BOOTHROYD
Real Name: Desmond Boothroyd (see comments)
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: S.H.I.E.L.D. armorer
Group Membership: S.H.I.E.L.D., CIA
Affiliations: Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Mary Parker, Richard Parker
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier; S.H.I.E.L.D. New York Headquarters
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#137/1 (October, 1965)
Powers/Abilities: Boothroyd has designed numerous guns, explosives, uniforms, spying devices, and many other high-tech devices for S.H.I.E.L.D.
History: (Untold Tales of Spider-Man#-1) - While employed by the CIA, Boothroyd often supplied devices to Richard and Mary Parker, two field agents. Prior to their mission to Bombay, he supplied Mary with a wristband that fired darts and Richard with a camera that could release knock-out gas.
(Strange Tales I#137/1) - After a million dollar contract was placed on Nick Fury's head, he reported to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Weapons Design room, where he met Boothroyd, who had been placed there by Tony Stark. Fury was at first put off by the room's appearance as a tailor shop, but Boothroyd soon impressed him by displaying a hat which contained a periscope, a tie which could be set on fire, an explosive shirt, and a bulletproof suit. In order to prove the suit's effectiveness, Boothroyd had four agents spring out in the changing room and shoot at Fury. Fury was impressed by the suit, and wished Boothroyd had worked for the Howling Commandos.
(Strange Tales I#154/1) - After Fury had lost his suit on a mission against HYDRA, he reported to Boothroyd on the Helicarrier to receive a new arsenal. Boothroyd gave him another bulletproof suit with buttons that could supply oxygen when swallowed. He also presented him with an eavesdropper pen, electronic absorber cuff links, feron gas cigars, a repulsor watch, and an auto-destruct ring. Fury then asked Boothroyd what his belt's stunt was. Boothroyd answered: "A most basic one, sir! It holds up your pants!" He then asked Fury to take better care of his new suit than he had the last one.
(Marvel Two-In-One#51 - BTS) - Fury's life was saved from a gun-toting assassin thanks to one of Boothroyd's bulletproof suits.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and John Severin.
Boothroyd was clearly named in homage of the character from Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, a member of Q Branch who supplied Bond with his arsenal (the character's role is now best known as "Q"). Fleming named the character after Major Geoffrey Boothroyd, his weapons advisor while writing the novels.
The "Agent Q" who aided Sgt. Fury against Lo Parino in Sgt. Fury#102 was apparently meant to be Bond's Q, but Fury didn't recognize him as Boothroyd.
Since Bond exists in the Marvel Universe (inasmuch as he is the father of Clive Reston -- not that Marvel can identify him by name), it could be that the Boothroyd of the Bond novels and the Boothroyd of S.H.I.E.L.D. are the same person. There's one the Wold-Newton folks must love!
It's possible that the two men from Strange Tales I#137 and 154 aren't the same person -- the first has a moustache, and the second has a full beard. However, Fury treats the second one with familiarity, the second one refers to the suit Fury received in Strange Tales I#137, and it's the first time we'd seen him visit weapons design since #137, so I'm treating them as the same guy.
Master of the Obscure Loki, confirms that in Captain Britain Weekly#19/1, Fury uses a cigar armed with a poison dart, created by Q Branch.
Boothroyd's first name was revealed in Marvel Atlas#1.
As the writer of the UK's entry for the Marvel Atlas I can confirm that the first name being Desmond was indeed a nod to the late Desmond Llewellyn (the actor playing Q in several James Bond movies). by
--Loki
CLARIFICATIONS: Images taken from:
First Posted: 03/27/2005 Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
Boothroyd should not be confused with:
Strange Tales I#137 (page 4, panel 6)
Appearances:
Strange Tales I#137 (October, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), John Severin (inks)
Strange Tales I#154 (March, 1967) - Stan Lee, Jim Steranko & Roy Thomas (writers), Jim Steranko (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Untold Tales of Spider-Man#-1 (July, 1997) - Roger Stern (writer), John Romita Sr. (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Last updated: 07/16/2023
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