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Mojo (comics)

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Mojo
Textless cover of The Uncanny X-Men #461 (Aug. 2005).
Art by Frank Cho.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceLongshot #3 (Nov. 1985)[1]
Created byAnn Nocenti
Art Adams
In-story information
SpeciesSpineless Ones
Team affiliations
  • Wildways
  • Baby Badies
  • Spineless Ones
  • X-Babies (revolted)
  • Mighty 'Vengers (revolted)
  • Exile Legal Eagles
PartnershipsSpiral
Major Domo
AbilitiesSuperhuman physical attributes
Mystical powers

Mojo is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually those featuring the X-Men family of characters. Created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist Arthur Adams, Mojo first appeared in Longshot #3 (Nov. 1985), as the titular hero's archenemy, and subsequently a villain to the X-Men and their various sub-groups as well.[2]

Mojo is one of the "Spineless Ones", an alien race that is immobile without advanced technology. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dimension where all beings are addicted to his gladiator-like television programs. The character is an absurdist parody of network executives, and was inspired by Nocenti's reading of media critics Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, and Walter Lippmann.[3]

Publication history

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At the time she wrote the Longshot miniseries, writer Ann Nocenti was pursuing her Master's degree at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, working at the magazine Lies of Our Times, and reading the work of writers like Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman and Walter Lippmann. Mojo, a slaver and dictator who rules his dimension through the television programs he produces, was created as a direct result of these influences.[4] (A character named Manufactured Consent, after the Chomsky book of the same name, who appeared in Nocenti's 1990 The New Mutants Summer Special, was also born of these works.)[3] Artist Art Adams designed the character per Nocenti's instructions that he be disgusting and unpleasant, and also tried to make him look frightening.[5] The wires that hold Mojo's eyelids open, thus preventing him from blinking, were inspired by an interview with actor Malcolm McDowell on Late Night with David Letterman, in which McDowell revealed that the similar apparatus he had to wear for the Ludovico technique scene in A Clockwork Orange had scarred his corneas. The rest of the equipment attached to Mojo's head controls his mechanized chair.[6]

Mojo first appeared in Longshot #3 (Nov. 1985), and was the main villain of the miniseries, appearing in the subsequent three issues.

The character subsequently appeared in The New Mutants Annual #2 (1986). That same year, in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #10, Mojo appeared as the villain in the story, which saw Longshot join the X-Men. In 1988, Mojo appeared in a backup story in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #12. He was the main villain of the one-shot special Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem (Dec. 1989). Subsequent appearances include Marvel Comics Presents #89 (1991), The Uncanny X-Men Annual #15 (1991), Wolverine vol. 2 #52 (March 1992), X-Men #6 (March 1992), Wolverine vol. 2 #53 (April 1992), X-Men #7 (April 1992), #10-11 (July–Aug. 1992), The Uncanny X-Men Annual 16 (1992), Marvel Comics Presents #119 (1993), What If? vol. 2 #59 (March 1994), X-Men Adventures: Season Two #11 (Dec. 1994), Marvel: Portraits of the Universe #1 (March 1995), X-Men: Mutations #1 (1996), Youngblood/X-Force #1 (July 1996), X-Force/Youngblood #1 (Aug. 1996), X-Force #60-61 (Nov.–Dec. 1996), The Adventures of the X-Men #9-10 (1996-Jan. 1997), X-Babies: Murderama #1 (Jan. 1998), X-Force #76 (April 1998), X-Babies Reborn #1 (Jan. 2000), X-Men Unlimited #32 (Sept. 2001), Exiles #18-19 (Dec. 2002-Jan. 2003), The Uncanny X-Men #460-461 (Aug. 2005), and Exiles #73-74 (Feb. 2006).

Mojo was featured in an entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #8, and in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #7 (2006).

Mojo appears in Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #2.[7]

Fictional character biography

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Mojo is an alien from another dimension whose species lacks skeletons and were driven insane by otherdimensional energy. After the scientist Arize develops exoskeletons to allow them greater mobility, some choose not to use them and become known as the Spineless Ones.[8] Instead, they use motorized platforms to transport their bodies and had Arize create artificial slaves for them. However, they ultimately banish Arize after he refuses to build weapons for them.[volume & issue needed]

One of the Spineless Ones, Mojo, takes over the dimension and names it the Mojoverse, basing its culture on television. He is served by the android Major Domo, the multi-armed warrior Spiral, and the Warwolves, humanoid mechanical dogs who can take on the appearance of others by wearing their skin. Additionally, Longshot previously served him before leaving to become a rebel fighter.[volume & issue needed]

In subsequent appearances, Mojo comes into conflict with the X-Men and creates diminutive clones of them dubbed the X-Babies. He also employs an alternate universe variant of Jubilee named Abcissa.[9][10][11] He is also briefly overthrown by his clone Mojo II, who he later ousts.[volume & issue needed]

Mojo later sends Spider-Man and Wolverine randomly shifting through time, the time-shifts being virtual creations generated by Mojo as a new idea.[12]

Later, Mojo was demoted by the producers on Mojo World due to low ratings and was moved to "Educational Broadcasting". He created an agency named The Yellow Eye and spied on every single mutant alive. When Cable sent Domino to spy on this agency, she ended up being captured and brainwashed by Mojo.[13] His organization was eventually brought down by the X-Force, when Domino broke free from his control, and he was revealed as the mastermind behind the agency.[13] Mojo is currently a prisoner of Cable's X-Force team.[14]

In the 2016 Howard the Duck run, Mojo was revealed to have used footage of Howard's adventure to create a reality show for the Mojoverse. To fill in the gaps on Howard's life, Mojo filmed footage of a small alien in a duck costume interacting with Lea Thompson performing as Beverly Switzler (referencing the 1986 film adaptation of the character).[15]

Powers and abilities

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Mojo's multi-legged flying platform is armed with various particle beam weapons. It also has a large artificial appendage that can be used as an arm or a slicing weapon and two smaller arms. He is strong enough to hold a human off of the ground with one arm easily. He has several powers derived from magic, like the projection of magical energy blasts, controlling the minds of others, and inter-dimensional teleportation. These magical powers are strengthened by the 'worship of his followers' and hence directly linked to the popularity of his TV programs. He cannot be harmed by the touch of Rogue, no matter how long she is in contact with him. He has bear-hugged Rogue with much ease until she was left unconscious.

He is also a master manipulator and schemer, shown in his organization of his slaughter entertainment games. He can also call upon vast manpower to assist him in his endeavors and has access to vast technological resources.

Mojo is also a force of death and corruption, able to generate an anti-life field that makes his touch able to wither plants and age humans outside of his home dimension. According to Doctor Strange, his prolonged presence on Earth could cause storms and other natural disasters.

Other versions

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Mojo Adams from Ultimate X-Men #54. Art by Stuart Immonen

Mojo claims that he and the beings who populate Mojo World are "unique" in the sense that unlike the rest of the Marvel Universe, Mojo World has no parallel counterpart; this was documented in Exiles #18-19. However, alternate versions of Longshot and Mojo exist in the Ultimate Marvel continuity, and an alternate future reality of Mojo World, where the Spineless Ones were mistreated slaves, was featured in the "Shattershot" storyline.[volume & issue needed]

Ultimate Marvel

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An alternate universe variant of Mojo from Earth-1610 appears in Ultimate X-Men. This version is Mojo Adams, a human albino television producer and politician on Genosha.[16][17]

In other media

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Television

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Mojo as he appears in X-Men: The Animated Series

Video games

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Merchandise

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  • In 1994, Toy Biz produced a Mojo action figure for their wave of X-Men: X-Force toys. A smaller die-cast metal version of the mold was also available under the banner "Steel Mutants" packaged with a Longshot figure.
  • In 2002, a Unique HeroClix figure of Mojo was released in the "Clobberin' Time" set.
  • In 2006, a "Build-A-Figure" Mojo toy was produced by Toy Biz for Wave 14 of their Marvel Legends toyline.
  • In 2014, Bowen Designs produced a 17.5" tall statue of Mojo, which was designed and sculpted by the Kucharek Brothers.

References

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  1. ^ Misiroglu, Gina Renée; Eury, Michael (2006). The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9780780809772.
  2. ^ 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. 245. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^ a b Keller, Katherine (November 2, 2007). "Writer, Creator, Journalist, and Uppity Woman: Ann Nocenti". Sequential Tart.
  4. ^ Ash, Roger (August 2008). "Ann Nocenti and Arthur Adams Bet on a Longshot". Back Issue! (#29). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 26–31.
  5. ^ Khoury, George; Eric Nolen-Weathington. Modern Masters Volume 6:Arthur Adams. TwoMorrows Publishing.
  6. ^ "Art Adams interview". "The Mutant Report". vol. 3. Marvel Age #71 (Feb. 1989). Marvel Comics. pp. 12 - 15.
  7. ^ "Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace (2024) #2". Marvel.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 223. ISBN 978-1465455505.
  9. ^ New Mutants Annual (vol.1) #2 (1986)
  10. ^ The Uncanny X-Men Annual #10
  11. ^ The Uncanny X-Men Annual #12
  12. ^ Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine[volume & issue needed]
  13. ^ a b X-Force vol. 4 #12
  14. ^ X-Force vol. 4 #15
  15. ^ Howard the Duck vol. 6 #9
  16. ^ Ultimate X-Men #54
  17. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1 #91-94
  18. ^ Houston, Larry [@xmendirector] (March 30, 2022). "I very much dislike "blanket credits" as they are called in the industry. It is the lazy post-production option. I prefer upfront individual credits per show. This list I found in my storage unit will help those fans who always wanted to know who did what voice back then. Cheers!" (Tweet). Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Milici, Lauren (April 3, 2024). "X-Men '97 episode 4 review: "Lighter, lower stakes, and so much fun"". GamesRadar. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Mojo Voices (X-Men)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 6, 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 opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
  21. ^ "Listings | TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource". TheFutonCritic.com. March 9, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Cipriano, Jason (16 February 2011). "Every 'Marvel VS. Capcom 3' Cameos - Worlds Truly Colliding". MTV News. MTV. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
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