Hellfire Club (comics)
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The Hellfire Club is a fictional society 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 Hellfire Club often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
. Although the Club appears to merely be an international social club for wealthy elites, its clandestine Inner Circle seeks to influence world events, in accordance with their own agenda. The Hellfire Club was created in 1980 by the ''
Uncanny X-Men ''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
'' writer/artist duo of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, who were heavily influenced by a 1966 episode of the British television series '' The Avengers'' (" A Touch of Brimstone").''X-Men Companion II''. 1982. Fantagraphics Books. The name "
Hellfire Club Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
" in fact has a historical precedent, having been a popular name for gentlemen's clubs in the 18th century. Additionally, the hierarchy of the Inner Circle is modeled on the pieces of a chess set, with Black and White sets of Kings, Queens, Bishops and Rooks. The Hellfire Club and its Inner Circle were introduced in "
The Dark Phoenix Saga "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne. The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the ...
", attempting to subvert the X-Men's
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
. This incarnation, composed most notably of Black King Sebastian Shaw and White Queen
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
, would remain prominent for many years. After their initial confrontations, the Hellfire Club and the X-Men settled into an uneasy alliance.''The Uncanny X-Men'' #209''The New Mutants'' #51 This eventually changed as endless power struggles perpetuated a series of upheavals within the Inner Circle. The club has appeared in two X-Men animated series ('' X-Men: The Animated Series'' and '' Wolverine and the X-Men''), both times being renamed as simply The Inner Circle, due to the aversion of using the term "hellfire" in a children's cartoon. Members of the Hellfire Club appeared in 2011's '' X-Men: First Class'' as the main villains, led by Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Azazel and Riptide. The Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle also appear as the main antagonists of the
second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
season of the television series '' The Gifted'' led by a character named Reeva Payge played by
Grace Byers Grace Byers (née Gealey; born July 26, 1984) Note: While some sources give her birthplace as the Cayman Island, Gealey says she was born in Butler, Pennsylvania. See interview in LumiereMagazine.com, below. is a Caymanian actress, known for her r ...
, and the Frost sisters played by
Skyler Samuels Skyler Rose Samuels (born April 14, 1994) is an American actress and model, known for her roles in the television series ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', ''The Gates'', ''The Nine Lives of Chloe King'', '' Scream Queens'' and '' The Gifted''. Early ...
.


Publication history

In creating the Hellfire Club, ''
Uncanny X-Men ''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
'' writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne drew heavily upon a 1966 episode of the British spy series '' The Avengers'' entitled " A Touch of Brimstone". In the episode, agents John Steed and Emma Peel attempt to infiltrate a secret society named after the
Hellfire Club Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
of the 18th century, whose members of the "Inner Circle" all wear period costumes. Emma Peel's guise as "the Queen of Sin", dressed in a black leather corset, would be the model for the Club's Queens, her first name even borrowed for White Queen
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
. The leader of the episode's club was played by actor
Peter Wyngarde Peter Paul Wyngarde (born Cyril Goldbert, 23 August 1927 – 15 January 2018) was a British television, stage and film actor from the late 1940s to the mid 1990s. He was best known for portraying the character Jason King, a bestselling novelist ...
, best known for his role as Jason King, forming the basis for
Mastermind Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to: Fictional characters * Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters: ** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of th ...
's new "Jason Wyngarde" identity. The other members of Claremont and Byrne's Hellfire Club were similarly drawn from the names and faces of famous actors: Sebastian Shaw was based on actor Robert Shaw,
Harry Leland Harry Leland, also known as the Black Bishop, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an adversary of the X-Men. Leland possesses the mutant ability to increa ...
on
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
(who acted as Harry Lime in ''
The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten ...
'' and whose film ''
Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...
'' featured a reporter named Jed Leland), and
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
was based on
Donald Sutherland Donald McNichol Sutherland (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans over six decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films ''Citizen X'' (1995) an ...
(the surname referencing his
Hawkeye Pierce This is a list of characters from the ''M*A*S*H'' franchise, covering the various fictional characters appearing in the novel '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors'' and its sequels, the 1970 film adaptation of the novel, and the televisio ...
character from ''
M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. Th ...
''). Later writers would further the references to ''The Avengers'': Sir Patrick and Lady Diana, from the Philadelphia branch of the 1780s, are named after actors
Patrick Macnee Daniel Patrick Macnee (6 February 1922 – 25 June 2015) was a British film and television actor. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he began his acting career in Canada. Despite having some small film roles, Macnee spent much ...
(John Steed) and
Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 193810 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series '' The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, wife of James Bond, in ''On H ...
(Mrs. Emma Peel); conversely, the Black Queen of the London branch was revealed to be named Ms. Emma Steed.


Overview

The Hellfire Club counts among its members the most famous, wealthy, and influential members of society. Membership is passed on to descendants, and can also be earned through wealth or influence. While many accept the invitation simply for the pleasures that the Club offers, others seek wealth and influence. In fact, the purpose of the Hellfire Club is to obtain and exert power through politics and economic influence instead of outward conquest and domination. Since its foundation, the Hellfire Club has been involved in wars and assassinations to further the agendas of the Club's most powerful members. The Club has branches in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, and
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
; the various branches are all overseen by the Lord Imperial (a position long-held by Sir Gordon Phillips).''X-Treme X-Men'' #3 Unbeknownst to most members is the Club's Inner Circle. Originally known as the Council of the Chosen, this secret group formed around Edward "Ned" Buckman, each member assuming the titles of the major chess pieces. As White King, Buckman financed
Stephen Lang Stephen Lang (born July 11, 1952) is an American actor. He is known for roles in films including '' Manhunter'' (1986), '' Gettysburg'', '' Tombstone'' (both 1993), '' Gods and Generals'' (2003), '' Public Enemies'' (2009), ''Conan the Barbaria ...
's revived
Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
program with the assistance of probationary member Sebastian Shaw. Shaw, now Black Bishop, began securing allies within the Club, meeting
Harry Leland Harry Leland, also known as the Black Bishop, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an adversary of the X-Men. Leland possesses the mutant ability to increa ...
,
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
, and
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
, as well as his loyal assistant,
Tessa Tessa is a feminine given name, sometimes a shortened form of Theresa. It may refer to: People * Tessa Albertson (born 1996), American actress * Tessa Balfour, Countess of Balfour (born 1950), British aristocrat * Tessa Blanchard (born 1994), Ame ...
.''X-Men: The Hellfire Club'' #4 Buckman, no longer having a use for the dangerously-ambitious Shaw, ordered a Sentinel attack on Shaw and his allies, resulting in the death of Shaw's lover, Lourdes Chantel. That night, Shaw and Emma Frost purged the entire Council of the Chosen, remaking it as the Lords Cardinal and appointing themselves Black King and White Queen.''Classic X-Men'' #6-7 Shaw's Inner Circle soon turned their attentions to the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
, kidnapping several of their number.
Mastermind Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to: Fictional characters * Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters: ** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of th ...
, as Jason Wyngarde, was made a probationary member pending his subversion of the X-Men's
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
. Jean Grey was in fact the
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, a god-like cosmic entity who became unstable after Mastermind's psychic manipulations, turning into the
Dark Phoenix "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne. The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the s ...
. The Hellfire Club had failed, and the X-Men had taken their toll: Phoenix had driven Mastermind insane,
Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...
had crippled Donald Pierce and
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
nearly killed Harry Leland and several guards.''The Uncanny X-Men'' #132-135 Despite such setbacks, the Inner Circle continued to pursue its agenda. Shaw, using his connections to
Senator Robert Kelly Robert Edward Kelly is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He most often appears in Marvel's ''X-Men'' related comic books. He is a prominent United States Senator who began his career on an anti-muta ...
to initiate Project: Wideawake, secured a government contract for Shaw Industries to manufacture Sentinels, profiting from the state of fear concerning the "mutant menace" despite secretly being a mutant himself. Frost meanwhile ran the Massachusetts Academy, a prestigious preparatory school affiliated with the Hellfire Club that secretly trained a team of young mutants, known as the Hellions. The Inner Circle also underwent some personnel changes, notably the expulsion of Donald Pierce for conspiring against his mutant colleagues, and the addition of
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
as Black Queen. Although the hierarchy of the Inner Circle goes through constant upheaval due to the competing egos and political motives of its members, it continues to exist in the same basic structure today. Magneto briefly took the title of Grey King after Sebastian Shaw was voted out of the Inner Circle, and with Emma Frost he began plotting against Black Queen Selene, having planted Hellion Empath into Nova Roma via his relationship with New Mutant Magma prior to ousting Shaw. However, when Magneto discovered the X-Man Rogue alive and well in the Savage Land (where Magneto was visiting), Magneto abandoned the Hellfire Club and ultimately went into exile when he was rejected by Rogue when he murdered the Savage Land priestess Zaladane. Meanwhile, Emma Frost attempted to force former Hellion Firestar to rejoin the Hellions but was rebuked by Firestar and her new teammates in the New Warriors. Disjointed, Selene exploited the chaos to launch a pre-emptive strike to slaughter the Lord Cardinals with aid from a group of young mutant "Upstarts" who were loyal to Selene. Points for each kill were awarded by the Gamesmaster and Magneto, Shaw, Pierce, and Frost were all targeted, before Selene herself was betrayed by Trevor Fritzroy and Gamemaster. During this time the Inner Circle of the London branch was working behind the American branch's back and was influencing
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
and the secret government agency ''Black Air''.
Captain Britain Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in ''Captain Britain Weekly'' #1 by writer Ch ...
(Brian Braddock) held a position for a short term on Shinobi Shaw's advisement to investigate its activities as they had mutual objectives.
Excalibur Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in th ...
collected evidence of their crimes and the Inner Circle was either arrested or went into hiding. The Upstarts' uprising was quashed by Sebastian Shaw. He reinstated some of the old Inner Circle until he disbanded it due to his own invested interest in business pursuits. The Club still continued loosely partly due to Selene's influence, although it never had the same prestige as the original. Sebastian Shaw again reformed a variation of the original Inner Circle with a nobler outlook posing as a force for good, which may have been a deception on his part. Tessa/Sage rejoined the Inner Circle to observe this and to assist Roberto da Costa's usurping the position of Lord Imperial which Shaw had claimed. The Hellfire Club was next under the leadership of Roberto da Costa as the Lord Imperial aided by Sage.
Sat-Yr-9 Opal Luna Saturnyne is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for their ''Captain Britain'' stories. Formerly the servant of Roma, she is current ...
(under the guise of Courtney Ross) as the new White Queen, aided by her assassin
Viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...
, her "Warrior White Princess". As with many members in the past, both Sat-Yr-9 and Viper have their own personal agendas. Following M-Day, Sunspot remains as Lord Imperial, while Shaw resumes his activities, though under Sunspot's close watch. While Sat-Yr-9's whereabouts remain unknown, Viper returns to
Madripoor The Principality of Madripoor or Madripoor is a fictional island located in maritime Southeast Asia appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, mostly associated with stories from the ''X-Men'' series. Based on illustrations, it ...
to oversee HYDRA operations and Sage became a member of the short-lived
New Excalibur Excalibur is a fictional superhero group appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are depicted as an offshoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-write ...
, only to end up as one of the Exiles. When the X-Men and many other powered or depowered mutants came to San Francisco, an offshoot of the Club, known as the Hellfire Cult, begins attacking mutants and "species traitors". Officially, their leadership appears to be
Empath Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position. Definitions of empathy encompass a broad range of social, cog ...
, but the real power behind the scenes is the mysterious Red Queen. Their activities draw the attention of the X-Men. Kade Kilgore later took control of the Hellfire Club. Kilgore founded the Hellfire Academy where he recruited mutant outlaws as its faculty and started looking for students to attend this school. The Hellfire Academy serves as the direct opponent for the
Jean Grey School for Higher Learning The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X ...
.


Organization


Lord Imperial

The Lord Imperial is not a member of the Inner Circle or any particular branch of the Hellfire Club; the Lord Imperial is the true leader of the Hellfire Club and oversees all branches of it. As such, only a few individuals have held the title. Sir Gordon Phillips, while unknown at the time, ruled as Lord Imperial for most of the club's modern history, holding the position from before the club's introduction until his death: killed by Sabertooth on a cruise ship filled with humans infected with the
Legacy Virus The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague (disease), plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline running through Marvel Comics titles from 1993 to 2001, during w ...
.''The Uncanny X-Men'' #388 * Sir Gordon Phillips *
Elias Bogan Elias Bogan is a fictional Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutant character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. His first appearance was in ''X-Treme X-Men'' #21 (fully). He was created by Chris Claremont. Fictional character ...
* Sebastian Shaw * Roberto da Costa (Sunspot)


Inner Circle

The constant intrigue, backstabbing, blackmailing and politicking that plague the Hellfire Club have resulted in many changes of the Inner Circle, as new players seek out membership in order to obtain influence, power and wealth. The following lists the membership of each incarnation of the Inner Circle and the title they held; in descending order of rank are Kings and Queens, followed by Bishops and Rooks.


The Council of the Chosen

The original Inner Circle (existing prior to the club's introduction) consisted of: * Edward "Ned" Buckman - White King * Paris Seville - White Queen * Sebastian Shaw - Black Bishop Sebastian Shaw was instrumental in the Hellfire Club's funding of
Stephen Lang Stephen Lang (born July 11, 1952) is an American actor. He is known for roles in films including '' Manhunter'' (1986), '' Gettysburg'', '' Tombstone'' (both 1993), '' Gods and Generals'' (2003), '' Public Enemies'' (2009), ''Conan the Barbaria ...
's resurrected
Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
program, but having completed his purpose, White King Ned Buckman sought to eliminate the ambitious Black Bishop. After a Sentinel attack on Shaw's beach house resulted in the death of his lover, Lourdes Chantel, Shaw and his ally
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
purged the entire Council in one night and appointed themselves its Black King and White Queen.


The Lords Cardinal

Shaw renamed The Council of the Chosen as The Lords Cardinal following his takeover of the New York branch, and appointed a number of allies to key positions. Frost began running the Massachusetts Academy at this time.
Jason Wyngarde Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek mythology, mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was marri ...
, also known as Mastermind, later became a probationary member pending his subversion of the X-Men's
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
into the Club's Black Queen. * Sebastian Shaw - Black King *
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
- White Queen *
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
- White Bishop *
Harry Leland Harry Leland, also known as the Black Bishop, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an adversary of the X-Men. Leland possesses the mutant ability to increa ...
- Black Bishop * Jason Wyngarde (Mastermind) - A probationary member who was presumably intended for one of the two Rooks. *
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
(posing as
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
) - Black Queen *
Tessa Tessa is a feminine given name, sometimes a shortened form of Theresa. It may refer to: People * Tessa Albertson (born 1996), American actress * Tessa Balfour, Countess of Balfour (born 1950), British aristocrat * Tessa Blanchard (born 1994), Ame ...
- Shaw's personal aide. * Warhawk - Associate of the Hellfire Club. Following Mastermind's failed subversion of Jean Grey, the title of Black Queen was once again empty. Donald Pierce reached the rank of White King but was later expelled for conspiring against his mutant colleagues.''Marvel Graphic Novel'' #4 New members appointed during this period were: *
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
: - Black Queen''The New Mutants'' #23 * Friedrich Von Roehm - Black Rook * Emmanuel da Costa - White Rook A truce between the Hellfire Club and the X-Men began after an encounter with
Nimrod Nimrod (; ; arc, ܢܡܪܘܕ; ar, نُمْرُود, Numrūd) is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Books of Chronicles. The son of Cush and therefore a great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod was described as a king in the land of ...
resulted in the deaths of Leland and von Roehm. This truce soon grew into a formal alliance as
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...
and
Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
, as the leaders of the X-Men and Xavier's school respectively, took over the shared position of White King. *
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...
- White King (with Magneto) *
Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
- White King, later Grey King Storm and the X-Men would later seemingly die, leaving Magneto alone to deal with the Inner Circle. After a protracted power struggle, Magneto turned Emma Frost and Selene against Shaw and expelled him from Inner Circle, assuming both mantles as the new Grey King. Magneto, while never formally resigning, would soon withdraw from the club, after relocating to Savage Land to deal with the threat of the villainess Zaladane. Meanwhile, Selene would turn against Frost and Magneto after learning that the two had sent Empath (one of Emma's students) to Selene's Amazon fortress Nova Roma in order to subvert Selene's granddaughter Magma. Selene would create "The Upstarts", a group of young and wealthy mutants who replace the Hellfire Club. Organizing a "game" where whichever member killed the most Hellfire Club members would rule the group, Emma Frost's students in the Hellfire Club were slaughtered by Trevor Fitzroy and Emma herself put into a coma. Fitzroy also "killed" Donald Pierce and his Reavers. Magneto meanwhile, having relocated to Asteroid M, invited a young healer named Fabian Cortez and his group known as the Acolytes to stay with him. Cortez (whose power was to boost other mutants abilities) manipulated Magneto into declaring war upon the X-Men and ultimately hijacked control over a SHIELD orbital weapons platform, to blow up Asteroid M, seemingly killing Magneto. Sebastian Shaw would be "killed" by Shinobi Shaw, a young mutant who was fathered by Harry Leland but raised by Sebastian as his son.''The Uncanny X-Men'' #281-282, ''X-Men'' #1-3, ''X-Factor'' #67 In retaliation, Empath used his powers to manipulate all of Nova Roma (including Magma) into thinking they were kidnapped victims of Selene's, who had been manipulated due to her mind control powers, into thinking they were citizens of an ancient, long lost Roman settlement in South America. Selene however, would soon fall prey to her new allies own wrath as Trevor Fitzroy and Selene's ally, the Gamemaster, turned against her and allowed Gamemaster to take control over the Upstarts. White Rook Emmanuel da Costa was also killed around this period, though his death was unrelated to the agenda of the Upstarts. A group of immortal mutants known as the Externals, became aware of a prophecy that one of the New Mutants was destined to play a major role in the salvation of the planet. The prophecy referenced two New Mutants in particular, de Costa's son Sunspot and the New Mutant
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
, one of which potentially possessed the secondary mutation of immortality and the destiny of savior of mutantkind. As Cable infiltrated the New Mutants under the notion that Cannonball was to be the immortal messiah, the External's leader Gideon sought to corrupt Sunspot, who was the messiah promised in the prophecy. Already a family friend, Gideon had de Costa's secretary poison the White Rook in order to force his super-hero son to leave the New Mutants and take leadership of his family's company. When Cannonball survived a near fatal impaling (which Cable mistook as being the result of his being immortal), Gideon turned on Sunspot who was ultimately rescued by X-Force. With exception of de Costa; all of the Hellfire Club Lord Cardinals killed by the Upstarts, later recovered. Sebastian Shaw faked his death, as did Magneto. Donald Pierce was rebuilt by Stryfe along with the rest of the Reavers, while Emma Frost recovered from her coma and repented her evil ways.


Shinobi Shaw's Upstart Inner Circle

Selene had originally planned on creating a new Inner Circle with the help of the Upstarts - among them
Shinobi Shaw Shinobi Shaw, also known as a Black King of the Hellfire Club, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the X-Men and their affiliated teams. Created b ...
, son of Sebastian Shaw - but they betrayed and imprisoned her. Believing to have successfully assassinated his father, Shinobi Shaw briefly took over the New York branch of the Club, seemingly with support from the
External External may refer to: * External (mathematics), a concept in abstract algebra * Externality In economics, an externality or external cost is an indirect cost or benefit to an uninvolved third party that arises as an effect of another party' ...
Candra The Chandra kingdom was a Buddhist kingdom, originating from the Indian subcontinent, which ruled the Samatata region of Bengal, as well as northern Arakan. Later it was a neighbor to the Pala Empire to the north. Rulers of Chandra kingdom were ...
. He offered membership in his Inner Circle to
Archangel Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...
, Storm,''X-Men'' Annual #3 and Sunspot (also known as Roberto da Costa, son of former White Rook Emmanuel da Costa),''X-Force'' #62 but all declined. *
Shinobi Shaw Shinobi Shaw, also known as a Black King of the Hellfire Club, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the X-Men and their affiliated teams. Created b ...
- Black King * Benedict Kine - White King * Benazir Kaur - White Queen * Reeva Payge - Black Queen *
Candra The Chandra kingdom was a Buddhist kingdom, originating from the Indian subcontinent, which ruled the Samatata region of Bengal, as well as northern Arakan. Later it was a neighbor to the Pala Empire to the north. Rulers of Chandra kingdom were ...
- Associate * Cordelia Frost - Probationary member * Ebon Knights - Shinobi Shaw's Black Guard * Ivory Knights - Benedict Kine's White Guard The titles of Payge and Kaur are not established. When Cordelia Frost (younger sister of Emma) applies for membership to the Inner Circle, Shinobi states that the title of White Queen is already taken. Shinobi Shaw's actions as Black King were limited to failed attempts at extending his influence and monitoring the London branch of the Club.


The London Branch

The Hellfire Club's London branch is introduced briefly operating parallel to Shinobi's Inner Circle.''Excalibur'' #96 Instead of Black and White, the titles of the London Inner Circle are designated Black and Red. *
Emma Steed The Hellfire Club is a fictional society appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Hellfire Club often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men. Although the Club appears to merely be an internati ...
- Black Queen''Marvel Atlas'' #1 * Margali Szardos - Red Queen * Quentin Templeton - Black King * Alan Wilson - Red King * Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) - Black Bishop * Conrad Strathdee - Red Bishop * Jane Hampshire (possessed by Mountjoy) - Red Rook * Rutledge - Servant Captain Britain, having inherited club membership from his father, Sir James Braddock, was asked by Shinobi Shaw to infiltrate the London Inner Circle, as the branch's mysterious agenda surely ran counter to both their interests. The London Branch and their plans were soon brought to an end after a failed attempt to use a demon's essence to control the city. The Black Queen and Red King were taken into police custody.


Shaw's Second Circle

Sebastian Shaw, despite his apparent death, later re-emerged and retook control of the Hellfire Club in attempt to restore its former power and glory. Selene, freed from her imprisonment by the Upstarts, took under her influence a resurrected
Madelyne Pryor Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
in her quest for revenge. Shaw meanwhile attempted to ally with the AOA-exile
Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
. Meeting in New York, Shaw proposes a reformation of the Inner Circle with the following line-up: At first operating in secret from outside the Hellfire Club (still under Shinobi Shaw's control), Sebastian's group soon reasserted control over the organization.''X-Man'' #28 * Sebastian Shaw - Black King *
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
- Black Queen * Trevor Fitzroy - White Rook *
Madelyne Pryor Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
- Red Queen *
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
- Applicant for White Bishop *
Tessa Tessa is a feminine given name, sometimes a shortened form of Theresa. It may refer to: People * Tessa Albertson (born 1996), American actress * Tessa Balfour, Countess of Balfour (born 1950), British aristocrat * Tessa Blanchard (born 1994), Ame ...
- Shaw's personal aide * Ella - Selene's personal servant *
Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
- Associate * Miss Hoo - Associate Selene's mind control over Madelyne Pryor eventually waned, and the Black Rook's allegiance soon turned to Sebastian Shaw. Concerned, Selene contacted Fitzroy and Tessa to counteract the changing balance of power. Donald Pierce returned to the Hellfire Club as a probationary member, however his failure in attaining the alien technology of
Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
resulted in his expulsion from the group. Pryor meanwhile had betrayed and deserted the club. Shaw, presented with a mysterious offer, decided to accept its terms and resign from the Inner Circle, advising Fitzroy to do the same.


Selene's Hellfire Club

Selene, finding herself the sole remaining member of the Inner Circle, reformed the club in her own image and allied with the ruler of Hell,
Blackheart Blackheart is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary to the superhero Ghost Rider. Created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Romita Jr., Blackhe ...
. After a confrontation with 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 ...
, Blackheart is imprisoned and Selene's captive
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 ...
is freed; Hellstorm then became the club's White King to ensure a balance of power and light. Selene would later successfully induct Sunspot (Roberto da Costa, son of former Black Rook Emmanuel da Costa) into the Inner Circle, offering the resurrection of his long-dead girlfriend, Julianna, who died saving his life. *
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
- Black Queen *
Blackheart Blackheart is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary to the superhero Ghost Rider. Created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Romita Jr., Blackhe ...
- Black King *
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 ...
- White King * Roberto da Costa (Sunspot) - Black Rook It is unknown what led to the dissolution of this incarnation. The Hellfire Club was found closed and abandoned, covered in blackbriar thorns; Selene herself was trapped inside the mansion, unable to leave.


The Fifth Inner Circle

After the death of Sir Gordon Phillips at the hands of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Sebastian Shaw positioned himself as the new Lord Imperial and, as such, oversaw the entire Hellfire Club. * Sebastian Shaw - Lord Imperial * Roberto da Costa (Sunspot) - Black King *
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
- Black Queen *
Sat-Yr-9 Opal Luna Saturnyne is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for their ''Captain Britain'' stories. Formerly the servant of Roma, she is current ...
(as Courtney Ross) - White Queen *
Viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...
- White Warrior Princess *
Tessa Tessa is a feminine given name, sometimes a shortened form of Theresa. It may refer to: People * Tessa Albertson (born 1996), American actress * Tessa Balfour, Countess of Balfour (born 1950), British aristocrat * Tessa Blanchard (born 1994), Ame ...
- Shaw's personal aide and Sunspot's personal adviser. * Red Lotus - Associate Selene, despite remaining imprisoned underneath the Hellfire Club's New York mansion and not actively participating in the Inner Circle, has apparently retained her title of Black Queen. It was also revealed that Emma Frost, despite having left the club long ago and having since joined the X-Men, still retained her membership and White Queen title.
Sat-Yr-9 Opal Luna Saturnyne is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for their ''Captain Britain'' stories. Formerly the servant of Roma, she is current ...
confronts Emma Frost and, assuming her title, becomes the newest addition to the Inner Circle, bringing with her bodyguard and self-appointed "White Warrior Princess"
Viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...
. A confrontation with Donald Pierce leaves Sebastian Shaw gravely injured, and Sunspot takes over as Lord Imperial, which was Tessa's plan all along. Tessa left the Club, still under Sunspot's rule, and joined
New Excalibur Excalibur is a fictional superhero group appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are depicted as an offshoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-write ...
in the wake of M-Day. Shaw has since returned as the Black King, seemingly plotting to rebuild his power base.


Nova's Inner Circle

*
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
* Sebastian Shaw *
Perfection Perfection is a state, variously, of completeness, flawlessness, or supreme excellence. The terminology, term is used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts. These have historically been addressed in a number of discrete a ...
*
Cassandra Nova Cassandra Nova is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, Cassandra first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #1 ...
*
Negasonic Teenage Warhead Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Ellie Phimister) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, the character first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #115 (2001). She is named after ...
A mysterious new Inner Circle emerged in the pages of 'Astonishing X-Men' vol. 3. Members of this version were never given titles since they were revealed to be psionic projections created by Emma Frost at the behest of
Cassandra Nova Cassandra Nova is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, Cassandra first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #1 ...
. In an attempt to free herself the X-Men, Cassandra had placed a portion of her consciousness in Frost's prior to being mentally imprisoned and launched an assault on the
X-Mansion The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X ...
by using Emma as a Trojan horse. Other than Cassandra Nova, each member appears to represent a different aspect of Emma's past with
Negasonic Teenage Warhead Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Ellie Phimister) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, the character first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #115 (2001). She is named after ...
being a former student of hers who died in
Genosha Genosha ( or ) is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe and a prominent place in the X-M ...
; Perfection, a manifestation of Emma's younger, evil self and Sebastian Shaw representing her time with the Hellfire Club.


Selene's second Inner Circle

Selene, finding herself once again the sole remaining member of the Inner Circle, and disappointed by the many betrayals from Sebastian Shaw and his Hellfire Club, decided it was time to rise to goddesshood, a state she believed she was destined for. To accomplish that, she specifically recruited a Coven of deadly mutants to seek revenge against all those that had betrayed her or stood in her way in the past. Together they went to the New York branch of the Hellfire Club, where she cut all ties with them by using her new Inner Circle to slaughter every person there. This Inner Circle was made up of mostly by mutants whose abilities were designed for killing. Membership consisted of: * Blink *
Senyaka Sabra Sabreclaw Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...
* Mortis *
Wither The withers is a part of the back of a horse, dog or other quadruped. Withers or Wither may also refer to People * Withers (surname), several notable people *Withers A. Burress (1894–1977), American soldier *Wither (comics), fictional character ...
*
Eli Bard Nakia Bahadir Nakia Bahadir is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a Turkish girl and friend of Kamala Khan. Nakia Bahadir in other media Nakia Bahadir appears in ''Ms. Marvel'', portrayed ...
- only non-mutant member. Turned into a vampire-like creature by Selene.


The Sixth Inner Circle

Sebastian Shaw's Inner Circle eventually reemerged.
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
came into confrontation with a new "Inner Circle", under the false impression (by Sebastian Shaw and " Miss Sinister") that they are behind the kidnapping of his son,
Daken Daken (; birth name: Akihiro) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Daken was created by writer Daniel Way and artist Steve Dillon and first appeared in '' Wolverine: Origins'' #10 (March 2007). ...
. * Sebastian Shaw * Claudine Renko (Miss Sinister) * Mr. Castlemere * Turner * Peter Scholl (Leonine) * Mercedes


The Seventh Inner Circle

In the event "Schism", there has apparently been a pro-human coup in the Hellfire Club, all mutant members have been removed, and 12-year-old supergenius Kade Kilgore has been named the new Black King. Kilgore then called together a cabal of prepubescent geniuses to secretly rule the Hellfire Club and eradicate mutantkind, then proceeding to poison the other remaining Hellfire Club members, making them the sole leadership. Kade Kilgore later had a change of heart and began recruiting mutants to his side to train the newly manifested mutants at the Hellfire Academy.''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20 The Hellfire Academy is destroyed by the staff of the Jean Grey School.''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #35 * Kade Kilgore - Black King. A twelve-year-old sociopath who is also the leader of the group. * Doctor Maximilian Frankenstein (formerly Baron Maximilian von Katzenelnbogen) - Black Bishop. Descendant of
Victor Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist and title character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''.. He is an Italians, Italian-Swiss scientist (born in Naples, Italy ...
. He was responsible for creating the Krakoa that the X-Men befriended and the Krakoas that defended the unnamed island where the Hellfire Academy is located. * Manuel Enduque - White King. He is well-versed in weaponry with his family reportedly being a dynasty of slavers in Africa with Manuel having strangled his own father to death, thus resulting in him taking control of the business. * Wilhemina Kensington - White Queen. She is an eleven year old with a love of martial arts and beauty pageants who inherited the company after her mother died. She is also both psychopathic and sociopathic, having killed human guards and alien warriors and is also alleged to have mutilated both cats and penguins. ; Associates: * Sabretooth''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #32 *
Ezekiel Stane Ezekiel "Zeke" Stane is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics as the son of Iron Monger, Obadiah Stane and an enemy of Iron Man. Created by writer Matt Fraction and artist Barry Kitson, he first appeared in '' ...
* Kid Blackheart * Cordelia Frost * Szandor Shaw * Kevin Krask * Kenneth Krask * Wolfgang von Roehm


The Eighth Inner Circle

Sebastian Shaw has since regained control of the Hellfire Club and in an attempt to restore its former power and glory, decided to ally himself with Magneto and his X-Men branch to form a new Inner Circle. * Sebastian Shaw - Black King * Briar Raleigh - Black Bishop - Magneto's former associate and the only non-mutant within the Inner Circle * Monet St. Croix - White Queen *
Black Tom Cassidy Black Tom Cassidy (Thomas Samuel Eamon Cassidy) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the X-Men, and of his cousin, Banshee. In addition to fighting the X ...
- White Bishop


The Ninth Inner Circle

Eventually Emma Frost decided to rid of Shaw, by spiking his wine with a paralytic agent she made sure there was no way for him to release his body's absorbed energies which overloaded his Mothervine-induced secondary mutation, resulting in his death. She then reformed the Inner Circle in her image and using Vanisher as her personal transportation, she worked behind the scenes to get the X-Men to handle certain affairs. *Black King: Emma Frost *White King: Mystique *Black Bishop:
Elixir ELIXIR (the European life-sciences Infrastructure for biological Information) is an initiative that will allow life science laboratories across Europe to share and store their research data as part of an organised network. Its goal is to bring t ...
*White Bishop: Marrow


The Tenth Inner Circle

With mutants congregating on Krakoa, Kade Kilgore is able to retake control of the Hellfire Club branch in New York City. Opting later to rename themselves as "Homines Verendi", a Latin name which roughly translates to "man must be revered and feared", Kade and his group (Maximilian Frankenstein, Manuel Enduque and Wilhemina Kensington) recruited Taiwanese millionaire and anti-mutant activist, Chen Zhao and stands poised ready to tear down the new age of mutantkind as they are involved in the Krakoans' problems. With each of the founding members already in possession of massive fortunes, they succeeded in taking over Madripoor, an island in Southeast Asia, and are using it as its base of power. While it is unknown whether or not the royal family of Madripoor has been detained, fled or simply murdered, it's clear that the lawless island is no longer a safe haven for mutants. Once used as a base of operations for the X-Man Wolverine while using the alias “Patch,” Madripoor has now degenerated into a country that is openly hostile toward mutants and has even gone so far as to offer its citizens payment for killing mutants. It's almost become a dark reflection of Krakoa and everything that it stands for and recruited long-time X-Men foe
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
to act as Madripoor’s official representative to the United Nations. They also secretly aid Hellfire Club member Sebastian Shaw in the murder of Kitty Pryde. Shaw paid Verendi to participate in his scheme to get Kitty alone on Verendi's ship so that he could ensnare her in Krakoan vines and sink her with the ship. * Kade Kilgore - Black King * Manuel Enduque - White King * Chen Zhao - White Bishop * Maximillian Frankenstein - Black Bishop *
X-Cutioner Professor X Xavin X-Cutioner The X-Cutioner (Carl Denti) is a fictional character, a former FBI agent obsessed with stalking mutants who kill humans. He uses an array of both alien technology (such as Shi'ar power armor and Z'nox sensors) ...
*
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
*
Hate-Monger The Hate-Monger is the name of several different fictional character, fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The original character first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book) ...
* Yellowjacket/Darren Cross


Members

The following characters are members of the Hellfire Club, many of them being extremely influential, but were not part of any of the Inner Circle incarnations mentioned above. Membership is either
hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
, or obtained through personal invitation from the branch's King. Known members include: * Warren Worthington Jr. and Kathryn Worthington (both deceased) - invited by Ned Buckman *
Howard Stark Howard Stark is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a background character in stories featuring Iron Man and stories featuring Captain America. He is the founde ...
(deceased) - invited by Ned Buckman * Sir James Braddock (deceased) - invited by Ned Buckman, former Black Bishop of the London Branch, left the Inner Circle when his inventions were used for anti-mutant purposes. *
Senator Robert Kelly Robert Edward Kelly is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He most often appears in Marvel's ''X-Men'' related comic books. He is a prominent United States Senator who began his career on an anti-muta ...
(deceased) * Warren Worthington III (Angel)''The Uncanny X-Men'' #132 - inherited membership from his father. * Candace "Candy" Southern (deceased) * Elizabeth Braddock (Psylocke)''X-Men'' vol. 2 #29 - inherited membership. * James Braddock Jr. - inherited membership. * Berhard Van Ostamgen - failed entry into Inner Circle * Ronald Parvenue * Dwayne Taylor (Night Thrasher) (deceased) * Anthony Stark (Iron Man)''X-Men'' #73 - inherited membership from his father * Norman Osborn (Green Goblin) * Bianca LeNeige *
Vance Astrovik Vance Astrovik, also known as Justice and formerly known as Marvel Boy, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character possesses the superhuman power of telekinesis and has often been affiliated with ...
* Oliver Ryland - Elias Bogan's protégé * The Kingmaker *
Rachel Summers Rachel Anne Summers (also known as Rachel Grey) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-plotter John Byrne (comics), John Byrne. In h ...
- White Warrior Princess, invited by Emma Frost * Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton - inherited membership * Angus Munroe - deceased


Past members

* Philadelphia, 1780/81: Sir Patrick Clemens (King title), Lady Diana Knight (Queen title), Lady Grey (Queen title), Elizabeth Shaw-Worthington, Major General Wallace Worthington, Commander Clinton * London, 1859: Lord Braddock, Mr. Shaw (Sebastian Shaw's great-grandfather and Cornelius Shaw's father) * Boston, 1872/74: Anton Pierce (Member of the Inner Circle) * London, 1915: Brigadier-General Cornelius Shaw, Sir Harry Manners, Waltham Pierce In '' Runaways'' #10,
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
tells
Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
that the Hellfire Club had once reached out for the Hayeses, though the attempt went awry because the Hayeses were "sadistic monsters".


Staff

The Hellfire Club has employed a large number of mostly-anonymous armed guards. A few have been named: * Wade Cole''The Uncanny X-Men'' #133 * Angelo Macon * Murray Reese * Samuel Guthrie (Cannonball) * Richard Salmons * Randall Chase * Chet Andrews Cole, Macon and Reese were savagely wounded by
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
in the Hellfire Club's first confrontation with the X-Men. They would return to duty as
cyborgs A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
before leaving the Club to join
Lady Deathstrike Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama), occasionally spelled "Deathstryke", is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a foe of the X-Men, especially Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Her father Lord Dark Win ...
in seeking revenge against Wolverine, eventually joining the Reavers.''The Uncanny X-Men'' #247 Sam Guthrie worked as a Hellfire guard for a brief period before joining the
New Mutants The New Mutants are a group of fictional mutant superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally in association with the X-Men. Originally depicted as the teenaged junior class at the Xavier Institute, subs ...
as Cannonball. Kade Kilgore also recruited two survivors of private military company Blackguard, who were augmented with adamantium skeletons, and laser claws as his personal bodyguards. The Hellfire Club also employs a number of servants, escorts and strippers. Sharon Kelly was a waitress at the New York branch who was chosen by Sebastian Shaw to seduce
Senator Robert Kelly Robert Edward Kelly is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He most often appears in Marvel's ''X-Men'' related comic books. He is a prominent United States Senator who began his career on an anti-muta ...
. The couple quickly married, but soon afterwards Sharon was killed in a battle involving the X-Men, further fueling her husband's hatred for mutants.


Massachusetts Academy

The Hellfire Club was aligned with the prestigious prep school the Massachusetts Academy, run by White Queen
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
, for a number of years. In addition to its large, traditional, student body, the Academy secretly trained a team of young
mutants In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
known as the Hellions. Due to their affiliation with the Club, the Hellions were often present at its social functions. This group would entertain a rivalry with Professor Charles Xavier's students at the time, the
New Mutants The New Mutants are a group of fictional mutant superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally in association with the X-Men. Originally depicted as the teenaged junior class at the Xavier Institute, subs ...
. After the death of the Hellions in an attack orchestrated by the Upstarts, Emma Frost left the Hellfire Club. Re-aligning herself with Professor Xavier, the Massachusetts Academy became the new site for
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X ...
and a new class, known as
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
.


Hellfire Academy

The seventh incarnation of the Hellfire Club have since founded the Hellfire Academy, a rival to the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. It is located on an unnamed island. According to Kade Kilgore, the purpose of recruiting newly empowered mutants is to train them to be supervillains so he can then profit from the fear generated by them through his Sentinel program. Staff outside the Hellfire Club's leadership include: * Mystique - Headmistress who also teaches Intro to Evil. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. * Sabretooth - Headmaster. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #3. *
Dog Logan ''Origin'' (alternatively known as ''Wolverine: Origin'' or ''Origin: The True Story of Wolverine'') is a six-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published by Marvel Comics from November 2001 to July 2002, written by Bill Jema ...
- Brother of
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
. He teaches
physical education Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorati ...
. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #29. * Dr. Xanto Starblood - Self-proclaimed ''Extreme Zoologist'' who teaches Xenobiology. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #30 *
Husk Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes the protective ...
- Former X-Man. She is the
lunch lady Lunch lady, in Canada and the US, is a term for a woman who cooks and serves food in a school cafeteria. The equivalent term in the United Kingdom is dinner lady. The role is also sometimes known as cafeteria lady. Sometimes, a lunch lady also p ...
and
librarian A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users. The role of the librarian has changed much over time, ...
. Joined sometime after ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #19.; later rejoined X-Men * Lord Deathstrike - Brother of Lady Deathstrike who works as a recruited resourcer. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. *
Master Pandemonium Master Pandemonium is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The character first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' vol. 2 #4 (Jan. 1986). Fictional character biography Mar ...
- He teaches Hell Literature. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. * Madame Mondo - Female member of the Spinless Ones from the Mojoverse. She works as the Public Relations teacher. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. *
Sauron Sauron (pronounced ) is the title character and the primary antagonist, through the forging of the One Ring, of J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'', where he rules the land of Mordor and has the ambition of ruling the whole of Midd ...
- He works as a science teacher. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. *
Silver Samurai Silver Samurai is the name of two different supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, both acquaintances of Wolverine. The character has appeared in several X-Men-related animated series and video games before ma ...
-The son of the original Silver Samurai who works as a designer. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. * The Philistine - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. *
Toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...
- Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #30.; left in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #33; later rejoined X-Men *
Wendigo Wendigo () is a mythological creature or evil spirit originating from the folklore of Plains and Great Lakes Natives as well as some First Nations. It is based in and around the East Coast forests of Canada, the Great Plains region of the U ...
- He works as a Danger Room Instructor. Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20. The students of the Hellfire Academy include: * Broo - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #30; later rejoined X-Men *
Glob Herman Gaea Gaea is one of the Elder Gods of Earth. Gaia Gaia, also known as the Guardian of the Universal Amalgamator, is a fictional superhero, depicted as possibly being a mutant or extraterrestrial. Created by Larry Hama, she first appeared in ...
- Joined prior to ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #18 * Infestation - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #31 * Mudbug - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #20 * Oya - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #29; left in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #33; later rejoined X-Men *
Kid Omega Quintavius Quirinius "Quentin" Quire, also known as Kid Omega, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in those featuring the X-Men. Quire first appeared in ''New X-Men'' #134 (January, 2003). ...
- Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #30; left in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #32; later rejoined X-Men * Snot - Joined in ''Wolverine and the X-Men'' #31 * Tin Man - Joined in ''X-Men'' vol. 3 #41


Hellfire Trading Company

In the wake of the establishment of the mutant nation of Krakoa in the 2019 series ''
House of X and Powers of X ''House of X'' and ''Powers of X'' (abbreviated as ''HOX'' and ''POX'') are two 2019 comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics featuring the X-Men, but writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Pepe Larraz, R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia. Both book ...
'', Emma Frost reforms the Club and reorganized it into the Hellfire Trading Company, the distribution arm for the Krakoan drugs produced by the mutant nation-state. Sailing out of Hellfire Bay, its ships the Marauder, the Upstart and the Mercury perform public delivery of mutant goods, while also smuggling the drugs illicitly and freeing mutants from unfriendly nations. The company is run by a new Inner Circle which is compose of a triple dynasty of black, white and red Hellfire royalty. * White Palace **White Queen: Stepford Cuckoos:
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
(''formerly'') **White Bishop: Christian Frost **White Knight:
Callisto Callisto most commonly refers to: *Callisto (mythology), a nymph *Callisto (moon), a moon of Jupiter Callisto may also refer to: Art and entertainment *''Callisto series'', a sequence of novels by Lin Carter *''Callisto'', a novel by Torsten Kro ...
*Blackstone **Black Queen: Lourdes Chantel; Sebastian Shaw (''formerly Black King'') **Black Bishop:
Shinobi Shaw Shinobi Shaw, also known as a Black King of the Hellfire Club, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the X-Men and their affiliated teams. Created b ...
**Black Knights: Andrea and Andreas Strucker *Red Keep ** Red Queen:
Katherine Pryde Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was ...
** Red Bishop: Lucas Bishop


Other versions


Age of Apocalypse

In the alternate universe known as the "
Age of Apocalypse "Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comics ...
", the Hellfire Club was not active and was possibly decimated by the forces of
Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
. Its closest counterpart was Heaven,
Warren Worthington III Warren Kenneth Worthington III, originally known as Angel and later as Archangel, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby ...
's nightclub that formed a neutral zone from the genetic conflict that boiled outside. Sebastian Shaw meanwhile served as a member of Apocalypse's court.
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
also became a servant of Apocalypse, and lead the
techno-organic A techno-organic virus (T-O virus) is a fictional virus appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In the comics, the T-O virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material, which resembles both machinery and living ...
-infected Reavers. On the other side of the conflict,
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
served as part of the Human High Council, having been stripped of her powers through a lobotomy.
Jason Wyngarde Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek mythology, mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was marri ...
, a victim of the
Sugar Man Sabra Sabreclaw Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...
's genetic experiments, had become one of
Forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
's Outcasts. After the ascension of Weapon X, Sebastian Shaw remade Heaven into his image and renamed the nightclub as Hellfire Club all the while trying to gain power.


Bishop's Future

The Hellfire Club retained its position as one of the world's major powers in the future timeline of
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
. The Club is ruled by Anthony Shaw, a descendant of Sebastian Shaw; he also has an illegitimate son, Trevor Fitzroy. (Fitzroy would later travel back in time, bringing him into conflict with his forefathers Shinobi and Sebastian Shaw.) Malcolm, a colleague of Bishop and member of the Xavier Security Enforcers (X.S.E.), was also a member of the Club.


Clan Hellfire

In a future dominated by Trevor Fitzroy, calling himself The Chronomancer, one of the forces opposing his rule is Clan Hellfire, led by a Samara Shaw.


X-Men: Ronin

In one alternate reality in which the X-Men are based in Japan, the Hellfire Club is ruled by
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
avier. The White Queen Emma Frost is a junior member who, along with Tessa, believe Xavier to be their biological father. The Club controls the Shadowcat Clan of ninjas, which includes Pyro, Iceman and
Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...
.


Marvel Noir

In ''
X-Men Noir ''Marvel Noir'' is a 2009/2010 Marvel Comics alternative continuity combining elements of film noir and pulp fiction with the Marvel Universe. The central premise of the mini-series replaces super powers with driven, noir-flavored characterizatio ...
'', the Hellfire Club is an exclusive S&M club owned by Sebastian Shaw, and is plundered early on by Beast, Cyclops and Iceman.


Ultimate Marvel

Within the Hellfire Club of the
Ultimate Marvel Universe Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...
is an Inner Circle led by Sebastian Shaw (with other notable members being Xavier spy Gerald Lavine, and Shaw's son Shinobi) who worship a pagan "
Phoenix God The Phoenix Force is a fictional entity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, the Phoenix Force is famous for its central role in ''The Dark Phoenix Saga'' storyline, and is fre ...
". Believing the Phoenix to be incarnated in the body of X-Man
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
, the Club quietly funded Professor Charles Xavier as she developed under his tutelage. Jean however underwent a mental breakdown, and stole the Inner Circle's bank access codes and wiped their minds.''Ultimate X-Men'' #24 A group called the Church of Shi'ar Enlightenment later approached the
Xavier Institute The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the Estate (land), private estate of Professor X, Charles Francis ...
, claiming the Hellfire Club was a breakaway sect, and asking to examine whether or not Jean really is the Phoenix God. However,
Lilandra Lilandra Neramani () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. She is the Empress, or Majestrix, of the Shi'ar Empire and shares a lifelong bond with the le ...
's assistant Gerald Lavine was revealed to be an operative of the Hellfire Club and working for Shinobi Shaw, who is also dating Emma Frost, headmistress of the Academy of Tomorrow and secretly a member of the Hellfire Club.


In other media


Television

* Emma Frost, as the White Queen, is a member of Magneto's
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants The Brotherhood of Mutants (originally called the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, sometimes referred to as BoEM or B.O.E.M) is a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters are depicted as being devoted ...
in the one off animated episode ''
Pryde of the X-Men Pryde is an obsolete spelling of the English word pride now most frequently encountered as a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Bob Pryde (1913–98), Scottish soccer player * David Pryde (footballer) (1913–87), Scottish soccer pla ...
'' in 1989. It was planned to be a series, but was cancelled, with only the pilot being produced. She is seen freeing Magneto from a military convoy at the beginning of the episode and can later be seen fighting against Cyclops on Asteroid M. * The original Inner Circle appeared in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' under the name of the "Inner Circle Club" to prevent any controversy regarding the use of the word "Hellfire". They appear first in cameos in the episode "The Phoenix Saga - Part IV". The members of the Inner Circle are Sebastian Shaw,
Jason Wyngarde Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek mythology, mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was marri ...
,
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
,
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
, and
Harry Leland Harry Leland, also known as the Black Bishop, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an adversary of the X-Men. Leland possesses the mutant ability to increa ...
. They aimed to control
Jean Grey Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
and brainwash her into joining them, but unwittingly unleashed the
Dark Phoenix "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne. The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the s ...
. At the end of the saga Shaw, Pierce, and Frost escape, Wyngarde is left catatonic, and Leland is missing following a fight with Wolverine. * The animated series '' Wolverine and the X-Men'' featured the Inner Circle composed of
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
, Sebastian Shaw,
Harry Leland Harry Leland, also known as the Black Bishop, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an adversary of the X-Men. Leland possesses the mutant ability to increa ...
,
Donald Pierce Donald Pierce is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a cyborg and is commonly an enemy of the X-Men. The character was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook in the 2017 film '' ...
,
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
, and the Stepford Cuckoos. This Inner Circle appears more closely related to the Ultimate Marvel series, as a group who is obsessed solely with attaining the power of the Phoenix. In the episode "Shades of Grey," Emma Frost telepathically puts the X-Men to sleep so that the Hellfire Club can abduct Jean Grey. In the three-part episode "Foresight," Sebastian Shaw, Harry Leland, Donald Pierce, and Selene prepare a ritual that would extract the Phoenix Force from Jean Grey and place it in the Stepford Cuckoos. Emma Frost warned them against the plan, but her warnings fell on deaf ears. When the Phoenix was released, the ceiling fell on top of Leland and Pierce. Emma Frost used her telepathy to subdue Shaw and Selene. * The Hellfire Club (once again under the name Inner Circle) were featured in '' Marvel Anime: X-Men''. In the first episode, they were seen trying to manipulate Jean Grey into using the Phoenix Force for their own use until Jean Grey sacrifices herself. This show also includes some exclusive Inner Circle mutants who assisted Mastermind in his plans to rule humanity: Rat (voiced by Manabu Sakamaki in the Japanese version and by
Michael Sinterniklaas Michael Tremain Sinterniklaas (; born August 13, 1972) is a French voice actor, ADR director and script writer who has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series, as well as cartoons ...
in the English dub) can project the metal discs on his body, Marsh (voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in the Japanese version and by
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Blum (born October 16, 1966)Birthday references: * * is an American voice actress, ADR director and singer best known for her involvement in music production in multiple games from the ''Silent Hill'' series, and her ex ...
in the English dub) can dissolve into liquid, and Neuron (voiced by
Yutaka Aoyama is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. Biography Aoyama became interested on films, while attending elementary school. He did not have the film study group in high school. He joined Bearer's group with a yearning. It has forty female m ...
in the Japanese version and by
Dave Wittenberg Dave Wittenberg, sometimes credited as Dave Lelyveld, is a South African-born American voice actor and scriptwriter. Early life Wittenberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was raised in the Los Angeles area. Career Wittenberg voices ...
in the English dub) is the White Bishop who has a shell on his back and can amplify anyone's senses with strips that come out of his body. During the final showdown, Rat was killed by Wolverine and Storm, Marsh was killed by Cyclops, Neuron was killed by Wolverine, and Mastermind was killed by Takeo Sasaki. * A live action television series titled ''Hellfire'' was under development by
20th Century Fox Television 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television, 20th Century-Fox Television, and TCF Television Productions, Inc.) is an American television production company that is a division of Disney Television Studios, part of The Walt Disney Compa ...
and
Marvel Television Marvel Television was an American television production company responsible for live-action and animated (through Marvel Animation) television shows and direct-to-DVD series based on characters from Marvel Comics. The division was based at affi ...
with an early 2017 air date, but on July 12, 2016, ''Variety'' reports that the project is no longer moving forward. * Hellfire Club appears in '' The Gifted'' television series. In the first season Stepford Cuckoos are revealed to be working for the Hellfire Club, convincing several characters to join them in the season finale. In the second season Reeva Payge takes control of the Inner Circle and pursues a goal of mutant liberation. Other members include Andy Strucker, Polaris (Lorna Dane), Fade and
Sage Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...
, all of whom joined the Hellfire Club at the end of Season 1 after losing faith in the Mutant Underground. However, Marsh, Rat and Neuron are killed by the X-Men, while Mastermind is killed by Takeo when the boy's powers go out of control.


Film

* The Hellfire Club appeared in the film '' X-Men: First Class'' as the main antagonists. The Hellfire Club is led by Sebastian Shaw (
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
) and
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
(
January Jones January Kristen Jones (born January 5, 1978) is an American actress and model. She played Betty Draper in ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which she was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – Television Series Drama and a Pr ...
), with
Azazel In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during ...
(
Jason Flemyng Jason Iain Flemyng''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 25 September 1966) is an English actor. He is known for roles in British films such as ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) ...
),
Riptide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal fl ...
( Álex González), and
Angel Salvadore Angel Salvadore is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Grant Morrison and Ethan Van Sciver, the character first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #118 (November 2001). She belongs to the subspe ...
(
Zoë Kravitz Zoë Isabella Kravitz (born December 1, 1988) is an American actress, singer, and model. She made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film '' No Reservations'' (2007). Her breakthrough came with portraying Angel Salvadore in the superhero fi ...
) as the main members (Although Angel was initially a member of the X-Men before she defected). Their overall goal is to start
World War III World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical World war, worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use ...
in order to wipe out the human race from Earth, allowing the mutants to rise up and take over as the survivor race, with Shaw as the leader of the new world order. To this end, they manipulate American and Soviet government officials to instigate the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
, prompting CIA agent
Moira MacTaggert Dr. Moira MacTaggert (sometimes spelled ''MacTaggart'', ''McTaggart'', ''McTaggert''), more recently known as Moira X, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men ...
to supervise the initial formation of the X-Men, coordinated by
Charles Xavier Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co- ...
, his adoptive sister Raven, new ally Erik Lensherr, and CIA scientist
Hank McCoy Beast (Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Originally called "The Beast", the character was introduced as a mutant possessing ape-like su ...
, to oppose them. At the end of the movie, Sebastian Shaw is killed by Magneto while many of its members (Emma Frost, Azazel, Riptide, Angel and Raven) join Magneto and his new group the
Brotherhood of Mutants The Brotherhood of Mutants (originally called the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, sometimes referred to as BoEM or B.O.E.M) is a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters are depicted as being devote ...
. * The Hellfire Club were originally planned to return in '' X-Men: Dark Phoenix'' with a lineup consisting of Harry Leland, Freidrich Von Roehm, the Strucker Twins, Shinobi Shaw, a returning Emma Frost and the Red Lotus Gang, but they were ultimately not used in the film.


Video games

* Emma Frost was a boss character in the ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' arcade game by Konami in 1992, loosely based on the "Pryde of the X-Men" pilot. * The Hellfire Club have appeared in numerous X-Men video games as villains in various stages specifically within the Hellfire Mansion with the final boss almost always being Sebastian Shaw. The Hellfire Club Mansion appeared as the first stage in X-Men (Game Gear System) as well as '' X-Men 2: Game Master's Legacy'' (Game Gear). Another game they appeared in was '' X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse''. * The Hellfire Club appears as antagonist in the video game '' Wolverine: Adamantium Rage,'' for the SNES and Sega Genesis, with Selene and Shinobi Shaw appearing as bosses in their stage. * The Hellfire Club appears in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. In the Spec Ops part of the game, Emma Frost tells Nick Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent that someone is claiming her former title as White Queen. Their foot soldiers consist of Hellfire Elites, Hellfire Gunners, Hellfire Heavies, Hellfire Hunters, Hellfire Officers, and Hellfire Snipers. The Hellfire Club has also received help in their goals from
Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...
,
Blob Blob may refer to: Science Computing * Binary blob, in open source software, a non-free object file loaded into the kernel * Binary large object (BLOB), in computer database systems * A storage mechanism in the cloud computing platform M ...
,
Crimson Dynamo Crimson Dynamo (Russian: Багровое Динамо, '; also Красное Динамо (Krasnoe Dinamo)) is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics who have all been powered ar ...
(who built the Sentinels that obey the Hellfire Club's every commands), Juggernaut, and Omega Sentinel. In the 6th Spec Ops mission, the Hellfire Club brings Living Pharaoh out of stasis and plots to help him transform into
Living Monolith The Living Monolith (Ahmet Abdol) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''The X-Men'' #54 (March 1969). Abdol is the Living Pharaoh while in his normal appearance, but once he obtai ...
. This time, the Hellfire Club have also enlisted the help of
Bullseye Bullseye or Bull's Eye may refer to: Symbols * ◎ (Unicode U+25CE BULLSEYE), in the Geometric Shapes Unicode block * (Unicode U+0298 LATIN LETTER BILABIAL CLICK), the phonetic symbol for bilabial click Animals and plants * Bull's Eye, '' Eury ...
, Constrictor, and Dragoness. Also the Hellfire Club is a major antagonist in the first chapter of the second season, with
Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
making her first appearance, as a boss in the mission 5. Special Operations 19: Fratricide follows the storyline of the remnants of the Brotherhood being hunted down by Mr. Sinister,
Bastion A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...
, and the Hellfire Club. Sebastian Shaw appears as the Boss of Mission 3, which also marks his first appearance in the game.


References


External links


Hellfire Club
at Marvel.com
Hellfire Club
at Marvel Wiki *
Hellfire Academy
at Marvel Wiki {{DEFAULTSORT:Hellfire Club (Comics) Villains in animated television series Characters created by Chris Claremont Characters created by John Byrne (comics) Fictional clubs Fictional organizations in Marvel Comics Fictional organized crime groups Marvel Comics supervillain teams Video game bosses X-Men supporting characters