KALUU
Real Name: Kaluu
Identity/Class: Human magic user (15th century, pre-modern to modern era);
citizen of Kamar-Taj
Occupation: Adventurer, sorcerer; former king of Kamar-Taj
Group Membership: None; formerly Avenger Prime (Blade, Blue Marvel/Adam Brashear, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Jessica Jones, Constance Molina, Power Man/Victor Alvarez, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Spectrum/Monica Rambeau, White Tiger/Ava Ayala), Mighty Avengers (Blue Marvel/Adam Brashear, Luke Cage, Captain America/Falcon/Sam Wilson, Jessica Jones, Power Man/Vic Alvarez, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Spectrum/Monica Rambeau, Spider-Man/Peter Parker, White Tiger/Ava Ayala), Mighty Avengers (The Bear, Blade/Eric Brooks, Blue Marvel/Adam Brashear, James Lucas, Constance Molina)
Affiliations: Demons of Denak, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), elemental spirits, Enitharmon the Weaver, Dave "D.W." Griffith, Mighty Avengers Call Center (Soraya Khorasani, Ruby Neal, others), Rintrah, Varnae, Wong;
possibly Raggadorr
Enemies: Ancient One (Yao), Beyond Corporation, Deathwalkers (Adur, Cairn, Lichidus, Viciada), Deathwalker Prime (merged form of the Deathwalkers), Ebony Maw, Fast Five (Blue Streak/Jonathan Swift, Gold Rush, Green Light, Redline, Silver Ghost), Ghaszaszh Nyirh, Gideon Mace, Marcello Montesi, NYPD, Quickfire (Barbara McDevitt), Shuma-Gorath, Topaz, Vatican, were-servants of the Deathwalkers;
formerly Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), "Inverted Avengers" (Luke Cage, Captain America/Sam Wilson, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Medusa/Medusalith Amaquelin, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Thor/Odinson, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed, but possibly back at the Plaza Hotel;
formerly Mighty Avengers HQ (aka Gem Theater);
formerly Plaza Hotel, New York City;
formerly in exile in an unknown dimension;
formerly somewhere in the dimension of Raggadorr;
formerly Kamar-Taj, Tibet
First Appearance: (Eyes) Strange Tales I#147 (August, 1966); (full appearance) Strange Tales I#148 (September, 1966)
Powers/Abilities: Kaluu is one of Earth's most powerful black magic practitioners. He draws his powers from four primary sources: invocation of powerful extradimensional mystical entities or objects (exocentric), manipulation of the universe's ambient magical energy (ecocentric), his own psychic resources (egocentric) and the Elder God Chthon's forbidden magic performed by tapping into the life forces of living beings (necromantic). During his exile in Raggadorr, Kaluu learned some potent spells unknown to most sorcerers. He has mystically made himself virtually unaging and possesses a mystic healing factor (a heart wound heals within seconds), though he can be killed by other means. He can teleport (even to other dimensions like the Qlippothic Planes), banish people to mystic realms (like the Purple Dimension), psychically hypnotize people, transform into lower life forms, cast illusions (including to change the appearance of himself and others), cast varying mystic shields (including an astral form blocking ectoplasmic shield), enchant weapons, cast powerful immobilization spells and project force bolts. Kaluu can summon the Demons of Denak and elemental spirits. He regularly invokes demonic entities such as Amtor the Unspeakable, Satannish and Chthon. Kaluu has no qualms about using necromantic magic despite the destructive side-effects, like depriving areas of rainfall when using the power of storm and lightning to travel through the air.
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Yellow (can change eye color through magic)
Hair: Black
History:
(Strange Tales I#148 (fb) ) - Kaluu was born in Kamar-Taj in the 1430s. He grew up in the peaceful land among gentle people of his village. In his early 20s he and his friend Yao began studying sorcery to aid their people. While Yao was only interested in charity Kaluu realized from the beginning that magic could help them turn their small land into the center of an empire. Growing weary of Yao's benevolent nature Kaluu joined his people in festivities rather than continue his studies.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#13/2 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#4: Kaluu) - Varnae approached the ambitious Kaluu and corrupted him. Kaluu learned some of Varnae's dark arcane knowledge from the Darkhold.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 (fb) ) - Kaluu began using psychic hypnosis to slowly gain control over the people of Kamar-Taj. Carried in a palanquin he was adored by his people.
Kaluu and Yao continued their studies until one day Kaluu decided it was time to act. While Yao was apprehensive at first he rather followed Kaluu to limit his powers than to let Kaluu use his powers without control. They cast an enchantment over their land to end all disease and poverty. Walking through their village Kaluu was sure their people would soon chose a ruler and asked Yao to refuse it in case he was chosen. Yao already knew that Kaluu had implanted a wish in the people to Kamar-Taj to make Kaluu their king and decided to stay near him. As planned Kaluu was made king of Kamar-Taj and hours after being crowned ordered the farmers to train and exercise their combat skills to become warriors in his army. Due to Kaluu's hypnotic sway over them the people of Kamar-Taj ignored all of Yao's warnings.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#13/2 (fb) ) - As planned by Varnae Kaluu halted all of Kamar-Taj's trade with Rome to prevent the Vatican them from attaining missing pages of the Darkhold located at Kamar-Taj, including the vampire-destroying spell later known as Montesi Formula.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 (fb) ) - Though the spell cast by Yao and Kaluu brought nothing but prosperity to Kamar-Taj Kaluu sought more (according to him in Strange Tales II#8/2 for the greater good of his people because these were savage times and he saw no wrong in giving his people lasting peace by making them feared among nations and the luxury to have enough food). Looking at the village at the foot of the mountain through his crystal ball the bored Kaluu planned to conquer it. The people of Kamar-Taj were quickly convinced by him that working and growing their own food was not what they should thrive for, but rather take from others what they grow like the weaklings at the foot of the mountain. Yao called Kaluu out for his mad plan, but Kaluu ordered his arrest. Yao immobilized the guards before they could get hold of him, but Kaluu put a spell of transfixation on Yao when he had his back turned to him and vowed to make him his slave upon their return from conquering the neighboring village. Kaluu called the people of Kamar-Taj to arms and enchanted their weapon with an invincibility spell before they marched to the village at the foot of the mountain. Kaluu had Yao's helpless body into a cart and took him with them against his will so Yao would have to witness the bloodshed. Kaluu and the soldiers of Kamar-Taj laid waste to the village and Kaluu ordered the village burned before enslaving the villagers and forcing them to load all their goods on Kamar-Taj's carts. The neighboring villagers were taken to Kamar-Taj as slaves and forced to do all the work while the villagers reveled in pleasures and depravity. Kaluu already dreamed of conquering more villages and even cities. Yao tapped into mystic forces to stop Kaluu's endeavors and inadvertently upset the cosmic forces causing pestilence and disease to befall Kamar-Taj. It struck one of Kaluu's serving girls first while he thought about all the gold and fine silk he would take from the cities far away, but soon Kaluu's warriors were ravaged by the disease and when only a few mourning villagers were left Kaluu decided to flee because without an army even he could not conquer cities.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#4: Kaluu) <1450 BC> - Kaluu fled to the dimension of Raggadorr, but swore to return to take his revenge on Yao one day.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#13/2 (fb) ) - Following Kaluu's defeat at the hands of Yao Kamar-Taj reestablished communication with Marcello Montesi and the Vatican. Varnae grew weary of his undead existence and decided to search for a successor as Lord of Vampires.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 (fb) - BTS) - For five centuries Kaluu remained in the dimension of Raggadorr where he learned magic far beyond any known to other mortals.
(Mighty Avengers II#11 (fb) - BTS) - Kaluu escaped the dimension of Raggadorr on his quest for vengeance against Yao, which left him drained. He knew it would take some decades for his powers to peak.
(Mighty Avengers II#11 (fb) ) <November 7th, 1972>- Kaluu heard on the radio about murdered man with the head of a bat, which caught his interest.
(Mighty Avengers II#11 (fb) ) - Kaluu went to the morgue and hypnotized the coroners to leave early and return in the morning to continue their work on the bat-man. Kaluu recognized the creature as a were-servant created by the dark magics of Kamar-Taj he knew. He was surprised somebody else had used them, but was sure it wasn't an attempt of Yao to circumvent Kaluu's revenge. Though the were-servant was anointed for sacrifice it looked like the work of self-taught amateurs to Kaluu. Suddenly Blade staked Kaluu through the chest from behind because he believed Kaluu was a vampire. Kaluu quickly healed from the wound and they battled each other until James Lucas and Constance Molina arrived in the morgue and told them to freeze. Kaluu warned that whoever took the first shot at him would regret it. Adam Brashear didn't take kindly to Kaluu's threat and hit him with a small energy blast to the head that hurled Kaluu through the room. A slightly less abrasive Kaluu then explained to everyone present what the thing on the stretcher was though it was too crudely made to be good for everything. While everyone wondered who had killed it the Bear entered the room to reveal herself as the were-servant's killer though she feared it was only a decoy created by the Deathwalkers to trick her into not interfering with their humanity-threatening ritual.
(Mighty Avengers II#12 (fb) ) - The Bear told Kaluu and the others the history of the Deathwalkers and how they were weak to any form of light. Kaluu told the others were-servants like the bat-man were meant as powerful sacrifices and rightfully assumed the man-bat in the room was not the only failed hybrid present. The Bear admitted she was created in 1908 by the Deathwalkers as a sacrifice, but she was given too much freedom and fled from them and fought them ever since. The Bear also revealed the Deathwalkers were in possession of the tablet known as the Talisman of Kamar-Taj, which they needed for their ritual. Kaluu was angered that the freedom of his murdered people was disturbed by power-mad amateurs like the Deathwalkers. Kaluu used his powers to trace the magic the Deathwalkers had used to create the bat-man. He swore mighty vengeance upon these enemies of humanity, which gave Molina the idea to coin the name Mighty Avengers for their team. They found the Deathwalkers during their final ritual in a secret subway station, which was closed back in 1945. Kaluu was taken out of the fight immediately when Adur's burning knife hit Kaluu in the chest and Viciada pulled the air from his lungs, though he survived. Blade pulled the knife from Kaluu's body to use it against Adur himself. Lichidus managed to paralyze the rest of the Mighty Avengers by controlling the water inside their bodies, but Brashear blasted him with light from his eyes to take him down. Blade took possession of the Talisman of Kamar-Taj and while he and the others fled the closed subway station, Brashear caused the whole station to collapse.
(Mighty Avengers II#12 (fb) - BTS) - Kaluu and the Mighty Avengers were unable to destroy the Talisman of Kamar-Taj, so Brashear buried it in the Himalayas. Apparently the Inhumans found it there at some point and took it to Attilan.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 (fb) - BTS) - The barriers between Earth and the dimension of Raggadorr were shattered when Dormammu fought Eternity. (actually wasn't the reason why he escaped...see comments)
(Strange Tales I#147/2 - BTS) - The Ancient One felt Kaluu had escaped his extradimensional refuge and Kaluu managed to steal the Book of the Vishanti out of the Ancient One's grasp right in front of Strange and the Ancient One (teleportation or invisibility involved; BTW see comments)
(Strange Tales I#147/2) - From the shadows Kaluu watched the Ancient One tell his disciple Doctor Strange about Kaluu.
(Strange Tales I#148/2) - In tunnels deep beneath New York City Kaluu read the Book of the Vishanti and realized he would not be able to use the spells against the Ancient One and Doctor Strange because the book could only be used as defense. Kaluu was glad that he couldn't use the Book of the Vishanti because it would've been too easy to defeat his old enemy that way. Kaluu then sent the Book of the Vishanti back in time to whence it came from so Doctor Strange and the Ancient One would be unable to retrieve it. He then headed for Greenwich Village to get his revenge.
(Strange Tales I#148/2 - BTS) - The Ancient One felt Kaluu approaching after he had ended recounting his history with Kaluu to Doctor Strange.
(Strange Tales I#149/2) - After binding the Ancient One and Doctor Strange at the same time Kaluu surrounded the Sanctum Sanctorum with an impenetrable ectoplasmic shield to trap the two sorcerers inside, but offered mercy to Strange because he was only after the Ancient One. When Strange didn't reply Kaluu summoned the Demons of Denak and sent them into the Sanctum Sanctorum to kill Strange and the Ancient One, who warned Strange to wait until the Demons of Denak had fully passed through the shield because they drew their strength from Kaluu. Two youths called the police when they saw the evil-looking Kaluu. When Strange tried to seek help from the outside in his astral form the barrier proved impassable even in this form. Kaluu believed it was an attempt to flee and couldn't forgive Strange's cowardice, increasing the deadly attack on the Sanctum Sanctorum with the Demons of Denak. The police meanwhile surrounded Kaluu, but when they confronted him he froze them for an hour. Using all his built-up hatred Kaluu attacked the Sanctum Sanctorum one more time then entered it. Searching for the bodies of Strange and the Ancient One he tried everything to find them, but they had somehow escaped.
(Strange Tales I#150/2) - Kaluu felt his enemies were still spiritually connected to the Sanctum Sanctorum somehow. He found two lit candles and surmised they they were their connection, but his attempt to blow them out or strike them were unsuccessful. He used a mystic bolt imbued with the power of Satannish, which he had learned in the dimension of Raggadorr, but even that failed to extinguish the flames. One of the flames flared up and Doctor Strange reappeared through it in the Sanctum Sanctorum with the Book of the Vishanti, which him and his master had retrieved in ancient Babylonia. Strange commented on Kaluu's reckless attempt to extinguish the Flames of the Faltine, which lit the two candles. Kaluu welcomed Strange back by invoking the power of Amtor the Unspeakable to trap Strange in suspended animation forever, but Strange blocked the spell with the Book of the Vishanti, which reflected it back at Kaluu. Strange contacted the Ancient One to grant him the honor to deal with Kaluu himself. The Ancient One banished Kaluu's unmoving body with a spell to the depths of limbo.
(Strange Tales I#151/2 (fb) ) - Umar watched Doctor Strange through the Lamp of Lucifer and was impressed how quickly he had dealt with Kaluu.
(Doctor Strange II#81/Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#7 - both BTS) - When Doctor Strange attempted to destroy the Book of the Vishanti and the other mystic items in his possession to prevent Urthona from obtaining them, Agamotto secretly transported them to his realm. The disappearance of the Book of the Vishanti from Earth's dimension ended Kaluu's eternal exile in limbo, but also destroyed the barriers that kept the Old Ones imprisoned in their dimension.
(Strange Tales II#17/2 (fb) - BTS) - Back on Earth Kaluu amassed a large fortune by using black magic though he avoided harming others by doing so. He started to live in an apartment at the Plaza Hotel.
(Strange Tales II#8/2) - Kaluu approached Doctor Strange at the temple of Kamar-Taj and told him how he escaped exile. Though Strange believed Kaluu had come to destroy him in his weakest hour the Ancient One's former nemesis planned to teach Strange black magic to destroy the Old Ones, who could affect Kaluu's own life negatively. They talked about Kaluu's dark history and Kaluu assured Strange everything the Ancient One had told Strange about their past was true, but the Ancient One failed to mention how barbaric the times were and how Kaluu's actions made the people of Kamar-Taj a feared power and gave them the luxury to eat meat more than once a year, though he admitted he made mistakes because he was young and foolish. Strange angrily attacked Kaluu when he criticized how the Ancient One had the power to stop many cruelties over the centuries, but never did anything, which Kaluu deemed worse than what he did. The attack had no effect on Kaluu, who knew how much Strange was suffering because he had become a dark sorcerer and had no control over light magic anymore. Kaluu offered his aid against the Old Ones starting with the people in Africa, who Strange had seen in his bowl. Strange agreed to fight by Kaluu's side, but didn't want to become his disciple.
(Strange Tales II#9/2) - Kaluu harnessed a storm and rode with Doctor Strange on lightning to the region of Africa where the Old One Ghaszaszh Nyirh was worshiped by famine-stricken locals. Kaluu mocked Strange when he mentioned how it sickened him how Kaluu had taken precious rain from this land by harnessing a storm. Strange still resisted using dark magic and tried once again to use the light, but couldn't control it because it no longer listened to him. Kaluu vowed to show Strange how to harness the magic of rage and blood because there was no time for Strange to purify himself like the Ancient One would've done. Kaluu showed Strange the temple of Ghaszaszh Nyirh and the starving people, who were willing to hand over their children for food. Strange was shocked and Kaluu revealed how they had no food because the local military had destroyed their field to deny supplies to rebels, who were hundred kilometers away. Kaluu revealed there was no way for either of them to enter the temple unnoticed and how they had to place a spell inside one of the refugees and detonate it when they were taken inside. Strange was not willing to harm anyone and tried to find a volunteer, but he failed to convince a woman. With no time left Strange and Kaluu placed a spell inside the woman's son, who was taken inside the temple by followers of Ghaszaszh Nyirh. When the child was brought before the Old One Kaluu and Strange released the spell, causing the temple to explode. Ghaszaszh Nyirh rose as a cloud from the destroyed temple and asked Kaluu and Strange to enter his home to fight him.
(Strange Tales II#10/2) - Afraid the mystic energies unleashed by the temple's explosion would kill innocent people Strange tried to protect them, but his light power once again proved uncontrollable for him. Kaluu stepped in and protected the locals from the mystic flaming tendrils with a spell that sacrificed only one of them. Strange was shocked and slowly realized he and Kaluu were like demons. Kaluu hoped Strange could accept that soon to improve their chances at victory. Inside the temple Strange wanted to help the prisoners, but they were gone. Kaluu told him how Ghaszaszh Nyirh could've transformed the prisoners into anything or brought them anywhere. Kaluu and Strange headed down a newly formed burning staircase to another dimension. Strange didn't like it how Kaluu treated him like a novice, but in matters of dark magic he was nothing more to Kaluu. Going down a hallway Strange shot a Bolt of Bedevilment in the direction of Ghaszaszh Nyirh's voice to Kaluu's annoyance. Kaluu quickly pointed out how Strange's actions had only weakened him and would never hit anything in their enemy's own stronghold. To protect the weakened Strange Kaluu used a protective spell on him then told him to follow him. They soon found Ghaszaszh Nyirh in Kaluu's form sitting on a chair. Kaluu wasn't impressed even when Ghaszaszh Nyirh transformed into Strange and then Clea. Kaluu reminded Ghaszaszh Nyirh that humanity had changed since he last roamed Earth and how Strange had defeated some of Ghaszaszh Nyirh's kind. Ghaszaszh Nyirh attacked them in multiple forms of past enemies, but Kaluu was not impressed by the illusions and ordered Strange to attack them. Ghaszaszh Nyirh, in Clea's form, struck Kaluu apparently through the chest and Strange left his protective aura to come to his aid despite Kaluu telling Strange to flee. Ghaszaszh Nyirh took a shot at the unprotected Strange and shot out his left eye with a Spear of Eldritch Darkness. Kaluu again told Strange to flee and now he complied. Outside the temple Kaluu, in the form of a bug, told the surprised Strange to destroy the temple and Ghaszaszh Nyirh with all the power he had at his disposal and Strange did. Kaluu had tricked Ghaszaszh Nyirh with an illusion that seemingly gave Ghaszaszh Nyirh the victory he craved. After Ghaszaszh Nyirh's defeat Kaluu bandaged Strange's destroyed eye and gave him an eyepatch made out of a fabric which shifted and shimmered with the forces of evil.
(Strange Tales II#11/2) - Kaluu teleported with Strange back to the Ancient One's temple in Kamar-Taj were they were welcomed by a surprised Rintrah, who wanted to know why Strange was wearing an eyepatch. Kaluu told Rintrah about their victory and how Strange had inadvertently released the Old Ones from their prison and lost his eye in battle against the Old One Ghaszaszh Nyirh. Rintrah had a look at the strange eyepatch while Kaluu went looking for a specific scroll. After finding the scroll he admitted the Ancient One was a better teacher than him because he kept his books in order. Kaluu told Strange that they could use Strange's wound to their advantage because he had managed to trap a huge part of the energy he was shot with with the eyepatch. Kaluu teleported with Strange to Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, Great Britain where they summoned in a dark ritual the Spirits of the Earth, Air and small Waters to free them and turn them into their army. While Strange tried to convince them to join their war against the Old Ones Topaz appeared to heal the darkness inside Strange. Kaluu warned Strange to not let her heal him because only the dark power in his eye socket could master the demons they had summoned and he would doom them all by accepting her offer. The demons started attacking and Kaluu held them at bay until Strange decided against Topaz's offer. When Kaluu and Strange were nearly defeated by the demons Strange removed his eye patch and attacked them with the dark force in his eye socket. The demons immediately bowed down to their new master and vowed to follow his commands.
(Strange Tales II#12/2 - BTS) - Kaluu was holding back the forces of the Old Ones while Doctor Strange, weakened by the battle, visited Victoria Bentley and drained her magic to power himself up again. Strange left again with Bentley Manor bursting into flames behind him.
(Strange Tales II#13/2) - Kaluu was still keeping the breach closed when Strange returned with the power he had drained from Bentley. Strange shot the breach and gave Kaluu and himself a moment to breathe. Kaluu hoped they could find a source for the powers of the Old Ones because they needed to go into offense now because they couldn't hold back Earth from the Old Ones anymore. Kaluu summoned Dragonfire and traveled on its fireblast with Strange through several dimensions to Shuma-Gorath's home dimension. Arriving there Kaluu dropped to the ground because merely being there threatened to destroy him. He asked Strange to leave him behind because only he, the Sorcerer Supreme, was powerful enough to go on. Like Kaluu had taught him Strange left him behind to absorb Arioch and then face Shuma-Gorath.
(Strange Tales II#14/2 - BTS) - Doctor Strange defeated Shuma-Gorath while Kaluu was overwhelmed by merely being in the demon's realm.
(Strange Tales II#15/2 (fb) - BTS) - To survive the alien energies Kaluu wrapped his spirit in a shell of illusion.
(Strange Tales II#15/2) - Kaluu believed himself to be an old man on a pilgrimage to Buddha, who had become too old to reach his goal. When he heard people nearby saying the Buddha was before them the old Kaluu stood up for the first time in a long time and approached the Buddha, but he knew it was not Buddha (it was actually Doctor Strange). He escaped the illusion when he finally recognized the man as Doctor Strange. Kaluu remembered his own name and how he had fled into an illusion to survive. Kaluu then asked what had happened to Strange and if he had won. Strange replied that Shuma-Gorath was no more and he had absorbed all of Shuma-Gorath's powers and was Doctor Strange no more. Realizing that Strange's ego had been destroyed Kaluu started to slowly travel back through the dimensions to Earth with Strange, but on their second stop energies exploded from Strange's body. Kaluu discerned the energies Strange had absorbed would naturally discharge whenever the dimension was less mystically charged and could destroy Earth and whole galaxies. He asked Strange to release some of his power in each dimension they passed through. Before reaching Earth Kaluu showed Strange an image of Earth to remind Strange what he had fought for, but Strange carelessly destroyed the image because he did not care for this world anymore. Kaluu tried to remind Strange who he was and in anger attacked him only to be repelled when he struck him. Though Strange at least reacted to the attack Kaluu knew if Strange touched him one more time he would be destroyed. Enitharmon the Weaver appeared and ordered the Cloak of Levitation to bring Strange over to him. He congratulated what Kaluu had done with Strange with his dark magic then asked both to follow him.
(Strange Tales II#16/2) - Kaluu, Rintrah and Enitharmon took Strange to the home where he grew up. Casting a concealment spell they knocked on the door and claimed Strange had fainted and needed some rest. Beatrice Meriwether, current owner of the house, let them inside and Kaluu asked her to fetch some cold compresses. Kaluu then lifted the concealment spell and the trio tried to use this place of Strange's past to awaken a memory that could rebuild his self and reattach him to the world. Kaluu tried it with a memory of his sister, but it failed. Enitharmon used a memory of desire to an ex-girlfriend named Kimberley, but it didn't work either. Kaluu wondered if Strange ever truly loved a woman in his life when Strange uttered the name Alice. Kaluu asked Enitharmon to search for this Alice, but there was never a woman named Alice in Strange's life. To their shock the glow of Strange's powers glowed brighter every minute. Rintrah suggested to let Strange find this Alice on his own. Kaluu gave it a shot and let Strange's magic bring them to where Strange wanted to be. They ended up in an illusion of his time a medical school. Strange told them about this girl he had never talked to, whom he called Alice Blue Gown. Strange wanted her, but she was something he could never have. Strange lost control and Kaluu and Enitharmon had to work together to keep him close. Kaluu tried to talk some sense into Strange and convinced him that he had all the power in the universe, including the strength to talk to this girl. Strange walked toward her and introduced himself. In that moment Strange awakened in his old home with his allies concealed by Kaluu's spell. Ms. Meriwether returned with cold compresses and Strange told her that he used to live in the area.
(Strange Tales II#17/2) - Kaluu took Strange, Enitharmon and Rintrah (the latter two concealed via spell; Enitharmon even asked Kaluu to lift the spell as soon as they were out of the elevator because he considered his reflection unsettling) to his home at the Plaza Hotel. Strange scoffed at the luxury Kaluu had amassed, but Kaluu assured him that he never harmed anybody while amassing riches with his black magic. He also reminded Strange how he had trained him to defeat the Old Ones and had brought him back to life. Strange agreed that he owed much to Kaluu. Enitharmon and Rintrah left and then Strange left as well, allowing Kaluu to return to his life of luxury. Kaluu was sure he wouldn't cross paths with Strange in the near future because Strange was back with the light, but he allowed Strange to call him whenever he needed the kind of help Kaluu could give.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#1 - BTS) - In his astral form Doctor Strange sought out Kaluu at his rooms at the Plaza Hotel, but Kaluu was not there anymore.
(New Avengers I#53) - The Eye of Agamotto appeared to Kaluu as it considered him a possible replacement for Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme.
(Mighty Avengers II#2) - From half a world away Kaluu felt Doctor Strange using the Wings of Needless Sorrow, which if left unchecked could summon Shuma-Gorath to Earth. Kaluu tried to contact him with his psychic powers, but failed to get through the illusion Strange had been trapped in by Thanos' general Ebony Maw. (Shuma-Gorath was summoned and got his eye kicked by the Mighty Avengers the next issue)
(Mighty Avengers II#4 (fb) - BTS) - While the Mighty Avengers fought Shuma-Gorath Kaluu tried to get to another less doomed dimension.
(Mighty Avengers II#4) - Kaluu contacted Blade via a crystal ball. They talked about Blade's current disguise as Spider Hero. Kaluu suggested to change costume because Blade's current one looked hideous. He congratulated Blade and his team on dealing with Shuma-Gorath. Blade told Kaluu that Adam Brashear was back in action and that they were together with Luke Cage in a team called the Mighty Avengers. Kaluu considered these events a sign of the universe that they were running out of time to find the Deathwalkers. Though he could still not find them Kaluu felt one of their creatures in the fallen city of Attilan (where the Talisman of Kamar-Taj was). Blade, as Spider Hero, returned to the Mighty Avengers to ask them for help breaking into Attilan and received the Ronin costume as a replacement for his ugly Spider Hero costume.
(Mighty Avengers II#9) - Kaluu and Ronin talked about the current situation with the Deathwalkers, who planned to use the Talisman of Kamar-Taj to merge, but couldn't because it was now in Blade's possession. Kaluu didn't know what to do next, but asked Blade to stay under the radar as Ronin. Moments later Ninja Were-Snakes sent by the Deathwalkers then attacked Ronin in his safehouse.
(Mighty Avengers II#11) - Kaluu and Constance Molina rode in a limousine through New York City. Kaluu called the Mighty Avengers Hotline to tell the Mighty Avengers the end of the world was coming. When Ruby asked him who he was he told her they were the original Mighty Avengers.
(Mighty Avengers II#12) - At the Gem Theater Kaluu told the Mighty Avengers about his and Molina's history with the Deathwalkers and the Talisman of Kamar-Taj, which they Deathwalkers had recently reacquired and were now going to use to end humanity.
(Mighty Avengers II#13) - Kaluu waited impatiently for Power Man to succeed in finding Blade's chi, but it was too weak to locate. While the other Mighty Avengers (Falcon, She-Hulk, Spectrum, White Tiger) tried to encourage Power Man, Kaluu kept belittling him for his failed attempts. When Power Man asked Kaluu why he didn't try to find them Kaluu admitted he couldn't home in on the Talisman of Kamar-Taj anymore and that the Deathwalkers had gotten smarter since last he fought them. After some elevating words from Luke Cage's father James Lucas Power Man managed to find Blade fighting were-servants in the Deathwalkers' lair. Kaluu told James Lucas to stay behind as babysitter for Danielle Cage while he teleported himself and the other Mighty Avengers to the lair of the Deathwalkers in the catacombs beneath St. Patrick's Cathedral. When Adur revealed they had taken the blood of the sacrifice hours ago and only needed to utter the magic words to finish the ritual Kaluu asked the Mighty Avengers to fight through the were-servants as fast as possible and stop the Deathwalkers from finishing the spell, but they failed. Kaluu blamed himself for the merging of the Deathwalkers into Deathwalker Prime, a monster with the power to break and enslave humanity forever.
(Mighty Avengers II#14) - While humanity kneeled Luke Cage resisted and tossed the blood-filled goblet with the mystical energies of the Talisman of Kamar-Taj to Kaluu, who realized in time that his spirit was trapped in illusion to ensnare his spirit. Trusting his instincts he caught the goblet and used it to repeat the ritual to merge himself, Blade, Blue Marvel, Falcon, Jessica Jones, Constance Molina, Power Man, She-Hulk, Spectrum and White Tiger into the being Avenger Prime, who defeated Deathwalker Prime in battle. After Avenger Prime split apart again Kaluu handed over the goblet to Luke Cage. Though the tablet was indestructible the goblet the Deathwalkers had the mystical energies of the Talisman of Kamar-Taj transferred to wasn't and Luke Cage crushed it.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#2) - The Mighty Avengers (Blue Marvel, Kaluu, Power Man, She-Hulk, Spectrum & White Tiger) were called to catch the Fast Five after a robbery. Kaluu aided in catching the robbers, even though he considered chasing bank robbers absurd, because the Mighty Avengers had aided him against the Deathwalkers and he didn't like to leave debts unpaid. He waited for Redline at a laundromat and told him it wasn't personal before banishing him without his armored suit to the Purple Dimension.
Back at the Gem Theater Kaluu was sporting a suit because his robes got covered in brick dust when Redline crashed through the wall at the laundromat. He also changed his haircut through magic on the way back, which Spectrum commented on. The team was surprised by the morally inverted Luke Cage (due to a spell cast by the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange during a fight against the Red Skull on Genosha), who told them he had just sold the Mighty Avengers to Cortex Incorporated.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#3) - Kaluu fought alongside the Mighty Avengers (Blue Marvel, Power Man, She-Hulk, Spectrum & White Tiger) against the "Inverted Avengers" led by Iron Man, who had decided to destroy the Mighty Avengers unless they stopped using the Avengers name. Kaluu hid in the Qlippothic Realms before the fight really started and reappeared to block the Scarlet Witch's chaos magic with a magic shield. Luke Cage, who never liked Kaluu, was on the inverted Avengers' side as well and tried to knock Kaluu out with full force, but She-Hulk protected Kaluu and knocked out Cage instead. Captain America (Wilson), also on the inverted side, realized Kaluu had to be taken out because he was the Mighty Avengers' only defense against the Scarlet Witch, but Spider-Man arrived on the scene and caught caught Cap's shield with his net before it could hit Kaluu. With Spider-Man joining the fight and Spectrum reappearing after Iron Man had absorbed her form, the inverted Avengers decided to retreat after Iron Man claimed they had been controlled by Machinesmith and Spectrum had broken his control.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#4) - Kaluu told Captain America (after Sam Wilson was returned to normal at the end of the Axis event) how he had been in the Qlippothic Planes during the Mighty Avengers' fight against the inverted Avengers and it was eerily calm and empty. Kaluu assumed that at some point between the Mighty Avenges' battle against the Deathwalkers and the inversion the Qlippoth had come to them and that they were in the abyss now. He awaited worse to come for the world. Kaluu left when Spectrum entered the room to ask Cap if he was still a member of the Mighty Avengers.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#5) - Captain America (Wilson), Kaluu and She-Hulk were on the way to the Double Six Sugar Refinery to aid of Power Man and White Tiger. Kaluu felt that dark magic of some cosmic evil was involved. When they arrived Power Man and White Tiger were already mutated after they got scratched by the mutated Quickfire.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#6) - Kaluu suggested to Captain America (Wilson) to stay in the air so their enemies can't touch them. Kaluu hit the ground in front of the mutated monsters with a mystic energy blast. When She-Hulk was scratched by the mutated White Tiger the Beyond Corporation's corruption mutated her within seconds. Kaluu told Cap they couldn't allow this contagion to spread and tried to diagnose the source, but the mutated She-Hulk jumped at him and none of his magic could stop her from biting him. Moments later Kaluu was a mutated monster as well and hurled a magic bolt at Captain America (Wilson), who blocked it with his shield.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#7) - The mutated Kaluu, Gideon Mace, Power Man, Quickfire, She-Hulk and White Tiger attacked Captain America (Wilson) with all they got. Luke Cage and Jessica Jones arrived to aid Cap against the mutates, who returned to their normal forms when Kevin Brashear and Spectrum worked together to destroy the Beyond Corporation's emissary Jason Quantrell, who had started the contagion by infecting Quickfire.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#8) - Steve Rogers met with the Mighty Avengers and the Gem Theater and told them about the imminent death of the Multiverse. Rogers told them about the Illuminati and their world-destroying and how Strange had wiped his mind when he opposed them. Kaluu was proud of Strange's actions, which angered Rogers, who left before telling the Mighty Avengers to decide which side they were on in this final battle. He made clear he didn't want to see Kaluu again.
19 days before the end of the Multiverse the Might Avengers voted to either join Steve Rogers or the Illuminati. Kaluu hoped Spectrum would follow through on her talk about blowing up planets even though she and most of the others had decided to join Rogers' side in the final battle. Kaluu didn't join them and hoped they knew what they were doing.
(Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#9) - 26 minutes before the end of the Multiverse Kaluu reconciled with Wong and had a cup of tea with him at the Sanctum Sanctorum...and then it didn't end because Secret Wars and stuff.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Denny O'Neil & Bill Everett.
Kaluu was revealed as one of the mystics seen in the Eye of Agamotto's vision in New Avengers I#53 in Avengers, Thor & Captain America: Official Index to the Marvel Universe#15 (2011).
Mephisto posed as Kaluu in Loki: Agent of Asgard#4 (July, 2014) when Sigurd the Ever-Glorious sought get on the Wheel of Karma to get out of a meeting after his death with the vengeful Valkyries. Mephisto tricked him to sign a contract, but it ended up backfiring because the contract both signed was switched by Loki with a contract that forced Mephisto to leave and Sigurd to be handed over to Asgardia. The story was written by Al Ewing, who was using Kaluu in Mighty Avengers at the same time. He really likes that guy (and I really like Ewing's work)!
Kaluu being active in 1972 posed a very minor continuity problem and I really, really like Ewing as a writer. In the flashback for Kaluu he even explained why Kaluu didn't go after the Ancient One right away in 1972. But, and this is nitpicking at its worst, in Strange Tales I#148 it was said that Kaluu escaped because the battle between Eternity and Dormammu had weakened the barriers between dimensions, but that was, as mentioned in Mighty Avengers II#11 decades after 1972. So, either it wasn't the reason why Kaluu could escape Raggadorr (which sounds like the most likely option), the battle caused the barriers to weaken throughout time (eh) or Kaluu escaped through time (which sounds like the beginning of really bad company-wide crossover).
I am not a fan of the Ancient One! The Ancient One was always a jerk with a God-complex, who played with other people's existence (seems to be a thing with Sorcerer Supremes...see also Strange, Stephen). I liked the way Peter B. Gillis allowed Kaluu to critique the Ancient One's inactivity during dark times over the centuries. I know the Ancient One picked his fights, but Kaluu had every right to thirst for vengeance against the Ancient One, who murdered their people (accident or not). It was nice to see the small retcon that Kaluu had been back on Earth since 1972 make the Ancient One look bad because Mr. Know-it-all didn't notice Kaluu's return until he stole his favorite book out of his wrinkly, old hands. BTW Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme portrays the Ancient One in a way that befits the character. It is a fun read!
Whether Black Bolt wanted to or not. Somehow the Talisman of Kamar-Taj remained hidden from Kaluu's senses in Attilan. Only when Blade found it in Mighty Avengers II#5 (March, 2014) did Kaluu know that it was back in the game.
The Qlippothic Spheres are the evil counterparts to the Nine Spheres of Creation in Kabbalah.
Kaluu has profiles in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#4 (October, 1989), Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition#28 (1993) and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update#5 (February, 2011).
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Kaluu has no known connection to:
images (without ads)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#6, p11, pan1 (main image)
Mighty Avengers II#12, p1, pan1 (head shot)
Strange Tales I#148/2, p3, pan5 (student of the mystic arts)
Strange Tales I#148/2, p8, pan4 (King of Kamar-Taj)
Mighty Avengers II#11, p11, pan5 (1972)
Strange Tales I#149/2, p2, pan3 (revenge on Ancient One, head shot)
Strange Tales I#149/2, p3, pan3 (revenge on Ancient One, body shot)
Strange Tales II#9/2, p6, pan2 (yellow eyes)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition#28: Kaluu profile (Master of Dark Magic)
Strange Tales II#16/2, p2, pan3 (concealment spell)
Mighty Avengers II#14, p10, pan2 (in suit)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#6, p14, pan2 (Beyond Corporation mutated)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#6, p14, pan5 (Beyond Corporation mutated, casting magic)
Appearances:
Strange Tales I#147 (August, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Denny O'Neil (writer), Bill Everett (co-plot/pencils/inks), Steve Ditko (pencils/inks)
Strange Tales I#148-149 (September-October, 1966) - Denny O'Neil (writer), Bill Everett (co-plot/pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Strange Tales I#150 (November, 1966) - Roy Thomas (writer), Bill Everett (co-plot/pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Strange Tales I#151 (December, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Bill Everett (co-plot/pencils/inks)
Strange Tales II#8-9 (November-December, 1987) - Peter Gillis (writer), Terry Shoemaker (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Strange Tales II#10-11 (January-February, 1988) - Peter Gillis (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Strange Tales II#13 (April, 1988) - Peter Gillis (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Strange Tales II#15-17 (June-August, 1988) - Peter Gillis (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#1 (November, 1988) - Peter Gillis (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#13 (January, 1990) - Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier & Randy Lofficier (writers), David & Dan Day (pencils/inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
New Avengers I#53 (July, 2009) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Billy Tan (pencils), Matt Banning (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Mighty Avengers II#2 (December, 2013) - Al Ewing (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort with Lauren Sankovitch (editors)
Mighty Avengers II#4 (February, 2014) - Al Ewing (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort with Lauren Sankovitch (editors)
Mighty Avengers II#9 (June, 2014) - Al Ewing (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Mighty Avengers II#11-12 (August-September, 2014) - Al Ewing (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Mighty Avengers II#13-14 (October-November, 2014) - Al Ewing (writer), Salvador Larroca (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editor)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#2-4 (January-March, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Luke Ross & Iban Coello (artists), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#5 (April, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Iban Coello (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#6 (May, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Luke Ross (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#7 (June, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Iban Coello (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers#8-9 (July-August, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Luke Ross (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
First Posted: 05/31/2017
Last updated: 05/28/2017
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.!