that he knew what was happening to Calvin and offered to help him if Calvin would turn over the missing piece of Toth's body. Warning Doctor Voodoo to stay back or risk getting hurt, Calvin was soon overtaken by a dark force and he attacked Doctor Voodoo. When Emily Bright asked what had happened to Calvin, he replied (in a different voice) with a single word: "Misery."
(Strange Academy I#12) - Howard the Duck confirmed that Calvin
appeared to be a totally different person than the one he questioned
earlier and Calvin's jacket, speaking through Calvin, confirmed
Howard's suspicions and revealed itself to be the magical entity Mister
Misery, who had bonded with and fed on the pain and misery of Calvin
Morse.
(Strange Academy I#12 / Strange Academy: Finals#1 (fb)) - With Mister Misery in control, Calvin continued to be used as a puppet to attack his classmates and instructors.
(Strange Academy I#12) - When Mister Misery attacked Gus and was harmed by Gus' ice magic, Calvin briefly regained control and, in pain from Gus' attack, Calvin announced he could not continue to go on. Misery argued back, claiming that he knew Calvin's pain threshold personally and that Calvin could continue on. The argument between Calvin and Mister Misery was interrupted when the Mindful One blasted them. The Mindless Ones then surrounded Calvin/Misery and prepared to hold him until Doctor Voodoo could figure a way to separate Calvin from Mister Misery. Calvin's classmate Dessy, however, suggested they feed Mister Misery so much pain and suffering that the creature would burst and she confronted Mister Misery with all of the despair of her namesake. The other students joined in, adding their own feelings of pain and suffering to the mix and when Mister Misery became overloaded, he begged Calvin not to let them destroy him, claiming that Calvin needed him for magic and a purpose. Calvin refused, begging Misery to let him go and he finally succeeded in separating himself from the entity. Dessy then devoured Mister Misery and assured Calvin that he was now safe. Crying, Calvin turned over Toth's heart shard and apologized profusely, exclaiming that he never meant to hurt anyone. A short time later, Calvin sat by himself as Doctor Voodoo thanked the exiting Howard the Duck for his assistance in restoring Toth. As the students reunited with a restored Toth, Toth noticed an ashamed and saddened Calvin getting up and starting to walk away. Toth walked over to confront Calvin and when Calvin started to apologize, Toth hugged Calvin, bringing him to tears. The rest of the Strange Academy student body then walked over and joined Toth in a group hug of Calvin.
(Strange Academy Presents: The
Death of Doctor Strange#1) - Calvin
was present when Doctor Voodoo informed the Strange Academy students
that Doctor Strange had died. When Doctor Voodoo mentioned that classes
would be suspended and the children sent home until such a time that
the instructors could ensure their safety, Calvin looked on in horror
at the thought.
(Strange Academy Presents: The
Death of Doctor Strange#1/5) - Sent
back to the foster home service, Calvin sat in a chair and waited while
a social worker informed him that they were trying to find Calvin
temporary placement while Strange Academy was closed. When the worker
asked if there was anything they needed to know that might affect
placement due to the nature of Strange Academy, Calvin thought back on
his recent situation with Mister Misery and replied by saying
everything had been pretty normal.
(Strange Academy I#13 (fb) - BTS) - Once Strange Academy had
reopened, Calvin signed up for school presentation and, unlike most of
his classmates, he chose not to bring a guest speaker.
(Strange Academy I#13) - During the school presentations, a bored and depressed Calvin sat at his desk and watched as Shaylee Moonpeddle gave her presentation with guest speaker Ogre Mage Krokwel. Zelma Stanton then dismissed the class but asked Calvin to stay behind. Putting his hood up, Calvin meekly walked over to Zelma, who asked where his presentation was. Calvin began to mutter and Zelma agreed to give him until the following Monday to finish his presentation, given what he'd recently been through. He thanked Zelma then quietly walked off but was quickly confronted by Iric, who announced that he and the other students were taking him into town to show him a good time. Calvin declined, preferring to be alone, but Iric insisted and Calvin reluctantly agreed to tag along though he warned he would not have fun. He then accompanied the students into town, where they visited a graveyard that was rumored to be haunted. Despite Calvin's seeming boredom, the students found the grave of Marie Laveau and when they mentioned that she would potentially grant the wishes of those who wrote an X on her grave, Calvin grumbled that wishes weren't real. Zoe Laveau corrected him, explaining how one of the wishes on Marie's grave was her own. After explaining her origin to Calvin and her other classmates, Zoe suggested they go find some music and Calvin reluctantly agreed. Before they all went inside a music club, Calvin asked Zoe to tell him more about Gaslamp, the dealer in dark magic wishes that Zoe had dealt with to gain her magic skills. When Calvin revealed that he wanted Gaslamp to restore his magic like he had Zoe's, Zoe argued that things didn't turn out very well for her but Calvin angrily demanded she help him, as he had no magic since Dessy had devoured Mister Misery. Zoe removed her amulet to show her true zombie form, reminding Calvin of how deals can go wrong, and told Calvin to forget she ever mentioned Gaslamp. A grim Calvin replied with "Fine. Whatever." and Zoe went inside to join her classmates, unaware that Gaslamp was watching Calvin from a distance and had ordered his agent Poppet to ensure Calvin came to visit him.
(Strange Academy I#14 (fb) - BTS) - When Calvin began falling behind in his classes, Zelma Stanton asked to see Calvin in her office.
(Strange Academy I#15 (fb) - BTS)
- Due to his inherent lack of magic, Calvin had trouble stringing
together a basic illumination spell.
(Strange Academy I#14) - Calvin entered Zelma's office and she
expressed concern for him due to his falling behind in all of his
classes. Calvin exclaimed that Zelma didn't understand, reminding her
that Mister Misery (in the form of his jacket) was what had made him
magical and that without it, he was just a normal kid with no magic.
Zelma stopped him and explained how she was not inherently magical
either but she worked hard and now helped manage a school for magic.
Calvin commented that him and books weren't the best of friends and
that he wouldn't know where to begin, at which point Zelma gave him her
journal to read. Returning to his dorm room, Calvin opened the journal
and admitted that Zelma may be right in that he could regain his use of
magic but, upon looking at her notes on spells and the like, Calvin
felt as if much of her writings were going over his head. Frustrated,
Calvin expressed a wish that he could just have access to magic now
with the promise that he could read up on it later and his words
quickly inspired him. That night, while Alvi was asleep, Calvin snuck
out of the Strange Academy and into New Orleans proper, where he
visited a store called the Voodoo Lounge and asked about the
wish-granting Gaslamp. The store employee warned against getting mixed
up with Gaslamp and ordered Calvin to leave despite Calvin's attempts
to simply learn where he could find Gaslamp.
Unsure of where to go, Calvin wandered the
neighborhood for a bit until he was confronted by Gaslamp's agent,
Poppet, who asked if Calvin needed or wanted to find Gaslamp.
Reluctantly saying he needed Gaslamp, Calvin was led to a dark alley,
where Gaslamp appeared and introduced himself. When Gaslamp mentioned
how Poppet said Calvin was in need of his services, Calvin expressed an
interest in buying a wish but when Calvin mentioned not having much
money, Gaslamp claimed he liked Calvin and he offered to grant Calvin a
small wish for free in exchange for Calvin returning if he wanted more.
(Strange Academy I#14 / Strange Academy: Finals#1 (fb)) - Calvin
agreed and grabbed the wish from Gaslamp's lamp, at which point
Gaslamp disappeared and the excited Calvin expressed his wish.
(Strange Academy I#15) - Calvin attended a Mystical Defense 101
class taught by Wong. During the class, Wong assigned certain students
to act as attackers while the other students were tasked with defending
themselves from the attack. Alvi was assigned to attack Calvin but he
admitted he didn't feel comfortable attacking the magic-less Calvin.
Calvin responded by casting a defense spell so strong it knocked the
surprised Alvi back and he then remarked that Alvi shouldn't worry
about him, claiming he had been studying. Calvin then followed up with
a blast of mystic fire but Alvi dodged and swept Calvin's leg, knocking
him to the ground. Wong commended Alvi for using a non-magic defensive
move to catch his opponent off-guard and while Alvi was helping Calvin
to his feet, Calvin punched Alvi in the face. Alvi then angrily
demanded to know what Calvin's problem was and Calvin exclaimed that
his problem was Alvi and everyone else looked down on him in pity after
he lost his magic "jacket." When Calvin yelled that he was just as good
as anyone else, the still-angry Alvi suggested they duel but Magik and
Wong held the two students back and Calvin ultimately stormed off in a
huff. Alvi then turned to the other students and asked where Calvin's
newfound magic came from when he could barely perform a simple spell
less than a week earlier and Zoe Laveau expressed suspicions as to
where Calvin's new power originated.
Later that night, Calvin returned to Gaslamp seeking more wishes from him in an effort to keep his new magical power flowing. When Calvin admitted he didn't have any money, Gaslamp agreed to provide Calvin with more magic in exchange for Calvin bringing more Strange Academy students to him as customers. Agreeing to Gaslamp's deal, Calvin soon began acting as a dealer of Gaslamp's wishes on the grounds of Strange Academy, offering to grant minor wishes for students.
(Strange Academy I#16 (fb) -
BTS) - Calvin provided a free wish to a red-haired Strange Academy
student.
(Strange Academy I#16) - Two weeks after becoming Gaslamp's dealer, Calvin phoned the red-haired Strange Academy student to ask if he still needed a wish and the student made an exit to meet up with Calvin. Calvin explained that only the first wish was free and the student agreed to pay for the new one. Calvin then provided the small wish, warning that it might hurt a little, at which point Doctor Voodoo discovered the deal and asked what was going on. Pulling Calvin into his office, Doctor Voodoo asked if Calvin had any the danger he had opened himself and his fellow students up to. When a seemingly indifferent Calvin replied "Sure, I guess.," Doctor Voodoo became angry and demanded to not be patronized, reminding Calvin that he had opened the school up to an evil beyond Calvin's comprehension. A tearful Calvin then apologized, admitting that he knew he had made a mistake but didn't know what else to do and explaining that he never felt like he belonged anywhere until he started at Strange Academy. Calvin then angrily exclaimed that the Academy took away the one thing that made him fit in and asked if he was expected to just show up to class with no inherent magic. When he then yelled that they could expose him to the magical world then yank it away because of mistakes Doctor Strange had made, Doctor Voodoo informed Calvin that he was wrong and expelled him from the school. Calvin then returned to his dorm and began packing. As he was doing so, Emily Bright rushed past his room on her way to meet Doyle Dormammu for the school's Winter Formal dance and when she offered to walk with Calvin, Calvin revealed that he had been expelled. Upon hearing the situation, Emily asked to hear the whole story and when Calvin asked if she had a dance to go to with Doyle, Emily commented that, at the moment, she needed to be there for Calvin.
(Strange Academy: Finals#1 (fb))
- Doctor Voodoo watched as the packed Calvin Morse left the Strange
Academy.
(Strange Academy I#17) - Doctor Voodoo then ventured into New Orleans, where he confronted Gaslamp about Calvin. When Gaslamp noted that Calvin had become very special to him, Doctor Voodoo explained that Calvin had been sent home and that neither Calvin nor any Strange Academy students would be any concern to Gaslamp. At the school, Emily Bright informed the other students of Calvin's expulsion and when they asked what Calvin could have done to get expelled, Emily explained how Calvin had gotten mixed up with Gaslamp, at which Zoe Laveau reminded them how she had tried to warn Calvin to stay away from Gaslamp. Emily then explained Calvin's side of the story and how he had lost everything that had made him special at Strange Academy but a heartbroken Doyle Dormammu commented that Calvin should have studied harder to learn magic rather than turning to Gaslamp and that he deserved to be expelled. Doyle then reminded everyone that Calvin had been using dark magic and dealing it to other students but Emily argued that Calvin would not have had to if not for Doctor Strange. Following a brief skirmish between Doyle and the other students, Doyle walked off and Emily announced to the students that Strange Academy itself had caused all their problems, whether it be Calvin's problems stemming from Doctor Strange's creation Mister Misery manipulating Calvin or Doyle self-fulfilling a prophecy that seemed to paint him as the end of all magic. While Emily was rallying the students, Calvin returned to Gaslamp and confirmed Gaslamp's feeling that bonds were breaking at Strange Academy. Gaslamp commended Calvin on returning but Calvin expressed nervousness that Doctor Voodoo might find out. Gaslamp assured Calvin he needn't worry about Doctor Voodoo, as Voodoo was about to become very busy.
(Strange Academy I#18 - BTS) - After Emily inspired all of the
Strange Academy students to leave the school, some of them asked what
her plans were now that they had left and Emily admitted she wasn't
sure and that she simply couldn't watch the Academy throw Calvin out on
his own. Upon hearing that, Shaylee Moonpeddle wrote down that their
first demand should be the reinstatement of Calvin as a student.
(Strange Academy: Finals#2 (fb)
- BTS) - Calvin went to New York but soon returned to New Orleans.
(Strange Academy: Finals#1 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin Morse continued
acting as a dealer for Gaslamp, at one point giving a group of thugs a
free taste of Gaslamp's wishes to get them hooked.
(Strange Academy: Finals#1) - From the students' new base of
operations in the Dark Dimension, Emily Bright and Zoe Laveau argued
over Emily's ideas of "protecting" the students from the Academy
instructors who would throw Calvin out alone, with Zoe pointing out
that Emily seemed to be just using Calvin as a martyr rather than
actually finding out where Calvin had went. Still working for Gaslamp,
Calvin met with the group of thugs he had earlier provided free wishes
for but when he warned them that the first taste was free with payment
required for future wishes, the thugs savagely beat Calvin up and took
his stash of wishes. Returning to a disappointed Gaslamp, Calvin tried
to apologize and when Calvin offered to help Gaslamp make more wishes,
Gaslamp ordered Poppet to take Calvin down to the Drain, where hopes
and dreams would be sucked out of him to create new potential wishes
Gaslamp could sell to others.
(Strange Academy: Finals#2) - During a meal at Strange Academy, one of the students mentioned that he had heard from some other students called the Burnout Boys that Calvin had returned from New York but wasn't doing so great in New Orleans. Alvi and several of Calvin's former classmates then paid a visit to the Burnout Boys, where they learned that Calvin had been dealing for Gaslamp again, only to have become part of Gaslamp's "machine." Realizing what this could mean for Calvin, Zoe Laveau suggested they stage a rescue of Calvin before it was too late and that evening, several Strange Academy students visited Gaslamp and located Calvin within the Drain. Gaslamp quickly spotted the students and sent his agents after them but Zoe Laveau rose the dead connected to the Drain to fight back with the other students freeing Calvin during the ensuing fight. As the students fled with the woozy Calvin, German Aguilar generated a magical tiger that destroyed Gaslamp's Drain, creating a large explosion of mystical energy.
(Strange Academy: Finals#3 (fb) - BTS) - Calvin returned to the
Strange Academy and was reinstated as a student.
(Strange Academy: Finals#3) - A
few weeks following the defeat of Gaslamp, the Strange Academy held a
fundraising carnival to help pay for the damage the explosion of
Gaslamp's Drain caused to the New Orleans French Quarter. During the
carnival, Calvin was sent over to collect money from one of the
carnival games run by Doyle Dormammu and Alvi. Alvi questioned whether
Calvin would simply pocket the money and find another dealer and when
Doyle suggested Alvi stop making Calvin feel bad, Calvin admitted he
deserved such treatment after the horrible things he had done and said.
Calvin then apologized and Alvi forgave his former dorm mate. Calvin
then thanked them for rescuing him from Gaslamp and admitted he had a
lot to make up for with everyone, prompting Doyle to remind him that he
was not the first person to make mistakes. Doyle then informed Calvin
of how the ring of Dark Dimension matter that Doyle had previously
given to Emily Bright had corrupted her and Calvin, Alvi and Doyle all
laughed at Doyle's mistake being worse than Calvin's until they were
interrupted by Shaylee Moonpeddle, who needed their help with a
situation involving an extradimensional crack. Alvi quickly asked
Calvin if he could man their carnival game while he and Doyle ran off
to assist and Calvin assured them the game would be in good hands. As
soon as Alvi and Doyle ran off, however, Calvin was confronted by Emily
Bright, Iric and Dessy, all of whom were still separated from the
school. Calvin reminded them that they shouldn't be there and they said
the same about Calvin, inviting him to join them against the school.
The trio then offered Calvin his Mister Misery jacket and a surprised
Calvin asked how they were able to restore the jacket. Emily refused to
divulge her secrets but Mister Misery immediately tried to re-bond with
Calvin, who rebuked Mister Misery. Fighting against Mister Misery's
influence, Calvin managed to cast a spell that forced Mister Misery to
leave him and he refused to join Emily's group, claiming that they only
wished to use him like Mister Misery had done previously.
When Emily Bright accused Calvin of falling right back in line despite how the Strange Academy had treated him, Calvin admitted that the treatment was his own fault due to mistakes he had made, not the school itself. He then exclaimed that he now realized how much the Strange Academy truly cared about him and accused Emily of simply wanted to use him as a prop for whatever narrative she was spinning to make herself seem like the hero when she was actually the villain. Dessy then threatened Calvin but he bravely looked her in the face and reminded him of Emily's statement about falling in line. Emily ordered Dessy to leave Calvin be and Dessy tossed Calvin to the ground. When Iric tried to help Calvin to his feet, Calvin refused the offer, remarking that Iric had chosen his side and could have things both ways. Emily's trio then departed and Calvin went to help his classmates with the extradimensional crack, discovering that humanoid wolf student Howie had accidentally summoned the elder demon Shuma-Gorath. Explaining how he'd run into some old friends, Calvin joined his fellow students against Shuma-Gorath by hurling rocks at the demon, much to the surprise of the local New Orleans Council.
(Strange Academy: Finals#5) -
During the Strange Academy's annual commencement ceremony, Calvin was
tasked with handing out programs to the parents and guests who attended
the ceremony. As he was handing out programs, Calvin was introduced to
Iric and Alvi's father, Bror, and Doyle Dormammu's mother. When Calvin
and the other students appeared surprised that Doyle had a human
mother, Doyle apologized for not telling Calvin back on Parents Day but
Calvin was more confused as to how Doyle could have a human mother.
Doyle and his mother revealed the story of how Doyle was a human
infected with the magics of Dormammu but the story was interrupted by
the arrival of Dormammu himself and his allies Emily Bright and the
remaining Strange Academy students that had not returned. When the
regular students looked at Emily as the villain, she motioned towards
Calvin, noting that he had done some less scrupulous things during his
tenure with the school but Doyle Dormammu came to Calvin's defense,
reminding Emily that she was nothing more than a scared kid trying to
find her place in the world like everyone else her age. The Strange
Academy staff managed to teleport Dormammu from the scene but Calvin
and the other students remained to deal with Emily Bright and her
allies. During the ensuing fight, Calvin stayed by his classmates'
side, doing his best to protect himself while the other more powerful
students fought the hordes of Dormammu.
(Strange Academy: Finals#6) -
When Emily Bright killed Iric with a blast meant for Doyle Dormammu,
Alvi and Shaylee Moonpeddle attacked Emily, who was distracted enough
for Calvin to hit her with a mystic sucker punch from behind. Admitting
surprise at the attack from Calvin, Emily Bright was soon pinned down
by zombies summoned by Zoe Laveau but Emily managed to emit a mystic
pulse that tossed Calvin and most everyone surrounded her aside.
Getting back to their feet a good distance away, Calvin and the
students watched as Doyle Dormammu dueled Emily Bright, ultimately
absorbing the dark magics that had infected her when she earlier
restored Doyle to life. As Doyle grew large in size, unable to fully
contain the power he absorbed, Calvin ran up to him and warned Doyle to
stop before the full power of Dormammu corrupted him. Doyle suggested
Calvin leave for his own safety but a tearful Calvin refused,
announcing that he wasn't about to leave and let two of his besties
break bad on him in the same day. Doctor Voodoo and the Strange Academy
staff soon returned with Hoggoth of the Vishanti and moments before
Doyle succumbed to the darkness within him, Calvin and the other
students witnessed Hoggoth absorb the additional mystic power into
himself, restoring Doyle to normal. Calvin and the students then
revealed Iric's death and Dessy's injuries suffered during the fight. A
short time later, Calvin attended a memorial service for Iric where a
statue of the boy was unveiled to honor him.
(Edge of Spider-Verse III#3) - Calvin Morse was present in New York at a crosswalk standing next to Matt Murdock as the young Spider-Boy jumped around through town.
(Strange Academy: Blood Hunt#2
(fb)) - Shortly after new student Pia joined Strange Academy, Calvin
attended a showing of a Spider-Man movie on the grounds of Strange
Academy, where he sat next to Doyle Dormammu and Alvi.
Comments: Created by Skottie Young and
Humberto Ramos.
While Dr. Strange: Surgeon Supreme#2 is technically the first chronological appearance of Calvin Morse and most of the Strange Academy students, the story in that issue is just a preview of the Strange Academy I#1 story but it was published two months prior to Strange Academy I#1, effectively making it Calvin's first appearance.
Calvin mentions in Strange Academy I#1 while explaining what foster homes are that, when parents die, their child is placed in other people's homes. This statement suggests to me that Calvin's parents had died, leading to him growing up in foster homes, though no actual confirmation of his parents' deaths has been made as of yet.
Despite his eyes appearing blue
in-story, Calvin Morse's eyes are colored brown on the Ryan Ottley
variant cover of Strange Academy I#3 (see above image of Calvin in
"ready for action" pose), Strange Academy I#8 and the Window Shades
variant cover of Strange Academy: Finals#1.
Calvin is seen in a black leather
jacket covered in pins in Strange Academy Presents: The Death of Doctor
Strange#1 despite the issue taking place after Calvin's separation from
Mister Misery. He apparently acquired a duplicate of his former
"jacket" that was just an actual jacket and not a magical entity
feeding off his misery...He's next seen in Strange Academy I#13 wearing
his yellow hoodie without a jacket.
While it was never outright stated
that Calvin was born in New York or if he was even permanently based
there, it does seem as if Calvin's most recent foster family was at
least based there, as he was sent to New York when he was expelled from
the Strange Academy and was seen there again in Edge of Spider-Verse
III#1 at a crosswalk, perhaps visiting home for a weekend...
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Calvin Morse should be distinguished from:
| --Strange Academy I#1
(fb) - BTS |
Appearances:
Dr. Strange: Surgeon Supreme#2 (March, 2020) - 2nd story - Skottie
Young (writer), Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#1 (May, 2020) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#2 (September, 2020) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#3 (November, 2020) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#4 (December, 2020) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#5 (January, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#6 (February, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#7 (March, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#8 (April, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#9 (May, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#10 (July, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#11 (August, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#12 (October, 2021) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange
Academy Presents: The Death of Doctor Strange#1 (January, 2022) -
unidentified 1st story - Skottie Young (writer), Mike del Mundo (art),
Nick Lowe (editor); "Calvin" story - Skottie Young (writer), Alessandro
Cappuccio (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#13 (January, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#14 (February, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#15 (March, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#16 (April, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#17 (May, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy I#18 (June, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer), Humberto
Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Finals#1 (December, 2022) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Finals#2 (January, 2023) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Finals#3 (February, 2023) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Finals#5 (May, 2023) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Finals#6 (June, 2023) - Skottie Young (writer),
Humberto Ramos (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
Edge of Spider-Verse III#3 (August, 2023) - "Nobody Knows Who You Are"
story - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (pencils), Wayne Faucher
(inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Strange Academy: Blood Hunt#2 (August, 2024) - Daniel Jose Older
(writer), Luigi Zagaria, Eric Gapstur (art), Nick Lowe (editor)
First posted: 10/31/2024
Last updated: 10/31/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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