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Black Bolt's first appearance established the character as being a member of the Inhuman ruling class.[4][5] The title Thor featured a back-up feature called "Tales of the Inhumans", which recounts the character's origin story. The son of King Agon and Queen Rynda, Black Bolt is exposed to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo, and eventually demonstrates the ability to manipulate electrons. To protect the Inhuman community from his devastating voice, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proof chamber and is tutored in the use of his powers. Reentering Inhuman society as a young man—having vowed never to speak—the character is attacked by his younger brother Maximus, who attempts, unsuccessfully, to goad him into speaking.[6]

Black Bolt proved popular, and decides to leave Attilan to explore the outside world.[7] The character reappears in a story focusing on his cousin Medusa,[8] drives off the Hulk after the monster defeats the entire Inhuman Royal Family (Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, and Crystal),[9] and with the Fantastic Four, battles his brother Maximus and his own group of rogue Inhumans.[10]

1970sEdit

After being forced to intercede in the budding romance between his cousin Crystal and the Fantastic Four's Johnny Storm,[11] Black Bolt and the Inhumans feature in the title Amazing Adventures, and battle villains such as the Mandarin and Magneto.[12] A story in The Avengers, told in flashback, reveals how Black Bolt came to be ruler of the Inhumans and Maximus was driven mad. Black Bolt discovered his brother had secretly allied himself with the alien Kree—the race whose genetic experiments first created the Inhumans. In trying to stop an escaping Kree vessel, he overextended his sonic powers and caused the vessel to crash. The crash resulted in the deaths of several members of the Council of Genetics, including the brothers' parents, and Maximus was driven insane by his proximity to Black Bolt's use of his voice.[13] Black Bolt assumes the title of King but is haunted by the consequences of his actions.

Black Bolt settles a quarrel between Johnny Storm and the mutant Quicksilver for the affections of Crystal, and frees the slave caste of Inhuman society, the Alpha Primitives.[14] Black Bolt and the Royal Family aid the hero Spider-Man against the time-traveling villain Kang the Conqueror,[15] and is forced to again battle the Hulk,[16] teams with the Fantastic Four and the Avengers against the threat of the robot Ultron,[17] and again allies with the Fantastic Four against the fifth-dimensional villain Xemu.[18]

Black Bolt and the Inhumans feature in a self-titled bi-monthly series[19] battling threats such as the villain Blastaar and the Kree, who regard the Inhumans as abominations. The character encounters the immortal villain the Sphinx—who has defeated the Fantastic Four and the Royal Family blasting him into deep space,[20] aids Kree hero Captain Marvel in preventing a war between the Kree and Skrulls on Earth,[21] joins with Fantastic Four member the Thing to defeat the mutated villain Graviton,[22] and appears briefly during an announcement that Crystal is pregnant with Quicksilver's child.[23]

1980sEdit

Black Bolt revisits his origins when he, members of the Royal Family, and Fantastic Four members Mister Fantastic and the Thing battle the villain Maelstrom. Maelstrom is revealed to be the son of a rival of Black Bolt's father, and—after his minions are defeated—attempts to destroy Attilan with a guided missile. Black Bolt, however, manages to defuse the missile and Maelstrom is defeated.[24]

Black Bolt's search for a new site for the city of Attilan (eventually the Himalayas) is detailed in a back-up feature of the alternate universe title What If.[25] Another back-up feature in What If? details how Black Bolt worked with the Eternals to move the city of Attilan to the Himalayas.[26] Black Bolt also directed the eventual move of Attilan to the moon when the pollution on Earth became too much for the Inhumans.[27]

He is rated with other powerful Marvel characters by Spider-Man in an "out of universe" conversation with the reader.[28] He appears in a graphic novel detailing the eventual death of former ally Mar-Vell due to cancer,[29] He also appears in a one-shot publication featuring humorous parodies of the Marvel Universe - Fantastic Four Roast,[30] and aids superheroine Dazzler against the villain Absorbing Man.[31]

An alien device abandoned on the moon causes Black Bolt, the Royal Family, and the Fantastic Four to experience nightmares until destroyed by Triton.[32] Black Bolt is imprisoned by Maximus (who has also swapped their bodies), but he is freed by the Royal Family and the Avengers.[33] He appears in a one-shot title detailing several of Marvel's continuity mistakes.[34] He marries his cousin Medusa after an interrupting battle between a Kree and Skrull soldier.[35] He appears in another What If? issue[36] and a back-up tale in Marvel Fanfare.[37]

With the Royal Family, Black Bolt encounters Dazzler once again,[38] appears in flashbacks in two issues of The Avengers,[39] attempts to subdue an erratic Quicksilver (distraught over his wife's affair),[40] and aids the mutant team X-Factor in defeating Maximus.[41] The Inhumans then assist the Fantastic Four against the villain Diablo,[42] skirmish with a later version of the team during The Evolutionary War.[43] They also appear in the first issue of What If?'s second volume.[44]

Black Bolt clashes with Attilan's Genetic Council when they forbid the birth of the child he conceived with Medusa. She ends up fleeing to Earth to bear her son (Ahura).[45] Black Bolt destroys the alien symbiote that Spider-Man bonds with in another issue of What If?,[46] and with the Royal Family encounters the hero Daredevil.[47]

1990sEdit

After another appearance in a back-up feature in the title What If?[48] a story told in flashback reveals how Maximus, using a creation called the Trikon, forced Black Bolt from Attilan. Black Bolt, however, eventually defeats the Trikon and regains the throne.[49] After aiding the teen super group the New Warriors[50] the Royal Family joins forces with X-Factor to stop master villain Apocalypse.[51]

Black Bolt makes a series of brief guest appearances in several titles[52] and his child is threatened by rogue Inhumans. He and the Royal family break away from Attilan after rescuing his son from the corrupted Genetics Council.[53] After two more appearances in back-up features in the titles X-Factor[54] and Starblast,[55] Black Bolt appears in several panels in two titles[56] before starring in the one-shot publication Inhumans: The Great Refuge (May 1995), which details the Inhumans' ongoing battle with the Kree.

With the Royal Family, the Fantastic Four, and Doom's heir Kristoff Vernard, Black Bolt thwarts Morgan le Fay and Maximus again, battling Thor and Sub-Mariner in the process.[57][58] He appears with the Fantastic Four during the Onslaught crisis.[59] After appearing in the one-shot title Bug[60] Black Bolt and the Inhumans feature in the Heroes Reborn universe, where they worship the entity Galactus and his Heralds, as gods.[61]

The character encounters the noble savage Ka-Zar[62] and witnesses Quicksilver reunite with Crystal[63] before he and the Royal Family appear in a back-up feature in the Fantastic Four title.[64] Black Bolt and the Inhumans then feature in a self-titled limited series which deals with the "coming of age" of a new group of Inhumans and stopping Maximus, who with both human and Inhuman allies attempts to subvert his brother's rule.[65] After an appearance in the final issue of a Quicksilver limited series[66] Black Bolt and the Inhumans team with Canadian superteam Alpha Flight.[67]

2000sEdit

The character is featured—again with the Royal Family—in a third self-titled limited series that has major developments for the Inhumans. Ronan the Accuser leads the Kree in a surprise attack, capturing Attilan and forcing the Royal Family into service against Kree enemies the Shi'ar. Karnak, Gorgon, and Triton covertly join the Shi'ar Imperial Guard while Black Bolt and Medusa must attempt the assassination of the Shi'ar ruler Lilandra at a ceremony ratifying an alliance between the Shi'ar and the Spartoi. Although the attempt fails and Black Bolt manages to defeat Ronan in personal combat, the Inhuman people choose to leave with the Kree and pursue a new future. This leaves Black Bolt and the Royal Family alone to fend for themselves.[68]

Interdimensional adventurers the Exiles also encounter an alternate universe version of Black Bolt.[69] Black Bolt decides to attempt reintegration with Earth, and several younger Inhumans—recently exposed to the Terrigen Mists—explore Earth with mixed results, including at one stage the intervention of the Fantastic Four. The Inhumans resettle in the Blue Area of the Moon and begin to rebuild.[70] The character also appears briefly in the mutant title X-Statix[71] and a one-shot title, Inhumans 2099, speculates on the future of the Inhumans and their role on Earth.[72]

In the title New Avengers,[73] Black Bolt is revealed to be a member of a superhero council called the Illuminati. Via a retcon of Marvel continuity, the group form during the Kree-Skrull War[74] to deal with threats to Earth. During the "Son of M" storyline, the mutant Quicksilver steals a canister of Terrigen crystals from Attilan, with Black Bolt and the rest of the Royal Family attempting to retrieve it.[75]

Black Bolt also rejects the Superhuman Registration Act and refuses to become involved in the ensuing "Civil War." Courtesy of the hero Sentry, Black Bolt monitors the situation.[76] In the limited series Silent War, the US military attacks the Inhumans to prevent them from retrieving the crystals. Believing the stolen crystals should be returned to Attilan, Black Bolt issues a warning to the United States concerning further acts of aggression, and eventually launches an offensive against the nation. Gorgon and other Inhumans are captured during the attack, which prompts Black Bolt to personally head a team to rescue his subjects and retrieve the crystals. While the mission is successful, Maximus takes advantage of the situation and overthrows and temporarily incarcerates Black Bolt.[77]

The Illuminati also collect the Infinity Gems, and—to prevent the abuse of power by the Titan Thanos and others—split the gems between themselves, vowing that they never be used in unison again. Black Bolt is given the "Reality" gem.[78]

The character apparently suffers a setback when brutally beaten by the Hulk, on a rampage during the "World War Hulk" storyline and seeking revenge on Black Bolt for his role in the Hulk's exile from Earth.[79] During the events of the Secret Invasion limited series it is revealed that this was not in fact Black Bolt, but rather a Skrull, who is killed in battle by members of the Illuminati.[80][81] The true Black Bolt is captured by the Skrulls, who intended to use his voice as a weapon of mass destruction.[82] The character is rescued when the heroes of Earth defeat the Skrull army and discover the location of their captured teammates.[83]

Black Bolt, angered by the repercussions caused by the Skrull invasion, changes tactics and embarks on an aggressive campaign against all former persecutors of the Inhumans in the War of Kings limited series. At his command, the Inhumans attack the Kree and overthrow Ronan the Accuser, with Black Bolt declaring himself supreme ruler of the Kree Empire. This is followed by a preemptive strike from the Shi'ar empire, now controlled by the usurper Vulcan. Black Bolt intended to release the Terrigen Mist across the galaxy and end the war when, courtesy of the subsequent mutations, all are rendered equal, but the plan was interrupted by Vulcan, the two clashing as the bomb charged up. Although Vulcan was nearly killed by Black Bolt's voice, Black Bolt prepared to abandon his plan when Crystal pointed out that the powers produced by the explosion would only inspire more harm rather than good. However, an enraged Vulcan retained enough strength to stop Black Bolt from teleporting away with Crystal and Lockjaw, which resulted in Black Bolt and Vulcan apparently dying in the subsequent explosion of the Terrigen bomb, as Crystal only negated the Terrigen Mists within the bomb without shutting down its ability to explode.[84]

2010sEdit

He in fact survived the explosion. It was revealed that Black Bolt likely represents the anomaly of the Kree Inhuman genetics program that had been predicted hundreds of thousands of years ago. The genetic prophecy was that this anomaly would bring about the end of the Supreme Intelligence. To prevent this outcome, the Kree Supreme Intelligence had ordered the destruction of all the worlds where the genetic experiments took place. Only five colonies escaped, including Earth's: these were the Universal Inhumans. After his return to Attilan, Black Bolt joined the Universal Inhumans and was presented with four new brides, one from each of the other colonies.[85]

They returned to Earth to help defeat the last four Reeds of the Interdimensional Council.[86] They then faced the Kree Armada, who had been ordered by the resurrected Kree Supreme Intelligence to wipe out Earth and the Inhumans.[87][88] After the Kree fled in defeat, the Inhumans followed in pursuit.[89] Guided by Franklin Richards, Black Bolt confronted the Supreme Intelligence, surviving long enough to surrender and trigger protocols forcing terms of a truce. He convinced them that the prophecy has been broken, and that he was no longer a threat. They parted ways, but Black Bolt had to agree to Ronan (Crystal's husband) returning alone to the Kree domain.[90]

During the Infinity storyline, Black Bolt was visited by Thanos' Black Order in order to demand a tribute, the heads of Inhuman younglings between the ages of 16 and 22 or the annihilation of Earth's inhabitants. Using the Terrigen Codex, Black Bolt discovered Thanos used the tribute demand as a cover for his true mission: to kill his secret Inhuman-descendant son whose identity and location were unknown even by his father.[91] After the Inhumans denied the tribute to Corvus Glaive, Thanos personally visited Black Bolt in Attilan. Finding the Inhuman city empty with only Black Bolt left, Black Bolt unleashed a powerful scream which tore down Attilan itself and activated a Terrigen Bomb which spread the Mists across the Earth.[92] Thanos survived the attack and found Black Bolt still alive in the rubble. Thanos demanded to know the location of his son. Black Bolt refused and continued attacking Thanos with his voice until an enraged Thanos knocked him out.[93] Black Bolt was held captive for Thanos to use his power to activate the Illuminati's anti-matter bombs to destroy the Earth.[94] When the Illuminati arrived in the Necropolis, they found Thanos' general Supergiant, with Black Bolt under her control as she uses Black Bolt to defeat them. When Supergiant activated the bombs, Maximus appeared with the trigger. He triggered the bombs, but also used Lockjaw to transport the anti-matter bomb along with Supergiant to a distant uninhabited planet where she died in the explosion. Black Bolt was liberated and left the scene along with Maximus and Lockjaw. In the ancient location of Attilan in the Himalayas, Black Bolt hid the Terrigen Codex and made Maximus understand his survival and that of his brother were to be kept a secret. Maximus also deduced that Black Bolt was always going to activate the Terrigen Bomb irrespective of Thanos' arrival which was to herald a new age of the Inhumans.[95] After being examined by Maximus, Black Bolt discovered with his brother that the Terrigen Bomb had greatly diminished Black Bolt's powers. Black Bolt and Maximus agreed to keep this a secret.[96]

Using exogenetically charged waters, Maximus was able to help Black Bolt recover from the power loss he suffered after the detonation of the Terrigen Bomb.[97]

During the "Secret Wars" storyline, Black Bolt takes part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. He is taken out by the Children of Tomorrow.[98]

In the aftermath of the Secret Wars storyline, Medusa sends Nur and Auran to find Black Bolt who is forced by Maximus to use his voice against them, killing Auran.[99] Black Bolt and Medusa end up separating over his prolonged absence from Attilan.[100] Nonetheless, they team up to battle Kang the Conqueror for their son Ahura (Black Bolt had earlier given Ahura over to Kang for safe-keeping during the incursions). Unwelcome in Attilan, Black Bolt now runs the "Quiet Room," a nightclub that functions as a neutral zone for metahumans.[101] At one point, a resurrected Auran steals his voice, but it is restored with the help of Sterilon.[102]

During the "Death of X" storyline, Black Bolt is framed for the death of Cyclops.[103]

When the truce between the Inhumans and X-Men is broken during the Inhumans vs. X-Men storyline, Black Bolt is subsequently ambushed by Emma Frost and Dazzler in the Quiet Room. A disguised Dazzler is able to absorb the energy from his voice and counterattack him with it.[104] He is held captive by the X-Men in Forge's workshop in the dimension of Limbo until his rescue by Medusa and the Inhumans.[105] He helps Medusa neutralize Emma Frost. In the aftermath, there is hope of reconciliation between the Royal couple as she joins Black Bolt in the Quiet Room.[106]

Black Bolt and a group of Inhumans later tracked down Maximus and captured him for his trial. Black Bolt later spoke to Maximus privately.[107]

Marvel Boy later reveals that there is still hope to restore the Inhuman race on the remains of the Kree Homeworld, so the Royal family and a couple of new Inhumans journey to space to find the secret buried on Hala.[108]

However, they were soon confronted by two surprises: Medusa's affliction with a mysterious illness, and the revelation of Black Bolt as Maximus in disguise. Maximus had used his psychic powers and an image inducer to switch places with his brother before leaving Earth.[109] It was Black Bolt that was imprisoned in a deep space torture prison that was meant for Maximus. Upon defeating his fellow inmate Absorbing Man, Black Bolt confronted the as-yet-unidentified jailer. When his quasi-sonic no longer worked, Black Bolt was killed and revived.[110] Black Bolt later made acquaintances with Absorbing Man, Blinky, Metal Master, and Raava.[111] After discovering that the Jailer is an Inhuman who was incarcerated in the torture prison and has since taken over it, Black Bolt and his fellow inmates fight the Jailer. Absorbing Man sacrifices himself so that Black Bolt can kill the Jailer and enable his fellow inmates to escape.[112]

Black Bolt returns to Earth with Blinky. They inform Titania about her husband Crusher's heroic death.[113] At the funeral, Blinky is kidnapped by Lash.[114] He forces Black Bolt to surrender and injects him with a poison to prepare his blood to be used as part of a new Terrigen-type bomb that will produce new Inhumans. The pain of the process sends Black Bolt's mind towards Medusa's mind. They interact on a psychic plane and update each other. He finds out about Medusa's love for Gorgon and they determine that they cannot go back to their marriage. Instead, they will move forward and Medusa promises to find them as they get separated. Black Bolt breaks free only to succumb to the poison. Blinky tries to protect him, but turns into a monster channeling the Jailer.[115]

After an encounter with the Progenitors, Medusa and Black Bolt meet on the Astral Plane and agreed to continue as partners and not lovers. When Medusa takes the Primagen, it restores her hair and health while also causing a backlash in the attacking Progenitor to destroy the approaching Progenitors causing the Ordinator-Class Progenitors that saw the attack from the World Farm to spare Earth from their invasion.[116]

In the pages of "Death of the Inhumans," Black Bolt calls together the four Queens of the Universal Inhuman tribes to respond to this threat. However, the meeting goes far from as planned, as an Inhuman executioner named Vox, a Super-Inhuman created by the Kree, begins his bloody rampage across the place. When Black Bolt and his Royal Family reached the meeting place, they discover the bodies of Oola Udonta, Aladi Ko Eke, Onomi Whitemane and Goddess Ovoe, with the same three words written in their blood on a banner hanging about their corpses and eventually realized that they fell in to a trap as one of the dead Inhumans was wired with an explosive. While most of Black Bolt's group made it out alive, thanks to Lockjaw, Triton was not so lucky and was killed in the explosion. Black Bolt then sent Lockjaw to New Arctilan to retrieve his brother Maximus.[117] After Vox subdues Karnak, Black Bolt arrives where he walks through the halls of the Kree base speaking every name of the fallen Inhumans, making it a song about death. Eventually, it comes down to just Black Bolt and Vox who's holding Karnak as a shield. Black Bolt signs to Karnak to have Vox take him instead. Vox apparently accepts the change as he teleports himself behind Black Bolt. Before Karnak’s very eyes, Vox slits Black Bolt’s throat.[118] The Kree take Black Bolt prisoner and repair the damage done to his throat without using any sedatives or anesthesia to dull the pain which prompted them to think that Black Bolt's great power is gone when he doesn't scream and therefore the prophecy about the Midnight King is no longer a threat to the Kree. However while being transported, it turns out he still has his voice, but it's faint. After killing several Kree, Black Bolt secures a firearm and finds Ronan the Accuser alive. However, he is a prisoner of Vox and has been experimented on. At Ronan’s request, Black Bolt enables him a mercy killing.[119] The Inhuman Royal Family and Beta Ray Bill rescue Black Bolt from Vox. When Maximus was behind the mask of Vox, Black Bolt and the Inhuman Royal Family discover that Vox is not a Super-Inhuman and is just a Kree programming.[120] While recapping the deaths that Vox has caused, Black Bolt also recalls the prophecy of the Midnight King. Meeting up with the Inhuman Royal Family and Beta Ray Bill, Black Bolt is told by Karnak of Vox being a programming that transported his "victims" to the Kree. As Black Bolt has one more scream left, Karnak tells him to make it count. Using his sign language, Black Bolt addresses the others on how he has made mistakes in the past and apologizes to them. After holding a moment of silence, Black Bolt orders Gorgon to turn around. As Gorgon and Beta Ray Bill engage the Kree soldiers, Black Bolt, Medusa, and Lockjaw arrive at the laboratory where they find Vox-controlled Inhumans like Crystal and Lockjaw. Using a laser, Black Bolt clears the Vox-controlled Crystal and Lockjaw just because they were in his way. Entering one door, Black Bolt signs "I love you. I'm sorry" before whispering for them to run. As Medusa and Karnak fight the Vox-controlled Crystal and Lockjaw, Black Bolt confronts other Vox-controlled Inhumans like Triton. Knowing the truth about the prophecy, Black Bolt brings ruin to the Kree and unleashes his scream on the Vox-controlled Inhumans. This action frees Crystal and Lockjaw from Vox's control. Gorgon and Beta Ray Bill arrive stating that the Kree have fled and see Crystal and Lockjaw still alive. Black Bolt emerges from the room as Medusa orders Lockjaw to take them away from the Kree base. When Crystal asks where they should go, Black Bolt uses his sign language to say "home." Lockjaw then teleports them away.[121]

Black Bolt and other heroes die helping Dr. Strange fight Galactus, but all are resurrected after the battle is won.[122]

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spockvarietyhour · 23 days

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[bill nye theme intensifies]

#Robocop #Robocop The Series #Robocop TV #The Human Factor #GRAPHICS #Computer Graphics #1990s #robocopedit #robocoptvedit #GIF #my gifs #tvedit #1990sedit #Robocop Rewatch #Hide and Queue

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“I want you to meet my mother.”

RUBIN & ED (1991) dir. Trent Harris

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swim-forthemusic · 5 years

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witches in fiction: Nancy, Rochelle, Sarah, and Bonnie (The Craft)

We are the weirdos, mister.

#aesthetics #aestheticedit #the craft #thecraftedit #90's movies #1990sedit #witches #witchedit #movieedit #filmedit #moodboard #picspam #picspams #screencaps #graphics #edits #mine #witches in fiction

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moodboard: 1990′s

#aesthetics #aestheticsedit #1990's #1990sedit #90's #decadeedit #picspam #picspams #screencaps #graphics #edits #mine #moodboard #february

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multiverseforger · 3 years

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1970sEdit

1980sEdit

1990sEdit

2000sEdit

2010sEdit

Using exogenetically charged waters, Maximus was able to help Black Bolt recover from the power loss he suffered after the detonation of the Terrigen Bomb.[97]

During the "Secret Wars" storyline, Black Bolt takes part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. He is taken out by the Children of Tomorrow.[98]

During the "Death of X" storyline, Black Bolt is framed for the death of Cyclops.[103]

Black Bolt and a group of Inhumans later tracked down Maximus and captured him for his trial. Black Bolt later spoke to Maximus privately.[107]

Black Bolt and other heroes die helping Dr. Strange fight Galactus, but all are resurrected after the battle is won.[

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multiverseforger · 3 years

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Established as advanced artificially intelligent robots, the Metal Men were introduced in the comic book Showcase #37 as "last minute" filler.[2] Created by scientist Dr. William "Will" Magnus, the six robots were field leader Gold; strongman Iron; slow-witted and loyal Lead; hot-headed Mercury; self-doubting and insecure Tin; and Platinum (also called "Tina"), who believed that she was a real woman and was in love with her creator. The group's personalities mirrored their namesake metals, being dictated by devices called responsometers.[3] Each Metal Man also possessed abilities that reflected the traits of their namesake metal: Gold could stretch his form almost infinitely, Iron was super-strong, Lead could block harmful radiation by morphing into thick shields, Mercury could melt and pass through small spaces before reforming, while Platinum and Tin could stretch, flatten or spin into fine filaments.[4]

The characters reappeared in the following three issues of Showcase (#38–40, June–October 1962) and proved popular enough to warrant a reappearance in their own eponymous title.[5] First published in May 1963, the title ran on a bi-monthly schedule with original stories until Metal Men #41 (December 1969). The comic was unusual for the time, for having continued serialized storylines across issues.[2] A second female robot (created by Tin) was introduced in issue #13 (April–May 1965), and was later (issue #15, August–September 1965) christened as "Nameless", last appearing in issue #32.[6]

With sales dropping, the series' tone darkened with issue #33 (September 1968), as the cover tagline changed to "The New Hunted Metal Men".[7] Shortly after, the team adopted human identities in issue #37 (May 1969).[7] The title was cancelled in mid-story with issue #41 (December 1969).

Issues #42, 43 and 44 (March, May, and July 1973) reprinted earlier Showcase appearances and the first issue, with the title then on hiatus until returning with original numbering in issue #45 (May 1976). The bi-monthly publishing schedule continued until issue #56 (March 1978), when the title and many others were cancelled during the DC Implosion.

Until #21, the Metal Men appeared to be the sole super-heroes in a separate fictional universe, with no other DC characters appearing (though the Metal Men watch a Batman TV Show, and Dr. Yes is recognized by them as resembling an enemy of Wonder Woman--Magnus and the Metal Men even seem to know at times that they are comic book characters, referring to earlier issues and reader response). Then the Metal Men became part of the shared universe of the DC heroes, even though they continued to fight their own foes (such as Chemo).

The Metal Men co-starred with other DC heroes such as Atom, Metamorpho and Batman in The Brave and the Bold #55 (September 1964), #66 (July 1966), #74 (November 1967), #103 (November 1972), #113 (July 1974), #121 (September 1975), #135–136 (July–September 1977) and #187 (June 1982). This trend was repeated with Superman in DC Comics Presents #4 (December 1978) and #70 (June 1984), and an appearance in Showcase #100 (May 1978).

1990sEdit

The group returned in an eponymous four-issue limited series (Metal Men vol. 2 #1–4 (October 1993 – January 1994)) that featured a retcon of the characters' origin story. A laboratory accident transfers the intellects and personalities of Doctor Magnus' brother Mike, his fiancee Sharon, laboratory workers Redmond Wilde and Randy Pressman, Thomas Tinkham and a pizza-delivery man named Jack to blank robots (Gold, Platinum, Mercury and Iron, Tin and Lead respectively). During a battle, Gold is killed[8] and Doctor Magnus mortally wounded, being forced to transfer his personality into a robot known as Veridium. Magnus then becomes the leader of the Metal Men. Lead later makes a brief appearance as a worker at a superhero bar, and is temporarily damaged while protecting civilians.[9] A robot Tungsten with no personality that served as a personal aide to Magnus was introduced in a guest appearance in The Doom Patrol; he was killed by a villain named the Candlemaker.[10]

2000sEdit

The Metal Men then reappeared during the Infinite Crisis storyline (Infinite Crisis #1–7, December 2005 – June 2006, Villains United #1–6, July–December 2005), battling the O.M.A.C. cyborgs and acting as part of a superhero strike force assembled to protect the city of Metropolis from the Secret Society of Super Villains. Several of the Metal Men appeared in Justice League of America (vol. 2) #1 (August 2006), with the events of the limited series eventually revised and presented as a delusion suffered by Doctor Magnus in 52, #22 (October 2006).

The entire group reappeared in Superman/Batman #34–36 (May, July–Aug. 2007), having been rebuilt and upgraded and including a new female member, the sarcastic Copper. Employed by Lucius Fox as security for WayneTech, the Metal Men temporarily fall under the influence of Brainiac. The group starred in another eponymous limited series, running for eight issues (Metal Men vol. 3, #1–8 October 2007 – June 2008). David Magnus, another brother of Will and Mike Magnus, attempts to avert a catastrophic future and prevent the creation of the group, and uses a device stolen from the villain T. O. Morrow to change the Metal Men into evil, radioactive versions based on other metals, called the Death Metal Men: Uranium (Iron), Strontium (Mercury), Thorium (Platinum), Radium (Gold), Lithium (Copper), Polonium (Lead), and Fermium (Tin). Doctor Magnus, however, is able to reverse the process and with the Metal Men and the assistance of the alien robot L-Ron, defeat his brother.

The Metal Men also featured in a stand-alone story in the weekly publication Wednesday Comics (#1–12, September–November 2009), and co-starred in the first seven issues of Doom Patrol (vol. 5, October 2009 – April 2010). This series was later reprinted in DC Comics Presents: Metal Men 100 Page Spectacular (2011).

The Metal Men appeared in Justice League: Generation Lost #10–11 (November–December 2010). Captured by villain Maxwell Lord, the Metal Men are reprogrammed and believe themselves to be humans living in a magical fantasy world. At Lord's behest, the brainwashed Metal Men attack the members of the new Justice League International (thinking them monsters), and merge into their alternate universe persona Alloy (from the limited series Kingdom Come (#1–4, May–August 1996)), but are eventually defeated.

2010sEdit

In The New 52, a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe, the Metal Men were created by Doctor Magnus but subsequently disappeared. Cyborg locates Magnus and learns the scientist was tasked by the military with the creation of a rescue team that could enter toxic environments. Although successful, Magnus learns the military intends to use the Metal Men as assassins and the group flee and take refuge in his apartment. When the entity Chemo is created (on account of a prototype responsometer created by Magnus being thrown into a vat of chemicals by a thief), the Metal Men fought Chemo to protect Will Magnus and the local population, and while successful are thought destroyed[11] before eventually reappearing in an issue of Swamp Thing.[12] During a run in with several other heroes, The Metal Men encountered 3 new Metal Men - Magnesium, Lithium & Silicon who were created by the government in a plan to get the original Metal Men back in the military as assassins again; despite their attempts' the 3 new robots are eventually destroyed in the conflict.[13]

In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", the Metal Men are among the superheroes that head to Mars to confront Doctor Manhattan.[14] Gold, Tin and Platinum are later seen as recruits of the League, to research a multi-verse ending threat.[15] in 2016 a 6 issue series called Legends of Tomorrow the Metal Men played a big part in the series. They were in Nevada fighting off a robot enemy, and the government wanted to destroy the Metal Men and get rid of them as a threat to the people.

The Metal Men were seen again in a 12-issue mini-series in 2019 of the DC Rebirth. The Mental Man were seen in their series again, and with a new metal member to the team that was found at a construction site called for Magnus. The Metal Men were destroyed by Magnus for trying to rebuild them from scratch again, and again the new one saw a version of themself destroyed. Dr. Will Magnus just had enough of making the Metal Men, and he fell in love with a girl leaving the Metal Men to themselves after having flashbacks of how he made them to now. After getting the new metal they found in Magnus' lab he helped it out as it called his name. He introduced them to his Metal Man had made, and it became part of the team. The new member enjoyed talking to Platinum and he fell in love with her.

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Born Nathaniel Essex in Victorian London, Sinister became a biologist in 1859. He was a contemporary of Charles Darwin and became obsessed with Darwin's theories. However, Essex believed his peers were shackled by too many moral constraints and that their research should be beyond morality. Essex believed that humanity was undergoing increasing mutation, due to what he called "Essex Factors" in the human genome. He dreamed of bringing the perfection of the evolution of the human race to the masses. After the loss of his young son due to birth defects, he delved deeper into his work. Essex's theories were mocked, making him bitter, and his revealing of an unorthodox experiment resulted in his ousting from the Royal Society. Angry, Essex stated that if becoming a monster was what was required for his work to progress, then he would become a monster.[9]

Essex met with Cootie Tremble and the Marauders, the group he would eventually lead. The Marauders kidnapped homeless and neglected people off the streets of London and used them as test subjects for Essex's experiments. Essex ordered the Marauders to awaken the immortal Egyptian mutant En Sabah Nur, who would become known as Apocalypse. En Sabah Nur ordered the Marauders to take him to Essex. During this time, Essex's wife, Rebecca Essex, was pregnant with their unborn child and was shocked to find that Essex had dug up their first-born child to experiment on him. Nur met Essex and became interested in Essex's work. Nur offered an alliance with Essex in continuing his research. Left with the choice of continuing his work or his wife shunning him, Essex allied himself with Nur. Essex explained to Nur that Nur was the first born in what he believed would be a great mutation in the human race.[9]

The time-travelers Cyclops and Phoenix confronted Nur, believing that they were to prevent Dr. Essex's future transformation into Mr. Sinister, but unaware that Madame Sanctity of the Askani had sent them to the past to stop Nur from conquering England. Essex was necessary for the birth of Nathan Summers, also known as the mutant Cable, whom Madame Sanctity worshiped. Nur defeated Cyclops and Phoenix and leaves them for Essex to experiment on. Phoenix explains to Essex that continuing his work with Nur would lead to the destruction of the world. Deciding to leave his life of unorthodox research and dedicate his life to his wife and unborn child, Essex returned home to learn that his wife had freed all of his captives, prematurely had the baby, and was dying of stress. Asking for forgiveness at her side, Rebecca denied him and stated, "To me, you are... utterly… and contemptibly… sinister!", with her dying words. Essex agreed to Nur's offer and was ordered to create a plague to destroy the weak of the world, as Nur's first prelate. In his alien ship, Apocalypse painfully transformed Essex into an ageless being of extraordinary pallor with telekinesis, asking him to shed his past name and choose another. With his new abilities and dispassionate outlook, Essex took the new name, "Sinister", Rebecca's last words to him.[9]

Sinister has shown an obsession with Scott Summers, and the Summers genetic line. This led Sinister to create a clone of Jean Grey called Madelyne Pryor, with the sole purpose of breeding with Scott. That successful quest resulted in the birth of Nathan Summers.[10]

At some point, he is approached by Professor Xavier and Magneto regarding his genetic collection of DNA. Xavier wanted Sinister to prioritize collecting mutant DNA in a comprehensive database that would be safe, secure, and redundant. He offered to provide samples that Sinister would have trouble getting on his own including Magneto and himself. Sinister agreed to the compromise but had his memories erased of the encounter such that he would not remember meeting Xavier and Magneto.[11]

1990sEdit

Mister Sinister returns in the title X-Factor, leading the Nasty Boys[12] and has allied himself with the mutant terrorist Stryfe.[13] In the storyline "X-Cutioner's Song", the character impersonates Apocalypse and uses his Four Horsemen to capture Cyclops and Jean Grey.[14] Sinister hands them over to Stryfe in exchange for a canister containing his genetic material,[15] but finds it empty, unknowingly unleashing the Legacy Virus in the process.[16] Afterwards, Sinister confronts Cyclops to reveal that the canister contained the deadly Legacy Virus. It was during this conversation, that Sinister said, "I care enough to wish you and your brothers to be protected from this illness", but he corrected himself in saying that he meant "brother".[17]

In 1996, Mister Sinister's origin story is told in the limited series, The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix. It establishes the character as Nathaniel Essex, a scientist from the 19th century obsessed with evolution who made a pact with the ancient mutant Apocalypse to become a virtually immortal being.[18] It furthermore establishes that Mister Sinister created Cyclops's son Nathan, who becomes the time-traveling soldier Cable, in order to destroy Apocalypse.[19]

It was also revealed that Sinister had initiated the Morlock Massacre because he saw his signature in them (as many of them were experiments of Dark Beast, a student of Mr. Sinister from an alternate timeline known as the Age of Apocalypse), and he would not allow unauthorized use of his theories, so they were slaughtered.[20] Though some of his Marauders did not survive the battle, many of them returned thanks to Sinister's genetics mastery and the fact that he had multiple clones of all of them.[21] He also considered doing the same with the Genosha mutates, who were experiments of Sugar Man (another student of his Age of Apocalypse counterpart). Yet in the end he did not because the mutates were sterile and so in his opinion, they were not a tainting of his work.[20]

Another running storyline for the character was his mysterious ties to the X-Man Gambit; these ties were first introduced in X-Men v2 #6 when Sabretooth encountered Gambit and the X-Men and implied that the two had a history working together.[22] When Rogue briefly absorbed Gambit's memories,[23] she realized the relationship between the two: that Gambit had been an agent of Mister Sinister, recruiting Sabretooth and several other villains, to serve as Sinister's Marauders.[24] Furthermore, he had served as a guide for the group in the tunnels, before abandoning the villains upon discovering their plans on wiping out the Morlocks. His payment for these deeds would be Mister Sinister's services as a scientist, to correct a genetic defect regarding Gambit's powers that was causing him to slowly lose control over them.[25]

2000sEdit

Mister Sinister appears in the title Gambit;[26] besides revealing the connection between the two characters, Mister Sinister would provide Gambit with a chemical compound designed to neutralize the genetic modification process that the Skrulls were using as part of their infiltration process of Earth, as the alien shapeshifters had formed an alliance with Apocalypse to conquer Earth.[27] It was also revealed that Mister Sinister had genetically altered the villain the Living Monolith, allowing him to access Havok's power, in order to serve as replacement for Havok in Apocalypse's plan to harvest the power of The Twelve.[volume & issue needed] Following Apocalypse's defeat, Sinister attempts to use the High Evolutionary's space station to mutate the human population but is stopped by the X-Men.[28]

Sinister's actions would have worldwide repercussions: by helping High Evolutionary strip all of mutantkind of their powers, Sinister unknowingly wiped out a community of evolved mutants known as The Neo.[29] The surviving Neo began hunting Sinister down, forcing Sinister to go into hiding as the Neo known as Domina (whose daughter was one of the dead) kills over 17 Sinister doppelgangers left behind by Sinister as he goes into hiding.[30]

Sinister would resurface in the pages of Weapon X, experimenting on mutants under the guise of Dr. Robert Windsor.[31] It is revealed that the character worked alongside the Nazis during World War II and created a clone of Namor called N2 which was destroyed by Captain America.[32] He would be accompanied by the Marauder Scalphunter in the series, with Scalphunter serving as his bodyguard.

Mister Sinister reappears in the "X-Men: Endangered Species" storyline, sending the Marauders and Acolytes out to murder all those who have knowledge of the future;[33] In the "X-Men: Messiah Complex" storyline, Sinister, leading a mob of many of the remaining evil mutants, seeks out the first mutant child born since Decimation (also known as "M-Day", when the Scarlet Witch de-powered most of the world's mutant population). However, the character is apparently killed by Mystique, who presses his face onto an unconscious Rogue, whose powers had been amplified into an instantaneous death-touch.[34]

Some years ago, Kraven made a deal with Mister Sinister. He and the Blob tracked down the X-Men, and they fought the united forces of Spider-Man and the original X-Men. Kraven fled after a short battle, but not before wounding each member of the X-Men. Kraven returned to Sinister, with genetic samples from Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, and Beast. Furthermore, Sinister requested a sample of his DNA.[35] Mister Sinister later cut a deal with Carnage in order to obtain a sample of the Carnage Symbiote. After removing the sentience from the Carnage symbiote sample, Mister Sinister combined it with the DNA of the original X-Men and Kraven the Hunter where he will use this creation on a later date.[36] Years later after the death of Kraven, an ex-Morlock who had kept his powers post M-Day named Joe Buggs was murdered by a mysterious mutant hunter. His friend Ed (who had lost his powers) went to the X-Men for help. He claimed that the man who killed Buggs was Kraven the Hunter. Although they were skeptical about Kraven's apparent resurrection, the X-Men called on the help of Spider-Man, who had battled Kraven many times over the years. After discussing the battle that they had with Kraven years ago and the fact that he had given samples of the X-Men's DNA to Sinister for cloning, the lights went out on the wing where they were located. The hunter attacked and quickly dispatched Colossus but was held at bay by Spider-Man's webbing. He broke free claiming his name is Xraven and was able to defeat Cyclops and Shadowcat, holding her hostage, giving the ultimatum that he would kill her if they did not surrender. Spider-Man insulted Xraven, claiming that Kraven would never threaten a helpless girl. Xraven was momentarily fazed by his comment, but attacked again, claiming that he is the "favored one". Cyclops realizes Xraven's weakness and tells him that Mister Sinister sees him as nothing but a pawn. He tells Xraven to read his mind, in order for him to see the kind of a man Sinister really is. After Xraven sees Cyclops' memories, he flees but the X-Men become aware of the fact that he was able to get DNA samples from Shadowcat, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine. Returning to Mister Sinister with the samples, Mister Sinister tells him that he planned to clone a new generation of mutants, and that he would unite all mutantkind. After seeing what Sinister's real intentions were in Cyclops' memories, Xraven destroys the samples, claiming that Mister Sinister would breed slaves as opposed to warriors, and Xraven attacks him.[37]

Miss SinisterEdit

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It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Miss Sinister. (Discuss)

Miss Sinister in X-Men Legacy #214 (September 2008). Art by Scot Eaton.

The series X-Men: Legacy reveals that Mister Sinister had been anticipating his physical death for some time, putting events in motion that would lead to his resurrection. It was even revealed that besides the Summers family, Mister Sinister had also been manipulating for some time events in the Xavier family as well as the Marko, Ryking and Shaw families. By using the Cronus Device, he manages to implant within their DNA the seeds through which to ensure his own rebirth. Then he transferred his own consciousness and powers to the machine which after his death would activate itself and his consciousness would take control over the body with his DNA imprint.[38] When that happened, Sinister's consciousness took control over Professor Xavier's body to save him from a gunshot wound.[39] However, the combined efforts of Sebastian Shaw and Gambit destroy the machine, enabling Xavier to successfully drive Sinister's consciousness from his mind and body. At the end, a female character appears called Miss Sinister.[40] Her name is revealed to be Claudine Renko, and she possesses telepathy and a healing factor similar to Sinister, but not all the memories or mind due to the fact that she was engineered to be Mister Sinister's fail-safe in the event the Cronus Device would fail. When that ultimately occurred, Claudine was activated.[41]

Later X-23 (Laura Kinney), flanked by Gambit, encounters a young girl named Alice and witnesses her being murdered, though the next day Alice appears to them somehow alive. Encouraging them to follow her to a peculiar desert laboratory, Alice introduces them to her employer/owner/adoptive mother, Claudine. Revealing herself openly to X-23, Claudine explains that Alice is also a clone, fourth of a series of five created by Essex as another experiment alongside several other children that live in the complex.[volume & issue needed] Claudine later on approaches Gambit and the latter having left the X-Men's base to strike out on her own, seemingly asking for the former's help. Claudine at this point seems to be suffering from injuries inflicted earlier by Wolverine's son Daken. A near fatal strike from X-23 reveals the nature of the injury as Claudine's body morphs into that of Mister Sinister.[42]

Mister Sinister then incapacitates Gambit and X-23 but is quickly re-absorbed back into Miss Sinister who then straps X-23 to a peculiar chair and expands upon her own origins, stating that while everyone believes her to be merely a clone of the mad scientist, in truth she actually was an ordinary woman with her own personality, mind and dreams, but in her search for immortality she allowed herself to be infected with a virus which would grant her a healing factor, however while the virus was apparently ineffective, Claudine would learn later that the virus actually was engineered to transform her into a host of Mister Sinister as it contained his own DNA and thus his immensely powerful telepathic powers, which would lead to his resurrection. When the Cronus Device failed, the virus was automatically activated and Claudine was compelled to go to the laboratory in the desert, where she would be used as a host for Essex. Claudine believed she had been able to stop the process, possessing only vague, but invasive memories of Essex's life, but learned later that she had only delayed the inevitable. Now everything that makes Claudine is being swallowed by the malignant presence of Essex within her mind, and in order to free herself of Sinister and prevent her own death, she aims to switch bodies with X-23, thus inheriting Laura's healing factor, something she had always wanted. The plan backfires when Essex controls Laura's body and uses her to mortally wound Claudine again. Laura manages to overcome Essex's presence in her mind, expelling it through force of will. Laura, Alice and Gambit manage to escape the laboratory as it collapses and arrange for the children to be given new homes before setting off on their journey again. However, in the wreckage left behind, Claudine is still alive, although just barely, and is being watched over by the fifth Alice clone, the new host of Essex.[43]

When next seen Miss Sinister found herself within the company of the reality displaced X-Men of a dead universe. One in particular who came into her graces by the name of Jimmy Hudson had been hiding a secret within his D.N.A., a sort of genetic anomaly that would enable her to create and control spontaneous mutation with time to experiment on it.[44] Over the following months Claudine would find that this substance called Mothervine was originally conceived for the purpose of controlled mutant child births, after further study she found it could also be used to cause further advancement evolution's within natural born mutants or trigger mutation in non-mutants.[45] But the secondary and primary mutations caused were debilitating to the point of being lethal, a great many she tested it on would die during the procedure.[46]

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