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 (March 1965) as an enemy of Thor before going on to menace other superheroes, including the Avengers, Daredevil, and Spider-Man. Carl Creel is a professional boxer and criminal who drinks a magic potion created by Loki, gaining the power to absorb and become any material he touches. Originally a supervillain, he eventually reformed to become an antihero.
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. Carl Creel made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Brian Patrick Wade.
Publication history The Absorbing Man debuted in Journey into Mystery #114 (March 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He appeared in the 2017 Black Bolt series, written by Saladin Ahmed.
Fictional character biography
Carl "Crusher" Creel was a boxer and jailed criminal who becomes the Absorbing Man when he drinks a liquid which the Asgardian god Loki laced with a mystical potion. Discovering that he could absorb the properties of anything he touched, Creel escapes prison by absorbing metal from the guards' bullets and goes on to battle Thor. When he escapes, he takes with him the ball and chain to which he was shackled, and uses the ball and chain as a weapon. Although he is only mortal, Creel's fantastic abilities make him a worthy opponent for Thor, who is later forced to end the battle due to Loki's kidnapping of Jane Foster. Creel then breaks into a house and attacks the occupants. Thor comes to the rescue and tricks Creel into changing his atomic structure into pure helium. Thor accomplishes this by using his hammer's powers to transform the ground's molecular makeup. As Creel is acquiring additional mass from direct contact with the Earth when this happens, he drifts harmlessly into the atmosphere.Journey into Mystery #114–115 (March–April 1965)
A short time later, Loki retrieves Creel from space using Asgardian technology after he has knocked out an Asgardian warlock and sends Creel back to battle Thor. After Creel is nearly beaten due to Thor's fighting skill, Loki transports him to Asgard and reveals the true source of his "absorbing" powers. After being humbled by Loki, Creel agrees to act as his agent, and he is directed to take over the city. The Absorbing Man defeats the Asgardian legions without too much trouble and eventually confronts Odin himself. Creel absorbs Odin's attacks and then the properties of Asgard itself, hoping to rule the universe, and he towers over Odin as Loki arrives to gloat. Thor is ordered by Odin not to keep attacking. Loki and Creel are then beaten by trickery; once given Odin's Rod of Rulership the two quarrel over it, with the Absorbing Man trying to absorb the rod, and the two find that they cannot let go. Odin then advises them that his power lies not in a mere object, but deep within himself. The pair are then banished into outer space.Journey into Mystery #121–123 (Oct.–Dec. 1965)
The Absorbing Man eventually returns on a comet and battles the Hulk. Bruce Banner had been sent to divert the comet, as it was feared it was radioactive, but the Absorbing Man leaped aboard and began absorbing the Hulk's strength. He tries to bury the Hulk under a mountain, but when the Hulk turns back to human form, the Absorbing Man is unable to support the great weight and is buried.The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #125
However, Creel goes on to battle many other heroes, such as the Avengers,The Avengers #183–184 (May–June 1979) Daredevil,Daredevil #360 (Jan. 1997) Dazzler,Dazzler #18 (Aug. 1982) the Hulk,The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #208–209 (Feb.–March 1977), #347–348 (Sept.–Oct. 1988) and #457 (October 1997), and The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 Annual #18 (1992) and Spider-Man.Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #13–18 (June–Nov. 2005) He is one of the villains who participates in the Secret Wars, and also develops a romantic relationship with the super-strong villainess Titania.Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1–12 (May 1984–April 1985) The pair also join the reformed fourth version of the Masters of Evil.The Avengers #270, 273, 275 (Aug., Nov. 1986, Jan. 1987) Creel has several more battles with ThorThe Mighty Thor #375–376 (Jan.–Feb. 1987); The Mighty Thor vol. 2 #14 (Aug. 1999) (and the Eric Masterson Thor)The Mighty Thor #446 (April 1992) and a skirmish with the cosmic hero Quasar.Quasar #5 (December 1989) Although he assisted Crossbones in a plan to attack Captain America, when Absorbing Man learned that Crossbones intended to detonate a bomb in New York, he absorbed the properties of Captain America's shield to contain the blast, declaring that he was not a murderer.Captain America vol. 3 #24
The Absorbing Man escapes prison and allies with the Owl as an enforcer,Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #13 but finds himself opposed by Spider-Man and new hero Ethan Edwards (later revealed to be a disguised Skrull). He is briefly trapped and converted into a new form of cocaine by one of the Owl's operatives when they become frustrated with his unprofessional approach,Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #16 with the new drug briefly giving those who snort him a degree of his powers, but he reassembles himself and goes after the Owl for revenge.Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #17 Spider-Man defeats Creel by tricking him into running a gauntlet where he absorbs multiple objects thrown at him, culminating in Creel absorbing two different chemicals that cause him to explode.Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #18
The Absorbing Man later battles and is apparently killed by the hero Sentry during the events of Civil War.Civil War: The Return #1 (Jan. 2007) However, he later appears at the funeral of Stilt-Man.Punisher War Journal vol. 2 #4 (April 2007)
During the Dark Reign storyline, Creel joins a new version of the Lethal Legion led by the Grim Reaper.Lethal Legion #1–3 (Aug.–Oct. 2009) After a defeat, Creel escapes prison and absorbs a shard of the Cosmic Cube.The Mighty Avengers #32 (Dec. 2009)
The Absorbing Man suffers a setback when villain Norman Osborn uses an enchanted sword—provided by Loki—to remove his absorbing powers completely.The Mighty Avengers #33 (Jan. 2010) Creel regains his powers and storms Avengers Tower to recover his ball and chain. He is defeated by Avengers' coordinators Maria Hill, Sharon Carter, and Victoria Hand after absorbing the latter's cold.Age of Heroes #3
During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Creel and Titania encounter two of the divine hammers that contain the essences of the Worthy, generals to Odin's brother and adversary, Cul Borson. Coming into contact with the hammers, Titania and Creel were transformed into Skirn: Breaker of Men and Greithoth: Breaker of Wills, respectively. They later went on a rampage depicted in a number of Fear Itself tie-in issues, most prominently Avengers Academy #15–19 and Iron Man 2.0 #5–6, as well as that storyline's core miniseries.
During the "AXIS" storyline, Absorbing Man appears as a member of Magneto's group during the fight against Red Onslaught.Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #2 He is briefly converted to heroism when everyone on the island experiences a moral inversion as Doctor Doom and Scarlet Witch attempt to awaken Charles Xavier's brain in Red Skull.Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #6 Absorbing Man later reverts to villainy when the inversion is undone.Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #9
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.Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha #1 During his time as Harold, Absorbing Man ran an ice cream parlor and was in love with Sheriff Eva. When Helmut Zemo and Fixer restored the memories of the inmates, Absorbing Man joined in on their uprising with Whirlwind. Illuminati members Hood and Titania arrived at Pleasant Hill to retrieve Absorbing Man. Although he was shaken from having a S.H.I.E.L.D.-induced normal life, Absorbing Man sides with the Illuminati as they work to assemble the other inmates to get revenge on S.H.I.E.L.D.Illuminati #6
In the "Secret Empire" storyline, Absorbing Man is recruited by Baron Helmut Zemo to join the Army of Evil.Captain America: Steve Rogers #16
After Absorbing Man was imprisoned for another crime, his lawyer convinced him to join the U.S. Hulk Operations as an alternative to getting incarcerated for life. He gets injected with a Bannerman Gene-Enhancement Package that turned him into a gamma mutate able to absorb gamma radiation, at the cost of turning his skin a bright red color. When Absorbing Man - under the alias of Red Dog - fought Hulk at Los Diablos Missile Base, an entity called the One Below All entered his body after he absorbed most of the Hulk's gamma energy. The One Below All taunted Red Dog's astral body before ripping his physical one in half.The Immortal Hulk #9 Absorbing Man, still controlled by The One Below All, continues fighting Hulk. Absorbing Man ran off when Jackie McGee, Walter Langkowski, and Puck showed up. When the One Below All successfully opened the door to the Below Place, the lowest point of Hell, the entirety of New Mexico gets transported there as Absorbing Man weeps.The Immortal Hulk #10 With the help of Puck, Creel was able to transfer the gamma energy he had absorbed back into Hulk, who used his thunder clap to disperse the One Below All's cloud form and transport New Mexico back to Earth. Creel has since been freed of the One Below All's influence, having transferred the gamma radiation back to the Hulk. He goes on to join Gamma Flight.
Powers and abilities Carl Creel has the ability to mimic the matter or strength of anything nearby or anyone he is near.Journey into Mystery #114 (March 1965) 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).The Avengers #184 (July 1979) His body was able to reform itself after being broken or damaged,The Incredible Hulk #456-457 (September–October 1997) especially a severed arm which Wolverine cuts off during the Secret Wars.Secret Wars #7 (November 1984)
Equipment Absorbing Man is also shown to wield a ball and chain when in battle.
Reception Critical response