Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (December 1965). Black Bolt is the ruler of Attilan, and a member of the Inhumans, a reclusive race of genetically altered superhumans. Black Bolt's signature power is his voice, as his electron-harnessing ability is linked to the speech center of his brain. Speaking triggers a massive disturbance in the form of a highly destructive shockwave capable of leveling a city. Due to the extreme danger posed by this power, the character has undergone rigorous mental training to prevent himself from uttering a sound, even in his sleep, and he usually remains completely silent and speaks through sign language or via a spokesperson.
Black Bolt has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful male heroes. Since his original introduction in comics, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, including video games, animated television series, and merchandise. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, different versions of Black Bolt were portrayed by Anson Mount in the Marvel Television series Inhumans (2017) and the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Publication history
Black Bolt debuted in Fantastic Four #45 (December 1965), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He re-joined the Illuminati as part of the 2012 Marvel NOW! rebranding initiative. He appeared in the 2017 Black Bolt series, his first solo comic book series, by Saladin Ahmed and Christian James Ward. He appeared in the 2021 Darkhold: Black Bolt #1 one-shot.
Fictional character biography
1960s
Black Bolt's first appearance established the character as being a member of the Inhuman ruling class. The title Thor featured a back-up feature called "Tales of the Inhumans", which recounts the character's origin story. The son of King Agon and Queen Rynda, Black Bolt is exposed to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo, and eventually demonstrates the ability to manipulate electrons. To protect the Inhuman community from his devastating voice, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proof chamber and is tutored in the use of his powers. Reentering Inhuman society as a young man—having vowed never to speak—the character is attacked by his younger brother Maximus, who attempts, unsuccessfully, to goad him into speaking.
Black Bolt proved popular, and decides to leave Attilan to explore the outside world. The character reappears in a story focusing on his cousin Medusa, drives off the Hulk after the monster defeats the entire Inhuman Royal Family (Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, and Crystal), and with the Fantastic Four, battles his brother Maximus and his own group of rogue Inhumans.
1970s
After being forced to intercede in the budding romance between his cousin Crystal and the Fantastic Four's Johnny Storm, Black Bolt and the Inhumans feature in the title Amazing Adventures, and battle villains such as the Mandarin and Magneto. A story in The Avengers, told in flashback, reveals how Black Bolt came to be ruler of the Inhumans and Maximus was driven mad. Black Bolt discovered his brother had secretly allied himself with the alien Kree—the race whose genetic experiments first created the Inhumans. In trying to stop an escaping Kree vessel, he overextended his sonic powers and caused the vessel to crash. The crash resulted in the deaths of several members of the Council of Genetics, including his parents, and Maximus was driven insane by his proximity to Black Bolt's use of his voice. Black Bolt assumes the title of King but is haunted by the consequences of his actions.
Black Bolt settles a quarrel between Johnny Storm and the mutant Quicksilver for the affections of Crystal, and frees the slave caste of Inhuman society, the Alpha Primitives. Black Bolt and the Royal Family aid the hero Spider-Man against the time-traveling villain Kang the Conqueror, and is forced to again battle the Hulk, teams with the Fantastic Four and the Avengers against the threat of the robot Ultron, and again allies with the Fantastic Four against the fifth-dimensional villain Xemu.