Masters of Evil: Difference between revisions

 

==Publication history==

The original Masters of Evil, consisting of existing Marvel Comics supervillains the [[Melter]], the [[Radioactive Man (comics)|Radioactive Man]], and the [[Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)|Black Knight]], was gathered by former [[Nazi]] [[scientist]] [[Baron Zemo#Baron Heinrich Zemo|Baron Heinrich Zemo]]. Despite attempting to capture the Avengers with Adhesive X and spreading it over the city, the Avengers find an antidote with the help of [[Trapster|Paste-Pot Pete]], and give it to the Masters in secret, causing them to accidentally free people, and then the Avengers send most of the members to jail. Zemo is tricked into opening a container filled with tear gas inside his helicopter, but despite this escapes.<ref>''The Avengers'' #6 (July 1964)</ref>

 

Baron Zemo leads the team in his revenge on Captain America and the Avengers. The team had been joined by the [[Enchantress (Marvel Comics)|Enchantress]] and the [[Executioner (comics)|Executioner]], whom found Zemo in their exile to Earth, imposed on them by [[Odin (comics)|Odin]] for attacking Thor. The Enchantress hypnotizes Thor into attacking the Avengers while Captain America has been lured to South America to fight Zemo, but Iron Man breaks him out of the trance. Captain America returns on Zemo's helicopter and stops Zemo from shooting the Avenger. However the Enchantress casts a spell which gets the helicopter to the rooftop she and the Executioner are on. The Executioner knocks Captain America out by striking his shoulder, and takes him out of the helicopter, after which they all try to escape. The Masters are sent to another dimension in a Space Warp generated by Thor.<ref>''The Avengers'' #7</ref> Two issues later the Enchantress returns them to Earth with a spell. Wonder Man is created by Zemo and given superhuman strength with an ionic ray, though told he will die in a week unless given an antidote Zemo has. He captures the Wasp and lures the Avengers into a trap, but sacrifices himself to save the Avengers.<ref>''The Avengers'' #9</ref> [[Immortus]] appears and offers to help the Masters by defeating an Avengers member, and succeeds on taking Captain America to 1760, to the [[Tower of London]]. The Masters attack the Avengers, but Captain America then returns and the Enchantress turns back time to prevent this happening. Zemo kidnaps Rick Jones with an attractor beam and the releases the Black Knight and Melter using the Enchantress and Executioner, the Radioactive Man having been deported back to China, who force Captain America to go alone to Zemo's kingdom by attacking the other Avengers. The Executioner tells the Avengers that a battle in the city would hurt many people, meaning they should surrender. Zemo dies in the battle with Captain America when he accidentally triggers a rockslide after being blinded by Captain America's shield.<ref>''The Avengers'' #15 (April 1965)</ref> The rest are then captured after Thor transports them to another dimension with different scientific laws, meaning their weapons rebound; only the Enchantress and Executioner escaping by running away before the transportation happened.<ref>''The Avengers'' #16</ref>

 

[[Image:Masters of Evil II.jpg|thumb|right|The Masters of Evil featured in ''[[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]'' #54 (vol. 1, Jul. 1968) Art by [[John Buscema]].]]

The next version, organized by the [[robot]] [[Ultron]] under the alias of Crimson Cowl, consisted of [[Klaw (Marvel Comics)|Klaw]], [[Melter]], [[Radioactive Man (comics)|Radioactive Man]], [[Whirlwind (comics)|Whirlwind]], and the second [[Black Knight (Dane Whitman)|Black Knight]] (who joined with the intention of betraying the Masters).<ref>''The Avengers'' #54 - 55 (July - Aug. 1968)</ref> This incarnation made one more appearance.<ref>''The Avengers'' #83 (Dec. 1970)</ref> Ultron used this incarnation to blackmail New York.

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Criminal scientist [[Egghead (comics)|Egghead]] organized a third version, consisting of [[Abner Jenkins|Beetle]], [[Moonstone (comics)|Moonstone]], the [[Mac Gargan|original Scorpion]], [[Shocker (comics)|Shocker]], [[Tiger Shark (Marvel Comics)|Tiger Shark]], and longtime members [[Radioactive Man (comics)|Radioactive Man]] and [[Whirlwind (comics)|Whirlwind]].<ref>''Avengers'' #222 (Aug. 1982) & #227 (Jan. 1983)</ref> Egghead uses this incarnation to assist him in making technological breakthroughs.

 

A fourth version was formed by [[Baron Zemo#Baron Helmut Zemo|Baron Helmut Zemo]], the son of the original. This team uses over a dozen villains consisting of [[Absorbing Man]], [[Blackout (comics)|Blackout]], [[Black Mamba (comics)|Black Mamba]], [[Fixer (comics)|Fixer]], [[Erik Josten|Goliath]], [[Grey Gargoyle]], [[Mister Hyde (comics)|Mister Hyde]], [[Moonstone (comics)|Moonstone]], [[Songbird (comics)|Screaming Mimi]], [[Tiger Shark (Marvel Comics)|Tiger Shark]], [[Mary MacPherran|Titania]], [[Whirlwind (comics)|Whirlwind]], the [[Wrecking Crew (comics)|Wrecking Crew]] ([[Wrecker (comics)|Wrecker]], [[Thunderball (comics)|Thunderball]], [[Piledriver (comics)|Piledriver]] and [[Bulldozer (comics)|Bulldozer]]), and [[Yellowjacket (Rita DeMara)|Yellowjacket]], created with the goal of overwhelming the Avengers with sheer raw power where others had attempted to match the current line-up.

 

The villains storm Avengers mansion in a multi-issue storyline titled "Avengers Under Siege."<ref>''Avengers'' #270 -277 (Aug. 1986 - March 1987) & ''West Coast Avengers'' #16 (Jan. 1987)</ref>

 

The fifth team was organized by [[Doctor Octopus]], but bore little resemblance to previous incarnations. Its roster included [[Absorbing Man]], [[Gargantua (comics)|Gargantua]], [[Jackhammer (comics)|Jackhammer]], [[Oddball (comics)|Oddball]], [[Powderkeg]], [[Puff Adder (comics)|Puff Adder]], [[Shocker (comics)|Shocker]], [[Mary MacPherran|Titania]], and [[Yellowjacket (Rita DeMara)|Yellowjacket]].

 

The [[Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team)|Guardians of the Galaxy]], a superhero group from an alternate timeline, defeated the villains.<ref>''Guardians of the Galaxy'' #28 -29 (Sep. - Oct. 1992)</ref>

 

[[Image:Masters of Evil headshots.png|thumb|right|The Masters of Evil: (from top) Screaming Mimi, Goliath, Baron Zemo, Beetle, Fixer, and Moonstone.]]

{{Main|Thunderbolts (comics)}}

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The seventh<ref>''Thunderbolts'' #3 (June 1997)</ref> incarnation was recruited by the [[Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer)|second Crimson Cowl]] (Justine Hammer). These versions consisted of villains including [[Aqueduct (comics)|Aqueduct]], [[Bison (comics)|Bison]], [[Blackwing]], [[Boomerang (comics)|Boomerang]], [[Cardinal (comics)|Cardinal]], [[Constrictor (comics)|Constrictor]], the [[Cyclone (Marvel Comics)|third Cyclone]], [[Dragonfly (Marvel Comics)|Dragonfly]], the [[Eel (comics)|second Eel]], [[Flying Tiger (Marvel Comics)|Flying Tiger]], [[Icemaster]], [[Jackhammer (comics)|Jackhammer]], [[Joystick (comics)|Joystick]], [[Klaw (Marvel Comics)|Klaw]], [[Lodestone (comics)|Lodestone]], [[Man-Ape]], [[Man-Killer]], [[Quicksand (comics)|Quicksand]], [[Scorcher (comics)|Scorcher]], [[Shatterfist (Marvel Comics)|Shatterfist]], [[Shockwave (comics)|Shockwave]], [[Slyde]], [[Sunstroke (comics)|Sunstroke]], [[Supercharger (comics)|Supercharger]], and [[Tiger Shark (Marvel Comics)|Tiger Shark]].

 

 

Both versions of Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil sought to master and control Earth's superhuman mercenaries. They even tried to get the Thunderbolts to join them.

 

==Membership==