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| Maria Pym | |
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 MODAM andQuasar as depicted on the cover ofQuasar #9 (April 1990). Art byMike Manley. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
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| Alter ego | Maria Trovaya Pym |
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Maria Trovaya Pym is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, depicted as the first wife ofHank Pym and the mother ofNadia van Dyne. She was later captured and murdered by Communist agents.
ScientistMarcella Antonov is a scientist who was captured and mutated into a being nearly identical in appearance toMODOK calledS.O.D.A.M. (and laterM.O.D.A.M.). Initially mistaken for Maria Pym, Antonov was not identified by name until years after her introduction.
Maria Trovaya Pym debuted inTales to Astonish #44 (plotted byStan Lee, scripted byH. E. Huntley, and drawn byJack Kirby, June 1963) as the deceased wife ofHank Pym whom his future partner and second wifeJanet van Dyne resembles.[1] A younger Maria Trovaya appears inflashbacks throughoutThe Unstoppable Wasp, starring the character's daughterNadia and created byMark Waid andAlan Davis, in a recurring capacity.
Marcella Antonov first appeared inThe West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #36 (1988) as an agent ofA.I.M., created bySteve Englehart andAl Milgrom, inSolo Avengers #16 as SODAM, created byTom DeFalco with Milgrom, andQuasar #9 as MODAM, created byMark Gruenwald and Mike Manle. She was not identified by name until the seriesMarvel's Voices (2023), decades after her initial appearance.
Maria Trovaya is the daughter of Janos Trovaya, a Hungarian geneticist and entomologist. Both were political prisoners before escaping to the United States, where her father started working for the United States government. Upon meetingHank Pym, Maria fell in love with him and the pair married, returning to Maria's native Hungary for their honeymoon, describing Hank's laziness as signs of him being "not an industrious ant" and instilling him the interest in ants that ultimately leads him to becomeAnt-Man.[2]
While in Hungary, Maria is kidnapped by communist agents. After reporting Maria's kidnapping to the American embassy in Hungary, Hank is informed that she has been found dead. That same day, Hank learns Maria's father has died in a laboratory explosion. Swearing revenge against anyone involved in Maria's murder, Hank goes on a rampage throughout Hungary and is imprisoned for assault, having been unable to find Maria's murderers.[2]
Unbeknownst to Hank, Maria had been pregnant with his child prior to her death. She gave birth to a daughter,Nadia. Nadia was raised to become a potentialBlack Widow and later became the secondWasp.[2][3]
Marcella Antonov is a scientist who was gravely injured in a car crash caused byA.I.M., who had plans for her and her research. A.I.M. mutated Antonov into a large-headed creature similar toMODOK.[4] Pym, believing Antonov to be Maria, takes her in, seeking to cure her condition. However, she steals files from him and returns to A.I.M.[5] There, she is further mutated into a being nearly identical in appearance to MODOK calledSODAM (Specialized Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers), later calledMODAM (Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers).[6][7] MODAM later appears as a member ofSuperia'sFemizons.[8]
As MODAM, Marcella Antonov was empowered through artificial acceleration of her brain tissue growth by means of mutagenic chemicals, radiation, and cybernetic implants. As a result, she possesses a superhuman intellect, and the ability to project psionic force for a number of effects, including concussive energy, generation of heat, and protective fields. She also possesses limited telepathy and imposition of her will upon others. MODAM's headband contains equipment which aids her in the focusing of her psionic powers.
MODAM is encased in an exo-skeletal shell of life-supporting machinery which augments her musculature, provides mobility, and performs various bodily functions. Sensors equipped throughout the exoskeleton monitor both her body's functions and the system's mechanical functions and transmit this data telemetrically to A.I.M. headquarters. MODAM is equipped with two telescoping tentacle-like arms which can extend up to 15 feet (4.6 m). MODAM's "hover-chair" contains anti-gravity generators enabling it to hover and chemically fueled rocket boosters to propel it. MODAM's musculature isatrophied (at least proportionally) while her head has been enlarged; thus, she is physically dependent on the exoskeleton for physical support and movement.
