SWARMERS
Classification: Extradimensional (Earth-78411 (Dinosaur World)) insects
Location/Base of Operations: Mobile in the Valley, Dinosaur World, with their base being the Tower of Death
Known Members: Unrevealed
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Devil Dinosaur, Eev, Moonboy, "Sky Demons", Stone-Hand, White-Hair
First Appearance: Devil Dinosaur#5 (August, 1978)
Powers/Abilities: Swarmers were giant ants with mandibles shaped like tusks, which they used to strip animals (including dinosaurs) down to their bones. They also used their numbers to overwhelm opponents.
Traits: Swarmers tended to swarm in large numbers (hence their name). They were fiercely protective of their nest and targeted the greatest threat in a combined effort.
History:
(Devil Dinosaur#5 (fb) - BTS) - The Swarmers, giant ants, had a dire reputation in the Valley, with their huge pillar-like nest dubbed the Tower of Death. The onslaught of the destructive aliens, the "Sky Demons", had pushed them to hide in their nest.
(Devil Dinosaur#5) - Devil Dinosaur, Stone-Hand and White-Hair were trying to evade the "Sky Demons" and followed Devil Dinosaur's plan to involve the Swarmers. So they made their way to the Swarmers' nest, passing through the surrounding bones of animals that had been picked clean of all flesh. A flame blast from a lone alien drew out the Swarmers and they overwhelmed it, destroying its suit, causing it to explode, but killing those Swarmers as well. Still outside the nest, a Swarmer spied the three but was driven off by their attack. Using "klik" sounds to communicate with each other, more Swarmers quickly emerged and Devil Dinosaur, with his two allies riding him, bounded away but into the nest as more "Sky Demons" attacked overhead. The insects inside initially attacked them but the destruction outside diverted their attention and they rushed outside to tackle the new threat to their home. Flooding out of the nest, the Swarmers were able to leap onto the low-flying aliens and likewise destroy them.
(Devil Dinosaur#6) - Almost all the Swarmers had left in a mass attack against the "Sky Demons'" base, but several remained behind, two of which attacked Eev, who was trying to steal the Swarmers' food for survival. However, Eev was soon joined by Devil Dinosaur, Stone-Hand and White-Hair, and they managed to repulse the giant ants. Elsewhere, the rest of the Swarmers had reached the aliens' base and attacked it, jamming its mechanisms and causing explosions until the entire spacecraft exploded with the aliens still inside.
Comments: Created by Jack Kirby (writer & pencils) and Mike Royer (inks).
Could there be more Swarmers? Given the swarm-like nature of these creatures, it's unlikely any remaining solo Swarmers would've survived long. Alternatively, the Swarmers' nest may well have continued underground. Further, these creatures were unlikely to be confined to just this area of Dinosaur World.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Swarmers have no known connections to
The so-called Tower of Death was the huge nest and base of the Swarmers. Devil Dinosaur targeted this so that the Swarmers would turn and attack the "Sky Demons", which were able to destroy the pillar. It also housed the Swarmers' food stores. It was surrounded by the white bones of the Swarmers' prey.
--Devil Dinosaur#4 (5-6
images:
(without ads)
Devil Dinosaur#6, p6, pan5 (swarming)
Devil Dinosaur#5, p13, pan1 (solo)
Devil Dinosaur#4, p17, pan5 (tower)
Appearances:
Devil Dinosaur#4-6 (July-September, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer
& pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby (editor)
Last updated: 02/02/08
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
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!