Karnak () is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuted in Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #45 (1965) along with other members of the Inhuman Royal Family.
The character Karnak Mander-Azur was never exposed to the Terrigen Mists, so he never developed additional powers like other Inhumans, but he is a martial artist who can find the weakness in anything and then use his training and strength to exploit it. Although the Jack Kirby Collector described him as "a philosophical karate expert with nominal personality" in 2004, subsequent writers have made use of his skill for puzzle-solving and strategic-planning in Inhumans' stories, leading to him being given his first solo series in 2015, titled Karnak: The Flaw in All Things and written by Warren Ellis.
Karnak made his live-action debut in the 2017 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Inhumans, portrayed by Ken Leung.
Publication history
Karnak first appeared in Fantastic Four #45, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, as part of their run on the title that helped lay the foundations for the Marvel Universe. because his abilities gave writer Matt Fraction a way to frame the story: