PARA-MAN

History: (Marvel Feature I#7 (fb) - BTS) - Ree-Zee was a robot created by an amateur robotocist known as Boswell, who intended him to perform menial tasks. (Marvel Feature I#7 (fb)) - Somehow developing sentience early in its development, Ree-Zee, guided its creator in its own creation, designing itself for greater intelligence and function.

    Ree-Zee soon exerted dominance over the weak-willed Boswell, desiring a sense of belonging but feeling too superior to humanity to fit in. 

    Forcing the scientist to do the menial tasks Ree-Zee himself was created for, the domineering but lazy robot watched movies of his construction and consumed oil while he made his creator grovel before him.

    Wishing to study insects so he could acquire their powers, Ree-Zee commanded Boswell to gather specimens. 

(Marvel Feature I#7 - BTS) - With his butterfly net, the visually impaired scientist accidentally captured heroes Ant-Man (Hank Pym) and the Wasp (Janet Pym), who were trapped in their diminutive sizes at the time and narrowly escaped the explosion of their house at the hands of Whirlwind; unable to recognzie who they were, Boswell gassed them and placed them in a mason jar. 

(Marvel Feature I#7) - When Para-Man entered the room, noting how long Boswell had been away and asking if he had procurred specimens, the nervous Boswell noted they were unique, buzzing insects. Having wanted strength and/or stinging power, Ree-Zee berated him for bringing "buzzers."After Boswell noted his weak eyesight, blaming it for his inability to identify the "insects," Ree-Zee told him that his brain was weak, too. 

    Ree-Zee then noted that he detested the name Boswell had given him, and that he henceforth wanted to be known as "Para-Man," as he was beyond being a mere man.

    After watching the movie of his creation repeatedly until Boswell fell asleep, Para-Man considered that the "insects" were sleeping, too (although they really were collapsing from oxygen debt, although Ant-Man was still conscious and only feigning unconscious at the time). Wandering outside, Para-Man contemplated his existence, considering that he wished to share his thoughts with others, but felt that Boswell was inferior (and that other humans were, too), that the insects could not share, and that the stars were beyond his grasp. He felt a loneliness, wondering if that was his permanent condition or if he was missing something that might be at his very feet.

    After Ant-Man and Wasp revived and broke out of their containers, Para-Man heard the noise and returned to confront them. Seeing them standing like Boswell and attempting to flee, Para-Man queried whether they were like humans...intelligent beings. Ant-Man confirmed this, but the Wasp informed them that they were not going to stand around and discuss it, as they had had enough of "your screw-loose duet!" 

    Angered, Para-Man replied that, as he had posited, all humans were his inferiors and perhaps should be crushed. Affected by the chemicals that had trapped them at that size, Wasp grew dizzy and dropped into the pursuing Para-Man's hands, and Ant-Man -- forgetting that Boswell was present -- punctured a gasoline can and set fire to stream of outpouring gasoline.

    Trying to get the gas can out of the way of the approaching flames in hopes of saving his only home, Para-Man was a little too late and was stunned by the initial explosion. Although initially lashing out at the humans, Para-Man gave up his chase upon hearing the trapped Boswell's cries, and he pulled Boswell to saftey. Then, believing his former captives were still inside, Para-Man rushed back into the house to punish them just before it exploded; he was blown apart. 

    Para-Man's head remained intact, as did his intelligence and demanding attitude, and it landed right next to the recovering Boswell. Para-Man almost immediately began making demands for a newer, stronger body.

    Carrying the head away, Boswell acknowledged that they would start over.

Comments: Created by Mike Friedrich, Craig Russell, Dan Adkins, and Mark Kersey.

    Weird story...pretty high on the obscure-o-meter.

    I wonder what ever became of Boswell and Para-Man. There's no reason for them not to be still around. Para-Man might still be sitting around in Long Island, watching his video, waiting for Ultron or someone else to recruit him.

    Any thoughts of preventing Boswell from rebuilding Para-Man were lost when the Wasp mutated into a more wasp-like form, complete with a giant stinger, and mindlessly attacked Pym.

    Additional and improved images by Loki.

    Para-Man received a handbook profile in Avengers: Roll Call (June, 2012).

Profile by Snood.

Clarifications:

• Paragon, meta-fictional character @ Captain Britain Monthly#1
• Paragon, Kismet foe @ Quasar#57
• Paratron, robot created by Hiram Girk @ Machine Man I#7
• Para-Troop, group of paranormals @ DP7#30

images: (without ads)
Avengers: Roll Call - Para-Man profile (main)
Marvel Feature I#7, p8, pan3 (original design as he is being built)
Marvel Feature I#7, p9, pan1 (further developed)
Marvel Feature I#7, p9, pan3 (even more developed)
Marvel Feature I#7, p9, pan1 (another two stages)
Marvel Feature I#7, p13 (final form)

Appearances:

Marvel Feature I#7 (January, 1973) - Mike Friedrich (writer), Craig Russell (penciler), Dan Adkins & Mark Kersey (inkers), Roy Thomas (editor)
Avengers: Roll Call#1 (2012) - Jeff Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan, Stuart Vandal, & Sean McQuaid (head writers/coordinators), Dalibor Talajic (art), Jennifer Grunwald & Mark D. Beazley (assistant edtiors), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

First Posted: 09/08/2001
Last Updated: 06/26/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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