Comics/Graphic Novels

Comics Cheat Sheet: The Inhuman Royal Family

The Inhuman family tree is more complex than those television spots suggest. Have a cheat sheet. Actually, have a few. Go forth. Dive in.

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S.W. Sondheimer

Staff Writer

When not prying Legos and gaming dice out of her feet, S.W. Sondheimer is a registered nurse at the Department of Therapeutic Misadventures, a herder of genetic descendants, cosplayer, and a fiction and (someday) comics writer. She is a Yinzer by way of New England and Oregon and lives in the glorious 'Burgh with her husband, 2 smaller people, 2 cats, a fish, and a snail. She occasionally tries to grow plants, drinks double-caffeine coffee, and has a habit of rooting for the underdog. It is possible she has a book/comic book problem but has no intention of doing anything about either. Twitter: @SWSondheimer

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Even if the show is as terrible as early reviews suggest, if you love comics it’s worth your time to get to know the Inhumans. And life is easier with a cheat sheet or two. BEHOLD! The relationship cheat sheet:

I TOTALLY made this

The abilities cheat sheet:

General Inhuman Abilities:

Stronger, faster, more durable than “normal” humans (think “can outlast Captain America”). The Inhumans are born with certain genetically coded powers and are then additionally enhanced by exposure to Terrigen Mist.

Black Bolt:

  • Abilities: can draw power from electrons in the environment which he can then channel into either his voice (sonic scream = nuclear blast) or into his fists (“Master Blow.” Yeah, yeah. I know. Laugh it up, fuzzballs). The tuning fork on his face helps channel the energy he collects and gives him a measure of control over it.
  • Weaknesses: even a whisper from Black Bolt is a weapon of mass destruction. He must rule the Inhumans without speaking, leading to misunderstandings and mistrust between both the king and the other members of the Royal Family and Black Bolt and the larger Inhuman population.

Maximus:

  • Abilities: Can control the minds of others, genius level intelligence, inventor, scientist.
  • Weaknesses: Mind control can only be maintained within 20 feet of Maximus and only works when he is focused on it. Maximus’ psychic abilities are unreliable due to an injury sustained when he was in range of Black Bolt’s sonic scream as a teenager (don’t feel too bad for Maximus; it was his fault Black Bolt was riled in the first place).

    Medusa:

    • Abilities: control over growth rate and movement of every strand of hair on her head (trichokinesis) and she maintains that control even if her hair is cut off. Medusa’s hair is stronger than steel.
    • Weaknesses: none known.

    Crystal:

    • Abilities: elementalist (aerokinesis, geokinesis, hydrokinesis, pyrokinesis), atomic manipulation (eletrokinesis and electrogenesis, hydrogenesis, magnokinesis, thermokinesis), elemental awareness, hand to hand combat abilities.
    • Weaknesses: can sustain a single environmental phenomenon for a single hour before tiring. If using several abilities in succession, Crystal’s active time is limited to 45 minutes.

    Gorgon:

    • Abilities: powerful legs that end in hooves instead of feet. Capable of creating seismic shocks/kinetic shockwaves by stomping.
    • Weaknesses: secondary Terrigenesis (an experiment executed by S.H.I.E.L.D.) damaged Gorgon’s intellectual abilities and lowered his resistance to disease. He has a longer recovery time than other Inhumans once infected or injured.

    Karnak:

    • Abilities: autonomic function control (heartbeat, breathing, bleeding, pain response, etc.), stress point detection (can find the weak spot/fracture plans in any object or living being), precognitive, possesses psychological intuition, contortionist, master martial artist.
    • Weaknesses: none noted.

    Triton:

    • Abilities: Aquatic mutations (scales, webbed feet, dorsal fin), able to withstand extreme water pressure, altered blood circulation allows Triton to survive freezing temperatures, can breath underwater indefinitely, vision more sensitive in green spectrum (visible spectrum under water).
  • Weaknesses: Unable to survive out of water for more than five minutes without adaptive devices.   Congratulations! You are now ready to dig into those old trades and the current run of Black Bolt. Sources: https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Marvel_Database