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Absorbing Man

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The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #114 (cover dated March 1965), in the Silver Age of Comic Books.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Carl Creel has the power to absorb and become any material he touched.<ref>Template:Cite book[1]</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Originally a supervillain, in later years, he has reformed into more of an antihero.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Since his original introduction in comics, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, including video games, animated television series, and merchandise such as trading cards. He appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Brian Patrick Wade.

Publication historyEdit

The Absorbing Man debuted in Journey into Mystery #114 (March 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.<ref name="Steele2008">Template:Cite book</ref> He appeared in the 2017 Black Bolt series, by Saladin Ahmed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Fictional character biographyEdit

Carl "Crusher" Creel is a boxer and criminal who becomes the Absorbing Man when he drinks a liquid which the Asgardian god Loki laced with a mystical potion.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="MP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Discovering that he can absorb the properties of anything he touched, Creel escapes prison by absorbing metal from the guards' bullets and becomes a recurring enemy of Thor.<ref name="JM">Journey into Mystery #114 (March 1965)</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In later appearances, Absorbing Man enters a relationship with Titania.<ref>Secret Wars #11 (March 1985)</ref> He has also been a member of the Masters of Evil and the Lethal Legion.<ref>The Avengers #270-275 (August 1986 - January 1987)</ref><ref>Lethal Legion #1–3 (August - October 2009)</ref>

During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Creel and Titania encounter two divine hammers that contain the essences of the Worthy, generals of the Serpent. Coming into contact with the hammers, Titania and Creel are transformed into Skirn: Breaker of Men and Greithoth: Breaker of Wills, respectively.<ref name="FearItself#2">Fear Itself #2 (July 2011)</ref><ref>Avengers Academy #15 (August 2011)</ref>

During the "Avengers: Standoff!" storyline, Absorbing Man appears as an inmate of Pleasant Hill, a gated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D. Using Kobik, S.H.I.E.L.D. transformed Absorbing Man into a civilian named Harold.<ref>Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha one-shot (May 2016)</ref> When Helmut Zemo and Fixer restore the memories of the inmates, Absorbing Man joins their uprising against S.H.I.E.L.D.<ref>Illuminati #6 (June 2016)</ref>

In The Immortal Hulk, Absorbing Man joins the U.S. Hulk Operations as an alternative to being incarcerated for life. He is injected with a gene-enhancement package that gives him the ability to absorb gamma radiation and turns his skin red. When Absorbing Man - under the alias of Red Dog - battles Hulk at Los Diablos Missile Base, the One Below All enters his body.<ref>The Immortal Hulk #9 (January 2019)</ref> Absorbing Man is later freed from the One Below All's influence and joins Gamma Flight.<ref>Immortal Hulk #47 (August 2021)</ref>

Powers, abilities, and equipmentEdit

Carl Creel has the ability to mimic the matter or strength of anything nearby or anyone he is near.<ref name="JM" /><ref name="DV">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Most commonly, the Absorbing Man uses his powers to duplicate the qualities of anything that he touches—solids, liquids, gases, or even energy sources. This transformation also extends to the items that Creel was wearing and carrying when Loki's magic potion took effect (for example, if Creel touches the metal titanium, his body, clothes, and wrecking ball takes on its appearance and properties). He can absorb sufficient mass from a large object (e.g., a building) to attain the same height. While in different alternate forms, he still maintains his intellect, capacity for speech, and full physical movement (although his first attempt at absorbing water temporarily cost Creel's sanity when he tried to keep himself from drifting apart in the ocean).<ref name="Avengers #184 July 1979">The Avengers #184 (July 1979)</ref> His body was able to reform itself after being broken or damaged,<ref>The Incredible Hulk #456-457 (September–October 1997)</ref> especially a severed arm which Wolverine cuts off during the Secret Wars.<ref>Secret Wars #7 (November 1984)</ref>

ReceptionEdit

Critical responseEdit

Drew Atchison of Screen Rant included Absorbing Man their "Hulk's Main Comic Book Villains, Ranked Lamest To Coolest" list, writing, "Teaming up with the Inhuman king, Black Bolt, to siding with Gamma Flight to take on the Immortal Hulk, Carl's been through a lot and deserves to return to the MCU."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Comic Book Resources ranked Absorbing Man 3rd in their "10 Strongest Marvel Henchmen" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 4th in their "10 Villains Fans Hope To See In Marvel’s She-Hulk Series" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 4th in their "10 Best B-List Avengers Villains" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 5th in their "Top 10 She-Hulk Villains" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 5th in their "10 Strongest Marvel Human Villains" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 6th in their "Age Of Apocalypse: The 30 Strongest Characters In Marvel's Coolest Alternate World" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 7th in their "Hulk’s 10 Most Powerful Villains" list,<ref name="MP" /> 8th in their "Marvel: 10 Villains Who Keep Getting Stronger" list,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 9th in their "Thor: 10 Most Dangerous Villains He's Ever Fought" list,<ref name="DV" /> and 12th in their "Hulk's 20 Most Powerful Enemies" list.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other versionsEdit

Age of ApocalypseEdit

An alternate universe variant of Carl Creel from Earth-295 appears in Age of Apocalypse. This version works as a prison camp warden in Mexico.<ref>Tales from the Age of Apocalypse #1 (December 1996)</ref>

Earth XEdit

An alternate universe variant of Carl Creel from Earth-9997 appears in Earth X.<ref>Universe X #3 (October 2000)</ref>

House of MEdit

An alternate universe variant of Carl Creel from Earth-58163 appears in House of M. This version is a member of the Hood's Masters of Evil.<ref>House of M: Masters of Evil #1 (December 2009)</ref>

JLA/AvengersEdit

Absorbing Man appears in JLA/Avengers as a brainwashed minion of Krona.<ref>JLA/Avengers #4 (February 2004)</ref>

Marvel ApesEdit

An alternate universe variant of Absorbing Man from Earth-95019 appears in Marvel Apes. This version is a mandrill called Absorbing Mandrill and a member of the Master Brotherhood of Evil Apes.<ref>Marvel Apes: Amazing Spider-Monkey Special (June 2009)</ref>

Marvel ZombiesEdit

A zombified alternate universe variant of Carl Creel from Earth-2149 appears in Marvel Zombies.<ref>Marvel Zombies 3 #3 (February 2009)</ref>

Old Man LoganEdit

An alternate universe variant of Carl Creel from Earth-807128 appears in Old Man Logan.<ref>Wolverine (vol. 3) #67 (September 2008)</ref><ref>Wolverine (vol. 3) #70 (February 2009)</ref>

In other mediaEdit

TelevisionEdit

  • Absorbing Man appears in The Marvel Super Heroes, voiced by Tom Harvey.<ref name="btva12">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>

  • Carl Creel / Absorbing Man appears in The Incredible Hulk (1996) episode "They Call Me Mr. Fixit", voiced by Jim Cummings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version is an enforcer for crime boss Miss Allure.

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He first appears in the second season episodes "Shadows" and "Heavy is the Head" as a Hydra operative. As of the third season episode "The Inside Man", Creel defected to the U.S. government and became Glenn Talbot's bodyguard. In the fifth season, Creel reluctantly rejoins Hydra in their plot to save the world from Thanos, only to be absorbed by Talbot via gravitonium.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

    • Creel is mentioned in a flashback in the Daredevil episode "Cut Man", which is set in the 1990s while he was at the height of his boxing career. He is set to have a match with Jack Murdock, with the latter being expected to drop in the fifth round at Roscoe Sweeney's "suggestion". Instead, Jack chooses to set a better example for his son Matt and wins the fight off-screen via knockout. Series producer Jeph Loeb confirmed that this is the same Creel that appears in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before gaining his abilities.<ref name="IGN8Apr2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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FilmEdit

The Absorbing Man was featured in several scrapped scripts for Hulk, with one seeing him being reimagined as computer engineer Robert Creel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Video gamesEdit

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  • Absorbing Man appears as a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Absorbing Man appears as a playable character in Marvel Strike Force.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Absorbing Man appears in Marvel Snap.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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