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Professor Jameson (Earth-616) from Captain America Comics Vol 1 25 002

Professor Jameson

Professor Jameson was a professor of history who specialized in Egypt. While exploring the unearthed tombs in the area, he discovered an artifact known as the Laughing Sphinx, a necklace that contained a "sacred" lotion allowing him to commune with higher beings. Drinking some of the lotion, he believed he was transported to the realm of the demon known as Modebl and was told to be the demon's courtier.

Able to transform into a beastial form, Jameson wore the shrouds of a mummy and called himself Karr. Returning to the United States, he would go out at night and slay government officials and military leaders in order to prepare for the coming of his master. By day, he would resume his civilian identity of meek Professor Jameson. His string of murders made the papers and sent Captain America and Bucky on his trail. In their first encounter with Karr, Captain America managed to rip the Laughing Sphinx necklace from Karr's body before the mummy managed to escape. The next day when -- as Steve Rogers -- he was locked in the guard house for sneaking out that night, he would send Bucky to have the hieroglyphics on the sphinx translated.

Bucky happened to bring the translations to Professor Jameson, who was surprised to find the boy had a copy of the writing on the sphinx, telling the boy that the Laughing Sphinx was they key and to bring it to him. Bucky did come back with Captain America after hearing from one of his friends that Professor Jameson was an expert on the Egyptian demon known as Modleb. Fearing that the professor was in danger, the two heroes arrived at the museum where they clashed once more with Karr. The mummy once more escaped, and during the fight, the Laughing Sphinx was snapped open to reveal a vial of fluid and a note telling those who drank the fluid and they would see what they wished to see. Captain America did just that and clashed with Modleb, however he dismissed the battle as nothing more a hallucination, believing the fluid to be an opiate of some sort.

They then rushed to Professor Jameson's office where they were shocked to witness Jameson transform into Karr and attack them. During the final fight, Captain America knocked out Karr with a single punch and turned him over to the authorities.[1]

His subsequent fate is unknown.

Attributes

Powers

Professor Jameson had the ability to transform into a bestial form with enhanced strength. The transformation caused his skin to turn chalk white. Jameson only transformed at night, however if this was a preference or a limitation to his abilities is unexplored.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

As Karr, Jameson wore the "Laughing Sphinx", an ancient Egyptian necklace that contained a potion that was either a highly hallucinogenic drug or a potion that allowed those who imbibed in it to be transported to other realms, such as the domain of Modelb the demon.

Notes

Captain America made a number of deductions regarding the nature of Professor Jameson, under the admission that he was no expert. He believed that the liquid he consumed was a hallucinogenic opiate that mass quantities could cause insanity. He made this assessment in 1943 at a point in his career where most of his brushes with the "supernatural" were usually hoaxes, unlike his later day encounters with actual demons, spirits, and gods. Further, sudden madness, insanity, or murderous impulses from consumption of opiates seems to stem from the lack of understanding and anti-drug propaganda of the time as opposed to any solid scientific knowledge of the drug and its effects.

Secondly, Captain America suggested that Jameson transformed into his bestial form due to a form of lycanthropy. Although the full extent of his powers is unexplored, Jameson at least did not display any of the physical or transformative traits commonly associated with the affliction.

It would seem more likely that Jameson really encounter Modleb and was granted his abilities from that demon.

See Also

Links and References

References

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