Drax the Destroyer

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Drax the Destroyer
195x450px
Drax the Destroyer.
Art by Gabriele Dell'Otto.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Iron Man #55 (February 1973)
Created by Mike Friedrich
Jim Starlin
In-story information
Alter ego Arthur Sampson Douglas
Team affiliations Guardians of the Galaxy
Infinity Watch
Legion of the Unliving
Secret Defenders
United Front
Abilities Superhuman strength and endurance
Flight
Energy blast projection
Highly skilled in use of knives
Ability to sense Thanos' location
Psychic detection of others

Drax the Destroyer (Arthur Douglas) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Mike Friedrich and writer/artist Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in Iron Man #55 (February 1973).

Arthur Douglas was a human whose family was attacked and killed by the supervillain Thanos. Needing a champion to combat Thanos, the being known as Kronos took Arthur's spirit and placed it in a powerful new body, and Drax the Destroyer was born. Drax's powers included enhanced strength and resilience, flight, and the ability to project energy blasts from his hands. The character often battled Thanos, and on occasion the superheroes Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock. He was also a member of the group known as the Infinity Watch.

In 2004, the character lost his flight and energy blasts, and a portion of his strength and resilience. This version of the character played a role in the crossover comic book storylines "Annihilation" and "Annihilation: Conquest", and became a member of the relaunched Guardians of the Galaxy. He has been featured in a variety of associated Marvel merchandise, including animated television series, action figures, and video games. Drax appears in the 2014 live-action film Guardians of the Galaxy, portrayed by Dave Bautista.

Publication history

Drax first appeared in Iron Man #55 (February 1973), and was created by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin. He had a recurring role in Captain Marvel vol. 1 beginning with issue #27 (July 1973). He also appeared in Warlock #10 (December 1975), Iron Man #88 (July 1976), Warlock #15 (November 1976), Logan's Run #6 (June 1977), Thor #314 (December 1981), and Avengers #219 (May 1982), before being killed by Moondragon in Avengers #220 (June 1982).

Starlin resurrected Drax in Silver Surfer vol 3 #35 (1990), and he had a recurring role until issue 50. After appearing in The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 (1991), he was featured in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1-42 (1992–1995) as a member of the titular team, the Infinity Watch. The character reappeared in Warlock vol. 3 #1-4 (1998-1999) and Captain Marvel vol. 4 #4-6 (2001).

Drax received an eponymous 4 issue miniseries in 2004, and was a starring character in Annihilation: Nova #1-4 (2005) and Annihilation #1-6 (2006). After a follow up appearance in Nova vol 4 #4-7 (2007) and the 2008 "Annihilation: Conquest" storyline, he was featured as a team member in the 2008 relaunch of Guardians of the Galaxy, and appeared in the 25 issue series of the same name. The character had a small role in The Thanos Imperative #1-3 (2010), in which he was killed.

The character reappeared in Avengers Assemble issues #4-8 (June–October 2012), with no reference to his death. He will star in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3, a part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch.[1]

Fictional character biography

Creation and early life

While driving through a desert with his wife and daughter, Arthur Douglas' car is attacked by a spaceship piloted by Thanos, who thinks the humans have seen him.[2] His daughter, Heather, survives the crash and is adopted by Thanos' father, Mentor, and raised on Titan. She later becomes Moondragon.[3]

Drax (left) on the cover of Captain Marvel #58 (September 1978). Art by Dave Cockrum.

Needing a champion to combat the threat from Thanos, Mentor and the Titan god Kronos capture Douglas' spirit and place it in a powerful new body. He is rechristened "Drax the Destroyer," and his sole purpose is to kill Thanos. With Iron Man, Drax battles Thanos and the Blood Brothers,[4] but Thanos escapes. While trying to prevent Thanos from getting the Cosmic Cube,[5] Drax's memories are restored to him.[2] After seeing Captain Marvel defeat Thanos,[6] Drax attacks Captain Marvel, for robbing him of his purpose.[7] Drax wanders space in grim contemplation, searching for a resurrected Thanos. By the time he learns that Thanos had managed to rematerialize himself, Thanos has once again been destroyed in battle with Captain Marvel, the Avengers, and Adam Warlock.[8][9] Alongside Captain Marvel, Drax battles ISAAC, Stellarax, Lord Gaea, Elysius, and Chaos.[10][11]

Some time later, Drax, possessed by an alien entity, battles his daughter Moondragon and the superhero Thor. After Drax recovers, he and Moondragon journey through space in search of knowledge.[12] Eventually, they come upon the planet Ba-Banis, a world of humanoid aliens caught in a vast civil war. Moondragon uses her mental powers to quell the conflict and then decides to set herself up as the world's goddess. Drax recognizes that her ambitions are ignoble and so sends their ship to Earth with a holographic distress message. The Avengers respond and discover Moondragon's world of mentally enforced tranquility.[13] Freed by the Avengers from his daughter's mental domination, Drax advances toward her, seeking to end her menace. In order to stop him, Moondragon mentally forces Drax's life essence to vacate his artificial body.[14]

Infinity Watch

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: Infinity Watch

When Thanos is resurrected by Mistress Death, Kronos reanimates the Destroyer and grants him even greater physical power.[15] However, Kronos does not consider the effects of Drax's death, and the Destroyer's mind retains the damage done by Moondragon. Alongside a multitude of other heroes, Drax helps battle Thanos and Nebula for possession of the Infinity Gauntlet.[16] Drax is chosen by Adam Warlock to safeguard the Power Gem as part of the Infinity Watch.[17]

After the energy vampire Rune steals the gems,[18] the Watch members go their separate ways.[19] Drax returns to Titan with Moondragon, who successfully petitions Kronos to restore Drax's mind to its former acuity at the cost of some physical power. Thus, Drax is restored to his original condition.[20] Drax is accused of the murder of Elysius and several others, but is cleared when it is discovered that the creature Syphon was manipulating him.[21] While seeking out Moondragon, Drax enters into an altercation with Genis-Vell.[22] In the course of this struggle, Drax is transported to the Microverse with Genis, where, for a time, he finds acceptance and happiness on the planet K'ai.[23]

Reborn

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main articles: Annihilation (comics) and Annihilation: Conquest

Later, Drax is seen on a prison transport ship with Paibok, Lunatik, and the Blood Brothers. The ship crashes in Alaska, and Drax attacks the others to keep them from harming innocent lives.[24] He mistakes a young girl named Cammi for his daughter, and tries to protect her from Paibok. Drax appears to be killed, but a slimmer, smarter Drax emerges from the larger shell of the dead body.[25] When a second prison ship arrives to recapture the prisoners, both Drax and Cammi are arrested.[26]

Surviving Annihilus' attack on the intergalactic prison known as the Kyln, Drax and Cammi team up with the last member of the Xandarian Nova Corps, Richard Rider. Together they fight against the advancing Annihilation Wave as Drax trains Nova to be a warrior.[27] Drax learns that Thanos has taken Moondragon hostage, and that she will be killed if Drax pursues him.[28] During a doomed battle between the Annihilation Wave and the United Front, Drax stays behind to fight off the invaders while Nova and the rest of the group (including Cammi) finish the evacuation.[29] Drax fights his way to the Annihilation Wave's mother ship, where he finds Thanos and kills him. Drax helps to free a captive Galactus, who teleports Moondragon and Drax to a far-off planet to spare them from his wrath on the Annihilation Wave.[30] Afterwards, Moondragon says Drax just "disappeared". Cammi is later seen, alive, allied with one of Thanos' powerful, miniature assistants.[31]

When the Phalanx invade the Kree home-world, Drax is assimilated as a "select" of the Phalanx hive mind. They dispatch him, along with Gamora, to apprehend Nova, who had fled the planet.[32] Following Nova to Kvch, the home planet the Technarchy (parental race of the Phalanx), Drax and Gamora are freed from the Phalanx by the Technarch Tyro. Together they return to Hala where they help in the defeat of Ultron.[33]

Guardians of the Galaxy

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 team)

Star-Lord recruits Drax for the new Guardians of the Galaxy.[34] The Guardians are forced to ally themselves with a resurrected Thanos and travel into an alternate reality known as the "Cancerverse".[35] While experiencing a bout of madness, Drax attacks Thanos and is killed.[36] Drax later reappears with the Guardians on Earth without reference to his death.[37][38]

Powers and abilities

Drax's powers initially included superhuman strength, stamina and resistance to physical injury as well the ability to project concussive blasts of cosmic energy from his hands. He can also travel at high speeds in outer space and hyperspace without air, food, or water. Drax also possessed the ability to sense the presence of Thanos across vast distances.

After his resurrection, his physical capabilities are greatly enhanced beyond their original levels but he suffered severe mental disability in his new incarnation.[15] Instead of his ability to sense Thanos across vast distances, he now possessed the ability to sense when beings have been in recent contact with Thanos, and a precognitive ability to sense when beings will be in contact with Thanos in the near future. For a time, Drax possessed the Power Gem that had the potential to grant him superhuman physical powers with no feasible limit. However, because of his severely reduced intellect, he lacked the mental capacity and imagination to use the gem for anything other than bolstering his physical strength. While possessing the gem, Drax's strength has been compared with that of the merged incarnation of the Hulk, but lacking the latter's rage-fueled potential.

Just prior to the 2006 "Annihilation" mini-series and continuing through the present, Drax undergoes a physical change resulting in a much smaller physical form, his superhuman physical powers greatly reduced to a level comparable to those of his original form and the loss of his energy projection and flight capabilities. However, his intellect has returned to its original level, and he has taken a liking to using knives in battle.[26][27] At least temporarily, he had the ability to pass through Thanos' force field; his power levels seem to increase the closer he is to Thanos.[39]

In other media

Television

  • Drax the Destroyer appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Guardians of the Galaxy", voiced by David Sobolov. He is seen as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. In the episode "The Return of the Guardians of the Galaxy", Drax the Destroyer was seen recuperating on the Guardians' spaceship when they land on Earth at the time when Titus and the Chitauri target Nova's helmet. Drax the Destroyer recovers in time to help fight Titus's forces.
  • Drax the Destroyer appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "Guardians and Spaceknights", voiced again by David Sobolov.

Film

File:Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer.jpg
Dave Bautista as Drax in a character poster for the 2014 film, Guardians of the Galaxy.
  • Dave Bautista plays Drax in the live-action 2014 Marvel Studios film Guardians of the Galaxy.[42] In the film, Drax is an alien whose family was slaughtered by Ronan the Accuser. Vowing revenge prior to his imprisonment, Drax attempts to kill Gamora. He only decides against doing so when Peter Quill convinces him that keeping her alive will lure Ronan, his real target, to him, and then he can have his revenge. However, when Ronan, seeking both Gamora and the Infinity Stone, catches up with the yet-to-be-formed Guardians on Knowhere, Drax is quickly overpowered and nearly killed, and Ronan leaves with the Stone. Groot saves Drax's life, helping him realize that Groot, Rocket, and the other soon-to-be-Guardians are the only true friends he has. After helping the raccoon-tree duo save Star-Lord and Gamora from the Ravagers, he joins with the four of them in their plan to stop Ronan. Despite earlier being outmatched by the Accuser himself, Drax easily defeats many of Ronan's soldiers with his strength, skill, and signature dual knives. At the climax of the film, he joins with Star-Lord, Gamora, and Rocket in wielding the Infinity Stone to vanquish Ronan. Afterwards, he confides in Gamora that his revenge must extend to Thanos, but she assures him that his family has been avenged and will rest in peace. He departs from Xandar on the Milano (Quill's spacecraft) with the other Guardians of the Galaxy.

Video games

  • Drax makes a cameo appearance as he is seen as frozen statues in the backgrounds of Thanos stages in Marvel Super Heroes. Once Thanos is defeated by any of the superheroes, he is unfrozen and the heroes are saved.
  • Drax is a non-playable Team-Up character in Marvel Heroes. He can be called in to assist heroes in combat if purchased or unlocked.
  • Drax is an unlockable and playable character in the game Marvel Contest of Champions, along with other Guardians of the Galaxy members like Gamora, Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jim Starlin, Mike Friedrich (w), Jim Starlin (p), Dan Green (i). "Thanos The Insane God!" Captain Marvel 32 (May 1974), Marvel Comics
  3. ↑ Steve Gerber (w), Bob Brown (p), Sal Buscema (i). "Blind Man's Bluff!" Daredevil 107 (January 1974), Marvel Comics
  4. ↑ Jim Starlin, Mike Friedrich (w), Jim Starlin (p), Mike Esposito (i). "Beware the... Blood Brothers!" Iron Man 55 (February 1973), Marvel Comics
  5. ↑ Mike Friedrich, Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Pablo Marcos (i). "Trapped On Titan!" Captain Marvel 27 (July 1973), Marvel Comics
    Mike Friedrich, Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Dan Green (i). "When Titans Collide!" Captain Marvel 28 (September 1973), Marvel Comics
    Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Al Milgrom (i). "Metamorphosis!" Captain Marvel 29 (November 1973), Marvel Comics
    Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Al Milgrom (i). "...To Be Free From Control!" Captain Marvel 30 (January 1974), Marvel Comics
    Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Dan Green, Al Milgrom (i). "The Beginning of the End!" Captain Marvel 31 (March 1974), Marvel Comics
  6. ↑ Jim Starlin, Steve Englehart (w), Jim Starlin (p), Klaus Janson (i). "The God Himself" Captain Marvel 33 (July 1974), Marvel Comics
  7. ↑ Steve Englehart (w), Al Milgrom (p), Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia (i). "Shoot-Out At The O.K. Space Station!" Captain Marvel 42 (January 1976), Marvel Comics
    Steve Englehart (w), Al Milgrom (p). "Destroy! Destroy!" Captain Marvel 43 (March 1976), Marvel Comics
    Steve Englehart (w), Al Milgrom (p). "Death Throws!" Captain Marvel 44 (May 1976), Marvel Comics
  8. ↑ Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bob McLeod (i). "A Destroyer--Denied!" Captain Marvel 58 (September 1978), Marvel Comics
  9. ↑ Jim Starlin (w), Jim Starlin (p), Josef Rubinstein (i). "Death Watch!" Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2 (December 1977), Marvel Comics
  10. ↑ Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "The Trouble with Titan..." Captain Marvel 59 (November 1978), Marvel Comics
    Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "Moon-Traps And Paradise" Captain Marvel 60 (January 1979), Marvel Comics
    Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "Chaos And The Pit!" Captain Marvel 61 (March 1979), Marvel Comics
    Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "Earth Skirmish" Captain Marvel 62 (May 1979), Marvel Comics
  11. ↑ Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "The Saturn Storm!" Marvel Spotlight v2, 1 (July 1979), Marvel Comics
    Doug Moench (w), Pat Broderick (p), Bruce D. Patterson (i). "The Dark Corners!" Marvel Spotlight v2, 2 (September 1979), Marvel Comics
  12. ↑ Doug Moench (w), Keith Pollard (p), Dan Green, Pablo Marcos (i). "Acts of Destruction" Thor 314 (December 1981), Marvel Comics
  13. ↑ Jim Shooter (w), Bob Hall (p), Vince Colletta, Dan Green, Al Milgrom (i). "... By Divine Right!" The Avengers 219 (May 1982), Marvel Comics
  14. ↑ Jim Shooter (w), Bob Hall (p), Dan Green (i). "War Against the Gods!" The Avengers 220 (June 1982), Marvel Comics
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jim Starlin (w), Ron Lim (p), Tom Christopher (i). "The Name Is Thanos!!" Silver Surfer v3, 35 (March 1990), Marvel Comics
  16. ↑ Jim Starlin (w), Ron Lim (p), Josef Rubinstein (i). "The Final Confrontation" The Infinity Gauntlet 6 (December 1991), Marvel Comics
  17. ↑ Jim Starlin (w), Angel Medina (p), Terry Austin (i). "Gathering the Watch!" Warlock and the Infinity Watch 2 (March 1992), Marvel Comics
  18. ↑ Dan Danko, Chris Ulm (w), Henry Flint (p), Mark McKenna (i). "Into Infinity" Rune/Silver Surfer 1 (April 1995), Malibu Comics
  19. ↑ John Arcudi (w), Mike Gustovich (p), Keith Williams (i). "Win, Lose, Draw!" Warlock and the Infinity Watch 42 (July 1995), Marvel Comics
  20. ↑ Barry Dutter (w), Dave Hoover (p). "Mind Body Soul" Cosmic Powers Unlimited 4 (February 1996), Marvel Comics
  21. ↑ Tom Lyle (w), Tom Lyle (p), Robert Jones (i). "Resurrection" Warlock v3, 1 (November 1998), Marvel Comics
    Tom Lyle (w), Tom Lyle (p), Robert Jones (i). "Afterlife" Warlock v3, 2 (December 1998), Marvel Comics
    Tom Lyle (w), Tom Lyle (p), Robert Jones (i). "Countdown to Destruction" Warlock v3, 3 (January 1999), Marvel Comics
    Tom Lyle (w), Tom Lyle (p), Robert Jones (i). "Endgame" Warlock v3, 4 (February 1999), Marvel Comics
  22. ↑ Peter David (w), Ron Lim (p), Mark McKenna, Mark Nelson (i). "Other Side of the Drax" Captain Marvel v4, 4 (April 2000), Marvel Comics
  23. ↑ Peter David (w), ChrisCross (p), Anibal Rodriguez (i). "It's A Small Universe After All!" Captain Marvel v4, 6 (June 2000), Marvel Comics
    Peter David (w), ChrisCross (p), Anibal Rodriguez (i). "Night of the Comet, Man" Captain Marvel v4, 7 (July 2000), Marvel Comics
    Peter David (w), ChrisCross (p), Anibal Rodriguez (i). "Skrull & Crossbones" Captain Marvel v4, 8 (August 2000), Marvel Comics
  24. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Mitch Breitweiser (p). "Earthfall" Drax the Destroyer 1 (November 2005), Marvel Comics
  25. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Mitch Breitweiser (p). "From the Ashes" Drax the Destroyer 3 (January 2006), Marvel Comics
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Keith Giffen (w), Mitch Breitweiser (p). "Hard Penance" Drax the Destroyer 4 (February 2006), Marvel Comics
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Kev Walker (p), Rick Magyar (i). "Ten Minutes and Counting" Annihilation - Nova 4 (September 2006), Marvel Comics
  28. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Andrea Di Vito (p). "Blood and Thunder" Annihilation 1 (October 2006), Marvel Comics
  29. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Andrea Di Vito (p). "Desperate Measures" Annihilation 3 (December 2006), Marvel Comics
  30. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Andrea Di Vito (p). "Ascension" Annihilation 5 (January 2007), Marvel Comics
  31. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Andrea Di Vito (p). "Finale" Annihilation 6 (March 2007), Marvel Comics
  32. ↑ Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Sean Chan, Brian Denham (p), Scott Hanna (i). "Out" Nova v4, 7 (December 2007), Marvel Comics
  33. ↑ Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Tom Raney, Wellinton Alves (p), Scott Hanna (i). "Last Stand" Annihilation: Conquest 6 (June 2008), Marvel Comics
  34. ↑ Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Paul Pelletier (p), Rick Magyar (i). "Somebody's Got To Do It" Guardians of the Galaxy v2, 1 (July 2008), Marvel Comics
  35. ↑ Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Miguel Sepulveda (p). "The Thanos Imperative (Part 1 of 6)" The Thanos Imperative 1 (August 2010), Marvel Comics
  36. ↑ Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Miguel Sepulveda (p). "The Thanos Imperative (Part 3 of 6)" The Thanos Imperative 3 (October 2010), Marvel Comics
  37. ↑ Brian Michael Bendis (w), Mark Bagley (p), Danny Miki (i). "Zodiac, Part Four" Avengers Assemble v2, 4 (August 2012), Marvel Comics
  38. ↑ Brian Michael Bendis (w), Mark Bagley (p), Danny Miki (i). Avengers Assemble v2, 5 (September 2012), Marvel Comics
  39. ↑ Keith Giffen (w), Andrea Di Vito (p). "Revelation" Annihilation 4 (January 2007), Marvel Comics
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ September 27, 2015, "Watch: David Sobolov Guardians of the Galaxy Drax Interview", CosmicBookNews (accessed October 7, 2015)
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Drax_the_Destroyer&oldid=1318225"