PRIMUS
Real Name: Primus
Identity/Class: Extra-dimensional, magic user (see comments)
Occupation: Resistance leader
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Captain Mar-Vell, Stara
Enemies: Screamers, Soul Masters
Known Relatives: Stara (wife, deceased), unnamed father (deceased)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Archko, now located within the Shadow Realm
First Appearance: Marvel Spotlight II#4 (January, 1980)
Powers/Abilities: Primus possessed the ability to become a "living shadow." In this form, he could travel from the Shadow Realm to Earth and assume a two-dimensional form, hiding within the shadows of others. Anyone who he touched while in this form would lose their soul. Primus ultimately proved able to transfer his own soul to Captain Mar-Vell by transferring his shadow to him.
History: (Marvel Spotlight II#4 (fb)) - Primus lived in Archko, an alien dimension which was assaulted by the Screamers, foot soldiers of the Soul Masters from the Shadow Realm. Primus' father attempted to lead a resistance against the Soul Masters, only to be slain by the Screamers. The dimension finally fell to the Soul Masters, who made it a part of the Shadow Realm. In order to save his remaining people, Primus informed the Soul Masters of Earth, which he had learned of because of the ultra-high sonic frequency experiments of Dr. Lyman Shaw. The Soul Masters were interested in conquering Earth, and transferred some of their power to Primus, allowing him to become a "living shadow" so that he could help scout Earth for them.
(Marvel Spotlight II#4) - Plotting against the Soul Masters, Primus brought the hero Captain Mar-Vell to the Shadow Realm, but in the process had to remove Mar-Vell's soul, making it impossible for him to return to Earth. Mar-Vell sympathized with Primus' plight, and helped train the resistance. When they finally assaulted the Soul Masters they managed to destroy the Screamers, but Primus found that his wife Stara had been captured by the Soul Masters and lost her soul to them. He furiously attacked the Soul Masters, and with Mar-Vell's help, they were all slain, but Primus suffered mortal injuries. Dying, and knowing that there would be no afterlife for Stara, he transferred his shadow to Mar-Vell so that he could restore Mar-Vell's soul. Primus lost his own soul in the process, but preferred to join his love in oblivion.
Comments: Created by Archie Goodwin, Marv Wolfman & Steve Ditko.
It is unclear whether the abilities of the
Soul Masters and those they conferred upon Primus were magical in
nature, or simply super-science. I would think magic, given that the
Soul Masters position their fingers just like Ditko's Dr. Strange.
Primus' home dimension was named Archko in Marvel
Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monster
Hunters#1.
by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
Primus should not be confused with:
Stara was Primus' wife, and served in the resistance with him. She was trained in combat by Captain Mar-Vell, but remained at the resistance base to monitor the battle while the others went into combat. However, the Soul Masters knew of their plot, and sent a Screamer to capture her. The Soul Masters then probed her mind to learn the resistance's secrets, and in the process, they took away her soul. Primus was heart-broken when he saw what had become of her, since without a soul, there would be no afterlife for her, only oblivion.
--Marvel Spotlight II#4) 4 (fb), 4
Images taken from:
Marvel Spotlight II#4, page 22, panel 1
Marvel Spotlight II#4, page 23, panel 7
Stara- Marvel Spotlight II#4, page 11, panel 4
Last updated: 12/07/05
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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