Marvel Universe

Drom

Universe
Marvel Universe

Real Name
Drom (last name unrevealed)

Aliases
The Backwards Man

Identity
Secret

Occupation
None

Citizenship
Unrevealed

Place of Birth
Unrevealed

Known Relatives
Unrevealed

Group Affiliation
None

Education
Unrevealed, but Drom may have been schooled in various sciences and engineering

Height
Unrevealed

Weight
Unrevealed

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Blond

Powers
It appeared that Drom could absorb the life-energy from others when in close proximity and only when they engaged in some type of activity like physical combat. Also, if touched by an organic object, Drom could instantly absorb its chronal energy, leaving the object, living or not, a pile of dust.

Abilities
It can be presumed Drom was an intuitive inventor who designed his weapon and other diverse gadgets

Weapons
Drom used a gun which could produce a multitude of effects from animating inanimate objects, dissolve Spider-Man's webbing, and shoot concussive blasts of energy to knock out his foes.

Paraphernalia
Drom needed various machines to cope with his mysterious affliction. He used translation machines to enable others to understand his backwards language, and his body's reverse metabolism depended on conversion machines to make normal food edible. The most important device to Drom was his Metabolic Disrupter. With this horrific invention, Drom was able to breakdown the cellular structure of a captive and convert it into energy in order for him to use to survive. However, the Disrupter left the victim a lifeless husk.

Probably the most crucial item to Drom's existence was a simple mirror. Along with the energy Drom needed to sustain his body, he also needed to focus on his own image in order to prevent him from being swept up in the current of time.

First Appearance
Marvel Team-Up #31 (1974)

Origin
Marvel Team-Up #31 (1974)

Significant Issues
Attempted to sustain his own life by draining Spider-Man and Iron Fist of their energy (Marvel Team-Up #31, 1974); man identified as Drom frequented Bar with No Name but only spoke sentences backwards rather than words (Marvel: Year in Review, 1992)

Suffering from a mysterious disease, caused by an unknown assailant, Drom's infant body was switched with his aged form just minutes after his birth. It caused him to live his life in reverse, and as the years went by, he became younger and would continue to do so until he became an infant once again and finally cease to exist. Everything from Drom's metabolism to his speech was backwards, but there was a way to prolong his life – even at the cost of others.

Drom was able to siphon off life-energy from other humans, and in turn, it would sustain him in an attempt to slow his regression. He was successfully living off his fellow humans until he decided to set his sights on Spider-Man and Iron Fist. He manipulated them into fighting each other, but when his plan failed he had to confront them directly. Drom managed to kidnap Spider-Man, but a timely interruption by Iron Fist saved the wall crawler's life and ended Drom's when they broke his precious mirror. With Drom faded from existence, it was as if he never really lived, and therefore, his memory quickly faded from the minds of the two heroes.

Note: A man identified as Drom was seen some time later in the "Bar With No Name", but whether or not this was the actual Backwards Man has yet to be revealed.

Retrieved from "http://marvel.com/universe/Drom"

contributors: acotilletta2

Categories: People | Deceased | Spider-Man | Villains