Karnak () is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuted in Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #45 (1965) along with other members of the Inhuman Royal Family.
The character Karnak Mander-Azur was never exposed to the Terrigen Mists, so he never developed additional powers like other Inhumans, but he is a martial artist who can find the weakness in anything and then use his training and strength to exploit it. Although the Jack Kirby Collector described him as "a philosophical karate expert with nominal personality" in 2004, subsequent writers have made use of his skill for puzzle-solving and strategic-planning in Inhumans' stories, leading to him being given his first solo series in 2015, titled Karnak: The Flaw in All Things and written by Warren Ellis.
Karnak made his live-action debut in the 2017 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Inhumans, portrayed by Ken Leung.
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Publication history
Karnak first appeared in Fantastic Four #45, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, as part of their run on the title that helped lay the foundations for the Marvel Universe.
As a core member of the Inhumans, he has appeared in the group's own series over the years, including the 1998 Inhumans twelve-issue limited series by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, the Silent War mini-series by David Hine and Frazer Irving in 2007, and Secret Invasion: Inhumans in the following year.
Karnak is the narrator of Inhumanity #1 (February 2014) because his abilities gave writer Matt Fraction a way to frame the story:
I needed somebody who could put puzzles together. He sees the flaws in things. I needed the rest of the cast to put together what the hell Black Bolt and Maximus were up to. It's a way for everyone to puzzle it out with Karnak as he's putting it together. It's a way we can get into the story that's informative but sort of backwards.
Although he commits suicide at the end of that issue, he appears in the cliffhanger of Inhuman #13 (May 2015) saying he had found a weakness in the afterlife. This allowed writer Charles Soule to bring the character back, and he explained Karnak's importance:
Karnak is just such a unique, weird (in a good way) character. His power is the ability to see weakness and stress points in anything around him, which he then exploits either physically through his amazing kung fu-esque fighting skills, or mentally/strategically in his role as one of Queen Medusa's chief counselors. He tends to have a fascinating perspective on events, and adding his voice back into the mix of the "Inhuman" cast will open up some great new possibilities.
Karnak will get his first eponymous series as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel line emerging from 2015's "Secret Wars" storyline and the first issue of his series will feature a monster variant cover of Rommbu from Tales to Astonish #19 drawn by Eric Powell. Karnak is part of a wider push the Inhumans are getting across Marvel's media output - on television (in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), in film (with the upcoming Inhumans) and in print (with the A-N, A-DM relaunch including the team books All-New Inhumans and Uncanny Inhumans, alongside the other solo titles Ms. Marvel vol. 4 and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur). Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso has said that the specific series came about because "Nick Lowe was looking to build the Inhumans line with a solo book or two and suggested Karnak as a character to spotlight. I didn't need to be sold on Karnak, who's far and away my favorite Inhuman". They picked Warren Ellis to write the title because of his earlier stints at Marvel reworking their characters. Ellis, who is joined by Gerardo Zaffino on art duties, described what drew him to the character:
Fictional character biography
Karnak is a member of the Inhuman race, one of those who form the Inhuman Royal Family, born on the island of Attilan. Cousin of Black Bolt, king of the Inhumans, Karnak has the ability to find the weak point in any person, plan, or object. Thus, he is usually used as planner by the Inhumans. He also serves as a priest and philosopher to the Inhumans.
He is the brother of Triton, who endured Terrigenesis before he did. However, Triton's Terrigenesis was so extreme that his parents, Mander and Azur, begged that Karnak not have to endure the procedure. Instead, he was sent to a monastery, where he learned martial arts.
He is usually attended by his relatives, Gorgon and Triton. He has taken part in most of the Inhumans' adventures, such as the Kree-Skrull War, and the many moves of the Inhuman city of Attilan.
Karnak and the Royal Family encounter Maximus' creation, the Trikon, and are driven from Attilan's Great Refuge in exile.
Karnak first appeared as a member of the Inhumans when he attempted to retrieve his cousin and queen, Medusa from the outside world and take her back to Attilan. This led him into conflict with the Fantastic Four, the first humans he met, who were harboring Medusa after rescuing her from the villainous Frightful Four. Accordingly, Karnak is indirectly responsible for revealing Attilan's existence to the outside world. Karnak battled Maximus alongside the Inhuman Royal Family, and became trapped in Maximus' "negative zone" barrier around the Great Refuge. He was freed from the "negative zone" barrier along with the rest of the Inhumans by the Fantastic Four and left the Great Refuge with the Royal Family to visit the outside world. He teamed with the Thing, Human Torch, and Black Panther against the Psycho-Man. He aided the Inhuman Royal Family in defeating Maximus' next attempt to overthrow the Great Refuge.
Karnak left Earth with the Inhuman Royal Family to prevent the Kree subjugation of the Inhumans, and battled various aliens. He continued to battle Kree agents, and then returned to Earth. Karnak later accompanied the Inhuman exodus when Attilan was relocated to the Blue Area of Earth's Moon.
Powers and abilities
Karnak has enhanced strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes as a result of his genetically superior Inhuman physiology. Unlike most other Inhumans, he does not have superhuman powers because he was never exposed to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist. Instead, Karnak has the extrasensory ability (achieved through meditation and intensive training) to perceive stress points, fracture planes, or weaknesses in objects or living beings. He has complete voluntary control of most of his autonomic bodily functions. All striking surfaces of his body are extremely toughened. He is capable of shattering substances including mild steel and rendering superhuman opponents unconscious by striking them.
Like all Inhumans, Karnak's immune system is weaker than that of an average human.
Karnak has received his fighting skills as a result of Inhuman royal militia training. He also graduated from a monastery, at the Tower of Wisdom in Attilan, where he learned both philosophy and martial arts.
He uses a hover-platform for transportation designed by Inhuman technicians.
Other versions
Various alternate universe versions of Karnak have appeared throughout the character's publication history. In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Karnak is able to sense and manipulate energy. Triserinak, a composite character based on Karnak, Triton, and DC Comics character Serifan, appears in the Amalgam Comics universe.
In other media
Television
Karnak appears in The New Fantastic Four episode "Medusa and the Inhumans", voiced by John Stephenson.
Karnak appears in Fantastic Four, voiced by Clyde Kusatsu.
Karnak appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Inhuman Nature", voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
Karnak appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore.
Karnak appears in the Inhumans motion comic, voiced by Alex Zahara.
Karnak appears in Guardians of the Galaxy, voiced by Oliver Vaquer.
Karnak appears in Avengers Assemble, voiced again by Oliver Vaquer.
Karnak appears in Inhumans (2017), portrayed by Ken Leung. This version has the ability to predict the outcomes of every situation.
Karnak appears in Marvel Future Avengers, voiced by Hiroyuki Kinoshita in Japanese and Grant George in English.
Video games
Karnak appears as a non-playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Michael Gough.
Karnak appears as a playable character in Marvel Contest of Champions.
Karnak appears as a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.
Karnak appears as a playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.
Merchandise
Karnak appears as one of the 12 unique Heroclix figures included in the Marvel Supernova set.