Contributed by Michael McDermott
Karl Coven was a psychotic serial killer, who killed at least 17 people including children, and used their remains for ritualistic purposes. Superhero sidekick Rick Jones witnessed some of these murders, and it was his testimony that got Coven arrested and put on trial.
Coven claimed to be an alien, and therefore not bound by human laws, but medical examinations showed him to be a normal human. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection. However, after being dead for a few minutes, Coven mysteriously returned to life! Since Coven had technically served his sentence, the court had no choice but to release him. Immediately, Coven came after Rick Jones to get his revenge. Rick Jones is currently bonded to cosmic superhero Captain Marvel, and so when Coven came after Rick, he wound up face to face with Captain Marvel!
Captain Marvel had recently been driven insane by his cosmic awareness, so instead of trying to stop Coven, he actually decided to recruit him as his partner! Marvel gave Coven a portion of his own cosmic power. The two of them started their own “legal system” and began serving out their own version of “justice”, which bought them some powerful enemies, including the family of an alien Caffrey, whom Coven executed for his “crimes”. Meanwhile, Rick was contacted by Lucy Harper, the wife of one of Coven’s victims. Since Coven escaped justice, she wanted Rick’s help to kill him. At first Rick refused, but after Coven made an attempt on Lucy’s life right in front of him, he agreed.
Rick convinced Captain Marvel to revoke Coven’s cosmic power so that he would have a chance to kill him. However, during the fight, Coven reclaimed all of Genis’s power, making him virtually invincible. He defeated Rick and was about to kill him and Lucy when Caffrey’s family showed up. Coven confidently told them to take their best shot–and then Captain Marvel took his power back! Coven was now vulnerable again and was killed instantly by energy blasts. According to Captain Marvel’s cosmic awareness, this time Coven will remain dead.
A number of times Coven flirted with Rick while taunting him, and even kissed him, sticking his tongue down Rick’s throat (Captain Marvel #9, volume 4). However, it is not clear if this was an actual attraction or just a way of taunting Rick, or even just part of Coven’s insanity.
He appeared to have a natural resurrection ability which was apparently due to his alien origin. The cosmic powers he temporarily had from Captain Marvel granted him superhuman strength, invulnerability, the ability to fly, and the ability to view the past.
Coven created by Peter David and Ivan Reis.
All rights reserved Marvel Entertainment. Used without permission.
