| Masters of Evil | |
|---|---|
 Baron Heinrich Zemo's incarnation of the Masters of Evil on the cover ofThe Avengers #6 (Aug. 1964) Art byJack Kirby andChic Stone. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Avengers #6 (July 1964)[1] |
| Created by | Stan Lee Jack Kirby Chic Stone |
| Roster | |
| See:List of Masters of Evil members | |
TheMasters of Evil is asupervillain team appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.[2] The first version of the team appeared inThe Avengers #6 (July 1964), with the lineup continually changing over the years.
The first version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThe Avengers #6, created byStan Lee andJack Kirby.[3][4]
The second version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThe Avengers #54, created byRoy Thomas,John Buscema, andGeorge Tuska.
The third version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThe Avengers #222, created byJim Shooter,Steven Grant, andGreg LaRocque.
The fourth version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThe Avengers #270, created byRoger Stern,John Buscema, andTom Palmer.
The fifth version of the Masters of Evil debuted inGuardians of the Galaxy #28, created byJim Valentino,Herb Trimpe, and Steve Montano.
The sixth version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThe Incredible Hulk #449, created byKurt Busiek andMark Bagley.
The seventh version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThunderbolts #3 created byKurt Busiek,Mark Bagley, and Vince Russell.
The eighth version of the Masters of Evil debuted inSecret Avengers #21.1, created byRick Remender,Patrick Zircher, and Andy Troy.
The ninth version of the Masters of Evil debuted inThunderbolts #10, created byJim Zub, Jon Malin,Kurt Busiek, andMark Bagley.
The original Masters of Evil (consisting of existing supervillains theBlack Knight (Nathan Garrett),Melter, andRadioactive Man) was gathered byBaron Heinrich Zemo.[5] Despite attempting to capture theAvengers with Adhesive X and spreading it overNew York City, the Avengers find an antidote with the help ofPaste-Pot Pete, give it to the Masters in secret, and then send most of the members to jail. Zemo is tricked into opening a container filled with tear gas inside his helicopter, but escapes anyway.[6]
Baron Zemo leads the team in his revenge onCaptain America and theAvengers. The team had been joined by theEnchantress and theExecutioner, whom Zemo found in their exile to Earth that was imposed on them byOdin for attacking Thor.[7] The Enchantress hypnotizes Thor into attacking the Avengers, but Iron Man breaks him out of the trance. Meanwhile, Captain America has been lured to South America to fight Zemo. After defeating Zemo, Captain America returns on Zemo's helicopter and stops Zemo from shooting the Avengers. However, Enchantress casts a spell that gets the helicopter to the rooftop she and the Executioner are on. The Executioner knocks Captain America out by striking his shoulder, and takes him out of the helicopter, after which they all try to escape. The Masters are sent to another dimension in a space warp generated by Thor.[8]
Two issues later, Enchantress returns them to Earth using a spell.Simon Williams is given superhuman strength with an ionic ray, though he is told he will die in a week unless given an antidote Zemo has. He captures theWasp and lures the Avengers into a trap, but sacrifices himself to save the Avengers.[9]Immortus appears and offers to help the Masters by defeating the Avengers. He succeeds in sending Captain America to theTower of London in 1760. The Masters attack the Avengers, but Captain America manages to return. The Enchantress, sensing defeat, sends the villains back in time to before they met Immortus.[10]
In a later issue, Zemo kidnapsRick Jones with an attractor beam and has the Enchantress and the Executioner release the Black Knight and the Melter (the Radioactive Man having been deported back to China). They attack the other Avengers, forcing Captain America to go alone to Zemo's kingdom to rescue Rick. The Executioner tells the Avengers that a battle in the city would hurt many people, meaning they should surrender. Captain America blinds Zemo with his shield and Zemo dies when he accidentally triggers a rock slide.[11] The Black Knight and the Melter are then captured after Thor transports them to another dimension with different scientific laws, meaning their weapons rebound. The Enchantress and the Executioner escape by running away before the transportation happened.[12]
The second version, organized byUltron-5 in hisCrimson Cowl disguise, consisted ofBlack Knight (Dane Whitman),Klaw,Melter, andWhirlwind.Radioactive Man was also added to the group after being sprung from the group. TheDane Whitman version of Black Knight received the invitation in Nathan Garrett mailbox as Ultron-5 was unaware that Nathan is dead. Whitman joined as a spy. Ultron-5 also capturedEdwin Jarvis and used him as a proxy Crimson Cowl as they make their way towards Avengers Mansion. Learning of Ultron-5's plot, Black Knight headed out to try to warn the Avengers only for Ultron-5 to figure out what Black Knight was up to. The Masters of Evil attacked Black Knight as he sent Aragorn in an attempt to continue warning the Avengers of the Masters of Evil asHawkeye saw it. When opening a channel, the Masters of Evil made a false claim that the fake Crimson Cowl is a robot and that Jarvis was the real Crimson Cowl. The Avengers were taken captive by the Masters of Evil. Hank Pym's Goliath form broke free only to be hit by knockout gas. With the Avengers as their prisoners and placed in a hydrogen bomb, the Masters of Evil blackmailed New York City into begging for the Avengers to be spared. Jarvis escaped and helped Black Knight rescue the Avengers while exposing Ultron-5 has the real Crimson Cowl. The Masters of Evil are defeated by the Avengers, but Ultron-5 escapes.[13]
During Holloween in Rutland, Vermont, Klaw later took over the Masters of Evil in a plot to kidnap the scientist T.W. Erwin at the Halloween parade. The Avengers were also present at the Halloween parade. The Liberators led by Enchantress posing as Valkyrie arrived and both groups were able to defeat the Masters of Evil.[14]
Criminal scientistEgghead organized a third version, consisting ofMoonstone (who was made Egghead's deputy leader),Scorpion,Tiger Shark, andWhirlwind. Egghead uses this incarnation to assist him in making technological breakthroughs. When Whirlwind when out to attack Wasp at the time when she was dealing with a divorce from Hank Pym, Moonstone led Scorpion and Tiger Shark to rescue Whirlwind. The villains were defeated by the Avengers.[15]
After that incident, Egghead kept only Moonstone and Tiger Shark on his team after springing them from prison while the Scorpion and Whirlwind were replaced withBeetle,Shocker, andRadioactive Man. Shocker was brainwashed as part of a plot by Egghead to bring Hank Pym into the Masters of Evil. At the time when Hank was on trial, the Masters of Evil invaded the courtroom. They were fought off leaving Shocker behind as he claimed that Hank hired him. Pym was shown the footage that made people believe that Hank is leading the Masters of Evil. As a result, Hank had no other choice but to assist Egghead on his life-prolongment project. Shocker was able to tell the Avengers where the Masters of Evil were hiding out. After that was done, Hank proceeded to defeat Beetle, Moonstone, Radioactive Man, and Tiger Shark as Hawkeye arrived. When Egghead grabbed a laser gun and prepared to fire it at Hank, Hawkeye fired the arrow at the gun's shaft where its overloaded effect appeared to kill Egghead. Moonstone regained consciousness and tried to flee only for the Avengers to show up. Beetle and Moonstone cooperated with the Avengers by revealing that Egghead framed Hank. As a result, Hank was cleared of all charges.[16]
Baron Helmut Zemo formed the fourth version of the Masters of Evil from over a dozen villains, consisting ofAbsorbing Man,Blackout,Black Mamba,Fixer,Goliath,Grey Gargoyle,Mister Hyde,Moonstone,Screaming Mimi,Tiger Shark,Titania,Whirlwind, theWrecking Crew (Bulldozer,Piledriver,Thunderball andWrecker), andYellowjacket, created with the goal of obtaining vengeance on Captain America and overwhelming theAvengers with sheer raw power, whereas others had attempted to match the current line-up. The villains stormAvengers Mansion in a multi-issue storyline titled "Avengers Under Siege". During this time,Hercules was beaten into a coma by Goliath, Hyde, and the Wrecking Crew.[17]
During that time, Absorbing Man and Titania were sent by Baron Zemo to pick upMongoose fromLaGuardia Airport and recruit him into the Masters of Evil. This plan was thwarted bySpider-Man who prevented Absorbing Man and Titania from meeting up with Mongoose. They repelled by Spider-Man by threatening an airplane full of passengers.[18]
A flashback later revealed thatAugustus Roman's family had died during the fight between the Avengers and this incarnation of the Masters of Evil.[19]
The fifth incarnation was organized byDoctor Octopus, but bore little resemblance to previous incarnations. Its roster includedGargantua,Jackhammer,Oddball,Powderkeg, andPuff Adder, in addition to former membersAbsorbing Man,Shocker,Titania, andYellowjacket. Doctor Octopus used this incarnation of the Masters of Evil to steal the technology of the Avengers and ended up initially fighting the originalGuardians of the Galaxy, a superhero group from an alternate future timeline. Then they fought with the Guardians against an army of doppelgangers. After the doppelgangers were defeated and rendered inert byGalactus, Doctor Still wanted to raid the Avengers Headquarters. When Gargantua, Puff Adder, and Shocker became sympathetic towards the Guardians of the Galaxy, they turned on Doctor Octopus who fled.[20]
The sixth incarnation was again assembled by Helmut Zemo, and posed as superheroes known as theThunderbolts upon assuming that the Avengers perished fightingOnslaught.[21] In addition to Zemo, the team consisted ofBeetle,Fixer,Goliath,Moonstone, andScreaming Mimi. All eventually became heroes and renounced their criminal ways, though Zemo, the Fixer, and Moonstone all returned to villainy some time later.
The seventh incarnation was recruited by theCrimson Cowl. This version consisted first of the thirdCyclone,Flying Tiger,Klaw,Man-Killer, andTiger Shark. Crimson Cowl expanded her Masters of Evil to include later recruits likeAqueduct,Bison,Blackwing,Boomerang,Cardinal,Constrictor,Dragonfly,Eel,Icemaster,Joystick, Lodestone,Man-Ape,Quicksand,Scorcher,Shatterfist,Shockwave,Slyde,Sunstroke, andSupercharger. They plotted to get control of Earth's superhuman mercenaries and tried to get the Thunderbolts to join them.[22] The Masters of Evil were defeated by the Thunderbolts, but the Crimson Cowl that was apprehended wasDallas Riordan who was used as a decoy while the real Crimson Cowl got away.[23]
The eighth incarnation, led by theCrimson Cowl, consisted ofBlack Mamba, Cardinal,Cyclone,Gypsy Moth,Hydro-Man,Machinesmith, andMan-Killer. Crimson Cowl used this incarnation in her second attempt to master and control Earth's superhuman mercenaries. While Cyclone tried to steal a disc formerly owned byJustin Hammer that contained information on a weapon would've assisted in this plot, Crimson Cowl got Cardinal on her side by claiming that Hawkeye killed his daughter Meteorite. When the Thunderbolts caught up to the Masters of Evil, Hawkeye showed the disc in question that contained the biotoxin that Justin Hammer would have used to kill them all. This caused Cardinal, Cyclone, Gypsy Moth, and Man-Killer to forcefully aid the Thunderbolts. With help fromSilver Sable upon them finding out that Crimson Cowl was Justin Hammer's daughter Justine Hammer, the Thunderbolts raided Justine Hammer's home inSymkaria. Black Mamba, Hydro-Man, and Machinesmith are defeated while Gypsy Moth uses her powers to tear apart Crimson Cowl's costume.[24]
Max Fury of theShadow Council forms a ninth incarnation of the Masters of Evil, consisting ofPrincess Python,Vengeance, andWhiplash. They were discovered by theSecret Avengers during a mission run by Captain America and Hawkeye.[25] Max Fury later recruitsBlack Talon, theBrothers Grimm,Carrion,Constrictor,Crossfire,Diablo,Firebrand,Griffin,Killer Shrike,Lady Stilt-Man,Pink Pearl, andSquid to join the Shadow Council's Masters of Evil. Fury and the Masters of Evil captureJohn Steele after he attempts to escapeBagalia with the Serpent Crown and the Crown of Thorns.[26] In order for the Masters of Evil to obtain the Crown of Wolves for the Shadow Council, Fury hired theTaskmaster to retrieve it. The Taskmaster demanded more money for the job and he hid in the Hole (a bar located in an underground city in Bagalia). Upon claiming the Crown of Wolves, Fury was unable to harness its power because he is aLife Model Decoy. When the Taskmaster donned the Crown of Wolves, he was unable to control the powers of the Abyss.[27] Under the control of the Abyss, the Masters of Evil and the other people in Bagalia make their move. The Secret Avengers fight to keep the people under control of the Abyss from leaving Bagalia and invading other countries to spread the possession to other people.[28] While possessed by the Abyss, Taskmaster used its power to take control of the villains and have them board an airplane out of Bagalia to spread the campaign of the Abyss. While the others fight the possessed villains and other people, Venom uses his symbiote to break the Crowns and capture the Taskmaster.[29]
When the second incarnation of the Secret Avengers raid Bagalia to free the Taskmaster, they have to fight through the Masters of Evil. During this time, it is shown thatBi-Beast,Madcap,Ringer, and a number of other supervillains have joined the Masters of Evil.[30]
The Masters of Evil are featured in "Avengers Undercover" as part of the second wave of comics that are part of the "Marvel NOW!" branding.[31] Following the death of Max Fury, Baron Helmut Zemo had been sworn in as the new leader of the Masters of Evil. He is shown to haveMadame Masque as his right-hand woman, hasConstrictor as his bodyguard, andDaimon Hellstrom is in their company as their magic expert.[32]Anachronism,Cammi,Chase Stein,Death Locket,Hazmat, andNico Minoru teleport to Bagalia in disguise and locateCullen Bloodstone at the Hole, a Bagalian bar owned by Arcade. After a fight with the villains there, Cullen reveals that he has become a member of the Masters of Evil, having been accepted by them. Constrictor and Madam Masque arrange for Cullen to teleport the group to a nearby swanky party at Massacrer Casino hosted by Arcade so that they can get revenge on him once and for all.[33] Zemo, Masque, Constrictor, and Hellstrom watch as the young heroes try to avoid being killed, as Arcade has arranged the party at Massacrer Casino as the testing grounds for his newest version of "Murderworld": fancy parties at casinos where the rich and powerful can try and kill each other to prove their supremacy. After Arcade was killed, Zemo, Masque, Constrictor, and Hellstrom begin plotting their next move regarding the heroes.[34] After the young heroes are apprehended during aS.H.I.E.L.D. raid on Bagalia, Hellstrom later teleports the S.H.I.E.L.D. lair back to Bagalia, where Zemo offers the group a chance to join the Masters of Evil.[35] Zemo instructs Constrictor, Hellstrom, and Masque to take a portion of the Murderworld survivors and take them into Bagalia City. While the other young heroes take up Zemo's offer to join the Masters of Evil (with a plan to take the group down from within), Cammi is the only one to decline. Zemo hears that she is the only one not joining and says that they will respect her choice. Cammi flies away, only to be caught by Constrictor and slammed into a rock wall.[36]
While the Shadow Council had their version,Lightmaster assembles a more traditional lineup (10th incarnation) when he and his henchmen, theWrecking Crew, encounter of theSuperior Spider-Man and hisSuperior Six while attackingAlchemax and attempting to steal its technology during a plot to blackmail New York City for money.[37] Besides the Wrecking Crew, this roster includes theAbsorbing Man,Titania,Mister Hyde,Whirlwind, andBlackout.[38]
Baron Helmut Zemo created an 11th incarnation consisting of Whiplash, Man-Killer, Klaw, Tiger Shark, and the Wrecking Crew, all of whom had been members of previous incarnations of the Masters of Evil. Baron Zemo sent them out to persuade Atlas of the Thunderbolts, the former Goliath of Zemo's earlier incarnation of the Masters of Evil, to rejoin the team. Atlas resisted and only an unexpected reappearance of the Thunderbolt Jolt interrupted the Masters' plan. The Masters then went after theWinter Soldier, who was then leading the Thunderbolts, and captured him. Zemo and the Masters then assaulted the Thunderbolts in their base, capturing several of them.[39]
During theSecret Empire storyline, Baron Zemo hasKobik sendBucky Barnes back through time toWorld War II and another battle with the Thunderbolts, in which the Man-Killer was apparently killed by Kobik. After Atlas, the Fixer, and Moonstone join the Masters of Evil, they worked to reassemble Kobik. AsErik Selvig hordes the fragments that he has, kisses them, and commits suicide, the Kobik-reprogrammed Captain America persuaded Baron Zemo to have the Masters of Evil joinHydra's "Army of Evil."[40] The Masters of Evil assist the Army of Evil in causing havoc in protest for what happened at Pleasant Hill.[41]
To combat theWest Coast Avengers,Madame Masque formed a West Coast version of the Masters of Evil consisting of Eel,Graviton,Lady Bullseye,MODOK Superior,Satana, andKate Bishop's parentsDerek andEleanor Bishop.[42]
When the Prehistoric Avengers fought a youngerThanos and sent him back to the future, Mephisto found out that an alternate version of Doctor Doom calledDoom Supreme had witnessed this fight. Mephisto suggested to Doom Supreme to form a team of evil villains that would take on the Avengers. As a condition from the Council of Red, Doom Supreme is to save Earth-616 for last. He formed a Multiverse version of the Masters of Evil that consisted ofBlack Skull,Dark Phoenix,Ghost Goblin, Kid Thanos, andKing Killmonger.[43][44]
During the "One World Under Doom" storyline at the time when Doctor Doom had become Sorcerer Supreme and started reworking Earth, Carol Danvers tells the Avengers that they are willing to work withArcade,Baron Mordo, Doctor Octopus, MODOK Superior,Madelyne Pryor, andMysterio when fighting Doom. With Iron Man willing to go along with this plan, it was MODOK Superior "welcomes" Iron Man to the Masters of Evil.[45] While most of the Avengers and the Masters of Evil fought Doom, Scarlet Witch, Baron Mordo, and Pryor scanned the minds of the world leaders and found that they followed them through human nature and that Doom did not cheat. Doom then teleports the Avengers and the Masters of Evil to theRaft to prevent a mass-breakout.[46]
Wanting to take advantage of this,Mad Thinker forms a new incarnation of the Masters of Evil withDreadknight,Exterminatrix, Madcap, and Mister Hyde. In addition, Mad Thinker rebuildsQuasimodo, dubbing him Quasimodo Mark X. Quasimodo hacks into theImpossible City, enabling the Masters of Evil to enter it. Using theSuper-Adaptoid armor, Mad Thinker battlesCaptain America andBlack Panther. The Impossible City takes control of Dreadknight's body and performs a hard reset on itself, disposing of Quasimodo. The rest of the Avengers appear and help defeat Mad Thinker.[47]
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, a young version of the team - controlled by criminal mastermindNorman Osborn - debuts in theminiseriesDark Reign: Young Avengers.[48]
A group calling themselves the Bastards of Evil debuted in the 2010 "Heroic Age" storyline. All members claim to be the children of supervillains who were discarded and disavowed by their parents. They includeAftershock (the supposed daughter ofElectro), Warhead (the supposed son of theRadioactive Man), Mortar (the supposed daughter of theGrey Gargoyle), Singularity (the supposed son ofGraviton), and Ember (the supposed son ofPyro).[49]
It was later revealed that the Bastards are led by a child genius known as Superior (who claims to be the son of theLeader). It was also revealed that the Bastards were actually normal teenagers who were mutated by exposure to radiation by Superior as well as given false memory implants. The surviving Bastards are held in the Raft after their capture.[50]
Darby Harn ofScreen Rant included the Masters of Evil in their "10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics" list,[51] and in their "15 Most Powerful Black Panther Villains" list.[52] Mark Ginocchio ofComicBook.com ranked the Master of Evil 1st in their " Marvel's 5 Greatest Supervillain Stables" list."[53] Jerry Stanford ofComic Book Resources ranked 3rd in their "10 Most Important Marvel Villain Teams" list,[54] while David Harth ranked the team 6th in their "5 Best Marvel Villain Teams (& The 5 Best DC Villain Teams)" list.[55]
An alternate universe iteration of the Masters of Evil appear inHeroes Reborn: Masters of Evil, initially consisting ofBlack Knight,Klaw,Melter,Radioactive Man, andWhirlwind before Klaw leaves the group and theCrimson Dynamo andTitanium Man take his place.[56] AfterDoctor Doom'sDoombots kill Black Knight, Crimson Dynamo, and Titanium Man, Whirlwind leaves the group to start a new life.[57]
A group based on the Masters of Evil called theMasters of Doom appear in "Heroes Reborn" (2021), consisting ofDoctor Juggernaut,Silver Witch,All-Gog, and theBlack Skull. This version of the group are enemies of theSquadron Supreme of America and were previously imprisoned in theNegative Zone.[58][59]
An alternate reality iteration of the Masters of Evil appear inHouse of M: Masters of Evil, formed and led bythe Hood and consisting ofAbsorbing Man,Batroc the Leaper,Blizzard,Chemistro,Cobra,Constrictor,Crossbones,Madame Masque,Mister Hyde,Nitro,Sandman,Titania,Wizard, and theWrecking Crew. This version of the group was formed to defyMagneto.[60] While taking over the Central American country of Santo Rico, its dictatorsMadison andLionel Jeffries kill two of the Wrecking Crew,Bulldozer andPiledriver.[61] Though the group succeed in killing the Jeffries in turn, Magneto andSebastian Shaw expose the Masters of Evil's criminal pasts, leading to Cobra, Crossbones, Hyde, Chemistro, Wizard, and Wrecking Crew memberThunderball abandoning the remaining members, most of whom are killed by the Red Guard, though Absorbing Man throws Titania to safety.[62][63]
The Masters of Evil appear inMarvel Adventures #4, consisting ofHelmut Zemo,Abomination,Leader, andUltron.[64] Additionally, a group called theNew Masters of Evil appear inMarvel Adventures: The Avengers #16, consisting ofEgghead,Man-Bull, Melter, and Whirlwind.[65]
A future incarnation of the Masters of Evil from Earth-2099 appear in theMarvel 2099 storySpider-Man 2099: Exodus #3, consisting ofPatriot,Black Knight,Baron Zemo,Enchantress,Melter, andRadioactive Man. This version of the group killed several members of theAvengers and conquered multiple worlds. After Zemo kills the Black Knight for disobeying orders, the Masters of Evil are defeated by theNew Avengers and remanded to a prison on the planet Wakanda.[66]
A group based on the Masters of Evil called theLiberators appear inUltimates 2, formed byLoki under the alias ofNorwegian scientist "Gunnar Golman" and consisting ofAbomination,Crimson Dynamo,Schizoid Man,Colonel Abdul al-Rahman,Hurricane,Insect Queen, andPerun. They received support from international governments, such asChina,France,Iran,North Korea,Syria, and laterRussia, and other superpowered individuals such asNatasha Romanoff / Black Widow,Hank Pym, and hisUltron /Vision II sentries to invade the United States.[67] However, they are defeated by the U.S.'s heroes, with Perun surrendering toS.H.I.E.L.D. and being held in the Triskelion and Loki being held byOdin for inciting a world war.[68]
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