MODOK


MODOK is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The first MODOK is a former employee of Advanced Idea Mechanics, an arms dealing organization specializing in futuristic weaponry, who undergoes substantial mutagenic medical experimentation originally designed to increase his intelligence. While successful, this experimentation results in a freakishly overdeveloped head, causing the character's signature look and use of a flying chair for mobility. After the experiments, he rebels against his masters and takes control of AIM. Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, MODOK has appeared in over four decades of Marvel continuity, and starred in the miniseries Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11 #1–5 and a self-titled one-shot issue MODOK: Reign Delay #1.
MODOK has featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such as video games and animated television series and merchandise such as trading cards and toys. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked MODOK as #100.

Publication history

MODOK first appeared in the title Tales of Suspense #93–94, and became a recurring foe for superhero Captain America where he was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Writer Mike Conroy stated "Inevitably, he returned to plague Captain America, whose physical perfection he so resented."
MODOK reappeared in Captain America #120 and #133. The character also featured in a storyline in Sub-Mariner #49, before becoming the major villain in an extended storyline in Hulk #167–169. MODOK also participated in the "War of the Supervillains" storyline in Iron Man #74–75.
MODOK has a series of encounters with heroine Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel #5 ; #7 and #9-10. Constant battles against the Marvel heroes followed, including Iron Man Annual #4 ; Marvel Team-Up #104 and Marvel Two-In-One #81–82. Following a failed bid to use fellow Hulk foe the Abomination to achieve his ends in Hulk #287–290, MODOK is assassinated in Captain America #313. The character's body makes a ghoulish return in Iron Man #205.
During the Taking A.I.M. storyline in Avengers #386–387 ; Captain America #440 ; Avengers #388 and Captain America #441, MODOK is resurrected. More typical attempts to better the character's situation followed in Iron Man/Captain America Annual 1998; Defenders #9–10 ; Wolverine #142–143 ; Captain America and the Falcon #9 and Cable & Deadpool #11.
The character then made three humorous appearances, in Wha...Huh? #1 ; Marvel Holiday Special 2006 and GLA-Xmas Special #1. After appearing briefly in the mutant titles X-Men #200 and Uncanny X-Men #488, MODOK was featured in Ms. Marvel #14–17 and appeared in two miniseries: Marvel 1985 #1–6 and Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11 #1–5.
MODOK also featured in Hulk #600 ; Astonishing Tales #2 and the one-shot publication MODOK: Reign Delay #1.
MODOK later gained a counterpart in MODOK Superior, who first appeared in Hulk #29 and was created by Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman.

Fictional character biography

George Tarleton

George Tarleton is a technician for the organization Advanced Idea Mechanics. He was born in Bangor, Maine. Having recently created the Cosmic Cube, the AIM scientists use advanced mutagenics to alter Tarleton and create the super-intelligent MODOC to study and improve upon the object. MODOC, however, becomes ambitious, kills his former masters and takes control of A.I.M.. Calling himself MODOK, he comes into conflict with the hero Captain America, who is intent on rescuing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter from A.I.M.
MODOK becomes a recurring foe for Captain America, battling the hero on three more occasions, with the last encounter revealing the villain's origin. MODOK also battles Namor the Sub-Mariner and Doctor Doom, the latter intent on claiming the Cosmic Cube.
MODOK reappears and kidnaps Betty Ross, changing her into the mutate the Harpy with gamma rays in a bid to destroy the Hulk. The character follows the Hulk and the Harpy to a floating, where the Hulk's alter ego Dr. Robert Bruce Banner cures Ross of her condition. MODOK and an A.I.M. team arrive in time to kill the creature known as the Bi-Beast, the guardian of the aerie, but not before activating a self-destruct mechanism, forcing the characters to flee. MODOK also accepts the offer of the other-dimensional being the Black Lama and participates in the "War of the Supervillains", but fails to capture the prize when defeated by Iron Man.
A.I.M. becomes dissatisfied with the lack of scientific advancement under MODOK's leadership and MODOK's obsession with seeking revenge against metahumans, ousting him from power. MODOK attempts to regain control of the organization and prove his worth by unleashing a nerve agent on New York City, which is prevented by Ms. Marvel and the Vision. MODOK seeks revenge against Ms. Marvel, first attempting to mind control the heroine and then hiring the Shi'ar assassin Deathbird to kill her; Ms. Marvel overcomes both of these obstacles and finally defeats Deathbird and MODOK.
MODOK's ambitions grow and he seeks world domination, but is thwarted by Iron Man and the superhero team the Champions. After an attempt to plunder the resources of the Savage Land and a battle with Ka-Zar and the Hulk, the character develops a new biological agent called Virus X. MODOK's attempts to test the agent on the homeless is prevented by the Thing, Sub-Mariner and Captain America, although the villain escapes and the Thing almost dies when exposed to the virus.
Abandoned by A.I.M. for these failures, the character revives long-time Hulk foe the Abomination, planning to use the monster against his superiors. The plan fails when the Abomination is revealed to be mentally unstable, although during the course of the storyline MODOK transforms Dr. Katherine Waynesboro into Ms. MODOK, a female version of himself. Horrified by MODOK's callous disregard for life, Waynesboro demands to be restored to human form, and MODOK complies. Wishing to disassociate themselves from MODOK, A.I.M. hires the Serpent Society to assassinate the villain. They succeed, with Death Adder striking the killing blow. The Serpent Society returns MODOK's body to A.I.M., with the organization using it as a supercomputer. A rogue A.I.M. agent remotely operates MODOK's body in a bid to destroy Iron Man, with the battle ending with the body's destruction.
Although MODOK had died, A.I.M. temporarily replaced him with his more loyal, and in some ways more effective, second female counterpart MODAM.
During the Taking A.I.M. storyline, MODOK is resurrected because A.I.M. needs him to assist with the creation of another Cosmic Cube. In one of the attempts to create the Cube, MODAM is killed. Eventually MODOK is stranded in an alternate dimension, but manages to return with the unintended help of the villainous group the Headmen. After attempting to steal a device that boosts mental power, MODOK agrees to aid the Headmen in their plans of conquest, but after taking control of A.I.M. once again, he reneges on the agreement in order to avoid an encounter with the superhero team the Defenders. MODOK clashes with Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight before being captured by a group composed of U.S. Naval intelligence and a drug cartel. MODOK is lobotomized and employed to infiltrate spy satellites and manipulate the stock market, but he recovers and exploits the situation until captured and taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D..
During GLX-Mas Special #1, MODOK and A.I.M. fought Dum Dum Dugan and his S.H.I.E.L.D. squad, but were defeated by Squirrel Girl and her sidekick Tippy-Toe.
MODOK then seeks a sample of the cybernetic species the Phalanx, and after brief encounters with the mutant X-Men, battles Ms. Marvel once again, the heroine aided by fellow Avenger Wonder Man during an elaborate scheme by renegade A.I.M. branches to kill MODOK, with one of the rogues being MODOK's long-lost son, who seeks revenge for his abandonment.
Employing an elaborate scheme and, MODOK restores his personal wealth and power and re-establishes himself as the leader of A.I.M. once again.
It is also revealed that MODOK was involved in the creation of both the Red Hulk and the Red She-Hulk and belongs to the Intelligencia, a secret organization of genius-level supervillains.
MODOK was seen in Puerto Rico attempting to create an army of genetically enhanced monkeys called A.I.Monkeys to eliminate the recession in A.I.M., until he was defeated by Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman and the rookie Puerto Rican hero known as El Vejigante.
During the Fall of the Hulks storyline, it is revealed that MODOK is a member of the Intelligencia, who had a part in the creation of both the Red Hulk and the Red She-Hulk. They captured some of the smartest men and brought about the events that would lead up to the World War Hulks storyline.
When several heroes are subjected by the Intelligencia to the Cathexis ray, which can transfer radiant energy from one subject to another, Amadeus Cho is affected as well. Unlike the others, who become "Hulked-Out Heroes", his mind expands and becomes so powerful that he gains the ability to warp reality within a 10-foot radius. Using this power, he reverses the process that created MODOK, turning him back into George Tarleton, who knows no better than to get away as quickly as possible.
George Tarleton was taken into custody by the U.S. military and remains confined, where Bruce Banner occasionally calls on him to help defuse the "doomsday plans" that MODOK installed in the possibility that his master plan should fail. However, Tarleton appears to remember next to nothing of his time as MODOK and in fact seems to be either traumatized or just a simple-minded man.

MODOK Superior

Unknown to everyone, the doomsday plans left behind by MODOK serve as a distraction. The plans themselves are coordinated by a 'cluster' of brains, cloned from MODOK's own, who act as one non-sentient supercomputer. This cluster is destroyed by the Red Hulk and the doomsday plans are stopped. However, one of the cloned brains, rather than being utilized as an organic computer, is allowed to develop naturally and then uploaded with MODOK's memories. This new MODOK declares himself MODOK Superior and prepares to make his own mark on the world.
Cooperating with the Intelligencia once again, MODOK Superior and the Intelligencia attempt to study the body of a Spaceknight, which had crashed on Earth for unknown reasons. When the Avengers attempt to stop them, the body is revealed to be the latest vessel for the consciousness of Ultron. In the battle with the Avengers, MODOK Superior takes on Thor, claiming he has the power of a god - and being immediately struck down.
During the "Fear Itself" storyline, MODOK Superior reviews the attacks by Skadi and tells his followers that she is actually Red Skull's daughter Sin, who has tapped into the powers of the Asgardians. He then views from his surveillance that Red Hulk is fighting Thing. When he learns that Zero/One and Black Fog are also after Red Hulk, MODOK Superior plans to get to Red Hulk first. MODOK Superior prevents Black Fog from killing Red Hulk. MODOK Superior becomes intangible to keep himself from getting attacked by Angrir. MODOK Superior has his encounter with Zero/One and both of them declare a truce to help fight the soldiers of the Serpent. During that time, MODOK Superior starts to develop a crush on Zero/One.
In the prologue to the "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline, MODOK Superior targets an ex-A.I.M. scientist named Dr. Udaku who was being escorted to the Pentagon by Wakandan forces. Before MODOK Superior could burn Dr. Udaku, Scarlet Witch arrives and fights MODOK Superior, while smaller MODOK pawns surround Scarlet Witch. In the nick of time, Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman arrive and help to defeat MODOK Superior and A.I.M.
MODOK Superior and some rogue A.I.M. Agents joined up with S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to make a deal to take down Andrew Forson.
After a brief retirement, MODOK Superior returned and opened up a group of assassins called the Agents of MODOK where they killed bad people. However, he made the mistake of recruiting Gwenpool when she killed his top assassin and took credit for his kills. When he found she was not a superhuman and had no special training, he attempted to eliminate her, but she turned on him and sent him into space with an injured eye and damaged equipment. She then took over his agency for a brief time, but when her plans defeated a group of alien arms dealers but did not get them any money the agency was disbanded and everyone went their own way.
MODOK Superior and a group of A.I.M. members attacked a HYDRA airship to capture Shiklah, who was in its custody. Deadpool saved her, and stole MODOK Superior's chair. MODOK Superior was taken to the hospital, where he vowed vengeance on Deadpool for stealing his chair.
During the "Secret Empire" storyline, MODOK Superior appears as a member of the Army of Evil and took part in the attack on Manhattan in retaliation for what happened at Pleasant Hill during "."
MODOK Superior resurfaced in a new form during a confrontation with the newest incarnation of the West Coast Avengers, now appearing as an attractive, long-haired man, calling himself BRODOK and insisting that he was now reformed. The team eventually exposed his scheme to turn various citizens of Los Angeles into giant mindless monsters and defeated him, reverting him back to his traditional appearance.
During the "Iron Man 2020" arc, War Machine was about to be experimented on by some Deathloks on Lingares when he is saved by someone. When War Machine catches up to the rest of Force Works and gives them their equipment, they discover that his rescuer is MODOK Superior. He states that he wants to add his brainpower to Force Works as its newest member. It turns out that MODOK Superior was behind the Deathloks of Lingares and manipulated Force Works into taking out Ultimo's head so that he can take control of it and become Ulti-MODOK. After the bearded Deathlok was beheaded by U.S. Agent, War Machine temporarily turned into a Deathlok to control the remaining Deathloks into fighting Ulti-MODOK. When Quake briefly opened a lava-filled chasm, Ulti-MODOK fell in with the Deathloks following him down.

Powers and abilities

George Tarleton was subjected to a mutagenic process that transformed him into MODOK and grants him superhuman intelligence, including a computer-like memory, the ability to scour and retain large data-banks of information very quickly, and solve abstract mathematical problems nearly instantaneously. He also has the ability to calculate the mathematical probability of any given event occurring, which is so strong that it borders on precognition. However, his creativity remains at an average human level. MODOK's vast intelligence makes him one of the few beings that can analyze and comprehend the workings of the Cosmic Cube, which was the very purpose for his creation.
He also has psionic powers enabling him to contact others through telepathy, mentally control individuals or large groups, and generate force fields able to withstand minor nuclear explosions. Courtesy of A.I.M. technology, MODOK wears a headband that enables him to focus his mental power into devastating mind-beams. A side effect of the mutation was the growth of Tarleton's head to the point whereby his body can no longer support its weight, needing to rely on an exoskeleton and a hoverchair called the Doomsday Chair for movement. The Doomsday Chair is equipped with a variety of weapons, including missiles and lasers.
Occasionally, Tarleton had the use of a giant humanoid robot body that was proportionally sized to fit his head. Tarleton's organs also wear out quickly, necessitating the use of harvested clones, whose organs are used to sustain him. As the leader of A.I.M., MODOK has advanced technology, resources, and a personal army at his disposal.
MODOK Superior has the same genius-level intelligence and mental powers as the original MODOK, but apparently none of his weaknesses.

Other versions

''Marvel Adventures''

A version called "MODOC" appears in the title , briefly turning the Avengers into versions of itself before being defeated.

''Ms. Marvel''

Over the course of her two series, Carol Danvers had several interactions with A.I.M. and MODOK; among others, she was both saved from being disincorporated by 24 embryonic MODOCs who had been outfitted with reality-altering powers when working in unison and separated into two separate entities to fulfill her fondest wish. Also, reference was made, by A.I.M. personnel, to many actual MODOCs who, apparently, really did function in the way that MODOK was originally supposed to have done.

MODOT

MODOT, formerly Nobel Prize hopeful Dimitri Smirkov, appears in the third Howard the Duck miniseries and, unlike his predecessor MODOK, can walk without the aid of a hoverchair. He had no designs of world conquest, but instead was only interested in making money; this may be because the branch of A.I.M. that created him did so specifically so he could talk the head office into increasing their budget. He ended up practically ruling the airwaves, influencing millions of viewers through 100 android hosts, anchormen and reporters, all controlled directly by him.

MODOG

Iron Man has an encounter with MODOG in the second volume of The Invincible Iron Man. Iron Man dispatches him with ease, dumping him in outer space.

Marvel MAX

The limited series U.S. War Machine, published under the mature-audience Marvel MAX imprint, showcases another version of MODOK salvaged by S.H.I.E.L.D. when it is discarded by A.I.M., apparently a victim of racial prejudice.

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of the character features in the title Ultimate Vision, experimenting with a Gah Lak Tus probe on an A.I.M. space station. Although he starts the story as the amoral genius cyborg George Tarleton, after he is infected by Gah Lak Tus, he is eventually reduced to a disembodied head.
Another version of MODOK appeared in #2, when Doctor Faustus revealed that he, too, was a cyborg and harbored a tiny MODOK inside his hollow head.

Nextwave

At least four versions of MODOK, apparently based around Elvis Presley, were created by the Beyond Corporation to defend their secret weapons factory, State 51. They were defeated by the Nextwave Squad. Their principal mode of attack seemed to involve shooting cheeseburgers at their target.
The following issue revealed that the Beyond Corporation was being run by a disguised infant MODOK, apparently conceived by a MODOK and a MODAM. This MODOK escapes the Nextwave Squad, but it is subsequently killed by its master, Devil Dinosaur.

Amalgam Comics

A version of the character features in Iron Lantern #1, a one-shot title that is a part of the Amalgam Comics line, which is a sequel to the DC vs. Marvel miniseries. MODOK is merged with DC Comics character Hector Hammond to form H.E.C.T.O.R., who is the leader of the Weaponers of A.I.M..

''Marvel Zombies''

An alternate version of MODOK is seen being eaten by zombified versions of the She-Hulk and Hawkeye. Later, it is discovered that this universe's Ash Williams had watched this MODOK be devoured.

''Earth X''

An alternate version of MODOK appeared in Earth X. In recent history, MODOK, like every other telepath on the planet, was killed when the Red Skull's powers first manifested. MODOK's hoverchair, ironically, was later recovered by the Skull's army and the Skull used it as his personal throne.

MODORD

A Dazzler-centered story, "Disco Highway", in issue #4 of the miniseries X-Men: Serve and Protect, released in February 2011, features a character named MODORD.

''MODOK: Assassin''

During the Secret Wars storyline, the Battleworld domain of Killville is based on a reality where MODOK killed every known superhero, which resulted in its citizens being in constant danger from every supervillain and murderer in Killville.

''Spider-Gwen''

In the pages of Spider-Gwen that is taking place on Earth-65, Captain America fights against MODAAK. The author based this character on American then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

In other media

Novels

MODOK was the primary antagonist of the Iron Man paperback novel Iron Man: And Call My Killer...MODOK!, no. 6 in the Marvel Pocket Novels series, by William Rotsler.

Television