Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963). Warren is a founding member of the X-Men, having used the moniker Angel. Later stories would reveal that prior to joining the team, he had acted as a vigilante under the moniker Avenging Angel.
Warren is a mutant, an evolved species of humans who are born with superhuman abilities. The character originally possesses a pair of large feathered wings extending from his back, enabling him to fly. He is the heir of the Worthington family fortune, and this privileged background results in Warren being stereotyped as self-absorbed and unable to deal with hardships during his early years with the X-Men. This personality was ultimately replaced with a more introspective and brooding personality in the late 1980s, when the character was changed into the darker Archangel persona. While Warren's wings were originally feathered, his transition to Archangel resulted in metallic wings and newfound powers.
As one of the original X-Men, Warren has had a frequent presence in X-Men-related comic books throughout the years and also appeared occasionally in X-Men animated series and video games. In 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series, the character was portrayed by Ben Foster in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and Ben Hardy in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016). Asa Germann will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with the untitled X-Men film (2028).
Publication history The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-creator Jack Kirby and first appeared in X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963) as Angel. Lee made Angel rich and conceited, as well as a winged human to make him the first Marvel character with wings. He appeared as a regular character in that title until it was cancelled with issue #66. The title was revived shortly after, reprinting earlier issues from issue #67 to #93. In 1970 and 1971, a three-part Angel solo feature was published as a back-up strip in Ka-Zar #2 and #3 and Marvel Tales #30.
Angel appeared in the X-Men revamp by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum in 1975 with the introduction of the "All-New, All-Different X-Men" (Giant-Size X-Men #1 May 1975), but left the X-Men title with issue #94. Angel and fellow X-Man Iceman were transitioned into a new series called The Champions, which ran from 1975 to 1978. Series creator Tony Isabella had wanted to do a series about Angel and Iceman traveling together on the highway, in the vein of Route 66, but the editors told him to make it into a full team book.Isabella, Tony. "Cables of Champions", The Champions #6, Marvel (June 1976).
Angel returned to the X-Men briefly in The Uncanny X-Men #134, officially returning to the roster in issue #138 before once again leaving in issue #148. Afterwards, the character, along with fellow founding X-Men Beast and Iceman, joined the roster of The Defenders, as part of a short-lived "revamp" of the title, in which the series was renamed The New Defenders. Angel would stay with the title, as the group's leader, for the book's last three years of publication (1983–1986). The series was canceled in 1986 to free up Angel and his fellow X-Men to star in X-Factor, which debuted in February. Angel remained in the book until issue #70, which was the last issue before the book was revamped with an all-new roster. During X-Factor #16–24, the character is presumed dead after losing his wings and apparently killing himself in a plane crash. Angel was dramatically revamped as a character, given a new costume, blue skin, and metallic wings which could fire blades. He first appeared as Archangel in X-Factor #24 (Jan. 1988). According to X-Factor writer Louise Simonson and penciler Walt Simonson, the Archangel revamp was motivated in part by their feeling that Angel was a Mary Sue (being wealthy, handsome, and adored by women), and in part by the fact that, due to the inflation of superhero abilities, Angel was underpowered compared to other characters in the Marvel Universe.
Angel was added to the cast of Uncanny X-Men title and appeared in that series and its companion series X-Men for most of the 1990s. In 1996, Marvel also published a one-shot story simply called Archangel, which was written by Peter Milligan. He also appeared alongside Psylocke in a limited series called Psylocke & Archangel: Crimson Dawn (August 1997 – November 1997, 4 issues). From 1999 to 2001, Angel also featured in the series X-Men: The Hidden Years, which was set in the original X-Men's early days.
Under Joe Casey (2001–2002) and Chuck Austen (2002–2004), Angel became leader of the X-Men team that appeared in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. After Chris Claremont replaced Austen on that title, the character went away for several months before reappearing in the pages of another Claremont-written series, Excalibur (vol. 3 2004). He continued to guest-star in the Incredible Hulk title during the events of World War Hulk (2007) and then returned to Uncanny X-Men (2008-2011) while simultaneously appearing in X-Force (vol. 3) (2008-2010), where the character regained his metallic wings and again assumed the codename Archangel, and subsequently in Uncanny X-Force (2010-2011), in which his mind and personality were wiped.
After his personality was stripped, he appeared in a supporting role as one of the students at the Jean Grey School in Wolverine and the X-Men (2011–2013). He later joined Magneto's more militant X-Men team in Uncanny X-Men (2016-2017) and an international strike force in Astonishing X-Men (2017-2018) after his memory was restored. At the same time, a time-displaced version of Angel's younger self was brought to the present and starred in All-New X-Men (2012–2017) and X-Men Blue (2017-2018), before being returned to his correct time-period in the mini-series Extermination (2018).
Angel appeared in House of X and Powers of X (2019), which detailed the birth of the Krakoan Age. He was made the CXO of Krakoa's new X-Corp and appeared in the mini-series Empyre: X-Men (2020), X-Corp (2021) and Dark X-Men (2023). As the Krakoa era came to a close, he was the focus of the 50th anniversary issue of Giant-Size X-Men (2024) and appeared in the mini-series X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse (2024).
Fictional character biography Angel Warren Worthington III was born in Centerport, New York, to Kathryn Worthington and Warren Worthington II and the grandson of Warren Worthington. He attends Phillips Exeter Academy in his adolescence when his feathered wings begin to grow from his shoulder blades. At first, Warren feels he is a freak and aberration, but he soon learns that he can use his wings to fly and help people. When there is a fire in his dormitory, he borrows some props from the school's drama department, dresses up as a heavenly angel, and rescues his friends. He soon learns that he is in fact a mutant. He dons a mask and costume, calls himself the Avenging Angel, and becomes a solo adventurer, before being recruited by Professor Charles Xavier for the X-Men.The X-Men #54–56 (March – May 1969)
Warren's status as a wealthy playboy, as well as being an outspoken individual who chafes at the notion of being told what to do, is the subject of much tension within the X-Men. In particular, Warren is in love with Jean Grey, who is in love with Scott Summers, although he ultimately sets aside his love for Jean, coming to terms with the fact that Jean loves Scott. Angel still harbors an unrequited love for Jean even as he begins dating Candy Southern.The X-Men #32 (May 1967)
Around this time, Angel publicly reveals himself as a mutant after discovering that his uncle Burt Worthington has not only murdered his father, Ka-Zar #2–3 (December 1970, March 1971); Marvel Tales #30 (April 1971) but also poisoned his mother to ensure his inheritance of the Worthington fortune.X-Men the Hidden Years #16–18
When the original X-Men are captured by the mutant island Krakoa, Professor X creates a new team of X-Men to rescue them.Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975). When this new team decides to stay on as X-Men, Angel and the rest of the original team, with the exception of Cyclops, leave.The X-Men #94 (August 1975). He and Iceman go to Los Angeles, where they found the Champions with Hercules, Black Widow, and Ghost Rider.The Champions #1–3 Following the apparent death of Jean Grey and Cyclops' subsequent exile from the team, Warren rejoins the X-Men.The Uncanny X-Men #138 However, he grows increasingly disturbed by the behavior and actions of Wolverine,The Uncanny X-Men #140 (December 1980) and quits the team in protest.The Uncanny X-Men #148 (August 1981) Shortly thereafter, Angel joins the Defenders, along with Beast, Iceman, and Candy Southern.The Defenders #124 (October 1983); The New Defenders #125 (November 1983) Most of the group are killed freeing teammate Moondragon from demonic possession.The New Defenders #152 (February 1986)
Angel considers retirement following the collapse of the Defenders, but the discovery of Jean Grey alive changes his mind. Jean Grey is furious at the increase in anti-mutant hysteria in the two years she has been missing, and opposes the X-Men's decision to align themselves with Magneto. To appease Jean's desire for action, Warren organizes X-Factor.X-Factor #1 (February 1986) Warren recruits his old friend Cameron Hodge to run the team, unaware that Hodge is opposed to mutants.
Archangel X-Factor's formation begins a period of upheaval in Warren's life. Cameron Hodge abuses Warren's trust and portrays X-Factor as "mutant hunters" for hire, further fueling anti-mutant sentiment. An altercation with the Brotherhood of Mutants allows Mystique to discover the relationship between the "mutant hunters" and the former X-Men; she exposes Warren as the financial backer for X-Factor, causing a public relations nightmare.X-Factor #9 Warren's wings are mutilated by Harpoon during the "Mutant Massacre", resulting in Hodge having the wings amputated against Warren's will.Thor #373–374X-Factor #14 Despondent over the loss, Warren escapes the hospital in his private jet, which is sabotaged by Hodge and explodes.X-Factor #15
Seconds before the explosion, Warren is spirited away by Apocalypse and made into Death, one of his four Horsemen. Apocalypse subjects Angel to extensive genetic alterations, giving him blue skin and organic metal wings. He makes Warren the leader of his Horsemen after Warren beats the others in a fight, and gives him a drug that remove his reservations to follow Apocalypse's dark plans.X-Factor #17, 21 During a later attack on Manhattan, Iceman fakes his own death at Warren's hands, hoping that the shock of killing a friend will enable him to break free of the influence of Apocalypse's drug. Although freed, Warren refuses to rejoin X-Factor, feeling that he has changed too much psychologically to be a hero.X-Factor #25
He seeks out Candy Southern, but finds that she is missing. Warren learns that Candy has been lobotomized to protect Cameron Hodge's secrets using funds embezzled from Warren. In the confrontation that follows, Hodge murders Candy in front of Warren, who kills Hodge.X-Factor #34 Changing his codename from "Death" to "Dark Angel", he later rejoins X-Factor and takes the codename Archangel during the events of "Inferno".X-Factor #36
Angel again