TIMBERIUS

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Sub-species of humanity (Inhuman) mutate

Occupation: Renegade;
    former gardener

Group Membership: Maximus' "Evil Inhumans" (Aireo, Falcona, Leonus, Makus, Nebulo, Stallior)

Affiliations: Alphan, Avengers (Black Widow/Natalia Romanova, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Hercules/Heracles, Quasar/Wendell Vaughn, Rage/Elvin Halliday, Sersi, Vision/"Victor Shade"), Maximus the Mad, Pinius, Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Seeker (Uys)

Enemies: Alpha Primitives, Brethren (Sybil Dorn, Fool, Thane Ector), Fantastic Four (Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Doctor Doom/Kristoff Vernard, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Sue Richards, Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Inhumans (Ahura, Black Bolt/Blackagar Boltagon, Crystal/Crystalia Amaquelin, Gorgon, Iridia, Karnak, Lockjaw, Medusa/Medusalith Boltagon, Oracle, Triton, others), Franklin Richards

Known Relatives: Naanis (twin brother)

Aliases: Tree-Dweller

Base of Operations: Attilan

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II Annual#1 (October, 1968)

Powers/Abilities: After being subjected to an experiment involving plant DNA combined with Terrigenesis, Timberius became a plant-human hybrid with bark-like skin, root-like feet and arms that resembled branches. Timberius is able to extend his own body, growing it outward at rapid speed with roots and branches, or having the plants fire wood shards.

He is also able to control all forms of plant life, swiftly growing them to giant size and manipulating them against his foes. The full extent of his powers are likely unrevealed.

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: None

History: (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#6 (fb) – BTS) – The man who would become Timberius was subjected to an authorized experiment involving plant DNA mixed with Terrigenesis, resulting in his unique abilities.

(Inhumans II#7 (fb) – BTS) – Timberius grew up with a twin brother, Naanis, and they played together as children, considering themselves inseparable. When Timberius' powers developed at an early age, Naanis chose the new name Timberius for his brother and Timberius later celebrated when Naanis faced Terrigenesis, developing the ability to communicate with machines. Naanis went on to join the Royal Guard under Gorgon.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#6 (fb) – BTS) – Timberius became a gardener for a time.

(Incredible Hulk II Annual#1 (fb) – BTS) – A group of Inhumans gathered together, seeking to overthrow Black Bolt as the ruler of Attilan, wanting to take over the city themselves. The group included Timberius the Tree-Dweller, Nebulo, Stallior, Falcona, Aireo and Leonus. The group attacked the city but they were defeated.

(Incredible Hulk II Annual#1) – Timberius and his allies were put on trial, presided over by Black Bolt and the Oracle. When Stallior tried to turn on the others for his own gain, he was attacked by his allies. Black Bolt stopped the fight and, ignoring the cries of Maximus the Mad that Black Bolt should be the one on trial, the king found the six guilty and sentenced them to imprisonment in the Un-Place in another dimension behind an impenetrable shield. The group was shocked when Lockjaw later teleported the Hulk into the Un-Place as well. Hulk, refusing all offers of alliance from the imprisoned Inhumans, began smashing at the barrier and, after several blows, smashed it, freeing the Inhumans along with him. Timberius lashed out against Hulk with an attack of plant life but Hulk easily resisted. Maximus the Mad teleported to the Un-Place and teleported the group back to Attilan, where he unleashed Hulk on the city while he took the others into his secret lab. After taking them through the lab, Maximus told them of the ancient scientist Romnar, who had left behind a deadly weapon that was behind a strong barrier. Maximus hoped the Hulk could break through it and that he could use the weapon to take over Attilan. Back in the lab, Hulk agreed to be friends with the Inhumans and he smashed the barrier, releasing Romnar's substance, which Maximus then weaponized. Maximus demanded control over the entire city and the Inhumans realized he was mad with power and turned against him. When Hulk attacked the Inhumans, Timberius and his allies turned on him, hoping to win the favor of the city so they could seize control of it. Stallior led a charge against him, wrapping the Hulk in chains, then Leonus slashed at Hulk with his claws as Timberius pounded on him but Hulk easily tossed all three aside. As Black Bolt defeated Maximus, Nebulo seized Romnar's weapon. Black Bolt soon defeated Hulk and Maximus and got control of Nebulo's weapon. 

(Fantastic Four I#83 (fb) – BTS) – Maximus seized control of the crown, imprisoning the Royal Family (Black Bolt, Triton, Karnak, Gorgon) while using science and hypnosis to keep control of Medusa and Lockjaw. Maximus managed to capture the Fantastic Four (Crystal, Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic, Thing) as well then made plans to conquer the world. Aireo, Stallior, Leonus, Falcona and Timberius continued serving him.

(Fantastic Four I#83) – Maximus had Timberius and the others attend to him in the baths then he forced them to bow after they dressed him for the day. Maximus prepared to activate the Hypno-Ray that would help him attack the human world but the Royal Family and Fantastic Four escaped and destroyed it. Maximus fled (riding on Stallior's back) with his five allies then they boarded a ship into space to find freedom.

(Incredible Hulk II#119 (fB) – BTS) – Maximus took Timberius and the others back to Earth, where Nebulo rejoined the team. Maximus hypnotized the civilians of Costa Salvador, making them mindless slaves while he took over ruling the land. He planned to expand his power outward.

(Incredible Hulk II#119) – When the Hulk attacked, the others fought back, with Timberius briefly restraining the monster with roots. When the American military attacked, Maximus invited Hulk to join them.

(Incredible Hulk II#120) – While the Hulk held off the military, the Inhumans fought amongst themselves about whether they should turn on the Hulk. Maximus was prepared to kill those in the military, so Hulk fought back and Maximus unleashed a giant robot he'd developed. Hulk destroyed the robot and Maximus fled in a rocket with Timberius and his Inhuman allies.

(Amazing Adventures II#1 (fb) –BTS) – Maximus set up base on a remote island, where he forced Timberius, Stallior, Aireo and Leonus to wait on him hand and foot. Maximus prepared missiles to send against the Royal Family in Attilan.

(Amazing Adventures II#1) – Timberius and his allies tended to Maximus while the missiles were launched to Attilan.

(Amazing Adventures II#2) – Maximus manipulated the Royal Family into fighting the Fantastic Four as Aireo, Leonus, Stallior and Timberius tended to him. Soon, Maximus was captured by the Royal Family, who defeated him and stopped the missiles.

(Silver Surfer I#18 (fb) – BTS) – Maximus and his followers were exiled from the city and forced to live on their own while Black Bolt controlled the Great Refuge.

(Silver Surfer I#18) – When Silver Surfer got close to Attilan, Maximus sent Aireo, Leonus, Stallior and Timberius against him. Timberius tried seizing Silver Surfer's board with roots while having trees fire wood shards at the Surfer but the hero easily blocked the attack. Silver Surfer sent the Inhumans scrambling back to Attilan, where Maximus hoped to turn the Surfer against Black Bolt. After Surfer fought the Royal Family, Maximus and his allies attacked Attilan in their air-ship, firing electron bolts on the palace, but the ship was soon repelled by the Royal Family. 

(Fantastic Four I#131) – Timberius was present in Attilan when the Alpha Primitives revolted and battled the Royal Family. Timberius argued that the Primitives should be locked in their underground dwelling forever more.

(Inhumans I#5 (fb)) – Maximus began mentally influencing some of the Inhumans to join him in a bid to take over the city, including Timberius, Leonus, Stallior, Falcona and Makus.  

(Inhumans I#5) – After being captured, Black Bolt, Medusa, and Gorgon were being tied up when Lockjaw escaped with Karnak and Triton. Furious, Maximus sent Timberius and Makus after the escapees.

(Inhumans I#6) – As Black Bolt (having escaped and accidentally destroyed part of Attilan as he did so) was about taking the Inhumans into space, Maximus and the mind-controlled Inhumans, including Leonus, Timberius, Aireo, Falcona and Stallior, prepared to fire a cannon on the Royal Family but they were swiftly defeated.

(Avengers I#334 (fb) – BTS) – With Attilan now on the moon, Timberius received a pardon from Black Bolt for his past crimes.

(Avengers I#334) – When a mysterious object crashed near the Blue Area of the Moon, Timberius heard Black Bolt's orders to investigate. He stood with Karnak and an Alpha Primitive, telling Quicksilver he should be the one to look at the object. The Primitive recommended not going near the Watcher's Citadel, annoying Timberius, who complained about working with inferiors and mutants. They soon saw a massive ship in the wreckage and, as they discussed summoning the Avengers, the Inhumans were apprehended by the Brethren (Thane Ector, Sybyl Dorn and Fool). They violently questioned Quicksilver then imprisoned the others and Timberius sat, scared for his life. When Ector started breaking Timberius' branches, he admitted they were above Earth then the aliens killed the Primitive. Just then, the Avengers broke through the force field to save them and the Brethren fled.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2 (fb) – BTS) – The Genetic High Council were furious when the Royal Family hid their forbidden child, Ahura, on Earth. They assembled a team of loyal Inhumans to go to Earth and find the boy. Seeker (Uys) assembled Leonus, Timberius, Falcona, Pinius and others to head to Earth.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2) – Seeker led his Inhumans, including Timberius, to find Ahura but they confused the boy Franklin Richards for Ahura and attacked the Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing). Timberius briefly sparred with Mr. Fantastic. Realizing they had the wrong boy, Seeker ordered the team back to Attilan but he soon used tracking equipment and found Ahura with the exiled Royal Family. A battle broke out and the Fantastic Four got involved. Back in Attilan, the Genetic High Council was exposed for trying to take Ahura's power and Leonus and Timberius briefly took the side of the Council, saying they followed those who were in power. The Council was eventually defeated along with Maximus, who was revealed as being behind the events.

(Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising#1) – When Attilan was threatened on the moon, the city began collapsing and the Genetics Council abandoned the populace. Feeling like they had no choice, Leonus and Timberius realized they had to awaken Maximus the Mad to save the civilians. The Fantastic Four arrived with Dr. Doom (Kristoff Vernard) and shrank Attilan down so they could save the city and return it to Earth. There, Maximus, Leonus, Timberius, Nebulo and Stallior were enlarged to talk to the Fantastic Four but they ended up attacking the heroes.

(Fantastic Four I#401) – With Leonus, Stallior, Timberius and Nebulo flanking him, Maximus ordered the Inhuman ship to go on to raised Atlantis, where they could claim their land. The Inhumans soon saw the diminutive Fantastic Four (Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Dr. Doom/Kristoff Vernard, Invisible Woman, Thing) escape the shrunken Attilan. Dr. Doom fired a shot at Stallior, causing his mace to misfire and hit Timberius.  

(Inhumans II#7) – After his brother Naanis was killed during a human attack on Attilan, Timberius addressed the Inhumans and the Genetic Council, arguing that war should be declared on the humans due to Naanis' death, but Medusa argued that only the individual human who killed Naanis should be punished. She said that Timberius should capture the human so he could be put on trial in Attilan.

(Inhumans II#8) – Timberius snuck down to Earth, where he waited in the trees for the soldier who'd killed his brother to walk by. Timberius then presumably killed the soldier.

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Marie Severin, Syd Shores, Frank Giacoia and John Verpoorten.

Timberius isn't the only plant-based Inhuman. There is also Rootar and Jolen. I polled the Masters of the Obscure group about other plant-based or plant-controlling characters, and they generated the list of the Gardener, Plant-Man, Terraformer, Sunflower, the H'ylthri, the Cotati, Groot, Mantis, Black Tom Cassidy, Krakoa, Man-Thing (and Man-Thing adjacent characters), Cactus, Quoi, Nature Girl, Brother Nature, the Union, Salvation Plant, Florus Homo, the Meteor-Monsters, Klara Prast and Adalbert Kametin. There are likely many more.

The "League of Evil Inhumans" is never officially called that in the comics but Timberius is most associated with Falcona, Nebula, Leonus, Aireo and Stallior.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Timberius should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition I#6, p28, pan2 (Timberius, main image)
Inhumans II#7, p3, pan2 (Timberius, face)
Incredible Hulk II Annual#1, p20, pan2 (Timberius, supplemental)
Incredible Hulk II#119, p22, pan4 (versus Hulk)

Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II Annual#1 (October, 1968) – Gary Friedrich (writer), Marie Severin (penciler), Syd Shores, Frank Giacoia, John Verpoorten (inkers), Stan Lee (editor)
Fantastic Four I#83 (February, 1969) – Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker)
Incredible Hulk II#119 (September-October, 1969) – Stan Lee (writer/editor), Herb Trimpe (artist)
Incredible Hulk II#120 (October, 1969) – Stan Lee (writer/editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (artist)
Amazing Adventures II#1-2 (August-September, 1970) – Gary Friedrich (writer), John Buscema (penciler, inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Silver Surfer I#18 (September, 1970) – Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Herb Trimpe (inker)
Fantastic Four I#131 (February, 1973) – Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Ross Andru (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker)
Inhumans I#5 (June, 1976) – Doug Moench (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Inhumans I#6 (August, 1976) – Doug Moench (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Frank Chiramonte (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#6 (May, 1986) – Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson (writers), Josef Rubinstein (penciler), Andy Yanchus (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#334 (July, 1991) – Bob Harras (writer), Andy Kubert (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Howard Mackie (editor)
Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2 (June, 1993) – Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Steve Montano (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Fantastic Four I#401 (June, 1995) – Tom DeFalco (writer), Paul Ryan (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising#1 (June, 1995) – Tom DeFalco, Glenn Herdling (writers), MC Wyman (penciler), Rey Garcia, Don Hudson, Geof Isherwood, Kevin Yates (inkers), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Inhumans II#7-8 (May-June, 1999) – Paul Jenkins (writer), Jae Lee (artist), Bob Harras (editor)

First Posted: 03/31/2020
Last updated: 03/31/2020

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.!

Back to Characters