Supervillain Origins: Modok

Supervillain Origins: Modok

He is a mobile organism designed only for killing. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be exploring the comic book origins of Modok.

As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginings and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline that unfolded in 1967’s Tales of Suspense #93, which was expanded upon in 1971’s Captain America #133, and 2007’s “Modok’s 11”.

This iconic villain was first revealed to Captain America when the hero travelled via submarine to the underwater base of Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM for short, in search of missing Shield operative Agent 13.

During the Captain’s mission, he was captured and brought aboard. There, he awoke restrained and in the company of scientists who told him that he would be shown no mercy from their new leader Modok.

With the Captain and Agent 13 swiftly escaping, 13 told the Captain that she had been assigned to find out who or what Modok is, as Shield had come to believe that it may become the greatest menace the world has ever seen.

Overhearing a henchman’s conversation, they discovered that Modok was created by AIM to be their greatest weapon to allow them to conquer the world, but they were instead enslaved by its power themselves.

Speaking through a garbled screen, Modok commanded his henchmen to find the escaped prisoners or face death. Soon after, the Shield agents were indeed recaptured, and were then brought before Modok.

Subduing Captain America with his brain beam, Modok finally introduced himself. A large head within a mechanical suit, Modok briefly explained that he was once a Guinea pig for the scientists at AIM, which mutated him and gave him mental powers.

Realizing that his prisoners were unable to be mind controlled due their strong wills, Modok decided that he had no further use them and that they needed to be disposed of. When Captain America fought back, Modok rode his Magnet-Powered mobile chair and fired beams that mercilessly zapped and burnt the Captain.

With Modok distracted in battle, the enslaved AIM scientists took the opportunity to destroy their evil creation and fired upon Modok.

Disabled and dying, Modok decided to go out in a bang by building up his mental pressure and exploding the base. Despite the sacrifice, the Shield agents escaped in the nick of time.

Though apparently dead after suffering this mutiny, Modok returned sometime later, to continue his exploits from within AIM’s Island base. This time, he became pre-occupied with his vendetta against the star spangled Avenger.

Though briefly alluded to in his debut appearance, Modok’s creation was finally explored in 1971’s Captain America 133, and further expanded upon in 2007’s “Modok’s 11”. Those issues explain through flashbacks that Modok had once been a scientist named George Tarleton, who was forced into an Alteration Chamber. There, he was turned into the living computer with his grotesque oversized body, and rebranded as the “Mobile Organism Designed only for Killing.” Resenting his nightmarish appearance, he killed his creators and seized their army and resources in order to pursue a quest to spread death and destruction.

Despite his many powers, all of which are amplified through his headband, Modok’s biggest stumbling block became his immense hatred and jealousy toward Captain America, since the captain was a beloved hero and represented the peak of physical perfection.

Over the years, Modok’s ambition for revenge, world domination and death grew. However, he eventually lost control of AIM, and was regularly foiled when his creativity could not match his massive intellect.

A major Marvel super villain, Modok has since recruited minions and joined forces with other supervillains. He has also battled countless Marvel heroes from numerous comic book and cartoon series.

Are you a fan of this grotesque flying head? For more informative comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.