Shaman (comics)

Shaman
Shaman (second from left) on the cover of Alpha Flight #27, October 1985. Art by John Byrne.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Uncanny X-Men #120 (Apr 1979)
Created by	John Byrne
In-story information
Alter ego	Michael Twoyoungmen
Team affiliations	Alpha Flight
Notable aliases	The Binder of Spirits, The Breaker of Dark Spells, The Promised One, Talisman
Abilities	Levitation Carries a medicine bag which contains a pocket dimension Ability to summon anything needed from the bag and beseech spirits to fulfill his requests As Talisman: Vast magic manipulation Ability to command natural spirits to do his will

Shaman (Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen) is a fictional character, superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a member of Alpha Flight.

Shaman was created by John Byrne and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men in the 120th issue of the comic in April 1979.

Michael Twoyoungmen is from Calgary, Alberta and is a member of Canada's First Nations (specifically the Tsuu T'ina).

His grandfather, elderly and near death, asks him to become his mystical apprentice. Twoyoungmen, not believing in magic, refuses. At around the same time, his wife Kathryn Twoyoungmen becomes terminally ill. Twoyoungmen desperately seeks a cure but, despite promising his daughter Elizabeth he would find one, Kathryn dies; his grandfather passes away on the very same day.

Grief-stricken, Twoyoungmen secludes himself in a cabin in Banff National Park, leaving Elizabeth to be raised by family friends the McNeils (whose daughter Heather will one day become Alpha Flight leader Vindicator). Twoyoungmen's failure to save Kathryn kindles a deep-seated resentment and anger in Elizabeth. In his cabin, Twoyoungmen receives the skull of his grandfather and experiences a vision of the man. Twoyoungmen studies Sarcee magic, eventually becoming strong enough in his beliefs to draw mystical items from his enchanted medicine bag at will. He adopts the title and garb of a shaman.

Several years later, Shaman assists in the birth of Snowbird, the product of a mystical union between a human and the Inuit goddess Nelvanna. Shaman casts spells to bind Snowbird to the Earthly realm. He raises her and she ages rapidly, stabilizing several weeks later at an apparent physical age of someone in their 20s. Seeking superhuman agents to join Alpha Flight, Heather and her husband James Hudson (aka Alpha Flight founder Guardian) visit Shaman and recruit both him and Snowbird.