Basilisk (comics)

The Basilisk is the name of four fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first is a supervillain who debuts in Marvel Team-Up #16 (Dec. 1973). The second is a mutant who first appears in New X-Men #135 (Dec. 2002). The third is a lizard-like villain who first appears in Morbius, the Living Vampire #5 (Jan. 1993). Basilisk is also the codename used by an alternate reality version of the X-Man Cyclops in the Age of X crossover.

Fictional character biography
The Basilisk first appeared in a story line in Marvel Team-Up #16-17 (Dec. 1973 - Jan. 1974), and was created by Len Wein and Gil Kane. Basil Elks is a petty thief who breaks into a museum to steal what he believes is an ordinary emerald - but is in fact an alien Kree artifact called the Alpha Stone. Elks, however, miscalculates the security guards rounds and was caught and fired upon when he reached for a weapon. The guard’s bullet accidentally hits and shatters the gem, causing an explosion that transforms Elks into a humanoid reptilian - his skin becomes green and scaly and his eyes are now large and red. Elks then flash-freezes the guard in place, and realizing that he now had superhuman abilities decides to become a supervillain and calls himself the Basilisk. The character returned shortly thereafter in Marvel Team-Up #47 and Marvel Two-in-One #17 (both July 1976).

The character reappeared in the crossover storyline involving the Scourge of the Underworld, a vigilante who assassinated numerous minor supervillains. Seeking retaliation against superhero the Thing, the character tunneled his way to the headquarters of the Fantastic Four, which was undergoing construction, but was murdered by the Scourge of the Underworld.

The Basilisk was resurrected - with sixteen other criminals murdered by Scourge - by master criminal the Hood using the power of the entity Dormammu. The revived characters form a squad to attempt to eliminate vigilante the Punisher; the Basilisk completed the mission by capturing the Punisher.

During the Fear Itself storyline, Basilisk is among the villains that escape from the Raft after Juggernaut takes the form of Kuurth: Breaker of Stones and damages the facility heavily. He assists Man-Bull, Griffin, and another escaped inmate in a bank robbery. When Hercules arrives, he recognizes that the fourth person with them is actually Hecate. Basilisk joined Man-Bull and Griffin in fighting Hercules until Hecate regained her memories. When a revived Kyknos attacks Hercules, Basilisk and Man-Bull flee.

Powers and abilities
Courtesy of the Alpha Stone, the Basilisk possessed enhanced physical strength, reflexes, and stamina. The Basilisk's main offensive weapon were his eye beams, which could be concussive force (these could also be directed at the ground for limited flight) or energy that manipulated temperature (boiling or freezing extremes) or molecules.

Upon acquiring the Omega Stone, Basilisk's powers increased, allowing him to generate volcanoes worldwide, including the Savage Land and New York City.

Publication history
Basilisk is a mutant and a student at the Xavier Institute. Possessing limited intelligence and persecuted in his youth due to his abnormal appearance (bald, abnormally large and with one eye), the character is extremely aggressive. Once Basilisk's mutant power manifests, he suffers from brain seizures until given a device to help regulate the ability.

Basilisk joins the Brotherhood. They take over New York City. While watching human prisoners march by, he makes a joke about a perceived bad smell. The Brotherhood's leader, Magneto, attempts to deliver a punishment but kills Basilisk instead.

Powers and abilities
Basilisk possesses an overly-fleshy head devoid of all features except for sunken ears, a slit-like mouth, and a single centered eye socket. A camera-like device is located in this socket that allows Basilisk to control his superhuman mutant ability to emit a pulse of high-frequency strobe light from his brain. The light paralyzes any sentient being that views it, with the length of the effect varies depending upon the willpower of the onlooker.

Publication history
Gifford is a dysfunctional person who turns to satanism to create an alternate persona, the Basilisk. Possessing a paralyzing stare, the Basilisk goes to battle the Anti-hero Morbius the Living Vampire on a number of occasions.

Powers and abilities
Wayne Gifford was a normal human until becoming the Basilisk, a large humanoid reptile. The creature possesses superior strength, agility and a paralyzing stare. The Basilisk's one weakness is its reflection, which serves as a reminder of its former state.