Spiny Norman (mutant; London Morlocks; X-Men character)

SPINY NORMAN

Real Name: First name possibly Norman (see comments)

Identity/Class: Human mutant

Occupation: Unrevealed

Group Membership: Morlocks (London branch, including Madcow and Nessie)

Affiliations: Banshee (Sean Cassidy), Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)

Enemies: Briefly Banshee, Nightcrawler, Nightside, and an unidentified Sentinel

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Nightcrawler referred to him as "Herr Hedgehog" before learning his name

Base of Operations: Sewers outside London, England

First Appearance: X-Men: Watchers on the Walls (May, 2006)

Powers/Abilities: Having a form akin to a humanoid hedgehog, Spiny Norman could generate and project quills. These were pointed projectiles, and did not seem to contain any sort of toxin, etc. He could regenerate projected spines within a matter of minutes.

He spoke with a working class accent.

Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:
(X-Men: Watchers on the Walls: Chapter Thirteen: Excavation - BTS) - Spiny Norman is a mutant who joined a London branch of Morlocks dwelling in subterranean tunnels. He adoped the name Spiny Norman, in contrast to his previous "upstairs name" (see comments).

(X-Men: Watchers on the Walls: Chapter Thirteen: Excavation - BTS) - Seeking to evaluate for Chlorite (aliens giving off toxic chlorine gas who threatened to render Earth uninhabitable to humanity) infiltrators/moles posing as mutants, X-Men Nightcrawler and Banshee, plus Guardsman Nightside and the floating upper half of a Sentinel head (reprogrammed by the alien Diascar to seek out Chlorites) investigated Morlock mutants in the London sewers (near Hyde Park).

(X-Men: Watchers on the Walls: Chapter Thirteen: Excavation - BTS) - The Sentinel first located and identified as a probable mutant Nessie, who fled when it shouted halt. As the X-Men, Nightside, and the Sentinels pursued, Spiny Norman unleashed a number of quills at them. Nightcrawler sensed the projectiles and teleported away, and Nightside used the darkforce to shield herself; the quills bounced harmlessly off the Sentinel head, who then identified Norman as a second probable mutant.

As Nessie fled down another line with Madcow, Banshee tried to subdue them with a sonic blast, but they both ducked underwater. As the group pursued the fleeing Morlocks, Madcow unleashed his methane powers; Nightside and Banshee began gasping for air before the Sentinel registered the toxic vapor levels, after which Nightcrawler placed his oxygen mask and then helped Banshee and Nightside with theirs. Nightcrawler then teleported ahead to catch up to the fleeing Morlocks, who fled through a grate in the ceiling too small for the Sentinel head to enter.

The Morlocks emerged in the Hyde Park Corner of the underground station and fled on foot northeast up the Picadilly Line, surefootedly avoiding the charged track. Spiny Norman periodically fired quills at their pursuers, force them to take evasive action and to lose ground. While their pursuers narrowly evaded some subway trains, the Morlocks moved through a decrepit-looking door in the siding of the track. Catching up, Banshee blasted the door open, and after he, Nightcrawler, and Nightside passed through, Banshee recognized it as the Old Down Street station used by Winston Churchill during World War II.

As the Morlocks had left footprints in the dust, their pursuers swiftly tracked them to a pair of sloped ladders separated by a landing. Banshee blasted the top ladder, leaving the Morlocks stranded on the landing, and Nightside ordered their surrender. Spiny Norman fired a barrage of quills and Madcow released another methane cloud, but the pursuers dodged and replaced their masks. Directing Madcow and Nessie to stay behind him, Norman shouted, "You won't take us. We seen wotcher doin' to us freaks up there. It's a putch, is wha' it is. If we're gonna die, we'll die free, like men."

Banshee tried to explain that they were trying to just confirm the Morlocks were human, but, distrusting his normal human appearance, Norman told him to stay back as he began to regenerate his quills in preparation to fight further. Nightcrawler then stepped out of the shadows, and his own visible mutations calmed the Morlocks. They made introductions, and Nightcrawler convinced the Morlocks to lead them to the rest of their group and allow them to confirm they were not Chlorites.

Comments: Created by Christopher L. Bennett.

It is POSSIBLE that Spiny Norman's first name could be Norman. However, he made a point of requesting introductions using their chosen names rather than their "upstairs" names.

Almost certainly, he is named for the character in this Monty Python sketch (specifics from Wikipedia, but you can find the sketch on Youtube or whatever):

"Piranha Brothers" is a Monty Python sketch that was first seen in the first episode (titled "Face the Press") of the second series of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Originally transmitted on the television comedy on September 15, 1970, the premise is a BBC current affairs documentary program, inexplicably entitled Ethel the Frog, retrospectively covering the exploits of the fictional brothers Doug and Dinsdale Piranha. The sociopathic criminals employed a combination of "violence and sarcasm" to intimidate the London underworld and bring the city to its knees. Dinsdale is also described as being afraid of "Spiny Norman", an apparently imaginary gigantic hedgehog whose reported size varied on Dinsdale's mood. During the end of the sketch, which also ends the episode, the creature is apparently revealed as real and appearing beside various English landmarks as the credits roll...and shouting "Dinsdale!"

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Spiny Norman should be distinguished from:

SPINEY 2099 - Degen, stayed with Matt Axel--Punisher 2099#17
other Hedgehog or Norman characters

Madcow should be distinguished from:

other Mad or Cow characters

Nessie should be distinguished from:

other aquatic characters

Madcow

Madcow is a man with oversized black eyes, no hair, and a mottled black and white skin.

He can generate toxic levels of methane...based on how he did so following some sort of hand gestures that seemed to summon the power, it seems less likely that he is releasing gas from his GI tract...but you can make your own jokes to explain it however you want.

Madcow is one of the mutant Morlocks living in the London tunnels. Alongside Spiny Norman and Nessie, he was pursued by X-Men Banshee and Nightcrawler, Imperial Guardsman Nightside, and a Sentinel seeking to evaluate for Chlorite infiltrators. The Morlocks were ultimately convinced to comply with testing upon seeing Nightcrawler's appearance.

--X-Men: Watchers on the Walls

Nessie

An aquatic mutant, she had slick, waterproof skin and a heavy tail.

She could swim rapidly and could even tolerate swimming underwater in the sewers.

Nessie is one of the mutant Morlocks living in the London tunnels. Alongside Spiny Norman and Madcow, she was pursued by X-Men Banshee and Nightcrawler, Imperial Guardsman Nightside, and a Sentinel seeking to evaluate for Chlorite infiltrators. The Morlocks were ultimately convinced to comply with testing upon seeing Nightcrawler's appearance.

--X-Men: Watchers on the Walls

Note: Nessie was obviously named for the Loch Ness Monster

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There are no pictures in this book. The cover shows only X-Men.

Appearances:
X-Men: Watchers on the Walls (May, 2006) - Christopher L. Bennett (writer)

Last updated: 07/5/17

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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