Dr. Wilcox (Earth-7484; one of Deathlok's creators)

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-7484) human (mind transferred into clone body before being rejected; mind preserved on cassette tape)

Group Membership: Presumably some medical organizations like the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons;
possibly the US Army

Affiliations: Curtis Giles, Dr. Wilkins (see comments), Jim (see comments), unidentified associate (see comments; see also the surgeons sub-profile in the Earth-7484 entry);
    formerly Harlan Ryker (aka Hellinger), Simon Ryker;
    formerly had mind transferred into Simon Ryker's Luther Manning clone (see comments);
    he helped transform Luther Manning's corpse and preserved brain into Deathlok (Luther Manning);

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
mind stored on the CIA's mind banks' tape cartridges;
formerly Simon Ryker's World Trade Center base;

First Appearance: (Unidentified) Astonishing Tales I#25 (August, 1974);
(identified) Astonishing Tales I#33 (January, 1976)

Powers/Abilities: Dr. Wilcox was an experienced surgeon and an expert in cybernetic and bionic technology.

History:
(Astonishing Tales I#25 (fb)) <1985 A.D.> - Four men worked on the mortally wounded Colonel Luther Manning.

(Astonishing Tales I#25 (fb)) - Four men -- including Wilkins and Jim -- worked on the Deathlok cyborg.

When one man noted that the metal graft would take, Wilkins added that everything seemed to be progressing well, but that it would be better if Ryker wasn't constantly spying on them.

The third man silenced Wilkins and then received a report from Jim that all vital functions were stable.

As they installed the brain, one of the doctors subsequently noted that there were rumors that this was not the first time computer-housing had been installed in a man (unbeknownst to them, Ryker was the first subject (and apparent failure) of Project: Alpha-Mech), but another man advised him that he should make sure those rumors never left the room, as there were still some taxpayers who would not like the idea of the military spending its time making monsters.

One of the doctors queried who designed the prosthetic arm, and another replied that it was top secret but that it was supposed to have the tensile strength of forged steel and the grip of an iron vice.

One of the other doctors (presumably the same doctor involved in the initial brain harvest surgery who compared the procedure to that of Frankenstein) commented that he was glad that the rest of them had the capacity for levity because he considered what they were doing to be blasphemy, even in the secular sense.

"This being is hideous -- a mockery of man -- and by Ryker's deliberate specification. Plastic surgery would diminish its psychological potency as an object of fear, he claimed. And, though I am loathe to phrase it this way gentlemen...it appears our operation is a success."

(Astonishing Tales I#30) - Simon Ryker departed to get on with the next phase of "Operation: Savior Machine."

Although one of his doctors asked him if he wished to review the Terminal Eye's report on Mike Travers, Ryker declined, planning to review the tapes later at his leisure.

The first doctor (brown hair, brown eyes) subsequently questioned Ryker on whether he wanted to go through with this as he was already a cyborg, but Ryker warned him that if he ever presumed to question him again, he may find his own brain locked up in some cold, gray machine.

Ryker angrily continued, telling the doctor that he was paid to operate, not to think, and that he would indeed operate immediately.

(Astonishing Tales I#33) - A trio of surgeons -- Drs. Blaine, Lemner and Wilcox (the latter of whose mind had been placed into a clone of Luther Manning (or would presumably have this done soon after) -- prepared to operate on an anesthetized Simon Ryker.

Dr. Lemner suggested that they could adjust the computer to ensure that it miscalculated slightly in order to kill Ryker.

However, another doctor (presumably Wilcox or Wilkins) then advised him that Ryker had been in total mindlock for hours and that everything they said was being recorded and retained.

This doctor further explained that the Omni-Computer had imprinted Lemner's treacherous words on circuitry that now encompassed part of Ryker's memory patterns.

Per this doctor's advice, Lemner fled rather than risk being there when Ryker assuredly would awaken.

The three (see comments) remaining doctors began their work, and the Omni-Computer noted that all linkages were established and functioning: Subject Ryker was primed and ready for stage four.

One of the doctors (presumably the one who had been speaking with authority throughout, apparently Wilcox or Wilkins) told the other doctor(s) (there had only been three originally, but after Lemner's departure, there was another person gowned up in the room, and this may have been another doctor or a nurse, etc.) that the three preparatory operations were child's-play compared to the next one and that one slip-up now could kill Major Ryker, or them, if the computer, of which Ryker was now a part, so decided.

The Omni-Computer subsequently noted that subject designate Ryker was in neuro-sedation with cardiovascular activity stilled.

After the main doctor reiterated this, Dr. Blaine noted that Dr. Lemner had left, but Wilcox (or Wilkins, presumably) advised that Lemner was not needed, and he suggested they proceed.

The Omni-Computer finally reported that the operation was complete and that it was initiating programming for post-operative care.

One of the men, who was not wearing a surgeon's cap and was standing in front of a computer, stated enthusiastically that the computer was taking over and that the operation was done.

One of the gowned-in doctors replied, "Yes. We've done what we were forced to do!"

As the other gowned-in doctor stammered a query, the first doctor replied, "Yes...he'll live doctor."

One of the doctors instructed the other to check the electrodes once more, as "nothing must disturb the linkage now, gentleman."

A doctor then noted that from there on in, Major Ryker was in the hands of the Omni-Computer, and that he and it were one and the same..."possibly the first human equivalent to a god."

One of the doctors queried whether Ryker had achieved his objective, selling his chance at humanity for the soul of a machine.

Another doctor (presumably Wilcox or Wilkins) confirmed that he had indeed achieved his objective: "Major Ryker is now the Savior Machine -- and may God help us all."

(Astonishing Tales I#34 fb) - BTS / Astonishing Tales I#35 fb) - BTS) - At some point, Ryker had the mind of Dr. Wilcox, who was dying of radiation poisoning, transferred into the body of a clone of Luther Manning that Ryker had had his brother Harlan (later known as Hellinger) created at the time of Manning's death.

(Astonishing Tales I#34) - However, Ryker's body was inert due to his mind being transferred into the city-wide Omni-Computer, but Deathlok nonetheless insisted that Ryker get up as he was not going to cheat him out of killing him.

One of the doctors expressed concerns that the "Deathlok cyborg" had gone mad, but Dr. Wilcox -- whose mind had been transferred into Simon Ryker's Luther Manning clone -- countered that Deathlok was not as mad as they were, and that that may be their only hope.

Deathlok was shocked to learn that there was another clone of him, but Wilcox explained that his mind was that of the last surviving cyborg-surgeon who had created Deathlok.

Wilcox further explained that he was responsible for merging Simon Ryker with the Omni-Computer. wilcox-7484-at34-ryksmanningclone-face

Hating Ryker on his own and driven to compulsion by his CIA programming, Deathlok demanded to be linked into the Omni-Computer and go after Ryker.

To make certain that Ryker had no chance of coming back, Deathlok prepared to slay Ryker's body, but Wilcox warned him that even though the combined Omni-Computer/Ryker complex could not sense their actions during the adjustment period, Ryker's body was still protected by pre-operative safeguards.

The warning came too late, however, and Deathlok's touching of Simon Ryker's form triggered the room's defenses, and sonic disruption beams affected Deathlok and the doctors' inner ears, causing massive vertigo; Deathlok either felt like something picked him up and tossed him across the room or some other force actually did cast him across the room.

As Deathlok's computer struggled to compensate, Deathlok appreciated that the sound was wiping out the doctors and that he needed them to help him get Ryker.

Eventually, Wilcox reached and shut down the sonic disruption beams, saving himself and the other doctors as well as restoring Deathlok to function.

Deathlok ordered the doctors to get him ready to be linked to the Omni-Computer quickly, but his programming pushed him to put his laser to Wilcox/Manning clone's throat; after Deathlok explained his programming, Wilcox was able to overcome this compulsion by explaining that if the programming allowed him to kill him (Wilcox), Deathlok would never be able to get in after Ryker, as he was the only one who could perform the linkage.

As Wilcox and the others linked Deathlok to the Omni-Computer, Deathlok expressed concerns that the doctors could kill him if they wanted and then there would only be one Luther Manning (the clone Wilcox's mind inhabited). Wilcox assured Deathlok that Simon Ryker was the problem, not each other, after which the others noted that the linkage had been established and the power sources coupled. Wilcox advised Deathlok that there was no turning back after this, and Deathlok told him to "shoot the works."

Wilcox then had the other doctors recline Deathlok and stand back, as they were beginning. Deathlok was successfully linked to the Omni-Computer.

(Astonishing Tales I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Wilcox, however, managed to pull both of them back into the real world.

(Astonishing Tales I#35) - Initially Deathlok's mind was in Ryker's body and vice-versa.

At Wilcox's direction, one of the other doctors reversed the molecular flow and returned Ryker and Deathlok's minds to their bodies.

Unhinged by the various transfers and still believing himself to be Deathlok, Ryker cried out in denial and ultimately collapsed to the ground, insensate.

(Astonishing Tales I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Several months after Wilcox's mind had been transferred into the Luther Manning clone, the inevitable rejection of Wilcox's brain pattern had begun. Unable to maintain its existence within the clone, Wilcox's mind was dying.

    As far as I can tell, Dr. Wilcox is first identified in Astonishing Tales I#35, as the dying doctor whose mind had inhabited the Luther Manning clone.
    That doctor in the clone's body is identified as such in Astonishing Tales I#34, but not given an actual name.
    However, as he was one of the doctors who created Deathlok, he was present but unidentified in Astonishing Tales I#25.
    I discussed the identities of the doctors in detail in the comments for Curtis Giles, but as I write this profile, I see that the guy with the glasses bending over Deathlok is the one identified as Wilkins (and one other person is identified, Jim). We know that Curtis Giles and one of the other surgeons were slain by Deathlok (manipulated into doing so by Julian Biggs, under the direction of Simon Ryker), but the guy with the glasses shows up as still active in Astonishing Tales I#30 and 33-34 working on Ryker to become the Savior Machine.
    I suspect that Wilkins or whoever questioned Ryker in Astonishing Tales I#30 is the same guy in #25 who compared the actions Ryker had them perform to that of Frankenstein.
    And then in Astonishing Tales I#34, Wilcox is one of the original surgeons, and his mind has been transferred into the clone's body. As he was standing over the body of Ryker (whose mind was now within the Omni-Computer), it would seem extremely likely that he was one of the doctors who had worked on Ryker in the previous issues.
    So, after exhaustively reviewing the issues for Deathlok's 50^th anniversary, it's still not clear to me...are Wilkins and Wilcox different people, or -- because there were no handbooks, records, internet, etc. -- did Wilkins name get misremembered as Wilcox in Astonishing Tales I#35 (nearly two years after Astonishing Tales I#25)?
    We know that the four men shown to be working on Deathlok were Wilkins (and/or Wilcox), Jim and Curtis Giles.
    We also don't know whether Harlan Ryker actually was one of the surgeons physically working on Deathlok or if he was just involved in the design. I've thought the latter, but we don't know for sure.
    Regardless, as Wilkins (or Wilcox) was one of the original four working on Ryker and as he instructed/led the doctors seen in Astonishing Tales I#34, then he is the one most likely who instructed the others in #33.

    If Wilkins is the guy with the glasses and he is different than Wilcox, then we never saw Wilcox in any detail in his original form, and we never saw Wilkins again after Ryker's surgeries were finished.
    I wrote this profile in hopes of sorting out the doctor issue, as I had concluded that the guy with the glasses was Wilcox...and then I saw that the guy with the glasses in the OR was clearly identified as Wilkins. Bleh!
    Maybe I'm over-thinking the glasses...maybe only one guy wore glasses in the OR, and then another guy wore the glasses out of the OR.

I don't know why they had to stop Simon Ryker's heart to perform the procedure or to consider him fully anesthetized. Stopping the heart is generally the last thing you want to do in anesthesia unless you are performing specific cardiac procedure. But, perhaps it was necessary for whatever needed to take place to link Ryker's mind/brain with the Omni-Computer, and perhaps he was on some sort of bypass apparatus?

    Per Astonishing Tales I#34, Simon Ryker had Dr. Wilcox's mind transferred into his Luther Manning clone.
    Per Astonishing Tales I#35, it seems more like Teresa Devereaux was saying that her people performed the operation that saved Wilcox.
    If Ryker had the clone and Wilcox, I don't think there is any way that the CIA was involved in transferring Wilcox's mind into the Manning clone.

Regardless, I would love to see J.M. DeMatteis or someone with an interest in this reality's history do a Redeemers story, covering their origins and adventures after Hellinger's fall. It would be great if it would clarify the identities of the surgeons who created Deathloks and Hellinger's involvement, and also flesh out those characters...

Appearances:
Astonishing Tales I#25 (August, 1974) "A Cold Knight's Frenzy" - Rich Buckler & Doug Moench (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Rich Buckler, Klaus Janson, Al Milgrom & Mike Esposito (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Astonishing Tales I#33-35 (January-May, 1976) - Rich Buckler & Bill Mantlo (writers), Rich Buckler (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)

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