Acanti
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| Acanti | |
|---|---|
 The Acanti as depicted in Uncanny X-Men #166 (November 1982). Art by Paul Smith (penciller), Bob Wiacek (inker), and Lynn Varley (colorist). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Uncanny X-Men #156 (April 1982) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont (writer) Dave Cockrum (artist) |
The Acanti are a race of fictional whale-like aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They have appeared in Uncanny X-Men within the Marvel Comics universe. They were created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum. Many of them were enslaved by the Brood empire.
Physical characteristics
[edit]The Acanti are colossal whale-like creatures with several pairs of fins and widely spaced eyes. An adult Acanti can grow to several miles in length, and even an infant is large enough to swallow a 15-person spaceship. They communicate through psionic sounds referred to as songs and can fly faster than the speed of light without assistance.[1][2][3]
Fictional race biography
[edit]The Acanti are an ancient species who wander through space and are largely benevolent and compassionate. They are led by the Prophet-Singer, who serves as a vessel for the Soul, a mystical force that links the species. As death approaches, the Acanti typically hurl themselves into stars. The Prophet-Singer also does so, releasing the Soul to inhabit their successor.[2]
After migrating to the Milky Way, the Brood enslave the Acanti to exploit their ability to travel at light-speed, transforming their bodies into living starships.[1] When the Prophet-Singer dies, the Soul is unable to leave his corpse until the X-Men free it.[2][4][5]
The Roxxon Energy Corporation later obtains an Acanti and has an unidentified Brood-infected human pilot it in an attempt to hire Weapon H before being defeated.[6]
In other media
[edit]The Acanti appear in the X-Men: The Animated Series episode "Love in Vain".
References
[edit]- ^ a b Belt, Robyn (July 28, 2020). "A Complete Guide to Marvel's Galactic Empires". Marvel. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c Asher-Perrin, Emmet; Templeton, Molly (December 16, 2022). "Avatar 2 Joins a Long, Storied History of Space Whales". Reactor. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
- ^ Waid, Mark; Rodriguez, Javier (July 13, 2021). History of the Marvel Universe. Marvel. ISBN 9781302928292.
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #165 (January 1983)
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #166 (February 1983)
- ^ Terror, Jude (May 19, 2018). "X-ual Healing: Acanti Sky-Whales, Brood-Wolves, and Flying Brood-Sharks, Oh My, in Weapon H #3". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved January 12, 2025.