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Contents 1 Samurai 2 Secret Identity 3 Second Host 4 Sentient 5 Sentinels of Liberty 6 Sidekick 7 Singularity 8 Skyfather 9 Sliding Timescale 10 Sorcerer Supreme 11 Soul 12 Space Warp 13 Spears 14 Spoiler 15 Titles 16 Stretching 17 Sub-Space 18 Subterranean 19 Succubus 20 Superhero 21 Super Soldier Serum 22 Operation: Rebirth 22.1 Attempt to Reproduce Rebirth 23 German/Nazi Attempts 24 Grand Director 25 Power Man 26 Anti-Cap 27 Supersoldier 28 Superhuman 29 Superhumanoid 30 Supervillain 31 Suspended animation 32 Synthezoid

Samurai

Samurai are ancient Japanese Warriors, known for their extremely intense senses of duty and honor.

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Secret Identity

Super Heroes often choose to have a secret identity (as do Super Villains who often adopt aliases) when becoming a hero to protect themselves, their friends, and their loved ones. The consequences of an enemy finding out their real-life identity can be dire, often leading to the destruction of the hero's alter ego and/or the villain using a hero's loved one as bait.

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Second Host

Two of four test of a given race that has been altered by the enigmatic Celestials. This second host involves the judgement on the progress of their tampering on a given world. In the case of planet Earth, during the Second Host the Celestials observed how the Eternals had ignored baseline humanity while the Deviants enslaved it. The Celestials destroyed the Deviant stronghold of Lemuria causing it to sink below the ocean. This event has been referred to as the Great Cataclysm which also caused the sinking of Atlantis.
(See Also: First Host, Third Host, Fourth Host)
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Sentient

Having intelligence near or above the human level. The definition of intelligence is slippery but often includes self-awareness, problem solving, and tool use.

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Sentinels of Liberty

The Sentinels of Liberty were a youth group formed by Captain America during the 1940's. It was to promote support for the United States during World War II amongst the youth of America. It promoted national pride, and vigilance against lawlessness and spies that would threaten the United States. The most famous youths that were members of the Sentinels of Liberty were the wartime Young Allies.
(See Also: Young Allies)
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Sidekick

In Comic Books, the term sidekick most commonly refers to assistants of Superheroes, usually in a crimefighting capacity. The sidekick has the literary function of playing against the hero, often contrasting in skill, asking the questions the reader would ask, or performing functions not suited to the hero.

See Also Superhero Anti-hero

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Singularity

A point in space where the normal rules of physics do not apply. Normally found only in a black hole, a concentration of matter so dense that even light cannot escape its gravity well.

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Skyfather

The lead deity of a particular pantheon or religion. The term refers to the tendency for worshippers to associate supreme power with the sun, the sky, and/or "heaven." Also known as Godhead.

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Sliding Timescale

First officially referenced in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1, the term "Sliding Timescale" puts all the various modern era pop-culture and historical references into perspective. A problem that arose from the "Modern Age" of heroes (Being Marvel's publication of characters from 1961 to present) are the numerous appearances of various public figures (musicians, politicians, celebrities etc.), current events, names of locations, and technological advances that would drastically age the cast of characters if their adventures were captured in real time.

The explanation is that many of the realities that exist in the Marvel Universe (those noted so far Earth-616, Earth-982 and Earth-1610) operate on a sliding timescale. All historical, pop-culture, and current event references must be considered topical. The explanation for these "anomalies" (as certain characters have broken the fourth wall and pointed them out, such as Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #519) is that time manipulations push these universes "forward" in time, altering these topical references.

Similarly, many characters who have participated in major conflicts are subject to this sliding time scale. For example, Reed Richards and Ben Grimm were referenced as having served during World War II, Charles Xavier and Cain Marko in the Korean War, and Forge in Vietnam. All these conflicts should be considered topical, and Marvel has officially generalized them to conflicts in the region. The same can also be said about early Marvel villains that appeared in the 60's who were Communist in nature. In their original publications they were referred to being loyal to Russia or China, however Marvel generally references that they were part of "Communist Nature in Asia". There are exceptions to the rules, such as the Punisher's service in Vietnam, as well as all characters who were active during Timely era publications that took place in the 1940s.

Modern retelling of old Marvel stories in a modern setting such as Marvel Age: Spider-Man and Professor X and the X-Men, while not considered cannon, are attempts to show old stories in a "Modern" view.
(See Also: Topical Reference, Glossary:Modern Age)
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Sorcerer Supreme

A practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension. Thus, there can be only one sorcerer supreme per world at a time.

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Soul

A living or once-living being's life essence, consciousness, or spirit.

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Space Warp

A natural or artificially created nexus leading from one point in space through hyperspace into another point in space. Also called a stargate.
(See Also: Hyperspace and Nexus)
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Spears

Poles, (wooden or otherwise), sharpened to a point or with sharp rocks on the ends.

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Spoiler

A spoiler is any piece of information that reveals plot elements which some people may wish to remain unrevealed so that they may enjoy the source material to its fullest extent, without having any previous knowledge of the outcome. Some examples of spoilers would be the death of a major character or an unexpected plot twist.

For information on how spoilers are treated on the Marvel Universe, see Marvel Universe:Spoilers.

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Star Comics was an imprint of Marvel Comics that was active from 1984-1989. Star Comics published titles geared towards young children, and mainly featured licensed properties, although original Marvel properties were also published. After being closed down, some of Star Comics titles were continued under the Marvel Comics banner.

Titles

• Air Raiders (2 of 5 issues)
• Animax (4 issues)
• Bullwinkle and Rocky (2 of 9 issues)
• Care Bears (14 of 20 issues)
• Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (4 issues)
• Christy (Unpublished)
• Defenders of the Earth (4 issues)
• The Flintstone Kids (4 of 11 issues)
• Foofur (4 of 6 issues)
• Fraggle Rock, Vol 1 (8 issues)
• The Get Along Gang (6 issues)
• Heathcliff (22 of 56 issues)
• Heathcliff's Funhouse (5 of 10 issues)
• Hugga Bunch (6 issues)
• The Inhumanoids (4 issues)
• Little Wizards (Unpublished)
• Madballs (8 of 10 issues)
• Masters of the Universe (13 issues)
• Masters of the Universe: The Motion Picture (1 issue)
• Misty (6 issues)
• Muppet Babies (17 of 26 issues)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan (3 issues)
• Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham (17 issues)
• Planet Terry (12 issues)
• Popples (4 issues)
• Royal Roy (6 issues)
• SilverHawks (5 of 7 issues)
• Star Comics All-Star Collection (1 issue)
• Star Comics Magazine (13 issues)
• Star Comics Presents Heathcliff (1 issue)
• Star Wars: Droids (8 issues)
• Star Wars: Ewoks (14 issues)
• Strawberry Shortcake (6 issues)
• Thundercats (21 of 24 issues)
• Top Dog (14 issues)
• Visionaries (2 of 6 issues)
• Wally the Wizard (12 issues)
• Young Astronauts (Unpublished)

Stretching

Stretching - The ability to stretch your body far above the length you normally could.

People with this super power: Mister Fantastic Flatman Super Skrull

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Sub-Space

Hyperspace. Originally a term mistakenly applied to the Negative Zone.
(See Also: Hyperspace, Negative Zone)
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Subterranean

Any of the various sub-species of humanity who dwell beneath the Earth's surface.

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Succubus

A female demonic creature who feeds upon the life essences of living beings.
(See Also: Succubus and Incubus.)
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Superhero

A superhero is a character who is noted for feats of courage and nobility and who usually has a colorful name and costume which serve to conceal their true identity, and abilities beyond those of normal human beings. A female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine, although this term has fallen out of favor in the modern era. The word superhero originated with Superman, who debuted in 1938, and the stories of superheroes - ranging from episodic adventures to decades-long sagas - have become an entire genre of fiction that has dominated American comic books and crossed over into several other media.

See Also Supervillain List of Supervillains List of Superheroes Anti-hero Sidekick A list of Marvel characters

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Super Soldier Serum

A formula capable of enhancing human beings into "super soldiers." The exact formula given to Steve Rogers is unknown; there have been many attempts to duplicate it. According to Private Biljo White, a "Dr. Anderson" indicated that potassium was one of the chemicals used in its formulation.^[1]

The Super-Soldier Serum, also called the Super-Soldier Formula, is the name for a process to increase the physical attributes of its recipient to the peak of human potential as in almost superhuman. Peak Humans are superior to any Olympic level athletes who have ever competed. Top athletes normally have one or two aspects close to, or a bit under, peak level. While peak human enhancements have all their capabilities like mind, strength, speed, durability, healing, eye sight, immune system, aging etc.. at the maximum level of human potential. Dr. Reinstein established that this potential is the next step in human evolution for regular man(non-mutant), a man from the coming decades. Meaning one day humanity will reach this level on their own, in the far future.

"Serum" is somewhat of a misnomer, as the "serum" actually consists of various processes. Characters that are considered by a enhancement true "Peak-Potential" are noted to be Captain America, Isaiah Bradley, Josiah X, Protocide, Union Jack (different SSS variant), and Black Panther (Wakanda-herb). Variations of the Super Soldier serum have been developed over the years which induced greater-mutations then Peaked human capabilites, one which even created the powerful Sentry.

But the more powerful variants come with strange side-effects that may also include mental deficiencies.

Those people who attempted to recreate the Super Soldier Serum had become something far more than an enhanced human and then became superheroes and supervillains.

Further Information

Operation: Rebirth The first known Super-Soldier Serum was developed as part of a top secret US Government experiment called Operation: Rebirth. The creator of the Super-Soldier formula was Abraham Erskine, code-named "Reinstein". The first, and arguably the most successful, recipient of the serum was Steve Rogers. Selected by General Chester Phillips of the U.S. Army to undergo testing, Rogers was at last administered the Super-Soldier serum. Given part of the compound intravenously and another part orally, Rogers was then bombarded by "vita-rays," a special combination of exotic (in 1941) wavelengths of radiation designed to accelerate and stabilize the serum's effect on his body. Steve Rogers emerged from the vita-ray chamber with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. A Nazi spy who observed the experiment murdered Dr. Erskine mere minutes after its conclusion. Erskine died without fully committing the Super-Soldier formula to paper, leaving Steve Rogers the sole beneficiary of his genius. Attempt to Reproduce Rebirth Isaiah Bradley is a surviving victim of U.S. WWII experiments to reproduce Erskine's process, is also sometimes referred to as Captain America. German/Nazi Attempts The German biochemist Eric Schmitt concocted a variant of the Super-Soldier Formula. Imprisoned by the Nazis and dying, Schmitt asked Falsworth to keep the sample of the formula he had concealed on his person from falling into Nazi hands. Falsworth took the disguised flask, drank its contents, and was immediately physically enhanced by the formula. Falsworth escaped the prison and became a costumed fighter of Nazis within Germany itself known as the Destroyer. See Master Man (Wilhelm Lohmer). Grand Director In 1953 the man who would become the Grand Director flew to Germany, and examined the files of Major Kerfoot, a Nazi espionage officer in the SS. He discovered that the papers contained the original Super-Soldier formula. He revealed his discovery to certain high officials in the US government, and made a deal whereby he would become the new Captain America, and act as a symbol during the Korean War. How the original Super-Soldier formula came to be in the possession of the Nazis is unknown, especially as Erskine died without fully committing the Super-Soldier formula to paper. Power Man Later, research scientist Dr. Noah Burstein recruited Luke Cage as a volunteer for experimental cell regeneration based on a variant of the Super-Soldier process he had previously used to empower Warhawk. Burstein immersed Lucas in an electrical field conducted by an organic chemical compound; when he left Lucas unattended, someone misused the experiment's controls, hoping to maim or kill Lucas. Lucas's treatment was accelerated past its intent, inducing body-wide enhancement that gave him superhuman strength and durability. Anti-Cap The Navy was attempting to make its own version of Captain America using the 'AVX' patch. Loosely based off of the Power Man Process Luke Cage underwent, it was hoped that continued applications of the patch would be a more controllable dosage and keep the subject from going rogue. Unfortunately, the process seemed to aggravate Anti-Cap's mental problems. Some ingredients may be: Stabilizer Prescribed steroids Focus enhancers

(See Also: Super-Soldiers - for a complete list, Weapon Plus, Operation Rebirth, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Destroyer, Union Jack, Master Man, Grand Director, Sentry, Luke Cage, Anti-Cap)

1. ↑ Invaders #17

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Supersoldier

Supersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal physical and mental limits of humanity. Super soldiers are common in comic books.

Super soldiers are usually heavily augmented, either through genetic engineering, cybernetic implants, drugs, brainwashing, an extreme training regimen (usually with high casualty rates, and starting from birth), or other scientific means or a combination of any of those. Occasionally, some instances also use paranormal methods, such as black magic. The creators of such programs are viewed often as mad scientists or stern military men, depending on the emphasis, as their programs will typically go past ethical boundaries in the pursuit of science/ military might.

• Captain America was to be the first of a line of super-soldiers, a plan that was ruined when Dr. Abraham Erskine, the creator of the Super-Soldier serum was killed. Other characters in the Marvel Universe, such as Wolverine (Weapon X) and X-23 are continuations of those experiments.
  

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Superhuman

In Marvel Comics the term superhuman is part of a "power classification system" and applies to aptitude (usually physical) far beyond the range attainable by normal human beings. An athlete is a normal human in extraordinary physical condition, such as a weight lifter or boxer. Peak human is applied to physical abilities that are nearly, but not quite, beyond the limits of the best of humans. Enhanced human refers to superhuman abilities some distance beyond the limits of humans, such as being able to lift a small car but not a tank, and is a kind of term for "light" superhuman abilities. Then comes the term superhuman. Characters with a superhuman attribute are far beyond normal human abilities. There is also a range beyond superhuman and this is metahuman. As the enhanced human level is really just a term for a low superhuman ability, metahuman is a term for a high superhuman ability.
(See Also: Superhuman Strength, Metahuman, Mutant, Power Grid, Supersoldier, Superhero, Supervillain)
[top] [Edit Superhuman]

Marvel A-Z OHOTMU Stat reference sheet distinguishes between the different categories of superhuman attributes and powers:

Superhumanoid

Referring to a skill, ability, or power that is outside the parameters of achievement by ordinary humanoid beings. It is also a term used for any humanoid being who possessing such a skill, ability, or power.

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Supervillain

A supervillain is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books. Supervillains concoct complex and ambitious schemes to accumulate power and suppress adversaries. They often have colorful names and costumes and/or other eccentricities. Female supervillains are sometimes known as supervillainesses. Supervillains are often used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes. Their extraordinary brainpower and/or superhuman abilities make them viable antagonists for the most gifted heroes.

See Also List of Supervillains Superhero List of Superheroes Anti-hero A list of Marvel characters

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Suspended animation

Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold is used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions

Examples

• Captain America, who survived the end of World War II and was revived by The Avengers in the 1960's (2006 in the updated movie)
  

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Synthezoid

A special type of android empowered by synthesizing energy. The only known synthezoid at present is the Vision (Android).

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