The Living Monolith
First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #54

Ahmet Abdol, an avid researcher of the Egyptian days of Pharoahs and Pyramids, discovered a latent mutant power within himself, an ability to asborb and release blasts of cosmic energy. Growing up in Cairo, Egypt, Abdol grew up bullied and teased, but secretly wished that he could one day become a modern day Pharoah himself. Abdol's one friend growing up was a young woman named Filene, to whom he grew drawn to as the years went by, and in time the two old friends fell in love. Abdol also continued his research into ancient Egypt, and in time became a highly regarded scholar on the subject, and began teaching as a professor of Archeology in an American institute in Cairo. Abdol also married Filene, and became a father when the happy couple gave birth to a daughter named Salome. Their bliss was not to be, however, for while speaking publically on his theory that the Pharoahs of old were quite possibly mutants, Abdol was attacked by an angry crowd. Driving off at high speed in his car with Filene and Salome, the car unexpectedly crashed, and without the assistance of the crowd Abdol hurried off to save the life a girl who had been injured in the chase. Unexpectedly, the Abdol's car blew up, taking the life of Filene, though the infant Salome managed to get out of the car alive. Enraged at the death of his beloved wife, Abdol and Salome fled, while Abdol released a burst of energy for the first time. In the midst of getting away from the crowd and wreckage, Abdol was approached by a man called the "Master" who offered him a chance to become a Pharoah at last. The "Master" believed that Abdol was the one fortold who, because of his teachings and powers, was to lead their cult into a new age of Egyptian glory. So Abdol joined up, and sent his daughter away to Malta to be brought up, while he assumed the position of Living Pharoah to the cult, however in secret, as he maintained his position at the college simultainiously.

While living his dual life, Abdol encountered a student named Alex Summers, to whom he shared a psychic bond from an earlier experiment by the mad genetist Mr. Sinister. Abdol sought to harness his mutant powers, but was unable to do so due to interference caused by Summers' similar energy-based powers. So Abdol took Summers to his cult's pyramid, and brought Summers' powers to the surface, in the process making Alex's estranged brother Scott aware of his existence. Finally gaining the means to unseath his powers in full force, Abdol became a being of total living energy and renamed himself the Living Monolith, a thirty foot tall Demi-God. Though soon defeated by the X-Men, of which Scott Summers was a founding member as Cyclops, and upon having his powers removed, the Living Monolith was sent to prison. The Monolith broke out soon after, and resumed his desire to gain the power to rule like a Pharoah. The Living Monolith next tried to procure a ruby scarab that would return his powers, but encountered the mysterious Living Mummy and the master criminal, the ASP, and was again defeated. The Living Monolith then sought to refocus his efforts towards gaining vengeance towards those that wronged him in the past, specifically Alex Summers, who had since become the superhero known as Havok. Using Havok in a plan to use the powerful mutant to siphon power into himself, the Living Monolith was opposed by Spider-Man and the Mighty Thor, and his hold over Havok was taken away. The Living Monolith was defeated once again.

Later, in his still secret identity of Admet Abdol, the "good" professor received a pyramid shaped gem called the Cheops Crystal from a fellow researcher. The Living Monolith was able to use the crystal to regain his power and height as the Living Monolith, and if not for the timely arrival of the X-Men, Iron Fist and Power Man, the Monolith surely would have succeeded. Exposed as Ahmet Abdol, returned to his normal height and given implants to prevent any further use of his powers, the Living Monolith was taken into police custody, where he remained until a group of his followers tracked him down and began a plan to free him from captivity. The Living Monolith was released from prison, and he soon returned to his base in New York, though the Fantastic Four were soon informed of the Monolith's plans by a young woman named Fayah Sahid, who was actually a member of the cult and had sent the three available members of the Fantastic Four into a trap. The Monolith planned to use the powers of the Fantastic Four to shut down the implants so he could regain his powers, but the She-Hulk, a member of the FF at the time, tracked down Fayah, and learned her dark secret, that she was actually the long-lost daughter of Ahmet Abdol. Soon the Monolith learned that Fayah was actually his daughter Salome and was being held by the She-Hulk, and enraged by this he quickly murdered her by remote so she would not expose his secrets.

Soon, however, the fact that he had murdered his only daughter sunk in for the Living Monolith, and grief sticken he began a rampage through New York city, only stopped by the sudden arrival of Captain America, Thor and Spider-Man, who saved Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch and the Invisible Woman, but shut down the Monolith's controls and the villain grew to sixty feet. The heroes prevailed though, and the Monolith began to realize the error of his ways. In order to never again threaten the Earth, the still growing Living Monolith chose to be launched into space, where he would not be a problem. With the aid of Thor, the Living Monolith was sent into space and he became known as the Living Planet. The Living Planet remained in orbit, though soon re-entered our solar system, and in a way returned to Earth. Though not interested in harming the World anymore, a chunk of the Living Planet broke off and made it's way back to Earth, where it was found by teenaged Akasha Martinez, who was taken over by the Living Monolith's energy. Spider-Man encountered Akasha, and though he knew that this couldn't have been the intentional work of the now-benevolent Living Planet, that he was somehow behind this. In the end however, Akasha overcame the demons within and expelled the Monolith's control, and was granted Egyptian wings by the Gods for her struggled and success. While Akasha's tale was through however, the Living Planet's was not, and a short time after it's re-entry into the Solar system, it was brought back to Earth for far more devious purposes.

At the turn of the Millenium, the immortal villain Apocalypse and his plans of World domination seemed to be at hand. However, there were stories of a group called the Twelve that would see his downfall, but in time those tales were disproven when it was learned that the Twelve were actually to be used by Apocalypse to further his goals. Assembling Professor Charles Xavier, Sunfire, Magneto, Polaris, Bishop, Cable, Mikhail Rasputin, Cyclops, Phoenix, Iceman, Storm and the "downsized" Living Monolith, the truth about the Living Pharoah's origins were finally revealed. The "Master" was actually an agent of Apocalypse, and the cult followers were there to ensure that the Monolith's powers would reach their limits in preparation for the Twelve, of which the Living Monolith would be the center of Apocalypse's plot towards attaining Godhood. The X-Men arrived to stop Apocalypse's plans, and freed the Twelve, including the Monolith, who was subdued after a fit of rage due to his imprisonment. Apocalypse was defeated and the Living Monolith, who is now at least thirty feet in height, has presumably been taken into police custody, though the exact nature of his current whereabouts are unknown.

Powers and Abilities: The Living Monolith has the mutant ability to project cosmic power, and can absorb energy as well. If he absorbs enough, the Monolith can increase in height, though he usually remains at at least thirty feet tall when able to. The Monolith also has gems called the Pharoah's Eyes, which can be used to hypnotize people, and for a time ruled over a cult, of so-called loyal followers.

REFERENCES: Uncanny X-Men #54-58, Uncanny X-Men #60, Supernatural Thrillers #9, Marvel Team-Up #69-70, Marvel Graphic Novel #17, Marvel Comics Presents #25, Sensational Spider-Man #18-20, Uncanny X-Men #376-377, Cable volume two #76, X-Men volume two #97-98

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