Headlok is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
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 ...
. The character first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' vol. 2 #10 in July 1986.
Publication history
Headlok first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' vol. 2 #10 (July 1986), and was created by
Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart (; born April 22, 1947) is an American writer of comic books and novels. He is best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s and 1980s. His pseudonyms have included John Harkness and Cliff Garnett.
Early li ...
and
Al Milgrom
Allen L. Milgrom (born March 6, 1950) is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of ''Marvel Fanfare''; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker ...
.
The character subsequently appears in ''Alpha Flight'' #93-96 (Feb.–May 1991), #102-104 (Nov. 1991-Jan. 1992) and ''Thunderbolts'' #55-58 (Oct. 2001-Jan. 2002).
Headlok received an entry in the ''
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89'' #3.
Fictional character biography
This mysterious menace found the
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...
roaming the
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...
, and used his mental powers to enslave the Griffin. Headlok tricked the
West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fir ...
by claiming to have spotted
Ben Grimm
Benjamin Jacob Grimm, also known as The Thing, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. The Thing was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and ...
whom the team was looking for. Headlok ambushed them with the Griffin and attempted to take over their minds one by one. The Avenger
Tigra
Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Introduced as the superpowered and gadget-wielding crime fighter the Cat in ''The Claws of the Cat'' #1 (November 1972). The ...
was able to calm the Griffin's rage. It turns out the Thing had indeed been nearby and he joined the battle. Headlok, not knowing this, had not been using his powers to hide himself from sight or mentally influence Ben Grimm and thus was taken by surprise and Headlok was swiftly defeated.
Alpha Flight and the
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
later contended against Headlok. Headlok mentally manipulated
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, causing her to revert to her original split personality, and she then apparently killed Headlok. However, he later reappeared as a prisoner, and participated in a prison break.
Headlok has since been seen working for S.H.I.E.L.D. alongside
Bennet Du Paris. They were brought in to deal with a rogue mutant as part of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Psi-division. The psychic confrontation appears to have left Headlok dead. This death is eventually undone when Cyclops' former student, Tempus, goes back in time to erase a rogue mutant's existence.
[''The Uncanny X-Men'' vol. 3 #31]
Powers and abilities
Headlok can psionically control or influence the minds of other beings. He can mentally enslave people or alter their perception, such as making them believe he is standing in an area he is not actually in.
Sufficient concentration and willpower allows an individual to see through this illusion. If the intended victim knows Headlok plans to use his enslaving ability, his power can be resisted.
Mind Control: Headlok possesses the ability to control minds. He can mentally enslave only one individual at a time, as such domination requires a large amount of concentration on Headlok's part. Headlok can induce hallucinations and cast illusions against an unlimited number of targets as long as he has already gained control of their minds. Victims who are aware of Headlok's power were more likely to break his hold.
References
External links
* {{Marvunapp, http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix5/headloksingleton.htm, Headlok
Characters created by Al Milgrom
Comics characters introduced in 1986
Marvel Comics supervillains
Marvel Comics telepaths