Nebulon
Nebulon was an
alien being looking for a planet to make his own. Originally he
said that he was doing it to get a planet to save his species,
but that seems unlikely as they later banished him to Earth for
defying their orders of no interference in the affairs of alien
cultures.
Defenders #14-flashback- Nebulon rescues Hyperion from space to ask him if he knows of a mineral rich planet his race might take over. Hyperion, saying he owns it, shows him Earth.
Defenders #33- Nebulon's strange amphibian followers capture humans for Nebulon's experiments. Nebulon's followers capture the baby fawn that holds the consciousness of Chondu the Mystic. Nighthawk, inhabited by the mind of Jack Norris, flies back to Dr. Strange's house with Nighthawk's real brain when he is snatched out of air and pulled into a spaceship with Nebulon.
Defenders #34- Nebulon tells the body of Nighthawk and
the consciousness of Jack Norris of what happened to him after
the last time they fought. He was transported to the land of the
Ludberdities. They instilled a sense of responsibility in Nebulon
that great creatures should "improve the lot" of lesser
beings. He now wants to realize men's seminal dream. That is why
his followers were capturing "specimens". Nebulon sends
"Nighthawk' to the other specimens. The deer with the
consciousness of Chondu attacks Nighthawk, which contains the
actual brain of Chondu. Later Nebulon transports to Earth via a
large comet. He emerges as a short bald man with glasses. He says
he will teach the others how to travel like him and be like him.
The Hulk sees the little man and instinctually knows something is
off. He goes to hit the man, but Nebulon, in his golden form,
catches Hulk's fist. He blasts Hulk. Hulk throws a car at him,
but Nebulon shrinks the car to fit in his hand. He then bubbles
up Hulk and sends him into space. Nebulon reverts to his short
bald man self. The woman are now all attracted to him and the
guys want to be him. Nebulon hands out leaflets foe his seminar.
Hulk sees it to and goes to get the Defenders' help. Nebulon
berates the crowd, and while calling them bozos makes them all
wear bozo the clown masks. Nebulon unknowingly invites Dr.
Strange up to the stager. When Strange unmasks Nebulon reverts to
his golden form. He blasts Hulk and Valkyrie, but before he can
face Dr. Strange Chondu the fawn regains some of his powers and
teleports he and Nebulon to the Headsmen headquarters.
Defenders #35- As Dr. Nagan, Jerry Morgan, and Ruby walk out they are stunned to see Nebulon and a fawn suddenly appear. Nebulon turns to yell at the fawn for accessing his dimension spanning powers. Nagan asks who he is and what he is doing here. Nebulon answers that coming here was not of his own choice. Chondu the deer spells out in psychic power that he is Chondu. Chondu sends a mental projection blaming Strange for his current state. Once they understand what has happened Ruby asks Nebulon if he wants to stick around. Nebulon doesn't and teleports away
Defenders #36- Strange buys a paper with an article about Nebulon's celestial mind control featured. Plant-Man, Porcupine, and Eel read the article about Nebulon's methods and they go to see him. Nebulon, as the bald old man, opens the door for them. Plant-Man doesn't like the humiliation involved and leaves. Nebulon says he'll be back. Plant-Man takes on the Defenders.
Defenders #37- When Plant-Man fails he returns to Nebulon. Nebulon lets him in and shows him Porcupine and Eel in the final stage of their treatment. Their civilian identities slay their "bozo" counterparts to gain a new sense of well being. Plant-Man still doesn't like it, but this time when he tries to leave the bald old man transforms into the golden Nebulon. Nebulon blasts Plant-Man unconscious. Nebulon says he wants the Defenders destroyed, but doesn't want anybody to know it was him. Eel and Porcupine defeat Luke Cage, Red Guardian, Jack Norriss, and Dr. Strange by gassing them.
Defenders #38
- Nebulon deposits the Defenders in an alternate dimension
so that they will not interfere with his plans. Jack Norris tells
Nighthawk. Nighthawk takes off to confront Nebulon. Nighthawk
crashes into the place and lays out the bozos. The bald old man
tells Nighthawk they are inside the door. Nighthawk storms in and
finds himself in the other dimension with the other Defenders.
Nebulon closes the door and goes off to a lecture he is scheduled
to give. Strange finds the door Nighthawk came through. The bozos
try to keep it closed while one goes to get the help. When the
Defenders get out, by destroying the door, they face Porcupine
and Eel. A big white monkey comes through the dimensional door
also. The Defenders defeat them all and leave.
Defenders annual #1- After watching a tape from Jack Norris that reveals to them that they have been the victim of mind control, by Arthur Nagan, the Defenders decide they need to investigate the actions of both Nebulon and the Headsmen. In France, Nighthawk and Red Guardian discover that the "Bozeau" or Nebulon's bozo followers are in direct conflict with Compagnie de Lux, a corporation that Nighthawk realizes he funds. Red Guardian takes the place of a female Bozeau and winds up talking to Nebulon, via teleconferencing, about her "triumph". When Guardian begins to recommend something she is taken for reconditioning. Nighthawk discovers that Arthur Nagan is the head of Compagnie de Lux. Nighthawk sees the Bozeau building now missing among some smoke, and Jerry Morgan holding the gun that did it. When Nighthawk gets closer Morgan blasts Nighthawk too. In India, Cage and Valkyrie come across Dr. Arthur Nagan who is shrinking people down and placing them in a box. Nagan returns shrinks Valkyrie and Cage. The two of them are placed in Nagan's box. In Los Angeles, Jack Noriss exposes Ruby Thursday as Ruby of the Headsmen, but is captured after doing so. In Washington DC, Strange stops the president from meeting "Mr. Nebul". Strange warns the president that appointing Mr. Nebul as delegate to the United Nations will be the first step to enslaving the world. Mr. Nebul shows and Strange and Nebulon battle in front of the president. Nebulon seemingly defeats Strange. Back in DC the president is about to appoint Mr. Nebul to the UN when Strange uses magic to clamp his mouth. Suddenly the president, Mr. Nebul, and Dr. Strange all disappear in a puff of smoke. Nagan and the other Headsmen now control the Earth with the president, the leader of India, the Defenders, and Nebulon all shrunk by Jerry Morgan's reducing gas. Nebulon says that their energies are useless in the dome. Strange sends his spirit form for help. Hulk comes crashing into the Headsmen's hideout. Ruby tries to shoot Hulk with her head floating around him. Hulk gets his hand stuck in Ruby's head. Hulk smashes open the dome, and returns the others to regular size. Hulk defeats Ruby wrapping her head in a steel piece. Power Man knocks out Dr. Nagan. Dr. Strange goes inside Nebulon's mind and shows him what it means to be human. Nebulon says Earth is beyond redemption. He leaves. Strange says they must set out to dissolve the Headsmen's power base.
Defenders #93- Namor returns to Atlantis to find his love Lady Dorma alive. "Dorma" and Namor go to Atlantis where Dorma explains that the Dorma who died was a clone to crush Namor's spirit. Namor says there will be a war with the surface, as Dorma wants it. When an Atlantean man objects "Dorma" uses her will power manipulation to turn the crowd into a murderous gathering killing the man. Namor and his army attack. The Defenders confront Namor, but Namor and his troops attack them. Namor tells Dorma these are his friends, but Dorma says that only she is his friend. When the Defenders start defeating the army Dorma says she forgot how powerful the Defenders were. She tells Namor to do something. Namor uses a high pitch frequency to knock the Defenders out. Valkyrie attacks Dorma, something she shouldn't be able to do, as her powers prohibit her from causing a woman pain. Dorma loses control of her shape and is revealed as Nebulon. Nebulon says he was tried and convicted by his people for interfering with earth, but Nebulon escaped them. He hid in the Earth's oceans because his race is aquatic by nature. He probed Namor's mind for the memory of Dorma and became her. But since his subtlety failed he will now fight with his power. Namor frees the Defenders. Hulk and Namor hit Nebulon causing him to lose his golden form. Namor picks up the beast Nebulon, and throws him into the sea. Nebulon doesn't land however, as he is snatched up by a beam from a ship of his people. They lift Nebulon to the ship and say Nebulon will be punished. As a parting shot Nebulon becomes Dorma one more time and shouts for Namor to save her.
Avengers annual #11- Nebulon shouts that they cannot do this to him. The shape floating in the sky resembles Nebulon’s true form. It says that Nebulon was tried and convicted by the High Tribunal. Nebulon is forced to remain in his “grotesque” human form at half his power on the planet whose affairs he meddled for eternity. Nebulon says that surely the punishment is too severe. The image shouts for silence. It says that Nebulon is guilty three times of violating the High Tribunal’s sacred canon of prohibiting any interference in alien cultures. Nebulon begs for mercy saying that this planet itself infects one with a madness. The image says that they have heard this excuse before. It says that the only other choice is the “honorable choice”. Nebulon says never, and so the image says that Nebulon can remain on Earth till eternity’s end. The image disappears and Nebulon grimaces. He teleports inside Dr. Strange’s house. Wong tells Nebulon that Dr. Strange is not there. Nebulon starts smacking Wong around. He says that Wong will die as will Dr. Strange and the Defenders for defeating him. Nebulon composes himself. He puts Wong down and apologizes to him. He says that it isn’t Wong’s, or anyone’s, fault but his own. Nebulon teleports away. Later Nebulon sits alone in the Himilayas mountains on a snowy peak. Thor happens by. He sees that Nebulon is no normal mortal and says he would talk with him. Nebulon doesn’t move. Thor asks why he has come here. Nebulon says that he was asking himself that very question. Nebulon senses Thor’s uniqueness on Earth and tells Thor his tale. Thor tells Nebulon to come with him to meet the Avengers. Nebulon says that if the Avengers are anything like the Defenders that he has had enough of that. Thor says that is Nebulon is truly repentant that the Avengers will aid him. Nebulon agrees and holds onto Thor’s hand as Thor flies away. Supernalia, a female version of Nebulon, watches on in frustration as Nebulon flies away. She teleports away. Later Thor calls an emergency meeting. Thor and Nebulon teleport in. Iron Man freaks and Nebulon says they are reacting exactly as he predicted. Captain America and Wasp calm Iron Man down. Thor tells Nebulon’s story and the Avengers decide to give Nebulon a chance. The Defenders show up and say that Nebulon is using a mind control trick on them, but really it is Supernalia that is mind controlling them. A fight breaks out. Watching elsewhere the female Nebulon cries as she watches the fight. The Avengers realize that the Defenders are the ones being controlled. They retreat to look for the villain. Nebulon teleports them back to the Himilayas, but Supernalia sends the Defenders after them. Nebulon is weakened by the teleporting, but he steps up to fight. Surfer reveals that Supernalia sent them. Gargoyle strikes Nebulon unconscious with a blast. Nebulon wakes up as the Avengers and Defenders are fighting. Everyone has beaten each other except Captain America and Beast. Cap breaks Beast’s mind control. Nebulon shouts to Supernalia that she has lost. Supernalia appears before them. Nebulon says that this is no way for a wife to act. Supernalia says that she came about to restore Nebulon’s honor by causing his death that he himself would not choose. Nebulon says there people’s ideas about honor are archiac. He says that he now dreams for more because he at last has friends. Supernalia says he still dreams of conquest. She reveals the machine Nebulon had hidden in the Himilayas that absorbs power for him. Nebulon says he wanted their friendship, but he knew he would never be happy without power. Nebulon hits Captain America and Beast. Beast asks for Supernalia’s help. Supernalia says that she is not allowed to interfere. Beast says that she already has interfered. Supernalia realizes he is right and chooses honorable death. Nebulon stops her and tells her to be his queen. Captain America points Nebulon’s machine at Nebulon. The Avengers quickly realize that Nebulon is dying. They try to save him, but Supernalia stops them. She joins Nebulon in death. Nebulon says that he sees now that Supernalia is right, and that the honorable death is the right thing to do. They revert to their true forms as they die.
Avengers #353- Nebulon is re-animated by the Grim Reaper to be part of his Legion of the Unliving. Nebulon fights Sersi. He enjoys it when she blasts him with energy. It gives him strength. Nebulon takes a swing at Sersi. He chokes her.
Avengers #354- Sersi realizes that her blasts are only making Nebulon stronger. She decides to try molecular transformation. She tries to change Nebulon into a rat, a pig, and a frog, but each time Nebulon transforms himself back as he is a shape-shifter. When Grim Reaper remembers that the Avengers didn't kill him, but that he leapt to his death the "Legion's" souls are freed. They gather to get revenge on Reaper for taking them out of the abyss and making them follow him. Lloigoroth, who gave Reaper his power, reclaims him.
Speculation---------
Defenders vol. 2 #8- On Trellnax-3, as the Defenders walk away a shadowed figure watches them from behind a curtain. He asks if his eyes are deceiving him, or if the Defenders are truly there. Later as the Defenders celebrate the cloaked figure continues to watch the Defenders from a table as he drinks from a mug. He wonders if the Defenders might prove useful to him.
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