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| Steven Lang | |
|---|---|
 Art by Ibrahim Roberson andLan Medina | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The X-Men #96 (December 1975) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont Dave Cockrum |
| In-story information | |
| Species | HumanCyborg |
| Team affiliations | Purifiers Human Council Phalanx Project: Armageddon Department of Defense |
| Notable aliases | Master Mold, Template |
| Abilities | Cybernetic organism |
Steven Lang (sometimes spelledStephen Lang) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He is a manufacturer of the mutant-huntingSentinels. He first appeared inThe X-Men #96 (December 1975).
Dr. Steven Lang is a pioneer in the field of robotics and genetic mutation who hatesmutants. An employee of the U.S. government, he is placed in charge of a federal investigation into the origin of genetic mutation. He plans to use his talents to create an army of mutant hunting robots to kill all mutants. To this end, he seeks to get the government to endorse and financially support his operations.[1]
Lang begins by targeting mutant criminals, such asMesmero. He claims possession ofBolivar Trask's wreckedSentinel base's resources and is backed byNed Buckman and the "Council of the Chosen", the secret group in control of the New York Branch of theHellfire Club prior toSebastian Shaw's takeover.[1]
Lang desires to defeat his main targets, theX-Men, so he creates the "X-Sentinels",android doubles ofProfessor X and the original X-Men. However, his androids manage only inferior imitations of the X-Men's powers, and are easily defeated by the real X-Men.Jean Grey telekinetically forces Lang to crash his mini-gunship, leaving him in a coma with severe brain damage.[1]
Lang returns as a member of thePhalanx, a group of humans who had been transformed into techno-organic human-alien hybrids. The transformation process restores Lang's mind, and he becomes the Phalanx's leader.[2] Lang is the only one within the Phalanx to retain his individual human identity. While he is ardent in his desire to see mutants eradicated, he comes to realize the Phalanx are a danger to humans as well. He conspires with the X-Men to destroy the Phalanx citadel on Earth, following which he is dragged to his apparent death by his lieutenantCameron Hodge.[3]
Lang's corpse is exhumed by thePurifiers and reanimated byBastion using theTechnarchy. He joins a group formed by the foremost anti-mutant leaders under Bastion's control.[4] During theSecond Coming storyline, Lang andGraydon Creed are killed byHope Summers.[5]
As a normal human being, Stephen Lang had no superhuman powers. However, he was a genius and pioneer in the field of robotics, with adequate financial resources to fund his operations.
As a member of the Phalanx, he had all of the characteristics of a techno-organic life form: enhanced strength, durability, and agility, ability to re-shape corporeal form at will, and to infect other beings with thetechno-organic virus and control infected beings.
In the 2009-2010 miniseriesX-Men Noir, Lang is a fictional character and lead for Bolivar Trask's pulp sci-fi series, "The Sentinels", who seeks to protect humanity from mutants.[6]