Doctor Nemesis
Doctor Nemesis is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and Ace Magazines.
Publication history
The first version (James Bradley) was a derivative version of the eponymous
The second version (Michael Shockton) was unidentified in Marvel Feature #4, but officially debuted in Marvel Feature #9 and was created by Mike Friedrich and Craig Russell.
Fictional character biography
James Bradley
Doctor Nemesis | |
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Ace Magazines are unknown. The Marvel Comics version of the character was co-created by Roy Thomas (writer) and Dave Hoover. | |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | James Bradley |
Species | Human Mutant |
Team affiliations | X-Men[5] X-Club[3] Battle-Axis X-Force Agents of Wakanda |
Notable aliases | Doctor Death |
Abilities | Accomplished investigator and hand to hand combatant "Self-evolved" intellect Enhanced immune system and eyesight Prolonged longevity |
James Bradley was born in San Francisco in 1906. Although primarily trained as a medical
The two scientists did not correct the design flaw that causes their android to burst into flames upon exposure to oxygen. Bradley had preferred they resolve this issue before revealing their work to the public. Horton, eager for fame and further financial backing, held a press conference in late 1939 debuting their work. This turned into a public relations disaster, as Bradley had predicted, when the android caught on fire, causing the press to label it a menace. Bradley broke off their partnership thereafter and took his unfinished second android with him.[6]
Sometime before 1941, Bradley completed his work and the second android acted as the superhero Volton, the Human Generator, from late 1941 to early 1942. Unaware of its artificial origins, Bradley led Volton to believe it was a scientist named Guy Newton who had discovered how to utilize his body's power to generate static electricity. Around this time, Bradley also decided to become a masked crimefighter, too. While working by day at Mercy Hospital in New York City, he would don a surgical mask to fight corruption and crime as Doctor Nemesis.[7]
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, Bradley "uses his fighting ability and hypodermic needle full of truth serum to fight gangs and costumed madmen like the hypnotic Swami, the Surgeon (who unleashes plague-bearing rats on the city), and Dr. Quartz, the comic book version of the sociopathic vivisector who was
After a number of adventures, Doctor Nemesis was approached by agents of the
On June 22, 1942, Battle-Axis made their public debut protecting a German U-boat from the Invaders attack. The two teams battled several times as the Invaders slowly unraveled Doctor Death's secret plans. Doctor Death kidnapped the Blue Bullet (John Goldstein) to employ him in his Project Mojave, and his brother Jacob was obliged to obey his orders in exchange for John's life. Jacob was forced, as the Golem, to attack the Invaders in Doctor Death's plan to force the USA out of involvement in World War II. When the Invaders attacked Doctor Death's base, the Golem remained neutral to keep from putting his brother in danger. John escaped during the battle, but was shot by Sky Shark. Though the Invaders were able to stop Doctor Death's plan, the Blue Bullet died.[9]
In their final confrontation, Doctor Death was able to get the oscillotron activated when he was struck down by Volton. The android had learned of its origins and Doctor Death's own role in keeping it secret. The Sub-Mariner was able to shut down the machine and Doctor Death was left for dead.[10] Somehow surviving the attack, Bradley returned to New York City. Apparently repentant, he assumed his original costumed persona of Doctor Nemesis. Continuing on his war on crime, he became engaged to his co-worker, Nurse Mary Strong. The majority of his wartime activities remain unchronicled.[11] After the war, Doctor Bradley moved to Santiago del Estero, Argentina to hunt down any Nazi superscientists and any of their clones.
Many years later, Doctor Bradley was approached by
After rescuing Beast and
During the "Last Days of "
Doctor Nemesis is also shown to be an inhabitant of Krakoa.[20] During the "Empyre" storyline, Doctor Nemesis accompanied Vision to Central Park where Luke Cage informs them about the plants that the Cotati placed there.[21] As Vision brings the fight with his plant-like opponent outside of Central Park, Luke Cage and Doctor Nemesis mistake it for a Cotati only for Vision to correct them by stating that his opponent is actually Plantman.[22] Doctor Nemesis, Luke Cage, and Vision continue their fight with Plantman and his Sprout Soldiers. They managed to defeat Plantman, but are unable to make contact with Black Panther.[23]
Michael Stockton
Doctor Nemesis | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Marvel Feature #4 (July 1972, unofficial), Marvel Feature #9 (May 1973, official) |
Created by | The early appearance in Marvel Feature #4 was co-written by Roy Thomas and Mike Friedrich, and the artwork was by Herb Trimpe. His reintroduction in Marvel Feature #9 was written by Mike Friedrich and drawn by P. Craig Russell. |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Michael Stockton |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | A.I.M |
Abilities | Size manipulation via device in costume |
Michael Craig Stockton was a scientist who was inventing a way to look into and study the subatomic worlds. He succeeded and stumbled onto one that was ruled by the monstrous tyrant
At some point, Michael was associated with
Michael became Doctor Nemesis and captured Ant-Man and
Doctor Nemesis begins to seek his revenge by infiltrating Wasp's mansion where she was throwing a party. Once inside the mansion, Doctor Nemesis donned a suit of miniature adamantium armor which hasn't been worn by Henry Pym. He then ambushed Wasp and attempted to use the armors weapons to shrink Wasp out of existence. Wasp was assisted by the Micronauts (who were trapped on Earth at the time). Doctor Nemesis used the beam on some of the Micronauts before the beam was turned on him by Acroyear. Although those who were hit by the beam ended up in the Microverse, Doctor Nemesis continued to shrink. The effects of the shrinking wore off and Doctor Nemesis returned to normal size.[27]
Henry Pym assisted in the investigation of several Los Angeles crimes that involved size-changing abilities. Henry Pym suspected that Doctor Nemesis was behind this as the places he robbed were New Centuries Labs, the Entwiler Family jewels, and Morgan-Stern Electronics. Henry Pym then deduced that the next place that Doctor Nemesis might rob is Eckman's Electronics where Henry Pym encountered Doctor Nemesis. Although Henry Pym lacked his size-changing abilities at the time, he tore open Doctor Nemesis' suit while he was in giant form and managed to shrink him back to size upon losing his connection with his helmet. When Doctor Nemesis was back at normal size, Henry Pym then punched him out.[28]
Under the alias of Dr. Stockton, Doctor Nemesis was employed at
When the Creatures from Kosmos began attacking Earthlings that had Pym Particles, Doctor Nemesis shrunk himself down to microscopic size where he ended up on Tim Boo Ba's world. He was captured and tortured Tim Boo Ba and his minions before returning to normal size and escaping. While incarcerated at the Big House, Doctor Nemesis attempted to warn the others of Tim Boo Ba. None would listen to him and he even sent an E-Mail to Elsa Bloodstone. When Tim Boo Ba began his rampage in New York, Elsa sent Doctor Nemesis an E-Mail stating that he was right.[24]
Doctor Nemesis was at the Bar with No Name in New York City where he was among the villains watching a fight between Spider-Man and the "Basher" on YouTube. He was among those that placed their bet with the Bookie.[30] When the real Spider-Man arrived after the Spider-Man that fought Basher was actually Screwball in disguise, Doctor Nemesis was among the villains that fought Spider-Man until the bartender Deke broke up the battle telling them that the Bar With No Name is a sanctuary for those on the run from the law.[31]
Powers and abilities
The first Doctor Nemesis possesses the mutant powers of having a self-described "self-evolved" intellect, making him an instinctively-intuitive scientific and technological genius (like his fellow X-Man, the mutant shaman/inventor
The costume of the second Doctor Nemesis possessed a device that enabled him to access the Pym Particles that enabled him to grow and shrink in size.
Other versions
Age of X
In the Age of X reality, James Bradley is seen in a hidden room built unknown to Magneto himself at the center of the fortress. He is frozen and distorted as he is not completely in this reality. Gambit notices he's looking at some brain scans, probably Legion's.[32]
Secret Wars (2015)
During the "
References
- ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ a b c The Uncanny X-Men #504
- ^ a b The Uncanny X-Men #507
- ^ Richards, Dave (14 September 2012). "EXCLUSIVE: The Future is Hopeless for "Cable and X-Force"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z, vol. 13 (2010) Marvel Comics
- ^ Invaders II #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Lightning Comics #6. Marvel Comics.
- ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
- ^ The Invaders vol. 2 #2–4 (June–Aug. 1993). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Invaders II #1–4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Super-Mystery #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #505. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #508. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #512. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #515. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Men Legacy #236. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Magneto vol. 3 #19. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers vol. 8 #12. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers vol. 8 #19. Marvel Comics.
- ^ X-Force vol. 6 #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Empyre: Avengers #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Empyre: Avengers #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Empyre: Avengers #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Marvel Feature #4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Marvel Feature #9-10. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Micronauts #42-43. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Solo Avengers #8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Marvel Comics Presents #113-118. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #562. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #563. Marvel Comics.
- ^ New Mutants #23. Marvel Comics.
External links
- Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Doctor Nemesis (Michael Stockton) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe