Bloodstone (Cullen Bloodstone) is a fictional character appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
.
Publication history
Bloodstone first appeared in issue #1 of the ''
Avengers Arena
''Avengers Arena'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in December 2012 as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. The series shows 16 young heroes from the Marvel Universe and pit them against each other in a kill-or-be-kille ...
'' series as part of the ''
Marvel NOW!
Marvel Now! (stylized as Marvel NOW!) is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including ''Un ...
'' event, and was created by
Dennis Hopeless
Dennis Hallum, known professionally as Dennis Hopeless and Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, is an American comic book writer from Kansas City, Missouri who has written for Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Boom! Studios, Arcana Studio and Oni Press.
Hallum ha ...
and
Kev Walker
Kevin Walker is a British comics artist and illustrator, based in Leeds, who worked mainly on '' 2000 AD'' and ''Warhammer'' comics and the collectible card game ''Magic: The Gathering''. He is now working for Marvel Comics.
Biography
Walker be ...
.
Cullen Bloodstone appears as one of the main characters in ''
Avengers Undercover
''Avengers Undercover'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in March 2014 as part of wave three of the ''Marvel NOW!'' relaunch. It serves as a sequel to ''Avengers Arena'', and concluded with September's issue #10.
Pu ...
'' beginning in 2014.
Fictional character biography
Cullen Bloodstone is the son of
Ulysses Bloodstone
Ulysses Bloodstone is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an immortal monster-hunter.
Ulysses Bloodstone appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Disney+ television special ''Werewolf by Ni ...
and the younger brother of
Elsa Bloodstone
Elsa Bloodstone is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appears in Marvel's ''Bloodstone'' mini-series of 2001 written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. She is the daughter of the previously ...
. When Cullen was 10, Ulysses Bloodstone took him into an alternate dimension. Ulysses left Cullen alone in the dimension to prove his worth as a Bloodstone. He planned to retrieve Cullen the next day but due to his untimely death Cullen was stuck in the dimension for over 2 years (27 months). Cullen somehow returned to his world and was found by his sister (who thought he was at boarding school). However he was possessed by an unknown creature and had to be apprehended by Elsa. In order to keep his 'darkness' under wraps Elsa gave him a Bloodstone ring which also increases his strength. Elsa then takes Cullen to Braddock Academy to attend high school.
Bloodstone is one of sixteen teenagers kidnapped by
Arcade
Arcade most often refers to:
* Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine
** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware
** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board
* Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games
* ...
who forces them to fight each other to the death in his latest version of Murderworld. He is part of the Braddock Academy group (consisting of
Apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe
* Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe
*Apex ...
,
Kid Briton,
Anachronism
An anachronism (from the Ancient Greek, Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronology, chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time per ...
and
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
) which is joined by
Death Locket
Death Locket (Rebecca Ryker) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Death Locket first appeared in issue #1 of the ''Avengers Arena'' series as part of the ''Marvel NOW!'' event, ...
despite death threats from Kid Briton and Nara. Death Locket started bonding with Apex as she introduces her to the rest of the Braddock Academy. There is discord in the Braddock Academy's ranks as Anachronism and Kid Briton get into an argument. An earthquake then separates Bloodstone and Anachronism from Apex, Nara, Kid Briton, and Death Locket. Nara, Anachronism, and Bloodstone manage to survive falling into the chasm and come to the conclusion that Apex is manipulating Death Locket and Kid Briton to her own ends. The trio is then teleported by Arcade to the supply cache at Quadrant 2 just as Apex, Death Locket, and Kid Briton arrive. Nara and Apex start arguing and Apex confirms that she was the one who ordered Death Locket to attack Nara. Kid Briton tries to intervene as Nara continues calling him a "weak puppet." An irate Kid Briton attempts to kill Nara for insulting him only to be beheaded by Anachronism.
After being injured by Apex,
Nico
Naftiran Intertrade Company Société à responsabilité limitée#In Switzerland, limited (NICO) is a Switzerland, Swiss-based subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). NICO is a general contractor for the oil and gas industry. NIOC bu ...
sacrifices herself by staying behind in order to get the other survivors to safety. The remaining teenage heroes catch up to
Reptil
Reptil is a superhero figure and character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is best known as a supporting member on ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' and a member of the Avengers Academy in the comics.
Publication hist ...
and
Hazmat
Dangerous goods, abbreviated DG, are substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials ( syllabi ...
and are invited to have shark steaks with them. Cullen Bloodstone confronts Reptil about their camping out on the beach while a war's going off elsewhere.
Cammi interjects to agree with Cullen Bloodstone before saying she's heading out to either find Nico or avenge her. Reptil heads back to shake Hazmat out of her funk. Everyone agrees to go back out into Murderworld.
Bloodstone, Cammi, Anachronism and Nara soon get separated from Reptil, Hazmat and X-23. He soon lashes out at Aiden and Cammi. When Aiden and Nara leave Bloodstone revealed his past to Cammi. Aiden and Nara are then seen being attacked by a feral X-23, during the time when Nara reveals to Aiden that she believes Cullen is both gay and in love with him (jealousy explaining his antagonistic behavior to Nara). Cullen decides to take off his ring and fight X-23 in his unstable form. Leaving Aiden, Nara and Cammi in the middle. Cullen successfully defeats X-23, but is now wild and out of control. He is impervious to
Nico Minoru
Minoru Nico (briefly known as Sister Grimm), is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character debuted in ''Runaways (comics), Runaways ...
's upgraded magic, as well as
Chase Stein
Victor Chase Stein (also known as Talkback''Runaways'' #6) is a superhero appearing in media published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in '' Runaways'' #1 with most o ...
's
Darkhawk
Darkhawk (Christopher Powell) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Darkhawk'' #1 (March 1991), and was created by writer Tom DeFalco and artist Mike Manley. The c ...
form. Nara went into the sea to retrieve the ring, and then touched it to Cullen's skin, leaving him depowered and naked, but Nara received serious injuries and died soon after in Anachronism's arms. When Cullen, still naked, approaches Anachronism to offer sympathy, Anachronism then slices and beats on Cullen in a fit of rage, seriously wounding Cullen, and Cammi has to break up the fight.
In the pages of ''
Avengers Undercover
''Avengers Undercover'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in March 2014 as part of wave three of the ''Marvel NOW!'' relaunch. It serves as a sequel to ''Avengers Arena'', and concluded with September's issue #10.
Pu ...
'', Cullen Bloodstone has been getting the whereabouts of Arcade and finds that he is in
Bagalia
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
. He heads to Bagalia in order to infiltrate the
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in '' The Avengers'' #6 (July 1964), with the lineup continually changing over the years.
Publicatio ...
and find Arcade, and Deathlocket, Chase Stein, Hazmat, Cammi, and Anachronism follow him there. Once they find Bloodstone, he reveals that he enjoys life among the villains, and the others, minus Cammi, start to enjoy it as well. When Cammi tries to tell the others to leave, Bloodstone instead has
Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Daimon made his live-action debut in the Hulu television series '' Helstrom'', played by Tom ...
teleport the group to Arcade's latest party so they can kill him. Cullen fought alongside Nico and Death Locket to deactivate Arcade's abilities. They succeeded allowing the group to defeat Arcade, and for Hazmat to kill him. While escaping Arcade's mansion, the team was captured by SHIELD. Cullen was chided by his sister. The team was "rescued" by Daimon Hellstrom and returned to Bagalia. They were invited into Tower Zemo, where
Baron Zemo
Baron Zemo () is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Heinrich Zemo and his son Helmut Zemo have both been depicted as a major adversary of Captain America and the Avengers, as well as the le ...
invited the teens to join the Masters of Evil. Cullen willingly accepted Zemo's offer. When the rest of the team warned the Avengers to the plans of the villains, Hellstrom used a Hellfire Halo to control Cullen's Glartrox monster into fighting Anachronism. While Nico fought Hellstrom, Anachronism confronted the Glartrox in an attempt to reach Cullen's humanity. Cullen overpowered his monster and kissed Anachronism, to the latter's surprise. Following the battle, the team, including Cullen reunited with members of the Runaways and Avengers Academy for some much needed rest and relaxation.
Cullen eventually met his long lost sister Lyra. Lyra used her nullgem to banish Cullen's Glartrox for him. Cullen expressed an interest in finding something more appropriate to bond with that he controls.
Powers and abilities
Due to the Bloodstone ring, Cullen possesses superhuman abilities similar to those of his father Ulysses Bloodstone and his sister Elsa Bloodstone. He is superhumanly strong and durable, has greater than normal stamina, agility, and reflexes. Cullen is also able to rapidly regenerate from any damage he has sustained.
The Bloodstone ring also prevents him from transforming into the form of a creature from another dimension called a Glartrox (a creature that can engulf the soul of its host and feed on the host's anger and fear to become more powerful). While training under Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, Cullen gained the ability to produce and manipulate pieces of the Glartrox, such as tentacles, from himself. With the help of Anachronism he was able to overpower and suppress the Glartrox by sheer force of will.
[''Avengers Undercover'' #9]
Cullen has shown a high degree of marksmanship with firearms.
References
External links
Cullen Bloodstoneat Comic Vine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloodstone, Cullen
Characters created by Kev Walker
Comics characters introduced in 2012
Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
Fictional gay males
Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength