Real Name:  Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human magic user

Occupation: Sorcerer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Demons of the Death Dimension (minions), "happiness boys", Hulk (Bruce Banner, mind-controlled thrall), another Squad of Demons, Stilt-Man (Wilbur Day) and possibly some of his friends (Absorbing Man, Answer (Aaron Nicholson), Armada, Armadillo, Cat Burglar, Chameleon, Dragon Man, Eel (Edward Lavell), Gibbon, Grizzly, Masked Marauder, Prowler (Hobie Brown), Professor Power, Puma, Rhino, Ringer (Keith Kraft), Shocker, Will O' The Wisp) and possibly Day's wife Princess Python;
formerly Melinda Morrison (lover)

Enemies: Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Melinda Morrison, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), the Thing (Ben Grimm)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Xandu the Unspeakable, Xandu the All Powerful (self-appointed titles); "Sandy," "Amazing Spider-Xandu"

Base of Operations: A mental asylum in New York;
    formerly the Death dimension;
    formerly his extradimensional realm;
    formerly New York City

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2 (1965)

Powers/Abilities: Xandu had various magic powers which were vastly increased by the Wand of Watoomb. The most common effects of his powers were force blasts and force shields, deadly bolts, opening interdimensional gates and dimensional transportation. Enhanced by the Wand of Watoomb his powers extended to a level enabling him to control the reality of an entire extradimensional world.
    Xandu was also an exceptional hypnotizer and entrancer. His hypnotic spell could gift the target of the spell with superior abilities. Xandu was also able to follow and command the hypnotized's actions using "hypnotic eyes". His mind control was almost extended to an infinity range when he used the Ruby of Domination combined with the Eye of Agamotto.
    After using the Wand of Watoomb for the first time Xandu possessed a special affinity for the Wand, which he could sense and also mentally call upon over interdimensional distances.

Height: 6'3" (variable)
Weight: 180 lbs. (variable)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White; occasionally black

History:

(Marvel Team-Up I#21 (fb)) - Xandu started to practice sorcery when he was adult, but his hair was already white.

(Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way To Dusty Death GN (fb) / (Marvel Team-Up I#21 (fb))) - During his first years of study Xandu spoke about occultism to a group of curious persons. In the first row of bystanders he saw a beautiful woman: Melinda Morrison. That same night Xandu and Melinda became lovers.

    Unfortunately, during one of his experiments, the arcane energies released by Xandu unwittingly hit melinda with as a deadly bolt. Melinda fell, Xandu tried to revive her using all his knowledge but didn't succeeded. She apparently slept in a state similar to death, but Xandu didn't understand that she was actually dead and she only seemed to sleep.

(Marvel Team-Up I#21 (fb)) - Continuing his researches Xandu discovered that an object of incomparable power could help him to revive Melinda: the Wand of Watoomb.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2 (fb)/Doctor Strange II#34 (fb) - BTS) - Many years had passed since Melinda's death when Xandu finally managed to steal one half of the Wand that was split in two during a fight between Dr. Strange and Cyrus Black. Xandu took Black's half before Dr. Strange could get his hands on it.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2) - Needing the whole Wand for his purpose, Xandu returned and put two lackeys (later called "happiness boys" by Spider-Man) under his hypnotic spell. The two empowered thralls invaded Dr. Strange's house, knocked him out, and stole the second half of the Wand.

    Xandu's powers were incredibly increased, but he was surprised by Spider-Man's arrival. He banished the web-slinger on another plane of reality but Spider-Man managed to web the Wand and take it with him. Xandu unleashed his two thralls to retrieve the Wand, but in the meantime he was found by Dr. Strange. A magic battle started and Xandu realized that he was no match for the Sorcerer Supreme without the help of the Wand and his lackeys. The two mindless powerhouses managed to bring back Spider-Man and the Wand, which Xandu picked up to turn the tide of the battle. Wrongly, Xandu thought that Dr. Strange was defeated. Strange's astral form helped Spider-Man and shortly after, the two hereos attacked Xandu simultaneously. Xandu's inexperience in such a kind of fight costed him the Wand and the power as he was defeated. Strange claimed that the Wand was too powerful, drained every bit of power out of it, and read Xandu's mind to learn more about his past. Strange then casted the spell of "Total Sleep" on Xandu, apparently erasing his memory of everything that had occurred, his mystic powers and all his evil ambitions.

(Marvel Team-Up I#21 (fb)) - An instant before Strange erased his memory, Xandu sent his mind reeling off into the astral plane. His body remained cathatonic, but when his mind finally returned it renewed his abilities and reminded him of his goal.

(Marvel Team-Up I#21) - In order to restore the Wand of Watoomb Xandu needed the Crystal of Kadavus that Dr. Strange owned as well. Xandu managed to meet Spider-Man and hypnotize him. He transported the web-slinger into Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum and controlled his actions and perceptions forcing him to fight the Sorcerer Supreme and defeat him.
    Shortly therafter Xandu used the Crystal and recharged the Wand, but was interrupted by Doctor Strange. Xandu used the Wand and easily transported Strange and Spider-Man to his own extradimensional world where he was an almost omnipotent giant capable of bending reality to his every whim. But the heroes succeeded in making him drop the Wand, Xandu reverted to his human form and was easily vanquished. Strange decided to leave the Wand in that dimension, beyond the reach of any man, so he threw it away to drift in Xandu's surreal dimension. Once back in to Xandu's Earth stronghold, Strange offered his help, but Xandu's illusion was broken: Melinda was actually dead and even the Sorcerer Supreme couldn't restore life to a corpse. Xandu's delusion was enormous and he apparently went insane.

(Marvel Fanfare I#6 (fb)) - After searching for it all his waking hours Xandu found the Wand within his dimension once again, and it was used to restore the body of Melissa Morrison at full health. The Wand could however not awake her mind and soul, because Melinda was actually dead.

(Marvel Fanfare I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Xandu created a whole planet in his dimension and placed his Castle there, scheming for the resurrection of Melinda.

(Marvel Fanfare I#6 (fb)) - With the help of the Wand Xandu captured Wanda Maximoff and transferred her soul into the empty body of Melissa.

(Marvel Fanfare I#6) - Using Wanda's empty body, Xandu also captured Spider-Man and transported him into his realm. He explained to the arachnid that he wanted to marry Melinda's body, even with Wanda Maximoff's soul inside. Spider-Man's death scream had to be the commencing signal for the marriage, but he managed to flee, forcing Xandu's demons and also their master, inhabiting Scarlet Witch's body to chase him. Meanwhile Melinda's spirit came back from the realm of Death, in the form of a floating, shining orb. When it finally appeared before Xandu in human, ethereal shape it asked him to join her in the afterlife. Not recognizing her love Xandu was terrified, believing that she wanted revenge on him. He shot some magic blasts at her, to no avail. Spider-Man, who had been captured before, defeated Xandu and Melinda brought Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man and the Wand back to Earth. In an attempt to kill them Xandu destroyed his world and died himself. His soul went to the Death Dimension, where the demon-rulers pursued him to force him to take Melinda's place there.

(Marvel Fanfare I#20 (fb) - BTS) - Fleeing from a band of demons Xandu accidentally found the Ruby of Domination, an ancient talisman.

The Ruby of Domination enabled Xandu to take possession of one mind, and he choose the Hulk. Xandu used the Hulk to sneak attack and capture Doctor Strange.

(Marvel Fanfare I#20 (fb)) - Strange was transported to another dimension, where Xandu imprisoned him upon a Mystical Cross which drained his powers. Xandu also took the Eye of Agamotto, because it could be used in conjunction with the Ruby, to magnify the Ruby's power, so he could control every human on Earth at the same time. He left Strange with a Squad of Demons as guardians.

(Marvel Fanfare I#20 - BTS) - Once on Earth, Xandu started to enslave the minds of everyone within New York City, but his psychic aura had still to tune with the Ruby, so he could only have one active slave, the Hulk, at a time. Meanwhile the Thing had freed Strange and the two reached Xandu in Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum protected from his mental domination.

(Marvel Fanfare I#21) - The battle immediately begun between the Hulk and the Thing and between Xandu and Strange as well. Xandu's spells, multiplied in power by the Ruby of Domination were a serious threat for Strange, but Xandu was distracted from having to control Hulk's fight. He left Hulk's mind, taking control of Wong's, and used the faithful servant to knock out Strange behind. Xandu then imprisoned Strange in a Mystical Cage and started a ritual to join his soul with the Ruby of Domination, so that his domination power could affect the whole universe. A few seconds before the merger was complete Thing and the Hulk crashed through the Sanctum's skylight and Thing smashed the Ruby into pieces. Xandu was shocked and easily captured by Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme sent Xandu back to the Death Dimension once again and hoped to one day find a way to rehabilitate Xandu.

(Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way To Dusty Death GN (fb) - BTS) - The passages of living beings into the Death Dimension and dead beings to Earth, started to break down the dimensional barriers between the two dimensions.

    Spider-Man gave the Wand back to Doctor Strange, who placed it near the Crystal of Kadavus, safe under a protection spell.

    Meanwhile, in the Realm of Death, Xandu realized that Melinda wasn't actually alive, but that her awakening was a form of death, only similar to life. Seeking to rejoin with her he sent dreams and nightmares to her from the realm of Death, pushing her into suicide.

(Secret Defenders#6) - Xandu mystically reassembled the Wand of Watoomb, returning it to Earth. Strange sensed it, but couldn't stop Xandu from retrieving it in his unstable mental state. With the Wand in his hands Xandu restored his powers, his will, his appearance and his monocle. Controlling the minds of his the other insane inmates he escaped from the asylum but was stopped by Captain America. The hero however was unable to resist the pure power of the Wand. Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch also intervened but Xandu escaped to the Death Dimension.

(Secret Defenders#7 (fb) - BTS) - Through the Wand, Xandu learned that once near the end of the millenium the planes of Earth and Death could be merged. The resulting world would see Melinda and he again together, Melinda as ruler of the new dimension and he as ruler of Melinda.

(Secret Defenders#6) - The heroes reached Xandu in the Death Dimension only to learn that he was employing the full, unfettered power of the Wand to merge Earth and the Death Dimension into one gigantic dimension of Death. His presence had driven Melinda into a cathatonic state and her demons now obeyed Xandu, who easily captured the three "strangers".

(Secret Defenders#7) - Xandu promised to the demon-lords that they would be kings of the new world, then released the prisoners and sent his new lackeys to hunt them down. Doing so, he kept them occupied and less rebellious, while he prepared his final spell.
   The merge continued, but Melinda awakened and when she understood what was happening, she tried to convince Xandu that it was all wrong and that his actions would destroy the two worlds. Just in time the three fugitives invaded the fortress and another mystic battle occurred. Xandu's power was so great and his determination to create a world where Melinda and he could live together so strong that he managed to merge the two dimensions. On Earth the dead rose from their graves.

(Secret Defenders#8) - The Wand gave Xandu so much power that Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch couldn't break through his defenses, so Strange distracted him by transporting Melinda to Earth. Xandu let his demon-lords deal with the three heroes and went after Melinda. Again he had to battle Captain America but with the help of the dead he overpowered him. Suddenly, painful spasms hit Melinda and Xandu as the world couldn't handle them being in the same dimension, for the world itself tried to cast them out: Melinda because she was really dead, Xandu because he had created a connection with her. Melinda convinced Xandu to go back to the Death Dimension until the merging of the two worlds was complete, but once there Doctor Strange merged the demon-lords' powers and added them to Melissa's, making her the Supreme ruler of the Death Dimension. With her new powers as Supreme Ruler of the Dead Melinda easily defeated Xandu.
    Banished from the Death Dimension by Melinda, Xandu's dream to rule both the Living and the Dead with Melinda was over forever.
   On Earth the policemen who arrested Xandu didn't actually understand why he was crying, but in the Death Dimension Melinda Morrison cried as well knowning that she would never be reunited with Xandu.

(Punisher War Journal II#4) - Wilbur Day, aka Stilt-Man was killed by the Punisher. Xandu, who had known him, joined other villains at Wilbur's wake, which was held at a bar. Xandu got drawn into a brawl and exchanged some punches with the Chameleon. A few moments later everyone present started to feel sick and they realized too that they had been poisoned by the bartender, the Punisher in disguise. While Xandu writhed in agonizing pain on the floor the bar was blown up with kerosene bombs by the Punisher.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee (writer) and Steve Ditko (plot and art).

A link seems to exist between the Wand of Watoomb, Xandu, Sandy Plunkett, interdimensional jumps and body switching.

Profile by Spidermay.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Xandu has no known connections to

• Xanadu of the Hyborian era, met by Red Sonja and Zula, @ Savage Sword of Conan#207/2
• Xanadu, zeppelin of Kublai Khan, @ Machine Man I#15
• Xanadu - Siberian fortress of Yi Yang, Siberian Project, @Fury/Black Widow: Death Duty
• Sandu, former carnival mentalist with limited telepathy, mental powers enhanced by Loki, @ Journey into Mystery I#91
• or any other characters with a similar name.

"happiness boys"

   These thralls were two rough bullies without any superhuman or supernatural powers.

   They were chosen by Xandu for their strength after he watched them fighting in a bar-brawl. They were easily hypnotized by Xandu, but the hypnotic spell also granted them some extra powers: their strength was increased, they didn't feel any pain and their limbs could strike as if they were made of steel. Almost unbeatable, their minds were empty and uncontrollable by other mind.

   Under Xandu's hypnotic eyes, they assaulted Strange in his Sanctum Sanctorum. They were immune to Strange's mind control and were only swayed for a few moments by his multiple illusion spells. Unfortunately for him, Xandu's eyes could see through the false images and the two powerhouses were directed against the real Strange. A few strikes later Strange was downed.
    Taking the Wand of Watoomb, the two left through a window only to be seen by Spider-Man. Xandu led the two to attack the web-slinger, who was also surprised by the seeming invulnerability of the bullies. One of them succeded in ripping his web and after almost being knocked out Spider-Man attached a spider tracer to one of the thralls.

    Following the signal Spider-Man later sneaked into Xandu's hideout and managed to web the Wand. The two brutes were sent to retrieve it from another dimension where Xandu had banished Spider-Man. After a long fight they managed to grab Spider-Man and bring him and the Wand back to their master. They overpowered Spider-Man, but when the arachnid hit them with an electric shock they were released from Xandu's the spell. Normal again they lied to the ground, awake but extremely tired.

Squad of Demons

   The Demons were almost all of humanoid shape. Some of them had horns, antennaes, a tail instead of legs and eyes without pupils.
    They had different degrees of enhanced strength, but far inferior to the Thing's strength.

   They were ordered by Xandu to kill anyone who tried to free Doctor Strange from his magic prison.

    When the Thing showed up, they waited for him to become aggressive, and only after Ben Grimm attacked them they assaulted him. Taken by surprise, they were easily defeated.

Xandu's dimension

    Xandu, using the awesome power of the Wand of Watoomb, created an extradimensional realm where he was like a god and where he could create or un-create everything at will.

(Marvel Team-Up I#21) - At the beginning it seemed to be nothing more than an almost empty, lifeless space with floating meteorites and rocks. Its existence lasted even after Xandu lost the Wand of Watoomb and was brought back to Earth.

(Marvel Fanfare I#6) - When he came in possession of the Wand of Watoomb for the second time, the world seemed rather different. Planetoids apparently defying the laws of gravity levitated in a void space. Its main world had a sky full of other planets and flying pre-historic-like reptiles. The land was mostly swampy, with water and grass and rock. Little reptiles, giant mushrooms and deadly giant snakes inhabited the ground, and demon-like beings were the main predators. They were summoned by Xandu to hunt down Spider-Man.
    The only man-made building in existence was Castle Xandu and, like the rest of the world, it changed to suit the mood of its master.
   This dimension was destroyed by Xandu in an attempt to kill Spider-Man, Melinda and the Scarlet Witch, who had taken the Wand of Watoomb from him and escaped his dimension.

(Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way To Dusty Death GN / Secret Defenders#6 - BTS/7/8) - In the Death Dimension Xandu rebuilt his Skull Castle.

--Marvel Team-Up I#21 (Marvel Fanfare I#6

images: (without ads)
Marvel Team-Up I#21, cover (Xandu's name)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z#12, Xandu entry (main image)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2, p5, pan2 (head shot)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2, cover (Xandu, full-body)
Marvel Team-Up I#21, p3, pan4 (head shot)
Marvel Team-Up I#21, p10, pan1 (Xandu's giant form)
Marvel Fanfare#20, p11, pan1 (The Squad of Demons)
Marvel Fanfare#21, p29, pan1 (Xandu joined to the Ruby of Domination, plus the Eye of Agamotto)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2, p7, pan2 (Xandu's thralls)
Marvel Fanfare I#6, p14, pan1 (Castle Xandu)

Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#2 (1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Steve Ditko (plot and artist)
Marvel Team-Up I#21 (May, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Frank Giacoia & Dave Hunt (inks), Roy Thomas(editor)
Dr. Strange II#34 (April, 1979) - Ralph Macchio (writer), Tom Sutton (penciler), Craig Russell (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Marvel Fanfare I#6 (January, 1983) - Mike W. Barr (writer), Sandy Plunkett (writer/pencils), P. Craig Russel (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Marvel Fanfare I#20 (May, 1985) - Jim Starlin (writer/pencils/inks), Al Milgrom (inks and editor), Christie Scheele (colors)
Marvel Fanfare I#21 (July, 1985) - Jim Starlin (writer/pencils), Al Milgrom (inks and editor), Christie Scheele (colors)
Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way To Dusty Death Graphic Novel (1992) - Roy Thomas (writer), Michael Bair (pencils), Mark Texeira, Michael Bair & Mark Beachum (inks), Toka/Fingeroth/DeFalco (editors)
Secret Defenders#6 (August, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Secret Defenders#7 (September, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (pencils), Fred Fredericks (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Secret Defenders#8 (October, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Punisher War Journal II#4 (April, 2007) - Matt Fraction (writer), Mike Deodato Jr. (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)

First Posted: 02/12/2010
Last updated: 03/10/2011

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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