Fictional character biography
James Bradley
| Doctor Nemesis | |
|---|---|
 Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley) in The Uncanny X-Men #511. Art by Greg Land. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Ace Magazines, Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Lightning Comics #6 (April 1941; historic) The Invaders vol. 2 #1 (May 1993; Marvel Universe) |
| Created by | The creators of the version published by Ace Magazines are unknown. The Marvel Comics version of the character was co-created by Roy Thomas (writer) and Dave Hoover. |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | James Bradley |
| Species | Human mutant |
| Team affiliations | X-Men [5] X-Club [3] Battle-Axis X-Force Agents of Wakanda |
| Notable aliases | Doctor Death |
| Abilities | Accomplished investigator and hand to hand combatant "Self-evolved" intellect Enhanced immune system and eyesight Prolonged longevity |
James Bradley was born in San Francisco in 1906. Although primarily trained as a medical physician, he began working in the late 1930s with Phineas Horton in developing the original android Human Torch of World War II. While mostly a silent partner in this endeavor, Bradley began building a second android during this time.
The two scientists did not correct the design flaw that causes their android to burst into flames upon exposure to oxygen. Bradley had preferred they resolve this issue before revealing their work to the public. Horton, eager for fame and further financial backing, held a press conference in late 1939 debuting their work. This turned into a public relations disaster, as Bradley had predicted, when the android caught on fire, causing the press to label it a menace. Bradley broke off their partnership thereafter and took his unfinished second android with him. [6]
Sometime before 1941, Bradley completed his work and the second android acted as the superhero Volton from late 1941 to early 1942. Unaware of its artificial origins, Bradley led Volton to believe it was a scientist named Guy Newton who had discovered how to generate electricity. Around this time, Bradley also decided to become a masked crimefighter, too. While working by day at Mercy Hospital in New York City, he would don a surgical mask to fight corruption and crime as Doctor Nemesis. [7]
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, Bradley "uses his fighting ability and hypodermic needle full of truth serum to fight gangs and costumed madmen like the hypnotic Swami, the Surgeon (who unleashes plague-bearing rats on the city), and Dr. Quartz, the comic book version of the sociopathic vivisector who was Nick Carter's arch-enemy in the dime novels." [8]
After a number of adventures, Doctor Nemesis was approached by agents of the Third Reich to form a group of costumed beings. Signifying a change in tactics, Bradley changed his alter-ego to Dr. Death and recruited Human Meteor, Spider Queen, Strongman, and Volton for the group Battle-Axis, which took extreme efforts to force the United States out of participating in World War II. [6] [9] After the war, Bradley reassumes the Doctor Nemesis persona and moves to Santiago del Estero, Argentina to hunt down Nazi refugees.
In Uncanny X-Men , Bradley is revealed to be a mutant with an enhanced intellect. He works with the X-Men in an attempt to obtain mutant genetic samples from the past, but they are stopped by the Dreaming Celestial as part of an unspecified cosmic plan. [2] [10] [11] [12]
Doctor Nemesis later appears as a member of X-Force and the Agents of Wakanda. [13] He is also shown to be an inhabitant of Krakoa during the Krakoan Age. [14]
Michael Stockton
| Doctor Nemesis | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Feature #4 (July 1972, unofficial), Marvel Feature #9 (May 1973, official) |
| Created by | The early appearance in Marvel Feature #4 was co-written by Roy Thomas and Mike Friedrich, and the artwork was by Herb Trimpe. His reintroduction in Marvel Feature #9 was written by Mike Friedrich and drawn by P. Craig Russell. |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Michael Stockton |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | A.I.M |
| Abilities | Size manipulation via device in costume |
Michael Stockton was a scientist who was inventing a way to look into and study the subatomic worlds. He succeeded and stumbled onto one ruled by the monstrous tyrant Tim Boo Ba. [15]
At some point, Stockton becomes associated with A.I.M and stations in a laboratory near Hank Pym's home. He plots to steal Pym's technology and allies with criminal M'Sieu Tete. Tete infects Pym with a virus that leaves him trapped at a small size, enabling Stockton to steal his size-changing technology and become Doctor Nemesis. [16]