Landau, Luckman, and Lake
Encyclopedia
Landau, Luckman, and Lake or LLL is the name of a fictional holding company
featured in the pages of the Wolverine
, Uncanny X-Men
and Deadpool
comic books, published by Marvel Comics
. Created by writer Chris Claremont
, the company was first mentioned in Wolverine #5 (March 1989).
Claremont based the name of the organization on the original owners of the Forbidden Planet
comic store: Nick Landau
, Mike Luckman and Mike Lake.
companies such as a law firm
of the same name, it is in reality a front organization
for a private espionage
contractor which, in turn, is controlled by a cabal
conspiring to "immanentize the eschaton
". Some of these companies provide cover, plausible occupations and means of income, for its covert agent
s. LLL is made up of a diverse mixture of personnel, drawn from intelligence
or fringe scientific
backgrounds. It possesses a precognitive department and interdimensional teleportation
technology which makes its foresight and reach beyond imagination.
As a vast, shadow government
-like organization with storehouses of dreadful secrets, staff being unknowningly used to further an agenda, and an interest in controlling the path humanity will take into an ominous future, the extent of Landau, Luckman, and Lake's influence behind the scenes of the major events in the Marvel Universe
has yet to be revealed.
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
featured in the pages of the Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
and Deadpool
Deadpool (comics)
Deadpool is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and...
comic books, published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Created by writer Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
, the company was first mentioned in Wolverine #5 (March 1989).
Claremont based the name of the organization on the original owners of the Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet (bookstore)
Forbidden Planet is the trading name of two separate science fiction, fantasy and horror bookshop chains across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States of America, after the feature film of the same name....
comic store: Nick Landau
Nick Landau
Nick Landau is a British media figure, currently co-owner of the Titan Entertainment Group, which publishes Titan Magazines and Titan Books.-2000 AD:...
, Mike Luckman and Mike Lake.
Overview
Although Landau, Luckman, and Lake is an intergalactic holding company which oversees and manages a number of subsidiarySubsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
companies such as a law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of the same name, it is in reality a front organization
Front organization
A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy groups, or corporations...
for a private espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
contractor which, in turn, is controlled by a cabal
Cabal
A cabal is a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views and/or interests in a church, state, or other community, often by intrigue...
conspiring to "immanentize the eschaton
Immanentize the eschaton
In political theory and theology, to immanentize the eschaton means trying to bring about the eschaton in the immanent world. It has been used by conservative critics, foremost William F. Buckley, as a pejorative reference to certain utopian projects, such as socialism, communism and transhumanism...
". Some of these companies provide cover, plausible occupations and means of income, for its covert agent
Covert agent
-Covert agents in the United States:As it is used in the United States Intelligence Community, it is legally defined in 50 USCA §426.The definition is subject to judicial interpretation, but a reading of the plain language of that statute reveals that a covert agent can be an employee of the US...
s. LLL is made up of a diverse mixture of personnel, drawn from intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
or fringe scientific
Fringe science
Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline....
backgrounds. It possesses a precognitive department and interdimensional teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
technology which makes its foresight and reach beyond imagination.
As a vast, shadow government
Shadow government (conspiracy)
The term shadow government besides its party political meaning can also refer to what is sometimes called "the secret government" or "the invisible government" , an idea based on the notion that real and actual political power does not reside with publicly elected representatives but with private...
-like organization with storehouses of dreadful secrets, staff being unknowningly used to further an agenda, and an interest in controlling the path humanity will take into an ominous future, the extent of Landau, Luckman, and Lake's influence behind the scenes of the major events in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
has yet to be revealed.
Current roster
- Landau, Luckman, and Lake (first names all unknown). Senior partners at LLL.
- Chang. Agent
Notable former employees
- Gerald "Gerry" Lequare. Senior partner, the "Fourth L" of LLL
- Dixon. Overboss, head of the Mithras Directive
- Zoe Culloden, the Expediter. Agent and later, Overboss
- Noah DuBois. Agent
- Montgomery. Precognitive
- WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
. Agent - Carling. Scientist and engineer specializing in interdimensional teleportationTeleportationTeleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
technology - DeadpoolDeadpool (comics)Deadpool is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and...
. Agent - Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
. Agent - Mikitan. Agent