Name

Current Alias

Aliases

Tell the slime you work for: Cardiac is here!

—Dr. Eli Wirtham as[source]

Dedication To Joshua[]

When Elias Wirtham's older brother Joshua died of an incurable disease, Elias devoted himself to medicine, intending to save lives in honor of his brother's memory. In medical school, he roomed withDr. Kevin Trench, and as his career began he befriended biotechnicianGerald Stone and industrialistTony Stark, among others. Learning of a miracle drug that could have saved Joshua's life, Elias directed his flourishing company to take over the drug manufacturer. After acquiring the business assets, Elias was horrified to learn that the drug had been developed years ago, but the company had withheld releasing it in order to earn more money.^[2]

Power From The Heart[]

Now disgusted by his brother's meaningless death, Elias subjected himself to experiments that replaced his heart with a beta particle reactor, and fused aVibranium mesh into his skin. Assuming the costumed guise of Cardiac, he set out to avenge the deaths of innocents at the hands of individuals who were untouchable by the law. When he targetedJustin Hammer's companySapirdyne Chemicals for manufacturing cocaine, he encountered Hammer's enforcersRhino andBoomerang, as well as the heroicSpider-Man. Cardiac admired Spider-Man as a hero, and made repeated fruitless attempts to recruit Spider-Man as his ally.^[3]

Cardiac next targetedStane International's Techtoy Company for manufacturing nerve drugs. While pursuing controversial filmmaker William Gant, Cardiac encounteredGerald Stone, who had become a mercenary with his partnerStyx. As Wirtham, he learned that the energy-draining Styx had become a living cancer whom Stone was attempting to cure. Wirtham pretended to offer his help to Stone, but instead tried to slay Styx to prevent him from further killing. Styx and Stone faced Cardiac when Spider-Man arrived.^[4] Cardiac's next target was faulty building manufacturerSteven Polk, but the police'sCode: Blue Team saved Polk's life. John Blaze and Vengeance later helped Cardiac expose Child, Inc., a charity that was secretly selling children; the trio successfully freed the children.^[5]

Reunion & Loss of Trench[]

Cardiac repeatedly attacked Morelle Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of various cybernetic agents and "sharkskin" battlesuits. During his investigations of Morelle, he was reunited with Kevin Trench, now the vigilanteNightwatch. Together they fought Morelle's agents, including the spyCardiaxe, who had duplicated Cardiac's own abilities.^[6] When Cardiac targeted faulty airbag designer James Kapostaz, Kapostaz suffered a heart attack. Cardiac found himself in an unusual position when he was called in to operate on Kapostaz as Wirtham, but was able to stabilize his condition. He contemplated going after Kapostaz again but was denied when Kapostaz died in recovery.^[7] When Nightwatch was killed by participants in theGreat Game, Cardiac began targeting the Game's participants for revenge, but the Games were ultimately suspended.^[8]

Later, Cardiac, the anti-terrorist vigilanteSolo, and many other New York superheroes fought a rampaging Wolverine, who had been psychically possessed by the extraterrestrialAria. Wolverine defeated them all.^[9] Cardiac and Solo subsequently confronted aSkrulls that was impersonatingWolverine to determine if the hero had gone rogue, butNightcrawler vouched for Wolverine's temporary possession, satisfying Cardiac.^[10] Cardiac was later seen pursuing Drugco, a pharmaceutical company which had tainted its drug supplies, and he again clashed with Spider-Man.^[11]

Superior Spider-Man[]

Under his civilian identity, he opened the new Hospital for Emergency Aid and Recuperative Therapy (H.E.A.R.T.) on the site ofMister Negative's former homeless shelter. As Cardiac, he had stolen items in an effort to aid patients being treated there. On a trip to "procure" a device to help a girl with severe brain damage from "The Boneyard" (a police impound for confiscated supervillain items) he fought theSuperior Spider-Man. Due to Peter's interference with Doc Ock, he was able to temporarily stun Spider-Man with a strong blast and escape with the Neurolitic Scanner (a device that Doctor Octopus had invented to develop his mind link to his tentacles), but not without being tagged by an oldspider-tracer.^[12]

Dr. Wirtham prepared the Neurolitic Scanner he stole to scan the brain of his patient Amy Chen to find the damaged area of her brain. It proved difficult due to the device's complexity and Cardiac admitted that the only one who can handle it properly is Otto Octavius. When Dr. Wirtham was preparing for surgery, the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic's alarm went off. As Dr. Elias Wirtham changed into Cardiac, he noticed the Spider-Tracer as Otto arrived. Otto demanded that Cardiac surrender the Neurolitic Scanner which Cardiac refused to do. This started a fight in the hospital. While Otto tried to fend off the attacks, Cardiac tried to delay him but failed. Otto found the Neurolitic Scanner on Amy's head and tried to retrieve it, but Peter refused to allow him to do so until Cardiac managed to stop him. Otto demanded an explanation and Cardiac revealed that when Otto tried to kill the planet with his Heat Satellites, he didn't consider those who were already sick like Amy (whose parents died in an accident caused by his scheme) and she barely survived with severe brain damage. Feeling remorse, Otto decided to help Cardiac with the surgery and offered to perform the surgery himself. Despite Otto experiencing minor afflictions with his hand, the surgery was a success. Cardiac thanked Spider-Man for the help and Otto replied that he was wrong about him and offered his help on anything which makes Cardiac allow Otto to borrowed the Neurolitic Scanner.^[13]

Dr. Wirtham oversaw the operation onAunt May's leg, telling her that her leg was fully healed upon completion of the surgery. When Otto planned to make artificial legs forFlash Thompson, with him being the first subject for this operation, Dr. Wirtham worried about some last minute add-ins to the procedure.^[14] When the Superior Spider-Man bonded with theVenom Symbiote, he fell under its control, knocking Cardiac aside.^[15]

When theGoblin Underground attacked Manhattan, Cardiac was seen fighting the Goblin King's minions. While Cardiac was away fighting the Goblin King's minions, the Goblin King had theH.E.A.R.T. Clinic blown up.^[16]

• Beta Particle Reactor: Cardiac's heart has been replaced by this device, giving him access to powers and abilities incapable of being performed by normal humans. The Beta Particle Reactor even enables him to channel the energy for a variety of purposes. With the reactor acting as his heart it's capable of operating at efficiencies far greater than a real heart.
• Vibranium Mesh Skin: Cardiac's skin and muscle tissue has been grafted with a mesh composed of Vibranium, which allows him to move without making a sound. It also channels his beta particles.
  • Superhuman Strength: By channeling Beta Particles into his Vibranium mesh, Cardiac is able to grant himself superhuman strength sufficient to lift about 15 tons under optimum conditions.
  • Superhuman Speed: Cardiac is capable of running and moving at speeds greater than even the finest human athlete, assisted by his Beta Particle Reactor pumping his blood.
  • Superhuman Stamina: As with his strength and speed, Cardiac can channel Beta Particles throughout his body, causing his muscles to produce considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the muscles of an ordinary human. He can exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before fatigue begins to affect him.
  • Superhuman Durability: Due to a combination of the Vibranium mesh grafted to his body and has control of Beta Particles, Cardiac's body is much more resistant to physical injury than that of an ordinary human. He is capable of withstanding great impact forces and even small caliber bullets without sustaining physical injury.
  • Beta Particle Blasts: Cardiac is able to project Beta Particles through either end of a specially designed staff that he carries, creating powerful blasts of energy.

• Super-Genius Intelligence: Elias Wirtham is considered to be one of the smartest people on the planet.^[18]
  • Bio-Technics Expert: From all of his gadgets and experience using biological cybernetics, Elias is one of the foremost experts on bio-technics.
  • Skilled Surgeon: Elias is a skilled surgeon, having taken medical school.

• Reactor/Heart Failure: Elias' heart requires regular recharging to sustain his life. Over taxing the reactor, or going for long periods of time without recharging it, can prove fatal.

• Pseudoskin: In order to avoid people noticing his cybernetic enhancements, Elias wears a layer of artificial "pseudoskin" over his re-engineered parts to disguise them.

• Beta Staff: Cardiac wields an extendable metal staff. It can project electric bolts and be used for acrobatic maneuvers. The staff also connects to a cybernetically controlled, ultra-light, hang-glider that supports his weight during flight for short distances.
• Stingray Hang-Glider ("Hawk-Glider"): Controlled by Beta particles, the Stingray Hang-Glider links to Cardiac's beta staff to engage in flight.

• After theCivil War, Cardiac was listed as a potential recruit for theInitiative.^[19]

• He was once wealthy enough to own a Ferrari car. He also tried to date and impressKillian Fox.^[20]

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• Marvel