Nine (Midnight Sons) (Earth-616)

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The Nine
Name	The Nine
Members
Former Member(s)	Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch), John Blaze, Morbius, Louise Hastings, Victoria Montesi, Sam Buchanan, Blade, Frank Drake, Hannibal King
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Secret
Allies	Dr. Strange, Blood
Enemies	Lilith, the Lilin
Origin and Status
Status	Defunct
Reality	Earth-616
Base of Operations	Mobile
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Howard Mackie, Andy Kubert
First	Ghost Rider (Vol. 3) #28 (June, 1992)
First	Ghost Rider (Vol. 3) #28 (June, 1992)

History

The mystic or fated Nine were prophesized to stand against the return of Lilith, Mother of Demons, and her children the Lilin from the Shadowside. Doctor Strange was responsible for gathering the Nine together to do what he could not, for if he battled Lilith directly, their magical forces would further weaken the dimensional barriers between Earth and the Shadow Side. Strange sent Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze on a mission to locate the Nine and build them as allies. They made contact with Morbius, and Victoria Montesi and her comrades Louise Hastings and Sam Buchanan who opposed the return of the Darkhold. Strange also engineered the re-assembly of his old partners Blade, Frank Drake, and Hannibal King as the Nightstalkers, although their zealous anti-occult stance made them a potential danger to the rest of the Nine and Strange himself.

The Nine were assembled in the land of the Midnight Sun to confront Lilith and her existing Lilin before they could release all of her children from the Shadowside. The Nine appeared successful at first, with many of the Lilin killed and Lilith herself greatly weakened before disappearing.

The Nine were only loosely associated after that, having both cordial and antagonistic encounters with each other, especially with the Nightstalkers. They were reunited when Lilith made a pact with Zarathos and opened the Shadowside, unleashing her lost children. The Nine were betrayed from within as Morbius was infected with Lilin blood and killed Louise. The Lilin were banished back to Shadowside, but Zarathos remained a threat with his followers, the Fallen. Ghost Rider died in battle with Zarathos, while Victoria's unholy pregnancy with Chthon forced Doctor Strange to place her in stasis. After Zarathos and the Fallen were finally defeated, the remaining members of the Nine and their allies reorganized into the Midnight Sons, a modern incarnation of the ancient order of the same name.

See Also

• 2 appearance(s) of Nine (Midnight Sons) (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Nine (Midnight Sons) (Earth-616)
• 1 image(s) of Nine (Midnight Sons) (Earth-616)
• 9 member(s) of Nine (Midnight Sons) (Earth-616)