IGUANA

Real Name: Inapplicable

Identity/Class: Mutated reptile

Occupation: Former test subject

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Arcade, Black Ant, Hunter-Bots, Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Lizard (Curt Connors), Taskmaster (Tony Masters)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Incredible Iguana", "Iggy"

Base of Operations: Central Park Zoo, New York City;
   formerly Empire State University, Manhattan, New York

First Appearance: Spectacular Spider-Man II#32 (July, 1979)

Powers/Abilities: The Iguana has the full power of the Lizard, with a few minor variations. He has superhuman, strength, durability, etc. He has a semi-prehensile tail which he can use as a weapon. He can scale most surfaces. He can command other reptiles. He is extremely sensitive to bright light, and presumably temperature variations as well. In addition, he can mesmerize others by establishing eye contact. Initially he would revert to his original form during daylight.

Height: (Iguana) 1'; (humanoid) 6' 4"
Weight: (Iguana) 2,2 lbs.; (humanoid) 520 lbs.
Eyes: Glowing yellow

History:
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#33 (fb), 32-34) - Curt Connors, aka the Lizard, attempted to use his own invention, the Enervator, to uncover the method via which reptiles are able to regain severed limbs. Surprisingly enough, when he used it to experiment on a marine iguana, things backfired. The Enervator transferred the energy of the Lizard into the Iguana, causing it to take on a humanoid reptilian form, as well as the Lizard's powers and memories.

   The Iguana hypnotized Connors to forget what had happened. It would stalk at night and return to its original size and cage by day. However, while accompanying some ESU students and graduate students to the Bronx Zoo, the Iguana caused Connors to take it into a dark house for reptiles, in which it assumed human form. It encountered Spider-Man, and was driven off by blinding light.

   The Iguana knew that Connors, having regained his memories, would try to destroy it. The Iguana traveled to Connors' house on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, to abduct Connors' wife and son to use as insurance to prevent Connors from such attempts. Realizing that the Iguana might try this, Spider-Man traveled to Connors' house as well and fought the Iguana again. However, Connors had deliberately transformed himself into the Lizard to assist Spider-Man and defend his family. The Lizard traveled to his house as well and attacked the Iguana.

   After some battle, the Iguana and the Lizard decided they both hated Spider-Man more than they hated each other and decided to destroy him before resuming their conflict. However, Spider-Man had retrieved Connors' Enervator and used it against the two reptile men. Spider-Man siphoned the Lizard's power, turning him back to Connors. He fed the additional power into the Iguana, which initially made him more powerful, but caused him to burn with power and explode on contact with a water fountain. A normal sized iguana was seen in the shadows as Connors and Spider-Man returned to ESU.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#16 (fb) - BTS) - He somehow mutated again.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#16) - Controlling reptiles at Central Park Zoo Iguana planned to destroy humanity and ring in a new age of reptiles. Spider-Man, immune against Iguana's hypnotic stare due to special lenses, beat Iguana and his reptiles up with some problems due to being distracted by numerous calls on his mobile and being weakened from a recent battle with Morlun. After defeating Iguana Spider-Man webbed him up for the arriving authorities.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Amazing Spider-Man V#17 (fb) - BTS) - Iguana was among the animal-themed villains captured by Taskmaster and the Black Ant on behalf of Arcade and Kraven the Hunter, then placed inside Central Park after being in stasis for a time.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#17) - Hunter-Bots controlled by Arcade's clients at the Plaza Hotel advanced on the villains in Central Park, including Iguana.

(Amazing Spider-Man V#18) - Iguana ran for his life, but was eventually killed by a Hunter-Bot controlled by a guy named Bob, who beat Iguana to death with an energy club.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo and Jim Mooney.

It took a number of bad experiences for Curt Connors to quit using that darn Enervator. It also created the Spider-Lizard, and it was used as a weapon by Moonstone (Karla Sofen).

The Iguana has clear potential for a return if anyone was interested.

Could Curt Connors' Enervator perhaps have some connection with Tony Stark's Enervator, a device that transformed "Happy" Hogan into the Freak?
--John Kaminski