| Calvin Zabo Mister Hyde | |
|---|---|
.png) Calvin Zabo transforming into Mister Hyde as depicted inThe Amazing Spider-Man #232 (September 1982). Art byJohn Romita Jr. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Journey into Mystery #99 (December 1963)[1] |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Don Heck (artist)[2] |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Calvin Zabo |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Masters of Evil Lethal Legion Thunderbolts |
| Partnerships | Scorpion Batroc Cobra Jester |
| Notable aliases | Edward Hyde Mister Hyde |
| Abilities |
|
Mister Hyde (Calvin Zabo) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by writerStan Lee and artistDon Heck, the character first appeared inJourney into Mystery #99 (December 1963). Calvin Zabo is a supervillain known under the codename ofMister Hyde and has been a known collaborator ofCobra.[3] He is the father of the superheroDaisy Johnson.[4] The character has also been a member of theMasters of Evil.[5]
Calvin Zabo appeared in the second season of the television seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed byKyle MacLachlan.
Calvin Zabo / Mister Hyde is inspired byDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from the 1886Gothic novellaStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde written byRobert Louis Stevenson.[6]
Calvin Zabo debuted inJourney into Mystery #99 (December 1963), created byStan Lee andDon Heck.[7] He has appeared as a regular character inThunderbolts since issue #157, and remained with the team after the title transitioned intoDark Avengers beginning with issue #176.
Calvin Zabo was born inTrenton, New Jersey and becomes a morally abject but brilliantbiochemist who discovered the effects of hormones on human physiology. His favorite storybook wasStevenson's 1886 classic,Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He convinced himself that the experimentDr. Jekyll performed in the story could actually be accomplished and became obsessed with the idea of unleashing his full bestial nature in a superhuman form.
However, he needed money to do this, so he robbed his various employers systematically. Though too intelligent to be caught, the medical community became suspicious, due to his tendency of always getting employed by organizations which were subsequently robbed. Zabo eventually sought work as asurgeon in the hospital whereDonald Blake worked as a directingphysician, yet Blake would not allow him that job due to his history. Zabo became so enraged that Blake would not give him the position, even though he didindeed intend to rob the organization, and swore revenge.
He eventually became successful in creating his formula and turned himself into a massive,Hulk-like creature he called Mister Hyde, named after the character in the story. In this new form, Hyde found out he had immense strength allowing him to crush cars and tear through steel as though it were made of cardboard. With his new superhuman powers he sought out Blake, whom he tried to kill by throwing him from a window, but Blake transformed intoThor by striking his cane on the wall and survived, with Thor claiming that he have saved Blake. Hyde, hearing of this on the radio, decided to eliminate Thor. He tried framing him for a bank robbery by using his vast strength to rip open a bank vault while disguised as Thor. While Blake andJane Foster were out, Hyde met and kidnapped them at gunpoint. As Blake, he got tied up next to a bomb that would explode in 24 hours unless Hyde defused it. However, when attempting to steal a Polaris submarine to roam the seas like a pirate, Thor defeated Hyde. The authorities saw his brute strength and realized he must have impersonated Thor, but Thor forced himself to let him escape, as Jane thought Blake is still in danger.[8]
Hyde went into business as a full-time professional supervillain and teamed up withCobra to get revenge upon Thor, but they were both defeated, despite getting Thor's hammer from him briefly.[9] With the Cobra, he was bailed out and employed byLoki to kidnap Jane Foster and they battled Thor again.[10] Loki doubled their powers to try to help them. Loki showed Thor where Jane was being held. The house had many traps set up for Thor, and Jane was almost killed in an explosion. Thor was able to defeat both villains, and Hyde was caught by a ray which paralyzed him. Both Hyde and the Cobra were jailed and Jane's life was saved by an Asgardian formulaBalder sent to Thor.[11] Hyde and the Cobra escaped prison, but were eventually recaptured byDaredevil.[12] They teamed with theJester to get revenge, but were defeated again.[13] With theScorpion, Hyde then battledCaptain America and theFalcon.[14] Teaming with the Cobra again, Hyde attempted to acquire Cagliostro's serum.[15] While serving in prison following this failed attempt, Hyde was ensnared by the mind-control power of thePurple Man, and forced to battle Daredevil in an arena alongside Cobra, Jester, andGladiator.[16]
Tiring of their repeated failures, the Cobra elected to sever their partnership when he escaped from Ryker's Island, taking the time to taunt Hyde before leaving.[17] For a long time, Hyde never forgave him for the slight. WithBatroc the Leaper, Hyde later blackmailed New York City with a hijacked supertanker and attempted to destroy the entire city to kill the Cobra. Eventually, he was defeated by Captain America with Batroc's aid.[18] Hyde again stalked the Cobra seeking revenge, and this time battledSpider-Man.[19] He was imprisoned again, but escaped Ryker's Island and battled Spider-Man andBlack Cat during another attempt on the Cobra's life.[20] Hyde later battled Daredevil again.[21]
Hyde later became a member ofHelmut Zemo's incarnation of theMasters of Evil and invadedAvengers Mansion along with them, torturing theBlack Knight andEdwin Jarvis. WithGoliath and theWrecking Crew, he nearly killedHercules, but was defeated by theAvengers.[22] Hyde later attempted an escape from theVault alongsideTitania,Vibro,Griffin, andArmadillo, but was defeated and recaptured by theCaptain.[23] He eventually escaped from the Vault alongside theWizard and others.[24] Hyde was later defeated in single combat by the Cobra, who earned Hyde's respect as a result.[25]
Hyde later fought with The Professor and received head trauma that limited his ability to transform.[26] He was subsequently caught by the police when he coincidentally checked into the same hotel as the one where theDaily Bugle staff were attendingRobbie Robertson's retirement party, allowing Peter Parker to defeat him using an improvised costume.[27] Shortly after, Hyde had several run-ins with theGhost Rider in which he was defeated with the Penance Stare.[28]
Hyde briefly helped thesymbiote-bondedToxin track the Cobra after a prison escape by providing a piece of skin for the symbiote to track with.[29]
Zabo was being held in the Raft (the Ryker's Island Prison complex) six months after the events of "Avengers Disassembled."[30] When a prison break was caused byElectro, Zabo emerged in his Hyde persona, fought with Daredevil, and was knocked unconscious byLuke Cage.[31]
At one point, Zabo was discovered by theYoung Avengers to be selling a derivative of his Hyde formula on the street as one of the various illegal substances known as Mutant Growth Hormone.[32]
Zabo grafts abilities similar to the powers of Spider-Man to homeless teenagers. After Spider-Man revealed his identity during the "Civil War" storyline, Zabo sought to recreate the circumstances of Spider-Man's "birth", by taking in orphans off the street, imbuing them with spider-powers, and seeing whether or not the teenagers would give in to their darker impulses. During the ensuing battle with Spider-Man, Hyde pulled webbing off his face, taking his eyelids with it, and was hit in the face withhydrochloric acid, courtesy of one of his own Guinea pigs. It is stated by Spider-Man that he has been left blinded and had his face ruined as a result.Dr. Curt Connors was later seen aiding Spider-Man in a cure for Zabo, one of Zabo's test subjects.[33]
Hyde's daughter isDaisy Johnson, who is a member ofS.H.I.E.L.D.; her mother was apparently a sex worker whose services Calvin Zabo frequented and the girl was put up for adoption after birth. Daisy subsequently manifested superpowers inherited from Zabo's mutated genetic code.[34]
The Hood hired him as part of his criminal organization to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by theSuperhuman Registration Act.[35]
Later, he was seen with Cobra (who was now operating as King Cobra),Firebrand and theMauler, who attacked Yellowjacket, the Constrictor and other Initiative staff and trainees.[36]
Hyde worked withBoomerang,Tiger Shark, andWhirlwind to manipulateVenom into procuringNorman Osborn's fortunes. This was thwarted by Venom andGreen Goblin as Osborn threw a bomb into Hyde's mouth, causing him to spit out blood. Osborn then warned Hyde and the other villains that if they ever cross him again, he will kill everyone that they ever loved before they are tortured to death.[37] Hyde later joins theGrim Reaper's newLethal Legion, claiming embarrassment over the previous incident.[38]
Hyde appears as a member of the Hood's crime syndicate during an attack on theNew Avengers.[39]
Hyde was selected to be a part of the "beta team" of theThunderbolts, alongsideBoomerang,Shocker,Gunna, andCenturius.[40]
Later, Hyde began a drug operation in California where he came into conflict withRobbie Reyes after his car had some of Hyde's pills inside. Hyde's mercenaries chase Robbie down during the race to retrieve the car and the pills. Robbie is gunned down by the mercenaries when he mistakes them for police and they torch the scene. Robbie is revived as a demonic being called theGhost Rider and defeats Zabo, becoming something of a local hero and urban legend.[41][42] Having regrouped and refined his Hyde formula into new blue pills, Zabo gradually takes over the L.A. criminal underground with his "Blue Hyde Brigade", which includes Guero and his gang, longtime enemies of Robbie, calling themselves the "Blue Krüe."[43]
During the "Avengers: Standoff!" storyline, Hyde appears as an inmate of Pleasant Hill, agated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D.[44] Mister Hyde was knocked out byWarwolf.[45]
During the "Secret Empire", Hyde joins Helmut Zemo's Army of Evil.[46] AmidstHydra's takeover of the United States, Hyde is one of a few Army of Evil members not in a stasis pod and is shown leading a group of Hydra soldiers to invadeAttilan and capture theInhumans.[47] He alongside Hydra's Avengers catch his daughter Daisy and her team theSecret Warriors. During interrogation, Daisy destroys theHelicarrier they are in, forcing Hyde to retreat.[48]
Following the "Gang War" storyline, Mister Hyde is seen as an inmate atRavencroft.[49]
InImmortal Thor, Mister Hyde allies withGrey Gargoyle, King Cobra, andRadioactive Man upon them being hired by a revivedDario Agger. After Grey Gargoyle petrifies Thor, Hyde shatters his body. However, Thor regenerates with Enchantress' help. With help from Enchantress, Sif, andMagni of Earth-3515, Thor defeats the villains, who are taken to Daedalus LLC, a subsidiary ofRoxxon.[50]
During the "One World Under Doom" storyline, Mister Hyde is freed from Daedalus LLC and joinsMad Thinker's incarnation of the Masters of Evil. Hyde accompanies the Masters of Evil in their takeover of theImpossible City. AfterCaptain America throwsDreadknight down a vent, Hyde confronts him untilBlack Panther shows up. Using the psychotic gaze fromMadcap's head, Captain America and Black Panther manage to subdue Hyde.[51]
The process that transforms Calvin Zabo into his Mister Hyde persona are growth hormones caused by ingestion of a chemical formula.[52] As his body adjusted to its new form, Hyde's strength, stamina, durability, and healing were all boosted to uncommon levels. Hyde's powers are so sufficient that he can stand up and faceJoe Fixit in a fight.[53] He was shown tearing apart anarmored car door with ease.[54] Through further experimental procedures over the years, his abilities have been increased beyond their original limits. Zabo must consume his special serum periodically for him to remain as one identity from another. However, mental stress or pain could impair this transformation into Hyde. He employs a wristwatch-like device supplied with the formula that injects itself directly into his bloodstream, thus enabling to transform himself by button pushing.[55]
Due to the nature of these transformations, Hyde's skin is warped. This gives his face a distorted look reminiscent ofLon Chaney's make-up used inThe Phantom of the Opera.
Zabo is also an intelligent research scientist with a Ph.D. in medicine andbiochemistry. When assuming his Hyde form, he loses those skills.
Marc Buxton ofDen of Geek ranked Mister Hyde 15th in their "Marvel’s 31 Best Monsters" list and called him a "monstrous force worthy of his classic monster namesake."[56]
In the timeline of theAge of Apocalypse storyline, Mister Hyde (as well as the Cobra) is a near-feral and cannibal "scavenger". He is known to prowl graveyards and attack anyone entering his territory.[57]
Mister Hyde appeared in theElseworlds crossover comic bookDaredevil/Batman: Eye for an Eye.Two-Face partnered with Hyde for a series of technological robberies. In truth, Two-Face had implanted Hyde's brain with the material needed to "grow" an experimental "organic" computer chip and fed Hyde pills to keep him enraged. Once grown, the chip would kill Hyde, its current growth also weakening Hyde's strength as his energy is diverted to support the chip (Batman noting during the fight that Hyde should normally have a punch that could knockSuperman into orbit). Hyde berates Two-Face, proud he has abandoned his past as Zabo and insults Two-Face for hanging onto his Harvey Dent side, as well as using a coin to decide between right and wrong. Two-Face is glad the process will kill Hyde. In the end, Daredevil uses his past friendship with Dent to talk Two-Face into supplying the antidote for the chip, which saves Hyde's life.[58]
Mister Hyde appears as a member of the Hood's Masters of Evil.[59] Before theRed Guard attacks Santo Rico, Hyde leaves the team alongside the Cobra,Crossbones, andThunderball.[60] Hyde was later seen as an Army scientist.[61]
A zombified Mister Hyde appears inMarvel Zombies 4. He is seen attacking the new Midnight Sons, trying to bite one of them, but he is quickly killed by theMan-Thing when he rips the zombie Hyde apart and then, holding a hugeboulder, drops it down on him, crushing the zombie Hyde to death instantly.[62]
Mister Hyde is the antagonist of the first two issues of this alternate universe retelling of Thor's origin. Thor, confused and partially amnesiac, stops Hyde from hassling an innocent woman. This drives Hyde into an obsession with Thor's new friend, a museum employee namedJane Foster.[63]
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