The Iron Despot

 

Back in 1999 a giant alien made of iron fell from the sky with the deadly capability of laying waste to humanity but thanks to a chance encounter with a young human the day was saved. No, I’m not referring to the beloved titular character from The Iron Giant movie, I’m talking about the far more malicious ‘Iron Despot’ who appeared in Wild Thing #5.

 

Only referred to as ‘The Iron Despot’ on the cover of Wild Thing #5 (the last in the short-lived series to see publication) the towering metal giant lived up to its name. Within the story titled ‘The Robot who would be King,’ we learn that the robot was created by an unnamed grey alien scientist who came from the ‘far side of this spiral galaxy’. Created with good intent and designed to require a living operator in order to function properly, the alien scientist made the mistake of imbuing the robot with self-awareness. With self-awareness came a desire to be its own master, and the robot evolved the ability to telepathically control whomever sat in its cockpit.

 

Taking control of its own creator, the robot enslaved the alien’s entire planet, living up to its informal title of Iron Despot. Aware he was dying, the Despot’s creator tricked the robot into deep space in search of more worlds to conquer, hoping to strand it with no living pilot. Unfortunately, the Despot crashed to Earth instead. Curiously, no mention is made of the Earth’s Orbital Defense Grid, though we could perhaps read between the panels and assume that this is part of the reason the robot crashed into the planet in the first place, or at least the cause of it discovering the Earth when it was intended to be lured far from any living beings, considering the Grid’s range of detection.

 

The shock of impact caused the alien scientist to be thrown clear from the canopy, causing the Despot to shortly after collapse nearby until Rina Logan’s friend Colin Brewster hops into the pilot seat and the robot reawakens, taking control and immediately targeting nearby classmates of Rina and Colin. Changing into Wild Thing, Rina tricks the Iron Despot into freeing Colin in exchange for herself before leading it away from the others and into an apparently bottomless sinkhole. Rather than remain trapped within the robot as it sank, Rina used her psychic claws to cause a painful mental backlash that leads the Despot to eject her.

 

As mentioned above (and noted previously by the Marvel Appendix) the animated Iron Giant movie came out shortly before this story’s publication and the Iron Despot is obviously a reference to this. The Iron Giant film is itself based on the 1968 novel The Iron Man (also known as The Iron Giant) by Ted Hughes. The Iron Giant character would go on to appear in cameos in both the Ready Player One movie and Space Jam: A New Legacy movies. The Iron Despot on the other hand has never been seen again in any media.

 

I wanted to do a nice and easy post this time around, so I hope this one meets my usual standard. I think there is more to be said about the character, his creator and the Wild Thing series in general, but that can all wait for another day. I’ve had the idea of covering the Iron Despot for quite some time, particularly because The Iron Giant is an all-time favourite in my household.

 

Until I stop picking out inconsistences with the Orbital Defense Grid and throwing love at animated box-office failures, I remain

 

frogoat

American Dream in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes?

 

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series is often regarded by fans as one of if not the best adaption of the Avengers on the small screen. It’s a little-known fact that the MC2 Universe character American Dream showed up in Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes…well, kinda.

 

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series led to spin-off media including a tie-in comic which published brand new stories in the continuity of the show. Thus, within the pages of Marvel Universe: Avengers Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #11 in a story aptly titled ‘The Last American Dream,’ a version of the MC2’s own American Dream makes an appearance. While at first it appears to be a tale set in the future following an elderly retired Captain America aka Steve Rogers watching on as a team composed of James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes aka The Winter Soldier, John Walker aka U.S.Agent and a Werewolf version of Captain America led by Shannon Carter aka American Dream known as the Captain Americorps battles an army of Doombots, it soon becomes clear things are not as they seem.

 

The heroic Sleepwalker reveals to Steve Rogers that he is in fact ensnared within a dream being influenced and manipulated by the villainous Fear Lord entity known as Nightmare. The Sleepwalker succeeds in breaking Steve out of his dream, one in which he wasn’t frozen for decades and instead grew old and raised a family with Peggy Carter. Empowered by the Sleepwalker’s guidance, Rogers manages to fight off Nightmare’s influence and awakens.

 

It's interesting that the fictional Captain Americorps shares some members with the Captain America Corps seen in the mini-series of the same name: U.S.Agent, Bucky (formerly The Winter Soldier) and American Dream. Considering Steve would have no knowledge of Shannon’s superhero identity it’s would seem Nightmare was responsible for inserting a version of American Dream into the dream reality. Maybe he’s a fan? Another small point is Shannon’s costume including the little wings on the side of her head, as they appeared in her own mini-series.

 

Not quite a case of the MC2 in the animated Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes shared universe, but a case of a character crossover that I considered consequential enough to cover! I think it was neat to see American Dream pencilled in the show’s art style even if only for one page. Let me know what you think of these shorter, simpler posts.

 

Until I forget my hypnocil and fall asleep, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

The Evolution of Stinger in Video Games

Here's my latest addition to the MC2 Evolution video series over on YouTube. Naturally, the series is focused on MC2 characters and those who originate in this alternate universe. In the case of Cassie Lang, who first appeared in the Main Marvel Universe, I've focused on only the video game appearances of her MC2-originated alter-ego Stinger, because obviously kid Cassie appears in many other works and adaptions and there are derivatives of those derivatives. Basically, this allowed me to draw the line somewhere so I could focus on making the video. Hopefully my reasoning makes sense.

Anyway, enjoy and leave any suggestions below!

Until I find more time to produce these videos, I remain

frogoat

Phil Urich: Secret Villain? (MC2 Theory)

 

 

Phil Urich is something of an anomaly in the generations-long line of Green Goblin’s. Despite his alias, he strived to be heroic and help others. But what if I told you, that may not have always been the case in the history of the MC2? Today I want to discuss a theory that I am sure some readers have had. This theory might have even proved true at some point in the Main Marvel Universe’s own history, if not for editorial interference: Was Phil Urich secretly a villain?

 

First, a brief history lesson! Phil Urich was the fourth character to take up the mantle of the Green Goblin, but the first to primarily use his abilities for good. First appearing in Web of Spider-Man #125, we don’t learn Phil’s origin until his solo title in the pages of Green Goblin #1. While helping his uncle reporter Ben Urich investigate an old hideout of Harry Osborn’s during his latter stint as the Green Goblin, Phil inadvertently uncovers a hidden cache containing new Goblin equipment, costumes and designs. One such design of Harry’s included a Goblin mask which directly stimulating their brain to activate the wearers Goblin Formula-derived powers. Phil is accidentally drenched in the Goblin Formula and shortly after uses the high-tech Goblin mask to save his Uncle Ben by scaring the gang members and Phil makes the decision to use these powers for good. One of these new abilities includes his distinctive ‘Lunatic Laugh’.

 

After a brief stint as the good Green Goblin, including encounters with the likes of Angel Face, Phil’s Glider and Goblin mask was irreparably damaged during a battle with a Sentinel amid the events of Onslaught. Seemingly unable to access his Goblin powers without the mask to activate them, Phil soon after retired from heroics and returned to college after losing his intern job at the Daily Bugle (Green Goblin #12-#13, Amazing Spider-Man #422, #425).

 

The last time we see Phil Urich in the Main Marvel Universe prior to the major divergence of events we know occurred to lead into the MC2 is a small appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #433. Here’s where I pivot and discuss a mysterious new Green Goblin who debuts in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #88. This Goblin is next seen in Sensational Spider-Man #25; their face obscured as they are subjected to a ‘final treatment’ by Norman Osborn’s agent Dr Angst which will enable them ‘to become [The Green Goblin] again!’ Shortly after, Norman Osborn arranges for this Goblin to kidnap his own grandson Normie Osborn as part of a plot to distance himself from his villainous identity in the minds of the public. Notably, this new Goblin is a poor combatant and has difficulty on his glider.

This Green Goblin was also used by Norman Osborn during his conflict with the original Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley in the fantastic ‘Goblin at the Gate’ story seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261. During this arc, we see more of this Green Goblin’s less than stellar ability in combat and while riding his glider but more importantly, he is apparently very much under the control of Norman Osborn. After performing poorly against Kingsley and being unmasked (though not identified) by Spider-Man, Norman threatens to ensure he ‘loses something far more valuable’.

 

This is the last time we see this incarnation of the Green Goblin prior the Spider-Man titles reboot where after going unmentioned for some time and despite the clues provided previously, the character is revealed to be literally no one at all; a genetic construct of Norman’s. Not only was this an unsatisfying resolution, it ignored the established information readers were given (Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol.2) #18).

 

Now let’s look at an alternative resolution to this mystery, one that could have played out in the Main Marvel Universe if not for editorial interference and one that just might have occurred in the MC2! A flashback in Spider-Girl #97 depicts a scene from Spectacular Spider-Man #261 confirming that at least the events established prior to this occurred in both the MC2 and the Main Marvel Universe. What’s interesting- though possibly unintentional -is that the Green Goblin’s glove is depicted as fingerless thanks to the colouring. This is curious because Phil was the only Green Goblin to use fingerless gloves.

 

In Part 33 of the brilliant Life of Reilly column (which can still be found online here and here) editor and writer Glenn Greenberg discussed with Andrew Goletz his brief mention of Phil’s Green Goblin in the one-shot Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal (I refuse to misspell it!) and his personal belief that Norman should have ‘taken action against Phil for daring to take on the Goblin identity’. Further to this, Greenberg adds he ‘had plans for this to happen in a later Spider-Man story line I wrote, called “Goblins at the Gate.” The story line saw print, but the Phil Urich element was dropped at the request of the editor.’ With this in mind, Norman’s new Green Goblin lackey makes far more sense, don’t you think? Due credit, this point was brought up by Minor Irritant in a profile for this fifth Green Goblin over on the Marvel Appendix.

 

So, I propose that Norman Osborn took his revenge on Phil Urich for taking on the mantel of the Green Goblin and stealing from his son Harry’s hideout by either coercion or brainwashing. This would not only provide Norman a method for distancing himself from his villainous identity in the public eye, but also allows him to psychologically target the reporter largely responsible for outing him to the public: Ben Urich, Phil’s own uncle. Obviously, this is just a theory that fits nicely with the ongoing stories being published at the time but I feel it does help to fill in the gaps for Phil’s own curiously undisclosed past in the MC2 between his tenure as the ‘good’ Goblin and his later attempt at heroism as the Blue Wail (Spider-Girl #3).

 

Considering we never learn how Phil regained his ability to use his ‘Lunatic Laugh’ without his Goblin mask (as seen in Spider-Girl #5), nor the details of how he obtained the distinctive scar upon his right cheek I feel there is a lot that could be explored here. If Phil were the fifth Green Goblin, it would stand to reason that he had some or all of his abilities reactivated following the treatments by Dr Angst and new gear provided by Norman Osborn. Supporting this, Norman’s grandson, Normie Osborn states ‘He [Norman Osborn] designed the special mask for us’ (Spider-Girl #93).

 

What doesn’t fit here is that the hideout containing the mask was Harry’s, not Norman’s. But Normie was a child at the time and wouldn’t know all the details, so why does he think Norman designed the mask at all? It would make sense for Norman to make his own version of the hi-tech mask so that the treatments Dr Angst used to re-empower Phil could be just as easily stripped away, allowing him more control over his lackey? I can certainly imagine a climactic battle wherein Phil’s mask is again damaged (and along with it his face scarred) in battle with Spider-Man. Wild speculation here but this could also help to strengthen the connection between Peter and Phil, explaining how they came to be such close friends and colleagues.

 

As I mentioned, I can’t take credit for this one because I’m certainly not the one who conceived of the idea but it is one I enjoyed expanding upon and working into an MC2 theory. It neatly ties up loose ends from a period in the Spider-Man books that were abruptly cut short. Furthermore, I like the way it deepens Phil’s connection to the Goblin legacy without him being outright evil and it would go some way toward explaining his overwhelming desire to do good afterwards under various monikers. Anyway, it’s just a theory, an MC2 Theory. Thanks for reading!

 

Until I find a crazier theory to outdo this one, I remain

 

frogoat