Who the Clix? Count Nefaria

Posted October 5th, 2020 by Joe Pangrazio


Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

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Artwork and character is copyright/trademark Marvel; used under Fair Use

Appearances in Heroclix: Avengers/Defenders War, Invincible Iron Man, Mutant Mayhem
First Appearance: Avengers #13
Team Affiliations: Maggia, Legion of the Unliving, Death Squad, Lethal Legion, Ani-Men
Created By: Stan Lee and Don Heck

Luchina Nefaria was once just a wealthy Italian aristocrat driven to amass ever greater wealth and power. In the pursuit of this, he joined the criminal organization known as the Maggia. The Avengers, however, continually thwart his plans drawing his ire. Nefaria invites them to his castle under the guise of a charity event. Once they arrive, he places them in suspended animation and brainwashes them. Upon awakening, they discover that they are now wanted by authorities and thus grow suspicious of Nefaria. Eventually, Captain America and Iron Man are able to cure themselves of the indoctrination and help deport Nefaria.

Nefaria continues to seek his revenge against the Avengers, eventually coming into conflict with the X-Men. It is his plane that Thunderbird attacks and is killed by, while Nefaria escapes with his life. Having lost almost everything, Nefaria forms the Lethal Legion by employing the Living Laser, Power Man and Whirlwind. He uses them to rob enough banks to finance an experiment to give himself superhuman powers. The process includes amplifying the powers of the Lethal Legion and, once they are defeated, Nefaria drains all of their power and possesses them, increased a hundredfold. Even this, however, is not enough and Nefaria is defeated and imprisoned by the Avengers.

The experiment seems to have made Nefaria immortal but incredibly weakened when his body reconfigures itself to absorb the additional powers. Madame Masque, Nefaria’s daughter, begins seeking a cure for what she believes to be her father’s deteriorating condition. While she does this, she also hires the Ani-Men to attack Avengers Mansion and free her father. Unfortunately, during the course of the attack, Nefaria is seemingly crushed.

Much later, Nefaria appears in an ionic form (much like Wonder Man’s) and requires a constant stream of ionic energy to sustain his existence. In his new form, he continually searches for a steady supply of ionic energy and comes into conflict with Iron Man, Captain America, Ka-Zar, Wonder Man, Atlas, the Thunderbolts and even his own daughter, who is the ultimate tool of his undoing. It is Masque that uses a specially designed weapon that disrupts his ionic form and allows him to be captured. He eventually escapes once again when Electro stages a prison break at the Raft.

Madame Masque later seeks her father’s help on behalf of the Hood. The three battle the Avengers and are once again defeated. Some time later, Nefaria mysteriously escapes and establishes himself as the kingpin of crime of Los Angeles. It is here he comes into conflict with Daken and ultimately survives. Some time later, Nightmare summons Nefaria to battle the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl in her dreams. Squirrel Girl defeats Nefaria in finger counting and he leaves, deflated. He acts as a member of the Army of Evil and is part of the attack on Manhattan in retaliation for Pleastant Hill.

Nefaria later battles the Superior Octopus, who has discovered an energy that disrupts ionic fields and is able to channel that through his tentacles. As Octopus threatens Nefaria’s family, the Count breaks free and vows to return when Octopus’ role as protector of San Francisco inevitably destroys him.

Through unknown events, Nefaria becomes wheelchair-bound. He does not allow this to stop him and he forms a new Lethal Legion. This Legion attacks Dr. Curt Connors as he reveals the Catalyst. Living Laser attempts to help Count Nefaria operate the Catalyst as both Spider-Man and the Sin-Eater arrive. The Sin-Eater uses a gun to steal the powers of Whirlwind and Grey Gargoyle before using Grey Gargoyle’s stolen power to immobilize Spider-Man. Sin-Eater then steals the powers of Living Laser and Count Nefaria, resulting in all four of the Lethal Legion being sent to Ravencroft. Once there, all four behave as model inmates and Count Nefaria shows genuine remorse for his past deeds.

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