Marvel Zombies (series) - The Infection

The Infection

The ultimate origin of the infection is unknown. Although a paradoxical loop is responsible for its existence in the universes seen in the Marvel Zombies and Marvel Zombies Return, several universes are shown to have their own isolated outbreaks that have not reached the catastrophic levels seen in other series. As seen in Marvel Zombies 5, some of these universes have unique variations different from the established virus. Any connection between the common version seen in the first four series and Marvel Zombies Return and the isolated, alternate versions seen in Marvel Zombies 5 is unknown. In Marvel Zombies Supreme, the zombified Squadron Supreme is created when scientists graft the original team's DNA to human corpses and zaps them with space radiation. These zombies appear to be infected with a disease identical to the one seen in Marvel Zombies, its three sequels, and Marvel Zombies Return, though what this suggests about the origin of the virus seen in those series (if anything) is unknown.

Regardless, the most frequent version is the virus seen in the first several Marvel Zombies series. The contagion passes via a bite from an infected being. The infected appears to be dead, or at least decaying, but retains their intelligence, personality and special abilities, sans healing factors. The disease causes a powerful hunger in the host, a hunger which can only be sated by ingesting the flesh of the living; the flesh of other infected tastes foul to them and causes them to be ill. The hunger affects the infected's self-control; the more hungry they are, the less rational and intelligent they become. Once sated, the zombies' personalities re-emerge, and the more humane and moral individuals often feel great guilt at this point, though others (such as Hank Pym or Reed Richards) seem to embrace the infection, and seek to spread the infection to other universes.

The disease seems to be almost 100% infectious, with both Wolverine and the Hulk, individuals normally highly resistant or immune to most diseases, being affected. However, as noted by Spider-Man, those with any kind of accelerated healing appear to be able to fend off the zombification longer after being bit than others, however the virus eventually takes hold of him. The disease is also shown to affect the high gods of Asgard and Olympus, as members of several of Earth's ancient pantheons, such as Thor, Hercules and Amora are shown among the packs of zombies in various series. Perhaps the only immunity goes to voodoo-crafted zombies, such as Simon Garth, who cannot spread the virus. Non-organic mechanical beings, such as Jocasta, Ultron and Machine Man apparently cannot be affected by the zombie virus, certain mystical changes in physiology (such as in the case of Jack Russell, from his human to werewolf form), while unable to purge the infection, are able to keep it and its effects at bay for some time, and Uatu and the Watchers, due to their having exchanged corporeal bodies for forms of pure energy long ago, are incapable of being consumed by the infected, and are immune to the virus. The Aquarian, empowered by the energies of the Cosmic Cube, is able to, through intense hibernative meditation within an energy cocoon, eventually purge the infection from his system, and the Man-Thing, allegedly due to his intimate connection with Gaea, evidently cannot be permanently harmed by the zombie virus. While the skills of Doctor Druid and apparently Doctor Strange (the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth's dimension), and even the dark magic of the Necronomicon itself cannot seem to directly cure the virus, at least some forms of highly potent extradimensional magic, such as that employed by the Faltine Dormammu through the mystic Jennifer Kale, is even able to at least temporarily take control of the plague and its consciousness. Kale's Atlantean magery, combined with the voodoo spells of the Black Talon, is able to draw and contain the virus-mind within a single suitable host, such as Simon Garth. The zombified Hank Pym, when the Marvel Zombies are confronted by Death and Thanos (secretly Skrulls in disguise), expresses the view that the power of the Cosmic Cube could undo everything that has thus far occurred. In Marvel Zombies 5, Morbius of the core Marvel Universe finally manages to produce a cure by combining samples of different versions from several realities, having earlier produced a vaccine that could possibly infect its users as well, as shown in the case of the Werewolf. Furthermore, Mephisto has proven capable of easily destroying the zombies using his demonic hellfire.

The disease is incredibly hard to stop once spreading, due to the high survival rate of all zombies. Zombies seem to only need their brain stem to survive and can continue living without any use of their organs, limbs, and body functions. The infection even allows severed heads without lungs or vocal cords to continue speech just to further its infection capability. This was witnessed by Wasp and Hawkeye in the original Marvel Zombies, they were both simply decapitated heads that somehow still could function, and another example would be Captain America who survived for over forty years as a brain on the ground until being put inside the body of Black Panther's dead son.

The contagion has an addiction element to it; if a victim can be isolated from a food supply, within a couple of weeks the cravings disappear and the subject is able perform a functioning role within society, albeit with necrotised flesh, and near-immortality. Any additional ingestion of flesh will restore the hunger, though it can again be overcome. Another interesting note about the addiction, is that even while lacking a digestive system or even most of their lower body, the infected still have hunger pains and wish to continue feeding.