13th Son

Real Name: Caleb Croft

Identity/Class: Cursed human

Occupation: Demon slayer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Sara;
   Ezra Stone (never met, but neighbors and Ezra was researching him)

Enemies: Alligator Man of Brownsville, Jenny Croft, 13th Son homunculus, various unidentified demons, Sasquatch, Wendigo, werewolves, and other sundry monsters

Known Relatives: Jenny Croft (mother), Elijah Croft (father, deceased), 12 unidentified siblings born prior to him (all deceased), Sara (half-sister, wife), unspecified (but large) number of half-siblings born after him, unspecified number of wives (all deceased), 12 children (genders and current statuses unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: An unassuming suburban home, probably somewhere near West Virginia (see comments)

First Appearance: 13th Son #1 (Dark Horse, November 2005)

Powers/Abilities: The 13th Son has immense strength, superhuman durability and agility, and ages either very slowly or not at all, as he is over 300 years old and still in his prime. His arms have gaps in the forearms, and he has two splayed prehensile digits on his feet and three on his hands, one thumb and two fingers; all these digit end in razor sharp and extremely durable claws. He can either shapeshift to look (mostly) like a regular human, or disguise himself as one using illusions, though his glowing red right eye remains the same. He can speak to and raise the dead.

Height: (human appearance) unrevealed, but looked around average height); (monstrous appearance) unrevealed, but at least 7' tall, towering over most humans
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: (left) sometimes white, sometimes yellow, no visible sclera; (right) glowing red
Hair: White

Summary: Born the 13th and only surviving child to a woman who had cursed and abandoned God, Caleb Croft was born a deformed monster. As an adult he slaughtered demons and took unwilling "wives" as part of a ritual to eventually sire a 13th Son of his own, which legend stated would be an unbeatable monster.

History: (13th Son#2 (fb)) -

(13th Son#3 (fb)) -

(13th Son#4 (fb)) -

(13th Son#1 (fb)) -

(13th Son#1) -

(13th Son#2) -

(13th Son#3) -

(13th Son#4) -

Comments: Created by Kelley Jones.

   We're not told where the 13th Son lives and operates in anything other than generic terms - he lives somewhere with thick woods, the land was inhabited by Native Americans, and both Sasquatch and Wendigo are myths/creatures native to that region. However, we do also know that he still lives near where he was born, since he easily visits his father's grave. His mother married in 1669 and had twelve children before him; even allowing for this to be in rapid succession, we're looking at Caleb being born no earlier than 1682, and he was living in a European colony, so he's from, and still resides in, the East Coast region. Writer Ezra Stone provided three location names - 13th Son killed the Alligator Man of Brownsville, a Sasquatch in Crabtree County, and a werewolf in West Virginia. The fact the last is cited suggests that the others aren't in West Virginia. There is a Brownsville in southern Pennsylvania, just over the border from West Virginia, so perhaps southern Pennsylvania around there is also where 13th Son resides.

   While he does save a number of humans from monster attacks (he clearly doesn't kill the humans as they are the ones who provide sightings of him to Ezra Stone), it shouldn't be misconstrued that 13th Son is in any way a heroic individual. Given that he kidnapped and raped multiple women over the centuries, and that he's apparently killing the monsters as a way to sire an even more monstrous offspring, he's clearly got malign motives, and it seems that his sparing humans is more likely because they are irrelevant to him, not worth wasting time killing.

   The original 13th Son series come across as being intended to be only the first chapter in the character's story, but afaik as of yet there's been no follow up tales released.

Appearance checklist (not including reprints): 13th Son#1-4

CLARIFICATIONS:
13th Son should not be confused with:

• 13, Golden Age hero -- Daredevil Comics#3
• or any other "13th" or "Son" characters

First Posted: Circa 14/03/2010
Last updated: 13/10/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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