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Mandrill (comics)

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Mandrill
The Mandrill as depicted in The Defenders #79 (January 1980). Art by Herb Trimpe and Ed Hannigan (pencillers), Mike Esposito (inkier), and Carl Gafford (colorist).
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceShanna the She-Devil #4 (June 1973)
Created byCarole Seuling (writer)
Ross Andru (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoJerome Beechman
SpeciesHuman Mutant
Team affiliationsBlack Spectre
Mutant Force
PartnershipsNekra
Notable aliasesHensley Fargus, Monkey Face
AbilitiesGifted planner and strategist
Skilled acrobat and hand to hand combatant
Superhuman strength, speed, agility, dexterity, flexibility, reflexes, coordination, balance and endurance
Above-normal intellect
Mind control via pheromones

Mandrill (Jerome Beechman) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

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Mandrill first appeared in Shanna the She-Devil #4 (June 1973).[1] He was created by writer Carole Seuling and artist Ross Andru. Steve Gerber contributed to the comic, but denied having a hand in the character's creation, crediting it to Seuling.[2]

Fictional character biography

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Jerome Beechman was the son of Frederic Beechman, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and Margaret Beechman. Due to his parents being affected by radiation, he was born with black skin and tufts of body hair.[3][4] As a result, he was rejected and abandoned in the New Mexico desert.[5]

While wandering the desert, Jerome encountered Nekra Sinclair, the daughter of the cleaning woman who had been bombarded by radiation in the same accident that had affected Beechman's father. Although her parents were black, she was born albino white and developed vampiric features. For six years, they lived by theft and scavenging until they were attacked by a lynch mob that thought they were monsters, awakening their abilities and enabling them to escape.

Now possessing a monkey-like appearance, Beechman became a professional criminal and took the name Mandrill. Traveling to Africa, the two plotted to seize control of three small nations using the Mandrill's pheromones and create a society free of the values that had led them to be rejected when they were young. This effort was thwarted by Shanna the She-Devil. After their battle, Beechman and Sinclair were captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.[6] The two escaped, kidnapping Shanna's father in the process and eventually killing him.

For their next plot, they acted as political subversives, using the Mandrill's powers to raise Black Spectre, a cult of black women committed to overthrowing America.[7] As leader of Black Spectre, he battled the Thing and Daredevil.[8] Alongside Nekra and Black Spectre, he attacked the Empire State Building and battled Daredevil, the Black Widow, and Shanna.[9] Mandrill and his allies were ultimately defeated on the White House lawn by the heroes. Though Nekra was captured, Mandrill escaped the authorities.[10]

Mandrill raised yet another army of women called Fem-Force.[11] He also recruited the Mutant Force to aid him in his takeover of the United States and attacked an Air Force base in Colorado. This adventure was brought to an end by the Defenders. Mutant Force was captured.[12] Mandrill led Fem-Force against the Indian Point Energy Center, where his parents were employed. He fought the Defenders again, but in the end Mandrill was defeated when he was shot by his own mother. Surviving, he escaped with the aid of some Fem-Force members.[13]

Mandrill has made no secret of his misogyny. He has often taken sexual advantage of his slaves.[14][15][3] He married some of his slaves, becoming illegally polygamous. In the pages of Daredevil, it was alluded that he had made the Black Widow one of his many conquests.[16]

Mandrill attempted to avenge the death of Nekra in Los Angeles, California by attacking the Grim Reaper. Mandrill was apparently slain,[17] but he somehow survived and was later incarcerated in New York's experimental "Ant-Hill" prison, where all prisoners were shrunken by Hank Pym's Pym particles. An escape attempt was thwarted by She-Hulk.[18] Mandrill was incarcerated on The Raft, where he escaped during The New Avengers #1 to join Crossfire's mind-controlling team of villains in Spider-Man: Breakout. He was captured by Spider-Man in the pages of Marvel's February romance specials.[19] Mandrill is one of the few mutants to retain their powers after Marvel's Decimation event.

The Hood hired Mandrill as part of his criminal organization to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act.[20] He helped them fight the New Avengers but was defeated by Doctor Strange.[21]

When Alyosha Kravinoff (the son of Kraven the Hunter) began collecting a zoo of animal-themed superhumans some time after the "Civil War" storyline, including Mandrill.[22] He later attacked the Punisher, who defeated him and injured his left eye.[23]

During the Secret Invasion storyline, Mandrill was one of many prisoners who escaped from The Raft prison for supervillains.[volume & issue needed] He assists the Hood's group in fighting a Skrull invasion force in Central Park.[24] As seen in flashbacks, the Hood has used his powers to free his men and clear their group of Skrull infiltrators.[25]

During the Dark Reign storyline, Mandrill joins the Hood's gang in an attack on the New Avengers, who were expecting the Dark Avengers instead.[26] Mandrill is later seen conferring with the Hood regarding procuring the zombie virus. He argues with the Hood that the virus is too dangerous, but Dormammu compels them to procure the virus anyway.[27] Mandrill is seen to be among the new recruits for Camp HAMMER.[28] Mandrill is with the Hood's crime syndicate when Hood tells them that they are now agents of Norman Osborn.[29]

Mandrill assists Griffin in attacking Spider-Man and Spider-Woman, and takes control of Spider-Woman.[30] Spider-Man webs Mandrill in his face and Spider-Woman resists his control and blasts the Mandrill in the mouth.[31] He is seen during the battle of Camp: HAMMER,[32] until the Hood orders him to teleport to aid Osborn in Siege of Asgard.[33] After the battle ends, Mandrill is arrested along with other members of the Hood's gang.[34]

During the "Hunted" storyline, Mandrill is among the animal-themed superhumans who are captured by Taskmaster and Black Ant for Kraven the Hunter before being killed by robots.[35]

The Mandrill later appears as a prisoner at Myrmidon, and briefly helps Captain America escape from there.[36]

Powers and abilities

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The Mandrill is a mutant who possesses superhuman physical abilities as well as pheromones that can control women. In at least one instance, he used technology to affect men as well.[37][14][15]

In other media

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Television

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Video games

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Mandrill appears in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. He is killed by the Circle of Eight.

References

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  1. ^ 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. 229. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ^ [1][dead link‍] August 18, 2005 post to Howard the Duck Club (members only)
  3. ^ a b Trinos, Angelo Delos (February 6, 2023). "10 Dark Marvel Villains Everyone Forgot About". CBR. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Bailey, Caleb (January 16, 2020). "10 Marvel Villains That Would Never Be Made Today". CBR. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains. New York: Facts on File. p. 205. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[2]
  6. ^ Shanna the She-Devil #4. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^ Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1605490564.
  8. ^ Marvel Two-in-One #3. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ Sanderson, Peter (2007). The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City. New York City: Pocket Books. pp. 49–51. ISBN 978-1-4165-3141-8.
  10. ^ Daredevil #110-112. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ Unrelated to AC Comics' Femforce
  12. ^ The Defenders #85. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^ The Defenders #89-91. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ a b Eckhardt, Peter (April 15, 2023). "15 Avengers Villains Too Controversial For An MCU Adaptation". CBR. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Bacon, Thomas (October 16, 2022). "The MCU Just Confirmed A Mutant Marvel Would Never Dare Use". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Illustration, Daredevil Villain Gallery
  17. ^ Avengers West Coast #66. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ She-Hulk #5-6. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ Marvel's I Heart Marvel: Web Of Romance #1, Mile High Comics
  20. ^ The New Avengers #35. Marvel Comics.
  21. ^ The New Avengers Annual #2. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ The Punisher War Journal vol. 2 #13-14. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^ The Punisher War Journal vol. 2 #15. Marvel Comics.
  24. ^ Secret Invasion #6. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^ The New Avengers #46. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^ The New Avengers #50. Marvel Comics.
  27. ^ Marvel Zombies 4 #2. Marvel Comics.
  28. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #25. Marvel Comics.
  29. ^ The New Avengers #60. Marvel Comics.
  30. ^ The New Avengers #61. Marvel Comics.
  31. ^ The New Avengers #62. Marvel Comics.
  32. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #34
  33. ^ Siege #3. Marvel Comics.
  34. ^ The New Avengers: The Finale #1. Marvel Comics.
  35. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 5 #19. Marvel Comics.
  36. ^ Captain America vol. 9 #11. Marvel Comics.
  37. ^ Marvel Two-In-One Vol.1 #3
  38. ^ "Mandrill Voice - The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 18, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  39. ^ Towner, Eric and Alex Kramer (director); Patton Oswalt (writer) (May 21, 2021). "If Saturday Be... For the Boys!". M.O.D.O.K. Season 1. Episode 4. Hulu.
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