DANIEL DECYST
Real Name: Daniel Decyst
Identity/Class: Human (18th century to modern era); citizen of Kingdom of Great Britain
Occupation: Doctor, alchemist, deity, former student
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Skull Warriors
Enemies: Bruce Banner, High Priestess
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: The Master
Base of Operations: The Citadel, unrevealed alien world, unrevealed dimension;
formerly University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom;
formerly Scotland, United Kingdom (Place of Birth)
First Appearance: (BTS) Incredible Hulk II#310 (August, 1985); (fully seen) Incredible Hulk II#311 (September, 1985)
Powers/Abilities: Decyst possessed no superhuman abilities. A gifted alchemist, he found himself mystically transported to an alien world. There he discovered that consuming the distilled blood of the natives greatly reduced his aging process. This allowed him to stay alive for three centuries, though his body grew old. Decyst carried a gun, but his advanced age made him a poor shot.
Eyes: Wears goggles
Hair: White (formerly black)
History:
(Incredible Hulk II#311 (fb) ) - Born in Scotland in the 18th century, Daniel Decyst despaired that he would not live long enough to discover all he could, and as such set out to find the secret of immortality through the field of alchemy.
(Incredible Hulk II#311 (fb) ) - He began as a student at the University of Edinburgh, but the mockery of his fellow students eventually drove him out. Continuing his research, he was persecuted by priests who declared his goal blasphemous, and withdrew to a secluded castle. There, he studied the arcane arts of ancient civilizations, eventually casting a spell that transported him to another world. The natives of this world began to worship him as a god, Decyst had them build a citadel for him so he could continue his research.
(Incredible Hulk II#311 (fb) - BTS) - Decyst came to believe the answer to eternal life lay in blood, and began a process by which he drained the natives of their blood while still alive, distilling it's essence. By consuming this, he was able to greatly decrease his aging, able to extent his life for almost three centuries. During this time, the cult around him developed, with Skull Warriors forcing natives to be offered up to them as sacrifices for Decyst's research. He developed a drug to insure the loyalty of his subjects.
(Incredible Hulk II#311 (fb) - BTS) - However, Decyst realized he needed to stay eternally young as well, and theorized the blood of a stronger individual than the natives could provide this.
(Incredible Hulk II#310 - BTS) - A group of robbed natives gathered around Decyst's Citadel offering a girl for sacrifice. However, they were seen by the Hulk (transported to this world via the Crossroads), who freed the girl. This prompted the Skull Warriors to ride out, attacking both the Hulk and the natives.
(Incredible Hulk II#311) - Decyst witnessed how the Hulk fought the Skull Warriors, thinking he'd finally found a being strong enough to give him eternal life.
(Incredible Hulk II#310 - BTS) - The Hulk, who was in a beastly state at the time was guided by the Triad. Guardian fired an arrow that ended up restoring the Hulk's reason. Distracted, the Hulk was hurt by the scythe-blade of a Skull Warrior, which caused him to revert to Bruce Banner. The Skull Warriors took him inside the citadel, where the High Priestess chose him to be sacrificed.
(Incredible Hulk II#311) - Decyst arrived just in time to stop the sacrifice. He introduced himself to Banner, delighted to learn he was a doctor like him, though Banner (whose persona had been submerged within the Hulk for the past year) was almost suicidal. Decyst showed him his lab and explained his history.
When he showed Banner his “faucet of life,” Banner was horrified and fled. Decyst got his pistol but was unsuccessful due to his age and needing to make sure he only wounded Banner. He called for his guards, and didn't notice his High Priestess approach him, the effects of his drug having worn off, and stabbed him.
Decyst tried to seal up his wound, but quickly died. Outside, Banner reverted to the Hulk, who destroyed Decyst's Skull Warriors, ending his domination over the natives.
Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo (writer), Mike Mignola (pencils), Gerry Talaoc (inks).
Decyst is on what I imagine is a short list of Hulk villains who never actually encountered the Hulk.
Decyst called himself a doctor and gave his class as “1759” but also claims he was driven from the university. Possibly he stayed long enough to get his doctorate but had been hoping to stay there further. Or perhaps having been worshipped as a god for so long he decided to just call himself doctor.
Profile by Caesar Godzillatron
CLARIFICATIONS:
Daniel Decyst has no known connections to:
The Skull Warriors were Decyst's enforcers for his rule. They were equipped with scythes that killed on contact. After Decyst's death, they were destroyed by the Hulk.
--Incredible Hulk II#310 (Incredible Hulk II#310-311
images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#311, p13, pan2 (main image)
Incredible Hulk II#311, p10, pan3 (called a blasphemer)
Incredible Hulk II#311, p11, pan4 (citadal built to honor Decyst)
Incredible Hulk II#310, p11, pan2 (Skull Warriors)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#310 (August, 1985) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Bret Blevins (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Carl Potts, Pat Blevins (editors)
Incredible Hulk II#311 (September, 1985) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Mike Mignola (pencils), Gerry Talaoc (inks), Carl Potts, Pat Blevins (editors)
Last updated: 02/10/17
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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