A - G
O - Z
These character bios are based on IRON MAN comics published by Marvel Comics and are copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 by Tim Rassbach. Iron Man and all associated characters are the property of Marvel Comics.
When Hale made his first appearance, in Iron Man #120, he was masquerading as a Special Forces Captain dealing with a testy Sub-Mariner, but he was soon revealed as the slimy head of the unscrupulous Roxxon Oil, trying to steal and island made of vibranium.
One of Iron Man and Stark's greatest corporate foes, Jonas Hale has returned a number of times. A quick sample of his resume: in #143 he was in charge of the Star Well project; returned in ANNUAL #9 with Stratosfire project; and later he exploited Stark's paralysis and began attacking SE's operations.
Hobbies: He has a real thing for self-destruct mechanisms.
Quote:"Blast you, Avenger! Someday, somehow . . . You'll regret this!"
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Ever wonder where those third-rate bad guys get all those first-class gadgets and gizmos? Meet Justin Hammer, supplier to the cannon fodder of the super villain set.
First seen in Iron Man #120, Justin Hammer is a wealthy billionaire criminal mastermind with a mad-on for Tony Stark—the only guy who has ever really bested him. On the surface, Hammer is a reclusive businessman with an extensive, if secretive, portfolio. He dabbles in barely legal and outright illegal business transactions of all kinds, from arms to drugs. And underpinning it all is his most lucrative venture: he’s the guy that supplies the bad guys with all those cool gadgets—in exchange for a hefty cut of their ill-gotten gains, of course.
Read all about his classic Iron Man run-ins by clicking here.
Weapons:Army of super villains; lots of cash; ability to look devastatingly handsome in an English smoking jacket.
Hobbies: Building incredibly elaborate homes with that evil lair flair.
Quote: "Business is business—whether hampered by petty legalities or not!"
First seen in Iron Man #1 (Vol. 4) as a scientist and doctor at Futurepharm Field is bioelectrics and robot surgery; working on military applications, hoping to cure disease in the future, she created the Extremis Enhancile.
Tony and Maya met several years ago at a tech conference. They shared a love for booze and for their work. Years later, Maya called Tony when her life’s work was stolen. It turns out, though, that when funding for her program was cancelled, Maya and her boss arranged to steal a dose and gave it to terrorists--for a kind of real-world proof of concept. After having second thoughts, she helped Stark defeat Mallen, but not without unwittingly revealing her part in the plot. Stark had her arrested. In #10, Tony broke her out to assist him with his unique medical condition at the time: being overtaken/controlled by a brain implant. With the help of Sal Kennedy.
Later, when he became director of SHIELD, Stark had her conditionally paroled into his custody. He put her to work on the helicarrier investigating jacked-up super humans. When he refused to let her continue her Extremis work, she got involved with a secret DOD program and later the Mandarin, inadvertently creating an airborne weaponized version of Extremis.
Maya has three PhDs. She also has a problem with alcohol, although Tony helped her with that.
Read more about Extremis by clicking here.
Learn about the Extremis Armor by clicking here.
Weapons: Extremis; her mind and few ethical barriers.
Hobbies: Classic brilliant bad girl stuff: booze, terrorism, etc., etc.
Quote: “Jack Daniels is my boyfriend.”
Stark's one-time attorney at SE first appeared in #225. Although obviously a corporate barracuda, he was ineffective in protecting Tony's technology just prior to the Armor Wars, forcing Tony to take more aggressive action. He also did a poor job handling the lawsuits that were part of the aftermath. After being fired, in #237, Hindel became Kathy Dare's defense lawyer--swooping in and scooping up a chance to get back at Tony.
His defense of Dare was based on a bogus self-defense claims. Utilizing gutterball tactics, perjury, and fake allegations, Hindel hounded Tony in the tabloids and even got a six-figure book deal for his deranged client. Bert Hinde argued in court and in the media that Dare only shot Tony after enduring terrible alcohol-fueled physical and emotional abuse. In the end, the allegations brought Kathy Dare's mental state into question, and resulted in her committal.
Weapons:
Quote:""
A battle-scarred ex-pug, Happy Hogan made his debut in TALES OF SUSPENSE #45 by saving Tony Stark's life. Chauffeur, bodyguard, one of Stark's closest friends and keeper of the Iron Man secret, Hogan has been in and out of Stark's life over the years.
Nicknamed "Happy" because no one down at Stillman's Gym ever caught him with a smile, Hogan gave up his boxing career because he was too successful--at losing. Too nice a guy, Happy would get a man on the ropes, but he could never finish him. Since he was 8, Hogan spent nearly every morning at Paddy’s Club (on Mott and Mulberry) training, but he soon gave up the ring.
One fateful day at the race track, Happy pulled Tony Stark from the wreckage of a burning racecar and got him to a motel (and an electric outlet for a much needed recharge). When the grateful Stark offered him a $50,000 reward for saving his life, Hogan turned it down saying that the rescue was just a reflex action. Happy then told Stark that he didn't need a reward, what he needed was a nice, steady job with three weeks vacation, a good pension plan and all kinds of fringe benefits. And with that, Happy Hogan became Tony Stark's chauffeur and bodyguard--Even if he never drove the boss anywhere.
Hogan fell in love with Pepper Potts, Stark's faithful secretary, at first sight--A twist of fate that embroilled Hogan, Potts and Stark in a love triangle that never seems to go away. (Pepper and Happy's marriage notwithstanding.) When they showed up in Volume III, coming back to work for Tony, the couple was divorced, but they remained close and romance triangle was always on the horizon. Eventually, though, Hap and Pep remarried.
Happy Hogan returned to be part of the supporting cast in Volume IV as well, returning to Stark as a driver and assistant. Tragically, though, he was mercilessly beaten by Spymaster in Vol. 4, issue #13, on his and Pepper’s anniversary. Happy rallied and gave Spymaster one heckuva fight before falling off a catwalk and going into a coma. Happy died in #14.
Notable events in Happy's life include: He became the first friend to discover that Tony is Iron Man and was badly wounded by Titanium Man for his trouble. To top it all off, the near-dead Hogan was then turned into The Freak by Tony's Enervator Ray, an experimental medical device. (He became the rampaging Freak again in Iron Man #3 after being beamed by Stark's Cobalt-Bombarder.)
In TOS #84, he put on the armor to prevent the world from learning that Tony Stark was Iron Man, only to be snatched by Mandarin for a beating. In #91, we found out that Happy and Pepper eloped.
In Iron Man #65, he told Pepper that Tony was IM, then donned the armor to go into battle for Tony (but reconsidered). He then became the head of S.I.'s security force in IM #70, but soon he and Pepper left Tony's inner circle.
Hap became an unsuccesful boxing promoter (but had to be bailed out by Tony with a blank check). Later, Hogan would battle Ultimo as part of the Iron Legion. Then, in #296, he returned to Tony’s side as his personal trainer/assistant.
Hobbies: Saving Stark's hide
Quote: "Sufferin' Cats! I never get to drive you anywhere."
HOMER, the Heuristically Operative Matrix Emulation Rostrum, was Tony Stark’s sentient artificial intelligence who made "his" first appearance in Iron Man #298 (although he was created some time before then by Tony and Abe Zimmer).
Twenty years prior to IM #298, Stark developed powerful software that was designed to design and program computers. This system designed a small factory and all its contents. That factory system in turn developed a computer and software that designed five generations of ever-better and more powerful computer platforms. That fifth generation computer achieved an information density double that of the human brain—and it could think. The system could do self-directed projects, even write programming while also collating/analyzing data. Using the same revolutionary manufacturing techniques he developed for his armor, Stark made it the size of a standard desktop PC. He called it HOMER.
With his massive computing power and creative flair, HOMER was put in charge of all of Tony’s secret manufacturing projects. He also helped design and build the Iron Man suits. HOMER could do things a man couldn’t (at least not easily), like coordinate the nanotech methods at the microscopic level necessary to fabricate the armor itself. The process takes him about a week, less if really rushed. Because of this automation, Stark doesn’t actually know exactly what his armor is made of. (In fact, although HOMER wasn’t mentioned until IM #298, he was apparently around for some time before as it was mentioned that he’s had a hand in armor creation/fabrication before that issue.)
The advanced AI projected his presence in a room via a hologram. And although he "lived" in the Armory (at sub-level 3), HOMER could move to other places as Stark’s holo-projector network was extensive.
HOMER possessed the stiff personality often found in AI’s. He was needlessly formal (calling Tony, "Anthony") and unintentionally funny.
HOMER was kin to PLATO (Piezo-electrical Logistic Analytical Tactical Operator), the later Force Works AI. Both disappeared from IM’s inner circle near the end of Volume I (during the Avengers’ “Timeslide”/Teen Tony days).
Quote: "I am functioning within normal parameters. How are you today, Anthony?"
Created in Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9, as part of the M.O.D.Avengers, IRONDOC is an alternate universe curiosity.
When AIM stole equipment from Stark Industries for their boss, MODOC (Mental Organism Designed Only for Conquest, a child-friendly MODOK), who thought conquering the small minds of the Avengers would be easy, they got more than they bargained for.
Although Iron Man had defenses against MODOC’s mental attack, the other Avengers weren’t as well protected. MODOC took over their minds and used them to attack IM. He was soon overpowered.
AIM henchmen placed the Avengers into large-scale cellular restructurer, one much larger than the one that gave birth to MODOC. The bulbous-headed AIM leader wanted the Avengers to see the world exactly as he does, believing that their enormous physical powers would have an equally powerful mind to balance them, a mind dedicated to him and to conquest. MODOC got half of what he wanted.
They took on a conquering attitude, but they remained heroes. So they still engaged in crime fighting, but "in a more conquery sort of way." See, the process turned the Avengers into egotistical megalomaniacs, but it didn’t change their nature; their super hero-ness, if you will. While they were a bit more abrupt, even rude, they still wanted to fight crime. In fact, they became even more zealous about crime fighting as their new mental prowess allowed them to calculate odds and figure out just who might be committing a crime at any given moment.
Anyway, although altered and tied into a modified hover chair, IRONDOC still wears an IM armor. The suit is red and gold, set in a yellow chair. His massive head is supported by the chair and a purple headband—the cerebral channeler, a device that funnels mento-blasts.
While the full capabilities are not known, several powers were documented. IRONDOC had an elaborate communications unit (with holo-projector display for communications and presentations) and a very powerful force field.
When the M.O.D.Avengers realized the transformation of the cellular restructurer wasn’t permanent, they did join MODOC so that they could be permanently changed. Fortunately, the equipment broke and they all eventually reverted to their un-M.O.D. selves. No lasting damage has been detected.
A group of Tony's closest friends who armored-up to battle Ultimo in Iron Man #300: Happy Hogan (wore the Protoclassic Armor); Eddie March (a copy of the orginal grey armor); Mike O'Brien (Silver and Red Chameleon Armor); Carl Walker (the classic Red and Gold Armor); Jim Rhodes (War Machine) and Bethany Cabe (Model X armor).
A formidable villain became wicked-formidable thanks to a blazing upgrade in MTU #22. Read more here.
In issue #10, Tony turned to him for help when he was being controlled by an outside force. With Maya Hansen, Sal helped Tony disable the device in his head, freeing Iron Man. Later, he became Tony’s Exec Officer at SHIELD in #15, and actually took to it--even though he had his doubts about the work. Sal was killed violently in #18 by a bio-weapon hidden inside a body being autopsied.
Hobbies: Driving golf balls off the deck of the helicarrier.
Quote: “I don’t like what this job’s doing to me, Tone.”
A small-time, mostly crooked private investigator who eeks out a living by pulling black bag jobs, mostly industrial espionage, Harry Key debuted in #88.
Blackmailed by Michael O'Brien to steal the Guardsman Armor, Key knew an opportunity when he saw it. What he really stole was the plans to Stark's Long Island industrial complex. He then used those plans later to break in to the factory, and almost became Iron Man's greatest all-time enemy. Almost. In #99, he failed to steal Stark's spare armors for Midas.
Quote:"They double-crossed me! Stark's next."
Tony Stark's former electrical engineering professor, came looking for work in Iron Man #82, after being forced to retire.
Stark gladly employed "the most talented teacher in the state" to fire up his new employees. Sadly, though, Abe Klein turned out to be working for Midas, undermining Stark International from the inside. He helped steal design plans and other proprietary information that helped Midas weaken, and finally take over, S.I. Klein also modified Iron Man's spare armors, allowing Midas to control them. Klein did redeem himself in the end though; he was killed by Midas for saving Iron Man's life. The cause for his betrayal was Midas's (false) promise to reunite Klein with his missing family, family lost to the Holocaust.
Hobbies: Betraying close friends.
Quote:
Stark’s understanding gal pal, Rae, was introduced in IM #223, meeting Tony in a Rodeo Drive jewelry store. She was the owner of a ritzy salon/spa in Beverly Hills named Doos An’ Don’ts (located right next door to the jewelry store). Rae should be remembered for a few reasons, but perhaps most importantly for coifing Tony with the 1980’s perm that had more than just a touch of mullet.
Successful and wealthy, but not spoiled or possessive, Rae had an “open” relationship with Tony. (Much later, in #286, she began dating Rhodey—but only after deciding that she and Tony were just friends.) Rae was a polo-playing girl with fine tastes who showed that she actually cared about other people. To wit: After Tony’s shooting, she flew in the surgeon who saved his life. She was a great contrast to the other women in Tony’s life at the time: Kathy Dare and Brie Daniels. In fact, it was her steady support and friendship that helped the paralyzed Tony get back on his feet, so to speak. She treated him like a man, not some guy in a wheelchair.
Ever stylish and hip, she was also a patron of the trendy artist and Grey-Gargoyle-in-disguise Paul St. Pierre.
Weapons: The aforementioned mullet-inducing sheers
Hobbies: Shopping
Quote: "As long as I have my place in your life, Tony—I don’t feel threatened at all."
In Volume III, issue #26, Shellhead's steel-mesh armor burst to life, the product of Tony's ultra-advanced circuitry and one of the Avengers' deadliest adversaries.
Click here to read all about the Living Armor.
Hobbies:Life-swapping
Weapons: The usual Iron Man weapons plus knock-out gas.
Quote: "He is a bad man, Tony."
Although he'd been pestering the Avengers since Avengers #34, it took the Living Laser until Iron Man #152 to square off against Shellhead mano a mano. And it was a blast, literally.
Arthur Parks started off like many of Iron Man's enemies: he was a brilliant research scientist. A humble man, his ingenius discoveries in laser technology opened the door to what he deemed a more financially rewarding pursuit: crime.
Parks turned to a lucrative life of crime after inventing small, but very powerful wrist-mounted laser blasters. In his green and orange garb he worked solo, and as a paid contractor, gradually refining his weaponry until he had his miniature lasers implanted in his body. Then he struck a poor bargin with Count Nefaria, who double-crossed him. Still, he truly became worthy of his moniker--not to mention insanely powerful.
The Avengers' nemesis Count Nefaria promised to double Living Laser's power. But LL barely escaped with his life. The process altered his metabolism and left him constantly absorbing energy--involuntarily--from any source of light. He could release it, but never in amounts big enough to forestall the inevitable, and deadly, overload.
To save his life Living Laser made a deal with the East Germans. Within the walls of a top secret base they would drain the massive energy from him and use it to activate orbiting Soviet space weapons. Unfortunately for Mr. Parks, the process didn't work and he dissipated into the atmpsphere after a dazzling explosion.
Beyond his massive laser blasts, Living Laser was capable of invisibility by using his laser energy to bend light around his body. He also manipulated his energies to create holograms. A counter-frequency protective laser shield was emitted from his gloves.
Returned in #211, a brilliant beam of light. It seems that after exploding in space, his energies were collected by a communication sattelite. He spent months inside of it. Released, he ended up in L.A., disoriented and see-through (transparent)?not human. He was now able to turn himself into an attacking laser, even more powerful than before. Now capable of moving at the speed of light, he was super dangerous. IM's pulse bolts now went right through him. Fortunately, he was limited by how fast he could think about doing something?and he was foggy. Shellhead succeeded in sealing him up inside of a reverse-mirrorball until he could figure out how to restore Laser's organic body.
But ol' L.L. didn't stay couped up. He returned in #258 as "the ghost" of Titanium Man, wrecking Stark's pricey nuclear research facility. More in control of his powers (and his faculties), Laser really lived up to his name. Moving back and forth between solid and intangible light, he was a blistering force in the second Armor War. In #263, Iron Man used his repulsors to disrupt Living Laser's light frequencies. The massive burst diffused Laser, leaving no trace of him. It would take him years to draw all of his elements into a coherent whole.
Later, Living Laser returned as a being a pure energy to battle Iron Man Jim Rhodes when Tony was in cryogenic freeze. Rhodes tricked LL by first getting him to put his guard down by offering him a job, and then got him to step into a focusing chamber for a communications laser. Inside the device, Laser lost coherence, and was then beamed to the Andromeda galaxy.
Weapons: His lasers could cut through concrete and steel; could crack Iron Man's armor.
Hobbies: Smoking cigars.
Quote: "The mightiest of the mighty. An Avenger dropped by a single blast from my hand!"
In Iron Man #91, she replaced Pepper Potts-Hogan as Tony Stark's personal secretary, begining a masquerade that brought about the retunr of one of Tony's greatest loves.
Young, blonde, and sexy, Stark's overworked exectutive secretary had a shady past, a secret--a secret identity as it turned out. In #103 it was revealed that Krissy was actually Madame Masque, working to protect Tony from attacks coming from inside and outside his company.
See also Whitney Frost and Madame Masque (above).
Hobbies:Work and more work.
Quote: "It's Ms., Mr. Stark."
Aided by a vast array of computers, the Mad Thinker had the power of scientific prophesy, the ability to predict what people will do and what they will think at any given moment. His incredible foresight allows him to prepare for every contingency--but only if his opponents act as they are "supposed to."
He first battled Iron Man in Tales of Suspense #72. He returned in TOS #74 to battle in Black Lama's war of the super villains.
At one time he had a giant, faceless android servant.
First appeared in Iron Man #17, a sexy, golden-masked femme fatale, the right-hand gal of Midas. In truth, she was Whitney Frost, the Maggia's former Big M.
After fleeing a blundered attack on S.I., her face was scarred by chemicals in a crash. She emerged with a golden mask to hide her scarred visage at the side of Midas--Her first assignment: help Midas obtain Tony Stark's fortune. But she fell in love with Stark when he treated her kindly, despite her deformity, and helped hhim escape.
She rekindled her romance with Tony in #104 (after trying to protect him by disguising herself as his secretary, Krissy Longfellow). Madame Masque learned that Tony was Iron Man and helped him defeat Midas and regain control of Stark International.
After an up-and-down romance with Tony, her father--Count Nefaria--sought her help and Masque was forced to choose between her father and her heart. Reluctantly, she chose to help her father, turning on Tony Stark. When Count Nefaria was killed while fighting Iron Man, she committed to a life of crime (as head of the Maggia) and became consumed with avenging dear old daddy.
She turned up later as Obadiah Stane’s right hand gal, gunning for revenge on Tony. Double-crossed by Stane, she provided him one last chess gambit from his grave. Masque and Bethany Cabe had their consciousnesses exchanged, allowing Masque to get very close to Stark, close enough to try and kill him.
After her escape, Madame Masque became increasingly paranoid and went underground--although she still controlled a vast criminal empire from a desert lair. There, she retreated from the outside world. Feeling betrayed by almost everyone she ever knew or loved, she protected herself from her enemies and friends with bio-duplicates. She sent these clones out to deal with the world. But even these betrayed her.
Some of the duplicates broke free and developed wills of there own, some even thought they were the original MM. She was forced to kill them. Oddly, she chose to eliminate some of them publicly, apparently to throw her enemies and the authorities of her trail.
In #245, Tony Stark found out that Masque had been killed, her body dumped gangland style. But this was only the beginning of a long line of dead "Masque’s" that showed up from time to time, sending former friends and law enforcement agencies into a swirl of confusion as dead Madame Masque's kept turning up.
Note: The Avenger known as Masque was one of these bio-duplicates. She sacrificed her life to save the original Madame Masque, her "sister," in Avengers #34 (Vol. III). She was killed by Count Nefaria, who thoguht he was killing his daughter (the real MM).
Hobbies:Running a global crime syndicate.
Quote: "I once told you that masks hide nothing...Tony."
See Whitney Frost and Krissy Longfellow.
First seen in Iron Man #1 (Vol. 4), Mallen was a terrorist injected with Extremis who spurned Iron Man to dose himself with Extremis. He was a militia-type with a grudge against the government, intent on causing as much murder and mayhem as he could. When Iron Man confronted him, he throttled the armored avenger, nearly killing Tony.
After giving himself even greater Extremis powers, Stark came back, renewed and much more powerful. In a rough battle, Stark was forced to kill the ruthless Mallen, who could be stopped no other way.
Hobbies: Mayhem and murder.
Quote: “You’re going to burst inside that suit when this hits you. They’re going to have to pour you out.”
See What Is Extremis for more on Extremis.
Part mad scientist, part mystic, the Mandarin remains one of Iron Man's most challenging rivals. From his debut in Tales of Suspense #50 to today, the dreaded Mandarin and his mighty power rings have repeatedly risen to take on Iron Man and the world.
To read all about the Mandarin, including a run-down of his power rings and classic Iron Man run-ins: Click Here.
Weapons: 10 Power Rings and all sorts of inventions.
Quote:"The hands of the Mandarin have ten fingers-- And each one is a mighty weapon in itself.""
An armored war machine living in Spider-Girl a.k.a. Mayday Parker’s alternate Marvel reality—an alternate future to the Marvel U. we know, where the likes of Tony Stark and Peter Parker have retired from the super hero biz, Mainframe is the black and gold mysterious leader of the Avengers next generation. Read all about him and his armor here.
Boxer "Iron Man" March debuted in Iron Man #21. A successful prize fighter, March idolized Iron Man, but when an exam revealed a dangerus blood clot in his brain, Happy Hogan's former sparring partner had to hang up his gloves--ending one career but starting a new one. He would become the first black Iron Man, years before Jim Rhodes came onto the scene.
At the same time March was having his own medical problems, Stark was afraid that the strain of being a super hero would cause him to reject his new heart. Not knowing about his dire condition, Stark hired the former boxer to be Iron Man. (March accepted, feeling that even a few minutes of being Iron Man would be worth dying.) After weeks of training, coached by Stark himself, March was ready to be the real thing. Stark set him up in an apartment, complete with a hot line, so Iron Man wouldn't be more than a quick red phone call away.
Eddie's career as Shellhead was a short one. Iron Man March's first bout was a fierce battle with Crimson Dynamo (II), after which the ferrous pugilist was rushed to the hospital, enduring hours of surgery. Although forced to retire from the role of IM, March would return a few more time to the pages of Iron Man. Some highlights:
In #65, Eddie donned a spare armor--he apparently still carried one around--to take on Dr. Spectrum. After being taken over by the Skrull, Krimonn, he was almost killed by Thor.
Later, Eddie would seek Stark's help in finding his brother, Marty, in Vietnam, where he had lost an arm and disappeared. (Tony and Roxie Gilbert later found Marty March living in a hidden city.)
Eddie March was called into service as part of the Iron Legion's stand against Ultimo. He wore a copy of the gray armor.
Weapons: His dukes; various Iron Man armors
Quote: "If Iron Man ever considers retirin' you keep me in mind, hear?"
Old foes of the Sub-Mariner, the Marrs Twins, Desmond and Phoebe, children of Archimedes Marrs, made their first Iron Man appearance in #260 (first appearance in Marvel U. was Namor, The Sub-Mariner #1). Evil corporate-types, with a twisted brother-sister thing going for them, the twins are mentioned here only because they spent billions on the attack to control Tony Stark (via the bio-chip implanted in his spine), acting as the catalysts for Armor Wars II. Eventually their plan went into the toilet, and Stark came after them and their companies.
Stark International’s security chief made his debut in #146. But this old school, uniform-wearing, no nonsense stickler with a sidearm—a man Tony Stark called “the top security man on the East Coast”—had a rather interesting story. And when fate came calling, this taciturn man had to tell his boss everything.
Martinelli’s real name was Vince Martell, and he had a price on his head courtesy of the Philly Mob. So when a picture of him appeared in a Time Magazine article about SI’s cooperation with the government in the Allentown deaths, he became real irritated. (He was so publicity shy, he even had it written into his contract that no photograph of him was to be publicly displayed.) Well, the picture was out, and it had been seen, blowing his cover. And that’s when Blacklash a.k.a. Whiplash came a calling. He trashed Vic’s condo, and then came after him at work, attacking the SI corporate campus. After Iron Man fought off the intruder, Vic laid his past out for his boss, Tony.
Martell was an Army officer in the Military Police. He was a good soldier. After he got out of the service, he used the GI Bill to go back to school, earning a degree in architectural engineering. He soon landed a job in Philadelphia, PA, designing public buildings for the city.
Everything was going great for ol’ Vince until he discovered that one of his buildings was constructed using substandard materials. Before he could come forward, the building collapsed; twenty-seven people died, many more were hospitalized. And Martell soon realized something bigger was going on.
He discovered that the Mob ran his construction company. They were skimping on materials to maximize their profits. Despite threats on his life, he testified, and the mobsters went to jail.
Vince Martell had to disappear for his own safety. He went into the witness protection program and even had to leave his girlfriend, Franci, behind. He moved, got a new name, and a new job. He worked as a guard at Williams Innovations, then at Stark International, eventually working his way up the ladder to chief of security.
Vic lived in the Woods Bend condos in suburban Long Island with a little dog named Peanut. (Peanut was killed by the dastardly Blacklash in #146.) After his condo was destroyed, Vic temporarily lived in his office on the SI campus.
In the end, Iron Man made a very strong argument that convinced the Philly Mob to forget Vince Martell and Vic Martinelli. And Vic was able to proudly hang his picture in the SI lobby.
When Obidiah Stane took over SI, Martinelli was one of the few senior staffers to remain with the new Stane International. Although he despised Stane, he needed the work. Later, in #234, he returned to ask for Tony’s help in dealing with the Radioactive Man (who was employed at the still running Stane Int’l.).
Weapons: His trusty Smith & Wesson Combat Magnum, which he wore in a monogrammed holster.
Hobbies: Losing hair; swimming in pools while guys with electro-whips swing dangerously close.
Quote: "I’ve been running too long anyway! So if you want my blood, punk—come and take it!"
These three hi-tech ninja/samurai/kung fu-type heavy hitters with a pyschic invisibility talent and an old style honor code appeared in Iron Man #281 on a mission to kill Tony Stark. They hold the distinction of being the first to feel the fury of the War Machine Armor. Though they first met as enemies, they are now indebted to Tetsujin (Iron Man).
Far more than mere hired killers, the Masters (Kaze, Inazuma and Kaminari) are instruments of vengeance with a tradition stretching back generations. They only kill those who they feel deserve it. "Real Bushido stuff," as Rhodey said.
After being tricked by Justin Hammer to seek vengeance on a dying Stark, the Masters of Silence attacked, carrying enough weapontry to equip an army.
Iron Man cleaned their clocks, despite their invisible cloak, the fact that they weren't vulnerable to his repulsors and the fact that their weapons are charged with the some kind of energy that is capable of cutting his armor. ("Three of you, one of me and still I've got you outnumbered," said Shellhead.)
Eventually Iron Man convinced them that they had been tricked and they joined forces to defeat Hammer. They later teamed with Iron Man again to fight the Face Thief in Annual #14.
The Masters are a centuries old group, with a mystical origin. A Warrior Soul spirit within them gives them the power to be a Master. Virtually unkillable, their souls are bound to their mortal flesh until they pass the Warrior Soul that inhabits them on to one who is worthy.
Kaze (I): The leader, his name means Wind in Japanese. He wears a green suit. He sought vengeance on the Face Thief, a demon who had not only helped create the Masters, but who had killed Kaze's love, Yuki Nakagawa. Kaze was killed in Iron Man Annual #14, passing his Warrior Soul to Meredith McCall, who had her own path of vengeance to walk.
Weapons:Prefers a chain that has a blade on one side and a hook on either end. Also carries a samurai sword.
Kaze (II): In Annual #14, after the death of her father, Meredith McCall joined the Masters of Silence, donning the green garb and joining with the Wind Warrior Soul. She is now the student to Inazuma, who had been Kaze's student.
Inazuma: A headstrong young man, brash, bold and decisive. Kaze was once his Sensei, Kaze is now his protege. He is identified by his white ninja suit and pony tail.
Weapons: Flaming sword, shuriken
Hobbies: Computers are a specialty.
Kaminari: Obsessed with mastering his physical body. He trains and works out constantly, although his self-discipline may hide a struggle against inner demons. He either can not, or chooses not, to speak.
Larger than his partners, Kaminari dons a red armor that looks more like that of the traditional samurai.
Weapons: A two-pronged spear seems to be his weapon of choice althoug he uses other spears as well. Also has a samurai sword.
Hobbies: Gymnastics
Early Quote: "Sayonara, Tin Man."
Later Quote: "Once again, Tetsujin, we are in your debt. Should you ever need them, our swords lie ever at your feet."
Revised and developed for SHIELD by the Cord Conglomerate, the Mobile Armored Utility Laser Emitter suit (a.k.a. MAULER), ended up in the hands of Brendan Doyle, Jim Rhodes' old mercenary partner, in IM #156.
After a security breach caused the government to back out of the program, Cord was determined to salvage the operation. He hired Doyle to break into SI to steal some corporate secrets. Instead, Doyle double-crossed him. He kept the suit for himself and went freelance.
Although his armor had rocket boosters that were much faster than Iron Man?s, Doyle chose to surrender his suit to Tony rather than fight him during the Armor Wars (#225).
Weapons: Blaze cannons; electro-shock palm implants.
Hobbies:
Quote: "Then it looks like me Blaze Cannon?ll have to persuade ye."
Her first appearance was in Iron Man #28, the return of the Controller, but she entered Tony's life much earlier.
Tony knew her very well, "the way only two people can when it's summer and you're both 17, falling in love for the first time." But it was a forbidden love. She was the daughter of Creighton McCall, Howard Stark's #1 competitor. It was a bitter business rivalry, and it doomed the young romance. (In the McCall household, Howard Stark was reffered to as a "cut-throat swine.")
Forbidden to see each other by their families, Tony later said that they didn't break up, it was done for them. Meredith was sent to live with relatives, while he was parcelled off to Europe and school. Neither knew where the other was and they never found each other until Meredith showed up working as a therapist at Pinewood Sanitarium under a new name-- The name of her husband (Richard Stevenson). Ironically, because she was attacked by the Controller, Tony left without ever speaking to her.
The pair met in Annual #14, although Stark was using an LMD of himself to attend the funeral of her husband. Her father Creighton was also killed in that issue and she became a Master of Silence, pursuing revenge against the Face Thief.
For some reason during the Teen Tony fiasco, she turned up as Meredith Alden, a professor at Columbia University, where Tony was attending college. Tony knew her and remembered their romance, even though she was much older than him, but the plot line never developed. No mention was made of the Masters of Silence, although her new husband became a Blizzard-like villain, Frostbite.
Quote: "Iron Man-- Say goodbye to Tony for me..."
This vain professional assassin made his debut and his finale in Iron Man #23, when he was sent to eliminate Cheryl Porter and Tony Stark.
According to SHIELD's records, the Mercenary was an orphan raised by members of a criminal combine. Trained from boyhood in all their murderous arts he became a cruel, cynical killer, willing to work for anyone who could pay. He was for hire to any cause, country, or purpose. His unique services kept him very busy.
Garbed in a green, blue, and yellow costume with an antennaed helmet and dials on his chest, he looked every inch like an early Ant-Man. The reinforced costume allowed him to take Shellhead's blows. Steel-edged gloves aided in his karate chops. A control stud on his chest allowed him to activate a jet-stream of blackout mist. And he was armed to the teeth.
In addition to the two pistols he carried (which could fire hallucinogenic flares of his own design to dazzle and overload a person's senses), he had a sensor-scope rifle that could automatically account for wind and the depth and density of the target before firing armor-piercing shells with explosive heads.
He also had an aresnal of gadgets at the ready. His helmet's Solar Scan-Unit (an adaptive form of sonar), allowed him to surveil his quarry. Audio receptors allowed him to pin-point a target's whereabouts, while his cardio-sonic scanner let him zero in on people by tracking their heartbeats. Also had microwave spy-monitors and little bugs.
An expert tumbler, he was also adept at sneaking into places. An electro-static jamming device allowed him to thwart alarms and other security systems. And he was very good at disguises--even impersonating Stark himself.
Weapons: A special weapons designed especially for Shellhead was a magnetized block, thrown at IM, it absorbed the current from his armor.
Quote:"I kill for pay, not sport."
A former business competitor of Tony Stark's, turned deadly foe of Iron Man in TOS #47.
An unscrupulous industrialist, Bruno Horgan was a businessman who competed against Stark Industries for military contracts. He was driven out of business when Stark discovered that Horgan was using inferior materials to build tanks.
Later Horgan accidentally discovered a way to melt iron when a testing beam malfunctioned. After studying the broken device, he unlocked its secrets, building a compact ray that could melt iron like a flame melts butter. Donning a cape and mask he sought revenge against Stark as The Melter.
It should be noted that his ray doesn't actually melt anything--It is not a heat beam. What the beam does do is disintegrate the atoms of any material at which it's aimed--Including IM's armor.
Thought drowned in a drain pipe after their first meeting, The Melter reappeared in TOS #89. He escaped from prison intent on forcing Tony Stark to build him a highly miniaturized version of his melting gear. A new helmet allowed him to shoot even more melting rays at Shellhead. His gun now had settings for wood, flesh, stone, and metal.
The Melter came back in IM #92 with a redesigned costume and improved heat ray, making him "stronger than a handful of H-bombs." He reduced IM's armor to molten slag, but in a quirk of fate, he ended up drowining again--swallowed by the roar of breaking waves.
But it's hard to keep a good man drowned. Melter somehow ended up in jail again. While there, he was aided by a nuclear physicist who was in for a tax wrap. The scientist helped the Melter design a ray attuned to the metal in Iron Man's armor. Needless to say, this also failed.
Bob Layton's 2006 Melter Concept.
Click to see bigger pic and original pencils.
See more at www.boblayton.com.
Weapons:Various Melting Beams (chest-mounted and hand-held).
Hobbies: Drowning
Quote:"Die, Iron Man! Let the world see my power!"
A man with one, singular, overwhelming goal: To have the golden glory of being not one of, but THE world's richest man, beyond all doubt. Midas made his first appearance in Iron Man #17.
Oddly polite, Midas took his name from the king of legend and craved the golden touch himself, having grown up a starving, begging urchin on the streets of Europe. His appetite for food was as big as his lust for gold, and this big fat guy wore the flowing robes of the ancient Greeks, depending on his massive, electronic throne for moving about (and protection).
From a Greek castle on a remote island in the Aegean Sea he launched a campaign to steal the fortune's of the world's richest people, starting with Stark's vast wealth. His scheme to replace Stark, first with his cousin Morgan, then with a Stark imposter, was thwarted, in part, by an LMD with a mind of its' own. But in the end his plot was undone by his own large back-side and dependence on his throne. He should be remembered though, if only for introducing Tony to Madame Masque.
Midas returned in Iron Man #103 after successfully taking over Stark International, right from under Tony's nose. Using the aptly named Golden Touch Holding Co. to legally take over S.I., he spent years behind the scenes, maneuvering for a controlling interest in S.I. to become the wealthiest man alive (finally). With the help of his inside agent (Abe Klein), he stole Stark's patents, underbid him on other jobs, sabotaged factories and bought off his stockholders. S.I. became Midas International as a large flying fortress, complete with Grecian temples, descended upon the complex. Needless to say he soon fired Iron Man.
In addition to stealing his company, Midas also stole (with the help of Harry Key) Tony's spare armors. He then modified the armors to serve him by remote control.
In his reappearance Midas now had an odd exo-skeleton, one that allowed him to move about--to walk. It also gave him major strength. He could draw massive amounts of power from his fortress. The suit also featured the "golden touch," a weapon that allowed Midas to turn his foes to gold.
In the end, Midas's dastardly actions almost drove Tony Stark to kill him. He was saved that fate only to suffer one far worse as he was turned into a vegetable by Marianne Rodgers telepathic blast. But even that couldn't foil the fat man.
Midas showed up alive, brain unscrambled, in All Iron Man Marvel Heroes. He had a huge underwater lair a quarter of mile outside Athens, Greece. It toook him many months to regain his sanity, during which his golden touch turned inward, mutating him. No longer human, he no longer needed air, sunlight, sleep, or even food. All he needed was gold. He consumed it, absorbing it through his skin, gaining all the nourishment he needed to live. Weighing tons, he clanked when he moved--movement only made possible via an electrode rig that kept his metallic structure unstable. To survive, he was stealing gold when Iron Man found him. (The fat man had forgotten that Tony was Iron Man, btw.) Midas ended up at the bottom of the sea, trapped in the deep mud, his electrodes shorted out. As far as we know, he remains trapped down there, paralyzed.
Weapons: A floating, flying throne packed with missiles, power beams and tentacles. It also allowed him to control his mighty castle.
Hobbies: Eating, eating gold.
Quote: "And money, Mr. Stark, in today's avaricious world is everything."
Ranked by Iron Man: The Legend as one of Shellhead's lamest foes, Mister Doll had his sole appearance in Tales of Suspense #48, where he helped to introduce Iron Man's Protoclassic Armor.
In Africa, Doll stole the secrets of a magical little figurine from a witchdoctor that was foolish enough to befriend him. The maluable little voodoo doll can be quickly reshaped to resemble anyone and can thereby be used to inflict pain on the subject by poking or twisting the doll. Endowed with the evil magic, Mister Doll's scheme was to manipulate millionaires into signing their fortunes over to him. After getting three millionaires to do just that, he targeted Tony Stark with his mystic doll.
Lame name aside, Mister Doll's power was formidible, mighty enough to control even Iron Man as he wished. Eventually Iron Man did rally, returning with a more powerful armor. He then turned Mister Doll's power against him, using a small beam to reshape the voodoo doll into the visage of the arch-villain himself.
Weapons: A maluable, mystic voodoo doll.
Quote: "Your much vaunted strength is useless against the mystic powers of Mr. Doll."
They met when she was a passerby, the innocent victim of sabotage at Tony's plant. But soon after this smooth operator entered his life and heart in Iron Man #163, it was Tony who would fall victim--to her.
Tony was crazy about Indries Moomji, falling for her hard. And why not, she was beautiful and exotic. So they quickly became an exclusive couple, but something wasn't right. Rhodey described her as "some kind of gorgeous female," but too perfect, too symetrical somehow.
Indries had some kind of control over Tony (and later even a bit over Rhodey). Subtle, but easily seen, her manipulations would eventually drive Tony Stark over the edge. At Stane's direction she pretended to love Stark, and then dumped him at a key moment, sending him reeling. Stark may have been weak, but he was, after all, only human. Ms. Moomji, it seems, was far more than human. She wasn't just beautiful and exotic, she was customed-designed to manipulate men. The final chess piece to be played by the grandmaster, Stane, her rejection of Tony sent him inside a bottle, and paved the way for Stane to finally take control of Stark International.
A member of the Sisters of Ishtar, a freelance espionage group with a base in the American Southwest, she was hired to target Stark with her special charms. From childhood she was trained to be alluring, to be the perfect object of a man's dreams--any man. Her face and body were surgically altered to perfection. She was given artificial, allure-enhancing pheromones to make her irresistible. Finally, she was educated by the finest psychologists at the finest universities to become the perfect object of desire (if only by way of manipulation).
Although Iron Man (Rhodes) was charged with returning her to Obidiah Stane, he brought her all the way back only to let her go. Whether he felt sorry for her or she manipulated him--or both--he couldn't return her to Stane's clutches. She was last seen walking off into annonymity.
Weapons: Those eyes, those lips, those...
Hobbies: International intrigue, espionage.
Quote: "My skills are formidable, but I cannot make a man drunk."
MODAM (Mobile Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers) is the yin to MODOK’s yang; the peanut butter to his chocolate, and the Y-chromosome to his X-chromosome; quite simply: a female version of the twisted, homicidal, big-headed freak that is MODOK—and only half as well-adjusted.
But first, some backstory: While her first IM appearance was #296, Olinka Barakova, the woman who would become MODAM was first seen in West Coast Avengers #36. There, she was believed to be the first wife of Avenger Hank Pym, Maria Pym a.k.a. Maria Troyvana. Thought dead, Pym and the West Coast Avengers found her in an Eastern Bloc prison. The subject of grotesque super human experiments to increase intelligence, she was left with an abnormally large brain and on life support. Although she begged to be put out of her misery, Hank could not let her die. He took her home and worked for a cure. It turned out, however, that Maria was actually a plant. She was spying on the Avengers for her Soviet paymasters. (This is when we found out she was Barakova, although all memories of her previous existence were wiped from her mind.) Eventually, she hooked up with AIM. And she was “rewarded” by being transformed into SODAM (Specialized Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers). Later, after having undergone extensive upgrades (not to mention hideous mutations), she emerged at AIM’s inaugural International Weapons Exposition as MODAM.
Although she’d had experience as a field operator, Iron Man #296 found MODAM working deep in the electronic womb of the AIM data processing network, at the center of a vast fiber-optic web. But she was more than just a code monkey; she had actual authority. MODAM had massive computer power and was a ruthless processor of data. She could do the budgeting, database management, programming, and strategy for AIM, all while monitoring the base’s security.
MODAM’s brain is unnaturally greater than the normal human brain, giving rise to psychic powers and enhanced intelligence. But she is also devoid of emotions while possesing a quick sadistic, homicidal side (a side effect of the glandular mutation process that created her). This made her perfect for middle management. But she missed the field.
Created from an improvement to the same process that created MODOK, this mockery of humanity looks a lot like him. She’s made up of a large head, with spindly arms and legs. Picture: MODOK in drag. Although one key difference between her and her homicidal cousin: Her natural arms have been augmented with mechanical Doc Oc-like limbs. They are coiled and can extend, allowing her to grab and detain her opponents. Combined with other refinements in the technique that constructed her, MODAM developed a reputation for playing rougher than MODOK.
Like MODOK, her giant brain generates tremendous amount of psionic energy. She can funnel this power into weapons systems, specifically a powerful psionic beam shot from her headband. (A synthetic gem collimates her psionic energies. For more on her weapons, see below.) Her brain power also gives her psychic powers with which she can touch/taste other people’s minds.
She has the power of flight thanks to her big power chair. (Like MODOK, the rest of her body is so underdeveloped and/or atrophied that she needs the chair to function.) The chair is packed with all kinds of AIM gizmos, including a full range of sensors (such as ultrasound imaging). She also has a force field.
At the end of the "Taking AIM" storyline (Avengers #386–389), MODAM was believed killed. Time will tell.
Weapons: deployable laser cannon (on head); shoulder plasma cannons and machine guns, which go into assault configuration (folding into place like War Machine’s rigs); rocket launcher; and mulitbarreled blasters.
Quote: "It has been too long since I have had time to play."
The Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing (MODOK) began his criminal career as George Tarleton, a lowly technician with Adavanced Idea Mechanics (AIM). Little did he know that he would soon become a freak of nature—a literal killing machine—and one of the Marvel U’s most unique and original super villains. Although dreadfully under-used, MODOK is a great foil for Iron Man—dead or alive.
As told in a flashback in Captain America #133, when the Scientist Supreme of AIM (the secretive terrorist cabal of twisted scientists) needed a "volunteer," Tarleton was selected. You see the Scientist Supreme wanted a super computer. But not just any super computer, he wanted a living, breathing computer. Anyway, poor George was forced into a special chamber where his body underwent an incredible (and insane) mutagenic makeover. Forced into an alteration chamber for twenty-four hours, Tarleton emerged as a grotesque freak—and AIM’s greatest weapon (too good, it turned out, for the Scientist Supreme . . . ).
Hardly recognizable as human, MODOK now had a massive head (and brain). At the same time, his torso atrophied and shrunk. Unable to support his monstrously large head on his own, MODOK is forced to “wear” an ingenious hover chair (armed to the teeth) to move around. Now the most powerful brain on earth—and still sort of pissed at what they did to him—MODOK killed the Scientist Supreme and took over AIM.
MODOK possesses massive, super-human intelligence, but he has a cruel, psychotic streak (the negative aspects of his psyche amplified in the same way his intellect was). His “enhancement” gave him a wide range of strong psionic/telepathic abilities, this is his biggest weapon. He can project psionic mental blasts (which are apparently amplified by the crystal on his forehead headband). His mento-blast is solidified mental energy. He can also fire force, heat, and stun/shock beams. He can also create force-fields for defense. MODOK can also control the minds of weak-minded subjects. His mind-beam probe can also read thoughts. He also has some magnetic powers as well.
The first appearance of this ruthless telepathic genius came in Tales of Suspense #93, facing Captain America as the mysterious leader of AIM (who wouldn’t actually be revealed until #94). Interested in world domination, MODOK is a twisted tyrant—even to his own people, who fear and loathe him. Captain America’s intrusion allowed the AIM scientists to attempt a coup. They destroyed MODOK’s hover chair in the confusion of a battle. Rather then die a helpless creature, MODOK took control of his fate—detonating a self-destruct device.
As is often the case, a simple fiery explosion at the bottom of the sea was hardly enough to finish our villain—especially one as powerful as the Big MO. As told in Captain America #119, he survived the blast by encasing himself inside an energy bubble force-field. And as with most tyrants, he still had some loyal toadies, members of AIM who did not rebel. They fixed MODOK up, and he continued making life difficult for Marvel’s heroes.
MODOK’s first Iron Man appearance came in issues 74 and 75. Wanting to posses the Golden Globe of Power, he entered Black Lama’s War of the Super Villains—his opponent: the Mad Thinker.
No dummy, the Mad Thinker used Iron Man as his pawn—taking control of Tony’s armor and using it to attack MODOK. Ol’ MODOK was ready though. He had his own armored defense, specifically a giant armored battle suit. (Built to his head’s proportion, the suit had hand-mounted blasters and rocket boots for flying.) In a big battle, in which MODOK fought the Thinker and Yellow Claw, while everybody fought IM, MODOK again appeared to die, apparently falling to his death.
In Iron Man Annual #4, MODOK turned up again, still controlling AIM. He now displayed the ability to read minds, and his other powers grew, too—he was powerful to the Nth degree. In fact, with the power of a single thought, he reduced a mountain to ruble (with a mind blast). He also displayed the ability to will himself through solid walls and objects. His (literal) cut-throat management style caught up with him again, and he died—or became brain dead for all you sticklers—in Captain America #313. Disgruntled AIM scientists hired the Serpent Society to take him out. His body was then drafted into service by AIM to be their massive super computer (as originally intended).
Vegetable MODOK was utilized by AIM scheamer Yorgon Tykkio—the brother of the then Scientist Supreme. Yorgon animated MODOK’s body and used him as a mindless remote-control weapon in IM #205. Tykkio replaced MODOK’s psycho-kinetic bolts with electron plasma beams. After Iron Man defeated him, Tykkio blew up MODOK. But somehow . . . MODOK survived.
MODOK showed up alive and thinking in Tony’s heroic return (IM Vol. 3, #1), where he made a brief ominous pronouncement about destroying Stark. He didn’t carry out his threat, and got busy on the whole world domination thing again.
His plans came together in Iron Man/Captain America Annual ’98, when he took over Zenith City, a paradise in the Caribbean where a population linked by a group mind lived. Once again commanding AIM, MODOK was going to use the power of the group mind to take over the world. Cap and IM stopped him.
The big Mental One returned again in IM 42-44. Working with the Ghost, he had a scheme to target high-tech outfits, namely bombing them. It seems AIM had gone corporate. In its attempt to take over the world, they became disciples Microsoft. AIM wanted to be the next Microsoft, except with death rays. The Ghost acted as MODOK’s “corporate consultant,” doing away with troublesome competitors. In a real knock-down drag-out fight, Iron Man turned the Ghost’s intangibility into a real headache for the big giant head.
MODOK has a hot “sister” name MODAM (Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers)—well, hot, if you like homicidal sociopaths with no self-control.
Trivia: A buffoonish MODOK starred as Mandarin’s lackey in the MAH: Iron Man cartoon. In the 1970s, he sparred with Iron Man in the novel Iron Man: And Call My Killer . . . MODOK.
Weapons: Psionic powers; weaponized hover chair (packed with gizmos).
Hobbies: World domination, sudoku.
Quote:" "
This terrifying night creature haunted a Caribbean island and tried to get between Janice Cord and Tony Stark (not to mention Iron Man) in Iron Man #14.
A plane crash robbed best-selling author Travis Hoyt of the use of his legs. As a result, he became quite reclusive, withdrawing from society and the so-called progress that he blamed for his handicap. Moving to a Caribbean island he soon found a radioactive pool beneath his home. The bubbling, boiling radioactive water cured him, reactivating the tissue in his body. Repeated bathing mangled his skin so much that he wore a mask over the mummy-like bandages he was forced to wear to cover his scarred flesh. But to Hoyt it was all worth it, as he regained the use of his legs and gained super strength at the same time.
But when Stark Industries began construction of a facility near Hoyt's home the construction caused a crack in the pool, which began to slowly drain. Hoyt came up with the Night Phantom guise to oppose Stark's development of his island paradise, development which threatened his precious radioactive pool of life.
After trying a Scooby Doo-ish scare tactic, employing voodoo drums and a well-placed bomb at the SI factory, The Night Phantom accelerated his campaign of terror when an old family friend arrived on the island: namely the beautiful Janice Cord. Enchanted by the lovely lady, Hoyt professed his love and terrible secret to Janice. But after battling Iron Man the Night Phantom fell into his pool just as it gave way and drained into the earth. He was never seen again, although a Night Phantom robot showed up in IRON MAN #44 as part of the machinations of Mister Kline.
Weapons: Brute strength
Protege of Ivan Vanko, Nevsky became the the third Crimson Dynamo. See Crimson Dynamo (III).
In #244, we learned that Joanna Finch (nee Nivena) was Tony's fiancee prior to Tales of Suspense #39, but the marriage never came off--fate had other plans.
She greated Tony when he came back from Vietnam. And then the seemingly happy couple began looking for a home, one with a nice nursery. But Tony pushed her away, he had changed too much that day in the jungle. Eventually, he let her in on his secret. And it was she who convince Stark to use his armor, his curse, to help other people, to be a hero.
She then broke things off with Tony. She knew that he needed to be free to be a hero, and she wanted a simpler life, one with a family. They parted as friends. Soon she married Howard Finch and had a boy and a girl and a simple quiet life.
Years later, when she and Tony ran into each other at an auction he gave her a $4.5 Million Monet for all the fond memories.
Quote:"Tony--Your armor! Use it to save us all."
These character bios are based on IRON MAN comics published by Marvel Comics and are copyright 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Tim Rassbach. Iron Man and all associated characters are the property of Marvel Comics.
