Lifeform (comics)

Publication history

The Lifeform's alter-ego is George Prufrock, who, after exposure to an experimental virus, becomes the Lifeform, an insane and superpowerful being. Possessing two personalities, one a suicidal pacifist and the other an eternally hungry maniac, the Lifeform is in a state of constant mutation, with each of its appearances in the comics depicting it as less and less human-like.

Fictional character history

George Prufrock is the son of a wealthy fanatical right-wing Libertarian named Jethro Prufrock. George (alongside his sister Martha) is trained physically and mentally by their father in an attempt to prepare them for the world. After graduating from university and despite wanting to be an actor, George becomes a scientist after being convinced to do so by his father who also gets him a job at A.I.M. While working at A.I.M., George is forced into stealing an experimental virus, the Progamma virus, from a biotechnology lab, but in the middle of the robbery, is attacked by a guard, who he kills, though not before being exposed to some of the virus during the fight with him.

Rapidly mutating due to exposure to the virus, George, having become the Lifeform, encounters the Punisher at an A.I.M. base and battles him, eventually causing the vigilante to flee when his weapons prove ineffective against George. Following the Punisher to his father's mansion, a rambling George bursts on to the scene while the Punisher is in the midst of a fire fight with his sister and father. Killing his father, George is presumed dead when the Punisher, after being allowed access to the Prufrock weapons vault by Martha, blasts him in the face with a rocket launcher and knocks him into the ocean.

Resurfacing sometime later, the Lifeform, now possessing two personalities, one peaceful and the other evil, begins to feed off people while living in the alleys of Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. During an encounter with two gang members, the Lifeform is forced to flee from them and the recently arrived Daredevil when one of the gang members shoots off its arm with an automatic rifle. While fleeing, the Lifeform is drawn into a battle with supervillainess Typhoid Mary who manages to successfully drive off the Lifeform by appealing to its peaceful side. Once more driven to wandering, the Lifeform attempts to feast on a pair of teenagers only to be stopped by Daredevil. Attempting to appeal to the Lifeform and convince it to seek aid, Daredevil can only watch as the Lifeform is attacked by police with tranquilizers (which actually hasten its heart rate to the point Daredevil believed its heart will explode) and conventional firearms. Lifeform appears to die when it collapses to the ground and dissolves, leaving only a bubbling puddle.

Regenerating, the Lifeform is approached by Mercy, an extraterrestrial who assists beings wanting to die in committing suicide. Confused by the Lifeform's dual personality (one which wants to die and the other which wants to continue living), Mercy proceeds to teleport it to a ghost town in the Midwest where the Hulk is. Forcing the two minds of the Lifeform into a debate with the Hulk and his alter-ego, Dr. Bruce Banner, Mercy's machinations are ultimately fruitless, as in the end the Hulk and Lifeform only end up fighting each other. After being knocked into a fire by the Hulk and temporarily killed by it, the Lifeform regrows and is transported back to New York by Mercy. Despite it begging her to end its life, Mercy refuses to do so and instead changes the Lifeform back into George Prufrock, but neglects to repair his damaged psyche.

Mercy's transformation of the Lifeform back into George Prufrock proves only temporary, as, over time, George begins to re-mutate. Tracking down a scientist named Lamar Kwiat who worked on the Progamma virus, George discovers him in a hospital, slowly dying due to having been bitten by a monkey infected by with the Progamma virus that had escaped when George first stole the virus. Telling Lamar his origin and of his encounter with the Hulk and Mercy while he steadily mutates and devours anyone who disturbs them, George (having become the Lifeform again) kills Lamar seeing itself as performing an act of mercy by killing the slowly dying scientist.

Devouring everyone in the hospital, the Lifeform draws S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention, who contact Mister Fantastic to deal with the creature. With help from the Silver Surfer, Mister Fantastic tracks the Lifeform, which has grown into a gigantic monstrosity composed of malformed tentacles, mouths, arms and bulging muscle, to the East River, where it had been in the midst of eating marine life. Incapacitating Mister Fantastic, the Lifeform is attacked by the Silver Surfer, who flies it to a dead plane in space that Galactus had previously consumed with the intent of destroying it. Before the Silver Surfer can kill the Lifeform, its good personality emerges and begs the Silver Surfer to end its life. Unable to bring himself to kill the Lifeform because doing so would mean killing its innocent side, Silver Surfer regrettably leaves the being on the planet, its good side begging for death and its evil side complaining of its hunger.

Powers and abilities

George Prufock has some experiences in combat including the use of firearms and knives.

His Lifeform appearance is always mutating and becoming even more powerful.