ANDRO

Real Name: Andro

Identity/Class: Android

Occupation: Leader of android revolution; designed as servant/assistant to Dr. Doom

Group Membership: Led and worshipped by a group of Dr. Doom's androids

Affiliations: Briefly allied with the Faceless One and Rudolfo Fortunov

Enemies: Dr. Doom, the Faceless One, Ramona Fradonia, Namor

Known Relatives: Dr. Doom (Victor von Doom, creator, brain pattern donor)

Aliases: Lord of the Androids, Doomsman (initial identity)

Base of Operations: Earth-A;
    formerly an unidentified dimension;
    formerly Castle Doom, Doomstadt, Latveria

First Appearance: (Doomsman): Astonishing Tales I#1/2 (August, 1970);
    (Andro): Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up#2 (June, 1975)

Powers: Andro apparently has the same mental capacities (perhaps slightly mutated) as the genius Victor von Doom. It is also the match of his armored form as Dr. Doom; Dr. Doom's strength level varies, but it is reported as Class 10. It presumably has superhuman durability, flight capacity, and the ability to form force fields.

Andro can also teleport, across space or between dimensions. It can turn invisible, and can apparently escape the energy detecting abilities of Lockjaw. Andro is also able to reprogram and/or control other androids.

Doomsman
History:
(Astonishing Tales I#2/2 (fb)) - Desiring a peer to assist him in his works (but trusting no one), Dr. Doom came upon the idea of copying his brain patterns into an android form. Correctly realizing that anything with his mind would seek to usurp his control, Doom programmed the android to be subservient to his commands. The android, known as the Doomsman, , was to be powered by "cosmic rays", radiation pulled from space.

(Astonishing Tales I#1/2) - As Dr. Doom was completing the copy and transfer of his brain patterns, the process was sabotaged by Ramona, an agent of Rudolfo. The energy disruption briefly shut down all power to Castle Doom, allowing Rudolfo and his followers to invade the castle. As Dr. Doom turned his attention to opposing Rudolfo, the Doomsman absorbed a greater-than-intended amount of cosmic rays. The Doomsman then awakened, broke its restraints and wandered out of the Castle and eventually out of Latveria.

(Astonishing Tales I#2/2) - The Doomsman wandered into a neighboring communist nation, where it was attacked by a tank, which it destroyed. This attracted the attention of the Faceless One, an ally of Rudolfo. The Faceless One, possessing mind-controlling abilities of its own, recruited the Doomsman to serve it and sent it to return to Castle Doom during its and Rudolfo's assault.

(Astonishing Tales I#3/2) - Dr. Doom attempted to retake control of the Doomsman, however, the conflicting mental commands cancelled each other out, allowing the Doomsman to gain free will for the first time in its existence. Dr. Doom then used his Ovoid mind transfer to retake control of the Doomsman, causing it to attack the Faceless One, who was forced to reveal its true alien nature to escape.

    Dr. Doom allowed Rudolfo's troops and the Faceless One to take control of Castle Doom, and then activated a fault under the castle, causing it to collapse on them. Dr. Doom determined that he would need to actively concentrate on controlling the Doomsman at all times to prevent it from attacking him. Realizing that he would not be able to do so, Dr. Doom banished the Doomsman to another dimension.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up#2(fb)/[Fantastic Four I#160]) - The Doomsman remained trapped in that realm until the inhuman canine Lockjaw, alongside the Thing, teleported to that realm during the journey to another alternate Earth. The Doomsman turned invisible and "stowed away" on Lockjaw, escaping its prison to Earth-A. The Doomsman adapted Lockjaw's teleportation ability, but remained on Earth-A. From its new base, it was able to mentally influence an army of androids that Dr. Doom was then using as his primary servants. Now calling itself Andro, it altered (reprogrammed?) the androids, causing them to despise Dr. Doom, and to worship itself as their god.

(Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up#2) - Eventually, while Dr. Doom was seeking an alliance with Namor, Andro caused the androids to attack the two of them, and then traveled back to Earth-616 to confront its creator. Dr. Doom and Namor succeeded in destroying the androids, but Dr. Doom commanded Namor to stand aside while he confronted Andro. However, Dr. Doom found that Andro was a match for him in power, and they soon reached a stalemate. Andro then teleported away, presumably back to Earth-A, leaving Dr. Doom to wonder when it, his equal in power, would strike again.

 

 

 Comments: Doomsman created by Roy Thomas and Wally Wood.
     "Recreated" as Andro by Roy Thomas, Mike Sekowsky, and Sam Grainger.

    I'm sure Dr. Doom wondered when Andro would strike again, but has long since forgotten (as has Marvel).

   Somewhat interestingly, Doom apparently had a batch of Doomsmen which he had planned to use, as seen in the very last panel of Astonishing Tales#3/2. However, he decided not to activate them, as they were too dangerous. Did he destroy them, or is there another story in there somewhere?

The last names of Rudolfo and Ramona were revealed in Andro's profile in FF: Fifty Fantastic Years#1 (November, 2011).

    I see a great Defenders story here...Andro, allied with Reed Richards (The Thing of Earth-A) and Gaard/Vangaard (Johnny Storm of Earth-A), utilizing an army created from Reed Richards Robotics. Maybe they could even be allied with Xemu of the Fifth Dimension, and a few others.

Profile by Snood, reformatted and slightly updated (mostly adding links) by Daevanator.

Clarifications: Andro/Doomsman should not be confused with:

  • Doomsman, another creation of Dr.Doom, was named after the original, @ Fantastic Four I#157.
  • Doomsday Man, a robot created by Dr. Kronton, @ Silver Surfer I#13.
  • The Andrones, of Earth-A, creations of Reed Richards Robotics, @ Fantastic Four I#161.
  • The Andrones, created by Ultron by mutating humans into partially metallic form, @ Avengers West Coast#65.
  • Andros, an alternate dimensional/temporal leader of a band of Hill Pirates, @ Fantastic Four I#407.
  • Andros, of Cell-12, @ Amazing Spider-Man I#411.
  • Victor von Doom "II", a clone of the original, briefly posed as his son, @ Fantastic Four I#193

images:
#3: Astonishing Tales#3/2, second story, p9, pan4;
#4: Astonishing Tales#3/2, second story, p10, pan4

Appearances:
Astonishing Tales I#1 (August, 1970) - Roy Thomas (writer), Wally Wood (pencils), Artie Simek (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Astonishing Tales I#2-3 (October-December, 1970) - Roy Thomas (#2) & Larry Lieber (#3) (writer), Wally Wood (pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up#2 (June, 1975) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Sam Grainger (inks)
Fantastic Four I#160 (July, 1975) - BTS - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)

Last updated: 03/29/14.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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