Machine Man

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Japanese tokusatsu television series, see
Seiun Kamen Machineman. For the novel by Max Barry, see Machine Man (novel). For the toy robot, see Mr. Machine
.
Machine Man
A.I. Army
Notable aliasesX-51, Mister Machine
Abilities
  • Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, reflexes and accuracy
  • Telescoping arms and legs
  • Can fly by using anti-gravity disks
  • Various installed weapons

Machine Man (also known as Aaron Stack, Mister Machine and serial number Z2P45-9-X-51 or X-51 for short) is an android

feature film and Arthur C. Clarke's 1968 novel.[2] Shortly thereafter, Machine Man spun off into his own Kirby-created series. He is a robot, the only survivor of a series, raised as a human son of scientist Abel Stack, who was killed removing his auto-destruct mechanism, and further evolved to sentience by a Monolith
.

Publication history

Volume 1

Machine Man originally appeared in the pages of 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 (July 1977), which was written and drawn by Jack Kirby, where he was called Mister Machine.[3] He went on to appear in his own self-titled series in 1978.[4]

This title featured Machine Man entering the mainstream Marvel Universe. Jack Kirby wrote and drew the first nine issues, which dealt with the title character's status as a fugitive from the military after the death of his creator, and his first interactions with mankind. The book was canceled at the end of 1978 with X-51 finally standing up to the military. Machine Man appeared next in a three issue story arc within the pages of The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #235–237, battling the Hulk within the suburban setting of his human friend, Dr. Peter Spaulding. By the end of the storyline, he incurred a complete system shutdown, leading to the events portrayed in his relaunched monthly series. The title was relaunched in issue #10 after a nine-month hiatus. Status quo in the book changed with Machine Man now living amongst humanity, and dealing with his own new-found emotions. Marv Wolfman came aboard as the new writer, partnered with artist Steve Ditko, which helped set a different tone from Kirby's previous stories. Issue #15 saw a new writer, Tom DeFalco, taking over the writing chores. The title lasted until issue #19, ending in Feb. 1980.

Volume 2

In Oct. 1984–Jan. 1985, the Machine Man title was resurrected, in a four-issue

ISBN 978-0-07-135458-5), with brand new cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith. The miniseries was republished again in 1994 as two double-size books, with the name Machine Man 2020. Characters from this alternate future have made appearances in other Marvel books, namely Arno Stark, the mercenary Iron Man 2020
. In 2013, many of Arno Stark’s adventures were collected in the Iron Man 2020 TPB, which included all 4 issues of Machine Man volume 2.

Volume 3

In 1999, Marvel brought the character back in the series X-51, The Machine Man in which Machine Man experiences a programming malfunction: he would uncontrollably attack any

Celestial
, as the Celestials—revealed to be the power behind the Monoliths—had become interested in Machine Man.

Fictional character biography

Aaron Stack

Machine Man, whose real name is Z2P45-9-X-51, was the last of a series of sentient robots created at the Broadhurst Center for the Advancement of Mechanized Research in Central City, California, by robotics expert Dr. Abel Stack for the US Army. However, all previous 50 experimental robots went mad as they achieved

2001. After Stack died trying to protect him, X-51 assumed the human name Aaron Stack and escaped confinement, only to be relentlessly pursued by the army. X-51 named himself Mister Machine in issue #9 of the 10-issue run of 2001. While on the run, the newly christened Machine Man initiated contact with humanity in order to better understand it.[5] After being captured and later freed, Machine Man was found by psychiatrist Peter Spaulding. He also battled Col. Krag's troops.[6] Soon after that, he first encountered Curtiss Jackson.[7] Alongside the Hulk, he battled Curtiss Jackson.[8] Soon after that, he was redesigned and rebuilt by Dr. Oliver Broadhurst.[9] He then first encountered the Fantastic Four.[10] He then met mechanic "Gears" Garvin, and then battled Baron Brimstone.[11] He also battled Madame Menace.[12] He then first encountered Aurora, Northstar, and Sasquatch of Alpha Flight.[13] Spaulding and Garvin set up Machine Man with a human identity as Aaron Stack, insurance investigator for the Delmar Insurance Company,[14]
but he continued having adventures as a superhero on the side.

In Iron Man #168 (March 1983), Machine Man attempts to pay

Firestar. Because of his actions against Justice and Firestar, X-51's membership in the Avengers is revoked. At the end of X-51, X-51 encountered one of the monoliths and disappeared, brought into the presence of the monolith's creators, the cosmic beings known as the Celestials.[21]

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.

Main article: Nextwave

Dirk Anger's room to steal beer until he found out what Anger made it out of.[25] He later uses his knowledge of Dirk's quarters to steal Anger's mother's dress and hold it hostage in exchange for the safe escape of Nextwave.[volume & issue needed] Later appearances in the Marvel Comics Presents vol. 2 suggest that X-51's memories of his time with the Celestials may be skewed, as he experienced visual hallucinations of a miniature Celestial helping him overcome his psychological issues.[volume & issue needed
]

Despite the appearance of Nextwave characters in other Marvel titles, in 2006 Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada stated that Nextwave's setting was in a universe separate from the main Marvel continuity.[26] However, later issues of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, as well as Civil War: Battle Damage Report, consistently place Nextwave's activities in mainstream continuity. As noted above, subsequent appearances by Stack have used the Nextwave portrayal.

The Initiative

Main article:
Fifty State Initiative
Aaron with his Monica Rambeau LMD. Art by Adriana Melo.

Machine Man appears in a flashback to Iron Man #168 (March 1983) in Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War. In trying to convince Captain America of the rightness of his position, Iron Man tells of the time Machine Man came to visit him. Machine Man was seeking to compare notes with Iron Man, thought to be a robot by Machine Man. Drunk, irate, and under considerable stress from the machinations of Obadiah Stane, Iron Man attacks Machine Man and almost kills two of his own employees. At the last possible second, Machine Man's extendable arm pushes them out of the way. Iron Man uses this incident as the need for accountability in the superhero population.[27] Aaron and Sleepwalker are recruited to aid Ms. Marvel in finding her teammate Araña as part of a S.H.I.E.L.D. strikeforce known as Operation Lightning Storm.[28] In the promotional cover for this appearance, he is in the costume which he wore during Nextwave.[29] His appearance is entirely in keeping with Nextwave: he wears the same costume and displays the same nonsensical and zany personality developed, in place of his previous logical and friendly self. He reveals that Agent Maria Hill from S.H.I.E.L.D. offered him financial compensation to join the Initiative, enraging Ms. Marvel, who had supported it from the beginning, for free. He spends much of his time in Chile and aboard the Minicarrier 13, Ms. Marvel's headquarters at the time, antagonizing and criticizing every available agent. In addition to financial compensation, S.H.I.E.L.D. has also provided Aaron with a Life Model Decoy of Monica Rambeau, which is programmed to cry for him.[30] Keeping him in his new role of comic relief, Aaron has been shown using the LMD body as a replacement part for his damaged body, going so far to offer womanly advice to a deeply shocked Araña.[31]

Marvel Zombies

Main articles: Marvel Zombies 3 and Marvel Zombies 5
See also:
Marvel Zombies (series)

Machine Man appears twice in the

Lockjaw who he uses to teleport back to his own dimension. Disposing of the remaining zombies within the facility, Machine Man and Jocasta are assigned back to S.H.I.E.L.D.[35]

He retains his personality as displayed in Nextwave and

Ms Marvel in this series, but when Jocasta describes him as different from the person she once knew, he gives an explanation. Describing his earlier, friendly personality as being linked to "unresolved Oedipal issues", he claims to have grown tired of saving people over and over again to earn their love, as he loved them. Since that never happened (he claims), he has "modeled myself after the fleshies now. I look out for Number One, just like them".[36] At the end of the series, as he wipes out the last remaining zombies, he declares, "No, you know what? My name is Machine Man and I just saved the ☠☠☠☠ing world!" accepting the name he spent much of Nextwave and this series denying.[37] In Marvel Zombies 5, he teams up with Howard the Duck. They later work with and befriend Jacali Kane, daughter of an alternate-universe Hurricane. The trio travel the multi-verse fighting zombies; their intentions are to gather samples from biologically differing zombies in other to gain a cure.[38] He is dismayed by Jocasta's decision to marry Ultron.[39]

Working with Red Hulk

Under orders from

Rigellian technology to manipulate hydrogen, which involved providing a supply of water and terraforming a part of the desert for Sharzhad. When Sultan Magus returns, he attacks Red Hulk and Machine Man. Sultan Magus rips Machine Man in half.[42] When Arabian Knight is freed from his imprisonment, Red Hulk and Machine Man continue their fight with Sultan Magus until General Reginald Fortean arrives and ends the fight. Fortean states to Red Hulk and Machine Man that Sharzhad has been recognized as a nation by the Arab League upon Sultan Magus agreeing to stop the weapons trading and states that they are trespassing. Sultan Magus then orders Red Hulk and Machine Man to get out of Sharzhad while he secretly plans to have his revenge on Red Hulk someday.[43] Following an altercation with Red She-Hulk, Machine Man and Red Hulk track Zero/One to her floating island base Ogygia. As Red Hulk and Machine Man are fighting Zero/One's genetically-engineered sea monsters, Zero/One sends Black Fog to fight Machine Man and Red Hulk.[44] Using a device given to him by Jacob Feinman, Machine Man disables Zero/One's drones and frees Black Fog from Zero/One's control as Black Fog leaves the area, stating that his debt is paid.[45] Machine Man and Red Hulk arrived in Hawaii to fight a genetically-engineered Hydra that was created by Zero/One.[46]

Marvel NOW! (2016)

As part of the 2016

A.I. Army.[49] Machine Man was assigned to blow up the satellite dish on Baintronics only for his feelings towards a reprogrammed Jocasata to get in the way.[50] He followed her to a Baintronics facility and fought through many of the X-series robots that came before him. When he finally catches up to Jocasta, he is taken down by a new X-series robot model named X-52.[51] Despite being at a disadvantage, Machine Man defeated X-52 and killed Jocasta while making off with her still-active head. Though he ran into a Baintronics security personnel as he prepares to fight them.[52]

Powers and abilities

Machine Man was constructed by unnamed computer engineering specialists under Dr. Oliver Broadhurst at the Broadhurst Center for the Advancement of Mechanized Research; Dr. Abel Stack was his chief programmer. Machine Man's robotic materials, design, and construction (titanium alloy) provide him with a number of abilities, as does his adamantium composition. He possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, and reflexes. He is an expert on his own construction and repair. Machine Man has superhuman visual acuity. He possesses an above normal intellect, with a capacity for unlimited self-motivated activity, creative intelligence, and human-like emotions. He has superhuman cybernetic analytical capabilities, including the ability to process information and make calculations with superhuman speed and accuracy.

Machine Man is powered by

interferometer, micro-pulse radar, audiometer, seismometer, gravity-wave detector, pulse-code modulator, standard-computer input/outputs, radio beacon, all-wave transceiver, laser-cutting torch/weapon, and projection of heat, cold, or electricity; one of his fingers has been shown to contain a bullet-firing mechanism that uses .357 Magnum ammunition. He has the ability of flight under his own power through the means of anti-gravity
disks.

During the X-51 series, Machine Man had a few extra features thanks to nanotechnology within him at the time. This mainly included parts of himself being rebuilt if damaged, also causing many changes in his look from issue to issue. He also had a beam cannon on his chest.[volume & issue needed] In Nextwave, he has become a living Swiss Army knife of sorts, containing various tools and weapons for a multitude of situations, both useful and esoteric. When asked if he could impregnate a human woman from several feet away, Aaron simply states "I am full of very useful devices".[23] In the Point One event, as many other heroes, Machine Man was slightly revamped, gaining new powers and abilities. Now being a cross between the nano-technological being in the X-51 miniseries and the living Swiss Army knife of Nextwave, Machine Man is now suffused with nanites able to effortlessly change his appearance from his earliest, jump-suited look to the more-humanoid looks of Nextwave. Also, his nanotechnology allows him to transform and rebuild every piece of machinery he comes in contact with, such as building an anti-gravity vehicle out of a motorcycle.[volume & issue needed]

Collected editions

Title Material Collected Published Date ISBN
Machine Man by Kirby & Ditko: The Complete Collection Machine Man (vol. 1) #1-19 and Incredible Hulk #235-237 August 9, 2016 978-0785195771
Iron Man 2020: Robot Revolution - Force Works 2020 Machine Man #1-2 and 2020 Force Works #1-3, 2020 Iron Age #1 November 3, 2020 978-1302925536

Other versions

Delmar Insurance

In Nextwave #10, Forbush Man forces each member of Nextwave to experience life in 'Forbush Vision'; they were cursed to suffer in a boring or mundane personal hell. Aaron's nightmare was life as an insurance adjuster for Delmar Insurance in Central City, USA. Bashing his head into a personal computer several times out of depression, he kills himself, only to answer the phone a moment later. Stack is freed from the nightmare by the intervention of fellow Nextwave member Tabitha Smith.[53]

Earth X

Machine Man was also one of the main characters of the

Celestials, by revealing to Earth's superhero community the true origins of mankind. After defeating the Celestials, Machine Man used his newfound position to contact parallel Earths to help them eradicate the Celestial menace.[volume & issue needed
]

Marvel Zombies

Aside from his mainstream version having travelled to this universe, Machine Man and his Nextwave counterparts are also a team in this reality; they are destroyed off-panel by the zombie Power Pack.[54] The classic version of Machine Man also appears in Marvel Zombies Dead Days in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. He is part of a last-ditch super-team gathered to fight the zombies.[55]

Machine Man 2020

Machine Man was reactivated in the year 2020 by a group of outlaw scavengers called Midnight Wreckers (led by X-51's old friend Gears Garvin), and forced to battle his old enemy, the industrialist ice queen Sunset Bain, as well as mercenary Arno Stark, the amoral Iron Man of 2020.[56]

Earth X

In Paradise X: Heralds #1, Iron Man 2020 claimed to the Earth X Machine Man that he had killed Machine Man 2020, despite the miniseries depicting Arno Stark's decisive defeat at Machine Man's hands.[57][58]

Queen's Vengeance

When Morgan le Fay restructured reality in volume three of Avengers #1–3, nearly all Avengers, past and present, were transformed into the Queen's Vengeance, a sort of medieval-themed Avengers, with Machine Man becoming Sir MacHinery.[59]

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of Machine Man is Danny Ketch, who sacrificed his life during Galactus' assault on Earth via MODOK. Danny Ketch's consciousness is later revealed to have survived inside a robotic body formed from salvaged Gah Lak Tus tech and is dubbed "Machine Man" by Phil Coulson. As Machine Man, Ketch joins the Future Foundation under Coulson.[60]

In other media

Machine Man appears in Spider-Man Unlimited, voiced by Dale Wilson. This version was intended to serve as an enforcer to the High Evolutionary, but was rejected due to being obsolete and set to be disassembled before Spider-Man saves him. Subsequently, he joins the resistance against the High Evolutionary.[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ^ "☠☠☠☠" representing an unspecified, but extremely offensive, profanity throughout the Nextwave series.

References

  1. ^ Red She-Hulk #67. Marvel Comics.
  2. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1465455505
    .
  4. ^ Markstein, Don. "Machine Man". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. ^ 2001: A Space Odyssey #8. Marvel Comics.
  6. ^ Machine Man #1–2. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^ Machine Man #6. Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #235–237. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ Machine Man #10. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^ Machine Man #15. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ Machine Man #16. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^ Machine Man #17. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^ Machine Man #18. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ Machine Man #11
  15. ^ Iron Man #168 (March 1983)
  16. ^ Marvel Two-in-One #92–93. Marvel Comics.
  17. ^ The Avengers #287-290. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ X-Men Annual '99. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ Cable/Machine Man '98 Annual #1. Marvel Comics.
  20. ^ Machine Man/Bastion Annual '98. Marvel Comics.
  21. ^ X-51 #12. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #1. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^ a b Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #2. Marvel Comics.
  24. ^ Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #5. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^ Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #6. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^ Gum, Wade (2006-07-01). "Heroes Con: Joe Quesada Panel". WizardUniverse.com. Archived from the original on 2007-07-11.
  27. ^ Iron Man Captain America: Casualties of War #1
  28. ^ Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #18. Marvel Comics.
  29. ^ "Ms. Marvel (2006) #18". Marvel.com. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  30. ^ Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #26
  31. ^ Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #21. Marvel Comics.
  32. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #1. Marvel Comics.
  33. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #2. Marvel Comics.
  34. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #3. Marvel Comics.
  35. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #4. Marvel Comics.
  36. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #2. Marvel Comics.
  37. ^ Marvel Zombies 3 #4. Marvel Comics.
  38. ^ Marvel Zombies 5 #1–5 (2010). Marvel Comics.
  39. ^ Marvel Zombies 5 #3. Marvel Comics.
  40. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #43. Marvel Comics.
  41. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #44. Marvel Comics.
  42. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #45. Marvel Comics.
  43. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #46. Marvel Comics.
  44. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #47. Marvel Comics.
  45. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #48. Marvel Comics.
  46. ^ Hulk vol. 2 #49. Marvel Comics.
  47. ^ Deadpool & the Mercs for Money vol. 2 #3
  48. ^ Deadpool & the Mercs for Money vol. 2 #4. Marvel Comics.
  49. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.
  50. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics.
  51. ^ 2020 Machine Man #1. Marvel Comics.
  52. ^ 2020 Machine Man #2. Marvel Comics.
  53. ^ Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #10. Marvel Comics.
  54. ^ Marvel Zombies Versus The Army of Darkness #3. Marvel Comics.
  55. ^ Marvel Zombies Dead Days (July 2007). Marvel Comics.
  56. ^ Machine Man vol. 2 #1–4. Marvel Comics.
  57. ^ Marvel Encyclopedia Volume 6: Fantastic Four. Marvel Comics.
  58. ^ Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes (2005). Marvel Comics.
  59. ^ Avengers #1–3 (1998). Marvel Comics.
  60. ^ Cataclysm: Ultimates #3. Marvel Comics.

External links

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