GERT HAUPTMANN
Real Name: Dr. Gert Hauptmann
Identity/Class: Human technology user (World War II to modern era)
Occupation: Scientist
Group Membership: Cynthian Associates
Affiliations: Formerly Boris, Dr. Doom (Victor von Doom), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Zorba
Enemies: Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Girl/Susan Richards, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), Psycho-Man, Zorba
Known Relatives: Gustav Hauptmann (brother, deceased)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Castle Doom, Doomstadt, Latveria
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#196 (July, 1978)
Powers/Abilities: Hauptmann
was a genius, highly skilled at designing and working with the advanced
technology of Dr. Doom.
He hated Doom for killing his brother, but his fear
was stronger than his hate.
Height: Unrevealed (5' 8"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (160 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Gray (balding)
History:
(Fantastic Four I#196 (fb) - BTS) - Per Dr. Doom's instructions, Hauptmann removed the emotion controlling
components from the Psycho-Man's uniform. These would later be used as
part of Doom's plot to take over the minds of the delegates of the
United Nations.
(Fantastic Four I#196) - Under the direction of Victor von Doom II (the clone of Dr. Doom), Hauptmann utilized the Hypno-Persuader on Reed Richards. Hauptmann was astonished by Richards' capacity to resist the machine, and expressed his concern that Richards would be killed if the Hypno-Persuader were set to a higher level; nonetheless, the cowardly Hauptmann complied with his master's threatening orders, and Richards was later transformed into the Invincible Man.
(Fantastic Four I#198) - As Reed Richards and Zorba forced their way into Castle Doom, they encountered Hauptmann -- Zorba became infuriated at the sight of him, because Hauptmann's brother had cost him his eye. However, Reed convinced Hauptmann to help them against Doom. Learning Doom's location, Reed reshaped his face and took Hauptmann's appearance, then approached Doom; but the monarch saw through the disguise, then gassed and subdued Richards.
(Fantastic Four I#199) - As Dr. Doom transferred the
Fantastic Four's powers into his clone, Hauptmann told Doom that Zorba
had led an angry mob to the Castle and was demanding an audience -- he
received an iron-clad backhand as his thanks.
Later, as the Fantastic Four broke free from their
bonds, Hauptmann debated his actions, but fear won out again, and he
located Doom and told him.
(Fantastic Four Annual I#15/2 (fb) - BTS) - When Doom was defeated and replaced by Zorba, Hauptmann went to work for Zorba. However, Hauptmann continued to be ruled by fear; when he learned of an underground movement of Latverian Loyalists plotting to revive Doom, Hauptmann was compelled to work with them in secret, for fear of what Doom would do to him if he did not.
(Fantastic Four Annual I#15/2) - Zorba discovered that Doom's body had been stolen from his cell -- enraged, he fired Hauptmann and his entire staff. Hauptmann then joined the Loyalists in their secret base. After other Loyalists stole Doom's armor, Hauptmann --using techniques learned from Doom himself -- operated the machinery that charged the armor-clad Doom and restored his mind.
(Iron Man I#149 (fb) - BTS) - Hauptmann operated Doom's time machine, sending the monarch back in time to learn sorcery from the mage Cagliostro.
(Iron Man I#149) - At the completion of his training, Doom instructed Hauptmann to return him, which Hauptmann did. Doom informed him of his intent to travel back in time once again, but Hauptmann revealed that a shipment of needed components from Stark International had been withdrawn, and that without them he would not be able to send Doom as far back as he wished. Doom sent men to steal the components from Stark, but they were foiled by Iron Man, who then confronted Doom in Latveria. While Doom and Iron Man fought, Hauptmann gathered the courage to activate Doom's time machine, sending them both back in time. He then destroyed the time machine, leaving them trapped forever! AHHH-HAH-HA-HA-HAAA!
(Iron Man I#150 - BTS) - Of course, Doom returned to the modern era -- with Iron Man's aid. One can only guess what he did to Hauptmann upon returning to his castle...
(Fantastic Four I#258 (fb) - BTS) - Doom assigned Hauptmann to the task of attempting to duplicate the means by which Doom had gained the powers of the Silver Surfer (see Cosmic Power Siphon Harness).
(Fantastic Four I#258) - Hauptmann notified Doom that he had completed the process and welcomed him to try it out. Doom instead grabbed Hauptmann and told him that he deserved the honor himself. Doom locked Hauptmann inside the chamber and activated it, ignoring Hauptmann's screams. Raw energy poured forth into Hauptmann, far beyond the human body's capacity to absorb. Hauptmann screamed with every last atom of breath in his tortured lungs, until there was nothing left to scream with. As Doom plucked Hauptmann's eyeglasses from a pile of ashes, he commented that he had suspected the power might be too unstable for a human body, and that Hauptmann's eagerness had confirmed this. Doom knew that had Hauptmann truly succeeded, he would have already used the machine on himself (see comments).
Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman, Keith Pollard, and Pablo Marcos.
Alas, poor Gert....he tried to trick Dr. Doom, but only succeeded in making an ash of himself! -- The Crypt-Keeper
The age relationship between the Hauptmann brothers is not known, so though his predecessor was involved with Hitler and the Red Skull, the same can not be confirmed for Gert. See Gustav's profile for speculation of their histories.
His first name became official in the Fantastic Four Encyclopedia.
Doom later used Hauptmann's machine to grant the Surfer's power to Tyros of Lanlak (formerly Terrax). Tyros was eventually consumed by the energy, too, but not before fusing Doom's armor. Doom was immobilized, and thus was not able to escape the destruction of his body during the ensuing fight between Tyros and the Silver Surfer. Hauptmann might have seemed to have finally gotten his revenge -- if posthumously -- but Doom transferred his mind into Norman McArthur, and later regained his own body.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Gert Hauptmann has no KNOWN connection to:
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#258, p10, pan3 (main image - Gert Hauptmann presents cosmic power machine)
Fantastic Four I#258, p10, pan2 (headshot - Gert Hauptmann)
Fantastic Four I#196, p2, pan2 (Gert Hauptmann; Victor von Doom II [background])
Iron Man I#149, p22, pan6 (Gert Hauptmann, after sending Iron Man and Dr. Doom back in time)
Fantastic Four I#258, p11, pan6 (inside chamber of cosmic power machine, Gert Hauptmann, disintegrating to a skeleton)
Fantastic Four I#258, p11, pan7 (Dr. Doom plucks Gert Hauptmann's eyeglasses from pile of his ashes)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#196 (July, 1978) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks)
Fantastic Four I#198-199 (September-October, 1978) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks)
Fantastic Four Annual I#15 (1980) - Doug Moench (writer), Tom Sutton (pencils/inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Iron Man I#149 (August, 1981) - David Michelinie (plot/writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Bob Layton (plot/inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Fantastic Four I#258 (September, 1983) - John Byrne (writer/pencils/inks), Carl Potts (editor)
First posted:
Last updated:
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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