porcunius-newmen-full-tiny porcunius-newmen-ih158-upperPORCUNIUS

Real Name: Presumably Porcunius

Identity/Class: Terrestrial fauna (porcupine) mutate (New Men) transported to extraterrestrial existence (Dromisana Galaxy; the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth)

Occupation: Rebel, leader of rebellion

Group Membership: New Men; specifically the rebel, peace-loving New Men

Affiliations: Adam Warlock, Eaglus, Hulk (Bruce Banner), numerous unidentified New Men;
    at least formerly High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham);
    possibly formerly Man-Beast

Enemies: Man-Beast's/Kohbra's New Men (Barachuudar, Cobrah, Kohbra, Lizhardus, Monck, Phrogg Rhodan, Snakar, Weezhil, others; possibly Haukk, Pih-Junn, Triax the Terrible), Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich);
 |   presumably Count Tagar, Knights of Wundagore (notably Sir Lepard, Sir Lyan, Sir Ossilot, Sir Ram, and other unidentified Knights), Thor Odinson;
    possibly the Beyonders, Prime Movers of Tarkus, Sphinxor, Thanos

Known Relatives: None known

Aliases: Porcupinus, Porcunis (see comments)
    "Quilled One" (from Kohbra)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    at least formerly various hidden base on the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth;
    formerly Wundagore-3;
    formerly somewhere in the galaxy Dromisana;
    presumably created in the High Evolutionary's Citadel of Science atop Mount Wundagore, Transia;

First Appearance: (Possible first appearance, behind-the-scenes) Thor I#135 (December, 1966);
    (seen and identified) Incredible Hulk II#158 (December, 1972)

porcunius-newmen-ih158-face-eyesPowers/Abilities: A hystricine biped, semi-humanoid, Porcunius may have had superhuman strength and/or durability.

    He appeared to have quills rather than hair on the top of his head.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6' to 6'6"; he appeared to tower over other New Men, and he did not look that much shorter than the 7' Hulk, although the Hulk was slouching)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 180 to 220 lbs.)
Eyes: Light, almost white iris over blue sclera
Hair: Brown quills
Other Distinguishing Features: Porcunius has three fingers and a thumb on each hand. His feet were not shown, but four toes seems likely.

History:

(Thor I#135 - BTS / Quicksilver I#9 (fb) - BTS) - The Man-Beast used his evolutionary ray (presumably still powered by Isotope C) to create a number of his own New Men (presumably including Phrogg), who then engaged Thor and the Evolutionary. 

    Thor subdued the Man-Beast, and Count Tagar and the Knights forced the rest of the Man-Beast's New Men into the Evolutionary's Star Chamber, which then transported them to the "galaxy Dromisana" (see comments).

(Marvel Premiere#1 (fb) - BTS / (Marvel Premiere#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Man-Beast and his New Men (presumably including Phrogg) secretly returned to Earth's solar system. The Man-Beast covertly monitored the High Evolutionary's activities.

(Marvel Premiere I#1 - BTS) - When the High Evolutionary became exhausted by the process of creating his Counter-Earth and collapsed, the Man-Beast led a group of armored New Men (possibly including Phrogg) to invade the Evolutionary's asteroid base, apparently slaying Sir Ram in the process.

     The Man-Beast then used the High Evolutionary's machinery to guide the newly developed humanity on Counter-Earth to commit the violent crimes the High Evolutionary had sought to prevent.

    The High Evolutionary revived and attacked the Man-Beast, who summoned his armored New Men (possibly including Phrogg) to aid him. Though the High Evolutionary stopped them as well, the distraction allowed the Man-Beast to strike down the Evolutionary with a psychic blast.

    Before the Man-Beast could slay the Evolutionary, however, Him -- the creation of the Enclave whom the Evolutionary had rescued from space --  rushed to attack the New Men. The Man-Beast teleported himself and his followers down to Counter-Earth.

    The Evolutionary considered destroying his now-tainted world, but Him convinced the Evolutionary to allow him to track down the Man-Beast and to save humanity. The Evolutionary gave Him the Infinity Soul Gem and sent him to Counter-Earth with the new name of Adam Warlock.

(Marvel Premiere#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Man-Beast and his New Men established the base of Wundagore-3.

(Warlock I#1 - BTS) - The High Evolutionary altered Counter-Earth so that it vibrated on a different plane, a mere micro-second out of sync with the rest of the dimension, so that a rocket from Earth approaching Counter-Earth could neither see nor be seen by Counter-Earth.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - After the Man-Beast dissolved into mist to escape de-evolution by Adam Warlock (although he secretly possessed Rex Carpenter), Kohbra assumed leadership of the New Men and plotted to conquer Counter-Earth.

    Porcunius led a rebel group of New Men who sought only acceptance, not dominance.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - Presumably with Kohbra's instruction, Phrogg infiltrated Porcunius' group.porcunius-newmen-ih177-fullish

(Incredible Hulk II#158 - BTS) - Seeking to get rid of the Hulk and the Rhino, the Leader (Samuel Sterns) sent them on a craft to the opposite side of Earth's sun, at which point it would slow down; it was believed that either the orbit would decay and it would plunge into the sun or they would remain trapped in the craft until they would perish.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - Kohbra led his army of New Men in an assault on the base of the group of rebel New Men led by Porcunius.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 - BTS) - The Leader's craft instead reached Counter-Earth, after which point the two passengers were separated from each other and the craft.

(Incredible Hulk II#158) - Kohbra warned Porcunius that he and his rebel band were surrounded and told him to surrender, to rejoin is fellow New Men, and to reclaim their collective destiny to rule this Earth. Before Porcunius could respond, however, the Hulk's fall caused him to crash through the base's ceiling. Porcunius initially suspected the giant green creature to be a "Hell-spawned monstrosity" sent by Kohbra; however, Kohbra similarly feared that Porcunius and his men had gained an ally, and so he led his forces to flee. Instead, their flight convinced his one of Porcunius' men that the creature was not one of Kohbra's.

    After the Hulk responded that he "was nobody's. Hulk is alone -- no matter where he goes...", Porcunius told the Hulk to be one of his group, offering him sanctum, shelter in their catacombs to avoid the soldiers that would hunt them. Hating soldiers, the Hulk accompanied them.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - Kohbra and/or other members of his New Men located and allied with the Rhino.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - After reporter Jason Anders released an article noting an alien ship to have been discovered by and brought to a local air force base ('scant hours after the ship's discovery), Porcunius read the article to the Hulk, who realized it was the ship on which he had arrived.

    Porcunius explained to the Hulk that he was actually on Counter-Earth and told him about Anders' article on his ship.

(Incredible Hulk II#158) - Porcunius further explained how he and his people were New Men, evolved from species other than primates, and he assured the Hulk that -- unlike Kohbra -- they sought only acceptance. Agreeing that that was what he sought, the Hulk noted his affection for Porcunius (although he struggled with pronouncing Porcunius' name).

    At the Hulk's query, Porcunius agreed to help the Hulk locate his ship and return to his world, at least in part to prevent Kohbra and his allies from gaining the ship.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - Having witnessed this interaction, Phrogg reported this to Kohbra.

(Incredible Hulk II#158) - Backed (and guided to the location by) Porcunius and his New Men, the Hulk broke into the Air Force base holding the ship that had brought him there. The Hulk was initially distracted by encountering Counter-Earth's Bruce Banner and his family.

(Incredible Hulk II#158) - Led by Kohbra, Rhino charged into the Air Force base and smashed the Hulk from behind. Kohbra instructed Porcunius to order the Hulk aside so they could claim the ship. As the two behemoths fought, Porcunius urged his New Men forward, for the glory of lost Wundagore. He further advised Kohbra that his evil reign was ended: "Outnumbered tho we be, still we fight the good fight! The fight to save men's souls." Kohbra countered that it was a struggle Porcunius' forces would lose.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 - BTS) - Regardless, the Leader then initiated the recall of his ship, hoping to leave the Hulk and Rhino stranded there.

(Incredible Hulk II#158) - Soon after, Kohbra confronted Porcunius directly, advising him that only the two of them could put an end to this farce. Porcunius countered that the war for this world's survival was no farce.

    However, "as venom and quill prepared for a duel to the death," both New Men took pause as the Hulk spectacularly smashed the Rhino to the ground, knocking him out. The Hulk then dragged the Rhino aboard the ship, which soon departed with them. porcunius-newmen-ih177-upper

    As Air Force base airmen rushed in, led by this world's General Ross, Kohbra stated that their fight must be set aside, and Porcunius agreed, "Aye, Kohbra -- for now." Both groups of New Men fled back to their subterranean lairs.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 (fb) - BTS) - Porcunius wondered at the Hulk's fate.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 (fb) - BTS) - If they were not already thusly allied, Porcunius and his peace-seeking New Men allied with Adam Warlock.

(Incredible Hulk II#176 - BTS) - Having been launched off Earth in a space ark by the Inhumans, the Hulk's frustrated assaults on the control panel sent him rocketing around the sun to arrive on Counter Earth. There the revived Man-Beast's New Men used an anesthetic gas assault to transform the Hulk back into Bruce Banner, whom they captured.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 - BTS) - After the Man-Beast had a micro-transmitter/sonic probe into Banner and had enforced his will upon him, testing of the sonic probe caused Banner to turn back into the Hulk and break free.

(Incredible Hulk II#177) - Porcunius (see comments) and his allies were in the tunnels underlying Washington, D.C. as the Hulk smashed his way out of the White House and into the bunkers below it. Porcunius and the others recognized the Hulk from their previous encounters, and Porcunius reintroduced himself to the Hulk and asked his aid in return for shelter and protection. Denying a need for protection, the Hulk nonetheless recalled Porcunius and agreed to help him.

    Porcunius and his allies led the Hulk to their subterranean base and introduced him to Adam Warlock, whose liberation from the Man-Beast's captivity by Rigellian Recorder #211 had been facilitated by the distraction of the Hulk's battle with the Man-Beast's New Men.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 - BTS) - Warlock befriended the Hulk and stayed with him and his allies for the next week.

(Incredible Hulk II#177) - As Porcunius enjoyed a feast with Warlock, the Recorder and the other New Men, the Man-Beast activated the sonic probe as part of Operation: Betrayal, causing the agonized Hulk to rampage, smashing everything around him to try to end his pain. Correctly suspecting the Man-Beast's involvement, Warlock instructed Porcunius, Eaglus and others to restrain but not harm the Hulk, whom he noted to be like a child. Although noting this to be a "very dangerous child," Porcunius complied, instructing Eaglus and his other associates to try to overwhelm the Hulk by sheer weight of numbers.

porcunius-newmen-ih178-rebels    After the Hulk tossed them away, Porcunius watched as Warlock tried to use his Soul Gem on the Hulk; however, the Man-Beast and his allies then ambushed them. Although Porcunius appreciated as the Hulk destroyed the transmitter that was activating the sonic probe, the Man-Beast nonetheless subdued and captured Warlock and the Hulk.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 - BTS) - In the following days, the Man-Beast manipulated the people of Counter-Earth's America into choosing death for Warlock, and the Man-Beast executed him, leaving behind only a cocoon.

(Incredible Hulk II#178 - BTS) - The Hulk took Warlock's cocoon and escaped into the wilderness.

(Incredible Hulk II#178 - BTS) - The Hulk's battle allowed Porcunius and his allies to escape their captors.

(Incredible Hulk II#178) - Porcunius and his allies found the Hulk and had him bring the cocoon to a cavern where they could inter his mortal remains. Porcunius comforted the confused Hulk, telling him that Warlock's time among them had drawn to an end, but that they would always have memories of him. Approaching the cavern, Porcunius greeted Warlock's friends Dave Carter, Jason Grey, and Ellie Roberts, as well as the Recorder. The group mourned the loss of Warlock.

    Later, as the Man-Beast led his forces in preparation of mass assaults, Porcunius and his New Men arrived to oppose them. As the Hulk over-powered the Man-Beast, a resurrected Adam Warlock arrived and transformed the Man-Beast and his allies back into their original animal forms. Warlock then departed Counter-Earth to seek his destiny in the stars.

(Incredible Hulk II#179 (fb) - BTS) - The Hulk was sent back to Earth in a re-programmed lunar exploration rocket.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Steve Gerber, Herb Trimpe and Sal Trapani.porcunius-newmen-th135-maybe

    As far as I know, there is not anything that indicates that the Man-Beast was able to create additional New Men on his own without the High Evolutionary's evolutionary ray. Therefore, Porcunius was likely created and present in Thor I#135.
    I am listing Porcunius as behind-the-scenes in the issues covered in Thor I#135 - Warlock I#1.
    Maybe this was Porcunius (on the left) in Thor I#135---------------------------------------------------------------------->

.

    And, assuming Porcunius did not perish at some point earlier, he was presumably present on Counter-Earth when Sphinxor and the Prime Movers took the world for the Beyonders' museum circa Marvel Two-In-One I#61-64 (1980)...and when Counter-Earth was apparently destroyed by the Infinity Gauntlet-possessing Thanos (as revealed circa Warlock and the Infinity Watch#4 (1992).
    I am not really certain what the deal is with the Counter-Earth that appeared circa Uncanny Avengers II#1 (2015), but I do not believe Porcunius was seen with them.

    Porcunius/Porcupinus/Porcunis

    He is consistently referred to by himself and others as Porcunius in Incredible Hulk II#158 (I counted four references) by creator Roy Thomas, consistently by himself and other as Porcupinus in Incredible Hulk II#177-178 by Gerry Conway, and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#8
    I'm staying with the creator/first appearance spellings for consistency in this profile.
    The No-Prize solution could be that his real name was Porcunis, but friends called him Porcunius or Porcupinus, and he went with what his group of friends called him…although you’d think he’d have used the same name when re-introducing himself to the Hulk…not the Hulk may have recalled the difference…

    Other thingsporcunius-newmen-ih177-lastsup

    There was this whole religious analogy with Counter-Earth, with the High Evolutionary being analogous to God, the Man-Beast to Satan, and Adam Warlock to Jesus Christ. The crucification, especially the "Why have you forsaken me" notation, and the Last Supper scenes seemed to lay it on PRETTY THICKLY...


Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Porcunius should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#158, pg. 7, panel 2 (fullish; tiny);
           panel 4 (upper, greeting Hulk);
       pg. 14 (face, eyes);
    #177, pg. 9, panel 1 (upper, greeting Hulk);
       pg. 12, panel 1 ("Last Supper");
       pg. 13, panel 2 (fullish; standing behind Adam Warlock);
    #178, pg. 11, panel 4 (with Hulk and rebel army)
Thor I#135, pg. 9, panel 1 (Man-Beast's New Men assaulting Thor and HE) - possibly Porcunius

Appearances:
Thor I#135 (December, 1966) - Stan "The Man" Lee (writer/editor), Jack "King" Kirby (penciler), Vince "The Prince" Colletta (inker) - BTS; presumed
 Marvel Premiere#1-2 (April-May, 1972) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gil Kane (pencils), Dan Adkins (inks), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Warlock I#1 (August, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot), Mike Friedrich (script), Gil Kane (pencils), Tom Sutton (inker), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Warlock I#2 (October, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot), Mike Friedrich (script), John Buscema, Tom Sutton & Gil Kane (pencils), Tom Sutton (inker), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Incredible Hulk II#158 (December, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot/editor), Steve Gerber (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Sal Trapani (inker)
Incredible Hulk II#176-177 (June-July, 1974) - Gery Conway (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#178 (August, 1974) - Gery Conway (plotter), Tony Isabella (script), Steve Gerber (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Roy Thomas (editor; also conceived story)

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#8 (July, 2009) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Stuart Vandal, Mike Fichera & Madison Carter (coordination assistants), Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Stuart Vandal, Ronald Byrd, David Wiltfong, Madison Carter, Mike Fichera, Chad Anderson, Chris Biggs, Eric J. Moreels, Mark O'English, Al Sjoerdsma, Jacob Rougemont, Gabriel Shechter, Anthony Flamini, Rich Green, Markus Raymond, Andrew Goletz, Rob London, Mike O'Sullivan & Jeph York (writers), Brian Overton (copy editor), Alex Starbuck (editorial assistant), John Denning & Cory Levine (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editors)

First posted: 10/08/2024
Last updated: 10/19/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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