Humus Sapien

Superherobox|

caption=The character as he appeared in FOOM #3.
character_name=Humus Sapien
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="FOOM" #3 (Autumn 1973)
"Thunderbolts" #54 (September 2001)
creators=Michael A Barreiro
Fabian Nicieza (writer)
Patrick Zircher (artist)
real_name = Sonny Baredo
species =
homeworld =
alliances=Thunderbolts
aliases = Humus Sapiens
supports =
powers= Ability to destroy all non-natural substances|

Humus Sapien (Sonny Baredo) is a fictional supervillain published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared as "Humus Sapiens" in "FOOM" #3 (Autumn 1973), and was created by Michael A Barreiro. He first appeared as "Humus Sapien" in "Thunderbolts" #54 (September 2001), by the creative team of Fabian Nicieza and Patrick Zircher.

Publication history

FOOM

Humus Sapien first appeared in Marvel's self-produced fan magazine, "FOOM" #3 (Fall 1973), created (as supervillain Humus Sapiens) by Michael A. Barreiro of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, and was the winning entry in the magazine's character-creation contest. Although "FOOM" founding editor Jim Steranko wrote in the in the premiere-issue introduction that, "The winning entry (to be selected by Ol' Smilin' [Stan Lee|Stan [Lee] himself) will become a super guest-star featured in one of Marvel's top hero mags", this never occurred, and both the character and the contest faded into obscurity.

Barreiro later in the '70s inquired at Marvel about the character, but received no response. Comics columnist Fred Hembeck in 1979 wrote in the magazine "Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom" about the contest and Humus Sapiens, but nothing came of it. Barreiro grew up to become a carpenter and a freelance artist living in the Carrick neighborhood, and did a small amount of work for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics.

Thunderbolts

In 1998, writer Kurt Busiek and editor Tom Brevoort decided to use Barreiro's character in the superhero series "Thunderbolts". Fabian Nicieza, who succeeded Busiek as 'Thunderbolts writer (and who, along with brother and future fellow Marvel editor Mariano Nicieza had also entered the "FOOM" contest), agreed. Renamed Humus Sapien, the character eventually debuted, after 28 years, in "Thunderbolts" #54 (Sept. 2001).

Fictional character biography

Humus Sapien was discovered by the Thunderbolts, when he emerged from a suspended animation chamber in which he had been imprisoned. He has vaguely defined superhuman abilities powered by Earth's population. Each time he uses his powers, however, random people around the world die. Humus Sapien's final battle, after which he voluntarily leaves Earth, drains the lives of 2,400 people, including the Middle Eastern costumed crimefighter the Arabian Knight.

References

* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/humussapien.htm "Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Humus Sapien]
* [http://samruby.com/Series/FOOM/foom03.htm "FOOM" contents and checklist: Issue #3]
* [http://www.postgazette.com/ae/20010814comic0814p4.asp "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" (Aug. 14, 2001): "Bad guy finally finishes first", by Rebecca Sodergren]