War is the name of several fictional characters who are supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Four members of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse: Abraham Kieros; the fifteenth-century incarnation (real name unknown); the mutant Gazer; and the First Horseman War. The title has also been held by the Hulk, Deathbird, and Colossus.
Publication history War (Abraham Kieros) first appeared in X-Factor #11 (December 1986), and was created by Louise Simonson and Walter Simonson. The character subsequently appears in X-Factor #15 (April 1987), #17 (June 1987), #19 (August 1987), #22–25 (November 1987–February 1988), Daredevil #252 (March 1988), X-Factor #26–27 (March–April 1988), X-Factor #84 (November 1992), The Uncanny X-Men #294–295 (November–December 1992), and Wolverine (vol. 2) #147 (February 2000). War appeared as part of the "Apocalypse's Horsemen" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #1.
Fictional character biographies
Abraham Kieros
Abraham Kieros was a young Vietnam War veteran who was paralyzed in combat. He was kept in a hospital and placed in an iron lung, but felt as though he was betrayed and forgotten by his country. Apocalypse appeared to him one day and offered him the ability to move and to get revenge on those who had tossed him aside. He accepted the offer and transformed into the Horseman of War, restoring his mobility. During the Horsemen's first confrontation with X-Factor, War attempts to lead the group. However, Famine and Pestilence refuse to obey his orders and flew off to do their own business. Soon after, Death takes over leadership. During the attack on Manhattan, War attacks Cyclops and is later teleported back to the ship by Apocalypse, where he fights several more X-Factor members. War is eventually defeated by Iceman. Apocalypse then grabs War and flees. Later, during the "X-Cutioner's Song" story arc, War attacks Colossus and Iceman, but soon flees after Caliban grabs Jean Grey and Cyclops. Caliban hands the two over to Apocalypse, who is really Mister Sinister in disguise. The X-Men seek out the Horsemen and War is presumably defeated in combat. Much later, War appears in an hospital, once again paralyzed from the neck down. He has apparently been abandoned by Apocalypse, who stripped him of his powers. Archangel, who had gained newfound powers and had been searching for Kieros, heals him of his wounds, giving him hope to start over with a new life.
Hulk
Deathbird
Gazer
Gazer is a mutant astronaut who was stationed alone on a NASA observation space station, due to the unusual metabolism he possessed as his mutant power, whereby he could absorb harmful radiation and process it to gain sustenance. Gazer lost his powers on M-Day, along with 90% of mutants. Some time later, Gazer was teleported to Apocalypse's ship and forced to battle Dr. Foster, a human archeologist who had stumbled upon Apocalypse's tomb, for the "right" to become War, Horseman of Apocalypse. Gazer would have lost the battle if it were not for Ozymandias, Apocalypse's servant. Ozymandias told Gazer that he would owe him. As War, Gazer was sent to battle the X-Men and Sentinel Squad O*N*E. Upon returning to Apocalypse's sphinx, he was approached by Ozymandias, who wanted his debt repaid. War, no longer Gazer, did not fulfill his oath and instead revealed the truth to Apocalypse about Ozymandias' treachery. During a heated battle against the X-Men, Ozymandias kills Gazer, taking vengeance on him.
15th century incarnation
Not much is known about this incarnation of War. He was chosen by Apocalypse in the fifteenth century to become his horseman and lead his army, the Riders of the Dark. This army was so fierce and powerful that most people presumed it was just a myth used to scare soldiers before their first battle. It was no myth at all, and it precisely was what people thought it was, fierce and strong. In most of their battles, the only soldier who had to fight was War, who would single-handedly defeat hordes of men just by himself. In 1459, the Riders of the Dark appeared in Romania where Vlad Ţepeş' army was fighting against the Ottomans and emerged victorious. Unfortunately for Vlad (who would become Dracula), War defeated Dracula's army. The survivors fled for their life, abandoning Dracula on the field who stood his ground and faced War but ultimately fell.
Decimus Furius
Colossus
War (First Horseman of Apocalypse)
War is one of four children of Apocalypse and Genesis, born and raised on Okkara. She and her siblings grow up to be the first Horsemen of Apocalypse and fight against the Brood in Ancient Egypt. When the forces of Amenth invade Earth and split Okkara into Krakoa and Arakko, War, along with her mother, her siblings, all Okkaran mutants, and Arakko, is voluntarily sealed away in Amenth to stop the invasion, while Apocalypse remains on Earth. After Genesis becomes the host of Annihilation, Arakko is subjugated by the forces of Amenth. War and her siblings are sent to Otherworld to attack Dryador and the Starlight Citadel. When Saturnyne intervenes and arranges the X of Swords tournament, War is chosen as a swordbearer for Arakko. War's first challenge in the tournament is against Solem in a contest of who can cut off a limb from their opponent first. Solem calls in a favor owed to him by Wolverine, who takes Solem's place in the battle. In the subsequent fight, War outmatches Wolverine, but fails to kill him. Wolverine cuts off War's left hand and wins the challenge, though the victory goes to Arakko since he was standing in for Solem. When Genesis incites a civil war on Arakko, War joins her mother there and fights against Storm and her allies. After the war ends, War joins her mother and Famine in exile on Phobos.
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