Mojo is one of the "Spineless Ones", an alien race that is immobile without advanced technology. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dimension where all beings are addicted to his gladiator-like television programs. The character is an absurdistparody of network executives, and was inspired by Nocenti's reading of media critics Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, and Walter Lippmann.[3]
Publication history
At the time she wrote the Longshot miniseries, writer Ann Nocenti was pursuing her Master's degree at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, working at the magazine Lies of Our Times, and reading the work of writers like Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman and Walter Lippmann. Mojo, a slaver and dictator who rules his dimension through the television programs he produces, was created as a direct result of these influences.[4] (A character named Manufactured Consent, after the Chomsky book of the same name, who appeared in Nocenti's 1990 The New Mutants Summer Special, was also born of these works.)[3] Artist Art Adams designed the character per Nocenti's instructions that he be disgusting and unpleasant, and also tried to make him look frightening.[5] The wires that hold Mojo's eyelids open, thus preventing him from blinking, were inspired by an interview with actor Malcolm McDowell on Late Night with David Letterman, in which McDowell revealed that the similar apparatus he had to wear for the Ludovico technique scene in A Clockwork Orange had scarred his corneas. The rest of the equipment attached to Mojo's head controls his mechanized chair.[6]
Mojo first appeared in Longshot #3 (Nov. 1985), and was the main villain of the miniseries, appearing in the subsequent three issues.
The character subsequently appeared in The New Mutants Annual #2 (1986). That same year, in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #10, Mojo appeared as the villain in the story, which saw Longshot join the X-Men. In 1988, Mojo appeared in a backup story in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #12. He was the main villain of the one-shot special Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem (Dec. 1989). Subsequent appearances include Marvel Comics Presents #89 (1991), The Uncanny X-Men Annual #15 (1991), Wolverine vol. 2 #52 (March 1992), X-Men #6 (March 1992), Wolverine vol. 2 #53 (April 1992), X-Men #7 (April 1992), #10-11 (July–Aug. 1992), The Uncanny X-Men Annual 16 (1992), Marvel Comics Presents #119 (1993), What If? vol. 2 #59 (March 1994), X-Men Adventures: Season Two #11 (Dec. 1994), Marvel: Portraits of the Universe #1 (March 1995), X-Men: Mutations #1 (1996), Youngblood/X-Force #1 (July 1996), X-Force/Youngblood #1 (Aug. 1996), X-Force #60-61 (Nov.–Dec. 1996), The Adventures of the X-Men #9-10 (1996-Jan. 1997), X-Babies: Murderama #1 (Jan. 1998), X-Force #76 (April 1998), X-Babies Reborn #1 (Jan. 2000), X-Men Unlimited #32 (Sept. 2001), Exiles #18-19 (Dec. 2002-Jan. 2003), The Uncanny X-Men #460-461 (Aug. 2005), and Exiles #73-74 (Feb. 2006).
Mojo is an alien from another dimension whose species lacks skeletons and were driven insane by otherdimensional energy. After the scientist Arize develops exoskeletons to allow them greater mobility, some choose not to use them and become known as the Spineless Ones.[8] Instead, they use motorized platforms to transport their bodies and had Arize create artificial slaves for them. However, they ultimately banish Arize after he refuses to build weapons for them.[volume & issue needed]
One of the Spineless Ones, Mojo, takes over the dimension and names it the Mojoverse, basing its culture on television. He is served by the android Major Domo, the multi-armed warrior Spiral, and the Warwolves, humanoid mechanical dogs who can take on the appearance of others by wearing their skin. Additionally, Longshot previously served him before leaving to become a rebel fighter.[volume & issue needed]
In subsequent appearances, Mojo comes into conflict with the X-Men and creates diminutive clones of them dubbed the X-Babies. He also employs an alternate universe variant of Jubilee named Abcissa.[9][10][11] He is also briefly overthrown by his clone Mojo II, who he later ousts.[volume & issue needed]
Mojo later sends Spider-Man and Wolverine randomly shifting through time, the time-shifts being virtual creations generated by Mojo as a new idea.[12]
Later, Mojo was demoted by the producers on Mojo World due to low ratings and was moved to "Educational Broadcasting". He created an agency named The Yellow Eye and spied on every single mutant alive. When Cable sent Domino to spy on this agency, she ended up being captured and brainwashed by Mojo.[13] His organization was eventually brought down by the X-Force, when Domino broke free from his control, and he was revealed as the mastermind behind the agency.[13] Mojo is currently a prisoner of Cable's X-Force team.[14]
Mojo's multi-legged flying platform is armed with various particle beam weapons. It also has a large artificial appendage that can be used as an arm or a slicing weapon and two smaller arms. He is strong enough to hold a human off of the ground with one arm easily. He has several powers derived from magic, like the projection of magical energy blasts, controlling the minds of others, and inter-dimensional teleportation. These magical powers are strengthened by the 'worship of his followers' and hence directly linked to the popularity of his TV programs. He cannot be harmed by the touch of Rogue, no matter how long she is in contact with him. He has bear-hugged Rogue with much ease until she was left unconscious.
He is also a master manipulator and schemer, shown in his organization of his slaughter entertainment games. He can also call upon vast manpower to assist him in his endeavors and has access to vast technological resources.
Mojo is also a force of death and corruption, able to generate an anti-life field that makes his touch able to wither plants and age humans outside of his home dimension. According to Doctor Strange, his prolonged presence on Earth could cause storms and other natural disasters.
Mojo claims that he and the beings who populate Mojo World are "unique" in the sense that unlike the rest of the Marvel Universe, Mojo World has no parallel counterpart; this was documented in Exiles #18-19. However, alternate versions of Longshot and Mojo exist in the Ultimate Marvel continuity, and an alternate future reality of Mojo World, where the Spineless Ones were mistreated slaves, was featured in the "Shattershot" storyline.[volume & issue needed]
Ultimate Marvel
An alternate universe variant of Mojo from Earth-1610 appears in Ultimate X-Men. This version is Mojo Adams, a human albino television producer and politician on Genosha.[16][17]
Mojo appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "Mojo World", voiced by Ralph Garman.[21][20] This version possesses a holographic human disguise based on his Ultimate Marvel counterpart.
In 1994, Toy Biz produced a Mojo action figure for their wave of X-Men: X-Force toys. A smaller die-cast metal version of the mold was also available under the banner "Steel Mutants" packaged with a Longshot figure.
In 2002, a Unique HeroClix figure of Mojo was released in the "Clobberin' Time" set.
In 2006, a "Build-A-Figure" Mojo toy was produced by Toy Biz for Wave 14 of their Marvel Legends toyline.
In 2014, Bowen Designs produced a 17.5" tall statue of Mojo, which was designed and sculpted by the Kucharek Brothers.
^Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 223. ISBN978-1465455505.
^ abc"Mojo Voices (X-Men)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 6, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
