FORTRESS
Membership: Dr. Michael Franklin, Dr. Zachary Hoffner, Dr. Sidney Joern, Harry, Harvey, Lee, Trevor
agents: Frank, Brian Roberts, Steel Raven
Purpose: Research
Affiliations: (Research subjects) New Genix (Allegra, Blue
Shark, Bombadier, Meridian, Munchkin/Neutron);
former research subjects Jessie Drake, Typhoid Mary (Mary Walker)
Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Typhoid Mary (aka. Bloody Mary; Mary Walker), Vengeance (Michael Badilino), Wolverine (James "Logan" Howlett)
Base of Operations: New York
Aliases: The Project
First Appearance: (As Project, mentioned) Marvel Comics Presents I#109/2 (August, 1992);
(seen) Marvel Comics Presents#112/2 (October, 1992);
(as Fortress) Marvel Comics Presents I#150 (Late March, 1994)
History: Unknown. The Fortress is an advanced facility researching superhuman abilities. It has advanced security measures, including scanning brainwaves (electro-encephalogram (EEG)), cardiac rhythm (electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)), scent, and other functions to prevent unwanted infiltration.
The Fortress, also referred to as the Project, has used "psychic surgery" to create sleeper agents, or to mentally manipulate the behavior patterns of its subjects to cure problems or to instill certain types of behavior. It has created a number of assassins and other agents for the US government and others.
One wing of the facility is dedicated to creating the environment of 3065 A.D., in which the subjects of New Genix believe themselves to live.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#109-111 - BTS, 112-116) - Roberts broke free from his programming and directed the mutant Wolverine to meet up with Typhoid/Mary Walker, both of whom had been victims of psychic surgery from other sources. His directions led them to investigate the Project, which led Typhoid to seek out Project scientists to try to reverse her programming, and cure her. This brought her to Sidney, who attempted to reprogram her to his desires when he had her at his mercy during the process. Wolverine stopped him and freed Typhoid.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#150) - Steel Raven brought the young mutant empathic metamorph Jessie to the Fortress for study. Wolverine, based on information from Professor X, sent Typhoid Mary to infiltrate the facility to free Jessie. Mary's ability to shift her body patterns with her different personalities enabled her to deceive the Fortress' scanners, but she was captured when she tried to break Jessie out. Typhoid's psychic screams when captured reached out and summoned Daredevil and Vengeance (at the time filling the role of Ghost Rider/Dan Ketch/Noble Kale).
Typhoid Mary became the next test subject for the Fortress, but their tests pushed her into a new, more deadly personality, Bloody Mary. In this form she succeeded in breaking out and took Jessie with her. The Fortress sent Steel Raven to retrieve Typhoid and Jessie.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#151) - Steel Raven found herself sympathizing with Typhoid, and turned her back on the Fortress.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#175) - Hoffner and Sidney discussed a training session of New Genix which was commandeered by Steel Raven.
(Marvel's Voices: Pride I#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Jessie Drake got caught and taken back to the Fortress where they continued experimenting on him.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Marvel's Voices: Pride I#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - The Fortress' facility was closed down at some point.
(Marvel's Voices: Pride I#1/5) - Black Cat broke into the abandoned facility to search for information on Steel Raven, who had been impersonating her recently. She encountered former Fortress victim Jessie Drake, who was also looking for information on Steel Raven because she was hunted by her. Jessie only found a few old files though and when Black Cat entered got into a short fight with her and was at first mistook for Steel Raven by her. After Jessie revealed his past in the Fortress, Black Cat decided to give the mutant some new memories of the Fortress by blowing it up with C4.
Comments: Created by Ann Nocenti and Steve Lightle.
I am uncertain whether the story in MCP I#175 took place before or after that of #150 and 151.
I doubt we'll ever see any of these characters again, but I wouldn't mind seeing some tie-in to the Weapon X Project, or some other government black ops.
The Project and the Fortress were never specified to be the same group. However, since Sidney was in both, and because he was able to receive the immediate care necessary to save him after being decapitated, I think they're the same until anything proves differently.
In the New Avengers: Most Wanted Files it was confirmed that the Fortress and the Project were the same and Sidney's last name was revealed as well.
In the Most Wanted Files it was stated that Typhoid Mary's alleged psychic surgery was probably done by the Fortress. Her time as a field operative for a covert group was perhaps also for the Fortress. Due to lack of evidence this is not yet a fact.
Roberts' first name was revealed in Typhoid's profile in OHOTMU A-Z HC#12.
CLARIFICATIONS: Fortress has no known connection to:
He is one of the leaders of the facility. He observes all actions in the facility from his computer screens and discusses the results with his colleague, Sidney. The two have differing views on how to run the facility. In addition, they play some sort of strategy game in an effort to destroy the DNA of the other. Steel Raven, at least formerly, and New Genix operate under the direction of Hoffner.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#150 (Marvel Comics Presents I#150, 175
He is the other leader of the Fortress. He may be the ultimate director, but he maintains discussion with Dr. Hoffner regarding what actions to take. In addition, they play some sort of strategy game in an effort to destroy the DNA of the other. Sidney was the head of the Project which created agents such as Roberts. He coerced his men to scientists to cross the moral line to do so by various psychological manipulations. Typhoid Mary attempted to force her to cure her of her multiple personality disorder. He agreed under duress, but once he had her at her mercy during the process, he attempted to manipulate her mind to his own desires. Wolverine stopped him, and when Sidney attempted to manipulate Wolverine into letting him go, Logan beheaded him. Scientists of the Project were able to save his mind by preserving him as an isolated head, surviving in a nutrient bath with a variety of support catheters, etc.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#114 (Marvel Comics Presents I#114-116, 150, 175
He was a former scientist for the Project, involved in psychic surgery. Typhoid kidnapped him from his home and forced Trevor to perform the psychic re-wiring techniques on him at a greatly accelerated speed. After Wolverine stopped Typhoid, Harry begged Logan to put him out of his misery, but Logan refused. Typhoid, however, set the entire lab on fire and incinerated him.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#112 (Marvel Comics Presents I#112-113, 114 - BTS
They were two assistants of
Sidney, and were employed in the attempts to re-wire the mind of
Typhoid. Upon breaking free, Typhoid impaled agent Harvey with a pipe as he
fled. She then embraced and then stabbed agent Lee, presumably killing them
both.
Harvey is the white guy, Lee the
black guy.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#115
He was a scientist for the Project. He quit after seeing Frank kill himself as a result of the psychic surgery. Typhoid found him and forced him to use the psychic surgery techniques on Harry. Logan freed him, but forced him to reveal the secrets of the Project, and the identity and location of Sidney, its head. He accompanied Wolverine to the Project, where Sidney shot and apparently killed him.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#112 (Marvel Comics Presents I#112-115
He was a soldier who unknowingly had his brain injected with a series of drugs so the Project could observe his unsuspecting paranoia. However, he became so paranoid that he became unstable and jumped off a roof. His family was told that he committed suicide because he was a sexual deviant and feared that his crimes would be discovered.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#114 (fb)
He was an agent/victim of the Project, and served as an assassin for years. He apparently had a history of psychoses and sociopathic behavior his whole life. One day after killing a man (a former agent of the Project), he broke free from his programming and contacted Wolverine, believing him to be sympathetic to the idea of psychic reprogramming. Logan subdued and bound him, but he escaped and began a killing spree. Logan attempted to track him down, but was interrupted when he felt the need to go after Typhoid instead. By the time Logan finally tracked him down, Roberts had committed suicide to end the voices in his head.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#109 (Marvel Comics Presents I#109-110, 112 - BTS, 114
images:
Marvel Comics Presents I#150, p18, pan1 (The Fortress)
Marvel's Voices: Pride I#1, p16, pan1 (facility destroyed)
Marvel Comics Presents I#175, p5, pan3 (Dr. Michael Franklin)
Marvel Comics Presents I#150, p8, pan2 (Dr. Zachary Hoffner)
Marvel Comics Presents I#175, p4, pan4 (barcode side) (Sidney)
Marvel Comics Presents I#112, p4, pan4 (Harry)
Marvel Comics Presents I#115, p3, pan3 (Lee and Harvey)
Marvel Comics Presents I#112, p4, pan3 (Trevor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#114, p3, pan7 (Frank)
Marvel Comics Presents I#109, p5, pan7 (Roberts)
Appearances:
Marvel Comics Presents I#109-116 (no month given, 1992) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Steve Lightle (artist), Terry Kavanaugh (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#150-151 (Late March-Early April, 1994) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Steve Lightle (artist), Michael Kraiger (assistant editor), Richard Ashford (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#175 (early May, 1995) - Steve Lightle (writer/artist), Richard Ashford (editor)
Marvel's Voices: Pride I#1/5 (August, 2021) - Leah Williams (writer), Jan Bazaldua (artist), Sarah Brunstad (editor)
First Posted: 10/06/2001
Last updated: 09/30/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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