ABSORBATRON

Classification: Technology (terrestrial)

Creator: Dr. Robert Bruce Banner

User/Possessors: US Air Force, Leader (Sam Sterns)

Location: Leader's Mesa hideout, New Mexico;
   formerly Astra Island, probably Pacific Ocean (see comments); Gamma Base, New Mexico

First Appearance: (hidden under tarpaulins, unidentified) Tales to Astonish I#63 (January, 1965);
   (seen, identified) Tales to Astonish I#64 (February, 1965)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Absorbatron was designed to absorb the entire force of a nuclear explosion. It was never used, so exactly how it worked was unrevealed, but it was said to be able to absorb the power of the bomb; since it was said that this would make the user safe from any atomic attack, it presumably had to absorb all the effects of the detonation, including the heat, radiation, and blast wave.

History:
(Tales To Astonish I#64/2 (fb) - BTS) - The Absorbatron was created by Bruce Banner for the US Army in an effort to provide a defense against nuclear attack by absorbing "the impact" of the blast.

(Tales to Astonish I#63/2) - The Leader plotted to steal Banner's nuclear secrets, and to this end sent in a spy, the Chameleon, to Gamma Base in New Mexico to gather intelligence. The Chameleon reported back that Banner's newest invention was being transported by train to another base, hidden from prying eyes under some tarpaulins, so the Leader sent one of his synthetic Humanoid robots to steal it en route. With the Leader watching the mission through the Humanoid's eyes, the robot descended from a helicopter to board the train and decoupled the car carrying the Absorbatron, but while the Humanoid was trying to release the covers so the Leader could view his prize, the Hulk (Banner's secret alter ego) intervened. During the subsequent battle the Absorbatron was knocked loose and the Hulk shoved it off the side of the train car to prevent it impacting against a tank also riding on the car. However, the army swiftly arrived to recover it.

(Tales To Astonish I#64/2 (fb) - BTS) - The device was transported to the small, deserted Astra Island for testing, which Banner was sent to supervise under the watchful eyes of Major Glenn Talbot. Informed of this by Chameleon, the Leader decided to seize the renewed opportunity to learn the secrets of Banner's invention and sent more Humanoids to invade the island, avoiding notice of the U.S. Navy light cruiser stationed nearby by walking along the ocean floor.

(Tales To Astonish I#64/2) - In a bunker on the island Banner prepared to test his device against an atomic explosion the cruiser was to set off, but an argument with Talbot triggered Banner's transformation into the Hulk. Racing outside the bunker to avoid changing in front of Talbot, Banner became the Hulk, and when Talbot spotted the behemoth he shut the bunker's blast doors to prevent the creature reaching him. Unaware that moments later the Hulk was drawn into battle with the newly arrived Humanoids, Talbot remotely lowered the Absorbatron into a titanium-shielded underground shelter to protect it from the Hulk.

(Tales To Astonish I#65/2 - BTS) - The battle between the Hulk and the Humanoids led to the Hulk taking a prolonged journey away from Astra Island and the USA; Banner's absence necessitated the Absorbatron test being delayed.

(Tales to Astonish I#68/2) - Banner returned to Gamma Base, and the Absorbatron test was rescheduled. Again learning of this, the Leader seeded Astra Island his Humanoids to Astra Isle in powdery form and then enlarged them to full size after the arrival of Talbot and Banner. The Humanoids easily overwhelmed Talbot and then rendered the Hulk unconscious via gas.

(Tales to Astonish I#69/2) - The Leader then arrived himself and transported both the Hulk and the Absorbatron back to his desert base via a magnetic attractor-beam on his ship. However, the Hulk revived before the Leader had time to examine the Absorbatron, and with some remnant of Banner's memories telling him the Leader must not be allowed to have the Absorbatron, the green goliath hurled a huge steel bar at the nuclear device, destroying it. It was never rebuilt.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and George Bell.

   The Absorbatron was a pinky-purple color when first depicted in Tales to Astonish I#64, but a far more somber gray in its two subsequent appearances; no in-story reason is provided, so it's presumably an art error.

   In Tales to Astonish I#63 we're given the impression that Banner's invention on the train is a bomb; thus it's easy to assume that the Absorbatron, introduced the next issue, is a different invention, except that the Chameleon confirms otherwise in his report to the Leader. Tales to Astonish I#64 mentions that the Hulk protected Banner' nuclear invention from the Humanoid, and the very next page the Chameleon states that the army still plan to test "his nuclear device" on Astra Island. It seems likely that Stan Lee hadn't decided what the invention did until the second of the issues.

   We're not told which ocean Astra Island is in, but since nuclear bomb tests tended to happen in the Pacific, that seems the most likely option.

Profile by Snood.

Clarifications:
The Absorbatron should not be confused with:

• Absorbascann, device used by the Everyman, @ Marvel Team-Up I#132
• any other absorbing thing/character

images:
Tales to Astonish I#68/2, p6, pan1 (main image, surrounded by miniscule Humanoids)
Tales to Astonish I#64/2, p4, pan4 (Astra Island, with Absorbatron on raised platform)
Tales to Astonish I#69/2, p2, pan2 (view of different side of Absorbatron)
Tales to Astonish I#69/2, p3, pan3 (Leader transports Absorbatron)
Tales to Astonish I#69/2, p8, pan5 (Hulk hurls a steel bar)
Tales to Astonish I#69/2, p9, pan1 (and Absorbatron goes boom)
Tales to Astonish I#64/2, p5, pan1 (Absorbatron: also comes in pink)