Karlin Malus (Earth-616)

Dr. Karl Malus
Name	Karlin "Karl" Malus
Aliases	Codenames: Carnage Other Aliases: Superior Carnage
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Ravencroft Institute Formerly Frightful Four, Power Broker, Inc., Corporation, Institute for Supranormality Research; employed by the Fly, Power Man, creator of Armadillo, Ms. Marvel, and most of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
Host of	Carnage (former symbiote; genetic contributor)
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	5′9″ (1.75 m)
Weight	155 lbs (70.31 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Brown
Hair	Black
Skin	Red (when in symbiote form)
Unusual Features	Can change his own appearance, growing fanged jaws, a long prehensile tongue and claws
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human/Symbiote hybrid
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Mud Butte, South Dakota
Personal Information
Identity	No Dual
Citizenship	American
Occupation	Criminal scientist; former surgeon, researcher, founder of Institute for Supranormality Research
Education	BS in biology from University of California, MD specializing in surgery, Master's degree in biochemistry, advanced studies in multiple scientific fields
Base of Operations	New York City, New York Formerly Los Angeles, California
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Michael Fleisher, Steve Leialoha
First	Spider-Woman #30 (June, 1980)
First	Spider-Woman #30 (June, 1980)

History

Early Life

Karl Malus was born and raised in Mud Butte, South Dakota. From an early age, he displayed remarkable intelligence and a prodigious aptitude for science. However, his brilliance was coupled with a lack of empathy and a deeply ingrained sociopathic streak. Malus cared only for scientific advancement, showing no regard for ethics, morality, or the well-being of others. Thanks to his academic excellence, Malus earned a scholarship and attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he received a Bachelor of Science in biology. He later earned a Doctor of Medicine degree with a specialization in surgery, followed by a Master's degree in biochemistry. Malus was fascinated by the subject of superhuman powers since the first time he read a newspaper account of the superhero team Fantastic Four. Upon graduating with a degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, he applied to various institutions for a grant to study supernormal capacities in depth.

Institute for Supranormality Research

Unable to get any funding through legal means, Malus contacted certain wealthy investors active in the Los Angeles underworld. They set him up with a laboratory facility he immodestly called the Institute for Supranormality Research, despite the fact that he comprised its entire staff. The underworld provided him with human test subjects to experiment upon, usually individuals the mob sought to liquidate. Malus hoped eventually to find an individual who already had superhuman powers he could study. In the course of research, Malus came up with a number of special toxins and other chemical-based weaponry which he sold to such Los Angeles criminals as the Enforcer.

Spider-Woman

Malus' first recorded encounter with a superhuman being occurred when the criminal Fly sought out Malus to bolster his waning powers. Malus sent the Fly to steal some special equipment, but the theft led the Fly into battle with Spider-Woman. Malus then became determined to transfer the Spider-Woman's powers into the Fly. He lured her to his laboratory by stealing the comatose body of the Spider-Woman's then-partner, criminologist Scott McDowell, who had been stricken by one of the Enforcer's toxic bullets. After the Spider-Woman defeated the Fly, Malus offered to resuscitate McDowell in exchange for lenient treatment. While reviving him, Malus injected McDowell with an extract of the Fly's blood, which days later caused McDowell's body to temporarily develop a certain amount of the Fly's superhuman powers. McDowell donned a costume Malus anonymously sent him and for several days wore it, calling himself the Hornet. Malus wanted McDowell to capture the Spider-Woman for study, but the ploy failed, and McDowell eventually returned to normal. About the same time, Jack Russell, unaware of Malus 's criminal connections, contacted Malus in hope of finding a chemical means to curb his rampages as a werewolf on the three nights of the full moon. Malus instead placed a control-collar device on him which enabled him to force the Werewolf to battle Spider-Woman. When Spider-Woman freed the Werewolf, he attacked Malus, wounding him.

Continued Experiments

While conducting augmentation experiments, Malus managed to restore the superhuman Daddy Longlegs to his original size. In doing so, Malus gained knowledge of Pym Particles, enabling him to manipulate size-altering technology. Soon after, Malus was approached by the criminal Erik Josten, who sought to regain his lost strength. After extensive testing, Malus was not only able to restore Josten's strength but also used Pym Particles to endow him with the ability to grow in size. Josten adopted the alias Goliat. However, when Malus attempted to recruit him for criminal ventures, Goliath refused, deciding he no longer needed anyone’s help. Following Goliath's eventual defeat by the West Coast Avengers, Malus lamented the failure as a wasted effort. Later, Malus was approached by Antonio Rodriguez, who was desperate to find a cure for his wife Bonita's paralysis. Malus agreed, but only on the condition that Antonio submit to experimentation himself. Using gene splicing techniques, Malus transformed Antonio into the monstrous Armadillo. Malus then ordered Armadillo to infiltrate Avengers Compound and retrieve Goliath. When Armadillo failed to secure the necessary Pym Particles and returned empty-handed, he unknowingly led Captain America to Malus laboratory. Malus threatened Bonita’s life to coerce Cap into surrendering, but Cap acted swiftly, hurling his shield and breaking Malus’ left arm. Malus was taken into custody.

Power Broker Inc.

While incarcerated, Malus was contacted by Power Broker, Inc., a company specialising in the creation of superhuman operatives-for-hire. In exchange for his freedom, Malus agreed to work for them. Power Broker Inc. supplied him and his team with a steady flow of test subjects, many of whom were professional wrestlers hoping to gain enough strength to compete in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF). To ensure their long-term dependence, Malus administered a synthetic, highly addictive drug during the augmentation process. Clients were told that without regular doses they would die, when in reality they would suffer only extreme withdrawal. Wrestlers who kept up with their payments received continued access to the drug, securing Power Broker Inc.'s control over them. One such subject, Sharon Ventura, approached Malus in the hopes of gaining powers to join the Grapplers. Although she successfully underwent augmentation, she broke free before Malus could administer the addictive drug. Using her newfound strength, she escaped the facility, encountering several failed and mutated test subjects along the way.

During an investigation into the Power Broker's operations, Captain America infiltrated one of the clinics run by Malus, but was quickly overpowered by security. Malus attempted to kill him by placing him in the augmentation chamber, overloading his muscle growth in an attempt to make them burst. However, he was saved by D-Man, who then took Malus hostage. With Malus in custody, Cap forced him to give a tour of the facility. When agents from the Power Broker's "Sweatshop" arrived, Cap dragged Malus into the sewers to avoid capture. There, Malus revealed that failed augmentation test subjects had been dumped in the sewer system. The pair were attacked by the monstrous subjects, and Malus used the distraction to flee through a drainage pipe. Malus was soon recaptured by the Night Shift and compelled to assist them and Captain America in storming the Power Broker's headquarters. During the mission, Malus was forced to monitor D-Man's health after he suffered a heart attack. Following the raid, Malus was handed over to the authorities. Later, when the Power Broker was bedridden due to the effects of his own augmentation, Malus resumed operations under his employer's directive. He instructed Bludgeon and Mangler to abduct Vagabond, a woman who had once befriended the Power Broker. Malus fitted her with an explosive bracelet and forced her to obtain the Power Broker’s fingerprints using an epidermold, hoping to access his employer’s secure vault. After complying, Vagabond demanded Malus remove the bracelet in private. There, she overpowered him, destroyed the mold, and contacted U.S. Agent, who arrested Malus and his operatives.

Malus next resurfaced working independently, sending his superhuman enforcers, the Power Tools, to abduct Madcap for experimentation. He also expressed interest in studying Daredevil. Instead, Hawkeye responded to the situation, freeing Madcap and defeating the Power Tools. Malus escaped by initiating his lab's self-destruct sequence. Malus had previously attempted to steal the Power Broker's fingerprints. In retaliation, the Power Broker had Malus’ legs broken. Nonetheless, Malus was retained to run a new project attempting to cure the Power Broker's condition by experimenting on former augmentation subjects. He dispatched the Power Tools to recover them. Among those recaptured were the Red Zeppelin and Battlestar, both of whom were experimented upon. As Malus made apparent progress, Battlestar escaped and threatened his life. Before Malus could be harmed, U.S. Agent arrived and subdued the Power Tools. He then forced Malus to reverse the augmentations performed on the victims and destroyed the augmentation machinery. Malus eventually established a new clinic in Florida, entering a deal with crime boss Armando Aviles to create augmented boxers for illegal matches in Puerto Rico. One of his subjects, Roberto Velasquez, became the super-powered fighter known as Bantam.Captain America exposed Malus' operation by posing as a former client. Though Malus quickly realised the ruse, he was interrupted by a vengeful Bantam. Malus attempted to flee with his associate Cruz, but both were taken down by Captain America. Bantam subsequently defeated Malus’ enforcer Hammerhand.

The Corporation

It was revealed that a faction of the Corporation had reorganized under the leadership of Malus, establishing a new base of operations in Taylor, Mississippi, located in the American Midwest. Malus delivered the Corporation's quarterly report, proudly announcing their increased profits through the development of superhuman assets. Among their most lucrative investments was a private strike team known as the Assassination Nation, composed of Contract, Kickback, Manslaughter, and Troubleshooter. Malus emphasized the necessity of keeping the Corporation's activities hidden, branding them "America's best-kept secret." Malus initiated a plan to transform James Lucas Jr. into their next enhanced operative, codenamed Coldfire. However, complications arose when the Corporation captured the Agent, prompting his father, the Tinkerer, to recruit Luke Cage James' brother to rescue him. Working alongside private investigator Dakota North, Cage infiltrated the Corporation’s facility, where he successfully freed both the Agent and his own father, James Lucas Sr., who had been kidnapped to force Coldfire's obedience. Upon discovering the Corporation’s use of his father as leverage, Coldfire rebelled, turning against Malus and the organization. In the ensuing chaos, Coldfire seemingly sacrificed himself to destroy the Corporation’s headquarters, though many of its agents managed to escape.

Maggia

Malus was hired by the Maggia to assist in subjugating Atlas and Wonder Man using an ion ray machine originally developed by Baron Zemo at his South American facility. However, the lab was raided by the Thunderbolts and Black Widow, who captured Malus before his bodyguard Cyclone could extract him. Malus agreed to cooperate with the authorities in exchange for a reduced sentence. He assisted the Avengers, Thunderbolts, and Madame Masque in developing the Ion Lock, a device capable of dampening the powers of Count Nefaria. Dr. Malus was later investigated by Quasimodo on behalf of Norman Osborn during the Dark Reign period.

Area 501

It was revealed that Nick Fury had made a covert arrangement with Malus and Power Broker, Inc. In the same issue, Malus operated out of Area 501 Laboratories, where he used Power Broker technology to mutate former special forces operative Dave Rickford into a new Captain America under Fury's supervision. After testing Rickford’s abilities, Malus and Fury vanished, leaving him vulnerable to abduction by A.I.M. agents. Rickford was later rescued by Steve Rogers, and Sharon Carter discovered Fury’s manipulation of Rickford to prompt Rogers into reclaiming the Captain America identity.

While working with Power Broker, Inc., Malus partnered with Angela Golden to oversee the research of Dr. Forrest. Malus intended to create superhuman infants, but Forrest's innovative method of genetically enhancing women directly rendered Malus' work obsolete. After a confrontation with Malus, Golden allied with Forrest to continue the experiments independently, excluding Malus from the project.

As Carnage

Superior Carnage

Dr. Malus was recruited by The Wizard to be the newest member of the Frightful Four; however, after Carnage resisted The Wizard's attempts to control him, both The Wizard and Klaw subdued Dr. Malus long enough to transfer the symbiote into his more easily controllable brain.

Along with a new "superior" Carnage, the villains attacked the City Hall in order to take over New York, but they found themselves up against the Superior Spider-Man. During the battle, The Wizard lost control over Carnage, and Malus went rogue. Using a vibranium blade he found in The Wizard's hideout, Carnage stabbed Klaw in revenge. The disruption of Klaw's sonic body caused by the vibrainum made the villain explode, blasting the symbiote off of Malus in the process. The Carnage symbiote subsequently bonded to the Wizard and vengefully devoured Malus, seemingly killing him.

Symbiote hybrid

Remarkably, Malus survived being ingested by the symbiote, and instead gestated inside its digestive track and emerged as a human/symbiote hybrid. He continued his experiments on human subjects, as an employee of the Serpent Solutions.

Most of his subjects were illegal immigrants, captured by the Sons of the Serpent in the Mexican/American border. These individuals were later brought to New York, where Malus experimented on them, turning them into animal hybrids. When Captain America (Sam Wilson) tracked his operations down, Malus used his symbiotic abilities to capture him and turn him into "Cap-Wolf." After being liberated from Malus' old warehouse by Misty Knight, Captain America followed him and subdued him, taking advantage of the symbiotes' natural weakness against high pitched sounds by using his companion Redwing's sonic cannon.

Some time later, Malus was hired by Wilson Fisk to work as a physician at the rebuilt Ravencroft Institute.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

Symbiote Hybrid Physiology: After being ingested by the Carnage symbiote, Karl Malus was transformed into a Human/Symbiote hybrid. This restored his ability to walk, and enabled him to transform into a monstrous form with abilities similar to those of a Symbiote bonded to a human host:

• Superhuman Strength
• Superhuman Speed
• Superhuman Stamina
• Superhuman Agility
• Superhuman Reflexes
• Regenerative Healing Factor
• Superhuman Durability
• Constituent Matter Generation
• Constituent Matter Manipulation

Abilities

Skilled Biologist

Weaknesses

Sonic and Heat: Like most Symbiotes, Malus is vulnerable to extremely loud noises and fire.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Former Equipment

Carnage symbiote

Notes

• Avengers: West Coast #76 reveals that Night Shift recruited one of Malus' failed augmentation patients, Misfit (Mitchell Godey), into their ranks following Captain America #331; he is presumably present but unseen in Captain America #329.

Trivia

• Malus favors tea with milk and sugar.

See Also

• 38 appearance(s) of Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 7 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 9 mention(s) of Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 7 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 20 image(s) of Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 1 quotation(s) by or about Karlin Malus (Earth-616)
• 1 victim(s) killed by Karlin Malus (Earth-616)