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Iron Cross is the name of two fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.
The Helmut Gruler version of Iron Cross first appears inThe Invaders #35 (Dec. 1978) and was created byRoy Thomas andDon Heck.[1]
The Clare Gruler version of Iron Cross first appeared inAll-New Invaders #9 (Aug. 2014) and was created byJames Robinson andSteve Pugh.
| Iron Cross | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Invaders #35 (Dec. 1978) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas Don Heck |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Helmut Gruler |
| Team affiliations | V-Battalion |
| Abilities | Armored suit grants: Superhuman strength and durability Flight via boot jets Limited longevity Several offensive weapons |
Helmut Gruler is aWorld War II German soldier who first appears in the titleInvaders. Gruler volunteers to wear armor created by Professor Franz Schneider for use against theAllied forces. Using the alias "Iron Cross", the character creates havoc until he is apparently killed during a battle withsuperhero team theInvaders.[2]
Iron Cross reappears in the modern Marvel universe in the titleMidnight Sons Unlimited, having apparently been saved and sustained by his armor.[3]
Iron Cross is later revealed to have been a founding member of theV-Battalion, a secret group dedicated to hunting down war criminals. Iron Cross apparently dies while stoppingHydra from spreading nanotechnology across Earth.[4]
Clare Gruler is the daughter of Helmut Gruler who took on her father's legacy and became a hero in Germany.[5] Claire previously wielded the Iron Cross armor, but was fused with the suit when herInhuman gene activated, transforming her into a cyborg.[6]
She later battlesNeo-Nazi forces in Germany and requests help from theAll-New Invaders. They are interrupted by the InhumanLash, who is attempting to recruit Iron Cross,Toro, and the Neo-Nazi leader, who did not know he was an Nuhuman.[7] Medusa and the Inhuman Royal Court appear and Lash leaves with the Neo-Nazi, who abandons the Nazi cause since he does not have pureAryan blood. The Invaders later disband and Iron Cross returns to Germany to protect it from evil.[8]
Helmut Gruler wears an advanced suit of armor that provides superhuman strength and durability, andflight via boot jets. The armor also has several offensive features, and is capable of releasing electric current,sleeping gas and an inky fluid similar to that discharged by an octopus. The suit provides some longevity by sustaining Gruler's body.
Clare Gruler's Iron Cross armor grants her flight and energy discharge. As an Inhuman, she possessed the ability of molecular bonding; however, this power only worked once when her Inhuman gene activated, fusing her with her armor.
The Helmut Gruler incarnation of Iron Cross appears as a boss inCaptain America: Super Soldier, voiced byMichael Donovan.[9] This version works forHydra under theRed Skull andArnim Zola.
