Read more about Count Nefaria at: Wikipedia

Official Site: Marvel Comics

Count Nefaria is a fiction character that appears in comic book published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Avengers #13 (February, 1965) and was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck.

Luchino Nefaria is a wealthy Italian aristocrat, who while a traditionalist also desires greater wealth and power, driving him to join the criminal organization the Maggia. The recently formed superhero team the Avengers, however, thwart many of his plans and force a direct conflict, which Nefaria loses. In retaliation, Nefaria then unsuccessfully attempts to destroy Iron Man and then suffers yet another defeat when stopped by the mutant X-Men. Nefaria reappears several years later and attempts to take control of the United States base NORAD, but is stopped by the X-Men once again. Nefaria attempts to escape in a plane which is attacked by the X-Man Thunderbird. The plane then explodes, killing Thunderbird and injuring Nefaria.

Now virtually destitute and discredited, Nefaria hires the supervillains the Living Laser, Power Man, and Whirlwind to form the second Lethal Legion. The group rob several banks, and unwittingly finance an experiment Nefaria has created in a bid to become superhuman. Employing the former scientific adviser to Baron Heinrich Zemo, Nefaria devises a means of temporarily amplifying the abilities of the Lethal Legion, and then sends them into combat against the Avengers. The effect, however, is temporary and once defeated their combined abilities are drained by Nefaria, who possesses them magnified a hundredfold. After a long and protracted battle, Nefaria is finally defeated.

Nefaria is then kept in isolation and under observation by the Avengers, and it is discovered that the process to empower him makes Nefaria immortal but vulnerable as his body reconfigures itself. Whitney Frost, also known as Madame Masque and the daughter of Nefaria, attempts to find a cure for what she believes to be his deteriorating condition. She hires the Ani-Men to attack Avengers Mansion and free her father. While battling Iron Man, Nefaria's life-support system is severed and his weakened form is crushed by a stored Jupiter Landing Vehicle. Nefaria briefly reappears some time later as a corpse reanimated by the villain the Grim Reaper. The Reaper directs Nefaria to attack the Avengers, but loses control soon afterwards and Nefaria dies once again.

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