HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Noh-Varr is a fictional
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The character is most commonly depicted as using the codename Marvel Boy. He first appears in ''
Marvel Boy M-11 Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was given the name "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first appearance in '' Menace'' #11 from Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. ...
'' #1 (Aug. 2000) and was created by writer Grant Morrison and artist J.G. Jones. He later appeared in the '' Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways'' and the '' New Avengers: Illuminati'' limited series. After his appearance in '' Secret Invasion'', he joined the Dark Avengers as Captain Marvel. He was a member of the main
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
team as Protector. As
Marvel Boy M-11 Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was given the name "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first appearance in '' Menace'' #11 from Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. ...
he was a part of the
Young Avengers The Young Avengers are the names of two fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first team, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, features numerous adolescent characters who typically have ...
, West Coast Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Since his debut, Noh-Varr has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful male heroes portrayed as a queer
sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
.


Publication history

''
Marvel Boy M-11 Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was given the name "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first appearance in '' Menace'' #11 from Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. ...
'' was a six-issue
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
published from August 2000 to March 2001, as part of the experimental Marvel Knights line. The series was written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by J.G. Jones (with Sean Parsons) and colored by Matt Milla of Avalon Studios. In a 2000 interview, Morrison described their stylistic intentions for the book: Following his own mini, he was featured in '' Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways'' and the '' New Avengers: Illuminati''. He took a big part in the finale of the Secret Invasion, which leads into his new role as Captain Marvel in the '' Dark Avengers'' title. The writer
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and artist. He has won five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books.Bendis, Brian Michael and Oeming, Michael Avon, ' ...
has said "what he represents is Norman can put an alien on the team, whose icone of the Anti-Skrulls. It's like, 'You hate Skrulls? Well this guy kills Skrulls for a living! He came to our planet to kill Skrulls!'."[ He appeared as a regular character in the ''Dark Avengers'' series from issue #1-6. In the Dark Avengers Annual, Noh-Varr changed his codename to the Protector. As Protector, he appeared as a regular character in the 2010-2013 ''Avengers'' series, from issue #2 (August 2010) through his dismissal from the team in issue #27 (August 2012) during the
Avengers vs. X-Men ''Avengers vs. X-Men'' (''AvX'' or ''AvsX'') is a 2012 crossover event that was featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The event, consisting of an eponymous limited series and numerous tie-in books, involves the return of the Phoen ...
storyline. Noh-Varr appeared as Marvel Boy in the 2013 ''
Young Avengers The Young Avengers are the names of two fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first team, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, features numerous adolescent characters who typically have ...
'' series by
Kieron Gillen Kieron Michael Gillen (; born 30 September 1975) is a British comic book writer and former video game and music journalist. In comics, Gillen is known for ''Phonogram'' and ''The Wicked + The Divine'', both co-created with artist Jamie McKelvie ...
and Jamie McKelvie where he begins to date Kate Bishop and reveals that, like the majority of the team, he is "not completely straight". Marvel Boy starred alongside the Inhumans in 2017's ''Royals'' written by Al Ewing and drawn by Jonboy Meyers. In 2019, he returned in the third volume of the '' West Coast Avengers'', he met the team while he was masquerading as Graviton, who was a member of the Masters of Evil, he would aid the team and eventually join them in the last story-arc. It was written by Kelly Thompson It was during this run that it was confirmed Noh-Varr is bisexual, since he started dating Kate Bishop's former boyfriend and teammate, Fuse. In 2020, Marvel Boy was featured as a member of a new Guardians of the Galaxy team alongside Star-Lord,
Rocket Raccoon Rocket Raccoon is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Preview'' #7 (Summer 1976). He is an intelligent ...
, Moondragon,
Phyla-Vell Phyla-Vell is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has gone by the names Quasar, Captain Marvel and Martyr. She was created by Peter David and Paul Azaceta and first appeared in ''C ...
,
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
and
Nova A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
.


Fictional character biography

Noh-Varr serves as an ensign aboard the 18th Kree Diplomatic Gestalt interstellar schooner the ''Marvel'', which traverses millions of alternate dimensions on its way home. The ship is drawn toward the
Marvel Universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
and shot down by the forces of Doctor Midas, a multi-trillionaire obsessed with gaining
powers Powers may refer to: Arts and media * ''Powers'' (comics), a comic book series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming ** ''Powers'' (American TV series), a 2015–2016 series based on the comics * ''Powers'' (British TV series), a 200 ...
through the absorption of
cosmic ray Cosmic rays are high-energy particles or clusters of particles (primarily represented by protons or atomic nuclei) that move through space at nearly the speed of light. They originate from the Sun, from outside of the Solar System in our own ...
s. Midas blasts the ''Marvel'' out of the sky in an attempt to acquire the ship's cosmic ray-powered engines. His friends and comrades killed, Noh-Varr emerges as the only survivor. Noh-Varr then encounters the sentient corporation known as ''Hexus''. Accidentally released from a containment cell when the ''Marvel'' crashed, ''Hexus'' begins to take over world-wide commerce in an attempt to subjugate the human population and ultimately control Earth. Noh-Varr invades the control center of Hexus and ultimately destroys the "social parasite" by releasing all of its trade secrets to its competitors. Noh-Varr finds himself pursued by Doctor Midas and his minions, and upon striking an alliance with Midas' daughter Oubliette, Noh-Varr defeats the megalomaniac. After the battle, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. capture Noh-Varr and incarcerate him in a seemingly inescapable prison known as the Cube. While in custody, Noh-Varr declares war on Earth and the human race.


New Avengers: Illuminati

Noh-Varr at one stage gets the attention of the
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
. Its members:
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 ...
, Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt,
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
,
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
, and Namor are worried about the fact Noh-Varr has declared war on the entire planet and try to change his mind. They visit him at the Cube in the form of a mental projection, and speak to him in turn, explaining the legacy of Captain Marvel and telling Noh-Varr that he can choose to live as a hero or spend the rest of his life in The Cube. They ultimately leave him with the choice and tell him to earn his way out. (''Illuminati'' #1)


Civil War

Noh-Varr is brainwashed and ordered to capture the
Runaways Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...
by
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
Director Maria Hill. After being released for his mission by the cruel warden of the Cube, Noh-Varr brutally subdues the Runaways and the
Young Avengers The Young Avengers are the names of two fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first team, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, features numerous adolescent characters who typically have ...
. When the warden of the Cube feels the mission has finished successfully, he orders Noh-Varr's retrieval. As the Young Avengers and the Runaways assault the Cube, he engages them in battle. After a brief fight, Noh-Varr is defeated and the Vision reverses the Cube's mental control over him. He is seen taking control of the Cube, declaring it to be the capital city of the new Kree Empire.


Secret Invasion

When the alien virus the Skrulls upload releases all the prisoners within the Cube, Noh-Varr announces that it is "time to go." Later, while escaping on a stolen
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
minijet, he's stopped by a dying
Khn'nr Khn'nr is a fictional alien character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Paul Jenkins and Tom Raney, the character first appeared in ''Civil War: The Return'' (March 2007). Khn'nr was a Skrull sleeper agent ...
. At first mistaking him for the original Captain Marvel, Noh-Varr stops to listen to his final words, as Khn'nr appoints him as the new Protector of the Earth, spurring him to fill in the role once covered by Mar-Vell himself, and stop the Skrulls, perceived as liars and honorless beings. Noh-Varr is left shaken by the revelation, after witnessing the dying Khn'nr reverting to his alien Skrull appearance. Finally deciding to take a side in the war, Noh-Varr uses the solar energies of Captain Marvel's Nega-Bands, causing a huge explosion in the middle of the battle in New York. Then he declares to the Skrull army that their invasion is over.


Dark Avengers

Noh-Varr is told by Norman Osborn that he is a war hero and he wants him to be who he truly is. He is recruited to Norman Osborn's Avengers team, and takes on the mantle of the new Captain Marvel. When the Church of Hala branch in Charleston, South Carolina commit mass suicide due to Noh-Varr taking Captain Marvel's name, Carol Danvers goes to investigate. While looking around, she finds Noh-Varr in an alley behind the church. After Carol tries to attack Nor-Varr twice and blames him for what the church has done in the original Captain Marvel's name, he explains that the Captain Marvel they founded this church for was a Skrull and he died in his arms, claiming his love for this world and her people and asked he protect this world from those who wish to harm it. Carol does not believe it and Noh-Varr flies away, telling her to believe what she will and to remember this meeting, because he never threw a punch. After their first mission Noh-Varr shows an attraction to teammate
Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was originally conceived as a female counterpart to Captain Marvel. Like Captain Marvel, most of the bearers of the Ms. M ...
, which is noticed by teammate
Ares Ares (; grc, Ἄρης, ''Árēs'' ) is the Greek god of war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war b ...
, much to his amusement. The team then decide to relax in the Avengers Tower once they have returned. In the evening, Noh-Varr is walking back to his room from a shower, when Karla invites him into her room. After having sex with Noh-Varr, Karla turns on the television, telling him she wanted to see how Norman would explain why his "Avengers" are full of criminals. Noh-Varr is shocked at the news that the rest of his teammates are all criminals pretending to be heroes. He then goes missing.


Post-Dark Avengers

Since abandoning the team, Noh-Varr has kept a low profile in order to elude the Dark Avengers and has been trying to determine what his role is while he is living on Earth. In ''Dark Reign: The List - Wolverine'', it is revealed that one of Noh-Varr's missions as a Dark Avenger was to capture the World facility. He goes to Wolverine and warns him of Osborn's plan and together, they take the World facility from Osborn's grasp, leaving it in the hands of Fantomex. Later, Noh-Varr befriends a young woman named Annie at the same time he is found by the Sentry, who has come to take him back to Osborn. A battle ensues in the middle of Manhattan with Noh-Varr on the verge of losing when Annie intervenes and fires on the Sentry with one of Noh-Varr's Kree weapons, distracting him. Noh-Varr flees and returns to an abandoned building where he has been building a Kree communicator to contact the Kree Supreme Intelligence. In ''Dark Avengers'' Annual #1, a holographic message sent by the Supreme Intelligence tells Noh-Varr that the actions of the Skrulls during Secret Invasion have left Earth in more danger than ever before and that Noh-Varr is the planet's new protector. The Supreme Intelligence then grants him the power needed to carry out his mission in the form of a set of Nega-Bands, more advanced than the ones worn by Captain Marvel. The bands also provide him with a new costume and prevent the Dark Avengers from detecting his presence. After finding Annie and thanking her for her help, he teleports away. Unbeknown to Noh-Varr however, he was being observed by Captain America ( Bucky) and Steve Rogers, who are trying to determine if he could be a potential ally against Osborn.


Aftermath

Noh-Varr later appears as the new costumed hero, Protector, in the back matter of ''Ms. Marvel'' vol. 2 #50. Taking place after an undefined amount of time after the events of ''Dark Avengers'' Annual #1, Noh-Varr and Annie are seen traveling together. An unidentified female, wearing hi-tech battle armor, from the future has located Noh-Varr and time slips in to "test" Noh-Varr. Noh-Varr transforms into the Protector and battles the female. The female realizes she has met a younger and weaker Protector than expected and before killing the civilians is knocked aside by Protector. The now unmasked assailant is revealed to be an older Annie, telling Noh-Varr "it will all make sense... someday" before locking onto another Noh-Varr and time slipping out.


Heroic Age

Noh-Varr is recruited into the Avengers team to help them build a time machine to save the future. Tony Stark attempts to hire him due to his vast knowledge in order to 'unleash his alien mind onto the world', which Noh-Varr turns down, having vowed to keep the secrets of Kree technology out of the economy of Earth. Within a short time, Noh-Varr creates a time-space continuum viewer which allows the Avengers to view myriad possible futures, including
MC2 MC2 may refer to: *Maison de la Culture de Grenoble, a venue for performances in Grenoble, France *Marvel Comics 2 is an imprint from Marvel Comics whose comic books depict an alternative future timeline for the Marvel Universe *E = mc² is the equ ...
, Marvel 2099,
Days of Future Past "Days of Future Past" is a storyline in the Marvel Comics comic book ''The Uncanny X-Men'' issues #141–142, published in 1981. It deals with a dystopian future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps. An adult Kate Pryde transfer ...
and Age of Apocalypse, before seeing the timestream collapse. Noh-Varr then helps the Avengers fight off an angry Wonder Man, who is convinced the reformation of Avengers is a mistake.''The Avengers'' vol. 4 #2 Shortly afterwards, they are then attacked by a time-lost future
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 ...
and his four horsemen, which consists of corrupted heroes including the
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
,
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
, and
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, 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 ...
. In the aftermath, Noh-Varr manages to calm down Spider-Man, who is bemoaning his possible future, with a joke before he heads off with some of the team to build a new time machine. Having traveled to the future with Wolverine,
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
, and
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
, they are promptly defeated by a possible future team of Avengers, and taken to their leader Maestro, who is happy to see them, as he is working with a future version of Tony Stark.


Fear Itself

During the Fear Itself storyline, Noh-Varr arrives in Brazil with Spider-Woman and
Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was originally conceived as a female counterpart to Captain Marvel. Like Captain Marvel, most of the bearers of the Ms. M ...
to help
Red She-Hulk Elizabeth "Betty" Ross (later Talbot and then Banner) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and made her first appearance in ''The Incredible ...
fight the
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, who was transformed into Nul: Breaker of Worlds.


Avengers vs. X-Men

During the ''
Avengers vs. X-Men ''Avengers vs. X-Men'' (''AvX'' or ''AvsX'') is a 2012 crossover event that was featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The event, consisting of an eponymous limited series and numerous tie-in books, involves the return of the Phoen ...
'' storyline, Noh-Varr locates a secret A.I.M. base. The Avengers assemble where they take out the base and arrest
Monica Rappaccini Monica Rappaccini exists as a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 #7 (2005), created by Fred Van Lente and Leonard Kirk. The character is depicted as a ...
and the rest of the A.I.M. scientists that escaped following Osborn's defeat. After the battle, Noh-Varr checks in with the Supreme Intelligence of the
Kree Empire The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cl ...
, who informs him of the coming Phoenix force and orders him to intercept and contain it at all cost... even if that means eliminating his Avenger teammates. In space, after the Avengers fail to stop the Phoenix, Noh-Varr analyzes the reason for their failure and discovers that Thor's Mjolnir hammer can injure and absorb the Phoenix' essence. Before the team can celebrate, Noh-Varr declares that he will take the collected energy back to the Kree. While the Avengers wake up in their spaceship heading to a sun and try to escape death, Noh-Varr takes the Phoenix energy to the Supreme Intelligence. However, the Supreme Intelligence declares that the energy will not be used to save Earth. Noh-Varr turns against the Supreme Intelligence and escapes with the energy. The Avengers meet him, take the energy, and declare him an enemy of the team telling him never to return to Earth. Noh-Varr is left in Hala running for his life from the Kree.


Marvel NOW!

Noh-Varr later appears in the ''
Young Avengers The Young Avengers are the names of two fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first team, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, features numerous adolescent characters who typically have ...
'' series as part of '' Marvel NOW!'' where he reconciles with the team with whom he clashed during Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways. Rather than fleeing Earth, he established a base in a satellite orbiting Earth where he regains his identity as Marvel Boy and begins a relationship with Hawkeye. Throughout the series, he struggles to fully assimilate into Earth culture, though his knowledge of alien technology such as a pair of energy guns he wields during battle and the laser bow he gives to Hawkeye give a significant advantage. His spaceship serves as the team's primary source of transport. Noh-Varr is depicted as being fascinated by Earth music including pop, rock and country (which inspires him to briefly grow a beard similar to that of
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
), however, he frequently describes his favourite track as Be My Baby by R&B trio
The Ronettes The Ronettes were an American girl group from Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley. The ...
. Marvel Boy officially joins the Young Avengers when he is asked by Hawkeye to help her and her teammates face the interdimensional parasite known as Mother. His relationship with Hawkeye is questioned when it is revealed that
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
's former associate Leah, who is working for Mother, has recruited three of his former lovers, Merree, Oubliette and Annie, to serve on her superpowered team. Noh-Varr decides to break up with Hawkeye to be with Oubilette but, when Leah's team are revealed to be nothing but guilt-based constructs, Marvel Boy tries to unsuccessfully win Kate back. After defeating Mother once and for all, Noh-Varr DJ's at the party held by Loki in the Young Avengers' honor. At the party, he attempts to reconcile with Hawkeye but she denies him the chance to end things on good terms, leaving him to conclude that he must stop dwelling on the past so that he can move forward. Rededicating himself to heroism, Noh-Varr sets his sights on rebuilding the Kree empire, offering his services to the
Inhuman Royal Family The following is a list of known fictional characters who are Inhumans, a race of superhumans appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Known Inhumans Inhuman Royal Family The Inhuman Royal Family are the ruling class of ...
. He takes them to the ruins of Hala, predicting that investigating the origins of the Inhuman species may provide a way for them to survive following the destruction of the
Terrigen Mist The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peopl ...
. During their quest, the team are attacked by Ronan the Accuser who uses his advanced technology to create a psychic projection of Hawkeye, who berates Noh-Varr for throwing their love away for Oubilette, a girl who didn't even exist. He apologises to her and admits that he didn't trust his own heart enough to believe that she really wanted to be with him. When she further insults him, Noh realises that he has been trapped by Ronan and uses his own technology to escape. Noh-Varr stays with the Inhumans and is nearly killed by a
Progenitor In genealogy, the progenitor (rarer: primogenitor; german: Stammvater or ''Ahnherr'') is the – sometimes legendary – founder of a family, line of descent, clan or tribe, noble house, or ethnic group.. Ebenda''Ahnherr:''"Stammvater eines G ...
but is able to heal thanks to his cockroach-infused DNA and remains with the Royal Family in Artican, their new base located on the Moon. Noh-Varr later joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. He's in a relationship with fellow Guardian Hercules. In the aftermath of the "
Empyre "Empyre" is a 2020 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. This storyline follows the events of ''Incoming!''. It was published in July of 2020. Premise The Avengers, the Fantastic Four and various other heroes of the Marvel universe ...
" storyline, Noh-Varr represents the Kree when Super-Skrull meets with Nova and the representatives of the Badoon, the Kymellians, the Zn'rx, the Shi'ar, the Spartaxians, the Chitauri, and an alien from the planet Silnius. When No-Varr heads to the restroom, he finds Emperor Stote of Zn'rx dying on the ground mentioning about a shapeshifter. The Skrull Subaltern Val-Korr accuses him of murder causing Noh-Varr to act in self-defense. Super-Skrull brings up Noh-Varr's actions to the rest of the Galactic Council as Nova calls in the Guardians of the Galaxy to investigate Emperor Stote's murder.


Powers and abilities

Noh-Varr is a Kree (albeit from another universe) who has been enhanced with
insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...
DNA. He has demonstrated enhanced reflexes, speed, strength, and endurance well beyond that capable of a normal human. He is able to re-route his neurological impulses so that he can avoid experiencing physical pain, and even suppress any stimulus he does not want to experience, making him a deadly opponent in battle. In '' Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways'' he performs a "White run", pushing everything unrelated to the fight from his mind, allowing him to defeat
Xavin Xavin is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appears in the series '' Runaways''. Xavin is gender-fluid (made more prominent due to their shape-shifting abilities) with seemingly no ...
,
Karolina Dean Karolina Dean ( ), also known as Lucy in the Sky, L.S.D., or Princess Justice, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in the series '' Runaways.'' Karolina has been described as ...
,
Wiccan Wicca () is a modern Pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was ...
, and
Hulkling Emperor Hulkling (Dorrek VIII, also known as Theodore Rufus "Teddy" Kaplan-Altman) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as a member of the Young Avengers, a team of ...
within 5 seconds. In addition, Noh-Varr is "triple jointed", allowing extreme feats of contortion and the ability to survive what would otherwise be crushing forces. Noh-Varr can also scale even the smoothest surfaces, including vertical walls, glass windows, and ceilings. Noh is also capable of escape velocity aerial travel unaided by boost propulsion under his own power, he can also emit energy blasts from his hands at will. When needed, he can digest any organic substance without adverse effects. As a result, he can eat rotting or poisonous food as well as non-food stuffs (e.g., cardboard, paper, etc.). He uses this ability to recover from wounds or extreme stress. Noh-Varr's
saliva Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...
contains nano-active properties that infects the bodies & minds of those it touches. This causes hallucinations and allows Noh-Varr a degree of psyche-control. His fingernails can grow into a deadly crystalline spike. Noh-Varr can insert this nail into an opponent and leave it to explode, killing the target as well as causing extensive damage to the surrounding area or break off & fling them at an adversary as a ranged attack. They also have toxic effects depending upon Noh-Varr's inclination. Marvel Boy also seems capable of flight under his own power, as well as possessing self-sustenance. being able to survive in space without need of physical nourishment or comforts. Marvel Boy later showcased hand emitted concussion blasts of an unknown energy type while battling Vox Supremes' gene patterned drones. In ''Dark Avengers'' Annual #1, Noh-Varr makes contact with his people and is given a pair of Nega-Bands of his own along with a new costume and entirely new abilities. Such as technopathy, apparatus conjuration, teleportation, computerized holographic interact and the like. Plus a number of in-universe Band functions pertaining to flight, physical enhancement and energy manipulation. They are later taken away after his last mission with the New Avengers for betraying the prime universes Supreme Intelligence by Ronan the Accuser. Noh-Varr also has access to a wide variety of advanced Kree technology, including high-tech weaponry such as self-replicating grenades, plasma guns, shapeshifting armbands called Nega-Gauntlets which turn into razor blades, hand cannons channelling varied energy types and can initiate trans-matter displacement with other gauntlet wearers. Along with imagination powered space ships and a "pocket battlefield" that can simulate unique combat environments for the user by adjusting local physics. Noh-Varr is adept at the sciences of interdimensional & extra-dimensional travel. He can construct and operate devices to view and traverse the timestream and alternate dimensions.


Reception


Critical reception

Andrew Wheeler of '' ComicsAlliance'' referred to Noh-Varr as "Marvel's first male pin-up," writing, "Noh-Varr hit all the usual beats of the comics sex symbol. He found more than one reason to take his clothes off. He played with his look. He showed us his butt. Yet Noh-Varr wasn't ''quite'' like all those thousand female heroes. Noh-Varr wasn't only there to be sexy. He got to both kick some ass and experience some angst. He had his crowning moment of awesome... And his crowning moment of douche. He had plot. Personality. Agency. Gillen and McKelvie weren't setting out to replicate the mistakes that are made with female sex symbols. They upped the game for sex symbols everywhere. Sexy can be important... But a sexy character should not be interchangeable with a sexy lamp. To quote Kelly-Sue DeConnick: " you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft." (That's the clean version. The dirty version utilizes the phrase "f---ing hack".) Gillen and McKelvie didn't invent Marvel Boy, and they didn't invent his sexy; they just gave him his sexy back. Marvel Boy was ''made'' to be sexy, in the 2000's ''Marvel Boy'' by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. Noh-Varr was young, dumb and full of... ''sexuality'', from his first appearance. Created because Morrison thought comics weren't being "sexy enough," Noh-Varr was a pouty bad boy in tight, tight shorts whose nemesis was an assassin in a dominatrix outfit. "Sexy" is his motif in the same way that "spider" is Peter Parker's." Lauren Davis of ''
Gizmodo ''Gizmodo'' ( ) is a design, technology, science and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton, and runs on the Kinja platform. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the subsite ''io9'', whic ...
'' called Noh-Varr one of the "male superheroes who truly are sexualized the way women are in comics," saying, "Now this is a great example of a character being portrayed as sexy in a fun and sweet way that doesn't overwhelm the scene. In Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie's Young Avengers #1, we see Kate Bishop watching Noh-Varr dance in her room. It's her gaze that's on him, and some readers can appreciate Noh-Varr in the same way that Kate does, but at the same time, it's a nice character moment. And it's much sexier than running one's hands down an unwilling Batman's chest." Afreen Khan of '' Sportskeeda'' dubbed Noh-Varr as an "outright sex symbol," stating, "Noh-Varr, in simpler terms, is a hunk. He is a part of the Marvels and goes by many aliases. The most popular ones are Marvel Boy and Protector. The superhero was introduced in the self-titled 2000 comic. As one of the many younger superheroes, he was also a part of the Young Avengers. .. That’s not all. One of the main reasons the post about Park Seo-joon reprising Noh-Varr has gained so much attention is because of the hero’s sexual orientation. The Young Avenger is canonically bisexual, or pansexual. ..Social media was bombarded with excited fans' reactions after the Twitter account of Marvel Updates posted that the actor would be playing Noh-Varr. A major reason for it is that the queer superhero is one of the few comic characters who was explicitly portrayed as a s*x symbol, in a good way. " Benjamin Riley of ''
Special Broadcasting Service The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from the Australian Government. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World ...
'' described Noh-Varr was one of the "queer superheroes who changed the face of comics," asserting, "This one’s cheating a bit—Marvel Boy’s status as a queer character is debatable, but aside from being one of the hottest male superheroes in recent memory, the alien Noh-Varr (his real name) certainly has a queer sensibility. He’s also another Young Avengers alum—Marvel Boy’s teammate and sometime girlfriend Kate Bishop jokes at one point that she’s the only "straightie" on the team. What makes Marvel Boy queer isn’t just his sexuality (he implies his race doesn’t have sexual identities, only sexual acts) it’s how the comic treats him, visually: in a medium dominated by the male gaze, he’s not only sexy, he’s sexualised." Noh-Varr also has received significant discussion in scholarly literature such as Lyubansky, Sweeney, and Beam & Clay-Buck.


Volumes


''Marvel Boy''

According to
Diamond Comic Distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics, DCD, or casually Diamond) is an American comic book distributor serving retailers in North America and worldwide. They transport comic books and graphic novels, as well as other po ...
, ''Marvel Boy'' #1 was the 21st best selling comic book in June 2000.
Tom Spurgeon Thomas Martin Spurgeon (December 16, 1968 – November 13, 2019) was an American writer, historian, critic, and editor in the field of comics, notable for his five-year run as editor of ''The Comics Journal'' and his blog ''The Comics Reporter''. ...
of '' The Comics Reporter'' called ''Marvel Boy'' #1 a "refreshingly goofy take on superhero source material," saying, "Morrison displays uncharacteristic restraint in ''Marvel Boy''. The overriding emphasis seems to be on making certain everything works first as a comic book adventure story rather than as an idea virus, magic spell, pop culture cluster bomb, or whatever grandiloquent description writers like Morrison use for comics that goose superhero formulae with a formal twist and one or two declarations about the state of reality. By making less obvious the stabs at relevance and deeper meaning, particularly those he sometimes attempts through sentiment and affectation, Morrison with ''Marvel Boy'' hewed closer to the Lee/Kirby model of superhero storytelling than anything he had done to date. It is a good fit. What the series resembles most closely is the later, Kirby-dominated and slightly tossed-off seeming issues of ''Fantastic Four''. Like Kirby, Morrison focuses on the weirdness of the superhero concept itself, leaving many of the out-there science fiction ideas, the bizarre combat technologies and hints of radical, identity-focused politics, to sizzle at the perimeter of the page." David Harth of ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked the ''Marvel Boy'' comic book series 6th in their "10 Marvel Comics That Read Like Sci-Fi Epics" list, asserting, "Grant Morrison's time at Marvel was short and tumultuous, but they produced brilliant tales. Their opening salvo was ''Marvel Boy,'' with artist J. G. Jones. Following the genetically engineered alternate reality soldier Noh-Varr on a quest for revenge, Morrison and Jones created a sci-fi superhero epic like nothing else at Marvel. With all it has to offer, ''Marvel Boy'' should be Marvel's next big sci-fi superhero movie. It's a sci-fi revenge tale full of big concepts, breathtaking action, and brilliant characters, turning the Marvel sci-fi story formula on its ear." Rosie Knight of '' Nerdist'' included the ''Marvel Boy'' comic book series in their "8 Must-Read Marvel Knights Stories" list.


Accolades

* In 2013 '' ComicsAlliance'' ranked Noh-Varr 2nd in their "50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics" list. * In 2014, ''
Gizmodo ''Gizmodo'' ( ) is a design, technology, science and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton, and runs on the Kinja platform. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the subsite ''io9'', whic ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 9th in their "10 Times When Comics And Movies Sexualized Male Superheroes" list. * In 2016, ''
Special Broadcasting Service The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from the Australian Government. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World ...
'' included Noh-Varr in their "10 queer superheroes who changed the face of comics" list. * In 2018, ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 7th in their "Every Captain Marvel Ever" list. * In 2019, ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 5th in their "All The Captain Marvels" list and 5th in their "Every Single Young Avenger Ever" list. * In 2021, ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 5th in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Young Avengers" list and 5th in their "10 LGBTQ+ Marvel Heroes That Should Join The MCU" list. * In 2021, ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 10th in their "10 Most Powerful Young Avengers" list. * In 2022, ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' ranked Noh-Varr 15th in their "15 Most Powerful Guardians Of The Galaxy Members In The Comics" list and included him in their "10 Best Hercules Love Interests In Marvel Comics" list.


In other media


Video games

* Noh-Varr appears as a playable character in the video game ''
Marvel Avengers Academy ''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rela ...
'', voiced by Andy Field. * Noh-Varr as Protector appears as a playable character in the video game ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, ...
''.


Collected editions


References


External links


Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr)
at the Marvel Universe * * * {{Grant Morrison Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics) 2000 comics debuts Avengers (comics) characters Comics characters introduced in 2000 Characters created by Grant Morrison Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Fictional bisexual males Kree Marvel Comics aliens Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics extraterrestrial superheroes Marvel Comics extraterrestrial supervillains Marvel Comics LGBT superheroes Marvel Comics limited series Marvel Comics male superheroes Marvel Comics male supervillains Marvel Comics child superheroes Teenage superheroes