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Romulus (comics)
Romulus (comics)
Romulus (comics)
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Romulus
Variant cover art for Wolverine: Origins #40.
Art by Simone Bianchi
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceWolverine (vol. 3) #50 (March 2007) (shadowed)
Wolverine: Origins #39 (August 2009) (Full appearance)
Created byJeph Loeb (writer)
Simone Bianchi (artist)
In-story information
SpeciesLupus sapiens (possible variant of Human Mutant)
Team affiliationsWeapon X
AbilitiesAdamantium laced skeleton and claws
Regenerative healing factor
Superhuman senses, strength, stamina, speed, agility, reflexes, endurance and longevity
Animalistic traits
Telepathy
Skilled combatant and strategist

Romulus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is featured in particular in those titles featuring Wolverine. He is the leader of the Lupines, a species resembling humans that he claims evolved from canines instead of primates through convergent evolution. A shadowy character whose origin and motives remain a mystery, he is shown to have orchestrated most major events in the life of Wolverine, manipulating and controlling him for most of his life.

Publication history

[edit]

Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Simone Bianchi, the character first appeared obscured by shadow in Wolverine (vol. 3) #50 (March 2007), and made his first full appearance in Wolverine: Origins #39 (August 2009).[1]

Fictional character biography

[edit]

Romulus is first seen in several flashbacks that Wolverine experiences, later explained by Wild Child to have been induced by Romulus himself. He is shown leading the Lupines in prehistoric[2] and barbaric[3] times, being an emperor in Ancient Rome,[4] as well as being the main force behind Weapon X.[5]

In the present, Romulus restored Feral and Thornn's feline look after their depowerment on M-Day, augmented Wild Child's powers greatly, and seemed to have erased all humanity from Sabretooth causing the latter's death at the hands of Wolverine (later it was revealed Sabretooth was a clone).[6] Romulus did all of this to reveal himself to Wolverine.

Romulus was also the one who took Daken from his dead mother's womb[7] and raised him as a ruthless killer. Nick Fury revealed to Wolverine that Romulus has been manipulating people from his family's bloodline for centuries, and that he plans for Daken to become the next-generation Weapon X.[8] This was achieved through Tinkerer who bonded the metal from the Muramasa blade to Daken's inner claws.[8] Daken hinted he complied with the process because of his own agenda. Romulus told Daken to kill all the Weapon X experiments that gave them a healing factor with his Muramasa claws. He killed every one except Deadpool.

He appears to have ties with Russian authorities, arranging Omega Red's transfer to a regular Russian prison to set a trap for Wolverine.[9] After Wolverine temporarily subdues Omega Red, he is captured by Wild Child, who reveals that Romulus made Logan and several villains battle each other, his agenda being vaguely described as him needing a successor. Moments after Wolverine uses the Muramasa blade to kill Omega Red, Romulus reveals himself in front of him, prepared for battle with four claws already extended (the three between the knuckles of his fingers and one extending from behind his thumb).[10] Wolverine attacks Romulus but is easily overpowered since he is only using the sword at this point. Romulus slashes and attacks Wolverine from the shadows as he reveals his plans. Telling Wolverine that everything has led up to this moment. Romulus is what Wolverine will become. Pushing Wolverine to the breaking point, he drops the sword and pops his claws, much to Romulus' amusement. However, Wolverine fights back and gains the upper hand and slashes at Romulus' hand, shattering what turned out to be a clawed gauntlet. Seeing that Romulus' claws are fake, Wolverine taunts him saying, "You're not what I'm gonna become... I'm what you've always wanted to be". Hearing this, Romulus blindly attacks Wolverine with his remaining claws only to be slashed open by Wolverine. Seemingly beaten, Romulus tells Wolverine that although he is at the top of the food chain, by making Daken in his own image, he has set the stage for a confrontation between Wolverine and his son. Only the most ruthless will survive. Only the one most like Romulus. Wolverine defeats Romulus, but leaves him alive saying that he will return when he is ready to finish the job.[11] As Wolverine turns his back, Romulus seizes the opportunity to knock Wolverine unconscious with his own sword.[volume & issue needed] Romulus then leaves, but not before telling Wolverine to keep the Muramasa blade: he will need it.[volume & issue needed] After his confrontation with Wolverine he coordinates a successful assassination in Tokyo from what seems to be his base of operations, a European-style castle.[volume & issue needed] It is here that Romulus first begins to doubt his own understanding of Wolverine's actions.[volume & issue needed]

Wolverine decides to confront Romulus one last time, using the help of various other heroes and his son Daken. In the end, as Daken is about to kill Romulus, Logan has Cloak teleport him into the Dark Force dimension. For a second Wolverine thinks he should behead Romulus, just like he did with Creed, but in the end he decides to leave him stranded in the Dark Force dimension.[12]

However, thanks to Sabretooth's blackmailing life of Dagger, Romulus gets free from his prison. After a losing fight against Romulus, a mysterious woman with long red hair appears and tells Wolverine that the answers that he seeks are at the Weapon X facility.[13] Following his fight with the Sabretooth clones, the mysterious woman appears to Wolverine again. She calls herself Remus and informs him that Romulus is her twin brother.[14] She aids Wolverine in his struggle against Romulus and Sabretooth all while providing Wolverine with information about Romulus. She reveals to Wolverine that Romulus' claim about certain mutants evolving from canines rather than apes (referring to the Lupine) is untrue which Wolverine had long since guessed. She further reveals that the whole "Lupine Sapiens" story was an elaborate hoax by her brother intended to be a ruse for his real goal of creating a master race of natural mutants artificially enhanced by a new type of adamantium created using vibranium illegally mined from Wakanda, using Wolverine as a template.

After tracking Romulus to his stronghold somewhere in Italy, Wolverine brutally attacks and incapacitates Sabretooth before confronting Romulus. Wolverine finds Romulus immersed within a tank similar to the one Wolverine was held in during the days of the Weapon X Program. Wolverine breaks open the tank and mutilates Romulus' face, revealing that the bones beneath have been bonded with adamantium. As Romulus heals, Wolverine asks what the purpose is of becoming an imitation of him. Romulus declares that he is not as he once was, as he has "taken the best from both Wolverine and Sabretooth". He reveals that he now has four adamantium claws from both his hands in exactly the same configuration he used on the gauntlets he wore.[15] Romulus and Wolverine resume their battle with Wolverine ultimately proving victorious, resulting in Romulus being remanded to the Raft.[16]

Romulus escaped from the Raft and joined forces with a mass of sentient Adamantine to destroy all traces of adamantium throughout the world. Believing that killing Wolverine will make himself a worthy champion for the Adamantine, Romulus has the metal possess and transform Cyber, Lady Deathstrike, Constrictor and Donald Pierce as its hosts and uses them to attack several adamantium factories throughout the United States to bait Wolverine. Romulus and the hosts confront Wolverine and Laura Kinney at a factory in Arizona and after dragging Logan into an underground cavern, he absorbs the Adamantine from the others to empower himself.[17] Romulus overwhelms Wolverine but after threatening to make Laura another host of the Adamantine, an enraged Logan stabs Romulus in the mouth. The Adamantine rejects Romulus and after taking human form, disappears with an unconscious Romulus.[18]

Powers and abilities

[edit]

Little is known about the full extent of Romulus's powers. Like Wolverine, Romulus' primary power is an accelerated healing factor that allows him to rapidly regenerate from injury. Romulus' healing factor grants him virtual immunity to known diseases and renders him highly resistant to most forms of drugs. It also affords him greatly extended longevity by slowing his natural aging process to an extraordinary degree as he claims to be tens of thousands of years old. However, Romulus is known to mix exaggeration and half truths in order to perpetuate the mystique surrounding him, though Romulus is ancient. Since the appearance of Remus, she has confirmed that Romulus is at least several thousand years old. While he shows signs of aging - most of his hair has gone white, he still has the physical vitality and overall appearance of his prime. Romulus' senses of sight, smell and hearing are also enhanced to unknown superhuman levels. While they constitute a separate power, their efficiency is still somewhat linked to his healing factor. He is strong enough to lift Wolverine by the arm over his head with one hand and hurl him across a room. Romulus' speed, agility, and reflexes are similarly enhanced. His healing factor grants him partial immunity to the fatigue toxins generated by his muscles during physical activity, so he has much greater stamina and endurance than an ordinary human. He can exert himself physically for at least several hours before the buildup of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him. He also possesses a single, retractable claw at the tip of each finger as well as elongated canine teeth. Romulus' claws are extremely sharp and are capable of cutting most known conventional materials and flesh.

Romulus displayed telepathic abilities during his encounters with Wolverine. He was able to enter Wolverine's mind and manipulate his memories - either creating false memories or to awakening suppressed ones. However, his telepathic powers are nowhere near the level of Charles Xavier, as Xavier used his powers to shield Wolverine's mind from Romulus' influence for years.

After his return from the Dark Dimension, Romulus underwent the process of bonding adamantium to his skeleton. As a result, his bones are now virtually indestructible. Romulus has also had four adamantium claws implanted into each arm that have the same configuration as the claws mounted onto his gloves. As with his skeleton, these claws are virtually unbreakable and can cut nearly any known substance.

Romulus is consistently depicted as being of exceptional stature, surpassing even Sabretooth in size. The font used for his words is unique, having a more ancient appearance than those of other characters. Although he often appears naked, he has been shown to wear clothes on several occasions, possibly making use of the fact that only a few living people can recognize him. Romulus has been seen wearing armor over his right knee which has a faint reminder of the adamantium armor worn by Cyber.

Skills

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Romulus is extremely intelligent with detailed knowledge of genetics and other areas of science. Romulus also controls a vast criminal empire spread throughout the world and has contacts throughout the criminal underworld. Romulus is also a master manipulator that prefers to work behind the scenes. He is also a formidable hand-to-hand combatant with many thousands of years of experience and knowledge. He also has extensive knowledge of many foreign and ancient cultures as he has alleged to have participated in the rise and fall of many civilizations throughout his existence.

References

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Romulus (comics)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Romulus is a in , depicted as an ancient and cunning manipulator who serves as a primary to the hero . With an origin shrouded in mystery but extending back over a century—or potentially millennia—he possesses a potent healing factor that grants him extraordinary longevity and resilience, allowing him to view himself as the ultimate predator. Romulus has wielded political influence, blackmail, and violence to orchestrate pivotal events in Wolverine's life, including funding wars that drew Logan into conflict and deploying agents like Sabretooth to sabotage his moments of peace. He also groomed Wolverine's son, Daken, as a weapon designed to surpass and destroy his father, further entangling their fates. Their rivalry escalated through intense confrontations, leading to a major defeat at the hands of , his ally , and the Lupine rebel Remus, after which he was exiled to the Darkforce Dimension, from which he later escaped. returned as an in the 2025 Wolverine series. Born in , leveraged his regenerative abilities to survive across eras, even claiming to have reigned as a and engaged in gladiatorial exploits. A genius in and genetic engineering, he influenced programs like and trained operatives such as Cyber, all in service of his quest to forge an unbeatable killer capable of ending his own existence. Romulus first appeared in the "" storyline of vol. 3 #50 (September 2007) and emerged as a central threat in Wolverine: Origins (2006–2010), where his shadowy machinations against Wolverine were fully revealed.

Creation and Publication

Creators and Development

Romulus was co-created by writer and artist Simone Bianchi, with an early shadowy appearance in Wolverine: Origins #5, cover-dated July 2006, by and . This initial appearance established the character as a mysterious force lurking in Wolverine's past, setting the stage for a exploring long-buried influences on the mutant's life. Conceptually, Romulus emerged as a prehistoric manipulator designed to deepen Wolverine's lore, drawing on archetypes of ancient predators and lupine themes rooted in —specifically, the legend of , the twin founders of raised by a she-wolf. Loeb envisioned the character not as a frontline brawler but as a cunning puppet-master, orchestrating events across centuries to shape Wolverine's destiny while remaining concealed. This approach allowed Romulus to serve as a psychological , emphasizing control and deception over physical confrontation. The character's backstory underwent significant evolution during Way's run on : Origins. Initially portrayed as the leader of the Lupines—an ancient race of wolf-like humanoids with enhanced healing factors—Romulus positioned himself as Wolverine's evolutionary predecessor and manipulator. Later revelations, however, exposed layers of fabrication, including manipulations of Wolverine's memories and the Lupine myth itself, orchestrated in part by his twin sister Remus to advance hidden agendas. These developments highlighted creative choices to subvert expectations, transforming from a mythical overlord into a more complex figure of betrayal and ambition.

Publication History

Romulus was introduced as a shadowy figure in Wolverine: Origins #5 (July 2006), written by with art by , as part of the ongoing subplot exploring 's past. His identity was first named in Wolverine vol. 3 #53 (April 2007), during and Simone Bianchi's "" arc, marking an early expansion of his manipulative presence in the series. The character achieved his full visual debut in Wolverine: Origins #39 (August 2009), within and Scot Eaton's dedicated "" storyline (issues #37-40), which highlighted his overarching role in 's history. The bulk of Romulus's development occurred in Wolverine: Origins (2006-2010), where his shadowy influence permeated multiple arcs, notably issues #10-15 ("Swift and Terrible," 2007) by Way and , and #25-30 (2008), focusing on family dynamics and long-term schemes. He also featured prominently in Wolverine vol. 3 #50-55 (2007), continuing the "" narrative by Loeb and Bianchi that teased his broader machinations. This period established Romulus as a recurring across approximately 20 major issues in Wolverine-centric titles. Romulus's storyline extended into Wolverine vol. 4 (2010-2012), with key developments leading to his apparent defeat and exile in issue #313 (September 2012), written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Simone Bianchi. He received indirect ties through mentions in Daken: Dark Wolverine (2010-2012), connecting to Wolverine family elements without direct appearances. Following 2012, Romulus had no significant comic roles until his return in Wolverine #7 (March 2025), by Saladin Ahmed and Martín Cóccolo, amid the "Adamantine" saga. The storyline continued in issue #8 (April 2025), the milestone 400th issue of Wolverine, featuring a major confrontation.

Character Overview

Physical Appearance and Characteristics

Romulus possesses a muscular, feral build that evokes the image of a lupine predator. His graying black hair and brown eyes contribute to his imposing presence, complemented by pale skin and elongated canines that accentuate his predatory visage. Despite living for , Romulus maintains the appearance of a middle-aged man, marked by scars accumulated from ancient battles across history. In flashbacks to earlier eras, he is often shown wearing ancient-inspired robes, while in more contemporary depictions, he dons dark, tactical clothing. Later iterations include Adamantium-laced gauntlets as part of his ensemble. A key distinguishing feature is his set of retractable bone claws, with one protruding from the tip of each finger, which he later augmented with implants. This design shares brief similarities with Wolverine's feral aesthetic, reinforcing his role as a primal .

Personality and Role in the

is depicted as a cunning and megalomaniacal manipulator, viewing himself as the ultimate "perfect predator" and the alpha within a supposed Lupine hierarchy of ancient wolf-like mutants. His obsessive mindset drives him to orchestrate elaborate, long-term schemes, employing psychological manipulation, , and to bend others to his will, often treating humans and lesser mutants as mere tools in his grand designs. This predatory positions him as a figure of unrelenting dominance, where is absent, and every interaction serves to reinforce his self-perceived invincibility. At the core of Romulus's motivations lies an insatiable desire for unchallenged supremacy, compelling him to shape evolution by cultivating violence and lethality in select individuals, particularly those of 's bloodline. He seeks to engineer a "perfect weapon"—an heir capable of surpassing and ultimately killing him—to ensure the perpetuation of his legacy, as evidenced by his grooming of 's son, (Akihiro), into a ruthless assassin. This drive extends to eliminating existential threats like , whom he monitors and mentally torments across centuries, viewing him not just as a rival but as a potential successor to be forged through orchestrated suffering. In the , functions primarily as a shadowy antagonist in and narratives, operating through hidden networks that influence broader politics and global conflicts. Following his exile to the Darkforce Dimension, has recently returned in the "From the Ashes" era (as of ), continuing to antagonize . As a dark mirror to Wolverine's berserker rage, he embodies controlled savagery, contrasting the 's ideals of heroism and coexistence by promoting and inherited primal instincts in origins. His role underscores themes of manipulative predation, where he funds wars and alters destinies to test and refine his creations, ultimately clashing with in battles that highlight the futility of his quest for an unbeatable alpha.

Fictional Biography

Ancient Origins and Historical Manipulations

Romulus claimed to originate from prehistoric times, positioning himself as the inaugural member of the Lupine, a purported branch of humanity that evolved from canines rather than , granting him an existence spanning over 20,000 years. This self-proclaimed lineage as the first "Lupus Sapiens" framed him as a primal leader who commanded Lupine tribes in brutal conquests, utilizing mounted armies to subjugate early human settlements and establish hierarchical dominance. His influence purportedly shaped ancient civilizations, including the from disparate barbarian tribes, where he integrated Lupine ferocity into emerging societies and later ruled as an emperor during the , intervening in gladiatorial spectacles to test and cull warriors. Romulus extended his manipulations through warfare and infiltration, allying with the to orchestrate the devastation of and collaborating with to direct Mongol expansions, selectively breeding and guiding combatants to advance his vision of predatory evolution. Sustained by a potent regenerative healing factor that mended severe injuries across centuries, Romulus constructed clandestine networks of operatives, leveraging , , and conflict sponsorship to perpetuate his control over historical trajectories. Central to these schemes was his twin sister Remus, who co-orchestrated initial deceptions about their Lupine heritage while laying the groundwork for enduring genetic experiments aimed at engineering enhanced progeny. Subsequent revelations exposed these prehistoric assertions as deliberate fabrications, concocted to obscure Romulus's authentic physiology and veil his millennia-spanning plots for domination.

20th and 21st Century Conflicts

In the 1910s, Romulus first encountered in , where both were entangled in operations involving the ninja cult known as the Hand, marking the beginning of Romulus's long-term manipulation of Wolverine's life and conflicts. During in the early , allied with Nazi forces to advance genetic research aimed at creating superhuman soldiers, while using Sabretooth to sabotage 's wartime efforts alongside . In 1946, shortly after the war, orchestrated the murder of 's wife by hiring the Winter Soldier to kill her, then extracted their unborn son from her womb to claim and raise him as a conditioned weapon against in the future. Romulus played a pivotal role in the program during the late 20th century, secretly funding and overseeing its operations to transform into the ultimate test subject by bonding to his skeleton under Dr. Thorton's experiments. In modern story arcs beginning in the 2000s, kidnapped and groomed as his primary enforcer, deploying him against in multiple assaults, as revealed during the events of Wolverine: Origins. Romulus enhanced his physiology by bonding to his entire skeleton, leading an army of adamantine-enhanced foes against and X-23. This escalated to a climactic battle with , where Romulus was initially trapped in the Darkforce Dimension with assistance from in 2010, only to escape and face further defeat leading to his imprisonment at the supervillain facility in 2013. Following his Raft incarceration, Romulus remained imprisoned without major escapes or significant appearances until his return in the "From the Ashes" era of in 2024, reemerging in Wolverine (2024) #1 and continuing as a central in subsequent issues, including #6 (February 2025) where he deploys an army against and #400 variant cover (March 2025).

Powers and Abilities

Superhuman Physical Attributes

Romulus possesses a regenerative healing factor that surpasses Wolverine's in potency, enabling rapid recovery from even fatal injuries such as or extreme , while also conferring virtual immunity to poisons, toxins, and diseases, and dramatically slowing the aging process to allow survival for thousands of years. This advanced has sustained him through millennia of conflicts, including ancient battles where he orchestrated events to shape human history. In addition to his healing, Romulus exhibits a range of physical attributes derived from his lupine heritage. His strength is enhanced to levels allowing him to overpower most s and match seasoned combatants in prolonged struggles, with feats demonstrating allowing him to lift 800 lbs to 2 tons and overpower opponents like in . He possesses speed and agility, enabling him to move and react at velocities exceeding peak human limits, often outpacing opponents in close-quarters confrontations. His durability and stamina are similarly elevated, permitting him to endure severe trauma without faltering and operate at peak efficiency for extended periods without fatigue. Romulus's senses are heightened to extraordinary degrees, including enhanced vision for low-light conditions, acute hearing, and an olfactory sense adept at tracking scents over vast distances. Romulus is equipped with retractable bone claws protruding from the tips of each finger, naturally honed to a razor edge capable of rending flesh, , and most conventional materials with ease; these claws are exceptionally durable, resisting breakage under normal combat stresses. Following a resurrection facilitated by technologies, Romulus underwent a full infusion of into his skeletal structure and gained four retractable adamantium claws per forearm, rendering his bones virtually indestructible and amplifying the lethality of his already formidable claws and physical prowess.

Combat Skills and Equipment

Romulus is renowned as a master combatant, honed by millennia of experience as a warrior across history. His proficiency spans , , and the use of improvised weapons, allowing him to engage foes with lethal precision in close-quarters battles. This expertise was demonstrated during his confrontation with at the Howlett Manor, where he employed brutal, calculated strikes to overpower his opponent initially. As a tactical genius, Romulus excels in orchestrating ambushes and long-term operations, often leveraging his extensive network of connections to governments, military organizations, and shadowy groups like the Hand for resource access and intelligence. He has manipulated global conflicts and experiments, such as those in the program, to position himself advantageously against adversaries. His strategic acumen extends to , where he exploits enemies' emotional vulnerabilities—such as Wolverine's familial ties—through blackmail, torture, and misdirection to dismantle their resolve before physical engagement. In terms of equipment, employs clawed gauntlets that enhance his striking power, enabling him to deliver devastating slashes. These gauntlets, revealed during a fierce with in Wolverine vol. 3 #313, were shattered upon impact, exposing their prosthetic and fake nature but underscoring his reliance on technological augmentation to complement his innate ferocity. He occasionally utilizes advanced weaponry and tech sourced from laboratories, including experimental serums and containment devices, to bolster his operations against mutants. Despite his combat prowess, Romulus's effectiveness is countered by vulnerabilities to certain weapons, such as the Muramasa Blade, a mystically forged whose edge inhibits regenerative factors like his own, preventing rapid recovery from inflicted wounds. This was exploited in battles where opponents wielded Muramasa-infused arms, turning his physical dominance into a liability by prolonging injuries that would otherwise heal instantaneously.
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