When Nobel Prize-winning Greek biochemist Dr Michael Morbius discovered he had a blood disease that threatened his life, he developed his own experimental treatment in the hope of curing himself. The process uses vampire bats and electroshock therapy and eventually turned Morbius into a 'living vampire', carrying many of the characteristics of a supernatural vampire but not undead.
Marvel introduced Morbius in 1971 when the Comics Code Authority finally lifted the ban on supernatural-themed comic books. While the company would eventually introduce vampires to the mainstream Marvel Universe in the Tomb of Dracula series in 1972, Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee insisted their first vampire should be more in the vein of the traditional super-villain, leading to Morbius gaining his vampiric abilities through scientific means.
Morbius made his debut battling Spider-Man (going through a 'six-armed phase'), then went on to clash with the Human Torch, the X-Men, the Thing, Werewolf By Night, Man-Wolf and Doctor Strange. He even gained the spotlight as the title character in Adventure Into Fear before earning his own self-titled series in the '90s under the Midnight Sons banner.
First appearance of Morbius/Dr Michael Morbius and Martine Bancroft (flashback only); Spider-Man takes a formula to cure himself of his powers, only to end up growing four extra arms instead; his actions draw the attention of 'living vampire' Morbius who fights with the Lizard over who gets to kill Spider-Man; Morbius' bite causes the Lizard to change back to human form and an injection of his blood undoes Spidey's four extra arms; Morbius' origin is revealed.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #1 (1992)
Ghost Rider and John Blaze start recruiting the Nine - the supernatural beings destined to stop Lilith and her Lilin from unleashing Zarathos on the unsuspecting Earthly plane; they use Martine Bancroft to find Morbius; Fang of the Lilin sabotages a cure given to Morbius that was intended to kill him, making him half-Lilin during RISE OF THE MIDNIGHT SONS.
First appearance of Dr Thaddeus Paine; Morbius is pursued by Simon Stroud while Spider-Man also investigates his return.
Ghost Rider #31 (1992)
Morbius, Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, the Darkhold Redeemers and the Nightstalkers and join the rest of the Nine in a showdown against Lilith and the Lilin in the Arctic Circle during RISE OF THE MIDNIGHT SONS.
Midnight Sons Unlimited #1[4/4] (1993)
Morbius battles a vampire hunter.
First appearance of Vic Slaughter; Morbius battles the demonic Basilisk; Simon Stroud hires mercenary Vic Slaughter to take down Morbius, only to be bitten by Morbius and transformed into a pseudo-vampire. 
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #52 (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #9 (1993)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #53 (1993)
Nightmare takes over Doctor Strange's body and it's up to Morbius to free him during A NIGHTMARE ON BLEECKER STREET.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #10[2/2] (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #10[1/2] (pp.13-14) (1993)
Nightstalkers #8-9 (1993)
Morbius #11 (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #12 (1993)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13 (1993)
Morbius and the Werewolf by Night become the targets of Blade when he uses a page of the Darkhold to transform into Switchblade during MIDNIGHT MASSACRE.
Midnight Sons Unlimited #2[1/4] (1993)
Morbius clashes with Bloodbath - a murderous human (or mutant) with vampiric abilities.
Amazing Spider-Man #379 (1993)
Spider-Man #36 (1993)
Spectacular Spider-Man #202 (1993)
Web of Spider-Man #103 (1992)
Amazing Spider-Man #380 (1993)
Spider-Man Unlimited #2 (1993)
Morbius joins Spider-Man and his allies in the war against Carnage and his gang of killers during MAXIMUM CARNAGE.
Midnight Sons Unlimited #3 (1993)
Spider-Man fan Brian Kornfield receives powers from the Darkhold Dwarf that transform him into Spider-X, bringing him into conflict with Ghost Rider, John Blaze and the Nightstalkers.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #13 (1993)
Morbius uses a page of the Darkhold to resurrect Martine Bancroft, only for Chthon to restore her to life infected with a Lilin called Parasite in full control of her body.
Morbius' comics history continues with this reading order:
Morbius Epic Collection vol.1: The End of the Living Vampire
Spectacular Spider-Man #201-203
Spider-Man #35-37
Spider-Man Unlimited #1-2
Web of Spider-Man #101-103
MCG Notes:
- Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read Morbius stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
- Issue listings in grey: Part of Morbius' chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that are non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
- Chronology: Every appearance of Morbius from this period is included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
- Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
Amazing Spider-Man #101-102 (1971)
Marvel Team-Up #3-4 (1972)
First full appearance of Martine Bancroft; the Human Torch and Mobius' girlfriend Martine Bancroft seek out Spider-Man and Morbius' former scientific partner Hans Jorgenson when the living vampire returns; the X-Men intervene, believing Spider-Man has kidnapped Jorgenson; Morbius is ultimately apprehended by the X-Men.
Vampire Tales #1[1/5] (1973)
In search of Martine Bancroft, Morbius encounters the demon Nilrac.
In search of Martine Bancroft, Morbius encounters the demon Nilrac.
Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1[1/3] (1974)
Morbius takes control of the Man-Wolf and uses him as a pawn in locating Dr Howard Ward who may be able to cure him; Morbius believes the cure is destroyed in a confrontation with Spider-Man during FULL MOON, DARK FEAR.
Adventure into Fear #20[1/2] (1974)
First appearance of Daemond; how Morbius escaped the X-Men is revealed; Morbius finds Martine Bancroft but finds himself caught up in a war between the alien sorcerer Daemond and the Caretakers of Arcturus during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
Adventure into Fear #21[1/2]-23[1/2] (1974)
The war between Daemond and the Caretakers of Arcturus tests Morbius' self-control; the Cat-People and the Children of the Comet are drawn into the conflict during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
Adventure into Fear #24[1/2] (1974)
Following a clash with the Caretakers, Morbius finds himself the target of the vampire hunter only known as Blade during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
Vampire Tales #2[1/5]-3[6/6], 4[1/6]-5[1/4], 7[1/4]-8[1/4] (1973-1974)
Morbius encounters Amanda Saint who's fallen prey to the satanic cult Demon Fire, controlled by the demonic Apocalypse.
Adventure into Fear #25[1/2]-26[1/2] (1974-1975)
Morbius' bizarre encounters with Daemond and the Caretakers of Arcturus conclude as Martine Bancroft becomes a target for the Children of the Comet; Martine Bancroft loses her memory during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
Giant-Size Werewolf #4[1/3] (1975)
Morbius restores Martine Bancroft's memory, but they're soon both faced with the Werewolf By Night; Martine is horrified by Morbius when he leaves the Werewolf to die during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
First appearance of Helleyes; Simon Stroud is brought in to apprehend Morbius, but ends up teaming up with Morbius and Martine Bancroft against the demon Helleyes and the vampires of Mason Manor.
Giant-Size Werewolf #4[1/3] (1975)
Morbius restores Martine Bancroft's memory, but they're soon both faced with the Werewolf By Night; Martine is horrified by Morbius when he leaves the Werewolf to die during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.
Adventure into Fear #27-31 (1975)
Vampire Tales #10[1/5], [3/5], [5/5]-11[1/2] (1975)
Morbius faces a band of misguided vampire hunters and the Brotherhood of Judas.
Marvel Preview #8[1/4] (1976)
Morbius takes a trip to Scotland where he battles the Monster on the Moors.
Marvel Premiere #28 (1976)
Morbius finds himself an ally of the Werewolf By Night as well as the Ghost Rider and Man-Thing as the four supernatural beings face off against the strange threat of the Starseed.
Marvel Two-in-One #15 (1976)
The Thing interrupts Morbius' attempt to drain Alicia Masters' life-force, only for their clash to be interrupted by the Living Eraser who transports them both to Dimension Z; the duo join forces, but it's Morbius who makes a sacrifice to save Earth, trapping himself and the Living Eraser in another dimension.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7-8 (1877)
Morbius is returned to Earth by the Empathoid who coerces him into kidnapping Glory Grant in order to draw Spider-Man out; the Empathoid decides to drop his control over Morbius and feed of the emotions of Spider-Man, instead; Spider-Man breaks free of the android's control and allows Morbius to go free.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #38 (1980)
A three-way clash between Morbius, Spider-Man and the Schizoid-Man results in Morbius transforming back to human form, apparently curing him.
Savage She-Hulk #9 (1980)
Danny 'Zapper' Ridge takes a sample of She-Hulk's blood to UCLA for examination; Dr Michael Morbius studies the sample and, not knowing whose it is, realises a degenerative disease is carried in their blood.
Savage She-Hulk #11-12 (1980-1981)
Dr Michael Morbius' own degenerative blood disease threatens his own life and he still carries a lust for blood that could turn him back into a living vampire; when the students at UCLA protest against Morbius' presence there, he's tempted to take the cure intended for She-Hulk; Morbius does give the cure to She-Hulk, saving her life; Morbius reveals he's been taking a serum to prevent his transformation into a living vampire.
Savage She-Hulk #18 (1981)
First appearance of the Grappler; Dr Michael Morbius appears to have been kidnapped, but this story thread isn't picked up again.
Fantastic Four #266-268 (1984)
Dr Michael Morbius is one of the experts called into assist the Invisible Girl (Sue Richards) when she experiences serious problems during her pregnancy; unfortunately, Morbius is unable to prevent the loss of Sue's child.
Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality #3-4 (2020)
Spider-Man's ongoing enmity with the Hobgoblin continues; Doctor Strange and Morbius (somehow exhibiting his vampiric abilities) are drawn into their feud when reality itself threatens is threatened.
West Coast Avengers #5-6 (1985)
Dr Michael Morbius is revealed to be working on a cure for Jack Russell's transformations into the Werewolf by Night; Morbius offers his advice to the Avengers on his own experience and confrontations with the Cat-People.
Fantastic Four #315 (1988)
Morbius appears in flashback only; Master Pandemonium discovers Morbius' diaries from the period when he was trapped on Arcturus IV by the Cat-People.
Fantastic Four #316 (1988)
Dr Michael Morbius cameo; Morbius is present while the Thing explains the connection between Arcturus IV and the Savage Land during SECRET WARS III.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #10[1/2] (1989)
First appearance of Victor Strange; Dr Michael Morbius is once again transformed into a living vampire; Doctor Strange attacks Morbius, believing he's attempting to drain the blood of Strange's brother, Victor; Victor Strange is revealed to be a vampire.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #11[1/2] (1989)
Morbius cameo; Doctor Strange places Victor Strange in magical stasis; Morbius makes himself scare during ACTS OF VENGEANCE.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #14, 15[1/2]-17[1/2], 18 (1990)
First appearance of Victor Strange as Baron Blood; Morbius reveals to Doctor Strange how Strange himself inadvertently allowed vampires to return when he tried to revive Victor Strange; Marie Laveau magically commands Victor to take on the identity of Baron Blood and obtain the Darkhold for her; Morbius teams up with Doctor Strange and Brother Voodoo against Marie Laveau and Dragonus and witness the resurrection of Varnae.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #20[1/2] (1990)
After breaking up a fight between Doctor Strange and Victor Strange that accidentally unleashes Zom, Morbius takes his leave of Doctor Strange's house and heads back to Los Angeles.
Spider-Man #13-14 (1991)
Spider-Man tracks the Subhumans - a band of people living in Manhattan's sewers - who are taking victims for their master; Spider-Man confronts their master, Morbius; Spider-Man offers to take Morbius to the Fantastic Four to get help.
Strange Tales: Dark Corners #1[2/3] (1998)
Morbius focuses his attention on Martine Bancroft again and tries to find a way to win her back.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #1 (1992)
Ghost Rider and John Blaze start recruiting the Nine - the supernatural beings destined to stop Lilith and her Lilin from unleashing Zarathos on the unsuspecting Earthly plane; they use Martine Bancroft to find Morbius; Fang of the Lilin sabotages a cure given to Morbius that was intended to kill him, making him half-Lilin during RISE OF THE MIDNIGHT SONS.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #2-4 (1992)
Ghost Rider #31 (1992)
Morbius, Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, the Darkhold Redeemers and the Nightstalkers and join the rest of the Nine in a showdown against Lilith and the Lilin in the Arctic Circle during RISE OF THE MIDNIGHT SONS.
Morbius battles a vampire hunter.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #5-7 (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #8 (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #9 (1993)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #53 (1993)
Nightmare takes over Doctor Strange's body and it's up to Morbius to free him during A NIGHTMARE ON BLEECKER STREET.
Morbius: The Living Vampire #10[1/2] (pp.1-12) (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #10[2/2] (1993)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #10[1/2] (pp.13-14) (1993)
Nightstalkers #8-9 (1993)
Morbius #11 (1993)
When the Nightstalkers and Morbius are done fighting each other, they have to deal with the combined supernatural might of Stonecold and Vic Slaughter who make a play for the Orffyreus Stone; Blade takes a solo job that will give him a chance to end all supernatural threats during DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13 (1993)
Morbius and the Werewolf by Night become the targets of Blade when he uses a page of the Darkhold to transform into Switchblade during MIDNIGHT MASSACRE.
Midnight Sons Unlimited #2[1/4] (1993)
Morbius clashes with Bloodbath - a murderous human (or mutant) with vampiric abilities.
Web of Spider-Man #102 (1993)
Spider-Man #36 (1993)
Spectacular Spider-Man #202 (1993)
Web of Spider-Man #103 (1992)
Amazing Spider-Man #380 (1993)
Spider-Man Unlimited #2 (1993)
Morbius joins Spider-Man and his allies in the war against Carnage and his gang of killers during MAXIMUM CARNAGE.
Midnight Sons Unlimited #3 (1993)
Spider-Man fan Brian Kornfield receives powers from the Darkhold Dwarf that transform him into Spider-X, bringing him into conflict with Ghost Rider, John Blaze and the Nightstalkers.
Morbius uses a page of the Darkhold to resurrect Martine Bancroft, only for Chthon to restore her to life infected with a Lilin called Parasite in full control of her body.
Morbius Epic Collection vol.1: The Living Vampire
Adventure Into Fear #20-26
Amazing Spider-Man #101-102
Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1
Giant-Size Werewolf #4
Marvel Team-Up #3-4
Vampire Tales #1-5, 7-8
Morbius Epic Collection vol.1: The End of the Living Vampire
Adventure Into Fear #27-31
Marvel Premiere #28
Marvel Premiere #28
Marvel Preview #8
Marvel Two-in-One #15
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7-8, 38
Savage She-Hulk #9-12
Vampire Tales #10-11
Morbius the Living Vampire Omnibus
Doctor Strange Epic Collection vol.8: Triumph and Torment
Morbius the Living Vampire Omnibus
Adventure Into Fear #20-31
Amazing Spider-Man #101-102
Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1
Giant-Size Werewolf #4
Marvel Premiere #28
Marvel Preview #8
Marvel Team-Up #3-4
Marvel Two-in-One #15
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7-8, 38
Savage She-Hulk #9-12
Vampire Tales #1-5, 7-8, 1-11
Morbius: Preludes and Nightmares
Adventure Into Fear #20
Amazing Spider-Man #101-102, 699.1
Marvel Team-Up #3-4
Adventure Into Fear Omnibus
Includes...
Adventure Into Fear #20-31
Doctor Strange Epic Collection vol.8: Triumph and Torment
Includes...
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #10-11
Doctor Strange Epic Collection vol.9: The Vampiric Verses
Includes...
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #14-18, 20
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus vol.1
Includes...
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #10-11, 14-18, 20
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus vol.2
Includes...
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #52-52
Morbius, the Living Vampire #9
Morbius, the Living Vampire #9
Spirits of Vengeance: Rise of the Midnight Sons
Includes...
Ghost Rider #31
Morbius, the Living Vampire #1
Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection vol.25: Maximum Carnage
Amazing Spider-Man #378-380
Spectacular Spider-Man #201-203
Spider-Man #35-37
Spider-Man/Punisher/Sabretooth: Designer Genes #1
Spider-Man Unlimited #1-2
Web of Spider-Man #101-103
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Amazing Spider-Man #378-380Spectacular Spider-Man #201-203
Spider-Man #35-37
Spider-Man Unlimited #1-2
Web of Spider-Man #101-103
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