Vermin (character)

Vermin (Edward Whelan) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of Captain America and Spider-Man. A geneticist working for Baron Zemo and Arnim Zola, Edward Whelan was subjected to an experiment that mutated him into a humanoid rat, gaining superhuman abilities, as well as the predatory instincts of a rat. The character's most notable appearance was in the storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt".

Vermin
Vermin as depicted in Fear Itself: Spider-Man #1 (May 2011). Art by Mike McKone (penciler/inker) and Jeremy Cox (colorist).
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Captain America #272 (August 1982)[1]
Created by	J. M. DeMatteis Mike Zeck
In-story information
Alter ego	Edward Whelan
Species	Human mutate
Team affiliations	New Revengers Sewer Enclave
Partnerships	Baron Zemo Armin Zola
Abilities	Accomplished geneticist As Vermin: Superhuman strength, speed and stamina Peak level agility, durability and reflexes Extremely acute senses Razor sharp teeth Inch-long claw-like fingernails Ability to control rats and stray dogs and revert to human form at will Self-Replication Form transition between Edward Whelan and Vermin

Publication history

The character's first appearance was in Captain America #272 (August 1982).^[2] He was created by J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck.^[3]

He became a Spider-Man villain as well in Marvel Team-Up #128 (April 1983), fighting both Captain America and Spider-Man.^[4]

Fictional character biography

Edward Whelan suffered severe physical and sexual abuse as a child from his father.^[5] As an adult, he is a geneticist working for Helmut Zemo and Primus, who later experiment on him and transform him into a cannibalistic, humanoid rat. Vermin is defeated by Captain America and turned over to S.H.I.E.L.D.^[6] He escapes S.H.I.E.L.D., however, and returns to the service of Zola and Zemo.^[7]

Vermin eventually escapes the asylum, and attacks his parents at their home in Scarsdale. He is captured by Spider-Man and returned to psychiatric care. Whelan returns to his human form after being treated by Ashley Kafka,^[5] but later returns to his Vermin form.^[8]

In All-New, All-Different Marvel, Vermin appears as a member of Maker's New Revengers.^[9]

During the "Hunted" storyline, Lizard and Taskmaster were able to defeat Vermin who was attacking some civilians while they were en route to Central Park. After being captured by Arcade, Vermin bites Arcade in the finger and mentions that Lizard and Taskmaster are working against him. Arcade then injects Vermin with a serum that causes him to spawn clones of himself. When the Vermin clones attack Spider-Man, he is saved by Kraven the Hunter.^[10]

A slew of Whelen's clones were last seen kidnapping residents from a local New York stretch that'd recently fallen under the care of Moon Knight for company and food restock. The titular vigilante assailed them until he managed to talk them down and let them free to retreat to the sewers on the grounds that they wouldn't assault his protectees again.^[11]

Edward would eventually turn up human again, serving as an orderly at Ravencroft while under the remedial care of Ashley Kafka.^[12] Dutifully working under her supervision to ensure that the inmates received humane and proper treatment while under their care. The institute would come under assault by a clone of Ben Reilly named Spidercide, wherein the deranged replicate would rewire Edward's brain chemistry to revert to being Vermin again. But he would still retain enough of his newfound conscience to help Scarlet Spider stop the Asylum riot his enemy had caused.^[13]

Having suffered a relapse into feral ways, Whelan is seen backed by an army of Vermin attacking Central Park. Evidently to draw out Spider-Girl, as the prime Vermin wore some harness around his neck, presumably being puppeteered by an advocate to The Sisterhood of the Wasp, who sought to study her quarry in action.^[14]

Again, the now animalistic Vermin would reappear, as Parker had suffered a subtle emotional breakdown, which caused him to become more ruthless and uncompromising, having thrown Kraven the Hunter into a pit of swarming Vermin clones for undisclosed reasons.^[15]

During the "Gang War" storyline, Vermin and his clones attack the F.E.A.S.T. building amidst the gang wars. They are repelled by Spider-Boy.^[16]

Whelan would strike again as Ghost Spider was busy escorting one of the Chameleon, whose own abilities had been modified and overloaded due to an electric power surge. The two enemies would work together to subdue his enclave and escape the sewers.^[17]

Vermin and his army of undergrounders would re-encounter Moon Knight after his midnight mission had been upended and those under his care had been rendered as fugitives.^[18] They would recommence their blood feud with Moon Knight killing another of his duplicates before setting the rest on fire as he fought his way through them.

Vermin was later brought into the Sewer Enclave by Miles Morales' clone Shift.^[19]

Doctor Tramma later dispatches Vermin to go after Spider-Girl. He attacks her at the Red Snow martial arts studio that she is attending. During the fight, Spider-Girl is surprised that Vermin knows her true identity as more Vermin clones arrive. She manages to copy Vermin's powers and orders the Vermin clones to take Vermin back to his home and "rat off". Spider-Girl then starts to figure out that a woman conducting experiments was the one who sent Whelan.^[20]

Powers and abilities

Vermin's strength was enhanced by the experimental mutagenic process designed by Arnim Zola, and forced upon him. He resembles a humanoid rat and possesses enhanced strength, durability, senses, and agility.

Vermin has the ability to control rats and dogs within a two-mile (3 km) radius of himself.^[21] Edward learned to shift between human and Vermin form.^[22]

Thanks to an augmentative gene-therapy administered by the villainous Arcade, Vermin developed a new facility to self-replicate through accelerated mitosis.^[23]

Reception

In 2021, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Vermin 5th in their "Marvel: 10 Characters Baron Zemo Created In The Comics" list.^[24]

Other versions

Earth-71290

An alternate universe variant of Edward Whelan from Earth-71290 appears in Spider-Society #2. This version works as an assistant to Ashley Kafka at Ravencroft.^[25]

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe variant of Edward Whelan / Vermin from Earth-1610 appears in All-New Ultimates #7. This version previously worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. until it was dissolved. Following this, he took to living in a sewer system where he developed a psychic connection to Agent Crock and the two became tyrants until they encountered the Young Ultimates. In the ensuing fight, Shadowcat kills Crock, which kills Vermin as well due to their connection.^[26]

Ultimate Universe

An alternate universe variant of Vermin from Earth-6160 makes a minor appearance in Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) as one of several villains defeated by Spider-Man and Green Goblin.^[27]

In other media

• Vermin was originally meant to appear in Spider-Man (1995).^{[citation needed]}
• Vermin appears as a boss in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012),^[28] voiced by Steve Blum.^{[citation needed]} This version is an ordinary rat who was transformed into a humanoid form by Oscorp scientists as part of their experiments with "cross-species".