Modular Man
Encyclopedia
The Modular Man is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics
supervillain. He first appeared in Rampaging Hulk
#2 (April 1977) and was created by John Warner
and Val Mayerik
.
for himself that would hold him together, keeping his atoms from drifting apart entirely, although his body itself could only be maintained in an intangible form.
An organization known as The Conspiracy
promised to cure Weems of his affliction if he aided them in their plans. They gave Weems the code name
"Modular Man" because of his ability take his body apart and put it back together without ill effect.
Agents of The Conspiracy mailed parts of Weems' body in several packages to Delenor Hospital, where another agent of the Conspiracy, Killer Shrike
, lay in a coma
after a fight with Ulysses Bloodstone
. Members of the Conspiracy reassembled Weems in the hospital's mail room.
Weems kidnapped Killer Shrike and brought him to his masters in the Conspiracy. Unfortunately, the Conspiracy's leadership had shortly before been all killed while attempting to acquire the Hellfire Helix. Weems managed to make Killer Shrike conscious again, but could not cure the latter's amnesia
. Killer Shrike promised to help Weems if he would reveal the Shrike's past to him. The two stole scientific equipment from labs at Empire State University
, and came into conflict with Spider-Man
and Beast
.
Weems and Killer Shrike took a helicopter to the antenna of the Empire State Building
prior to a new television broadcast that would presumably provide the necessary microwaves for Weems to restore himself. The broadcast initially caused Weems great pain, but then, instead of curing him, caused him to increase in size and power. He revealed that his true intent had never been to be cured, but to transform himself into a creature made out of pure energy wielding "power beyond that which any man has ever known." He struck Killer Shrike unconscious, as he no longer needed him. Spider-Man
and Beast
showed up again and used the Shrike's energy gauntlets to overload Weems' exoskeleton, without the protection of which, his molecules spread out further and further until he just dissolved into thin air.
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...
supervillain. He first appeared in Rampaging Hulk
Rampaging Hulk
The Rampaging Hulk is a black-and-white magazine published by Curtis Magazines from 1977–1978. With issue #10, it changed its format to color, and title to The Hulk!, and ran another 17 issues before it folded in 1981...
#2 (April 1977) and was created by John Warner
John Warner (comics)
John Warner is an American comic book writer and editor, known for his stories of horror and the supernatural.Warner's most prolific period in the comic book field was from 1973–1979...
and Val Mayerik
Val Mayerik
Val Mayerik is an American comic-book and commercial artist, best known as co-creator of Marvel Comics' satiric character Howard the Duck.-Early life and career:...
.
Fictional character biography
Stephen Weems was a physicist employed by the Brand Corporation (a subsidiary of Roxxon Energy Corporation) to perform experiments using microwaves to induce molecular dissolution. There was an accident during one of the experiments, and Weems was gravely injured by a burst of microwaves, which caused his molecules to start drifting apart. He quickly designed an exoskeletonExoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
for himself that would hold him together, keeping his atoms from drifting apart entirely, although his body itself could only be maintained in an intangible form.
An organization known as The Conspiracy
Conspiracy (comics)
The Conspiracy is an alliance of five fictional super powered villains appearing in comic books published by American publisher, Marvel Comics.-Fictional history:...
promised to cure Weems of his affliction if he aided them in their plans. They gave Weems the code name
Code name
A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage...
"Modular Man" because of his ability take his body apart and put it back together without ill effect.
Agents of The Conspiracy mailed parts of Weems' body in several packages to Delenor Hospital, where another agent of the Conspiracy, Killer Shrike
Killer Shrike
Killer Shrike is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain. He first appeared in Rampaging Hulk #1 and was created by John Warner and John Buscema-Fictional character biography:...
, lay in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
after a fight with Ulysses Bloodstone
Ulysses Bloodstone
Ulysses Bloodstone is a fictional character, an immortal monster-hunter in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:John Warner has explained the development of Ulysses Bloodstone: "Len Wein and Marv Wolfman came up with the spark that would become Bloodstone—the premise of a man who fights...
. Members of the Conspiracy reassembled Weems in the hospital's mail room.
Weems kidnapped Killer Shrike and brought him to his masters in the Conspiracy. Unfortunately, the Conspiracy's leadership had shortly before been all killed while attempting to acquire the Hellfire Helix. Weems managed to make Killer Shrike conscious again, but could not cure the latter's amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
. Killer Shrike promised to help Weems if he would reveal the Shrike's past to him. The two stole scientific equipment from labs at Empire State University
Empire State University
Empire State University is a fictional university in the Marvel Comics Universe, a mixture of New York University and Columbia University . It is located somewhere in New York City, in Greenwich Village near the site of New York University...
, and came into conflict with Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
.
Weems and Killer Shrike took a helicopter to the antenna of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
prior to a new television broadcast that would presumably provide the necessary microwaves for Weems to restore himself. The broadcast initially caused Weems great pain, but then, instead of curing him, caused him to increase in size and power. He revealed that his true intent had never been to be cured, but to transform himself into a creature made out of pure energy wielding "power beyond that which any man has ever known." He struck Killer Shrike unconscious, as he no longer needed him. Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and Beast
Beast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
showed up again and used the Shrike's energy gauntlets to overload Weems' exoskeleton, without the protection of which, his molecules spread out further and further until he just dissolved into thin air.
Powers
The Modular Man possessed superhuman strength and endurance, and was able to disassemble and reassemble his body any way he wished. He could absorb microwave radiation to vastly increase his size and physical strength, but could not survive without his exoskeleton. He also carried a number of weapons, such as a gas gun.External links
- The Modular Man at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel universe