DEATH-MACHINEDEATH-MACHINE
Classification: Alternate reality (Earth-7484) advanced technology
Creator: Presumably created by/for the US Army;
connected to the Omni-Computer (and through that to Nina Ferry) by unrevealed parties under the supervision of Simon Ryker
First Appearance: (As Super-Tank) Astonishing Tales I#28 (February, 1975);
(as Death-Machine) Astonishing Tales I#30 (June, 1975)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Death-Machine
was a conventional tank that could be remotely controlled via the
Omni-Computer. Additionally, Nina Ferry was linked to the
Omni-Computer, resulting in a "thinking, almost human tank-weapon."
A heavily armored
weapon, the Death-Machine could carry at least five people within its
interior, affording them protection from injury. However, a object of
sufficient durability fired at the appropriate speed and power could
apparently tear off its entire upper portion (holding the tank gun),
incapacitating it.
While it took some
time to build up speed, it could likely reach speeds of 30-40 mph on
its treads, either smashing through or crushing objects in its path.
With appropriate speed, it could smash through a 3' thick brick wall.
It carried heavy
artillery fired from its gun, able to blow a whole through a 3' thick
wall. The tank could swivel to aim at targets 360 degrees around it,
and it could likely aim higher or lower as well.
History:
(Astonishing Tales#28 (fb) - BTS ) - Ryker used the mind of Nina Ferry
-- his former assistant and lover whom he had placed into an
electronic-sleep after she had discovered his cyborg nature -- linked
to the Omni-Computer,
allowing a synergy between computer programming and the human
mind, to send a tank after Deathlok.
(Astonishing Tales I#28 - BTS) - Ryker's Terminal Eye noted that Deathlok was unaware of "cannibal-decoys" and that it was initiating phase two of plan.
(Astonishing Tales#28 (fb) - BTS) - As Deathlok fought a group of cannibals in the vicinity of the 42nd street museum, the Super-Tank headed toward him.
(Astonishing Tales I#28) - As Deathlok
finished off the cannibals, he was shocked to see the approaching tank.
However, he had no idea of the tank's true nature. 
Having previously
destroyed his laser pistol in a pique of anger, Deathlok hurled a
grenade he had claimed from an armory in a park near Fort Dix, New
Jersey. However, Deathlok was disappointed when the grenade proved to
be a dud and did not go off.
Ryker's Trouble-Shooters -- five men armed with
laser rifles having
apparently ridden within the Super-Tank -- then exited and fired on
Deathlok, forcing him to flee. Deathlok then encountered the
revolutionary Linc Shane; after some discussion, Shane joined Deathlok
in fleeing from the pursuing men with laser rifles.
(Astonishing Tales I#28 - BTS) - Observing the events via his Omni-Computer, Simon Ryker was pleased, praising Nina (despite her being unconscious) and telling her that they would make full use of her brain: "Even now your brain's impulses are being monitored and coded -- with your mind functioning in rapport with his Omni-Computer, the resulting effect is a thinking, almost human tank-weapon." Ryker resolved that either his Trouble-Shooter agents or his Super-Tank would destroy Deathlok.
Deathlok led Shane toward his waiting helicopter
atop a nearby building two blocks east, but other agents of Ryker
pushed the helicopter off of the building, causing it to crash to the
ground. The two continued to flee on foot but then ran into a dead end
at the North Wall.
As the tank approached them, Deathlok advised Shane to take cover, but
he was frustrated when his automatic weapon -- obtained from the same
armory as his grenades -- jammed. Unwilling to just wait for the
Trouble-Shooters to arrive, Shane charged the tank armed only with his
handgun.
(Astonishing
Tales I#30) - As Deathlok's computer reported that the Death-Machine's
weapon had locked onto Shane, Deathlok rushed toward Shane, carrying
him out of the way of a direct hit. However, the concussion knocked
them both to the ground, and Shane's body was punctured with multiple
pieces of shrapnel. As the tank prepared to fire at point blank range,
Deathlok ran to the wounded Shane, picked him up and tried to leap over
the wall while dodging fire from the Trouble-Shooters. Shane's weight
prevented Deathlok from clearing the wall, but he was able to grab the
top of it. However, before Deathlok could pull himself and Shane over
to the other side, the Trouble-Shooters shot Shane repeatedly, killing
him. (Astonishing Tales I#30 - BTS) - Ryker enjoyed
watching
Deathlok fleeing from the Super-Tank, considering him to be "running
scared," and feeling assured that his supreme Death-Machine would
overtake and expunge Deathlok in
"less than minutes." He was surprised when Deathlok
vaulted another wall to escape his tank, but pleased to see that
Deathlok had landed on his head, with the injury giving his tank time
to breach the second wall and catch up with him. However, Deathlok's
chemo-solutions allowed him to recover quickly and flee again.
(Astonishing Tales I#30) -
While the tank had to back up to build up sufficient speed to smash
through this wall, the Trouble-Shooters pursued Deathlok on foot.
(Astonishing Tales I#30 - BTS) - After Deathlok had taken down two of the Trouble-Shooters, Ryker instructed the Omni-Computer to decrease psychic extraction from Nina by 75%. Appreciating that she could now hear him, Ryker taunted her with how her mind was being forced to direct the Death-Machine against Deathlok. Ryker subsequently departed to take the next step to become the "Savior Machine."
(Astonishing Tales I#30 - BTS) - Coming across a junkyard outside the "Flesh Factory,"
Deathlok assembled a giant makeshift crossbow from some cable, a car
bumper and a metal spar, with a girder to serve as its "arrow." With
the "Factory," Deathlok slew the remaining Trouble-Shooters
(Astonishing Tales I#30) - As the
Death-Machine approached him outside the "Factory," Deathlok used his
makeshift crossbow to fire the girder into the tank, apparently
explosively tearing its top off and incapacitating it.
Deathlok was surprised to find that there was no one inside the tank, and he wondered how it had been guided.
(Astonishing Tales I#31) - Deathlok shouted in triumph, "The Death-Machine is dead! Long live the Death-Machine!"
Subsequently considering that the Death-Machine
was just "cold metal with nothing inside to guide it...nothing but the
urge to kill...just like me..." Deathlok departed, leaving the tank's
flaming wreckage behind.
Comments: Created by Rich Buckler.
So, despite all of the discussion
of being bonded to Nina Ferry and having human reactions, the tank
didn't do anything but lumber slowly, like any other tank.
It may be that Nina subconsciously resisted Ryker's
commands and that she is what caused the tank to pause a few times,
giving Deathlok time to escape or otherwise react.
Perhaps someone with more military
knowledge can identify the tank model of the Super-Tank and provide
more detail about its specifications.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Death-Machine should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads):
Astonishing Tales I#28 cover (Trouble-Shooters exiting tank and firing on Deathlok);
pg. 12, panel 1 (full, confronting Deathlok);
#30, pg. 1, panel 3 (Linc Shane charging tank);
pg. 2, panel 3 (Deathlok pulling Shane away from explosion);
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
First posted: 08/04/2024
Last updated: 08/11/2024
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