(Defenders I#14 (fb) - BTS) - Nebulon, the Celestial Man, joined many of his race in searching out other planets whose resources could be used to keep his planet alive.  He was unsuccessful in his efforts and had only thirty galactic units left to find such a planet before he would be considered a failure.  He took on a human appearance.

(Defenders I#14 (fb)) - In his ship, Nebulon found a drifting Hyperion, of the Squadron Sinister, who'd been set adrift shrunken in a bubble of sand.  After Nebulon explained his quest, Hyperion offered to sell Nebulon the planet Earth and Nebulon agreed.

(Defenders I#13 (fb)) - Hyperion sought to reform the Squadron Sinister to assist Nebulon.  They restored Dr. Spectrum's powers and recruited Whizzer and Nighthawk.  They revealed their plan to flood the earth by melting the polar ice caps with a giant laser and Nighthawk was resistant.  Nebulon put a spell on Nighthawk to stop him from seeking help from the Avengers, but Nighthawk sought out help from the Defenders instead.

(Defenders I#13) - When Nebulon discovered what Nighthawk had done, he teleported Nighthawk to the ice caps and imprisoned him in a force bubble while the Squadron developed the laser cannon.  When the Defenders attacked and defeated the Squadron, Nebulon imprisoned the heroes in another force bubble.

(Defenders I#14) - At Hyperion's request, Nebulon did not destroy the Defenders but set them adrift in space.  They managed to return, and Nebulon created a creature from ice, whom Hulk called the Frozen Man, that the heroes also defeated.  Despite a series of tactics to defeat the heroes himself, Nebulon was overwhelmed by an attack by Strange and reverted to his true form.  When Nighthawk turned the laser cannon on him, Nebulon was inundated by the power and imploded, taking the three Squadron villains with him.

(Defenders I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Nebulon was thrown through existence until he landed on the world of the scientist-philosopher Ludberdites. He came to adopt their credo that higher beings in the universe had an obligation to improve the lives of their inferiors.

(Giant-Size Defenders I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Nebulon chose to remain with the alien Ludberdites, but sent the Squadron back to Earth with an energy-absorbing gun they could get revenge on the Defenders with.

(Defenders I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Nebulon brought the Ludberdites to Earth, the most savage planet he'd seen, and planned to help humans recognize their destiny. They began picking humans to realize that destiny from.

(Defenders I#33) - Nebulon had the Ludberdites began gathering humans and creatures. Among those were a fawn (containing the mind of Chondu the Mystic) and Nighthawk (secretly Jack Norris's mind in Chondu's brain in Nighthawk's body, and who held Nighthawk's brain in a dish).

(Defenders I#34) - Nebulon was thrilled to see 'Nighthawk,' who agreed to join the other human captives. Nebulon disguised himself as a short bald man and traveled to Earth to get the attention of New York's citizens. He put them at ease, stating he could help them to achieve their utmost. When the Hulk landed, Nebulon easily contained the Hulk in a sphere and sent him into space, giving the surrounding people just a glimpse of his true nature. Women began fawning all over him and he spread fliers stating he'd be having a free seminar on Celestial Mind Control at the Park Plaza that night. At the hotel, Nebulon gave a confrontational speech about how humanity was required to admit that they were Bozos before they could achieve peace and potential. He enticed those in the crowd to put on the bozo masks contained under their chairs. He invited one man on stage and showed the skeptical man the culling of humanity they'd developed their concept from, including 'Nighthawk' and 'Bambi.' The man, who turned out to be Dr. Strange, resisted, and Nebulon attacked him and allies Hulk and Valkyrie with a blast that felled them all. Before Strange could attack again, 'Bambi' (Chondu) tapped into Nebulon's powers and teleported both of them away.

(Defenders I#35) - Nebulon appeared at the headquarters of the Headmen and departed quickly in a fury, enraged that Chondu had utilized his power so.

(Defenders I#36) - Nebulon continued gaining notoriety for the Movement, getting coverage in papers and a headquarters. Villains Porcupine, Eel, and Plantman approached, looking to become more effective criminals, though Plantman soon changed his mind.

(Defenders I#37) - Plantman returned and noted that Porcupine and Eel had shed their old lives. Nebulon forced Plantman to stay, recognizing their mutual desire to defeat the Defenders. Later, Eel and Porcupine apprehended Dr. Strange, Red Guardian, Power Man, and Jack Norris.

(Defenders I#38) - Nebulon deposited the Defenders (not Jack) in a hostile dimension, and he sent Nighthawk there when he stormed the Movement's headquarters, leaving to go to a lecture soon after.

(Defenders I#40 - BTS) - The Movement continued spreading, and 'Nebulon' was asked to be presented at the United Nations.

(Defenders Annual#1) - The Movement spread into Paris, where they had made enemies of the Headmen who also sought to dominate the world. Nebulon questioned one of the agents, Marie (who was secretly a disguised Red Guardian) about the Defenders' involvement in a recent attack, and ordered 'Marie' to have mental reconditioning due to her strong will. Posing as Mr. Nebul, he approached the United States President about the U.N. admission. The President asked his aid, Pfenner, if the meeting was ready, then disappeared, taking to another dimension to meet with Dr. Strange. Nebulon infiltrated the meeting and he and Strange argued over the planet's future and what humanity really wanted. Nebulon defeated Strange and returned with the president to Earth. Just as the president was about to announce his support of the Movement, Strange attacked again and before anything could happen the Headmen reduced the entire crowd and White House in size. Hulk freed them and the Headmen were defeated. Dr. Strange used his Eye of Agamotto to force Nebulon to experience human history, which disgusted Nebulon. Feeling that humanity no longer deserved redemption, he abandoned the Movement's efforts and departed Earth.

(Defenders I#93 (fb) - BTS) - Nebulon, for interfering with Earth’s natural progression, was hunted down by his people, and tried and convicted by the High Tribunal of the U’la’lan’s. Nebulon escaped, however, and hid in Earth’s oceans. He explored undersea civilizations, and read Namor’s mind, learning of his lost love, Dorma.

(Defenders I#93) - Posing as Dorma, Nebulon manipulated Namor into leading Atlantis in an attack on the surface world. They took over London until the Defenders attacked, and were captured. When Valkyrie tried to coax Namor, Nebulon, caught up in the trappings of emotions of his human form, attacked her and his Celestial Man form stood revealed. The Defenders attacked him and he reverted to his true form, that of monstrous alien, and Namor hurled him away. Nebulon was caught in a Cerulean beam sent by the High Tribunal, who took Nebulon back to space. As a last ditch effort, Nebulon posed as Dorma again, but he soon faded away.

(Ultimate Hulk Novel: "A Quiet, Normal Life") - Nebulon placed the Defenders into a hallucination. Possibly they all shared the following scenario, but the Hulk had the following hallucination; he was a Bruce Banner who never became the Hulk. He was married to Betty Ross, he worked at a company with Luke Cage and Barbara Norriss (Scandinavian) as security guards, Norrin Radd as a presumably terran albino researcher, Sam Sterns as a facilities manager, Patsy Walker as a secretary, Kyle Richmond as a member of the company, and so forth. His father Brian, still abusive, came to visit, but an experiment got disrupted, and Brian Banner became a hulk-style entity. The Hulk emerged from the hallucination then.

(Avengers Annual#11) - Nebulon, for having interfered in Earthly affairs, was deposited on Earth by the U’la’lan’s High Tribunal, having chosen exile to death. They stripped him of half his power, trapped him in his human form, and exiled him to Earth. Nebulon again refused death, so the Tribunal left him. Despairing, he transported himself to the Himalayas, where he had previously stored an energy-draining Ennui device, and was approached by Avenger Thor, who invited Nebulon to seek redemption by allying with the Avengers. Nebulon agreed to try and met Iron Man, Captain America, and Wasp, who, after debating, agreed to give him a chance. A contingent of Defenders, including Beast, Gargoyle, Valkyrie, and Silver Surfer, attacked, claiming Nebulon was mind-controlling the Avengers. The battle moved back to the Himalayas and Nebulon sat back and watched as the heroes’ energies were drained by the Ennui device, realizing that redemption was unattainable and seeking power instead. When he discovered it was Supernalia who was behind the Defenders’ attack, Nebulon was very saddened, and Supernalia exposed the Ennui device. When Supernalia realized she had interfered with Earth as Nebulon had, she prepared to turn a gun on herself, but Nebulon stopped her, entreating her to be his queen. Captain America’s shield knocked Nebulon into the beam of the Ennui device, and Supernalia joined him there; both were quickly reverted to their true alien forms and then seemingly perished, Nebulon claiming it was the only honorable way to go.

(Defenders II#8) - On a planet of the Toad Men, a mysterious starry man watched the Defenders with interest.

(Defenders: The Best Defense#1 (fb) - BTS) - In Hell, the demons Borss and Mog'Rys borrowed two billion souls from Mephisto and traded them to the Spirit Flayers of Carcosa for a vast amount of power, which they had bestowed upon Nebulon, who had made a separate deal with Mephisto for his return to the corporeal plane. This allowed Nebulon to gain access to the Train, a cosmic trail of planets caught up in the wake of the Conductor, a cosmic being who fed the Train's movements with the planets moving around it. Nebulon planned to manipulate the train to Earth, killing all in the Milky Way Galaxy.

(Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense#1, Namor: The Best Defense#1, Doctor Strange: The Best Defense#1, Silver Surfer: The Best Defense#1) - Nebulon traveled in a humanoid form (apparently inspired by his obsession with Earthlings) and murdered the mortal servants and protectors of the Conductor's Train.

(Defenders: The Best Defense#1) - Silver Surfer attacked Nebulon, who began to drain the Power Cosmic, but then Namor (silvered up and on the Surfer's board) attacked, and Nebulon tossed him into space, but then the Hulk attacked, punching Nebulon repeatedly. Nebulon bragged about Earth's pending destruction, not realizing that Strange had altered the Train's path to save the planet. Mephisto then revealed himself, claiming Nebulon's soul.

Comments: Created by Len Wein, Sal Buscema, and Klaus Johnson.

Thanks to Dr. Jeff for scanning the Frozen Man for me! Nebulon appeared in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14, the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#18 and in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition. The Ul'lula'ns appeared in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#11, in the Alien Appendix.

It remains unrevealed whether the starry man in Defenders II#8 is Nebulon. Kurt Busiek says, off panel, that it is, but it has not been confirmed on panel.

In the story chronology guide in the back of the Spider-Man: Venom's Wrath novel and other Byron Preiss books, the Nebulon story from Ultimate Hulk was placed some time before Amazing Spider-Man Annual#21 (marriage), the end of the Silver Surfer's exile on Earth in Silver Surfer III#1 and the reemergence of the gray Hulk in Incredible Hulk II#331.
--Per Degaton

Given that he appeared in Defenders I#13, two-and-a-half years before Captain Ultra's debut (in Fantastic Four I#177), could he have been the "elderly psychologist" who gave plumber Griffin Gogol his "ultra-powers?" Sort of a precursor/off-shoot of that Ludberdite self-help program? Just wondering.
--Carycomic

Thanks to David A. Zuckerman for a correction.

Thanks to Kevin Garcia for adding Nebulon's earlier appearances in the Best Defense crossover.

Profile by Chadman.

Nebulon has no known connections to

• Celestial Fool, Proffet @ Son of Satan I#4
• Celestial Golems, Gatherers @ X-Force I#96
• Celestial Madonna, Mantis @ Giant-Size Avengers I#2
• Celestial Messiah, Quoi @ Fantastic Four I#325
• Celestial Nullifier, reality destroyer @ Uncanny X-Men I#462
• Celestial Order of the Si-Fan @ Special Marvel Edition I#15
• Celestials, space gods @ Eternals I#2
• Celestial Order, Thanos enemies @ Marvel Universe: the End I#2
• Nebula, space pirate @ Avengers I#257
• Nebula, Terminatrix @ Avengers I#293
• Nebulo, member of the "Evil Inhumans" @ Incredible Hulk Annual I#1
• Nebulos, Dr. Strange enemy @ Strange Tales I#161
• or any other "Nebulous"  or "Celestial" characters

"Frozen Man"

(Defenders I#14) - Nebulon created the "Frozen Man," so named by the Hulk, from polar ice caps to battle the Defenders.  The giant tossed the Hulk aside and regenerated an arm after one was cut off by the Valkyrie.  It was destroyed when tossed into a laser cannon beam.

The "Frozen Man" was a giant ice creature with super-strength and the ability to regenerate severed limbs.

--Defenders I#14

Celestial Mind Control Movement

(Defenders I#34) - Nebulon, the Celestial Man, traveled to Earth with the alien Ludberdites, set on helping all humans achieve their destiny. They gathered a random sampling of humans who they used as templates to determine mankind's desires for peace and potential. Using these studies, Nebulon posed as an average-looking man and advertised the unlocking of human potential through a free lesson in Celestial Mind Control. Many humans attended the seminar, and Nebulon helped them realize the ridiculousness of their lives by having them put on clown masks and admit they were Bozos. The seminar was interrupted by an attack by the Defenders, and Nebulon disappeared quickly.

(Defenders I#36) - Gaining more notoriety, the Movement received recruits in Porcupine and the Eel. Plantman came, then changed his mind.

(Defenders I#37) - Plantman returned and saw Eel and Porcupine shed their old lives, and Nebulon admitted a desire to destroy the Defenders.

(Defenders I#38) - Nighthawk stormed Movement headquarters and was sent to another dimension by Nebulon, who'd already sent Nighthawk's allies there. The Defenders returned and defeated the Bozos, including Eel and Porcupine, and a left a beast that had followed them tied up there as well. They called the police to clean things up.

(Defenders I#40 - BTS) - The Movement continued spreading, with Nebulon being asked to be presented at the United Nations.

(Defenders Annual#1) - The Movement set up a branch in Paris where they worked to limit the influence of the Headmen's scheme to conquer the world by taking down their Parisian advertising company, the Compagnie de Lux. Defenders Nighthawk and Red Guardian broke up their attempted assassination of the advertising leader, and took Bozo Marie captive. Red Guardian posed as Marie and infiltrated Bozo headquarters, the Chateaux de Bozeaux, where a group of Ludberdites were operating. Nebulon ordered 'Marie' to resubmit for conditioning. Shrunken Bones, from the Headmen, then shrank the entire headquarters with his shrinking gun.

--Defenders I#34 (Defenders I#34, 36-38, 40 - BTS, Defenders Annual#1

Marie

(Defenders Annual#1 (fb)) - Frenchwoman Marie was recruited by the Celestial Mind Control Movement in France, and selected to become part of their inner circle due to her high degree of mental pliancy. She became aware of the existence of the Ludberdites.

(Defenders Annual#1) - While participating in a Movement mission against the Compagnie de Lux, Marie was captured by Nighthawk and Red Guardian, who posed as Marie to infiltrate the Bozos.

--Defenders Annual#1 (Defenders Annual#1 (fb), 1

Nebulon (fascimile)

(Avengers I#353) - Seeking revenge on the Avengers, the Grim Reaper forced a plane to crash and used the corpses to become host bodies for the spirits of various dead Avengers foes.  Christened the Legion of the Unliving, the villains battled the Avengers. 

(Avengers I#354) - Nebulon animated one of these corpses, still possessing his own superpowers.  Nebulon successfully stymied Sersi's attack.  The Reaper soon lost control of the villains' souls and they turned on the Reaper.  After the Reaper was consumed by Lloigoroth, the villains returned to their graves.

--Avengers I#353 (Avengers I#353-354

Pfenner

(Defenders Annual#1) - Presidential aide, Pfenner, informed the president that Mr. Nebul was ready to see him. He then saw the president seemingly disappear. The president soon reappeared with Mr. Nebul. When Dr. Strange appeared to attack the president, Pfenner tried to shoot Strange but found his gun transformed into a toy.

--Defenders Annual#1

images:
Avengers Annual#11, p1, pan1 (main image)
Avengers Annual#11, p38, pan3 (alien form)
Defenders I#34, p13, pan3 (Mr. Nebul)
Avengers I#353, p14, pan1 (undead form)
Defenders II#8, p21, pan5 (new form)
Defenders I#14, p8, pan6 ("Frozen Man")
Defenders I#34, p13, pan6 (Bozos)
Defenders Annual#1, p9, pan2 (Marie)
Defenders Annual#1, p23, pan2 (Pfenner)
Namor: The Best Defense#1, p8, pan4 (Nebulon, spooky serial killer)
Defenders: The Best Defense#1, p5, pan1 (on the Train)

Appearances:
Defenders I#13 (May, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#14 (July, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Dan Green (penciler/inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#33-34 (March-April, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (penciler/inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders I#35 (May, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (penciler/inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders I#36 (June, 1976) - Steve Gerber & Mary Skrenes (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (penciler/inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders I#37-40 (July-October, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (penciler/inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders Annual#1 (October, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (penciler/inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Defenders I#93 (March, 1981) - JM DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin (penciler), Joe Sinnott, Frank Giacoia, others (inkers), Al Milgrom (inker/editor)
Avengers Annual#11 (1982) - JM DeMatteis (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#353 (Late September, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (penciler), Ariane (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#354 (Early October, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (penciler), Alexandrov & Ariane (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Ultimate Hulk Novel (October, 1998) - Thomas Deja (writer), Stan Lee & Peter David (editors)
Defenders II#8 (October, 2001) - Kurt Busiek & Erik Larsen (writers), Ron Frenz (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense#1 (February, 2019) - Al Ewing (writer), Simone De Meo (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Namor: The Best Defense#1 (February, 2019) - Chip Zdarsky (writer), Carlos Magno (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Doctor Strange: The Best Defense#1 (February, 2019) - Gerry Duggan (writer), Greg Smallwood (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Silver Surfer: The Best Defense#1 (February, 2019) - Jason Latour (writer/artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Defenders: The Best Defense#1 (March, 2019) - Al Ewing (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Belardino Brabo (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 01/20/2007
Last updated: 11/13/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

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