Swarm (Marvel Comics)
| Swarm | |
|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) Swarm as depicted in Runaways vol. 2 #7 (August 2005). Art by Takeshi Miyazawa. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Champions #14 (July 1977) |
| Created by | Bill Mantlo John Byrne |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Fritz von Meyer |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Nazi Germany Exterminators[1] Sinister Six[2] Hateful Hexad |
| Abilities |
|
Swarm (Fritz von Meyer) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character's entire body is composed of bees,[3] and is mainly featured as an enemy of Spider-Man.[4]
Publication history
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2012) |
Swarm first appeared in The Champions #14 (July 1977). He was created by Bill Mantlo and John Byrne.[5]
Fictional character biography
[edit]Fritz von Meyer was born in Leipzig, Germany and became one of Adolf Hitler's top scientists specializing in toxicology and melittology. Escaping capture after World War II, he was a beekeeper in South America and discovered a colony of mutated bees. Intrigued by their intelligence and passive nature, von Meyer attempted to enslave the queen bee but failed and the bees devoured him, leaving only his skeleton. Von Meyer's consciousness was absorbed into the bees, allowing him to manipulate the hive to do his will while his skeletal remains are inside the swarm itself.[6]
Swarm becomes a recurring enemy of Spider-Man as well as the Champions and Mighty Avengers, and joins the Sinister Six and the Hateful Hexad.[7][8][9][10]
Powers and abilities
[edit]Fritz von Meyer is a composite being of thousand bees driven by his human intelligence. He is also technically intangible, as his body is an aggregate of tiny forms. As Swarm, he can fly, assume any shape or size at will, and mentally influence other bees. Additionally, Swarm possesses expertise in beekeeping, robotics, and toxicology.[11]
Other versions
[edit]Marvel Fairy Tales
[edit]An alternate universe variant of Swarm from Earth-7082 appears in Spider-Man: Fairy Tales #2.[12]
Marvel Adventures
[edit]An alternate universe variant of Swarm from Earth-20051 appears in Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man #38.[13]
Ultimate Marvel
[edit]An original incarnation of Swarm from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. This version is Petra Laskov, a Syrian mutant who is also known as the Insect Queen and Red-Wasp.[14][15]
Marvel Noir
[edit]An original incarnation of Swarm from Earth-90214 appears in the Marvel Noir universe. This version is Madame Sturm, a female scientist whose powers are derived from a Spider-God totem.[16]
In other media
[edit]Television
[edit]- An original incarnation of Swarm appears in a self-titled episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, voiced by Al Fann.[17] This version is a beehive irradiated by a fallen meteorite's energy, gaining sentience as well as the ability to increase other bees' size and mutate humans into insect hybrid drones. Swarm attempts to spread its hive mind throughout the universe until Spider-Man, Firestar, and Iceman intervene and launch the meteorite into space to reverse Swarm's effects.
- An original incarnation of Swarm, Michael Tan, appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced by Eric Bauza in his self-titled episode and Drake Bell in "Sandman Returns".[17][18] This version is a disgruntled employee of Stark Industries whose body is made of self-replicating nanobots.
- Swarm appears in Marvel Super Hero Adventures, voiced by Ian James Corlett.[18]
- An original incarnation of Swarm, Jefferson Davis, appears in Spider-Man, voiced by Alex Désert.[19] This version utilizes purple nanotech bees that grant him a solid form and have mind-controlling stingers.
- An original, female incarnation of Swarm will appear in Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, voiced by Vanessa Bayer.[20]
Video games
[edit]Swarm appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Strike Force.[citation needed] This version is a member of the Sinister Six.
While not appearing directly in the game, Swarm is indirectly mentioned in 2018's Spider-Man, where "Nazis made of bees" are listed among the types of villains in the game's universe.
Miscellaneous
[edit]- Swarm appears in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, portrayed by Gerald Avery. This version was originally an Oscorp scientist before he was manipulated into becoming Swarm by the Green Goblin and joining the Sinister Six.
- The Symbiotic Warfare Anthophila Restraining Model (S.W.A.R.M.) appears in Spider-Man: City at War.[21][22]
Reception
[edit]In August 2009, TIME listed Swarm as one of the "Top 10 Oddest Marvel Characters".[23]
Swarm was ranked #29 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters in 2015.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ Exterminators (Spider-Man foes)
- ^ Spider-Man and the X-Men #4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Manning, Matthew K. (2012). Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. DK Publishing. p. 109. ISBN 978-0756692360.
- ^ Morris, Jon (2017). The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains: Oddball Criminals from Comic Book History. Quirk Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-1594749322.
- ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 366. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains. New York: Facts on File. p. 334. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[1]
- ^ Champions #14–15 (July - September 1977)
- ^ Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #36–37 (November - December 1979)
- ^ The Mighty Avengers #24 (June 2009)
- ^ Spider-Man/Deadpool #9 (November 2016)
- ^ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #11 (December 2009)
- ^ Marvel Fairy Tales #2 (August 2007)
- ^ Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #38 (April 2008)
- ^ Ultimate Comics: Avengers #3 (October 2009)
- ^ Ultimate Comics: Avengers #5 (April 2010)
- ^ Spider-Verse (vol. 3) #5 (April 2020)
- ^ a b Goldman, Eric (April 20, 2012). "Ultimate Spider-Man: Make Way for Iron Man!". IGN. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- ^ a b "Swarm Voices (Spider-Man)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ "Swarm Voice - Spider-Man (2017) (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 2, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 6, 2025). "'Marvel's Iron Man and His Awesome Friends' Assembles Villainous Voice Stars". Animation Magazine. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ "Tie in Comics Point to Venom and Green Goblin in Insomniac Games' Spider Man PS4 Sequel". 29 April 2019.
- ^ Spider-Man: City At War #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ "Top 10 Oddest Marvel Characters". Time. August 31, 2009.
- ^ Buxton, Marc (October 30, 2015). "Marvel's 31 Best Monsters". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 30, 2018.
Swarm is a very obscure villain who made his debut in the pages of The Champions of all places. So why is he on our list? Because he's a freakin' Nazi Scientist- MADE OF EVIL BEES!
External links
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- Characters created by Bill Mantlo
- Characters created by John Byrne (comics)
- Comics characters introduced in 1977
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- Fictional characters from Saxony
- Fictional characters who can change size
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