Marvel Zombie Lad

Marvel Zombie Lad is a net.hero/occasional net.villain created by Benjamin Pierce. See also Marvel Zombie Girl.
Alter Ego:	Peter Palmer
Aliases:	Marvel_Zombie Lad, Marvel Zombie Boy, Golden Age Comic Swiper Lad, Crossover Caretaker, Image Idiot
Primary Writer:	None
Status:	Former member of the LNH (Classic Team), former member of the East Coast Brotherhood of Net.Villains, currently more deceased than usual
Usability:	Not Reserved

History

  "Gee...I'd like to sign up, but I'm not sure my power is unique enough. Due to prolonged entrapment in the Fandom Zone (the area populated entirely by Marvel Zombies and Fanboys), I have the power to recall virtually any Marvel plot, no matter how hokey (I also have the power to radiate angst, another result of prolonged Marvel exposure..."You don't understand! I've done horrible things in my past, terrible things! I read the New Universe comics! I liked Byrne's work on X-Men! (sob)"...)

  My name? Marvel Zombie Lad, of course..."

  —Ben Pierce, May 1, 1992

The man known as Marvel Zombie Lad was once a grad student in computer science transformed by an experiment to contact a dead relative that sent him to the Fandom Zone, the afterlife of dead fandoms. Whenever someone leaves a fandom, the ghost image of their fandom persona appears in the Fandom Zone, making fanworks and getting into pointless arguments as they had in life. He merged with the psychic essence of everyone who'd ever been obsessed with Marvel Comics and dropped out, transforming him into a revenant with the power to remember every Marvel plot, no matter how pointless, and powered by the fire of angst that burned in his veins!

He became a freelance net.hero, and joined in on the mission to stop General Jarrek alongside Captain LNH. After that mission went awry, those memories were wiped from his mind, but he continued fighting the good fight. When the LNH formed, those people were drawn back together, and he became one of the original members – the one chosen to recruit new members, due to the fiery power of his fandom.

During Cry.Sig, he was temporarily transformed into the Crossover Caretaker by contacting one of the Insanity Gems. When the supervillain called The Man defeated him and took the gem, he reverted to what passes for normal.

After his marvelous adventures in Marvel Zombie Lad: Into the Void, he returned to the LNH in Jungle Cheesecake. But the wanderlust took him, and he left again, for much longer...

...and something happened, something that left a great hole in his memory...

...decades later, Token Girl, Halls Jordan and Cliche Dude found him in, amnesiac and homeless, in a Net.ropolis comic book store. They tried to shake him out of it with Marvel comics – but they made the wrong choice, and as his anger flared at characters being twisted for shock value, Marvel Zombie Lad was reborn in rage against humanity!

But he found himself directionless – full of fire, but without a place to send its force. He joined Mister Homage's East Coast Brotherhood of Net.Villains, following Homage's orders in his search for fulfillment – but a battle against Marvel Zombie Girl shook him from his rage. He stayed with the Brotherhood, unready to change again, until the Brotherhoods met in battle and he faced Anti-Christ Lad directly...

In his enemy he recognized his own hellborn power, his own doubt and angst; and when ACL was tempted to evil, Marvel Zombie Lad confessed that his own submission to damnation had been the wrong choice. The two of them faced off against ACL's corrupted future self and won; and from there, MZL joined the cosmic battle against Simplicity. He pit his passion against Reagent Omnicron's strength— and lost! But his sacrifice was not in vain, and the heroes won the day!

And not long after, in the wake of the Catalyzation Wave, the Determination Force found his resting place...

Personality

Intensely dedicated Marvel fanboy (who, like all Marvel fans, sometimes hates Marvel more than anything). Angst-prone. Sometimes intensely self-conscious, sometimes overwhelmingly confident and passionate. Gives really good dramatic speeches when he's in the right mood.

Powers and Abilities

Ability to recall any Marvel plot, no matter how hokey. Radiates angst in true Marvel fashion. Has the "Fire Which Sears Men's Soles," the manifestation of his love, passion and frustration for Marvel. Undead. Drives a mystic motorcycle.

Appearance

Marvel Zombie Lad wears a black leather costume (of course) and rides a motorcycle with flaming wheels and an 'M' (the letter, not the Gen X babe) for a windshield.

After turning to the dark side, his costume was mystically redesigned with a spiffy red palette-swap. His motorcycle was redesigned to be more retro and also kind of unnecessarily detailed.

Awards

MZL won the very first Favorite LNH Character poll in 1992. He won RACCies:Favorite Villain/Antagonist in the 2017-2018 awards.

Appearances

• Cosmic Plot Device Caper
• Cry.Sig
• The Comics Connection
• What If Kid Kirby Had Died During the Comics Connection?
• Electrocutioner's Song
• The Flame Wars
• Generation Y #0 (flashback)
• Flame Wars II
• Marvel Zombie Lad: Into the Void #1-6
• Net.Villain Team-Up: Halloween Bash
• Cauliflower the Christmas Miracle Pooch #1 (cameo)
• Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 2 #50 (flashback)
• Another LNH Title? Really? #7
• System Corruptors #34-35
• Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 3 #1
• Retcon Year #2
• Hungry, Hungry Sabertooths! #6pi III.2, 26 (mentioned), 29 (mentioned), 32-33, 42, 50, EPILOGUE (Side B)