 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Taurus is the name of several characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2017) |
The Cornelius Van Lunt incarnation of Taurus first appeared in Avengers #72 (January 1970), and was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. [1]
| Taurus | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Avengers #72 (Jan 1970) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas Sal Buscema |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Cornelius Van Lunt |
| Team affiliations | Zodiac Great Wheel |
Cornelius Van Lunt was a multimillionaire businessman and professional criminal mastermind. He was also the founder and financer of the original Zodiac cartel, chose its eleven other leaders, and succeeded Marcus Lassiter (the original Aries) as the Zodiac's overall leader. In the Zodiac's first mission, Taurus and the Zodiac were summoned by Nick Fury (disguised as Scorpio). Taurus battled the Avengers and then escaped. [2] As Van Lunt he then attempted a hostile takeover of Stark Industries as part of his plan to make the Avengers his employees. [3] As Van Lunt he had Will Talltrees's parents murdered to gain their land. He was opposed by Talltrees (as Red Wolf) and the Avengers, and was believed to have drowned. [4] Later, the Zodiac schemed to kill all New York residents born under the sign of Gemini with the Star-Blazer weapon, but were foiled by the Avengers. Taurus defeated a rebellion within the Zodiac, but he was captured by the Avengers along with all the other Zodiac leaders, and his secret identity was exposed. [5] While jailed, he allowed the Avengers to use his Star-Blazer weapon against the Star-Stalker. [6]
Taurus later attempted to compete against the Maggia, who send the Taurus of the android Zodiac to wreck his headquarters. He hired Iron Man (James Rhodes), who defeated the android Taurus. Van Lunt then deduced this Iron Man's identity to be Rhodes, and sent Aries and Aquarius in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him. [7] Taurus later witnessed the massacre of all the other human Zodiac leaders by Scorpio's android Zodiac. He aided the West Coast Avengers in defeating the android Zodiac, escaped, and attempted to enlist the Shroud in a new Zodiac. Taurus was ultimately killed in a plane crash just outside Los Angeles following a battle with Moon Knight. [8]
It was revealed much later that the archetype for the Zodiac was a Great Wheel organized by Leonardo da Vinci in 1961 that included Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Jake Fury, Baron von Strucker, among other spymasters. Each was identified by his own sign of the Zodiac, and Van Lunt was designated Taurus. [9]
Scorpio (Jake Fury) constructed the android Zodiac members, although his plan was thwarted by the Defenders. [10] The Maggia employed the android Taurus to wreck the human Taurus's headquarters; the android Taurus was defeated by Iron Man. [11] Quicksilver employed the android Zodiac to attack the West Coast Avengers, but the Avengers defeated the Zodiac. [12]
Led by Scorpio in a new android body, the android Zodiac kills the human Zodiac and takes over their criminal operations. They battle the West Coast Avengers, but are rendered inert after being transported to the dimension of the Brotherhood of the Ankh. [13]
The Ecliptic Taurus is a humanoid bull who Scorpio freed from Ryker's Island. He and the rest of Zodiac are later killed by Weapon X.
The fourth Taurus is an unnamed man and a member of Thanos' incarnation of the Zodiac. [14] He and the other Zodiac members are killed when Thanos abandons them on the self-destructing Helicarrier, with Cancer being the only survivor. [15]
Taurus wore a costume that he designed, of synthetic stretch fabric and leather, reinforced with kevlar. The costume came with an armored helmet with horns constructed of an unknown hard material, making them formidable weapons. His personal fighting style involved bull-like charges at opponents with his lowered horns. He also controls the Zodiac's "Star-Blazer" energy weapons invented by Darren Bentley; these included the Star-Blazer handgun which fired intense blasts of stellar energy, and the Star-Blazer cannon which was a larger, more powerful version of the handgun. Cornelius van Lunt was a normal human with no superhuman powers. He had a degree in business administration and was a skilled businessman, organizer, and strategist. He was also an amateur astrologer with extensive knowledge of astrology.
In its original form, the android Taurus had retractable horns mounted on its arms and attached to cables so that it can be fired at opponents. It also possessed internal sensors enabling it to detect heat. In its second form, the android Taurus had enhanced strength and was immune to energy blasts.
The Ecliptic version of Taurus had superhuman strength and carried the Zodiac teleportation device.
Thanos' Taurus wears a special suit given to him by Thanos which enables him to possess super-strength and transform into a minotaur-like form.
The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6, with the lineup continually changing over the years.
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.
A Life Model Decoy is a fictional android appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. LMDs duplicate all outward aspects of a real living person with such authenticity that they can easily impersonate a specific person without casual detection. LMDs first appeared in "The Man For the Job!", a short story by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby that ran in the anthology book Strange Tales #135, in which the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. created LMDs of agent Nick Fury to use as decoys for an attack by the terrorist organization Hydra.
Scorpio is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of the characters to use the Scorpio identity have been supervillains affiliated with the Zodiac criminal cartel, and in this context were enemies of the Avengers and other superheroes.
Zodiac is the name of different groups of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The Avengers: United They Stand is an animated series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Avengers. It consists of 13 episodes, which originally premiered on October 30, 1999, and was produced by Avi Arad. It was canceled on February 26, 2000.
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.
Porcupine is the name used by two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Alexander Gentry, a weapons designer who uses his porcupine battlesuit in an attempt to become wealthy through crime, as one of the first costumed professional criminals of his generation, and Roger Gocking, a criminal who purchased the suit to commit crimes, before joining the Thunderbolts and reforming, joining Ben Urich and Jessica Drew as a private investigator, and as nanny to the latter's son Gerry, before eventually coming to date Jessica himself.
The incarnations of Aries are fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters were usually depicted as members of incarnations of the supervillain group, the Zodiac.
Libra is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Red Wolf is a superhero identity used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Those who assume the identity are Native American heroes with mystical powers and a trusted wolf companion named Lobo.
Gemini is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Leo is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Pisces is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Sagittarius is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Virgo is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in Strange Tales #135, and often deals with paranormal activity and superhuman threats to international security.
James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a fictional character originally portrayed by Terrence Howard and subsequently by Don Cheadle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is initially depicted as a U.S. Air Force officer who is the best friend of Tony Stark. A skilled pilot and tactician, he becomes involved in Stark's heroic efforts, gaining his own suit of Iron Man armor in the process while taking on the alias War Machine, and later the Iron Patriot.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on superhero films and other series starring various titular superheroes independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters. Over the course of the films and related media, several teams and organizations have been formed, each with different aims and purposes.
