Un-Men
The Un-Men are a group of fictional characters in the DC/Vertigo Comics universe. Created by the writer/artist team of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, the Un-Men made their first appearance in 1972, in issues #1–2 of the original Swamp Thing comic book series. The characters made subsequent appearances in later issues of Swamp Thing and its successor series, The Saga of the Swamp Thing , and in the 1994 five-issue Vertigo miniseries, American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men. In August 2007, Vertigo launched The Un-Men, a monthly comic book series chronicling the further exploits of these characters. 13 issues of that title were published.
History
Appearances in Swamp Thing comics
As described in Swamp Thing #2, the Un-Men are deformed, synthetic humanoids created by Anton Arcane. Unsuitable for Arcane's body-switching schemes, the Un-Men mindlessly serve their "master" as obedient henchmen. Arcane creates several groups of Un-Men throughout the years, with notable members including Ophidian, a centipede-like creature with hypnotic powers, and Cranius, a brain grafted to a large human hand.Swamp Thing #82–83 explores Arcane's early history as a battlefield medic for the German Army during World War I, where he creates prototype Un-Men by stitching together the body parts of dead soldiers.
''American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men'' miniseries
In 1994, Vertigo published a five-issue miniseries, American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men, written by Dave Louapre and illustrated by Vince Locke. American Freak focuses on a new set of characters, described as the offspring of the original Arcane Un-Men.The plot of American Freak revolves around Damien Kane, a second-generation Un-Man. Kane appears human until he turns 23 years of age, at which point he begins mutating. Kane frees himself, the second Un-Men, and the cryogenically frozen original Un-Men from captivity, after which they move to a former nuclear testing site.
Monthly series
A monthly series, written by John Whalen and illustrated by Mike Hawthorne, premiered in August 2007 and saw a 13-issue run. The first story arc takes place more than a decade after the founding of the Un-Men reservation in American Freak. Damien Kane has apparently died and his reservation has been taken over by the original Un-Men, led by Cranius. Under the control of Cranius, the reservation is turned into Aberrance U.S.A., a freak-themed tourist attraction. When a "natural-born" performing freak from Aberrance is murdered, Agent Kilcrop of the U.S. Department of Energy is called in to investigate.It is later revealed that Kane is alive, but has mutated into a mass of flesh and been captured by Cranius, who uses his regenerative properties to create the radical body modifications of his next-generation Un-Men. Kilcrop later destroys Kane and becomes Aberrance's chief of security. However, he is fired following his failure to contain Cranius' cadre of insectoid Un-Men.
''The New 52''
In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, the Un-Men are first seen accompanying Felix Faust, the Rotlings, and the rotted heroes and villains in the attack upon the Red. The Un-Men later engage Swamp Thing and the forces of the Green outside Anton Arcane's castle.Members
- Cranius – one of the original Un-Men
- Damien Kane
- Ophidian – one of the original Un-Men
- '''The Patchwork Man'''
In other media
Interviews
- , interview with John Whalen and Mike Hawthorne, Comic Book Resources, November 8, 2006
- , Newsarama, November 8, 2006
- , Newsarama, September 14, 2007
- , interview with John Whalen, Comics Bulletin, April 14, 2008
Category:Characters created by Len Wein
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1972
Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
Category:DC Comics supervillains
Category:DC Comics undead characters
Category:Fictional slaves
Category:Horror comics
Category:Vertigo Comics titles