The Marvel Comics Universe has all manner of heroes and stories within. These stories can take the form of just about any genre, despite the overarching genre of superheroes seemingly being sci-fi. One sub-genre of science fiction that is particularly interesting is cosmic horror. These chilling depictions of threats and scenarios from beyond the stars not only serve to scare, but to reinforce a fear of the unknown and our own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

It's one thing for heroes to go up against regular villains -- they're usually foes with understandable and even relatable motives. However, at the far reaches of the Marvel Universe, cosmic horrors lurk that can drive heroes mad. Unrelenting beings of ravenous hunger, universal concepts that exist above all other life and even enemies with no form to fight all lurk in the cosmos.

Whenever one of these threats decides to become an active blight on the universe, it is nearly always an extinction-level threat on a cosmic scale. Entire star empires and countless superheroes have had run-ins with these antagonists. A lot of the time, these horrors inflict tremendous casualties and demoralize, frighten and even traumatize the most steeled of heroes. Here's a breakdown of some of the most memorable cosmic horrors in the Marvel Universe.

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The Brood

The Brood eating a person

The Brood are a terrifying parasitic race of insectoids that can be found in the dark, festering corners of the galaxy. A classic horror monster of a race, they consume organic tissue -- be it alive or dead -- and their hunger knows no bounds. They are similar to insects and can reproduce in vast numbers; their hordes can number in the trillions if left unchecked. In fact, according to the most recent issue of X-Men, there are currently approximately 6 trillion Brood drones and 1 thousand queens.

While the numbers are chilling, there are some races in the galaxy that use minor Brood breeding grounds for hunting the menace for sport. The true horror of the Brood comes in their unrivaled ability to multiply and if a large enough number of them work in tandem, they are one large swathe of consumptive terror. The only thing that appears to have prevented this so far is the squabbling between queens, who value self-preservation of their specific hives over others.

There was a time when the Brood actually allied themselves with the other races of the universe during the Infinity event. A mysterious race known as the Builders were planning to destroy all life in the known universe, Brood included, to remake it in their design. The conflict left the Brood devastated, despite their numbers, though it would appear they managed to return their numbers to the trillions in a few short years.

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The Cancerverse and the Many-Angled Ones

There's potentially nothing more dread-inducing than a universe full of evil that simply cannot die -- unless, once it seems like the evil has been defeated, it simply mutates into a more horrific version of itself. That's the basic crux of the Cancerverse. In this parallel universe death itself has died, which means nothing else can die thereafter. A true echo of Lovecraftian eldritch horror, this universe is home to the corrupted and undying Avengers analog, the Revengers.

A number of cosmic conflicts unintentionally tore a hole between the universes, allowing this horror to spill forth into the main Marvel Universe. That's not all, though. Lurking within the fault are the beings that the Cancerverse denizens worship, the Many-Angled Ones. The living embodiment of death undying, these disgusting beings are vast masses of teeth and tentacles, worshiped at one time by the Universal Church of Truth led by Adam Warlock's evil counterpart, Magus.

During events like Realm of Kings and The Thanos Imperative, the inhabitants of both universes collided. Galactic concepts even joined the fray and some died, damaging the universe in ways regular beings couldn't comprehend. The hero Nova sacrificed himself to seal the fault leading to the Cancerverse. When he returned from the dead, as heroes are wont to do, he was discovered to have a portion of the Cancerverse living inside of him. Though he got rid of it with the help of Sam Alexander, the ordeal made for some gruesome body horror.

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Ultron-Phalanx

Cosmic body horror isn't limited to the Cancerverse, however, as Ultron proved in Annihilation: Conquest. Finding himself in the deep reaches of the universe, he weaponized a technological, assimilating species known as the Phalanx. Using their native abilities and his own twisted ingenuity, Hank Pym's greatest mistake was able to infiltrate the bodies of organic life and twist them to his will.

Ultron managed to bring several heavy hitters under his rule, including Gamora and Nova of the Guardians of the Galaxy. To make matters worse, all of this came almost directly after the universal war with the Annihilation Wave. The Kree homeworld of Hala was overtaken entirely and turned into a horrific, robotic and grim visage of its former self. Hala became very reminiscent of the decimated and overrun London under the heel of Martians in H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds.

The setting and sparse number of heroes still left fighting only helped to reinforce the hopeless and isolationist horror themes during the Annihilation: Conquest story. Their allies are assimilated and used to murder them, with Blastaar of the Negative Zone killing former Captain Universe, Gabriel Vargas. Perhaps the most tragic loss in the conflict is Groot, who sacrifices himself to destroy Ultron's main hub, the Babel Spire.

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The Black Winter

The Black Winter is a more recent threat to the Marvel Universe. First revealed in the pages of Silver Surfer: Black, this threat is unlike anything before it. This malevolent force of power is a horror unto itself, as anyone who looks directly at it sees the manner of their own death. On top of this, it appears to disintegrate anything it touches, claiming entire universes. It also appears to be devoid of a physical form or a mind that can be reached out to, making it something not easily fought or delayed.

Another frightening thing about the Black Winter is the fact that it strikes fear into the heart of Galactus. As he is part of the very fabric and balance of the universe, something that terrifies Galactus should terrify all life. He seeks out Thor in his desperation after seeing his own demise in the Winter, claiming Thor is part of it. Imbuing the Odinson with power cosmic and seeking out powerful planets to consume, the pair reluctantly work together to find a way to defeat the Black Winter. So far, they have yet to do so.

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To add to Thor's problems, the Black Winter has begun to eat away at Yggdrasil, the powerful World Tree from which Asgard draws power. Should this fall, it would mean disaster for Asgard and indeed all of the realms beyond. The visceral horror of the Black Winter is inspired by its unstoppable form and inability with which to be reasoned; it exists in direct opposition to balance and logic, as it only destroys.

It's possible some of the aforementioned horrors will be translated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The prevailing thought is that the next Doctor Strange film, Multiverse of Madness, will take on a distinct tone of horror. Audiences saw Stephen explore dimensions and realities in his first outing, so with a whole multiverse of possibilities, he may run into the Many-Angled Ones between universes or even stumble into a portal that leads to a dead space leviathan being fed on by a whole colony of Brood.

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