Like the Shakespearean character he’s named for, Caliban has been labeled as half a monster for most of his life. An underground Morlock, he possesses the ability to sense and track fellow mutants, and can even enhance fear in humans.
In a truly stunning debut, an unbearably lonely Caliban (speaking in his characteristic third person), hunts down Kitty Pryde to spirit her away to his sewers. Spider-Woman, Storm and Dazzler pull off a swooping rescue.
Read through #170 for this “weird wedding” arc that introduces the Morlocks! In one of Chris Claremont’s most impactful stories, the X-Men rescue a kidnapped Angel from becoming the consort of Morlock Queen Callisto! Caliban continues to crush hard on Kitty, definitely in a non-creepy way.
Nope, those aren’t tears of joy! Seeking vengeance for being bested in her one-on-one knife duel with Storm (#170), Callisto orders Caliban to steal what’s rightfully his – the hand of Kitty Pryde! Nightmarish doesn’t begin to describe this issue...
After the near Annihilation of all Morlocks (start with Uncanny X-Men #211), Caliban seeks refuge with X-Factor. But it’s an ill adjustment as the “Tunnelers” are at odds with the surface world, even lashing out at Morlock splinter group, the Drain Dwellers. Later in this series, Caliban would be hand-selected as Apocalypse’s Horseman of Death!
Deemed “unworthy” by Apocalypse-devotees the Dark Riders, Caliban faces extinction until Domino, Cable and Morlock-ally Storm save the day! Caliban agrees to put his tracking skills to use to help Cable find out who’s giving the Riders their orders!
In this Uncanny arc, Caliban walks straight into a trap laid by Masque, now a fringe terrorist dead set on mutating New York. Although stripped of his strength, Caliban reunites with old X-Force buddy Warpath to deride Masque’s plot. But first…sewer gators! Read through #491 for the full story!
In this Messiah Complex tie-in (try the entire event as a Reading List!), Caliban makes the ultimate sacrifice while in pursuit of Cable and the baby mutant Messiah. Coming between a Purifier’s bullets and Warpath, Caliban would prove one of many casualties. But because nothing keeps a mutant down, he was resurrected in the Necrosha event, also available as a Reading List!
Original series writer Louise Simonson offers a continuation from the first series’ final issue! Caliban has a starring role here, acting as “Hellhound” to Apocalypse, while exacting justice against Sabretooth for his role in the Mutant Massacre.