Midas (comics)

Last updated

Midas is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Contents

Publication history

The Mordecai Midas version of Midas first appeared in Iron Man #17 and was created by Archie Goodwin and George Tuska.

The Malcolm J. Meriwell version of Midas first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #30 and was created by Gerry Conway and Jim Mooney.

Fictional character biography

Mordecai Midas

Midas I
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Iron Man #17 (Sept. 1969)
Created by Archie Goodwin
George Tuska
In-story information
Alter egoMordecai Midas

Mordecai Midas was born in Athens, Greece, and was once a starving child in Europe. He became a billionaire business magnate, determined to become the richest man by any means possible.

Midas rescued Whitney Frost from a sinking ship, gave her a golden mask to hide her scarred features, and she became his assistant. Midas sent Whitney, as Madame Masque, to sabotage Stark Industries, hoping to kill Stark (and his alter ego, Iron Man) and receive the business after Tony's cousin Morgan Stark inherited it. Midas captured Iron Man, but Madam Masque fell in love with Stark and freed him. Iron Man and Midas fought, and in the conflict Midas' chair was damaged, resulting in an explosion that destroyed Midas' base. [1]

Much later, Midas took control of Stark International. He battled Iron Man, Madame Masque, the Guardsman, the Jack of Hearts, Eddie March, the Wraith, Jasper Sitwell, and Jean DeWolff. Midas learned Iron Man's secret identity, but was reduced to a mindless husk by the mental powers of Marianne Rodgers. He became a patient in a psychiatric hospital on full life support. [2]

Years later, Iron Man returned to Greece to investigate the death of a private investigator who had been hired to find out who had been stealing gold shipments bound for Stark Enterprises. Iron Man came across an undersea base containing Midas' Centurions. Midas joined the battle, having been turned into a living being of gold as an after-effect of his powers being turned inward by Marianne Rodgers' psi-powers. Midas tried to escape on a vehicle piloted by one of his Centurions after Iron Man defeated him. His weight and the supply of gold he had proved too much, causing him to be accidentally thrown overboard. Iron Man searched the ocean bottoms for him, but could not find him. As Midas tried to grab Iron Man, his electrode shorted out, causing Midas to sink into the mire. [3]

As Tony Stark announced the formation of Stark Solutions, Midas was among Iron Man's archenemies who vowed revenge. [4]

Malcolm J. Meriwell

Midas II
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Marvel Team-Up #30 (Feb. 1975)
Created by Gerry Conway
Jim Mooney
In-story information
Alter egoMalcolm J. Meriwell
Notable aliasesMidas the Golden Man

Malcolm J. Meriwell became convinced that his wealthy philanthropist brother Harrison was being tricked by charities and tries to persuade him to cease his spending activities. When Harrison refused, Malcolm became insanely determined to halt his brother's activities. Donning the alias of Midas the Golden Man and working out of Harrison's discothèque the Hot Spot, Malcolm started to get some inner circle kids to be addicted to his drugs in a plot to wipe out all black people in America. This did attract the attention of Sam Wilson and Glory Grant. Glory Grant's cousin and his friends were drugged by Midas' henchmen and they ended up assaulting Glory. Her cries attracted the attention of Spider-Man, who subdued them. When the drugs wore off, they remembered a golden man and his plot. When Glory Grant alerted Sam Wilson, he entered the Hot Spot as the Falcon at the same time when Spider-Man arrived and they confront Midas and his thugs. They defeated the thugs, but Midas escaped. Heading over to Malcolm's estate, Spider-Man and the Falcon are ambushed by Midas' thugs, who knocked them out and bounded them in metal straps. Midas traps them in a rapidly freezing room, but Spider-Man uses his webbing to free himself and the Falcon. After being freed by Midas' employees and encountering the brothers, Spider-Man and the Falcon identify Malcolm as Midas. Spider-Man and the Falcon easily subdue Malcolm by pulling the rug out from underneath him and sending Malcolm out the window. [5]

Powers and abilities

Midas I dresses in the clothing of ancient Greece, and supports his enormous weight by wearing a powered exoskeleton built by Midas's scientists, enabling Midas to walk. He rides a special throne-shaped hovercraft containing various weaponry and devices, including two telescoping mechanical arms, a heat-seeking antenna, two small anti-personnel missiles, and a dozen high intensity shock blasters, and whose base delivers an electric shock to anyone touching it; the throne moves on a field of compressed air like a hydrofoil craft. Midas wears powered glove units developed by Abraham Klein, giving him the "golden touch" that allows him the ability to permanently paralyze a person's nervous system while accompanied by a spray of rapidly hardening liquid gold, giving the victim's skin a golden color; the gloves also give him the ability to fire either electrical blasts or the "golden touch" effect from his hands over short distances. Midas also has access to the Flying Fortress, a gigantic hovercraft headquarters resembling an ancient Greek city, and a supersonic aircraft squadron armed with "lightning simulator" weapons, which fire powerful electrical bolts. Midas possesses a genius intellect, and is a master strategist and tactician, and a skilled businessman. He is entirely self-educated, equivalent to college level, especially in economics and business administration. After being struck by Marianne Rodgers' mindblast, his golden touch power was turned inward, transforming Midas into a being of living gold.[ volume & issue needed ] In his golden form, Midas does not need to eat or sleep, but can absorb gold into him.

Midas II carried a special drug spray that he used to get his victims addicted to his drugs.

Other versions

Ultimate Universe

During the "Ultimate Invasion" storyline, Maker visited Earth-6160 and remade it into his own image. A iteration of the character based on the version of Midas written by Grant Morrison on Marvel Boy is eventually introduced.

He is an unidentified man that is a member of the Hellfire Club as well as a follower and seemingly subordinate of the Maker and his Council who seized the original Iron Man armor worn by Howard Stark and took on the name of Midas, operating in the White House while being assisted by different H.A.N.D. agents under his command. In addition, he has America Chavez hooked up to a machine so that her energy can power part of the North American Union's electrical grid on the former United States territories.

Ultimates members Iron Lad, Captain America, Giant-Man, and Wasp raid the White House on 4th of July, finding him in the Oval Office. When confronted by Iron Lad and Captain America, Midas rants about his hyper-capitalistic ideology while fighting them, considering commerce and unrestrained exploitation to be what truly represents the American nation since its founding, considering the Union a natural expansion of the former United States. After Wasp frees America Chavez, Captain America defeats Midas while giving him a neck injury, incapacitating him. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultimates</span> Marvel Comics series

The Ultimates is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from The Ultimates #1, as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Avengers comic-book franchise, centering around a task-force of super-humans and special agents organized by the U.S. government to combat growing threats to the world. The tale chronicles their progress as they bond and slowly learn to work together, despite their differing natures and personalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Nefaria</span> Fictional character from Marvel Comics

Count Luchino Nefaria is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, the character first appeared in The Avengers #13. Count Nefaria is a socialite and crime boss who operates an international crime syndicate known as the Maggia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Idea Mechanics</span> Fictional comic book villainous organization

A.I.M. is a fictional criminal organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Strange Tales #146. A.I.M. is primarily depicted as a think tank of brilliant scientists dedicated to world domination through technological means.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethany Cabe</span> Supporting character in Marvel Comics

Bethany Cabe is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by David Michelinie and Bob Layton, the character first appeared in Iron Man #117. Bethany Cabe is a supporting character and love interest of superhero Tony Stark / Iron Man. She has also been a member of the Iron Legion at various points in her history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slug (character)</span> Comics character

Slug is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madame Masque</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Madame Masque is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #97. An occasional love interest and enemy of Iron Man and the daughter of Count Nefaria, she originally wore a golden mask to cover up her disfigured face and continues to do so after her face was healed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Spider</span> Fictional armor in the Marvel Universe

The Iron Spider is a fictional powered exoskeleton used by several characters in Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Monger</span> Comic book character

Iron Monger is an alias used by multiple fictional characters, supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first character to use the alias is Obadiah Stane, who first appeared in Iron Man #163. The Iron Monger armor first appeared in Iron Man #200.

Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a fictional multi-national conglomerate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Frans Robert Bernstein, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby, the company first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39. Stark Industries is depicted as being owned and run by businessman and namesake Tony Stark, who is also known as Iron Man, and was founded by Tony's father, Howard Stark, from whom he inherited the company.

Harold Joseph "Happy" Hogan is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is usually depicted as a supporting character in stories featuring Iron Man / Tony Stark, for whom he works as a chauffeur, bodyguard, and personal assistant. Happy is close friends with his employer, and is among the first people in the Marvel Universe to discover his identity as the armored superhero. He is also the father of the Teen Abomination, was married to Pepper Potts, and has occasionally been mutated into the giant, savage, nearly mindless, superhumanly strong humanoid known as the Freak. Hogan earned the ironic nickname "Happy" during his boxing days from his reluctance to smile.

Whiplash is the name of multiple supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are commonly depicted as members of Iron Man's rogues gallery. The original Whiplash also went by the name Blacklash. Mickey Rourke portrayed Whiplash in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Iron Man 2 (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepper Potts</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein, and designed by artist Don Heck, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #45. Pepper Potts is a supporting character and love interest of the superhero Tony Stark / Iron Man. The character has also been known as Hera and Rescue at various points in her history.

Guardsman was the name of a supervillain/superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The name was later applied to a squad of agents who wear suits of power armor while working security at the Vault. The character first appeared in Iron Man #43.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hood</span> Marvel Comics fictional comic book supervillain

The Hood is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan, and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character was introduced in his own self-titled limited series, which started with Hood #1. Robbins was originally a petty criminal, until an encounter with a Nisanti demon, which he defeated and robbed of its hood and boots, gaining superpowers in the process, such as levitation and invisibility. As "the Hood", he became a well-known figure in the New York City criminal underworld, and eventually formed his own crime syndicate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maggia (comics)</span> Fictional organization

Maggia is a fictional international crime syndicate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organization exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as Earth-616, as well as other Marvel universes. Its structure is somewhat similar to the real-world New York Mafia, but the Maggia differs in that it frequently hires supervillains and mad scientists to work for them. Some of the prominent Maggia members are supervillains themselves, such as Hammerhead, Silvermane, Count Nefaria and his daughter Madame Masque. The Maggia has come into conflict with various superheroes, including Spider-Man, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Avengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost (Marvel Comics)</span> Character in the Marvel Universe

Ghost is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by David Michelinie and Bob Layton, the character first appeared in Iron Man #219. Ghost is a genius inventor and hacker who wears a battle suit that allows him to become invisible and intangible. Although he started out as an adversary of the superhero Iron Man, Ghost has also been depicted as an antihero and member of the Thunderbolts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Man (Ultimate Marvel character)</span> Comics character

Iron Man is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is the Ultimate Marvel version of the superhero Iron Man, who first appeared in the fourth issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Mike Allred. He later appeared in the Ultimates and often appears in other Ultimate Marvel titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Original Sin (comics)</span> 2014 Marvel comic book series

"Original Sin" is a 2014 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. The story features Nick Fury and the Avengers investigating the murder of Uatu the Watcher, only to suffer trauma from what they see in his eyes. They also come into conflict with a group of misled self-appointed investigators led by Black Panther and Punisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottonmouth (Cornell Stokes)</span> Comics character

Cottonmouth is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

References

  1. Iron Man #17-19. Marvel Comics.
  2. Iron Man #103-107. Marvel Comics.
  3. Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3 #13. Marvel Comics.
  4. Iron Man vol. 3 #1. Marvel Comics.
  5. Marvel Team-Up #30. Marvel Comics.
  6. The Ultimates Vol. 4 #2. Marvel Comics.