SOLOMON NEGUS
Real Name: Solomon Negus
Identity/Class: Human vampire (ca. year zero (maybe earlier) to modern era);
Sudanese citizen (see comments)
Occupation: Entrepeneur, would-be vampire leader
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Jasper Chin, Dr. Glenn Silas
Enemies: Blade (Eric Brooks), Dracula, Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: (MDCU) Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (October, 2010); (print) Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (December, 2010)
Powers/Abilities: Solomon Negus possesses the conventional strengths and weaknesses of a vampire including superhuman strength (lifting 1500 lbs.), speed, stamina, agility and reflexes, immunity to conventional disease and most forms of injuries. He had to drink human blood to maintain his vitality, prolong his life and regenerate from injuries. He has presumably a weakness to silver, garlic, sunlight, a wooden stake through the heart and religious symbols. He is an expert hand-to-hand combatant and commands those injected with the drug "Fang" (or "V"). He was a ruthless businessman organizing illegal deadly fights and selling the highly addictive drug "Fang", which temporarily gave humans vampire powers before turning them into a feral state for 72 hours when the drug broke down in their bloodstream.
Height: 6'5" (by approximation)
Weight: 230 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (fb) ) - <2000 years ago> Solomon Negus was a vampire from the area of modern day Sudan, who was royalty at some point.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (fb) ) - At some point in the past Negus won a fight one on one against Dracula.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (fb) - BTS) - Negus built a secret vampire empire and planned to unite all vampires of Earth. He amassed billions of dollars selling the vampire hemogoblin-based drug "Fang" to become an economic force. His drug trade business in Europe was eventually shut down by Blade.
Negus moved his operation and drug trade to the US where he manufactured the drug in a warehouse in New York City. Blade found the drug factory, but got caught by Negus, who then used Blade as part of his artificial vampire fight shows at the Martinique Hotel were real vampires bet on the outcome. Blade's involvement increased revenues tenfold and word about the "Fang" drug spread fast.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1) - Surrounded by women, bodyguards and his associates Chin and Dr. Silas Solomon Negus watched two artificial vampires fight at his UVC Darkside Dance event around 3:00 AM at the Martinique Hotel. He wasn't pleased when Chin told him they had only competitors for two more fights left. Negus wanted more fighters because the success for their operation depended on the fights and gambling. Dr. Silas explained how the artificial vampires burnt out too fast and suggested to move their operation before the mysterious disappearances caught the police's attention. Negus told Silas to worry about bringing him more fighters like Blade and leave the rest to Negus. Negus, Chin and Silas came to the laboratory where Blade was held and found Spider-Man lurking around. Negus knocked out Spider-Man easily and bit him so Spider-Man could repay him for costing him time and money.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 - BTS) - Negus pitted the drugged up Blade and Spider-Man against each other in a cage, but they escaped when the drug's effect wore off after Spider-Man got hit in the head by Blade.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1) - After Spider-Man and Blade's escape Negus was in a hurry to get the drug shipments out from his factory as fast as possible before more American heroes learned about it. Blade and Spider-Man attacked the factory and used UV pellets to negate the effect of the "Fang" drug in Negus' artificial vampire soldiers, turning them back to human form. Blade attacked Negus, who offered him a high position in his vampire nation, but Blade had no interest to join Negus' plan to walk among humans as viable world citizens with economic power through his drug trade. Negus overpowered Blade, but Spider-Man came to Blade aid and tossed an UV pellet into Negus' open mouth. The pellet exploded, leaving Negus' head on fire. Negus fled into the sewers and escaped.
(Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 - BTS) - Blade torched Negus' drug factory to hurt his operation.
Comments: Created by Kevin Grevioux (writer), Roberto Castro (pencils), Walden Wong & Sandu Florea (inks).
Two millennia ago the current Sudan were actually several kingdoms. Because Negus was only called Sudanese we don't know which kingdom he belonged to, but he was definitely royalty and likely a former king of Kush.
This story took place years ago when Spider-Man was working on his research paper at ESU....which he never finished. Sounds like the very early 90s...?
Silas and Chin received their first names in the Appendix of Vampires: The Marvel Undead#1 (December, 2011).
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Solomon Negus should not be confused with:
Jasper Chin should not be confused with:
Dr. Glenn Silas should not be confused with:
Jasper Chin was right hand of Solomon Negus. Negus was angered by Chin when he revealed they had only artificial vampires for two more fights at the Darkside Dance event. Chin accompanied Negus and Silas when they went to the laboratory where Blade was kept and witnessed Negus capturing Spider-Man. Chin later organized the drug shipments from Negus' drug factory. He told Negus they were ready within a few hours, but Negus wanted to avoid more American heroes learning about their operation and pressed Chin to hurry. Negus wasn't pleased when Chin questioned Negus' decision to capture and use Blade. When Blade and Spider-Man attacked the factory Chin was quickly captured by Spider-Man.
--Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1
Silas was a vampire scientist serving Solomon Negus in the creation of the "Fang" drug and turning humans into artificial vampires for Negus' illegal fight events. He tried to explain to Negus that they burnt through the artificial vampires faster than they could create them and suggested to move their operation because in his opinion they had already been at the same place for too long and he feared the mysterious disappearances could catch the attention of the local police. Negus told Silas not to worry about such things and just bring him more fighters like Blade. He joined Negus and Chin when they went to the lab where Blade was kept and witnessed Negus easily catching Spider-Man.
--Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1
images (without ads)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p6, pan1 (main)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p6, pan5 (head shot)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p14, pan3 (2000 years ago)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p15, pan2 (vs Dracula)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p6, pan1 (Jasper Chin)
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1, p6, pan4 (Dr. Glenn Silas)
Appearances:
Spider-Man vs. Vampires#1 (December, 2010) - Kevin Grevioux (writer), Roberto Castro (pencils), Walden Wong & Sandu Florea (inks), Tom Brennan (editor)
First Posted: 01/17/2017
Last updated: 01/03/2017
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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