MARKHAM MOROS

Real Name: Markham Moros

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (1950s era)

Occupation: Lecturer

Group Membership: Leader of an unidentified organization

Affiliations: His followers, Peter Dennis

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Mystery Man" (in story title only)

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: World of Mystery#3/3 (October, 1956)

Powers/Abilities: Secretly a man from another dimension, Moros came to Earth to preach a message of "cosmic harmony"--he was glib in his speech, and he had a voice that people found influential.

Moros displayed the power to instantly heal a person's gunshot wound with the touch of his hand; he also demonstrated the ability to somehow transport himself between dimensions.

Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 200 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: White

History:
(World of Mystery#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Professor Markham Moros is largely unrevealed, but at some point he left his home-dimension and came to Earth. He formed an organization of followers and preached his message of "cosmic harmony," claiming that if mankind used areas of the brain currently unused, then it would bring peace of mind to all humanity.

   Moros delivered lectures in the neighboring towns of Knapsville, Taft City, New Shire, Daviston, and Porterstown; the number of his enthusiastic followers steadily grew because his inspiring speeches earned him a near-messianic reputation. But unknown to Moros, his followers were contributing large sums of money to his organization (see comments)--this aroused the suspicion of the police chief of Porterstown, who thought it strange that fine, upright, respectable citizens could be so devoted to Moros; the police chief contacted the FBI for assistance, and agent Peter Dennis was assigned to the case.

   Meanwhile, Moros checked in to a cheap hotel in Clarksville to begin another series of lectures.

(World of Mystery#3/3) - At the Porterstown police station, Peter Dennis met two of Moros' followers who had been brought in for questioning; the FBI agent noticed the strange (almost spellbound) look of contentment on their faces as they talked about Moros' message of "cosmic harmony". Thinking that perhaps all the "cosmic harmony" rhetoric that Moros spouted was really just the clever racket of a confidence man, Dennis sifted through all the evidence, but he couldn't find anything on Moros in any police records--Dennis finally tracked down Moros to a cheap hotel in Clarksville.

   Dennis visited the lecturer's hotel room and informed Moros that he was being investigated because of the large sums of money his followers were contributing to his organization. Moros assured Dennis that he wasn't a fake, and he insisted that his theory of "cosmic harmony" would lead mankind to a golden age; but Dennis was still unconvinced, and he ordered Moros to tell all the people who believed in his theory the truth--that it was all a hoax. Having no desire for any further conflict with legal authorities, the exasperated Moros agreed to cooperate with Dennis.

   Dennis accompanied Moros to his lecture at the Clarksville sports auditorium to ensure the lecturer followed through with his order. As they both stood on the stage, Moros announced to the audience that he had just learned that many of his followers were turning over large sums of money to his organization, which was only bringing him trouble from the authorities, so he had decided that it would be best if he went away for good. But the announcement brought an angry reaction from the audience, and as the unruly crowd surged forward, they jostled Peter Dennis, causing the gun in the FBI agent's shoulder-holster to accidentally discharge--Dennis was hit and mortally wounded by the gunshot.

   In order to calm the unrest before a riot broke out, Moros pointed out to his followers that their violent actions had injured Dennis, and he ordered the angry mob to disperse and curb their rage, but he assured them that all their money would be refunded. As the audience left, Moros thought aloud that perhaps mankind was not yet ready to embrace and achieve the powers of "cosmic harmony".

   Moros turned his attention to the injured Dennis and placed his hand upon the FBI agent's gunshot wound to instantly heal him. Dennis staggered up off the floor, and to his amazement, he saw Moros begin to fade away; as he went back to his home-dimension, Moros promised to return when mankind was ready to receive the amazing power of "cosmic harmony".

   As he stood alone in the auditorium, Peter Dennis thought to himself that perhaps when mankind no longer placed a monetary value on the mysterious man's great dream, then Moros would hopefully come back, and he would be welcomed.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Steve Ditko (artist).

Since he seemed to be unaware that his followers were contributing large sums of money to him, my guess is that Moros was only concerned with delivering his lectures, and he had others actually running the business-end of his organization--perhaps some unscrupulous individuals were embezzling the funds for themselves, which would explain why Moros was staying in a cheap hotel.

Moros' "cosmic harmony" lectures kind of remind me of the Celestial Mind Control Movement ("Bozos") plot instigated by Nebulon.

I think that Moros himself kind of physically resembled the cosmic entity known as the Stranger (@ X-Men I#11).

And Peter Dennis--since he was in the FBI in the 1950s, maybe he was acquainted with fellow FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Woo Yen Jet) (@ Yellow Claw#1).

Peter Dennis could also be linked to FBI agent Steve Manners. The 3 of them (Dennis, Woo and Manners) could have had X-Files/Fringe (Division) like cases.
--Gammatotem

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Markham Moros has no known connections to:

Peter Dennis has no known connections to:

Peter Dennis

An agent with the FBI (see comments), Dennis carried a concealed handgun in a shoulder-holster under his jacket.

Dennis was assigned to investigate the case of Professor Markham Moros, who was delivering lectures on his theory of "cosmic harmony" and receiving large contributions of money from his followers--Dennis was convinced that Moros was just a con artist.

Dennis later pressured Moros to admit to his followers that his theory was only a hoax, and he accompanied Moros on stage to ensure that the lecturer followed through with the order. But instead, Moros told his followers that because of the trouble he was getting from legal authorities, he had decided it would be best if he went away for good. Moros' announcement elicited an angry reaction from the audience, and as the unruly crowd surged forward, Dennis was jostled and his holstered gun accidentally discharged--Dennis was mortally wounded by the gunshot.


But the FBI agent's life was saved when Moros placed his hand upon the gunshot wound and instantly healed Dennis. As he staggered up off the floor, Dennis saw Moros begin to fade away--Moros revealed that he was returning to his home in another dimension, but he promised he would someday return when mankind was ready to receive him and the amazing power of "cosmic harmony".

As he stood in the empty auditorium, Peter Dennis thought to himself that perhaps when mankind no longer placed a monetary value on Moros' great dream, the mysterious man would come back, and he would be welcomed.

(It looks like Peter Dennis used the same barber/hair-stylist as Norman and Harry Osborn.)

--World of Mystery#3/3

Markham Moros' followers

The devoted disciples of Professor Moros, their numbers were unrevealed, but they were considered to be fine, upright, and respectable citizens from the towns of Knapsville, Taft City, New Shire, Daviston, Porterstown, and Clarksville.

They wore wide-eyed expressions of contentment on their faces because they had all been inspired by Moros' lectures about "cosmic harmony," and they believed everything he told them--they also contributed large sums of money to Moros' organization.

The police chief of Porterstown became concerned about the behavior of Moros' followers, so he contacted FBI agent Peter Dennis for assistance. Some of the followers were brought in to the police station for questioning--despite the strange look in the eyes of the followers, Dennis thought that none of them seemed like "crackpot types". But after one of the followers tried to explain the concept of "cosmic harmony" to him, Dennis decided to investigate further because he thought Moros was a con artist.

During a lecture in Clarksville, Moros was pressured by Dennis to end his lectures, and the audience of followers became angry because Moros told them he was going away. The unruly crowd surged forward and jostled Dennis, accidentally causing the FBI agent's gun to discharge, and Dennis was wounded by the gunshot.

Moros was able to calm his angry followers when he pointed out that their violent response had caused Dennis to be injured. Moros told the audience to curb their rage and assured them that their money would be returned. The crowd of followers dispersed, leaving only Moros with the injured Dennis in the auditorium.

--World of Mystery#3/3

images: (without ads)
World of Mystery#3/3, p4, pan4 (Main Image - Markham Moros (orange suit); Peter Dennis (wounded on stage); various audience members)
World of Mystery#3/3, p3, pan4 (Headshot - Markham Moros looking out hotel window; Peter Dennis (background))
World of Mystery#3/3, p3, pan7 (Markham Moros speaks to audience about "cosmic harmony")
World of Mystery#3/3, p4, pan6 (Peter Dennis (left) watches Markham Moros (right) fade away)
World of Mystery#3/3, p2, pan5 (Peter Dennis speaks on phone to FBI headquarters)
World of Mystery#3/3, p3, pan2 (Peter Dennis reviews evidence about Markham Moros)
World of Mystery#3/3, p4, pan5 (wounded Peter Dennis is healed by Markham Moros)
World of Mystery#3/3, p4, pan7 (Peter Dennis hopes for Moros' return)
World of Mystery#3/3, p1, pan1 (two of Markham Moros' followers (unidentified))
World of Mystery#3/3, p2, pan4 (unidentified follower of Markham Moros explains "cosmic harmony" to Peter Dennis (background))
World of Mystery#3/3, p4, pan2 (shocked and angered audience at Markham Moros' lecture after he announces that he's going away)

Appearances:
World of Mystery#3/3 (October, 1956) - unidentified writer, Steve Ditko (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 11/01/2018
Last updated: 11/14/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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