A group of
outcast mutants in the
Marvel
Universe. They first appeared in
Uncanny X-Men #169.
In the Marvel Universe, human mutation has
reached a point where an offshoot of humanity
known as homo superior has emerged. These
mutants possess abilities and characteristics
that make them different from the rest of mankind.
Where some of these mutations are benificial, others
cause their bearer to become an outcast from the rest
of society. Many of these outcast mutants gathered
in the Alley, a series of tunnels beneath the island
of Manhattan originally designed for use in case of
a nuclear attack. These outcast mutants originally were
gathered together by Callisto, a female mutant, with
the help of Caliban, a mutant with the ability to
detect other mutants. Callisto organized these outcasts
in the Alley and dubbed them the Morlocks after the
underground race in H.G. Wells novel The Time Machine.
Over the years, the Morlocks came into conflict with another
group of mutants, Charles Xavier's X-Men, when
Callisto kidnapped the X-Man Angel to act as her
consort. The X-Men's leader Storm and Callisto fought
for leadership of the Morlocks, which Storm won.
Later, the Morlocks again came into conflict with the
X-Men when Kitty Pryde was nearly forced to
wed the Morlock Caliban in payment for saving
her teammate Colossus's life.
The Morlocks were later attacked and slain by a group of
mutants organized by Nathaniel Essex, the
mutant known as Mister Sinister. This so-called
Mutant Massacre cost many of the Morlocks their lives,
with a few being rescued by the future X-Man Gambit, who
was involved with Sinister in the planning of the
attack. Among those who Gambit saved was a young mutant
named Sarah, who would later become known as Marrow.
Marrow and a group of other mutants returned to the
Alley years later and began a campaign of terror, as they
attacked the people above ground. Again, the X-Men intervened
with Storm and Marrow fighting until Marrow was seemingly
killed by Storm.
Other members of the Morlocks are:
Ape
Tar Baby
The Healer
The Piper
Masque
Leech
Skids
Annalee
Sunder
Blow-Hard
Erg
Plague