Vanisher

Superherobox|

caption=Cover to "X-Force" #69
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=The Vanisher
real_name=Telford Porter
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="X-Men" #2 (November, 1963)
creators=Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Designer Gene Corporation Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Enforcers Fallen Angels Factor Three
aliases=El Hombre que Desaparece
powers=Teleportation.|

The Vanisher (Telford Porter) is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain of the Marvel Universe, and an opponent of the X-Men. Although his character is highly unpopular in the comics and TV series, the Vanisher is one of the X-Men's oldest enemies having first appeared in "X-Men" #2 (November 1963). The Vanisher was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Much of the Vanisher's actual life remains unknown, aside from his criminal career, though he was apparently born in Milton, Massachusetts. He is a mutant with the ability to teleport to any place he can think of. In his first appearance, he steals continental defense plans from the United States government, and then attempts to blackmail the U.S. government by publicly threatening to sell the plans to communists unless he receives 10 million dollars. The Vanisher, with a large group of non-mutant followers, then goes to the front lawn of the White House to await his payment. Professor Xavier and the X-Men are able to intervene when Xavier induces amnesia upon the Vanisher. Forgetting he has mutant powers, the Vanisher is taken into police custody and the rest of the X-Men defeat the unruly followers.

The Vanisher eventually regains his memory and joins Factor Three, a subversive organization of mutants who seek world domination. Factor Three is opposed by the X-Men when they attempt to start World War III between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Vanisher met the X-Men again, but this time as allies, when the Mutant Master, leader of Factor Three, is revealed to be an alien of the Siris race. The Mutant Master had a plan to conquer Earth. The rest of Factor Three, including the Vanisher, team up with the X-Men to defeat him.

The Vanisher disappears for a while but eventually comes out of hiding to fight the Champions. To do so, he becomes a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and uses reprogrammed Sentinels. He is defeated by the Champions and is trapped in mid-teleportation by Darkstar. He also joins a group of villains to challenge the Fantastic Four, but is defeated.

After traveling in another dimension with Nightcrawler, the Vanisher returns to Earth to lead a group of young mutant thieves known as the Fallen Angels. Eventually they disband, and the Vanisher is left to his own devices.

The Vanisher then kept to himself for a long period of time, until he was mentally controlled by Asylum to attack the New Warriors and other super heroes. Darkling, a superhuman who also uses energies from the Darkforce Dimension, is defeated and the Vanisher regains his free will. Later, the Vanisher joins a second incarnation of the Enforcers, called the New Enforcers. The New Enforcers were a consortium that operated in obscurity. Along with Eel and a woman named Blitz, the Vanisher becomes involved in a clash between the criminal organizations A.I.M. and HYDRA. The New Enforcers are confronted and eventually defeated by Spider-Man ["Web of Spider-Man" #99 - 100] .

X-Teams

At some point, the Vanisher seeks to understand his powers in greater detail. He visits the Darkforce dimension but is captured by its inhabitants. They force him to read them stories. He is rescued by X-Force's Warpath, who had been manipulated into performing the mission.

The Vanisher most recently resurfaces as a leader of a South American drug cartel which was producing and distributing drugs that gave superhuman powers (possibly MGH), throughout the Americas. Stacy X, Iceman and Archangel were instrumental in stopping his North American operations.

X-Force

The Vanisher is one of the few mutants that retained their superhuman powers after the M-Day. He resurfaces again in "X-Force" #7 and is seen in possession of a large stockpile of the long-thought destroyed Legacy Virus. Cyclops has ordered X-Force to recover it at all costs.

Powers and abilities

The Vanisher possesses the ability to teleport himself, his clothes, and an as yet undetermined amount of additional mass. Apparently the Vanisher traverses the Darkforce dimension when teleporting from one place on Earth to another. His power appears to be psionic in nature. The Vanisher's teleportational range and the maximum amount of mass he can teleport with himself are unknown, but he can teleport himself and several others from southern California to New York State without any visible strain. The Vanisher has a subconscious extrasensory ability that prevents him from materializing part or all of his body within a solid object, even if he has never before been to the area he is teleporting to. This allows Vanisher to teleport with greater ease than Nightcrawler. His powers once interacted with those of Nightcrawler, sending them both into alternate dimensions ("Nightcrawler" limited series).

Other versions

House of M

Vanisher works with Pyro and under the authority of Exodus as part of the mutant supremacist rulership of Australia. They are opposed by the Hulk who is mad that his native friends have been harassed.

Exiles Vanisher

An alternate reality Vanisher appeared in Exiles and demonstrated the ability to teleport from the Earth to a station in space.

Ultimate Marvel Vanisher

The Vanisher is a member of the Brotherhood terrorist cell raided by Captain America and the Ultimates in "Ultimate War". He later reappears as a member of the Brotherhood in The Ultimates vol. 3

In other media

Vanisher appeared in "Wolverine and the X-Men" as a member of Professor X's future X-Men team.

Bibliography

* "Uncanny X-Men" #2, 26-39, 59-60, 96-100, 408-409
* "Uncanny X-Men Annual" 2001
* "Avengers" Vol. 1 #103
* "Champions" #17
* "Bizarre Adventures" #27
* "Fallen Angels" #1-8
* "Fantastic Four" Vol. 1 #335
* "Web of Spider-Man" #98-100
* "New Warriors" Vol. 1 #33-34
* "X-Force" Vol. 1 #69-71, 81
* "X-Force" Vol. 2 #7
* "Thunderbolts" #55

References

External links

* [http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/characters/showquestion.asp?fldAuto=1103 Uncannyxmen.net character bio on Vanisher]