Mettle (character)
Mettle | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Avengers Academy #1 (Jun. 2010) |
Created by | Christos Gage Mike McKone |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Ken Mack |
Team affiliations | Avengers Academy |
Notable aliases | Fortress |
Abilities | Experienced surfer Iridium body grants: Superhuman strength and durability Virtual indestructibility |
Mettle (Ken Mack) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was recruited into training at the Avengers Academy to become an Avenger.[1]
Publication history
Mettle first appeared in Avengers Academy #1 (June 2010) and was created by Christos Gage and Mike McKone. He appeared as a regular character in the series through its final issue, #39 (Jan 2013).
Mettle appeared briefly in Avengers Arena, the successor title to Avengers Academy, by Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker.[2]
Fictional character biography
Ken Mack was a sixteen-year-old Hawaiian surfer with a laid back and carefree attitude. While surfing, another surfer hit him with a surf board and ripped away part of his face, which revealed a red iridium skull at the point of impact. He was taken to Norman Osborn, where Dr. Baron Von Blitzschlag explained that the trauma accelerated his transformation that was already taking place. Norman Osborn further accelerated the transformation, changing Ken's body to be completely iridium.[3]
Heroic Age
Mettle is recruited into the
He is portrayed as a more responsible member of the new recruits, after discovering that they will all have a training session with
On a visit to the Raft, Mettle, Hazmat, and Veil plan to seek out Norman Osborn in his cell to kill him for revenge. Hazmat used her power to cause a blackout, giving them enough time for Mettle to rip the Osborn's cell door. However, they let him live when Osborn said he could fix them. When the students were questioned about who cause the blackout, Mettle lied and said it seemed like fate led them to Osborn.
In an attempt to bring back the
At the Prom, Mettle and Hazmat shared their thoughts and feelings to each other and decided to start a romantic relationship.[7]
Fear Itself
In the
Avengers Vs. X-Men
Mettle and the students initially do not take kindly to the junior X-Men,[
Final Exams
Mettle and Hazmat succumb to Jeremy Briggs's promise of a normal life and take the "Clean Slate". With his powers gone and a special skin graft, Mettle looks normal again. He is about to spend some private time with Hazmat, but when they hear that Jeremy is threatening their other classmates they take the antidote and Mettle's new skin is burned off by a re-powered Hazmat.[12] He and the other students are graduated to associate members of the Avengers.[13]
Avengers Arena and death
After finally having sex with Hazmat while the teachers (and most students) were away, Mettle is abducted alongside Hazmat, Reptil, X-23, Juston Seyfert, and a dozen others by
Powers and abilities
Possessing a body of living iridium, he is virtually indestructible, shown to be able to withstand the intense heat of a flame thrower. His costume is made of "unstable molecules" that
Before obtaining his iridium body, Ken Mack was an experienced surfer.
Other versions
Mettle appears as a zombie in Marvel Zombies Halloween, attacking Kitty Pryde and her son Peter with other zombies, but is seemingly repelled by Mephisto.[17]
In Marvel Universe Vs. The Avengers Mettle provides vital support to the defenses of Manhattan island during the cannibal plague sweeping the world.[18]
Reception
In an article for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jerome Maida describes Mettle as an "invulnerable powerhouse".[19]
A review of Avengers Academy #14.1 by David Pepose for Newsarama expressed his love of the expressions artist Sean Chen gives to the characters, including Mettle "whose face still speaks volumes even as its frozen in the shape of a skull".[20] In his review of Avengers Academy #20, Pepose called Tom Raney's depiction of the "still-faced" Mettle "absolutely heartbreaking".[21]
References
- ^ a b c Avengers Academy #1 (June 2010)
- ^ Sunu, Steve (13 September 2012). "Hopeless and Walker Populate "Avengers Arena" For Marvel NOW!". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ a b Avengers Academy #4 (November 2010)
- ^ Avengers Academy #5-7 (Dec. 2010 - Feb. 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #8 (March 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #11 (May 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #13 (June 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #19 (November 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #20 (December 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #25 (December 2011)
- ^ Avengers Academy #36
- ^ Avengers Academy #35
- ^ Avengers Academy #39
- ^ Avengers Arena #1 (December 2012)
- ^ Avengers Arena #13
- ^ Avengers Arena #12 (July 2013)
- ^ Marvel Zombies Halloween #1 (October 2012)
- ^ Marvel Universe Vs. The Avengers #1-4 (2012-2013)
- ^ http://articles.philly.com/2010-09-13/entertainment/24974022_1_hazmat-second-chances-young-heroes [bare URL]
- ^ "Newsarama | GamesRadar+". 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Newsarama | GamesRadar+". 22 December 2023.