Taurus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Taurus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe
.
cartel, chose its eleven other leaders, and succeeded Marcus Lassiter, the original Aries
as the Zodiac's overall leader. In the Zodiac's first mission, Taurus and the Zodiac were summoned by Nick Fury
(disguised as Scorpio). Taurus battled the Avengers
and then escaped. As Van Lunt he then attempted a hostile takeover of Stark Industries
as part of his plan to make the Avengers his employees. As Van Lunt he had Will Talltrees's parents murdered to gain their land. He was opposed by Talltrees (as Red Wolf) and the Avengers, and was believed to have drowned. Later, the Zodiac schemed to kill all New York residents born under the sign of Gemini with the Star-Blazer weapon, but were foiled by the Avengers. Taurus defeated a rebellion within the Zodiac, but he was captured by the Avengers along with all the other Zodiac leaders, and his secret identity was exposed. While jailed, he allowed the Avengers to use his Star-Blazer weapon against the Star-Stalker
.
Taurus later attempted to compete against the Maggia
, who send the Taurus of the android Zodiac to wreck his headquarters. He hired Iron Man
(James Rhodes), who defeated the android Taurus. Van Lunt then deduced this Iron Man's identity to be Rhodes, and sent Aries and Aquarius in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him. Taurus later witnessed the massacre of all the other human Zodiac leaders by Scorpio's android Zodiac. He aided the West Coast Avengers
in defeating the android Zodiac, escaped, and attempted to enlist the Shroud
in a new Zodiac. Taurus was ultimately killed in a plane crash following a battle with Moon Knight
, just outside Los Angeles.
It was revealed much later that the archetype for the Zodiac was a Great Wheel
organized by Leonardo da Vinci
in 1961 that included Nick Fury
, Dum Dum Dugan
, Jake Fury, Baron Von Strucker, among other spymasters. Each was identified by his own sign of the Zodiac, and Van Lundt was designated Taurus.
. The Maggia
employed the android Taurus to wreck the human Taurus's headquarters; the android Taurus was defeated by Iron Man
. Quicksilver
employed the android Zodiac to attack the West Coast Avengers
, but the Avengers defeated the Zodiac.
Led by Scorpio in a new android body, the android Zodiac massacred the human Zodiac, and took over their criminal operations. They battled the West Coast Avengers, but were rendered inert when they were transported to the dimension of the Brotherhood of the Ankh.
by Scorpio. He was also a loud thug who is easily angered. Taurus was killed with the rest of the Zodiac by Weapon X
.
In its original form, the android Taurus had retractable horns mounted on its arms and attached to cables so that it can be fired at opponents. It also possessed internal sensors enabling it to detect heat. In its second form, the android Taurus had enhanced strength and was immune to energy blasts.
The Ecliptic version of Taurus had superhuman strength and carried the Zodiac teleportation device.
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...
.
Cornelius Van Lunt
Cornelius Van Lunt was a multimillionaire businessman, and professional criminal mastermind. He was also the founder and financer of the original ZodiacZodiac (comics)
Zodiac is the name of four groups of fictional characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. The first version appears in Avengers #72 and was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. The second version first appear in Defenders #49 and were created by David Kraft and Keith Giffen...
cartel, chose its eleven other leaders, and succeeded Marcus Lassiter, the original Aries
Aries (comics)
The various incarnations of Aries are Marvel Comics supervillains who were members of various incarnations of the supervillain group, the Zodiac....
as the Zodiac's overall leader. In the Zodiac's first mission, Taurus and the Zodiac were summoned by Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
(disguised as Scorpio). Taurus battled the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
and then escaped. As Van Lunt he then attempted a hostile takeover of Stark Industries
Stark Industries
In the fictional world of Iron Man, Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark/Fujikawa, Stark Enterprises and currently Stark Resilient, is a fictional multi-billion dollar corporation owned and run by businessman Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark, also known as...
as part of his plan to make the Avengers his employees. As Van Lunt he had Will Talltrees's parents murdered to gain their land. He was opposed by Talltrees (as Red Wolf) and the Avengers, and was believed to have drowned. Later, the Zodiac schemed to kill all New York residents born under the sign of Gemini with the Star-Blazer weapon, but were foiled by the Avengers. Taurus defeated a rebellion within the Zodiac, but he was captured by the Avengers along with all the other Zodiac leaders, and his secret identity was exposed. While jailed, he allowed the Avengers to use his Star-Blazer weapon against the Star-Stalker
Star Stalker (comics)
Star-Stalker is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:The Star-Stalker was a mutant Vorm who destroyed planets by absorbing energy in the form of ions ....
.
Taurus later attempted to compete against the Maggia
Maggia (comics)
The Maggia is a fictional international crime syndicate that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The organization exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
, who send the Taurus of the android Zodiac to wreck his headquarters. He hired Iron Man
War Machine
War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
(James Rhodes), who defeated the android Taurus. Van Lunt then deduced this Iron Man's identity to be Rhodes, and sent Aries and Aquarius in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him. Taurus later witnessed the massacre of all the other human Zodiac leaders by Scorpio's android Zodiac. He aided the West Coast Avengers
West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The team first appear in The West Coast Avengers #1 and was created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall.- Publication history :...
in defeating the android Zodiac, escaped, and attempted to enlist the Shroud
Shroud (comics)
Shroud is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Super-Villain Team-Up #5, , and was created by Steve Englehart and Herb Trimpe.-Conception:...
in a new Zodiac. Taurus was ultimately killed in a plane crash following a battle with Moon Knight
Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a fictional character, a mercenary-turned-superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character exists in the Marvel Universe and was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin...
, just outside Los Angeles.
It was revealed much later that the archetype for the Zodiac was a Great Wheel
Great Wheel
The Great Wheel was a Ferris wheel built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court in London in 1895.Great Wheel may also refer to:* Beijing Great Wheel, a Ferris wheel proposed for Beijing, China...
organized by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
in 1961 that included Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, Dum Dum Dugan
Dum Dum Dugan
Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader "Dum Dum" Dugan is a fictional character in the . He is an officer of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is one of the most experienced members of Nick Fury's team, known for his marksmanship with rifles and for his impressive physique...
, Jake Fury, Baron Von Strucker, among other spymasters. Each was identified by his own sign of the Zodiac, and Van Lundt was designated Taurus.
Android Zodiac
Scorpio (Jake Fury) constructed the android Zodiac members, although his plan was thwarted by the DefendersDefenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
. The Maggia
Maggia (comics)
The Maggia is a fictional international crime syndicate that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The organization exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
employed the android Taurus to wreck the human Taurus's headquarters; the android Taurus was defeated by Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
. Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
employed the android Zodiac to attack the West Coast Avengers
West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The team first appear in The West Coast Avengers #1 and was created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall.- Publication history :...
, but the Avengers defeated the Zodiac.
Led by Scorpio in a new android body, the android Zodiac massacred the human Zodiac, and took over their criminal operations. They battled the West Coast Avengers, but were rendered inert when they were transported to the dimension of the Brotherhood of the Ankh.
Ecliptic Zodiac
This Taurus was a humanoid bull that was sprung from Ryker's IslandRyker's Island
Ryker's Island is a fictional prison facility for both conventional criminals, and superhuman criminals in the Marvel Universe. It first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 called simply "Island Prison"....
by Scorpio. He was also a loud thug who is easily angered. Taurus was killed with the rest of the Zodiac by Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
.
Powers and abilities
Taurus wore a costume that he designed, of synthetic stretch fabric and leather, reinforced with kevlar. The costume came with an armored helmet with horns constructed of an unknown hard material, making them formidable weapons. His personal fighting style involved bull-like charges at opponents with his lowered horns. He also controls the Zodiac's "Star-Blazer" energy weapons invented by Darren Bentley; these included the Star-Blazer handgun which fired intense blasts of stellar energy, and the Star-Blazer cannon which was a larger, more powerful version of the handgun. Cornelius van Lunt was a normal human with no superhuman powers. He had a degree in business administration and was a skilled businessman, organizer, and strategist. He was also an amateur astrologer with extensive knowledge of astrology.In its original form, the android Taurus had retractable horns mounted on its arms and attached to cables so that it can be fired at opponents. It also possessed internal sensors enabling it to detect heat. In its second form, the android Taurus had enhanced strength and was immune to energy blasts.
The Ecliptic version of Taurus had superhuman strength and carried the Zodiac teleportation device.
Television
- Taurus appears in The Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They Stand is an animated series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team The Avengers. It consists of 13 episodes, which originally premiered on October 30, 1999, and was produced by Avi Arad and distributed by 20th Century Fox Television...
voiced by Gerry MendicinoGerry MendicinoGerry Mendicino is a Canadian actor.Throughout his career he has been able to play various and versatile characters. He began on the television series King of Kensington and went on to host the popular Polka Dot Door show. He played the role of Sam Ramone in the hit television series Ready or Not...
. Like the other Zodiac members in this show, Taurus is an alien based on the constellation he is named after, though Taurus has the ability to take human form temporarily, and has used the identity of Van Lundt. - Taurus appears in the Marvel Anime: Iron ManMarvel AnimeMarvel Anime is a four-part anime project with collaborations from both Marvel Entertainment and Madhouse. The project took famous Marvel characters and reintroduced them for a Japanese audience in a 12-part series. The announcement was confirmed at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con...
episode "A Twist of Memory, a Turn of the Mind." This version is a bull-like robot controlled by a disabled race car driver named Kawashima.
External links
- Taurus at Marvel.com
- Android Taurus at Marvel Appendix