TAR BABY
Earth-92131
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Alternate Earth (Earth-92131) human mutant
Occupation: None
Group Membership: Morlocks (Annalee, Ape, Caliban, Callisto, Erg, Glow Worm, Leech, Marianna, Masque, Plague, Scaleface, Sunder, Tommy, unidentified others)
Affiliations: Acolytes (Burner/Byron Calley, Chrome/Allen Marc Yuric, Fabian Cortez, Delgado/Marco Delgado, Frenzy/Joanna Cargill, Unuscione/Carmella Unuscione), Arclight (Philippa Sontag), Blockbuster (Michael Baer), Copycat (Vanessa Carlysle), Kangaroo (Frank Oliver), Lifter (Ned Lathrop), Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr), Mole, Random (Marshall Stone III), Shocker (Randall Darby), Slither (Aaron Salomon), X-Men (Beast/Hank McCoy, Cyclops/Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, Gambit/ Remy LeBeau, Professor X/Charles Xavier, Rogue, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan)
Enemies: Genoshan magistrates, Sentinels;
formerly X-Men (Cyclops/Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Gambit/ Remy LeBeau, Rogue, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Morlock tunnels, New York City, New York;
formerly Asteroid M, Earth's orbit;
formerly Morlock tunnels, New York City, New York
First Appearance: X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts" (January 30, 1993)
Powers/Abilities: Tar Baby is a mutant with the ability to manipulate the ire and muck of the sewers, usually projecting it outward as forceful blasts.
Height: 6'1" (presumably same as his 616 counterpart)
Weight: 155 lbs. (presumably same as his 616 counterpart)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dark brown
History:
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts" - BTS) - Cast out from society because of his physical mutation, Tar Baby became part of the Morlocks, a group of mutants living in the abandoned sewer tunnels and atomic bomb shelters that honeycomb Manhattan.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts" - BTS) - Callisto, leader of the Morlocks became aware of the mutant heroes the X-Men, determined to have Cyclops rule by her side and produce an heir, Callisto sent the young Leech to gain their attention.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts") - Callisto's plan proved successful as they soon lured Cyclops and Jean Grey and a group of unsuspecting humans into the tunnels where Tar Baby, Erg, Masque, Plague and Sunder awaited them. Tar Baby quickly trapped the humans by sealing the entrance shut after which the others attacked the humans until Jean Grey reopened the entrance. Tar Baby and the others proved no match for the senior X-Men and were quickly forced to retreat until the empath Annalee forced them to sleep allowing the Morlocks to capture the X-Men.
Tar Baby was presumably present sometime later when the X-Men regained consciousness and learned Callisto wanted to produce an heir with Cyclops. The Morlocks, however, were unable to stop the telepathic Jean Grey from warning her teammates. The Morlocks prepared for the coming battle.
But when X-Men Storm, Rogue, Gambit and Wolverine arrived in the Morlock tunnels to safe their friends, Tar Baby and Sunder were the first to attack them. Tar Baby successfully trapped Gambit and Wolverine with his muck, however they easily freed themselves and continued their search in the Morlock tunnels. The X-Men freed Jean Grey from Annalee's hypnotic control after which they found "Cyclops". But when Wolverine learned it was in fact the shapeshifting Ape total chaos erupted as the X-Men fought the Morlocks to find Cyclops. During this fight Tar Baby was the first to strike by throwing one of his muck blasts at the X-Men after which he trapped the claustrophobic Storm in a globe of muck only to thrown aside when she used her lightning blast to escape. In the end it was Storm who challenged Callisto over control of the Morlocks and won. Using her new powers as leader of the Morlocks, Storm urged the tunnel dwellers to join them above ground and offered a home in the X-Mansion. The Morlocks refused, believing that only when humans and mutants could coexist they could join them.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part I" - BTS) - Tar Baby and mutants from around the world watched as Magneto spoke at the United Nations, announcing the liberation of mutantkind. Magneto revealed that he and several missing scientists had built a mutant-only home on Asteroid M in the Earth's orbit. Magneto invited all mutants, explaining a first exodus would take place near Genosha.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part I") - Eager to join Magneto and move to Asteroid M, Tar Baby quickly made his way to a local airport where large groups of mutants had gathered to buy a ticket to the African nation where the first exodus would take place. Tar Baby and several other mutants gathered on the African planes where Charles Xavier, Gambit and Beast of the X-Men had gathered hoping to persuade Magneto to stop his plan, fearing other nations would retaliate. Soon Magneto arrived with his transport welcoming the mutants and X-Men aboard. Instead of bringing the mutants directly to Asteroid M, Magneto first went to Genosha to free their enslaved mutants.
Upon arrival Magneto urged the Genoshan mutants to cast off their bonds and join them, in a mighty show of force Tar Baby, Tommy, Glow Worm and the other mutants left the transport to form a powerful front. Magneto's call, however, was answered by the Genoshan magistrates who refused to release their prisoners which in turn led to the mutant convoy to attack them. Assisted by the Acolytes (a group of mutants pledging allegiance to Magneto's righteous cause) a fierce battle followed in which the mutants quickly gained the upper hand, prompting the Genoshan magistrates to release a group of Sentinels to level the playing field. In the end Magneto, repowered by his Acolyte Fabian Cortez destroyed the Sentinels, forcing the Genoshan magistrates to flee and freed the Genoshan mutants.
Finally arriving on Asteroid M, Tar Baby and the other newcomers were welcomed and some of them even invited to a ceremonial toast alongside Magneto. Disappointed Magneto wasn't the fearless leader he'd hoped for, Fabian Cortez confronted Magneto, taking away his powers. Believing Magneto would serve their cause better as a martyr Cortez trapped him in his chambers and opened the airlock, causing Magneto's chambers to be pulled into Earth's atmosphere. Suspicious of Asteroid M's alarm, X-Men Beast and Gambit quickly located Cortez only to be accused of killing their enigmatic leader Magneto.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part II") - Although Professor X and Beast successfully escaped, Gambit was taken prisoner by the Acolytes. Tar Baby, Arclight, Peeper and several other mutants called out for his blood when Cortez presented them with Gambit, the supposed assassin of Magneto. Sometime later Cortez addressed world leaders, threatening to attack them unless they would release all mutants in captivity and pay restitution for human crimes against them, a feat which Tar Baby, Erg, Mole and other mutants celebrated. Unbeknownst to Tar Baby and the others, a small strike team of X-Men arrived at Asteroid M to not only save Gambit but deactivate all of Asteroid M's active warheads. In the end Magneto, revived, destroyed the active warheads after which he attacked and defeated Cortez. In a mighty show of force Magneto finally destroyed Asteroid M, Tar Baby and all other mutants were safely returned to the African planes, under the watchful eyes of Mjnari and the Black Panther.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Have yourself a Morlock little Christmas" - BTS) - When Leech had fallen ill, Ape and Annalee brought the little boy to a hospital only to be refused when Leech inadvertently caused a nurse to faint. At whit's end, the Morlocks hijacked an ambulance to acquire medicines which they crashed into the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center where X-Men Storm, Wolverine and Jubilee enjoyed some downtime after doing their Christmas shopping. Begging for help, their official leader, Storm vowed to help Leech.
(X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Have yourself a Morlock little Christmas") - Tar Baby, Sunder, Cybelle and many other Morlocks were present when Ape and Annalee returned with the X-Men. Upon examining the boy, Wolverine was certain Leech couldn't be moved lest he die. It was then decided Wolverine would perform a blood transfusion while they would send for Beast. Tar Baby and the Morlocks watched as Ape transformed into a bed for Wolverine to lay on for the duration of the blood transfusion. As the X-Men and Morlocks waited they offered Storm and Jubilee to join them for dinner as it was Christmas Eve. Not long after the blood transfusion was deemed a success as Leech recovered just as Beast arrived. To share the Christmas feeling with the Morlocks, Jubilee gave them the Christmas presents she'd bought earlier for her friends as both X-Men and Morlocks joined in the festivities.
Comments: Created by Louise Simonson, June Brigman, and Bob Wiacek;
adapted by Robert Skir, Marty Isenber and AKOM Productions. (see Appearances list for full list of artists)
Tar Baby was voiced by David Corban.
Although Tar Baby was called Slyme in the pre-Multiverse reality of X-Men Adventures, Eric Lewald and Julia Lewald's book X-Men: The Art and Making of the Animated Series book revealed this version was called Tar Baby.
When, in 2015's Secret Wars, the Multiverse was destroyed following the incursions of planets it appeared as if Reality-92131 was drafted onto Battleworld as the Westchester domain. However, this has since been debunked. As such the reality seen in the two volumes of X-Men '92 (2015 and 2016-2017) now have their own reality-designation of Earth-15730. The X-Men '92: House of XCII (2022) series was inspired by both the animated series and Hickman's House of X run but is its own separate reality. The limited series X-Men '97 (2024), however, is Reality-92131 and bridges the gap between the original X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon and the new X-Men '97: The Animated Series cartoon.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Tar Baby has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
X-Men The Art and Making of The Animated Series book, p56 (main image, digitally colored by MarvellousLuke)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts" (attacking the X-Men)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part II" (cheering Cortez on)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Have yourself a Morlock little Christmas" (eating soup)
Appearances:
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Captive Hearts" (January 30, 1993) - Robert Skir, Marty Isenber (writers), Kathi Castillo, Rick Hoberg, Louis Williams (model design), Thibault Descamps, Steve Olds (prop design), Steve Olds (layout design), Jeff Richards, Dennis Venizelos (background design), Flavia Mitman, Trish Mendelson (color key design), Dan Fausett, Michael Swanigan, Romeo Francisco, Douglas P. Battle, Clint Taylor, Greg Garcia, Adrian Gonzales, John Ahern, Armando Carillo (storyboards), Fred Carillo Patrico Aganasin, Abel Laxamana, Rudy Mesina, Cesar Magsombol, Steve Simone (storyboard cleanup), AKOM Productions (animation studio), Eric Lewald (editor)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part I" (October 21, 1995) - Steven Melching, David Dermott (writers), Frank Brunner, Mark Lewis (model design), Darrel Bowen, Russel Chong, Mark Lewis, Steve Olds, Frank Squillace (prop design), Cesar Magsombol, Frank Squillace, Wayne Schulz, Zhaoping Wei (layout design), Trish Mendelson (color key), Philip Kim, Dennis Venizelos (color backgrounds), Sue Peters (animation director), Patrick Archibald, Francis Barrios, Romeo Francisco, Curt Geda, Greg Garcia, Adrian Gonzales, Rick Hoberg, Larry Houston, Jim Janes, Doug Murphy, Tom Nesbitt, Frank Squillace, Michael Swanigan, Dan Veesenmeyer (storyboards), Patrico Aganasin, Abel Laxamana, Mark Lewis, Romeo Lopez, Tec Manalac, Andre Nieves, Phil Stapleton (storyboard cleanup), AKOM Productions (animation studio), Sharon Janis (editor), Tifany Lenhart (assistant editor)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Sanctuary - Part II" (October 28, 1995) - Jeff Saylor (writer), Frank Brunner, Mark Lewis (model design), Darrel Bowen, Russel Chong, Mark Lewis, Steve Olds, Frank Squillace (prop design), Cesar Magsombol, Frank Squillace, Wayne Schulz, Zhaoping Wei (layout design), Trish Mendelson (color key), Philip Kim, Dennis Venizelos (color backgrounds), Sue Peters (animation director), Patrick Archibald, Francis Barrios, Romeo Francisco, Curt Geda, Greg Garcia, Adrian Gonzales, Rick Hoberg, Larry Houston, Jim Janes, Doug Murphy, Tom Nesbitt, Frank Squillace, Michael Swanigan, Dan Veesenmeyer (storyboards), Patrico Aganasin, Abel Laxamana, Mark Lewis, Romeo Lopez, Tec Manalac, Andre Nieves, Phil Stapleton (storyboard cleanup), AKOM Productions (animation studio), Sharon Janis (editor), Tifany Lenhart (assistant editor)
X-Men: The Animated Series cartoon - "Have yourself a Morlock little Christmas" (December 23, 1995) - Larry Parr, Eric Leward (writers), Frank Brunner, Mark Lewis (model design), Marcos Borregales, Darrel Bown, Claude Denis, Warren Greenwood, Mark Lewis, Andre Nieves, Steve Olds, Shayne Poindexter (prop design), Patricio Agnasin, Claude Denis, Tenny Henson, Cesar Magsombol, Frank Squillace, Zhaoping Wei (layout design), Trish Mendelson (color key), Helga Vanden Berge (ink and paint), Yung Woo Kim, Laura Rasey Miller, Sung Woo (color backgrounds), J.K. Kim, Sue Peters (color backgrounds), Jerry Acerno, Patrick Archibald, Francisco Barrios, Romeo Francisco, Troy D. Adomitis, Dell Barras, Armando Carrillo, Greg Garcia, Tenny Henson, Tom Nesbitt, Michael Sosnowski, Keith Tucker, Rick Hoberg, David Simons, Frank Squillace, Dan Veesenmeyer (storyboards), Patricio Aganasin, Gerald Forton, Ernie G. Guanlao, Abel Laxamana, Romeo Lopez, Mike Sosnowski, Marcos Borregales, Romeo Francisco, Tenny Henson, Mark Lewis, Tec Manalac (storyboard cleanup), Sem Animation (animation studio), Eric Lewald (editor)
First Posted: 03/08/2023
Last Updated: 06/29/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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