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Awesome Android

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Awesome Android
The Awesome Android on the cover (background) of Rom #14 (Feb. 1981). Art by Dave Cockrum.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963)
Created byStan Lee (writer)
Jack Kirby (artist)
In-story information
SpeciesRobot
Team affiliationsA.I. Army
Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway
Heavy Metal
Intelligencia
PartnershipsMad Thinker
Notable aliasesAwesome Andy
Abilities

The Awesome Android (also briefly known as Awesome Andy) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby.

Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character has made appearances in Marvel titles for over four decades, and also appeared in Marvel-related products including animated television series and trading cards.

Publication history

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The Awesome Android debuted in Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963) as the creation of the Mad Thinker.[1] "Since then, [the Mad Thinker] and his 15-foot-tall (4.6 m) artificial being ... have had run-ins with most of Marvel's major superheroes.[2]

The pair reappeared in Fantastic Four #28 (July 1964) to battle both the titular superhero team and the mutant superheroes the X-Men. The Android continued in the role of antagonist, appearing in Tales of Suspense #72 (Dec. 1965) as an opponent for Iron Man; Rom #14 (January 1981) against the Parker Brothers-licensed hero Rom; and in Captain America #311 (Nov. 1985). The Android reappeared as part of a supervillain team in The Avengers #286-289 (Feb.-May 1988); featured in the Acts of Vengeance storyline in Avengers Spotlight #27 (Mid-Dec. 1989); battled several Marvel heroes in Thunderbolts #2 (June 1997) and Heroes for Hire #1 (July 1997) and had two further encounters with the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four vol. 3, #23 (Nov. 1999) and #43-44 (July-Aug. 2001). The Android was reclaimed and upgraded by the Thinker in a humorous storyline in the 2004–2005 series She-Hulk; and made a brief appearance in Exiles vol. 2 #4 (Sept. 2009).

Fictional character biography

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The Awesome Android was created by the Mad Thinker using Mister Fantastic's research, incorporating ape DNA and unstable molecules into an almost indestructible body with a microcomputer and a solar-power source.[3] It battles the Fantastic Four and the mutant team the X-Men before being deactivated by X-Men leader Professor X.[4]

The Thinker directs the Android to kidnap industrialist Tony Stark, which eventually leads to a battle with Stark's alter ego Iron Man.[5] After an appearance during the "War of the Super Villains" storyline[6] the Android is absent from Marvel continuity until directed by the Thinker to capture the Galadorian spaceknight Rom for further study. After a brief battle, Rom successfully deactivates the Android.[7] The Android battles Captain America, having been repaired by then abandoned by the Thinker.[8] Fellow artificial creation the Super-Adaptoid, posing as villain the Fixer, reprograms the Android and uses it as part of an assault team of advanced robots called Heavy Metal, consisting of the Awesome Android; Machine Man; the Sentry 459, and TESS-One. The group is eventually defeated by the Avengers with Namor the Sub-Mariner deactivating the Android by ripping off its head while in the water, causing his torso to flood and sink.[9]

The Android reappears during the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline, being repaired by the robot Machinesmith and used to distract the Avengers while several villains escape confinement in the prison facility the Vault. The Android is neutralized by Captain Marvel.[10] After battles with the superhero teams the Thunderbolts,[11] and the Heroes for Hire,[12] and two more encounters with the Fantastic Four,[13] the Android is reclaimed by the Thinker.

The Thinker upgrades the Android to absorb additional abilities, which inadvertently gives him sentience. Subsequently, he rebels against the Thinker and joins Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway, the law firm that employs Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk. However, he eventually returns to the Mad Thinker after being rejected by his coworker Mallory Book.[14][15][16] In subsequent appearances, he accompanies the Mad Thinker in his schemes before eventually joining Iron Man's A.I. Army.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]

Powers and abilities

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The Awesome Android is created when the Mad Thinker steals and uses a technique invented by Mister Fantastic, involving splicing unstable molecules into the DNA patterns of an ape. It has limited artificial intelligence and no capacity for self-motivated activity, and is totally dependent on its programming or the programmer's spoken commands, and usually deactivates itself when inactive.

The Android has inhuman physical attributes and can mimic an ability (one at a time) after touching an opponent, such as the Thing's rock-like skin or Iceman's frost coating. It can also emit close-range blasts of gale-force wind from its mouth. The Android is given one weakness by the Thinker: a collection of nerve ganglia underneath its arms that will deactivate it if struck.[28]

Reception

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Accolades

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  • In 2017, Screen Rant ranked the Awesome Android 10th in their "15 Best Thors In Marvel Comics" list.
  • In 2018, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked the Awesome Android 12th in their "20 Most Powerful Androids Of The Marvel Universe" list.[29]
  • In 2021, CBR ranked the Awesome Android 6th in their "10 Strongest Robots In The Marvel Universe" list.[30]

Other versions

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Ultimate Marvel

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An alternate version of the Awesome Android named Bobby Burchill appears in Ultimate Fantastic Four. He is the younger brother and slave of Rhona Burchill.[31]

JLA/Avengers

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The Awesome Android appears in JLA/Avengers #4 as a brainwashed minion of Krona.[32]

In other media

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Television

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Miscellaneous

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The Awesome Android appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #2.[35]

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. 39. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ^ Conroy, Mike. 500 Comicbook Villains (Collins & Brown, 2004), p.#179, ISBN 1-84340-205-X, ISBN 978-1-84340-205-3
  3. ^ Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963). Marvel Comics.
  4. ^ Fantastic Four #28 (July 1964). Marvel Comics.
  5. ^ Tales of Suspense #72 (Dec. 1965)
  6. ^ Iron Man #77 (Aug. 1975)
  7. ^ Rom #14 (Jan. 1981). Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ Captain America #311 (Nov. 1985). Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ Avengers #286-289 (Feb.-May 1988). Marvel Comics.
  10. ^ Avengers Spotlight #27 (Mid-Dec. 1989). Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ Thunderbolts #2 (June 1997). Marvel Comics.
  12. ^ Heroes for Hire #1 (July 1997). Marvel Comics.
  13. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 3, #23 (Nov. 1999); #43-44 (July-Aug. 2001). Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ She Hulk #2 (June 2004); #4 (Aug. 2004); #6-9 (Oct. 2004 - Jan. 2005); #11-12 (March - April 2005); #14 (February 2007). Marvel Comics.
  15. ^ She-Hulk #20 (Sept. 2007). Marvel Comics.
  16. ^ Exiles vol. 2, #4 (Sept. 2009). Marvel Comics.
  17. ^ Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ FF #3. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #676. Marvel Comics.
  20. ^ Deadpool vol. 2 #55. Marvel Comics.
  21. ^ Captain America: Steve Rogers #12. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics.
  24. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #3. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2. #4. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 4 #5. Marvel Comics.
  27. ^ Iron Man 2020 vol. 2 #6. Marvel Comics.
  28. ^ Avengers #286 (May 1988). Marvel Comics.
  29. ^ Walker, Gary (December 25, 2018). "Epic Synthetics: The 20 Most Powerful Androids Of The Marvel Universe, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  30. ^ Faraci, Derek (January 26, 2021). "Heavy Metal: 10 Strongest Robots In The Marvel Universe, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  31. ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four #19-20 (July-Aug. 2005). Marvel Comics.
  32. ^ JLA/Avengers #4. Marvel Comics.
  33. ^ "Marvel Animation Age - The Marvel Animation News Resource". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
  34. ^ "Awesome Android Voice - Ultimate Spider-Man (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. 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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  35. ^ "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #2 - Obsession; Mutual Respect (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
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