Let’s rip into yet another X-Men ’97
related topic today, with a quick look at the nigh-indestructible Marvel metal
alloy: Adamantium, as it relates to the world of the MC2. Prepare
for an injection of information about Adamantium in the MC2.
Before I jump into the history of the amazing alloy, I have
to address Captain America’s shield. Prior to the Marvel
Cinematic Universe, it was for commonly held ‘wisdom’ that the virtually
indestructible shield of Captain
America was composed of Adamantium. However, this is not the
full story. The shield is a unique combination of ‘Proto-Adamantium’
(apparently even stronger than its successor) and Wakandan
Vibranium. Even that account was retconned or disputed in the Avengers
(vol. 3) Annual 2001. But that’s a story for another time and another
post all its own!
True Adamantium first appeared in the Main Marvel
Universe or Universe-616 in Avengers (vol. 1) #66 as the
creation of a Dr. Myron Maclain who has invited various Avengers
including Thor
and Iron
Man and Goliath (Clint
Barton) aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D.
Helicarrier to test their abilities against it in order to confirm it’s
durability. Against his will, The Vision
steals the Adamantium and uses it to rebuild his creator, Ultron.
Most notably, Wolverine
is the poster boy for Adamantium. First appearing in a single panel of Incredible
Hulk #180 and making his first full appearance in Incredible Hulk #181,
where Wolverine reveals to the Hulk his
claws are ‘forged of diamond-hard Adamantium’. But it’s not until
X-Men #98 that the X-Men (and the readers) learn the claws are a
part of his body rather than attached to his gloves. Mention is made of Wolverine’s
‘unbreakable bones’ in X-Men #124 before X-Men #126 has
Logan outright state he has ‘a skeleton made of about three million bucks
worth of Adamantium’. And that’s not adjusted for inflation!
We see this ‘Weapon X’ experiment play out in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents #72-#84. Logan survives the experiment due to his mutant healing factor but loses his memory. Writer Larry Hama addressed a significant issue fans had with Logan having Adamantium bonded to his skeleton in Wolverine (vol. 2) #80. There it was explained that Logan’s own mutant physiology had caused a molecular change in the metal- creating what was identified as ‘Adamantium Beta’ -allowing it to bond directly into his skeletal material without inhibiting the living nature of his bones.
Now we come to the X-Men storyline known as Fatal
Attractions, during which Magneto
returns to his villainous ways and uses his powers to rip the Adamantium
from Wolverine (X-Men (vol. 2) #25), nearly killing him and
shortly afterwards revealing Logan had bone claws beneath the Adamantium
the whole time (Wolverine (vol. 2) #75).
Logan would spend several publication years without Adamantium
which brings us to the MC2. While on an apparent rescue mission in Madripoor
with Wolverine, Zane Yama asks the Canadian former X-Man
when he got his Adamantium back. Amusingly, the MC2 predicted and
pre-dated the restoration of Wolverine’s Adamantium-coated
skeleton, which didn’t occur until Wolverine (vol. 2) #145, published
several months later (J2 #10).
Jumping back a few months, in the pages of A-Next #6,
while helping the hero Argo to find his father Hercules, the Avengers
find themselves in the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility within Mount
Athena. There they learn 'The Merchandise' (actually Hercules
himself) is buried several miles within the mountain in a special Adamantium
cell. Agent 33 receives orders from 'The Top Man
himself' to allow the Avengers to take custody of Hercules.
The following month in J2 #7 we have a one-panel
appearance from the mainstay Daredevil
villain and assassin Bullseye.
I mention this as Bullseye received Adamantium-laced bones to
some degree after his spine was shattered in Daredevil #181. This took
place in Daredevil #197-#198 at the hands of Kenji Oyama (Lord Dark
Wind), the man who originally conceived the method of bonding Adamantium
to bones which was stolen and used on Wolverine. Of course, the MC2
Bullseye might instead be a descendant, as was once humorously suggested
by Ron Frenz…
Back in J2 #8 we get the first appearance of Sabreclaw
aka Hudson, the half-brother of Rina
Logan
aka Wild
Thing and the son of Wolverine. While it doesn’t appear to be explicitly
referenced in the comics unless I’ve missed something, the All-New Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update #3 confirms that Hudson’s
claws have been reinforced with Adamantium sheaths. Additionally, while
the Avengers are preparing for a conflict with the Adamantium-bodied
Ultron Extreme, Sabreclaw quips that he has ‘experience
against Adamantium.’ (Avengers Next #3).
I hope this slice of MC2
history helped provide some context and insight into Adamantium. Let
me know if I missed anything as it relates to the MC2!
Until I survive a horrific experiment that laces my body
with an indestructible metal, survive its removal and then willingly agree to
undergo the same experiment again, I remain
frogoat
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