vermin

small animals collectively, esp insects and rodents, that are troublesome to man, domestic animals, etc.

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Vermin

(pop culture)

Throughout his tormented life the repulsive Vermin has been surrounded by rats. Created by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Zeck, traumatized young Edward Whelan is a street urchin, scurrying from his sexually abusive father. Two late-twentieth- century Nazi criminals, Baron Zemo II and Arnim Zola, make Whelan a human guinea pig in their perverse genetic experiments, turning him into the cannibalistic Vermin, a 6-feet-tall, fanged and furred rodent-man with superhuman strength and agility and a feral instinct of self-preservation. Engineered to attack their foe Captain America Vermin sics an army of obedient rats on the Star- Spangled Sentinel. Zeck's cover to Captain America #272 (1982), Vermin's first appearance, evokes memories of the 1971 horror film Willard, with the hero being eaten alive by rats—but Cap crushes the vermin of all sizes. The mentally ill Vermin is childlike in thought and open to suggestion, yet when cornered or threatened will strike with lethal force with his razor-sharp teeth and claws. Vermin's most famous storyline was “Kraven's Last Hunt,” DeMatteis and Zeck's six-part 1987 Spider-Man opus, in which yet another manipulator—Kraven the Hunter—used the rat-man in his personal vendetta against the wall-crawler. DeMatteis teamed with artist Sal Buscema to produce “The Child Within” in The Spectacular Spider-Man #178–#184 (1991–1992), in which Vermin attempted to kill his father but was netted into another gambit against Spidey, this time by the Green Goblin II. Whelan's psyche struggled for dominance over Vermin's savagery, and with the help of psychologist Dr. Ashley Kafka he nearly succeeded in purging his rodent mutation. Yet tragedy and creative whims reverted Whelan to Vermin, and in the 2000s he has scampered in and out of the limelight, in scrapes with Wolverine and the Punisher. When not spreading pestilence throughout the Marvel Universe, Vermin is caged at Ravencroft, the maximum-security asylum for deranged supervillains.

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References in periodicals archive

The vermin developed a genetic mutation known as L120Q, which renders many toxins useless, stated the newspaper.

Queen's horror after rats seen 'running through Buckingham Palace kitchen'; The vermin problem has left the royals at the Buckingham Palace baffled and staff had to called in pest control squad

There are a lot of human vermin and rats about, and they are more of a threat than the pigeons and rats, because the human sort carry knives!

Human vermin are more of a threat

Roisin, who claimed she got scarlet fever and an eye infection as a result of vermin bacteria, joined other residents in hitting out at Belfast City Council.

Mum's terror as mouse crawls under girl's pillow in infested home

"This is Vermin Supreme," the new film by director and producer Rod Webber along with NOProductions, showcases the irreverent 2020 Libertarian Party Candidate's antics as he successfully fails to win the 2016 presidential contest.

Trailer for New Vermin Supreme Doc "This is Vermin Supreme" Dropped on April Fools Day by Rod Webber Productions and NOProductions

RAT-INFESTED alleyways are being targeted by the council to prevent an onslaught of vermin, ahead of the warm summer months.

PS6m 'rat blitz' plan as council targets alleys

More than 15 children have been suffering from fatal skin diseases which turns into tumor from pimple and become infested with vermin. District Health Officer Kachi Dr.

Dozens of children affected by mysterious skin diseases in Kachi

'DISTURBING' images of dead foxes hanging from a signpost and lying in a field have sparked outrage from campaigners - but police say they show "legitimate vermin control".

Dead fox images spark fury but police say it was 'legitimate vermin control' THIS IS LEGAL

But evidence suggests the vermin are back with a vengeance, after horrified pupils said they saw a rat in their common room last week.

A top Liverpool school has called in rat catchers after second pest problem in a year; A pupil said a rat was found in the common room

The infestation of vermin throughout the prison has been made worse as prisoners can freely throw litter and food waste from cell windows, the report said.

Spice fuelling violence at 'understaffed' Strangeways; damning report also highlights vermin and other issues at jail

Creep, nuisance, vermin, trouble and costly are synonymous when identifying insects.

COUNTRYSIDE: COMMUNITY

On the contrary, your chances of living with insects and vermin are high because you live next to a lot of neighbors.

Kicking out unwanted condominium critters

"How dare anyone call anyone vermin? Vermin is rats.

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