Cube

Origin

Gordon Hume was an ordinary scientist who took a fascination in the tropical-dwelling box jellyfish, of which many of its species are among the most deadly, toxic and poisonous in the world. Hume was fascinated with the idea of utilizing the deadly toxins with the creature and set about developing and researching ways to harness the its potent poisons. His research and analysis was flawed, and despite apprehension and warnings from peers, Hume believe he had created a universal anti-toxin and injected himself with a serum concoction. Consequently Hume suffered extreme adverse affects, his physical body mutating severally and his mind broken and driven mad. Giant mutated growths and tumors would manifest on his body, he would lose hair and limbs would swell and mutate. His body would also now house deadly and toxic tendrils that would emit from various openings on his body. These he could control and use to poison and sting others. Gordon Hume now a foul psychopath would be referred to and dubbed as many things, The Nematocyst and The Cubozoan Killer but he is best known simply as The Cube.

Cube has fought against many superheroes, some of his adversaries being Omni-Engine, Sable, Mink, Dragonfly and Silver Man. The latter Silver Man also falling in action, the brutal Cube murdering him, causing his reputation to be even lower in the eyes of the heroes. This action also lead to Cube being imprisoned in the Joseph Sanitarium also known as The Hole. Cube is affiliated with the Final Five and Wall of Death.

Creation

Cube is a Boom! Studios published character that first appears in the 2012 series Deathmatch, appearing in its debut issue Deathmatch #1. Cube is designed and created by writer Paul Jenkins and artists Carlos Magno and Michael Garland, writers and artists of the series.

Character Evolution

The Cube serves as one of the main antagonists in the Boom! Studios Deathmatch series. Despite the nature of the series pitting all the characters against each other, Cube is one of the characters presented as being universally reviled and he earns the disgust of many of the characters because of his demented and vile persona and actions. The character also serves as a direct contrast to Dragonfly, a young hero who Cube holds a constant grudge against after being defeated by the hero. Cube would often attempt to rile up Dragonfly, reminding him of heroes he had killed, civilians he had killed and making misogynistic comments about Lightspeed. Throughout the series the eventual showdown and confrontation between Cube and Dragonfly is cultured.

Major Story Arcs

Deathmatch

Cube is one of many and numerous superheroes, supervillains and neutrals abducted under mysterious circumstance and imprisoned in a supermassive enclosed structure, with no immediate reason. Thirty two in total, they have no memories of how they got to this location, who put them there, or who is affecting their powers and memories. The assorted group are being forced to fight systematically in a series of one on one death matches in which only one can survive before moving on. Mysterious and powerful guards composed of light also keep order and hostilities to a minimum between the diverse group, neutralizing any that might start physical fights that take place outside the death matches. The first death match was between Cube's arch-nemesis Dragonfly and Apex with Dragonfly the victor. Dragonfly would also reveal his true identify during the bout and break one of his fundamental principles in killing. This was not something the Cube would neglect to bring up when Dragonfly returned from his death match, taunting Dragonfly with his real life name of Benny Boatright and nicknaming him as Benny, then threatening to kill everyone he knows. Cube would attempt to attack Dragonfly but be quickly neutralized by the powerful light guards as Dragonfly walked away. Cube would continue to threaten him regardless.

The Next Deathmatch

The next death matches would come thick and fast with Dog 54-Alpha killed by George Truman, Omni-Engine killing Supercollider and Sol Invictus killing Replic 8.

Powers and Abilities

The Cube aka The Nematocyst and The Cubozoan Killer after being mutated by a serum he believed to be an anti toxin to the potent and deadly poisons of the cube jellyfish, gains superhuman abilities. His physique changed he is deformed by has enhanced durability and strength but the biggest change in his physiology is his ability to produce and discharge multiple lengthly tendrils that are houses within his body when not being used. Much like the tendrils and stingers of a jellyfish, Cube's glow and are translucent and could almost be described as beautiful save for its horrific ability to poison, kill and disfigure opponents. Cube can produce these tendrils from multiple points of his body but the most deadly and poisonous appear to be those he manifests from behind his face which can open up like a flower producing rows of deadly toxic limbs. Cube's toxins and poison are also said to be at least 50 times that of a box jellyfish. Cube also appears to actively work towards further mutations and increasing his potency.

Another unusual ability Cube appears to have is to shed his skin into a melting soup of toxins. This excess body shell is also highly toxic and can disfigure and scar any who come into contact with it.