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.
Today we look at the only survivor of the Ultraverse to make his way into Heroclix: Rune
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Appearances in Heroclix: Avengers: Black Panther and the Illuminati
First Appearance: Sludge #1
Team Affiliations: N/A
Created By: Barry Windsor-Smith, Chris Ulm
Rune is an ancient alien being transformed into a monstrous vampire bat-like creature due to the star stones around his neck. After the decimation of his planet and his people, Rune travels the cosmos for millennia and feeds on countless races. These races call him many names, chief among them the Prince of Blood, the Prince of the Void, and the Dark Lord.
Rune finally feels the taste of defeat at the end of a mind breaking 500 year battle. At its conclusion, he flees to a young primative earth and is, at first, worshipped as a god. Time marched on and Rune found himself needing to hide from humanity’s gaze and is ultimately greatly weakened by a hydrogen bomb.
Rune eventually finds his way to Earth 616 and feeds on a symbiote (of the same race as Venom and Carnage) gaining a new and terrifying power from it. He eventually journeys to the Negative Zone and battles both the Phoenix Force (sans host) and Annihilus. Rune even attempts to seize the Cosmic Control Rod but is driven mad by his power.
Once he regains his senses and strength, he returns to Earth 616 and discovers the existence of the Infinity Gems. He manages to find all of the gems except the soul gem, which leads him to Adam Warlock. The two battle within the Soul World until the Soul Gem betrays Adam and reunites with the other gems, forming the Infinity Gauntlet once more. While Rune is able to wield the Gauntlet, the Soul Gem is fighting him for control and opens a portal to the Ultraverse, hoping to rejoin the lost Ego gem. The Silver Surfer arrives and blasts the Gauntlet from Rune’s hand, scattering the gems into the Ultraverse.
Rune arrives back in the Ultraverse on the Island of Mytos with the Soul Gem on his forehead. He soon realizes the gem is draining his life force and goes on a feeding frenzy that does nothing to sate his hunger. Rune soon falls unconscious, leading the Soul gem to reanimate Rune’s victims and order them to care for the monster.
Gemini finds Rune some time later and is able to remove the Soul Gem, allowing Rune to begin to truly heal. At this point, the gem begins to speak to Gemini. Rune attempts to feed on Gemini but is fought off and drained by his would be savior. The Soul Gem urges Gemini to kill Rune, but instead the super being throws Rune through a portal into the Negative Zone.
Many years later, a shriveled skeleton with fangs that resembles Rune is found by Thanos in the Negative Zone.