Adamantium

Adamantium
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Avengers #66
Created by	Roy Thomas (writer) Barry Windsor-Smith (artist) Stan Lee (editor)
In story information
Type	Metal
Element of stories featuring	Wolverine

Adamantium is a fictional alloy that has been depicted largely within the pages of comic books, feature films, television shows and video games, most notably as the substance Wolverine's bones are made of.

Marvel Comics Adamantium

History and properties of adamantium in the Marvel Universe

Adamantium is a fictional man-made metal alloy that has been frequently described as being virtually indestructible and the exact chemical composition is a United States government classified secret. Adamantium is not an element: its properties do not qualify it for any known space on the Periodic Table of Elements. Rather, adamantium is a series of closely related compounds of iron created through a secret process discovered by the American metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain during the late 1960s. Avengers, Vol. 1, Nos. 66-68. The alloy was created in an attempt to recreate the unique vibranium-iron alloy of Captain America's shield, though adamantium contains no vibranium. While MacLain is unable to duplicate the process or discover the unknown element that created the alloy, he does create a material that is very similar on a molecular level and is almost as durable. Avengers, Vol. 1, Nos. 66-68. Adamantium is created by mixing several chemical resins together; the exact formula is a secret. Avengers, Vol. 1, Nos. 201-202. After the resins are mixed together, the adamantium can be molded into different shapes for approximately eight minutes as long as the mixture is kept at a temperature of 1,500 °F (816°C). Avengers, Vol. 1, Nos. 201-202. Adamantium's extremely stable molecular structure prevents it from being further molded after this eight-minute time period even if the temperature is high enough to keep it in its liquified form. In its solid form, it is colorless, shiny, and resembles high-grade steel or titanium. Avengers, Vol. 1, Nos. 201-202. It is almost impossible to destroy or fracture in this state and when crafted to a razor edge it can penetrate most lesser materials with minimal application of strength. X-Men, Vol. 1, No. 139. It is at least somewhat magnetic, since Magneto has manipulated it on multiple occasions.

Despite its proficiency as a practical armament and/or armature, adamantium has rarely been used because it is astronomically expensive to create and once the compound has solidified it can never be melted down and re-crafted. Additionally, the refining process is complicated and often unreliable, frequently resulting in an inferior grade since the chemical resins mixed to create adamantium are a carefully guarded secret; even with the proper mixture the process is highly problematical. As a result, the U.S. military seldom relies on it and supervillains almost never try to create it but seek instead to harvest it from existing sources and rearrange it on a molecular level: Apocalypse has harvested adamantium from Sabretooth, and Genesis has harvested adamantium from Cyber.

Walter Simonson planned for Apocalypse to be the mastermind behind the Weapon X project that gave Wolverine his adamantium skeleton. In Wolverine: Jungle Adventure (1990), Wolverine discovers an adamantium-laced skull in Apocalypse's laboratory, and comments how it seemed to have been there for eons. Since Simonson' plans apparently never came to conclusion, the scene possibly suggests that Apocalypse developed the technology to bond adamantium to bones centuries before anyone else.

Types of adamantium

Secondary adamantium

As true adamantium is extremely difficult and expensive to create or manipulate, some parties found a way to duplicate it on a larger and more cost-effective scale at the expense of quality and durability. For most practical purposes, this secondary adamantium is also largely indestructible. Conventional weapons, such as ballistic missiles, have no effect on it; it is far stronger than even the most durable of titanium or steel compounds. However, extraordinary blunt force, such as a punch from a being with superhuman strength, can warp or break it. Unconventional forms of energy discharges have also been known to warp or damage secondary adamantium, such as Thor's lightning attacks using Mjolnir. Thor, Vol. 1, No. 271. Writers created secondary adamantium to deal with supposedly indestructible adamantium having been damaged or destroyed in the past; all such instances were retconned as appearances of secondary adamantium.

Adamantium beta

Adamantium beta is a new metal created as a side-effect of the process of bonding true adamantium to Wolverine's bones. His Healing Factor not only allowed him to survive the process, but also induced a molecular change in the metal. Adamantium beta functions identically to true adamantium, but it does not inhibit the biological processes of bone. Adamantium beta was first explained in Wolverine (vol.2) #80 (1994).

Carbonadium

Carbonadium is a resilient, unstable metal that is vastly stronger than steel but more flexible than adamantium. It is stated in X-Men vol.2 #7 that carbonadium is, in fact, both a more malleable and cheaper version of adamantium. Due to its malleability, carbonadium is less durable than true adamantium, but still nearly indestructible. Omega Red (an adversary of The X-Men) has carbonadium coils through which he can transmit his ability to drain life energies. Carbonadium is highly radioactive and a very small amount, if ingested, has proven capable of dramatically slowing down Wolverine's healing factor. The only device that can produce carbonadium, known as the Carbonadium Synthesizer, was initially believed thrown into a river in Brussels by Wolverine; it has since been revealed that the Carbonadium Synthesizer had been hidden on the deceased body of a double-agent who died escaping Omega Red along with Wolverine, Sabretooth and Maverick. The synthesizer was retrieved and handed back to Maverick, whose mission was to retrieve the item for parties unknown. If implanted within the body, objects composed of carbonadium have proven to slow the accelerated healing factors of Wolverine and his son Daken. While slowed considerably, their healing powers aren't completely suppressed. It is currently unknown if carbonadium affects other beings with superhuman healing powers in a similar manner.

Allotropes

In X-Men #191, when confronting Wolverine, one of the Children of the Vault named Serafina claims that adamantium has thirteen allotropes, all of which are "unstable, and short-lived, but virulently poisonous". She throws a small device that clamps onto his claws and makes them glow green, claiming that it is adamantium nine. This causes Wolverine to become stricken, incoherent and collapse.

Adamantium as key component

Adamantium is used as the key component in several instances in the Marvel Universe, including:

• Agent Zero's combat knife
• The outer skin of some of Alkhema's robotic bodies
• Battlestar's shield
• Bullseye's spinal column and some strips coating several of his bones.
• Constrictor's original wrist-mounted, prehensile metal coils
• Cyber's claws and skin
• A unique set of Doctor Octopus' arms
• The outer layer of Citizen V's rapier
• Lady Deathstrike's skeleton and talons
• One of Mister Fantastic's labs for extremely dangerous experiments
• Moon Knight's crescent blades
• A unique suit of armor once used by the villain Stilt-Man
• The outer skin of TESS-One
• The outer skin of some of Ultron's robotic bodies
• Wolverine's skeleton and claws
• X-23's claws
• One of several layers of containment at the superhuman incarceration facility known as the Vault
• An outer coating on the Swordsman's blades.
• A special brand of bullet in the Iron Man suit's ballistic weapons.
• Underworld uses adamantium bullets

Durability of adamantium

While often referred to as indestructible or unbreakable, it is possible for it to be destroyed through very specific circumstances. True adamantium can be destroyed through very precise molecular rearrangement, such as being altered by Thanos while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet. True adamantium's molecular structure can also be altered by Antarctic vibranium, also known as anti-metal, as it has the capability to liquify all known metallic substances, including adamantium.

There are at least two known examples of true adamantium within the Earth-616 reality sustaining damage without molecular manipulation. The first involves the Norse god Thor focusing all of his strength into striking a small cylinder of adamantium with Mjolnir, which is only "scarcely" dented. The second incident involves a battle between Ultron and the Incredible Hulk. During the fight, the Hulk punches the robot with enough force to slightly dent it.

Within the Earth-1610 reality, otherwise known as the Ultimate Marvel Universe, adamantium also exists but there is evidence that brings into question the status of adamantium as "unbreakable" or "indestructible" in comparison with the Earth-616 version. There is an example of the Ultimate Marvel version of Wolverine being ripped in half by the Ultimate Marvel version of the Hulk. Within the same issue, a question was raised by another character as to whether Wolverine's joints were bonded with adamantium. As to whether the connective tissues between Wolverine's joints are torn, the adamantium was damaged, or both is not fully known as the Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk mini-series has met with numerous delays. There is also an instance of the Hulk breaking a needle made of adamantium. During the initial appearances of the Ultimate Marvel Universe's version of Sabretooth, it is revealed that he has four retractable adamantium claws implanted within each of his forearms. Through circumstances that have yet to be explained, one of the claws implanted within Sabretooth's left forearm is broken. There is also at least one known incident of adamantium within the Earth-1610 reality being damaged by conventional weaponry. In a memory flashback, the Ultimate Marvel version of Nick Fury recalls an adamantium cage containing Wolverine is shelled and destroyed during Operation: Desert Storm. The Ultimate Marvel version Lady Deathstrike also has an adamantium-laced skeleton, and claimed to be indestructible on one occasion. Nonetheless, when she is grabbed in a stranglehold by Longshot, he manages to snap her neck. More recently is an incident involving Apocalypse and Wolverine. As the two battle, Apocalypse rips Wolverine's left arm completely off, though it is later reconnected as Phoenix alters reality. These facts have sparked heated debate and controversy among comic book fans and Marvel Comics has not provided an explanation for the noticeable difference in the durability of the two versions.

Properties of adamantium in the Ultimate Marvel Universe

Little is known about the UMU version of adamantium. Among the most notable information yet to be revealed includes when adamantium is first created, the person or persons responsible for first creating it, and any of the properties and processes used in creating it.

Only one form of adamantium has been seen in the Ultimate Universe thus far. It is currently unknown whether or not any other versions of adamantium exist, as they do in the Earth-616 reality.

Adamantium in the UMU is highly durable and is able to effectively protect a person's mind from telepathic probing or attacks, a property that the Earth-616 version lacks completely. It has been shown as a component of the claws and skeleton of the Ultimate Wolverine and Ultimate Lady Deathstrike. The UMU's version of Sabretooth's natural claws are bonded with adamantium and he possesses four retractable claws similar to those of Wolverine implanted in his forearms. The shield of Ultimate Captain America is entirely comprised of adamantium.

In other media

The name adamantium has been used by other writers, game designers and publishing companies to describe similar substances, since adamantium isn't a trademarked property. The degree of resilience and creation of adamantium can sometimes vary between different media forms.

Games

• In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, adamantium is a super-hard alloy used by the Imperium of Man in the construction of weapons and armor. Notably, the Black Dragons Space Marines Chapter sheathes mutated bone growths in adamantium to use them as close combat weapons. Also, Tactical Dreadnought Armor is said to be made from plates of adamantium in addition to other forms of protection, to make it all but impenetrable.
• It is also found in Blizzard's World of Warcraft as the Ornate Adamantium Breastplate, as well as being what the insane dragon Deathwing's armor is made of. There was a mineable variation of adamantium known as adamantite added in the Burning Crusade expansion pack.
• Adamantium armor and weapons can be found in Bethesda Softworks' The Elder Scrolls Series, in the Tribunal expansion to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
• Adamantium armor is a form of armor in the PlayStation 2 game Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal.
• In Two Worlds there are two available Earth Magic spells with adamantium references. These spells are Summon Adamantium Golem (the strongest summon in the game), and Adamantium Shield.
• In the MMORPG Runescape, it is possible to mine Adamantite ore and smith it into Adamant weaponry and armor. The Adamantite armor and weapons are fairly weak when compared with most other armour available. There was a time when Adamantite was the strongest metal, being better than Mithril, another fictional substance of extreme durability.
• In Dungeons & Dragons v3.5, adamantine is described as "an ultra hard metal found only in meteorites and the rares veins in magical areas", weighs the same as steel, and can cut through any lesser material with ease.
• Adamantium Armor is the second strongest type of armor in the Master of Orion computer game series.
• In the MMORPG MapleStory, Adamantium is a mineral ore that can be processed to Adamantium plates in use to forge some equipment.
• In the MMORPG Mabinogi, the missing skeleton of the Generation One boss monster Glas Ghaibhleannwas said to be substitutable adamantium.
• In the RPG game Rage of Mages, the second strongest and most powerful set of weapons and armor is made of adamantium. It has a pink/violet color scheme.
• In Age Of Mythology, the gates of Tartarus, fashioned by Zeus to seal Kronos, are made of adamantium.
• In Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Adamantium is the Ultra Rare element for tier 5 blacksmith recipes.
• In the MMORPG Star Sonata, many high end items are built using Adamantium Sheets, these are refined from Adamantium Ore. A fairly common use for these sheets is 'Adamantiumized' Base Gear.
• In nearly all the Final Fantasy games, adamantium appears as unrefined metal or a piece of shell from a giant turtle called an Adamantoise.
• In Ricochet Infinity three of the top 4 ranks are described as having Adamantium artifacts (sword, crown and throne).
• In Fallout 3, the character may take a perk titled 'Adamantium Skeleton', which reduces the damage taken to limbs.
• In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, during the end credits E-123 Omega asks Sonic "ARE ADAMANTIUM DOUBLE-LUBRICATED ACTUATOR JOINTS CAPABLE OF BOOSTING MY GROUND SPEED BY APPROXIMATELY 15%?"
• In NCSoft's Lineage 2, 'Adamantite Nuggets' are raw materials used to craft various weapons and armors.
• In the fantasy game Dwarf Fortress, a substance known as Adamantine is so rare, that striking it will trigger the coming of The Dwarf King. Its melting point is so high that it is immune to destruction by lava, and is much stronger than any other material for constructing armor or weapons. It is also much lighter and is rather brittle because it has no elasticity.
• World of Warcraft has, like in Dwarf Fortress, Adamantine. The adamantite ore is smelted into adamantite bars, which are then used by blacksmiths to create adamantite armor sets. Adamantite weapons consist of the following classes: maces, swords, daggers, axes, arrows, guns, and, bullets.
• In ROSE online there is a usable item called Adamantium Drill for slotting equipments and inserting gems.
• In Lost Odyssey, there is a sword called Adamantis, forged from Adamantium.
• In the physics/fighting game Toribash, adamantium is a color option for your character. It says in the game that it is harvested from a creature from another universe. It is a grey-blue color.

Films

• As with his comics counterpart, the X-Men film series version of Wolverine also possesses adamantium in his skeleton and claws. In X2: X-Men United, liquid adamantium was seen boiling in a tub. (William Stryker mentioned that the "tricky thing with adamantium is, you gotta keep it hot.") The X2 version of Deathstrike is also shown to have adamantium claws that are extruded from the tips of her fingers (Wolverine's are sheathed in his forearms and released between his knuckles).
• In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, adamantium is discovered in the form of a meteorite that fell to Earth somewhere in Nigeria. However, the film doesn't reveal much about the meteorite itself. It isn't known if adamantium is a material created by William Stryker's team of scientists based on studying the meteorite or if it is an accurate reproduction of the material itself. Whatever the case, adamantium is eventually cultivated for use as weaponry. Aside from bonding the metal to Wolverine's skeleton, the film also depicts several bullets composed of adamantium. Another deviation from the comic book is the film depicts that it is possible for adamantium to be pierced by adamantium, as shown when Stryker shoots Wolverine twice in the head at point blank range. Although Wolverine quickly recovers physically, the shots cause him to lose all memory of his life up to that point.
• In the Marvel Comics animated feature Ultimate Avengers, Captain America's shield is composed of an adamantium/vibranium alloy.
• In the 1998 film Lost in Space, the spider-like organisms are described as having an "Adamantium shell". The organisms were destroyed by exposure to a nuclear fusion explosion.
• In the Iron Man film, adamantium was used to fashion an exclusive bullet used in the Iron Man suit's ballistics.

TV Shows

• In the Iron Man animated series Tony Stark has armor made of adamantium, though it's stolen by the Mandarin.
• In the Samurai Jack episode Jack and the Ultra-robots, the assassin robots are said to be made of Adamantium.
• In the British TV comedy Green Wing season 1, Martin Dear argues with Dr. "Mac" Macartney, that his next vespa helmet will be from Adamantium.
• In the British TV comedy Spaced, Tim is seen in an earlier episode drawing "Wolverine slashing prices with his Adamantium claws" for a comic book store advertisement.
• In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon (1987) Shredder refers to his Chrome Dome robot being made entirely out of Adamantium in "Planet of the Turtleoids."
• In Valentine (TV series), Ari (Ares) speaks of an Adamantine Blade, the only weapon capable of killing a God.

Music

• The UK Grime record label owned by Kiss FM DJ Logan Sama is called Adamantium Music.
• Adamantium was also the name of an American hardcore band.

See also

• Adamant
• Adamantine
• Promethium
• Vibranium
• Unobtainium
• Mithril