The Freak is a fictional character appearing in ''

The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...

'' comics 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

The Freak is a villain who first appears in the "Brand New Day" storyline from ''

'' #552 and was created by

Bob Gale Michael Robert Gale (born May 25, 1951) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, film producer and director. He is best known for co-writing the science fiction comedy film ''Back to the Future'' with his writing partner Robert Zemec ...

and

Phil Jimenez Phil Jimenez (born July 12, 1970) is an award-winning American comics artist and writer known for his work as writer/artist on ''Wonder Woman'' from 2000 to 2003, as one of the five pencilers of the 2005–2006 miniseries ''Infinite Crisis'', his ...

Fictional character biography

A drug addict nicknamed Freak is chased down by Spider-Man after attempting to steal from the poor at the soup kitchen where Spider-Man's

Aunt May Maybelle "May" Parker-Jameson (née Reilly), commonly known as Aunt May, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Making her first full appeara ...

works. Freak stumbles into a laboratory owned by Curt Connors and injects himself with animal gene fluids, thinking that they are crystal meth. A chrysalis forms around Freak's body, and he later emerges as a skinless monster.''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #552. Marvel Comics. After being shot at by police, he falls into the sewer and forms another chrysalis. Emerging as an animal hybrid and completely bulletproof, Freak tracks Spider-Man by his scent.''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #553. Marvel Comics. After a violent confrontation, Freak gives in to his addictions and finds a meth lab. Spider-Man follows him. During the ensuing fight, the building is set ablaze. Freak is caught under the flaming debris, but survives and creates a new chrysalis, which has made him fireproof and even stronger.''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #554. Marvel Comics. Freak emerges as an armadillo-like creature and again tries to kill Spider-Man. When Connors arrives with the quicklime necessary to incapacitate Freak, Spider-Man tricks him into thinking Connors has drugs. Freak tears open the bags and is covered in the quicklime. He again forms a chrysalis, with Spider-Man pouring quicklime over it, to permanently incapacitate him. The chrysalis is taken by a hazmat crew — which is later revealed to be an

Oscorp Oscorp (sometimes stylized as OsCorp), also known as Oscorp Industries, is a fictional multibillion-dollar multinational corporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, predominantly in stories about Spider-Man. The compa ...

research group.''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #558. Marvel Comics. Freak is next seen cut open and hooked up to machines in an

lab where scientists are using his unique abilities to cure various diseases.

Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July ...

injects him with a sample of the anti-venom antibodies to create "super-venom", a virus capable of killing millions with a single drop. He then uses the super-venom to re-power

Mac Gargan MacDonald "Mac" Gargan is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the superhero Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The ...

who was "cured" of his symbiote by Anti-Venom. Osborn also mentions that Freak is incapable of becoming intoxicated because his body has adapted to his drug addiction by removing the pleasure center of his brain. In the confrontation between Spider-Man and Osborn, Osborn activates the building's self-destruction with Freak still inside. A search afterwards by Oscorp reveals "no signs of life", which made the team reason that Freak was killed, with Osborn immediately retorting, "Idiot. Think about it for a second". During the "Origin of the Species" storyline, Freak is invited by supervillain

Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...

to join his team in exchange for securing some specific items for him. Freak goes after Spider-Man for Menace's infant. He collides with

Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

(Jimmy Natale) before

Rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

arrives. Spider-Man goes on a rampage against the villains after the infant is kidnapped from him by the Chameleon, and Spider-Man defeats Freak. During the "

Absolute Carnage ''Absolute Carnage'' is a 2019 comic book crossover published by Marvel Comics, by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman. Editorial history The comic book event was first announced in March at the 2019 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, followed by an on ...

" storyline, Freak was freed from Ravencroft upon its destruction. Alongside

Will O' The Wisp In folklore, a will-o'-the-wisp, will-o'-wisp or ''ignis fatuus'' (, plural ''ignes fatui''), is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. The phenomenon is known in English folk belief, ...

and Conundrum, Freak was bonded to a copy of the Grendel Symbiote. He was apparently killed during his fight with Deadpool when his body overtaxed itself to adapt to Deadpool's attacks. In the pages of the "Ruins of Ravencroft", Freak turns up alive and appears as an inmate at Ravencroft following its rebuilding.''Ruins of Ravencroft: Dracula'' #1. Marvel Comics.

Powers and abilities

The Freak can adapt to any situation by forming a chrysalis around himself after being wounded or killed, then returning to life in a different appearance. He also has Hulk-like bulletproof durability and strength and acidic saliva, can crawl on walls, can shoot toxic spores from his body at will, and can adapt to certain harsh environments.

References

External links

* {{Spider-Man characters Comics characters introduced in 2008 Spider-Man characters Fictional drug addicts Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics supervillains