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The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a Marvel Comics supervillain, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The Absorbing Man first appeared in the comic book Journey into Mystery Vol. 1, #114.

Fictional character biography

Carl "Crusher" Creel became the Absorbing Man when he drank a liquid Loki had laced with rare Asgardian ingredients. Discovering that he could absorb the properties of anything he touched, Creel promptly escaped and with some subtle guidance from Loki went on to battle Thor. Although only mortal, Creel's fantastic abilities made him a match for Thor, who after warning Creel to desist eventually transformed him into helium, which drifted harmlessly into the atmosphere.

Against the Thunder God

A short time later Loki retrieved Creel from space, and then revealed to Creel how he had obtained his "absorbing" powers. After being humbled by Loki, Creel agreed to act as his agent and attacked Thor on Earth once more. The battle was deadlocked until Loki transported Creel back to Asgard, and directed him to take the city. Despite the efforts of the Asgardian legions, the Absorbing Man ploughed through them as if they were nothing, and eventually confronted Odin himself. Odin was amazed at this mortal's presumption but also horrified as he discovered that Creel was absorbing each of his offensives and becoming even stronger. Thor attempted to intervene, but Odin advised his son that he must win the day alone - having been challenged in his very throne room. Creel then absorbed the properties of Asgard itself and towered over Odin as Loki arrived to gloat. Loki and Creel were then beaten by trickery: once given Odin's Rod of Rulership the two quarrelled over it and found they could not let go. Odin then advised them that his power lay not in a mere object, but deep within himself. The pair were then banished to space, and would not return for some time.

Fighting the Marvels

The Absorbing Man eventually returned, and went on to battle many of the other heroes in the Marvel Universe such as the Hulk; Avengers; Dazzler and Daredevil. Creel was one of the villains selected to participate in the Secret Wars and also developed a relationship with the villianess Titania, whom he later married.

Powers and abilities

Crusher Creel has the power to absorb the physical properties of anything he touches. This also extends to the ball and chain that Creel was wearing when the liquid he drank took effect. For example, if Creel were to touch and hold a piece of titanium, the tissues of his body and his ball and chain would take on the appearance and properties of titanium. Creel also retains his intellect and capacity for speech and full physical movement regardless of the material he absorbs. Creel's overall power increases in direct proportion to the strength of the material absorbed, and as such Thor is careful not to bring his hammer Mjolnir into direct contact with him. There appears to be no limit to what Creel can absorb, as he has absorbed the properties of:

• Steel
• Silk
• Bronze
• Rock, wood and soil
• Glass
• Spikes
• Cosmic bolt (from Odin)
• Cyclonic Storm (from Odin)
• Asgard itself
• Water
• Light
• Uru (Creel's most powerful form to date)
• Diamond
• Cocaine

Creel's one great weakness, however, is that like the Wrecker, he is something of a thug and not a thinker. As such, several of the heroes have outsmarted Creel - on one occasion Daredevil allows Creel to absorb the properties of a diamond, and with the use of his radar sense attacked the flaws in Creel's diamond form, thereby defeating him.

Appearances in other media

Television

Absorbing Man made an appearance in an episode of the 1996 Incredible Hulk animated TV series (voiced by Jim Cummings) and faced the Grey Hulk ("Joe Fixit").

Absorbing Man also appears as a member of the Masters of Evil in the short-lived animated series The Avengers: United They Stand.

Film

Although the Creel character did not appear in the 2003 Hulk movie, the character David Banner (played by Nick Nolte) acquired powers almost identical to the Absorbing Man. He then attempted to absorb the Hulk's power for his own, but was defeated when the Hulk's unlimited power proved too much to absorb and David lost control. He was then destroyed by General Thunderbolt Ross, who used a gamma missile.

Alternate versions

Earth X

In Earth X, Creel is one of the most powerful beings in this alternate universe. He attempts to absorb something he never had before: knowledge. After absorbing the knowledge of the current Ultron, he is able to remember all of the things he absorbed and to turn into them at will. With this new power, he kills most of the Avengers in Washington D.C. and is finally defeated when the Vision infects him with a computer virus. Creel would later return and save the planet by becoming vibranium.

Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse, the Absorbing Man aligned himself with Apocalypse, who was not above recruiting altered humans such as Creel. Creel served as a warden in Apocalypse's prison camps in the Aztec ruins of Mexico alongside Diablo. Creel fought against Magneto and managed to injure him, but was then killed by Rogue when she absorbed his powers.

References

1. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #114 - 155
2. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #121 - 123
3. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #114
4. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #115
5. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #115
6. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #115
7. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #121
8. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #122
9. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #123
10. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #123
11. Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, #123
12. Avengers Vol. 1, #184
13. Dazzler Vol. 1, #18
14. Thor Vol. 1, #376
15. Daredevil Vol. 1 #360
16. Marvel Knights Spider-Man #16

External links

• Official Marvel Bio
• Absorbing Man at MarvelDirectory.com

• 1965 introductions
• Daredevil villains
• Hulk villains
• Marvel Comics mutates
• Masters of Evil members
• Spider-Man villains
• Thor villains
• Fictional immortals