Inferno (Dante Pertuz)

Publication history

Pertuz was created by writer Charles Soule and artist Joe Madureira as the protagonist of the Inhumans comic, Inhuman. He made his debut in the comic's first issue, which was included as a backup feature to The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #1. In the context of the series, Pertuz is portrayed in either his late teens or early twenties, and is of Inhuman descent. His powers are activated when the chemical known as Terrigen Mist is spread throughout the world in the aftermath of the Inhumanity storyline. Pertuz would appear in most issues of the Inhuman comic, and will appear in the Uncanny Inhumans series, a preview of which was featured as a backup for Marvel's Free Comic Book Day comic, All-New, All-Different Avengers.

Since his debut, Marvel has pushed Pertuz as a key character in their universe, usually to represent their Inhuman line of comics. He was included in the "Avengers NOW!" promotional artwork, where he was beside iconic characters such as Iron Man and the new Thor and Captain America. He was also beside Medusa as Inhuman representation in the first issue of the major crossover storyline, "Secret Wars". He was featured in promotional images for the All-New, All-Different Marvel line of comics.

Fictional character biography

Living in Des Plaines, Illinois, Dante Pertuz was a drummer for a wedding band to support his pregnant sister and sick mother. One day during the Inhumanity storyline, the Terrigen Mist (a chemical used to activate the abilities of Inhumans) flew through his neighborhood following the aftermath of the Infinity storyline where Black Bolt detonated the Terrigen bomb during his fight with Thanos. Dante, unknowingly a part of Inhuman descent, underwent Terrigenesis, as did his mother, his sister being spared due to not inheriting the gene. His mother was killed during the process. During all this, an Inhuman named Lash appeared, who believed that only a certain few should be chosen for the transformation. He attempts to kill the family, but Dante emerges with new flame based powers, and fights off Lash. Towards the end of the fight, the Inhuman queen Medusa comes to him, aiding him until Lash flees. She befriends Dante, him being the first NuHuman (people of both human and Inhuman ancestry) to join Inhuman society.

As the months go on, Dante (whose sister had suggested his Inhuman name, Inferno) and his sister move into New Attilan, as thousands of NuHumans are revealed across the world, with the Terrigen Mist spreading around the Earth, many of them moving to New Attilan now that Medusa has publicly announced that Attilan will be an independent nation and safe haven to all Inhumans and NuHumans. Dante trains as a soldier under the guise of Gorgon, and befriends fellow NuHumans Flint, Naja, and Kamala Khan (the new Ms. Marvel). Pertuz is one of the main forces in protecting Attilan from several of the Inhuman's enemies, and is recruited to find the missing Inhuman king Black Bolt. Eventually, Medusa's advisor Lineage betrays the Inhumans as he reveals to be an ally of Lash. As Lineage uses a codex of human and Inhuman DNA to cause the humans of Jersey City to become deranged, Pertuz and his friends aid Ms. Marvel in subduing the city's people until Lineage is killed by Karnak. The battle ends while his sister Gabriella was in labor. Dante goes to his Gabriella as her son is born. Dante comforts his nephew who has inherited the Inhuman gene.

Not long afterwards during the Secret Wars storyline, Earth-616 faces its imminent end as it faces an incursion with the Earth-1610. Pertuz is there for the universe's final battle against the Children of Tomorrow alongside all the world's major superheroes. However, the universe meets its end as the world fades into oblivion, killing him, alongside Medusa and the rest of the universe. Like the rest of the people and heroes who perished at the hand of the incursion, Doctor Doom saves them all and puts them on his newly created planet of Battleworld wiping everyone's memories of the universe before it.

During the Inhumans vs. X-Men storyline, Inferno and Iso were sent by Medusa to find out what happened to Black Bolt while she prepares for battle. Iso and Inferno are chased by Wolverine and the time-displaced Angel. They manage to find Eldrac and he sends them away through a portal just before Wolverine can catch them. On the other side of the portal, they find Old Man Logan waiting for them. While Inferno distracts Logan, Iso discovers Forge nearby with a device that the X-Men are planning to use to alter the structure of the Terrigen Cloud so they can destroy it. Iso and Inferno manage to defeat Logan and Forge and destroy the device then flee while taking Forge prisoner.

Powers and abilities

Dante is a flame manipulator where he is able to produce vast amounts of plasmoid fire from his own body, and may shoot fire from his limbs. He can also light his entire body aflame similarly to Human Torch with the side effect involving the burning of his skin while taking him some time to recover from the burns. He also sports an accelerated healing capability which is possibly connected to his ability to recover from his own burns, he once had his arm severed by a rioter and it regenerated from the same molten substance his power produces.

Television