YOUNG GODS

First Appearance:  (Kimball) Thor #202, (Kimball as Genii, Bright Sword, Harvest) Thor #203, (the others) Thor #300
Origin:  (Genii) Thor #202-203, (Bright Sword, Harvest) Thor #203, (the others) Thor #301

History:  The Young Gods are twelve human beings who were born on Earth and who have been chosen by the pantheons of Earth's gods to represent the finest qualities and genetic potential of humans.  Long ago the First Host of the enigmatic alien Celestials came to Earth and performed experiments in genetic engineering upon the ancestors of the human race.  Roughly a thousand years ago the Third host of the Celestials visited Earth and were confronted by a delegation from the pantheons of Earth's gods, including Odin, monarch of the Norse gods.  The rulers of these pantheons realized that when the Celestials returned in roughly a thousand years, the aliens would judge humanity and would destroy the Earth if they decided humanity to be unworthy of survival.  While the leading male gods of the pantheons made preparations to battle the Celestials, the leading goddesses decided to spend the next millennium searching for representatives of humanity whom they could present to the Celestials as proof of the human race's worthiness.  Over the next thousand years in human beings were selected by the goddesses and were enabled to achieve much of their latent genetic potential.   (Due to the experiments of the First Host of the Celestials, all of Earth's human beings have the potential for vast superhuman powers within their genetic structure.)   The chosen human beings, who were the be known as the Young Gods, were placed in suspended animation and were watched over by the goddesses of Earth's pantheons.   Each major pantheon of goddesses took a turn watching over the Young Gods.   The goddesses of Asgard were the last to take their r turn at this task, and were absent from Asgard for many years while fulfilling this role.  In the absence of his wife, Frigga, Odin himself saw to the selection of the last three Young Gods.  He delegated the task of contacting these three human beings to the Asgardian god, Heimdall.   Odin manipulated the entity called Ego-Prime, which was once part of the sentient planet, Ego, into infusing the three with the energy they needed dot mutate into their superhuman forms.  Finally, Gaea, eldest of Earth's goddesses, presented the twelve Young Gods as an offering to the Fourth Host of the Celestials.  She told the Celestials the Young Gods represented the potential of humanity and asked the aliens to train them in the uses of their powers.  The Celestials accepted the offering and judged in humanity's favor.  The Celestials then left Earth, taking the Young Gods with them.  Subsequently, the Young Gods have been trained in the use of their powers on a distant planet by two aliens, Junipur and Katos.  The twelve Young Gods include the following individuals.

• Bright Sword was previously known as Carter Dyam, and represents the warrior among the Young Gods.  When approached by the Asgardian god, Heimdall, to become one of the Young Gods, Dyam was a 24 year old Israeli soldier who had grown disillusioned with warfare and killing.  As Bright Sword he possesses superhuman strength and virtual invulnerability and is a master of human and alien forms of weaponry
• Calculus was originally Jahaharel Patel, a scientist.  Born in 1928, Patel was a Hindu of the Brahmin caste who was contacted by the gods of the Hindu pantheon to be one of the Young Gods when he was twenty years old.  As Calculus he can calculate and analyze the probabilities of future events almost instantaneously.   Hence, although he does not have true precognitive powers, Calculus can predict future events with amazing accuracy.  Calculus also possesses telepathic powers and is a master strategist
• Caduceus, formerly known as Mark Cadmon, the the physician among the Young Gods.  Cadmon was approached to be on eof the Young Gods in 1919, when he was thirty years old and living in a lower class area of Chicago.  As Caduceus, Cadmon has a superhuman psionic ability to heal injured living beings, to strengthen them, and even to mutate them according to his wishes
• Daydreamer, the Young Gods' philosopher, was once Catherine Moranis, who was a 25 year old farm woman living in 19th Century Ottawa, Canada when she was contacted to become on of the Young Gods.  Daydreamer can control the minds of others through verbal or mental command.  She can create visions in the minds of others or dispel illusions in their minds.  Daydreamer also possesses limited precognitive powers
• Genii, alias Jason Kimball, is the Young Gods' artist.  When approached by the Asgardian god, Heimdall, Kimball was a 26 year old fashion designer from New York City's Harlem whose career had ended due to Kimball's compulsive gambling.   Heimdall saved Kimball's life from a loan shark out to kill him over a debt he owed.  Kimball still retains manic depressive tendencies.  As Genii he can psionically transform the shape of physical objects or other living beings according to his will through manipulating his own life energy
• Highnote, originally known as Raoul Hernandez, is the musician of the Young Gods.  He is of mixed American Indian and Spanish descent, with the Indian side predominant.  When contacted to become on o the Young Gods, Hernandez was a saloon dancer and musician living in Colombia in the 19th Century.  As Highnote, he can create vocal sounds that can manipulate matter in various ways or that can destroy it.   He can also teleport himself and others through vocal sounds he creates.
• Mindsinger, also known as Gregor Buhakrov, is the groups poet.   He was a 28 year old student in he Russian city of Kiev in the 18th century when he was contacted to become a Young God.  In addition to the telepathic powers, Mindsinger can also change his shape at will
• Moonstalker, whose original name is Kiana, is the Young Gods hunter.   When approached to become one of the Young Gods, Kiana was a 16 year old Inuipiat woman living in 11th century Alaska.  She now possesses the ability to move at superhuman speed and can visually blend in with her surroundings
• Sea Witch, previously known as Bridget O'Hare, is the sailor among the Young Gods.  When contacted to become a Young God she was a seventeen year old Irish girl living in the 12th century.  Formerly a normal looking girl with red hair, she has been radically transformed, and now has green hair and skin.  She can now breathe both in and out of water, and her body has been adapted to undersea living in ways similar to the Atlanteans.  Sea Witch can telekinetically manipulate water whether it is in solid, liquid, or gaseous state.
• Splice, also know as Chandra Ku, is the craftsmaker among the Young Gods.  When approached to become a Young God, she was a 13 year old girl of the Zulu people of 18th century Arica.  As Splice she can animate unliving objects and create weapons, tools, and machines out of raw materials through psionic means
• Varua, formerly known as Mira is the priestess in the team.   She was a Polynesian girl born in 1405 on Ruk Island, and was approached to become one of the Young Gods when she was fourteen years old.  She possesses telepathic and teleportation powers.  She is the only one of the Young Gods who can initiate the team's merger into e Uni-Mind, a living being with  a group mind, similar to those formed by the Eternals

The Young Gods recently returned to Earth, but their subsequent whereabouts and activities are as yet unknown