Havok is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. He first appears in The X-Men #54 (March 1969), and was created by writer Arnold Drake and penciller Don Heck. Havok generates powerful "plasma blasts", an ability he has had difficulty controlling.
One of the sons of Corsair, Alexander "Alex" Summers is the younger brother of the X-Men's Cyclops, and the older brother of Vulcan and the older half brother of Adam X. He often resents Cyclops's authoritarian attitude and reputation as a model member of the X-Men. In contrast, Havok and his longtime love interest Polaris have had a love-hate relationship with the team, often finding themselves roped into it. Both were also members of the 1990s-era Pentagon-sponsored mutant team X-Factor. After X-Factor disbanded, Havok starred in Mutant X, a series in which he explored a strange alternate reality. He has since returned to the X-Men, later taking over his father's role as leader of the Starjammers to bring Vulcan's reign over the Shi'ar to an end.
Havok has appeared in other media, including TV series, films, and videogames. Lucas Till played Havok in the films X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).
Publication history
Havok was created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Don Heck, making his first appearance in X-Men #54 (March 1969). The issue introduces the character as Alex Summers, the younger brother of Scott Summers (Cyclops) and, later in the series, the older brother of Gabriel Summers (Vulcan). Initially, the character is unaware of his "mutant" status as his X-gene lies dormant upon his first appearance in the X-Men series.
During Roy Thomas and Neal Adams's run on The X-Men, Alex's character is revealed to be a mutant who eventually takes on the codename "Havok." His powers first manifested when he accidentally incinerates his foster sister Haley's kidnapper using uncontrolled plasma blasts. To manage his volatile abilities, he relies on a specialized containment suit that monitors and absorbs his excess energy.
According to Thomas, Drake never told him whether he intended Alex to be a mutant or not.
Throughout the series, Alex continued to struggle under the shadow of his brother Scott, whom he believed to be his father's favorite. Adams designed Havok's original costume, which first appears in The X-Men #58 (July 1969), devising it as not simply a more striking visual for the character but a practical energy-siphoning suit. Thomas and Adams also introduced a romance between Havok and Polaris (then known only by her real name, Lorna Dane). Havok joins the X-Men in issue #65 (December 1969).
Havok's initial stint in The X-Men was short-lived. After just one more issue, the title ceased publishing new stories and began reprinting earlier issues. He appeared in the 1975 Giant-Size X-Men #1, which reintroduced the team with seven new members, but in the X-Men's next appearance, The X-Men #94 (May 1975), he quits the group. He and Polaris return in The X-Men #97 (February 1976) as villains under the mental control of Erik the Red. They are returned to normal by The X-Men #119 (March 1979), and became regular members of the X-Men's supporting cast.
Havok joins the relaunched X-Factor in X-Factor #71 (October 1991) and remains with the group until the end of the series, X-Factor #149 (September 1998). Upon the conclusion of X-Factor, Havok was given his own starring series, Mutant X, which ran for 32 issues.
In the 2012 relaunch of Marvel comic books, Havok led a team called the Uncanny Avengers, a mix of the X-Men and the Avengers teams.
During the X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch, Havok is the leader of X-Factor in X-Factor (Vol. 5).
Fictional character biography
Origins Alexander Summers was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is the second of the three known sons of Christopher Summers, a United States Air Force Major and test pilot, and his wife Katherine Anne. While growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, his father took the family for a flight in their airplane, which came under attack by a Shi'ar spaceship. As the plane was crashing, his parents fastened Alex and his older brother Scott into a parachute and pushed them off the plane in hopes that they would survive. His brother hit his head and was in a coma for a short while.
The Summers boys were recovered and put into an orphanage and Alex was soon adopted whereas Scott remained there for much of his childhood. Alex was raised by the Blandings whose son Todd had died in a car accident.X-Factor #-1 When the boy responsible for Todd's death kidnapped Alex and his foster sister, Haley, Alex manifested his powers for the first time, incinerating the boy. Mister Sinister, an evil geneticist who was obsessed with the Summers bloodline, appeared eager yet surprised that Alex's potential exceeded Scott's – despite the fact that he seemed to lack control over his gift. Sinister placed psi-blocks on both Alex and Haley's minds, causing them to forget what had happened that night.
First encounter with X-Men Alex went on to study and earn a degree in geophysics at college. There he first met the original X-Men and learned that Cyclops is his brother. His mutant powers became apparent when he was kidnapped by the Living Pharaoh who declared Alex the only being able to rival his power. The two shared the same cosmic energy-absorption abilities, in adverse proportion to each other. By locking Alex in a shielded cell, the Pharaoh was able to absorb enough cosmic energy to become the Living Monolith. The X-Men fought a losing battle against the virtually unstoppable Monolith until Alex managed to free himself, and the Monolith turned back into the Living Pharaoh.The X-Men #54–56
Alex's mutant power at first seemed to manifest itself only when he was near death. He was unable to control it and feared its immense power.
Alex was later captured by Larry Trask and his Sentinels who were bent on controlling or eradicating all mutants. Trask fashioned a costume that would help Alex control his powers and he was given the code name Havok. Trask turned out to be a mutant himself and the Sentinels were defeated by the X-Men. Havok lost control of his powers and his excess energy was absorbed by Sauron. Havok then gained control of his powers.The X-Men #57–60
Havok actively joined the X-Men team and began a relationship with Lorna Dane/Polaris, much to the anger of Iceman who was romantically interested in her as well. While the senior X-Men were in the Savage Land, Havok and Polaris were approached by Professor X about the imminent invasion of the alien Z'Nox. During this time, the couple fell in love.
With the original X-Men, Havok and Polaris were captured by Krakoa the living island but eventually rescued by the new X-Men.Giant-Size X-Men #1 Havok and Polaris quit the team's active membership along with most of the original members.The X-Men #94
Havok was again captured by the Living Pharaoh, this time rescued by Spider-Man and Thor.Marvel Team-Up #69–70
Havok and Polaris were occasional members and allies of the X-Men for years. They alternated between doing graduate work and earning a postgraduate degree in the American Southwest – where they occasionally encountered the Hulk – and helping out Moira MacTaggert at her facility for genetic research on Muir Island, off the coast of Scotland. It was during their stay on Muir Island that Havok helped the X-Men battle Proteus.The Uncanny X-Men #125–128
Eventually, Alex learned that Corsair of the Starjammers was really his father.The Uncanny X-Men #158
During one of their adventures, Polaris was possessed by the mutant Marauder Malice, ending the romantic relationship for a time. Havok then sought out and rejoined the X-Men.The Uncanny X-Men #219
Fall of the Mutants and Madelyne Pryor During the X-Men's battle with the Adversary in Dallas, they sacrificed themselves to defeat it and were resurrected by Roma in the Australian Outback. During this period, Havok became involved with Madelyne Pryor. Both of them had been rejected by their previous lovers: Pryor's then-husband Cyclops had left her for Jean Grey.The Uncanny X-Men #239 Madelyne was manipulated by N'astirh and became the Goblin Queen. She attempted to use Havok to help take over the world and transform it into a demonic realm. Havok eventually came to his senses and Madelyne killed herself after discovering she was a clone of Jean Grey.X-Factor #38The Uncanny X-Men #243
While vacationing in Mexico with Wolverine, they were targeted by a terrorist cell that aimed to use Havok's powers to absorb harmful radiation from a nuclear fallout.Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown #1–4
Genosha Havok ultimately went through the Siege Perilous with several other X-Men fleeing the Reavers. Havok ended up an amnesiac in Genosha, a country that enslaved mutants, where became a high-ranking Magistrate in their army. His fellow X-Men discovered his fate during the X-Tinction Agenda, when the Genoshan government kidnapped members of the mutant teams X-Men, X-Factor and the New Mutants. During a pitched battle with Cyclops, Havok's memory returned, but he kept it a secret hoping to catch the Genoshan leader, Cameron Hodge, off guard. He succeeded and delivered the killing blow to Hodge, yet he and Wolfsbane decided to remain in Genosha, as they wanted to help in rebuilding the once proud nation.
X-Factor Havok and Wolfsbane were soon brought back from Genosha by Professor X and Cyclops as they wanted him to become the leader of the new government-sponsored X-Factor.X-Factor #71 He reunited with Polaris and Havok led the team effectively for quite some time. He dealt with the unwilling, unwitting affections of Wolfsbane, the physical problems of Strong Guy, and various public relations disasters, such as the destruction of the Washington Monument.X-Factor #74 Much of the team's bad image was orchestrated by Mister Sinister, his Nasty Boys, and a mutant senator who could cause bad luck.X-Factor #75
During this time, X-Factor participated in the events of the Infinity War and the Infinity Crusade.
Multiple Man contracted the Legacy Virus in Genosha and died.X-Factor #100-101 This hit Havok hard, who left the team for Hawaii, where he and Polaris enjoyed a romantic honeymoon until Malice, Mister Sinister, and the Nasty Boys attacked. Reinforcements helped defeat the villains.X-Factor #103-105 Shortly afterward, Strong Guy suffered a heart attack and ended up in a coma,X-Factor #112 and Wolfsbane left to be with her foster mother.Excalibur #90
After the Age of Apocalypse event, Havok accidentally destroyed a damX-Men Prime (One-Shot) #1 (1995) and was forced back into his old containment suit. After new members Wild Child, Shard and Mystique were introduced to the team,X-Factor #114 Havok fought Random and was captured by the Dark Beast.X-Factor #118 He was brainwashed into serving Dark Beast and Onslaught.X-Factor #126. Marvel Comics.The Uncanny X-Men #339. Marvel Comics. He broke free of the brainwashing, but used it as an opportunity to infiltrate the enemy and recreated a version of the Brotherhood of Mutants.X-Factor #131, 137. Marvel Comics.X-Man #26-29. Marvel Comics. He succeeded in defeating Dark BeastX-Factor #143-144. Marvel Comics. and attempted to mend relationships with his former X-Factor teammates, specifically PolarisX-Factor #148. Marvel Comics. and Multiple Man (the man who had died had been a Madrox duplicate).
While Havok was attempting to reform X-Factor,X-Factor #147, 149. Marvel Comics. one of his time-traveling team members, Greystone, created an experimental time travel device to return him to the future. It exploded in mid-air, seemingly killing Havok and Greystone in front of their teammates.X-Factor #149. Marvel Comics.
Mutant X