DEATH'S HEAD
Real Name: Doctor Paxton Page
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: former nuclear physicist
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
Known Relatives: Karen Page (daughter), Penelope Page (wife)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: An old mill a short distance from Page House, Fagan Corners, Vermont
First Appearance: Daredevil I#56 (September, 1969)
Powers/Abilities: Page could generate fireballs composed of radioactive cobalt energy. He also used a scimitar and bola, which he coated with the same energy. He rode a horse, which he used his energy to mutate, causing its flesh to be transparent, and only its skeleton was visible. He was insane. Daredevil claimed he had the strength of a dozen men, but whether this means he's got enhanced human strength, or just the strength of a frenzied madman was not made clear.
His mask was based on an ancient Aztec skull from a British museum, which Page had owned in his pre-nutjob days.
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 167 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White
History:
(Daredevil I#56-57 - BTS) - Paxton Page was once a research scientist who succeeded in perfecting the Cobalt Bomb. However, he refused to sell or share his results with the United States government, or anyone else, even under pain of contempt of Congress. Page was branded a traitor, resigned his post, and retired to his estate in Vermont.
Continuing to work in shame, he became more and more reclusive, and his long-term exposure to the cobalt radiation drove him crazy and gave him superhuman powers. Wishing to work in his old house without disturbance, he took the identity of Death's Head. He then faked his own kidnapping, and left a note demanding that his wife leave the Page house and tell no one of her husband's disappearance, under threat that her husband would die.
(Daredevil I#56-57) - Mrs. Page contacted her daughter, Karen, who returned home. As she approached her house, Death's Head approached her and threatened her life if she did not leave. Nonetheless, he left her and she learned part of what had been happening from her mom. Meanwhile, Daredevil, who had faked the death of his alter ego and wanted to explain the truth to Karen, followed her to the Page House. He, too, received a warning from Death's Head to stay away, and similarly ignored it. After talking to Karen, Daredevil went to search for evidence of Paxton Page, and was attacked by Death's Head, who succeeded in knocking him out. Mrs. Page saw the fight and called the police, but Death's Head dressed the unconscious Daredevil in a duplicate of his costume, put him on his skeletal horse, and sent him charging at the police, who opened fire on him. Fortunately, the police were startled enough that they couldn't aim properly, and Daredevil revived, freed himself, and revealed the deception.
Karen Page followed their butler Garth, to the old mill below the bridge where she had first encountered Death's Head. Garth saw her and shot a stick out of her hand (she was gonna coldcock him!), but then Daredevil swung down and knocked Garth aside. Death's Head suddenly appeared and attacked them. As they fought, Daredevil revealed that he knew Death's Head was really Paxton Page. This caused him to attempt to throw DD into a vat of molten cobalt, yelling "There is no Paxton Page--not any more! I killed him!" Daredevil dodged the vat, but Death's Head caused it to tip over to spill all over DD. When Death's Head saw that Karen was in the line of the molten cobalt, he remembered that for some reason he didn't want her to die, and he leapt down, pushing both Karen and Daredevil to safety. The molten Cobalt landed all over Page, seemingly killing him.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan.
Death's Head's mask, which in the story is described as an Aztec mask is in fact the mask of Tezcatlipoca, the Teotl god. Which is on display at the British Museum. Thanks to Kevin Garcia for pointing this out.
Ahh, like we've never seen 50 other Marvel villains come back from a similar fate. If anything, the cobalt should have put him in a "sleep resembling death", allowing his body to adapt to its increased power.I think we were supposed to think Garth, the butler, did it (that he was Death's Head).
Death's Head has an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook. His wife's name was revealed in his entry in OHOTMU A-Z Hardcover#3.
Profile by Snood
CLARIFICATIONS:
Death's Head has no known connections to
Penelope was Paxton's wife and Karen's mother. Not a whole lot was said about her, but she's wealthy and presumably either retired or never employed. I think her only other appearance is at Karen's funeral.
--Daredevil I#56 (Daredevil I#56-57, Daredevil II#8
Garth was a US government agent. The government knew Page was experimenting again, and Garth was sent to protect Page from his real enemies.
--Daredevil I#56 (Daredevil I#56-57
Images: (without ads)
Daredevil I#56, p10, pan1 (main image)
Daredevil I#57, p6, pan5 (photograph)
Daredevil I#57, p18, pan2 (death)
Daredevil I#56, p12, pan4 (Penelope Page)
Daredevil I#57, p18, pan5 (Garth)
Appearances:
Daredevil I#56 (September, 1969) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (pencils), Syd Shores (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Daredevil I#57 (October, 1969) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (pencils), Syd Shores (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Daredevil II#8 (June, 1999) - Kevin Smith (writer), Joe Quesada (pencils), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Nanci Dakesian (editor) - Mrs. Page only
First Posted: 12/07/2001
Last Updated: 01/29/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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