FORTRESS
Membership: Lou Mason, Leland Townsend, Marty Townsend, Nicholas Reed, Racine Wells
Purpose: Terrorism
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Crossbones (Brock Rumlow), Dr. Hardy, Dr. Carolyn Lepre
Base of Operations: Mobile
in this story: Colorado Memorial Hospital
First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents#129/2 (June, 1993)
History: Nothing is known about the origin of the terrorist group known as Fortress.
(Marvel Comics Presents#129/2 (fb) - BTS) - Fortress worked on a bombing in Colorado Springs. Normally Nicholas Reed the bomb expert was responsible for the detonation, but this time he let their leader Leland Townsend handle it. The explosion of the bomb injured Leland and many other people. Leland was brought to the Colorado Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment. The Fortress, led by Leland's brother Marty, took over the hospital and demanded the top neuro-surgeon operate their leader.
(Marvel Comics Presents#129/2) - One hour after Leland was brought to the hospital they were still waiting for the top neuro-surgeon (who was actually already in the middle of an operation). With Marty Townsend getting increasingly impatient, head physician Dr.Hardy asked criminal psychiatrist Dr.Lepre to pose as the hospital's top neuro-surgeon and fake operating on Leland, who had already died. They secured her current charge, the supervillain Crossbones, then Dr.Lepre began the deception. Marty told Hardy that all patients would be killed if Leland died, unaware that he had passed away earlier. Marty called Nicholas and Racine to the operating room and met them together with Lou there. They watched their leader's operation and then wanted to get him out of the hospital. Dr. Lepre, still posing as the top neuro-surgeon, told them that he couldn't go anywhere because he was dead. Nick became angry because Marty kept them there for nothing and attacked him. Marty was still angry with Nick because he let Leland work on the bomb and fought back. Suddenly Crossbones broke through the ceiling and beat up the Fortress. He took their weapons and told them to leave the hospital. Marty wanted to know what would become of his brother and Crossbones told him that he was dead and going to be buried. Marty tried to recruit Crossbones, but he didn't want to join them and threatened them. The Fortress left through the elevator shaft.
Comments: Created by John Figueroa, Ron Wilson & Don Hudson
Members from left to the right on the top picture: Racine Wells, Lou Mason,
Marty Townsend, Nicholas Reed
It wasn't shown, but the hospital was surrounded by the police and the Fortress
left the building unarmed. They probably ended in prison.
Clarifications:
Fortress has no known connection to
Lou Mason has no known connection to
Leland and Marty Townsend have no known connection to
Nicholas Reed has no known connection to
Racine Wells has no known connection to
Dr. Hardy has no known connection to
Dr. Carolyn Lepre has no known connection to
Dr. Hardy
He was the head physician of the Colorado Memorial Hospital. He didn't tell
the Fortress that his top neuro-surgeon Roger Wilson was already operating
on another patient when they demanded him as surgeon for their leader. He
didn't tell them either that their leader Leland died forty minutes after
he was brought to the hospital. He told the whole story Dr. Carolyn Lepre
when she came to the hospital with Crossbones for a therapy session. He told
her about the bombing, the many victims, the overfilled hospitals and showed
Lepre pictures taken by the security cameras. He showed her Marty who was
in contact with Hardy. He told Lepre that they hadn't met their surgeon yet
when Lepre asked. She had a plan and Hardy allowed her to go with it after
Crossbones was secured.
--Marvel Comics Presents#129/2
Dr. Carolyn Lepre
She was a psychiatrist who worked with super-powered criminals to rehabilitate
or even reform them. She already worked with Crossbones for six months when
they returned to the Colorado Memorial Hospital for another session. Lepre
was surprised by the presents of the police and learned from Dr. Hardy of
the dangerous situation in the hospital. She wanted to get near the terrorists
to talk them out of this situation and planned to meet them posing as the
top neuro-surgeon Dr. Wilson. She locked Crossbones away in a heavily guarded
room and proceeded to meet the Fortress. She pretended to operate on their
already dead leader Leland and told them afterwards that he died because
of complications. The Fortress members flipped, but Crossbones took them
down and saved his psychiatrist Dr. Lepre.
--Marvel Comics Presents#129/2
Leland Townsend
He was the leader of the Fortress. He was severely injured by an explosion
of one of their bombs when their bomb expert Nick let him handle the detonation.
Leland was brought to the Colorado Memorial Hospital and died forty minutes
afterwards before surgery could commence. His team wasn't told about his
death. Dr. Lepre, posing as a top neuro-surgeon, pretended to operate on
Leland and told them after the operation that Leland died because of
complications. The body of Leland was left behind by the Fortress after the
fight with Crossbones.
--Marvel Comics Presents#129/2
images:
Marvel Comics Presents#129, p12, pan5 (Fortress)
Appearances:
Last updated:
10/25/12.
Any Additions/Corrections? please
let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright
info
p9, pan1 (Dr. Hardy)
p9, pan1 (Dr. Carolyn Lepre)
p13, pan2 (Leland Townsend)
Marvel Comics Presents#129 (June, 1993) - John Figueroa (writer), Ron Wilson (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099
Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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