Madman (Marvel Comics)

Last updated
Philip Sterns
Madman
Madman (Marvel Comics).jpg
Madman as depicted in The Incredible Hulk #409 (September 1993). Art by Gary Frank (penciller), Cam Smith (inker), and Glynis Oliver (colorist).
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance (As Phil Sterns)
The Incredible Hulk #362
(November 1989)
(As Madman)
The Incredible Hulk #364
(mid-December 1989)
Created by Peter David (writer)
Jeff Purves (artist)
In-story information
Full nameDr. Philip "Phil" Sterns
SpeciesHuman gamma-mutate
Partnerships Leader
Abilities

Madman (Philip Sterns) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Peter David and artist Jeff Purves, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #362 (November 1989). [1] He is the brother of the Leader, and an enemy of the Hulk. [2]

Contents

Publication history

Philip Sterns debuted in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #362 (November 1989), and as the Madman in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #364, created by Peter David and Jeff Purves. [3]

Fictional character biography

A former classmate of Bruce Banner at the California Institute of Technology, Sterns possesses a love/hate obsession with Hulk, originating from his envy and fascination with his former peer. [4] In an attempt to emulate the Hulk, Sterns exposes himself to gamma radiation, transforming into a monster with abnormal strength and developing multiple personality disorder.

Calling himself the Madman, Sterns hatches a plot to kill the Hulk by injecting him with a poison that rapidly deteriorates his body. [4] Samuel Sterns, the Leader and Phil's brother, comes to aid the Hulk so he can help him track down the Madman for an antidote. [5] In the ensuing battle, the Hulk manages to cure himself and poison the Madman, leaving the cure to the poison just out of reach. [6]

Later, the Madman revealed that he simply increased his mass to grab it and recovered in time. He masquerades as a researcher in the Red Skull's "New World Order" organization. Here, he helped to engineer the transformation of a captured S.H.I.E.L.D. agent into the power-mimicking creature Piecemeal. [7]

In the series Thunderbolts , the Madman resurfaces and has been seen supplying gamma technology on the island of Kata Jaya. He encounters Red Hulk's incarnation of the Thunderbolts and is killed by the Leader. [8]

Powers and abilities

Like the Hulk, the Madman has immense strength and durability. [9] He is unable to grow in strength further, but possesses additional shapeshifting abilities. He is also a gifted genius, with knowledge of nuclear physics and robotics. [10]

In other media

References

  1. ↑ "Madman (Hulk enemy)". www.marvunapp.com. October 19, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  2. ↑ Nason, Max (December 23, 2019). "The Immortal Hulk: 5 Classic Hulk Villains We Want To See (& 5 We Don't Want)". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  3. ↑ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 223. ISBN   978-1-4654-7890-0.
  4. 1 2 The Incredible Hulk #364 (December 1989)
  5. ↑ The Incredible Hulk #366 (February 1990)
  6. ↑ The Incredible Hulk #367 (March 1990)
  7. ↑ The Incredible Hulk #408 (August 1993)
  8. ↑ Thunderbolts (vol. 3) #6 (March 2013)
  9. ↑ The Incredible Hulk #407 (July 1993)
  10. ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #6 (February 2009)
  11. ↑ "Madman / Philip Sterns Voice - Hulk (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
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