Brother Voodoo

Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee proposed a heroic practitioner of voodoo, and when editor-in-chief Roy Thomas suggested the name "Doctor Voodoo", Lee rebounded with the suggestion "Brother Voodoo".[5] The task of fleshing out the character was then assigned to writer Len Wein and Marvel's art director, John Romita Sr. Wein recounted, "We talked about the sense of the character. I designed the 'V' in the circle on the forehead in John's office."[5] Romita did most of the costume design, while Wein's concept for Brother Voodoo's character and powers drew partial inspiration from the Phantom.[5]

Cover to Strange Tales #169 (September 1973). Art by John Romita Sr.

Brother Voodoo starred in his own feature in the Marvel comic-book series Strange Tales #169-173 (September 1973-April 1974), and in a backup feature in the black-and-white horror-comics magazine Tales of the Zombie #6 (July 1974, in a story continuing from Strange Tales #173) and #10 (March 1975).[6] He has gone to guest-star very sporadically in other Marvel series, into the 21st century.[7]

Brother Voodoo's run in Strange Tales was written by co-creator Len Wein and drawn by Gene Colan. Though they worked on the series under the Marvel method, Wein left little for Colan to do in the way of plotting and pacing, writing plots which laid out the story page-by-page and often even panel-by-panel.[5] According to comics journalist Michael Aushenker, Colan "took what would surely have been, in lesser hands, a very corny idea and infused it with an artistry which not only gave it flair and style but a kind of realism and straight-faced credibility that these otherwise ridiculously costumed individuals would actually appear to belong to our world."[5] Though the letters pages for these issues feature many angry letters from religious readers, Wein has said this should not be taken as an indication that Brother Voodoo was controversial, since Marvel staff often stacked letters pages with the most extreme responses they could find as a form of publicity.[5]

Brother Voodoo's name was changed to "Doctor Voodoo" when he replaced Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme during the Dark Reign storyline. The character received his own eponymous ongoing series written by Rick Remender, Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural,[4][8] which was canceled after five issues.

Returning to his native Haiti (born in Port-au-Prince) after 12 years (originally nearly 20[9]) of education and practice as an accredited psychologist in the United States, Jericho Drumm discovers that his twin brother, Daniel Drumm, the local houngan, is dying, a victim of a voodoo sorcerer who claims to be possessed by the spirit of the serpent-god Damballah, based on the Loa Damballa. Just before he dies, Daniel makes his brother vow to visit Daniel's mentor, Papa Jambo. Jericho does, and becomes Jambo's student. After studying under the aged houngan for several weeks, Jericho gains a greater mastery of voodoo practices than his own brother, becoming a houngan in his own right. Papa Jambo then performs a rite that summons Daniel's spirit from the dead and joins it with Jericho's own. Having fashioned a worthy successor, Papa Jambo dies.

Taking the name "Brother Voodoo", Jericho challenges the priest (who goes by the same name as his god, Damballah) and his cult. With the help of his brother Daniel Drumm's spirit possessing one of the cult members, Jericho removes Damballah's artifact of power (wangal), causing Damballah's snakes to turn on him and evidently destroying Damballah's cult. Brother Voodoo becomes Haiti's houngan supreme and champion, and establishes a sprawling mansion as a base of operations. He places the wangal in a safe, its combination known only to Brother Voodoo and his manservant Bambu.[10][11]

Brother Voodoo encounters the scientist Baron Samedi and artificial zombies created by the terrorist-scientist group A.I.M.;[12] the original Black Talon, Mama Limbo, and the Dark Lord Cult;[13] and the houngan Dramabu.[14] Having established himself, Brother Voodoo goes on to help other superheroes, including Spider-Man[15] and Moon Knight,[16] as well as the Jack Russell werewolf,[17] the Thing and Black Panther.[18]

Doctor Voodoo as the Sorcerer Supreme in The New Avengers #53 (July 2009). Art by Billy Tan and Matt Banning.

Brother Voodoo eventually succumbs to the lure of power that Damballah's wangal represented. Upon Jericho's wearing it, the god Damballah takes over Daniel's soul, burns down the mansion and apparently slays Bambu. He travels to New York City to attempt to take over the mind and body of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, who eventually frees Brother Voodoo of Damballah's influence and re-confines the evil god to the wangal.[19] He later becomes involved with the supernatural 'Howling Commandos" operation of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D.[20][21] and registers with the government in accordance with the Superhuman Registration Act.[22]

While Black Panther was fighting Erik Killmonger, Brother Voodoo revealed himself to be a Skrull when he attempted to kill Cannibal, whom he deemed to be a threat. However, the two killed each other in the struggle, and the discovery of 'Brother Voodoo's' true form revealed the Skrull invasion to Black Panther, allowing him time to prepare.[23] Like other heroes replaced by the Skrulls, Brother Voodoo was revealed to be alive at the end of Secret Invasion.[24]

Brother Voodoo possesses numerous mystical and quasi-physical powers derived from the Loa, the spirit-gods of voodoo. He can easily enter into a trance-like state in which he does not feel the heat from fire and his skin becomes impervious to burning. He can also control flame and lower life forms. Brother Voodoo can mystically create smoke accompanied by the sound of drums. The smoke conceals his presence while he is able to see through it. He has the ability to command certain living things by a mystic sort of hypnotism, most effective over animals and plants. He can summon the Loa to request transport for himself and others instantaneously if they deem it necessary to his mission.

Brother Voodoo can also summon the spirit of his brother Daniel Drumm from within his body, doubling his own strength. He can send the spirit to possess another person's body and then has total control over their actions.

Brother Voodoo also has more mundane escapist talents, once entering Strange's building, not through magic, but through the chimney. He has extensive knowledge of voudoun (voodoo) thanks to training by Papa Jambo, as well as conventional medicine and psychology with a Ph.D. in psychology.

He wears a mystic medallion that serves as a focus of his powers and as a focus for his contact with his personal loas. He has, at times, employed conventional firearms.

Brother Voodoo's appointment as the new Sorcerer Supreme has bestowed upon him not only the power of the Eye of Agamotto, but also the Cloak of Levitation and the Books of Knowledge, which were formerly in the possession of Doctor Strange.

• Brother Voodoo at the Marvel.com
• Brother Voodoo at the Marvel Database
• Brother Voodoo at the Grand Comics Database
• Brother Voodoo at the Marvel Directory
• Brother Voodoo at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Brother Voodoo at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on February 22, 2018.