METALLOID
Real Name: None
Identity/Class: Terrestrial android
Occupation: Destruction
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Possibly the Mad Thinker (see comments)
Enemies: New York Police Department, Thing (Ben Grimm), Tigra (Greer Nelson)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Manhattan, New York
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#179 (February, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: The Metalloid had superhuman strength (Class 75) and durability. When active, its surface temperature was approximately 300o F (as estimated by the Thing) -- it could generate sufficient heat (over 2500 o F) to melt a large chunk of steel within seconds.
While inert, the Metalloid appeared to have some built-in buoyancy factor that allowed it to float in water, despite its apparently weighing tons.
Height: 7' (by approximation; see comments)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Inapplicable
History:
(Fantastic Four I#181 (fb) - BTS) - The origins of the Metalloid are uncertain, but its inert form
was evidently left in a bank in "some kind of huge safe-deposit box"
until it was activated (see comments).
(Fantastic Four I#179) - The Metalloid tore an entire bank vault out of place and took off down the street, with cops firing at it from behind. The commotion drew the attention of the Thing and Tigra, who were at a restaurant in the vicinity, enjoying a steak dinner. As the Thing approached, the Metalloid hurled the vault at him. The Thing caught it and threw it back, but the Metalloid caught it and proceeded to melt the vault--money and all. The Thing then rushed the android, only to find himself caught in a searing hot bear hug. Ben punched it away from him, but the Metalloid responded with a one-two combo that dropped the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing to the ground. Tigra gave the Metalloid a drop-kick, giving the Thing enough of a breather to pull himself to his feet and fight back. Ben's next punch apparently damaged the Metalloid's heat apparatus, as its surface temperature began to drop. Punching the android off a dock and onto a garbage scow in the East River, the Thing leapt on top of it and continued to batter it into submission. His last punch incapacitated the Metalloid, but also busted a hole in the scow.
(Fantastic Four I#181) - With the aid of the Coast Guard and the Impossible Man, the Thing hauled the inert and floating Metalloid up on land. The Coast Guard then insisted they take the Metalloid into custody, but the Thing refused and fought back to stop them, as he felt it was too dangerous for their hands.
(Fantastic Four I#182) - Alongside the Impossible Man, Tigra, and Thundra, the Thing brought the Metalloid to the Baxter Building for Reed Richards to examine (...not realizing that he wasn't their Reed, but actually the Brute). The inert Metalloid was placed upon the immobilization couch, but its ultimate fate is unrevealed (see comments).
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Ron Wilson, and Joe Sinnott.
The Fantastic Four Index describes the Metalloid as "a high
temperature metallic android probably--but not certainly--devised by the
Mad Thinker."
There was a big shuffle in the writers during this
story-line (see the Brute's comments), and I guess whatever they had
planned for the Metalloid fell through.
The creative shuffle also involved the artists drawing the issues -- When first depicted by Ron Wilson, the Metalloid was larger, and in FF I#181, the Thing described it as "that ten-foot toy"; but by FF I#182, Sal Buscema drew it a little smaller, such that the Metalloid looked to be closer to seven-feet tall.
It was only assumed that the Metalloid was created by the Mad Thinker because he appeared in a subsequent story-line involving the Monster Android, but the Thinker never actually claimed responsibility for it.
The unresolved mystery deepens: In FF I#181, a police
officer stated to the Thing that he got a call from headquarters and
learned that the Metalloid wasn't breaking into the bank
because it was already inside, and it was actually breaking out.
The Metalloid hasn't been seen or mentioned since it was left on the immobilization couch---assuming it was still in the FF's headquarters at the time, it may have been destroyed when "Dr. Doom" (Kristoff Vernard) used a Grabber to send the Baxter Building off into space (@ Fantastic Four I#278)--Ron Fredricks
Like many characters once being compiled by Kyle, the Metalloid was never named in the issue, but only on the cover of FF#179 (see main image).
New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Metalloid has no known connection to:
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#179, p9, cover (main image - Metalloid battling Thing)
Fantastic Four I#179, p12, pan2 (headshot - Metalloid)
Fantastic Four I#182, p2, pan1 (inert Metalloid on immobilization couch)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#179 (February, 1977) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Gerry Conway (plot/script p1-3) Ron Wilson (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), George Roussos (colors), Joe Rosen (letters)
Fantastic Four I#181 (April, 1977) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Ron Wilson (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), George Roussos (colors), Joe Rosen (letters)
Fantastic Four I#182 (May, 1977) - Bill Mantlo (script), Len Wein/Jim Shooter/Archie Goodwin (plot), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), George Roussos (colors), John Costanza (letters), Archie Goodwin (editor)
First posted: 12/29/2003
Last updated: 07/16/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099
Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!