LEGION OF THE UNLIVINGLEGION OF THE UNLIVING
Membership: Baroness
Blood (Lily Cromwell), Carpathian,
Dracula
(Vlad Dracula), Rat
Bomber, Sarge,
Snowsnake;
formerly Boy-Thing, Shadow Colonel
(Xarus)
Purpose: To weed out weak vampires from the
vampire race
Aliases: None
Affiliations: Gorilla-Man
(Ken Hale)
Enemies: The Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa,
Blade/Eric Brooks, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Carol
Danvers, Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes, Iron Man/Tony Stark, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Thor/Thor
Odinson), Thori, the Winter Guard (Crimson
Dynamo/Dmitri Bukharin,
Darkstar/Laynia Krylenko, Red Widow,
Ursa Major/Mikhail Ursus,
Vanguard/Nikolai Krylenko)
Base of Operations: The Chernobyl Exclusion
Zone, Ukraine;
formerly mobile
First Appearance: (vision, unidentified):
Avengers VII#12 (March, 2019);
(fully seen & identified): Avengers VII#14 (April, 2019)
History: (Avengers VII#12
- BTS) - When the
Black Panther spoke with the Asgardian Odin about recent vampire
attacks, Odin revealed that he had earlier dispatched his ravens Hugin
and Munin to Transylvania, where they learned of the Shadow Colonel's
challenging of the vampire Dracula's rule. Showing Black Panther a
vision of transpiring events, Odin revealed that the Shadow Colonel was
gathering powerful allies into his Legion of the Unliving.
(Avengers VII#14) - The Shadow Colonel led the Legion of the Unliving in an all-out attack on Dracula's castle, murdering every vampire man, woman and child, and burning the castle, until they came to Dracula's empty coffin. Regardless, the Legion of the Unliving's attack caused most vampires to flee in fear for their own lives, causing a vampire civil war which the Shadow Colonel hoped to win. When the Avengers attempted to protect the remaining innocents in Transylvania, the Legion of the Unliving's Shadow Colonel and Sarge arrived and demanded to know where Dracula was hiding. Taken into Avengers custody, the Shadow Colonel and Sarge were questioned but the Colonel remained silent while the Avengers determined him to be a vampire and that his armor was wired to explode if removed. The Avengers then had their member Blade interrogate the Shadow Colonel, who admitted to burning down Castle Dracul and accomplishing more against the vampire population than Blade had seemingly done his entire life. When Blade argued that the Colonel's Legion had turned the world into a war zone, the confident Colonel remarked that he could use a little war and dodged Blade's questions, instead provoking Blade to attack him. Soon after, Sarge managed to take control of Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider form and the Shadow Colonel broke free of his bounds, proclaiming himself the new Lord of the Vampires.
(Avengers VII#15) - The
Shadow Colonel then fought
Blade as Captain Marvel, Captain America and Black Panther arrived as
reinforcements. Sarge then entered the fray, holding off the Avengers
with the Shadow Colonel until the controlled Ghost Rider arrived to
facilitate the Shadow Colonel and Sarge's escape. The Colonel and Sarge
escaped (with the controlled Ghost Rider) and regrouped with the rest
of the Legion of the Unliving as they were slaughtered a vampire sect
in Madripoor. As the Legion searched for the vampire children there,
the Shadow Colonel informed the other Legion members of how he was
weeding out the weakness in Earth's vampires so the vampire race could
claim their place at the top of the food chain. The Shadow Colonel soon
located the vampire children and order the controlled Ghost Rider to
destroy them. When Ghost Rider refused, the Shadow Colonel strengthened
his hold on Ghost Rider and prepared to slaughter the children himself.
The Avengers soon confronted the Legion of the Unliving, at which point
the Shadow Colonel ordered Ghost Rider to fight his teammates.
(Avengers VII#16) - The Legion of the Unliving watched as Ghost Rider fought the Avengers and soon prepared to depart before the building exploded. Blade took advantage of the situation, however, and shot Sarge, who attacked Blade in retaliation. The Shadow Colonel and Baroness Blood then fled as the Legion's Snowsnake battled Black Panther and the Carpathian fought She-Hulk. The Legion soon transformed to mist and departed as Blade continued battling Sarge. Eventually, Blade was forced to bite Ghost Rider to restore his senses and during the distraction, Sarge and the remaining Legion members escaped. Having gotten the vampire children to safety, Black Panther informed the other Avengers that the Legion would now be focused solely on Dracula. Traveling to the Sol-Iletsk, Russia prison housing Dracula, the Legion of the Unliving had the Rat Bomber sent rats carrying vampire blood into the prison, where the blood bombs exploding, transforming the prisoners into new vampires. When some of the Legion appeared surprised, the Shadow Colonel explained that they had thinned out the weak from the vampire race and now it was time to create new strong.
(Avengers VII#19 (fb) - BTS) - Reluctantly agreeing
to
serve the Legion of the Unliving for unrevealed reasons, Avengers crew
member Gorilla-Man arranged for Dracula to be sent to the Chernobyl
Exclusion Zone in the Ukraine.
(Avengers VII#17) - When the
Russian Winter Guard was
called in alongside the Avengers to quell the newly-vamped prisoners,
the Legion of the Unliving took down the Winter Guard while the
Avengers dealt with the rioting vampire prisoners. As the Shadow
Colonel was making a deal with the Winter Guard's Red Widow to find
Dracula, the Avengers busted their way into the prison and fought the
Legion. During the battle, Blade gained the upper hand on the Shadow
Colonel and the Colonel's Boy-Thing creature departed the Colonel to
bond with Blade instead. Ghost Rider then worked with Blade to behead
the Shadow Colonel and Sarge was taken into Avengers custody with the
help of the Asgardian dog Thori. Escaping, the rest of the Legion of
the Unliving brought the Shadow Colonel's beheaded body to Dracula, who
had been deposited in the Ukraine Chernobyl zone by the Russians.
Growing in power by eating crows, the weakened Dracula commended the
Shadow Colonel for his efforts before tossing aside his severed head.
Dracula then commended the rest of the Legion of the Unliving for
accomplished the task of weeding out the weak vampires so that they
could rebuild their ranks stronger than ever.
(Avengers VII#19 - BTS) - After experiencing a Celestial vision while helping to defend Avengers Mountain during the War of the Realms, Gorilla-Man visited Sarge's prison cell and attempted to cut ties with him. Reminding Gorilla-Man of his options, Sarge forced Gorilla-Man to declare his allegiance to Dracula and the Legion of the Unliving.
(Avengers VII#22 - BTS) - Following a threat on his
life by his own Hell Charger vehicle, Ghost Rider consulted the
Avengers and wished to be separated from his car, remarking on how he
thought he had been in control of his Ghost Rider form until recent
events with the Legion of the Unliving made him think otherwise.
Comments: Created by Jason Aaron and David Marquez.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Legion of the Unliving has no known connections to:
The Carpathian was a bat-like vampire recruited into the Legion of the Unliving by the Shadow Colonel. He joined the other Legion members in destroying Castle Dracul in Transylvania and later was sent with the rest of the Legion to destroy a vampire sect in Madripoor. Savagely destroying much of the adult vampires, the Carpathian regrouped with the Shadow Colonel and Sarge as they prepared to destroy the vampire children but the Avengers intervened. In the ensuing scuffle, the Carpathian battled She-Hulk while his teammates fought the other Avengers. Eventually, the Avengers became distracted battling their controlled teammate Ghost Rider and the Carpathian escaped with the rest of the Legion of the Unliving. Venturing to Federal Penal Colony No. 9 in Sol-Ilesk, Russia, the Carpathian watched as the Rat Bomber was tasked with using his rats to transform the prison inmates into new vampires. When the Avengers pursued the Legion there, they fought the rioting prison vampires while the Legion took down Russia's Winter Guard, the Carpathian personally downing Ursa Major. The Avengers soon made their way into the prison itself and Iron Man took down the Carpathian with repulsor blasts. As the battle progressed, with the Shadow Colonel beheaded by Blade, Boy-Thing switching sides and Sarge taken into custody, the Carpathian, Baroness Blood, Snowsnake and the Rat Bomber escaped and regrouped in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, where they proclaimed Dracula their true leader.
The Carpathian was a vampire with all of the typical
vampire attributes and weaknesses. He resembled a giant bat, completed
with sharp claws, teeth and leathery wings capable of flight. He, like
most vampires, was also capable of transforming into mist.
--Avengers VII#12-BTS (#14-17, 22-BTS,
The Rat Bomber was a vampire recruited into the
Legion of the Unliving by the Shadow Colonel. Using his bomb-carrying
rats, the Rat Bomber participated in the Legion's destruction of Castle
Dracul and later joined the Legion in destroying a vampire sect in
Madripoor. Following the Legion's escape from the Avengers in
Madripoor, the Rat Bomber was tasked with equipping his rats with
vampire blood bombs and sending them into Federal Penal Colony No. 9 in
Sol-Ilesk, Russia, where the blood bombs exploded, transforming the
prisoners into new vampires. When the Avengers pursued the Legion to
Russia, the Rat Bomber sent a swarm of rats against the She-Hulk before
eventually fleeing upon the decapitation of the Shadow Colonel.
Regrouping with the Legion in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine,
the Rat Bomber joined the Legion in declaring their allegiance to
Dracula.
The Rat Bomber was a vampire with all of the typical vampire attributes and weaknesses, including the ability to transform into mist and the controlling of rodents. Using his rodent control powers, the Rat Bomber equipped several rats under his control with sunburst bombs capable of destroying other vampires and at one point had the rats equipped with bombs full of vampire blood to transform humans into vampires.
Sarge was a hellhound recruited by the Shadow Colonel
to join the Legion of the Unliving and he was also the only member of
the Legion that the Shadow Colonel fully trusted. Sarge participated in
the Legion's mission to destroy Castle Dracul and when the Shadow
Colonel was taken into custody by the Avengers, Sarge infiltrated
Avengers Mountain and used magic to place the Avenger Ghost Rider under
the Legion's control. Sarge then had Ghost Rider provide a getaway car
for the escaping Shadow Colonel , whom Sarge personally assisted by
attacking Captain America. Escaping with the Shadow Colonel and Ghost
Rider, Sarge regrouped with the rest of the Legion of the Unliving in
Madripoor, where the Legion was destroying a vampire sect. The Avengers
pursued and confronted the Legion in Madripoor and Blade shot Sarge,
provoking Sarge into attacking the daywalker. When the Avengers became
distracted with trying to free Ghost Rider from the Legion's control,
Sarge and the other Legion members escaped and renewed their focus on
finding Dracula. Sarge then accompanied the Legion to Federal Penal
Colony No. 9 in Sol-Ilesk, Russia, where they transformed the prisoners
into new vampires. The Avengers again pursued but while the Avengers
fought the new vampires, the Legion of the Unliving took down Russia's
Winter Guard, with Sarge personally taking down Darkstar. The Avengers
soon made their way into the prison and Sarge quickly jumped onto the
offense, leaping onto and biting She-Hulk. She-Hulk was then rescued by
the Asgardian dog Thori, whom the Avengers had brought along to assist
against Sarge. Thori jumped at and bit into Sarge, eventually defeating
the hellhound. As the Avengers forced the Legion of the Unliving to
flee, Sarge was taken into Avengers custody and placed in a holding
cell within Avengers Mountain. Unbeknownst to the Avengers, however,
Sarge began manipulating Avengers crewman Gorilla-Man and forcing
Gorilla-Man to act on the Legion's behalf. When Gorilla-Man experienced
a Celestial vision and grew uneasy about assisting the Legion, he
visited Sarge, who reminded Gorilla-Man of his options and forced
Gorilla-Man to pledge allegiance to the Legion and their new leader,
Dracula.
Sarge was a hellhound with superhuman strength and
durability. These powers also extended to his teeth, which were capable
of biting superhumanly durable foes without breaking. Sarge could also
project hellfire from his mouth and he had some knowledge of magic
usage, as he was capable of controlling Ghost Rider using magic
phrases. Despite being dog-like, Sarge had full human-level
intelligence and could speak English.
Snowsnake was a vampire recruited into the Legion of the Unliving by the Shadow Colonel. Snowsnake joined the Legion in destroying Castle Dracul in Transylvania and later accompanied the Legion to Madripoor to destroy a vampire sect. When the Avengers intervened, Snowsnake personally battled Black Panther until the Avengers became distracted with trying to free their teammate Ghost Rider from Legion control. Snowsnake then fled during the Avengers' distraction and accompanied the Legion to Federal Penal Colony No. 9 in Sol-Ilesk, Russia, where the Legion transformed the prisoners into new vampires. The Avengers again intervened but while the Avengers were busy fighting the new vampires, the Legion took down Russia's Winter Guard, with Snowsnake personally stabbing swords into the Crimson Dynamo. Once the Avengers made their way into the prison, Black Panther again engaged Snowsnake. The Legion eventually fled when the Shadow Colonel was decapitated and Snowsnake regrouped with the Legion in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, where they pledged their allegiance to Dracula.
Snowsnake was a vampire with all of the typical vampiric attributes including the ability to transform into mist. In battle, Snowsnake wielded a pair of swords.
images: (without ads)
Avengers VII#14, p2, splash page (Legion of the Unliving, main image)
Avengers VII#16, p18, pan3 (Legion of the Unliving, headshots)
Avengers VII#15, front cover (Legion of the Unliving, with captured
Ghost Rider)
Avengers VII#17, p20, splash page (Legion of the Unliving with Dracula)
Avengers VII#16, p18, pan1 (Carpathian)
Avengers VII#17, p7, pan2 (Rat Bomber)
Avengers VII#14, p12, pan4 (Sarge)
Avengers VII#17, p5, pan2 (Snowsnake)
Appearances:
Avengers VII#12 (March, 2019) - Jason
Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness, Cory Smith (pencils), Mark Morales, Karl
Kesel, Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#14 (April, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez
(art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#15 (April, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez
(art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#16 (May, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez
(art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#17 (May, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), David Marquez
(art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#19 (July, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness
(pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers VII#22 (September, 2019) - Jason Aaron (writer), Stefano
Caselli (art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 02/04/2020
Last updated: 02/04/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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