Deathlok (also referred to asDeathlok the Demolisher) is the name of severalfictionalcharacters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The first Deathlok,Luther Manning, appeared inAstonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974), created byRich Buckler.[1] At least five subsequent Marvel characters have used the "Deathlok" identity since then:Michael Collins,Jack Truman,Rebecca Ryker,Henry Hayes, andJemma Simmons. A recurring theme among these characters is that adead human has been reanimated withcybernetic technology. "Deathlok technology" has also been used thematically by Marvel writers in other stories.
The character has also appeared on television in animation and live action, withJ. August Richards andBill Paxton respectively portraying the original variationsMike Peterson andJohn Garrett in thetelevision seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Originally conceived as the main character in a novel,Rich Buckler got the opportunity to use the character within the comics medium. Development was put on a hold whenMarvel Comics was negotiating for the comic book adaptation rights for the television seriesThe Six Million Dollar Man, untilCharlton Comics claimed the rights. Buckler then purchased a copy of the television series' source materialCyborg byMartin Caidin. Buckler stated, "So what I did was rethink part of it, and make sure things were the opposite...so while the Six Million Dollar Man was a good looking guy, I took that all away from Deathlok. I made him a monster and instead of being friends with technology he was enemies with it and then it developed from there. And it actually got deeper as a concept."[2]
Buckler stated the character was an inversion ofCaptain America.[3]
The original comic run makes numerous references toMary Shelly's novelFrankenstein, a character whom Deathlok shares many parallels with.[4]
Although initially announced as the new lead feature for Marvel'sWorlds Unknown comic, under the title "Cyborg",[5] the first Deathlok series ran inAstonishing Tales #25–28, 30–36 (cover-dated Aug. 1974–July 1976). This initial version of the character,Luther Manning, later guest-starred withSpider-Man inMarvel Team-Up #46 (June 1976), and the story from the cancelledAstonishing Tales comics was finished inMarvel Spotlight #33 (April 1977). Deathlok subsequently appeared with theThing inMarvel Two-in-One #27 and 54. The Luther Manning Deathlok then appeared inCaptain America #286–288 (Oct.-Dec. 1983).
A new Deathlok,Michael Collins, debuted in theminiseriesDeathlok #1–4 (July–Oct. 1990, reprinted asDeathlok Special #1–4 the following year). This second Deathlok went on to a 34-issue series cover-dated July 1991 to April 1994, plus twosummerAnnuals in 1992 and 1993. The third Deathlok,S.H.I.E.L.D. espionage agentJack Truman, debuted in an 11-issue miniseries (Sept. 1999–June 2000). Deathlok has also appeared in four issues of the miniseriesBeyond!, and Michael Collins, in human form and not as Deathlok, appeared inFantastic Four #544–545 (May–June 2007). Multiple unnamed Deathlok units appear inBlack Panther vol. 4 #1–6. Possessing no human sentience, they were automatons created from corpses of soldiers killed inIraq.
A new Deathlok namedHenry Hayes debuted during the "Original Sin" event fromNathan Edmondson andMike Perkins. While the character was considered to be an adaptation of theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) portrayal of Deathlok,Mike Petersen, Edmondson stated that the coincidences were just "happy similarities" and that ultimately they tried to go for a total original concept.[6] This Deathlok had his own ongoing series that began in October 2014.[7]
A new Deathlok namedJemma Simmons, first appeared inS.H.I.E.L.D. vol. 3 #1 byMark Waid andCarlos Pacheco, adapted from the MCU character of the same name, before becoming Deathlok in the sequel comic seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #8, turned into one by Hayes to save her life.
| Deathlok | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Astonishing Tales #25 (August 1974) |
| Created by | Rich Buckler |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Luther Manning |
| Species | Humancyborg |
| Team affiliations | CIA |
| Abilities | Cybernetic enhancements granting superhuman speed, strength, durability and reflexes Ability to repair bodily damage Ability to track multiple objects |
Colonel Luther Manning is an American soldier fromDetroit,Michigan, who, after being fatally injured, is reanimated as a cyborg bySimon Ryker in a post-apocalyptic future. He verbally communicates with his symbiotic computer, to which he refers as the abbreviated "'Puter".[8] He escapes from Ryker's control,[9] although he dreams he has regained his humanity.[10] He battles the evil corporate and military regimes that have taken over the US, while simultaneously struggling not to lose his humanity. He battles Simon Ryker and the firstWarwolf, and he encounters his wife and son for the first time after becoming a cyborg.[11] He battles Simon Ryker's Super-Tank,[12] and then begins a hunt for a "cyborg doctor".[13] He battles Simon Ryker as the Savior Machine, and his mind is ultimately transferred into a Luther Manning clone.[14] He battles mutants alongside a time-travelingSpider-Man.[15] He begins working for theCIA, encounters Godwulf for the first time, and is then finally sent back in time to the modern era.[16]
Deathlok battles theDevil-Slayer, but then battles demons alongside Devil-Slayer.[17] He later becomes controlled byMentallo and theFixer and is sent to assassinate the President, but is stopped by theThing andNick Fury.[18] After his capture he becomes catatonic, and is taken to England for treatment by the Thing.[19] He is cured by Louis Kort, and Nick Fury takes him into custody.[20] Deathlok is rebuilt byRoxxon as a robot and sent to sabotageProject Pegasus. The robot battles the Thing andQuasar, and self-destructs.[20] The real Deathlok, now working for theBrand Corporation, battlesCaptain America and a time-traveling Luther Manning clone. Alongside Captain America, Godwulf, and the Redeemers, he battles Hellinger.[21] Some time later, the"mainstream timeline" Luther Manning begins dreaming that he is Deathlok.[22] He is charged with temporal energy by Timestream.[23] Timestream recruits this "mainstream" human Manning.[24] Deathlok, Timestream, and Manning battled the Collins Deathlok,Siege, and Godwulf.[25] The Manning Deathlok eventually returns to his own time and overthrows the megalomaniac who had taken over the country. Manning remains in his near-future alternate reality, searching for a purpose in life and unable to disconnect himself from the machine bonded to him.
Eventually, Manning travels to the mainstreamMarvel Universe and encountersDaredevil and theKingpin. He lives a life of solitude until being apprehended byS.H.I.E.L.D., from which he is later kidnapped by the supervillain theOwl and, immobilized, put up for auction as a weapon. Before a sale can be completed, he is stolen bythe Hood and sent on akamikaze decoy run.
During the "One World Under Doom" storyline, Deathlok was abducted from his reality byDoctor Doom and was imprisoned in an underground facility in Latveria to be part of his Think Tank. He alongside Thunderbolt Ross (who ran out of gamma energy fighting theDoombot guards), Simon Ryker, andMachine Man escaped the facility. They were soon confronted by a swarm of Doombots as Doctor Doom speaks through them demanding their surrender. While Ryker got zapped, Deathlok, Ross, and an out of energy Machine Man escaped into the river. Taking refuge in a house, Deathlok rebuilt and recharged Machine Man. Deathlok then evacuated Machine Man after he set off a weapon satellite to target the nearby nuclear power plant so that Ross can recharge his Red Hulk form.[26] After Red Hulk defeats the Doombots and carries Deathlok and Machine Man to the Latverian borders, they are confronted by the U.S. Army that Machine Man contacted where their representative states that they are in violation of the treaty with Doctor Doom. After Red Hulk is hit by a gamma scrambler by a flying counterpart of theHulkbusters, all three of them are arrested for treason.[27] Deathlok escaped his captors and rescued Machine Man's parts. Upon rebuilding Machine Man, they were able to trace where the U.S. Army took Ross.[28]
Kelly first appeared as Deathlok inMarvel Comics Presents #62. This version of Deathlok was originally controlled by Kelly until its systems determined that Kelly's brain function was detrimental to its completion of the "First Run" program. The Deathlok unit then completed its mission. Kelly's brain was removed from the cyborg and disposed of. One of Simon Ryker's assistants took the brain presumably for use in the SIEGE unit. This version was made for theUnited States Army by theCIA's Deathlok-program co-head/Simon's brother Harlan Ryker after studying Luther Manning's cyborg body. The Kelly Deathlok later became known as Siege.[29]
| Deathlok | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Deathlok #1 (July 1990) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Michael Collins |
| Species | Human cyborg |
| Team affiliations | Wild Pack Secret Defenders S.H.I.E.L.D. |
| Abilities | Cybernetic enhancements granting superhuman speed, strength, durability and reflexes Ability to repair bodily damage Ability to track multiple objects |
Professor Michael Collins was born inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania. He was a pacifist working for theRoxxon cybernetics corporation Cybertek. Upon discovery of the Deathlok program, he was shot with a sedative by Harlan Ryker and his brain was transplanted into the body of the John Kelly Deathlok cyborg. The machine was used against rebels fighting against Roxxon's influence in the fictional South American country of Estrella. Collins regained his consciousness during that mission and stopped the cyborg programming that would have killed a small child.
Although his brain was intended to serve only as a medium for the robot's programming, he was able to assert his will over it (installing a "no-killing parameter" into its programming).[30] The computer is fully willing to listen to Collins, though he must take care to present his orders in a way that helps fulfill the mission and keep people from dying. The computer is fully capable of understanding distinct concepts, such as bluffing, as when Collins is forced to pretend to take a hostage. Later he met Jesus Badalamente and also battles Mainframe.[31] Collins learns that his human body was still alive, and encounters Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.[32] Collins aids Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. in preventing a nuclear strike on the United States.[30] With theFantastic Four, theX-Men, andMisty Knight, Deathlok later battles Mechadoom.[33] He meets thePunisher, and battlesSilvermane.[34] After that, he teams up withSpider-Man and several other heroes to stop theSinister Six.[35] He next meetsMoses Magnum.[36] Collins finally reveals his existence as a cyborg to his family.[37] Collins then begins to search for his human body. During this time he foughtSleepwalker,[38] and helpsSilver Sable retrieve a purloined Statue of Liberty.[39] He assists a makeshift team of other heroes in the "Maximum Carnage" incident, protecting the people of New York from a mass-murdering group of supervillains.[40]
During the events of the miniseriesBeyond!, the cosmic being theStranger (pretending to be theBeyonder) transported Collins to an alien planet, where he was forced to live for years until being rescued with the aid of several other heroes. However, his rescue required the sacrifice of Greg Willis, the superhero known asGravity. As an act of gratitude, Collins arranged Gravity's funeral.[41] When Willis' body was stolen by the cosmic entity Epoch, Collins enlisted the aid of theFantastic Four in retrieving it.[42]
| Deathlok | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Jack Truman: Cable #59 (August 1998) As Deathlok: Deathlok #1 (September 1999) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego |
|
| Species | Human cyborg |
| Team affiliations | S.H.I.E.L.D. |
| Notable aliases | Agent 18 (Jack Truman) |
| Abilities | Cybernetic enhancements granting superhuman speed, strength, durability and reflexes Ability to repair bodily damage Ability to track multiple objects |
Jack Truman, also known asAgent 18, was an agent of the international espionage outfit S.H.I.E.L.D. who was transformed into a cyborg to battle theRed Skull. Through telepathic means, he eventually swapped his mind into the body of another former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a rival,Larry Young. Young was considered as a "potential recruit" for theInitiative program.[43]
In theVengeance mini-series, Truman was still trapped in Larry Young's body, while Young was unable to get to grips with the cyborg body and was unable to function without appropriate maintenance, with his body seen rusting in a junk yard.
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, aH.A.M.M.E.R. strike force consisting of corpses animated with crude bionics was sent to capture a super-soldier research center known as "The World". These models acted like traditional zombies, craving brains. Their mission was unsuccessful and as a result, the research group which produced them, called "Project: Deathlok", was scrapped.[44]
In theAvengers Arena series, part of theMarvel NOW! event, a female teenage version of Deathlok dubbed Death Locket is introduced. She is revealed to be Rebecca Ryker, the daughter of Harlan Ryker. After being maimed in an explosion that killed her mother and brother, Rebecca was rebuilt using the Deathlok technology that her father developed.[45]Arcade later kidnaps her alongside the students of theAvengers Academy and Braddock Academy and forces them to fight other teenage superhumans in his latest version of Murderworld.[46]
| Deathlok | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Original Sins #1 (June 2014) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Henry Hayes |
| Species | Human cyborg |
| Team affiliations | United States Army S.H.I.E.L.D. |
| Abilities | Cybernetic enhancements granting superhuman speed, strength, durability and reflexes Ability to repair bodily damage Ability to track multiple objects |
A new Deathlok debuted during the "Original Sin" storyline. Henry Hayes worked atDoctors Without Borders. During his duty, he lost a leg in a suicide bomber attack in Kandahar (or was brainwashed into thinking he did). Hayes was taken care of by the company Biotek, who provided him with a composite fiber prosthesis. Upon being placed under mind-control, Hayes became Deathlok, where he was used as an assassin, a soldier, a killer, a fighter, and an operative. He had participated in at least one armed conflict alongside organized troops, and assassinated countless people even in populated areas. Hayes was often memory-wiped and did not remember his assignments. While at MTA Metro-North station, he tried to engage discussion with another leg amputee and advised him to contact Biotek, as his own prosthesis (plastic ones, as it was the only kind his pension afforded him) forced the man to use crutches. This man left, seemingly displeased with the discussion. Immediately afterward, he met Seth Horne, an off-duty S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was present when the Eye of the Watcher exploded, releasing a blast of energy which revealed deep secrets to anyone in its radius. To Horne, it revealed Hayes' true story. This level 4 agent wanted to congratulate him, stating that S.H.I.E.L.D. would wish to have him in their ranks. As Hayes really did not know what Horne was talking about, he threatened to call the authorities, forcing the agent to leave after a last congratulations. Immediately, Hayes was ordered to kill him as the announcement board of the station indicated the words "Whiskey David", triggering Hayes' Deathlok persona. After following Seth Horne into the restroom, Deathlok quickly executed him, left, took some medications, and returned to his civilian life heading to the train to join his daughter Aria.[47]
In theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book, Jemma Simmons is transformed into a Deathlok by Henry Hayes to save her life after she is infected with an unknown substance and rendered comatose.[48]
During the "Iron Man 2020" event,Force Works encounters a group of Deathloks on the island of Lingares who overwhelm and capture them. Quake states to the soldiers that the dead that captured them are Deathloks. With Quake translating,War Machine,U.S. Agent, andMockingbird learned that someone called the "Scientist" showed up claiming to help them where he made Deathloks from the fallen countrymen to help deal with a giant. Unfortunately, something went wrong. It is soon discovered that the giant attacking Lingares isUltimo who attacks both sides. As Quake, U.S. Agent, and Mockingbird get the prisoners to safety, War Machine fights off his paralysis and starts fighting the Deathloks trying to experiment on him. War Machine is then saved by someone he recognizes who is in need of his services. Moments later, War Machine arrives with his armor, U.S. Agent's shield, and the equipment of Quake and Mockingbird as he fights off the Deathloks. The rest of Force Works discover that War Machine's rescuer isMODOK Superior. It is then revealed that MODOK Superior created the Deathloks to help gain control of Ultimo and transform into Ulti-MODOK. War Machine briefly transforms himself into a Deathlok to control the other Deathloks, who follow Ulti-MODOK into a lava-filled chasm.[49]
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Col. Luther Manning's body was rebuilt into a cyborg body by Harlan Ryker. Deathlok's mechanical, cybernetic physiology granted him several superhuman powers including superhuman strength, stamina, agility, reflexes, and a computer augmented brain. The right arm and left half of his face are armored cybernetic implants. He wears a woven metal-mesh body suit of considerable durability. Deathlok also carried a helium-neon laser pistol designed by the U.S. Army of his time, and a throwing dagger. Manning was a military academy graduate, and a brilliant military strategist. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and proficient with knives, daggers, handguns, and laser pistols. He was later captured and upgraded by Earth-616's S.H.I.E.L.D. and given jet boots that allowed him to leap at great heights and his other abilities were perhaps enhanced to greater levels.
Michael Collins' human brain was transplanted into a cyborg body by a group of scientists at Cybertek. His cyborg body grants him the same powers as Manning, only with much greater strength, speed, and resistance to injury. He possesses a broad spectrum of visual and auditory powers. Deathlok has the ability to interface with virtually any computer system. He is also able to project his consciousness and sensory projections directly into the Net, making him capable of directly hacking computer systems far more efficiently than a traditional hacker. His body can also target (nearly infallibly) multiple objects and track them. He could scan the entire electromagnetic spectrum. He has learned to use internal nano-bots to repair and alter both his organic and inorganic parts, enabling him to appear as either a humanoid cyborg, or completely human. He also has a very sophisticated A.I., capable of quickly making complex strategies and evaluating their chance of success. If requested, the A.I. can take control of the body to perform these operations. Collins himself possesses no combat skills, but under computer-guided combat routines, he is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant with an extensive database of combat techniques and strategies.
Collins is an excellent computer programmer with an advanced degree in computer science and prosthetics, and helped construct the Deathlok body, along with other Cybertek scientists including William Hansen, Ben Jacobs, Stanley Cross, Dr. Hu, and Jim Dworman. After becoming Deathlok, Collins later modified his own systems. Like Manning, Collins wears a woven metal-mesh body suit of considerable durability. He carries a plasma pistol which draws its energy from his internal power source. Thus, the weapon can only be fired if in contact with the outlets in Deathlok's hand. Deathlok also possesses a collapsible plasma rifle capable of greater firepower with the same limitations, a supply of fragmentation plasma grenades, and a molybdenum steel knife. He wears a wrist bracelet that allows Deathlok to override similar cybernetic operating systems, and anadamantium/vibranium alloy shock dampening helmet. He sometimes uses a refitted Cybertek Dragonfly fighter with a range of several hundred miles.
An unidentified Deathlok appears inMutant X as a member of theAvengers.[50]
An original incarnation of Deathlok,Ultron / Deathlok Prime, appears inSavage Avengers.[51]
An original incarnation of Deathlok,Emil Blonsky / Abomination, from Earth-11045 appears inUncanny Avengers as a member ofKang the Conqueror's Chronos Corps.[52]
An alternate universe variant of Luther Manning / Deathlok fromEarth-1610 appears inUltimate Spider-Man #70.[53]
An original, unnamed incarnation of Deathlok namedDeathlok Prime appears inUncanny X-Force andWolverine and the X-Men.[54][55]
An original incarnation of Deathlok,Steve Rogers, from Earth-22423 appears inX-Factor #231.[56]
An original, alternate universe variant of Deathlok from Earth-9602,Jason Todd, appears in theAmalgam Comics one-shotBruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..[57]
An original incarnation of Deathlok from Earth-10511 appears inWeapon X.[58]
In the early 1990s, a Deathlok film was at the script stage, withRandall Frakes as the screenwriter.[69]Paramount Pictures bought the film rights in 2001, and hiredLee Tamahori to direct. Stu Zicherman andRaven Metzner were assigned as writers, whileAvi Arad andSteven Paul would produce.[70] In 2004,Paul McGuigan was being considered to replace Tamahori, whileDavid Self provided rewrites.[71] McGuigan later revealed that he was involved, butMarvel Studios put the film on a hiatus. He also praised Self's screenplay and that he envisionedRobert Downey Jr. for the lead role.[72]
Deathlok appears in theWolverine: Weapon X motion comic, voiced byScott McNeil.[67]
| Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain America: Deathlok Lives | Captain America #286–288 | 64 | 1993 | 0-7851-0019-9 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Deathlok Volume 1 | Astonishing Tales #25–28 and #30–36;Marvel Spotlight #33;Marvel Team-Up #46;Marvel Two-In-One #27 and #54;Captain America #286–288 | 352 | November 2009 | 0-7851-3050-0 |
| Deathlok the Demolisher: The Complete Collection | Astonishing Tales #25–28 and #30–36;Marvel Team-Up #46;Marvel Spotlight #33;Marvel Two-In-One #27 and #54;Captain America #286–288 | 368 | October 2014 | 0-7851-9112-7 |
| Deathlok: The Living Nightmare Of Michael Collins | Deathlok #1–4 | 216 | June 2012 | 0-7851-5988-6 |
| Deathlok: The Souls Of Cyber-Folk | Deathlok (vol. 2) #1–15 andAnnual #1 | 400 | January 2015 | 0-7851-9334-0 |
| Deathlok: Rage Against The Machine | Deathlok (vol. 3) #1–11;Cable #58–62;Uncanny X-Men #371;X-Men (vol. 2) #91;X-Men Annual '99 | 456 | February 2015 | 978-0-7851-9291-6 |
| Deathlok: The Demolisher | Deathlok (vol. 4) #1–7 | 176 | January 2011 | 0-7851-2828-X |
| Deathlok Vol. 1: Control. Alt. Delete. | Deathlok (vol. 5) #1–5;Original Sins #1 | 120 | June 2015 | 0-7851-9278-6 |
| Deathlok Vol. 2: Man Versus Machine | Deathlok (vol. 5) #6–10 | 112 | October 2015 | 978-0785192794 |