Major Issues: First Appearance of Adam Warlock

Hundreds of comic book characters are being portrayed in film and television, and with each new day more are being announced.

Major Issues -- a ComicBook.com original video series -- will speak to true comic book hobbyists as well as new fans in a short, fast-paced digital series featuring the first appearances of characters we all love. Each episode will feature the actual comic book, info on the creators, and the backstory on the creation and legacy of the character.

The next in our series is a look at the first superhero on Counter-Earth, "Him" ... or Warlock... or Adam Warlock.

The origin story is told as such from the Marvel Database: Warlock was created by the group of researchers who called themselves the "Beehive." The goal of the researchers there was to create the perfect human being, the pinnacle of future human evolution. Fortunately for the denizens of Earth, the new being was a creature beyond the control of his creators. The creature whom they had created, then known only as "Him," emerged--and immediately sensed, upon his emergence, that his creators sought to use him for evil ends. He lashed out, damaging the complex and injuring his "fathers," and promptly escaped. Unfortunately for "Him," he was a being with no life experience due to his unique conception. He promptly encountered Thor, and attempted the abduction of the Lady Sif in order to mate with her. (This act would be repeated in a more benign, but no less infuriating, fashion by his gene-sister "Her," now known as Kismet.) Thor naturally took offense to this kidnapping, and promptly beat the young Godling near to death. "Him" promptly retreated to the safety of a regenerative cocoon and thus was later reborn.

Originally published as Marvel Premiere #1 in April 1972, it is written by Roy Thomas penciled by Gil Kane and inked by Dan Adkins.

Be sure to check out our other Major Issues.

Luke Cage | Black Mariah | Misty Knight | Cornell Cottonmouth | Wally West | Negan | King Ezekiel | Kaecilius | Bane | Savitar | Deadshot | Darth Vader | Spawn | Phoenix | SHIELD | Constantine | Hellboy | Deadman