ferry-nina-7484-at28-faceferry-nina-7484-at25-discoversimon NINA FERRY
(Reality-7484)

Real Name: Nina Ferry

Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-7484) human mutate (cyborg?)

Occupation: CIA consultant;
    former assistant to Simon Ryker

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: CIA (Teresa Devereaux), Death-Machine/Super-Tank, Deathlok the Demolisher (Luther Manning), Omni-Computer, Mike Travers, ;
    formerly Simon Ryker, Trouble-Shooters;

Enemies: Simon Ryker,
    formerly Deathlok, Linc Shane;

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;

First Appearance: Astonishing Tales I#25 (August, 1974)

Powers/Abilities: While connected to the Omni-Computer, Nina's mind was used to control the Death Machine/Super-Tank, making it a thinking, almost human tank weapon.

    She could apparently access all of the knowledge of the Omni-Computer and she knew everything Simon Ryker knew and was doing.

    She was in a state of electro-sleep while connected to the Omni-Computer, and after she was disconnected, she regained consciousness, but she was at least initially unable to speak. She may or may not have regained the ability to speak, or perhaps she could speak through computer screens or something.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'6")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 120 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Blonde

History:
(Astonishing Tales#28 (fb) - BTS) - Ryker dated Nina Ferry, whom he came to love.

ferry-nina-7484-at25-observedlok(Astonishing Tales#25 (fb)) - Nina was with Simon Ryker, holding his arm, as he oversaw Deathlok's training. When Ryker noted Deathlok's power, Nina told him that Deathlok was "so...repulsive. Just looking at him makes my flesh crawl. Do I have to watch this demonstration with you, Simon?"

    Ryker told her he thought she would want to share with him his finest moment, a dream sculpted into glory; he added that it wasn't every major who could dupe the entire military into funding his private obsession. He further instructed Nina to listen as the doctor gave a rundown on Deathlok's features, after which he told her to imagine what he could do with a being like this subserviant to his command. He continued, detailing Deathlok's offensive capabilities. 

(Astonishing Tales#25) - Inadvertently walking in as Ryker was mocking Deathlok via transmitting through Julian Biggs' robotic parts, Nina saw the exposed circuitry on the back of Ryker's head (the panel over which had been knocked loose during Deathlok's initial escape). Shocked, she cried out that he was a cyborg, and he told her that she had made both an obvious deduction and her last.

ferry-nina-7484-at27-suspended(Astonishing Tales#27 (fb) - BTS) - To keep Nina quiet, Ryker kept her in a stupor via "electro-sleep"

(Astonishing Tales#27) - As Ryker departed his Statue of Liberty base in his helicopter (with Nina aboard, hanging limply), Ryker noted that Nina wouldn't feel the changes she would undergo as he used her for his own special purposes.

(Astonishing Tales#26 + 27 - BTS / Astonishing Tales#33 (fb) - BTS) - Hellinger plotted the downfall of Simon Ryker; he somehow arranged for the mind-lock of Nina Ferry with the Omni-Computer, which provided Hellinger with vital information to use against him.

(Astonishing Tales#28 - BTS) - Ryker had Nina linked to his Omni-Computer via wires connected to her brain, allowing a synergy between computer programming and the human mind. This left her in a semi-catatonic state, responsive to his directions.

(Astonishing Tales#28) - As Ryker monitored Deathlok's activities and ranted about the "Saviour Machine" that the world currently needed, Nina hung limply, bound in manacles and with wires running from her head into the machine/computer behind her.

    Ryker subsequently ranted to himself about not allowing Deathlok to kill himself when his master (Ryker) could accomplish the task in a much more colorful manner. Grabbing the inert Nina's hair, he told her to "sleep her electronic sleep," noting that it was unfortunate that she had seen him while he was recharging his biofeedback mechanism, and that she, too, had now become his prisoner. Although he considered that he had truly loved her, he asked her to understand (despite her apparent unconsciousness) that he could not leave her running around free to tell everyone that he, too, was a cyborg and that he was actually Project Alpha-Mech's first failure.

(Astonishing Tales#28 - BTS) - Ryker apparently used Nina and his Omni-Computer's rapport to send his Super-Tank after Deathlok; with her brain's impulses monitored and recorded, in conjunction with the Omni-Computer, the result was a thinking, almost human tank weapon.

(Astonishing Tales#28) - Ryker resolved that either his Trouble-Shooters, armed with laser rifles, or his Super-Tank would destroy Deathlok.

(Astonishing Tales#28 - BTS) - The Super-Tank pinned down Deathlok and his new ally Linc Shane.

(Astonishing Tales#30) - With Nina's body lying inert, Ryker enjoyed watching Deathlok fleeing from the Super-Tank and feeling assured that his supreme Death-Machine (as he now referred to the Super-Tank) would swiftly overtake and expunge Deathlok.

ferry-nina-7484-at30-mostlyfull

(Astonishing Tales#30 - BTS) - After Deathlok had fled over the North Wall and the smaller Columbus Circle Barricade, the Death-Machine had to back up build up speed to break down the second wall,. In the meantime, the Trouble-Shooters went after Deathlok on foot.

(Astonishing Tales#30) - 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.

(Astonishing Tales#30) - Ryker departed to take the next step to become the "Savior Machine."

(Astonishing Tales#30 - BTS) - Armed with a makeshift giant bow and arrow, Deathlok destroyed the Death-Machine.ferry-nina-7484-at32-disconnect

(Astonishing Tales I#32 - BTS) - Travers returned to the Pan Am building. As he approached the cybernetic section, the Terminal Eye readout theorized that he was there to rescue Nina Ferry.

(Astonishing Tales I#32) - Travers  found and futilely tried to revive Nina, who was still plugged into the machinery, but was then confronted by at least four armed guards who had been notified by the Omni-Computer as soon as he arrived.

    Unplugging Nina's wires, Travers unwittingly set off a mechanism for a timed destruct mechanism before killing at least three of the four guards. Hearing the ticking, he realized the wiring had been the linkage between Nina and the Omni-Computer, and that by breaking it he had set off the destruct pattern they had built into the Mindlock system, giving him 10 minutes before the whole place blew up. Picking up Nina, he carried her out of there in time for them both to survive the explosion.

    Still monitoring them, the Omni-Computer noted that Nina was still linked to it, although Travers was unaware of this. With Nina remaining unconscious, Travers carried her out, assuring her Ryker would never get to her again.

(Astonishing Tales I#33) - Now conscious but otherwise withdrawn, Ninan sat silently on a rooftop near the perimeter of the North Wall where Travers had brought her.  When Nina remained silent despite his questions, Travers wondered whether Ryker had erased her mind before he had pulled the wires, and he asked her if he was talking to a zombie. After Nina approached him, showing him she could still think, even if she couldn't speak, Travers regretted feeling sorry for himself given Nina's condition. As she hugged Travers, he apologized to her, but they were then interrupted by the Provisional Revolutionary Army who told him to drop his rifle or they would kill Nina.

(Astonishing Tales I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Under unrevealed circumstances, Traver and Nina parted company with the Provisional Revolutionary Army and instead became allied with the CIA and traveled to their Fort Dix base.

(Astonishing Tales I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Hellinger was almost certainly aware that Travers and Nina did not remain with the Provisional Revolutionary Army.ferry-nina-7484-at33-approach

(Astonishing Tales#33 / Astonishing Tales I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Hellinger (Simon's brother) told Deathlok that he had manipulated events to draw Deathlok to him because his machines (computers) had indicated that exactly "one hour ago," Nina would become integral to his schemes. Hellinger further explained that as Nina had been mindlocked to the Omni-Computer and that she knew everything Ryker knew, she was the key to Ryker's destruction.

(Astonishing Tales#33 / Astonishing Tales I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Hellinger subsequently convinced Deathlok to strap a briefcase containing a bomb to his wrist (so it could not be knocked free in battle, I guess), promising it would be released from him upon reaching the Belvedere castle base of the Provisional Revolutionary Army in Central Park, where Travers and Nina were allegedly being held. However, wishing to get rid of Deathlok, Hellinger had not installed any measure to release the cable connected to the briefcase/bomb.

(Astonishing Tales I#34 (fb) - BTS) - Nina probed the main computer banks and determined that Ryker was on his way to becoming omnipotent.

(Astonishing Tales I#34 - BTS) <January 1-3, 1991> - After Deathlok's left arm was blown up by the bomb, Travers recovered him and brought Deathlok back to Fort Dix where the CIA repaired and reprogrammed him to serve them. They then sent Deathlok to confront Ryker.

(Astonishing Tales I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Nina informed the CIA that Hellinger was Simon Ryker's brother and that he was an even more serious threat than Simon.

(Astonishing Tales I#35 - BTS) - Aided by Dr. Wilcox, Deathlok defeated Ryker, extricating him from the Omni-Computer and leaving him maddened.

Comments: Created by Rich Buckler with Doug Moench.

    I thought Nina was seen back at the CIA base after Mike Travers had brought Deathlok back there in Astonishing Tales I#34, but I don't see her as I keep rechecking #34-36. I would think her connection to the Omni-Computer would have facilitated Dr. Wilcox's bringing Simon Ryker's mind back out of the computer and into his own body. However, she was not mentioned as having been involved in Ryker's downfall.

    I'm aslo not sure how Hellinger had anything to do with Nina being linked to the Omni-Computer.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Nina Ferry should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
 Astonishing Tales#25, pg. 8, panel 7 (with Simon, observing Deathlok's testing)
        pg. 15, panel 9 (Nina Ferry, mostly full, discovers Ryker);
    #27, pg. 13, panel 4 (suspended/manacled)
    #28, pg. 6, panel 1 (Ryker holding her hair)
    #30, pg. 10, panel 6 (mostly full, on inclined table);
    #32, pg. 10, panel 1 (disconnected from machine);
    #33, pg. 12, panel 6 (approaching Travers);
       

Appearances:
 Astonishing Tales#25 (August, 1974) - Rich Buckler & Doug Moench (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Rich Buckler, Klaus Janson, Al Milgrom & Mike Esposito (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
 Astonishing Tales#27 (December, 1974) - Rich Buckler & Doug Moench (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
 Astonishing Tales#28 (February, 1975) - Rich Buckler (writer/artist), Len Wein (editor)
 Astonishing Tales#30 (June, 1975) - Rich Buckler & Doug Moench (writers), Rich Buckler, Keith Pollard & Arvell Jones (pencils), Al McWilliams (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Astonishing Tales#32 (November, 1975) - Rich Buckler & Bill Mantlo (writers), Rich Buckler, Keith Pollard & Bob McLeod (artists), Len Wein (editor)
Astonishing Tales#33 (January-May, 1976) - Rich Buckler & Bill Mantlo (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
 Astonishing Tales#34 (March, 1976) - Rich Buckler & Bill Mantlo (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)

First started: 09/26/2020
First posted: 07/28/2024
Last updated: 08/11/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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