Justin Hammer

Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer. Art by Ron Lim.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Iron Man #120 (Mar 1979)
Created by	David Michelinie John Romita, Jr. Bob Layton
In-story information
Full name	Justin Hammer
Team affiliations	Hammer Industries
Abilities	Genius-level intellect Expert strategist

Justin Hammer is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. As a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man, Justin Hammer exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.

As he explains in his first major appearance, Hammer is the reason why many of Iron Man's supervillain enemies have access to extremely advanced technology, and why these foes use their equipment for violent crimes instead of profiting by bringing the designs to market. Justin Hammer reveals that the villains are his underworld mercenaries, secretly armed and contractually obligated to fulfill missions against Hammer's competitors and enemies, such as Tony Stark.

Publication history

Justin Hammer first appeared in Iron Man (1st series) #120 (March 1979), and was created by David Michelinie, John Romita, Jr., and Bob Layton.

Fictional character biography

Justin Hammer was born in Surrey, England and later became a citizen of Monaco. A rival of industrialist Tony Stark (Iron Man), multi-billionaire businessman Justin Hammer later became a criminal financier using unethical methods. In exchange for fifty percent of the crime profits, he would pay bail for costumed criminals and finance the development and replacement of both their weaponry and equipment. In the event that a mercenary under his employ violated his contract, Hammer would send an enforcement unit (usually led by his most reliable supervillain employee Blacklash) to attack the rogue and confiscate his assigned equipment.

At the start of the Demon in a Bottle storyline, Justin Hammer invented a device called the Hypersonic Scan Transmitter which allowed him to take control of Iron Man's armor. He tested this remote control affecting Iron Man's unibeam, sealing plates, and boot jets. Angered that he had lost a lucrative bid to Stark International, Justin Hammer took control of Iron Man's armor and forced him to kill the Carnelian ambassador, and set an army of superhuman criminals (consisting of Beetle I, Constrictor, Discus, Leap-Frog, Man-Killer, Porcupine I, Stiletto, and Water Wizard) against Iron Man. Ultimately, Tony Stark not only cleared his name and destroyed the control device, but finally learned that he has had a major enemy behind multiple attacks on his interests for years.

With help from the supervillain Force, Justin Hammer next hijacked yachts to smuggle opium into the United States. They battled Iron Man and were defeated. When Stark lost his company to Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer left the destitute Stark to his own devices while continuing with his own enterprises. When Stark recovered and re-entered the business world with Stark Enterprises, Justin Hammer sent the Adap-Tor (a robotic attack drone disguised as a helicopter) to attack the new company as a way of "welcoming" Stark back.

For a time, Justin Hammer frequently hired the villain group known as the Death Squad in an attempt to kill both Tony Stark and Iron Man, but fired the group after they constantly failed.^{[citation needed]}

When Force later attempted to go straight, Justin Hammer sent Beetle, Blacklash, and Blizzard II to retrieve Force, but they were defeated by Force with help from Iron Man and Jim Rhodes.

During the "Armor Wars" storyline, Justin Hammer had Tony Stark's Iron Man technology stolen by Spymaster and sold it to a number of superhumans who wore powered armor (including Stilt-Man, the Raiders, the Mauler, Beetle, Crimson Dynamo and the Titanium Man). Iron Man set about to disable the Stark-based technology in the suits in question, going so far as to also disable sanctioned technology in the armor of S.H.I.E.L.D.'S Mandroids and the Vault's Guardsmen, leading him into conflict with The Captain and his fellow Avengers.

Justin Hammer later sent the Rhino to break Blizzard out of prison. He sent his "B-Team" (Blacklash, Blizzard, and Boomerang) to battle Ghost and Iron Man.

Justin Hammer redesigned Scorpion's tail, and sent him to abduct General Musgrave. Justin Hammer sent Blacklash and the Rhino to retrieve the tail when the Scorpion refused to complete his mission. Justin Hammer later learned that Tony Stark had been shot, and ordered a batch of orchids to be sent to him with a card expressing condolences should he live. Justin Hammer sent Boomerang to raid a Stark Enterprises security office. Justin Hammer hired Taskmaster to train the second Spymaster.

Later, Justin Hammer agreed to design a new costume for Rhino. Justin Hammer sent Rhino and Boomerang to battle Cardiac. With the Life Foundation, Roxxon Oil, Stane International, and the Brand Corporation, Justin Hammer abducted a number of superhuman beings to analyze their abilities. Justin Hammer also helped the first Sphinx to reclaim the Ka-Stone.

Years later, it was revealed that that Justin Hammer had obtained Stane International after the death of its chairman Obadiah Stane, causing problems for Tony Stark through his old company. With operatives of HYDRA, Roxxon Oil, Moroboshi International, and the Trinational Commission, Justin Hammer tricked the Masters of Silence into attacking Stark Enterprises. Even when Justin Hammer was forced to sell his stock in Stane International to Stark for the sum of one dollar, Justin Hammer had the last laugh when all the shady dealings and irresponsible, or even criminal actions of Stane International came back to bite Tony later.

Justin Hammer later sent Barrier, Blacklash, and Ringer to recruit Luis Barrett to become the new Thunderbolt. The three villains were foiled by the Pantheon.

Justin Hammer later discovered that had been diagnosed with an incurable cancer-like illness. He resolved to destroy Tony Stark before he died. Justin Hammer infected Stark's bloodstream with mood-altering nanites that made Stark irrational and temperamental. In a final confrontation between Iron Man and Justin Hammer on Hammer's own space station, Justin Hammer was accidentally frozen in a block of ice (when the water he fell in leaked out into space and instantly froze) and is currently lost in space. While observing Justin Hammer's frozen body drifting in space, Iron Man reflected that his foe would now "live forever."

Justin is the father of Justine Hammer and the grandfather of Sasha Hammer.

Powers and abilities

Justin Hammer is a normal, middle-aged man. He has a degree in commerce and business, and is an extremely efficient administrator with a genius-level intellect. He has access to various forms of advanced technology designed by his technicians.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

Ultimate Justin Hammer.

In the Ultimate Universe, Justin Hammer first appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man #16 (2002). His late father, Justin Hammer, Sr. was a head industrialist for his time, and now he, Justin Jr. is CEO of Hammer Industries and is from the south of the US rather than from Britain. He was rivals with Norman Osborn and was Osborn Industries' main competitor. In an effort to surpass Osborn Industries, Hammer hired Osborn's top scientist Otto Octavius and paid him for inside information. When Otto Octavius was caught in a lab accident, he was grafted with four metal arms. He blamed Hammer for this, and sought him out for revenge. He attacked Hammer in his limo, and Hammer subsequently died from a heart attack.

Justin Hammer has also been secretly funding superhuman testing directly violating the Superhuman Test Ban Treaty. Two of his more significant subjects were Electro and Sandman, both petty criminals who were given superhuman powers.

His daughter, Justine Hammer, appears in the Ultimate Armor Wars series. She is found in a facility under Stark Industries that is being shut down by Stark after the Ultimatum attack on New York. The changes made to her by her father are degrading and killing her, until she is saved by Stark. She subsequently joins him on an international mission to recover stolen information regarding Iron Man tech.

In other media

Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer as seen in Iron Man 2.

Television

• Justin Hammer appears as a villain in the animated series Iron Man, voiced initially by Tony Steedman and later by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.. In this series, Justin Hammer is a rival of Tony Stark and an ally of the Mandarin.

• A 21 year old version of Justin Hammer appears in season 2 of the animated series Iron Man: Armored Adventures, voiced by Michael Adamthwaite. He appears as one of the main antagonists and the operator of the Titanium Man armor.

Film

• Sam Rockwell portrays Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2. This version of Hammer is a younger man, closer to Tony Stark in age, and an American defense contractor and rival to Stark.

External links

• Justin Hammer at Marvel.com