CANCER
Real Name: None
Identity/Class: Android (LMD)
Occupation: Crimelord
Group Membership: Zodiac (LMDs)
Affiliations: Krona, Quicksilver ((Pietro Maximoff);
as a Cancer, he/it/they
presumably has/have some association with Set;
see also the Catalogue
of Correspondences for Set from Ian McNee's reading of the First
Tarot
Enemies: Avengers (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Hercules/Heracles, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne), Defenders (Hellcat/Patsy Walker, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Nighthawk/Kyle Richmond, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde), Jack Norriss, S.H.I.E.L.D., West Coast Avengers (Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Mockingbird/Barbara Barton, Moon Knight/Marc Spector, Henry Pym, Tigra/Greer Nelson, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Zodiac Cartel
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: The Living Arsenal
Base of Operations: The Ankh Dimension;
formerly Houston, Texas;
formerly the
Theater of Genetics, Belleville, New Jersey
First Appearance: (In shadows) Defenders I#49 (July, 1977);
(full) Defenders I#50 (August, 1977);
(second version) West Coast Avengers Annual#1 (1986);
(third version) West Coast Avengers II#26 (November,
1987)
Powers/Abilities: In his original form, Cancer possessed a bulky armored shell and enhanced strength, with blades attached to each of his wrists. A self-proclaimed "living arsenal," his battle-suit included an inflatable air-bag (which cushioned a punch thrown at him by the Hulk), and shoulder-mounted guns.
In his second form, Cancer possessed an armored shell, and could release powerful jets of water from his pincer-like hands.
In his third form, Cancer possessed an armored shell and had pincers in place of his hands.
Height: Unrevealed (6'; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed
History:
(Defenders I#48 - BTS) - Cancer was one of the LMDs (Life Model Decoys) created in the Theater
of Genetics by Scorpio
(Jake Fury), who wanted him to serve as a member of his Zodiac, and to
be his friend.
(Defenders I#49 - BTS) - When the Defenders invaded the Theater of Genetics, Scorpio was forced to activate the LMDs prematurely.
(Defenders I#50) - Cancer engaged the Defenders in combat, but was smashed into pieces by the Hulk.
(Defenders I#51 - BTS) - The Cancer LMD's remains were taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody as they cleaned up the Theater of Genetics.
(West Coast Avengers II#26 (fb) - BTS) - Scorpio created a new Cancer using the Zodiac Key.
(West Coast Avengers Annual#1) - Cancer joined the Zodiac under the leadership of Quicksilver in his attempt at gaining revenge against the Avengers. Cancer joined Gemini and Quicksilver at Avengers Mansion. Cancer fought the Wasp, but was shorted out when the Wasp's bio-sting reacted with his water vents.
(West Coast Avengers II#26 (fb) - BTS) - Scorpio created a new Cancer using the Zodiac Key.
(West Coast Avengers II#26) - Cancer joined the Zodiac LMDs in an attack on the human Zodiac Cartel in Dallas, Texas. They managed to kill all of the Cartel members except for Cornelius Van Lunt, and assumed their roles in the criminal underworld.
Later, Cancer joined the LMDs in an attempt to rob businessmen at a cattle auction in Wichita, but they were interrupted by the West Coast Avengers. Cancer fought Moon Knight, but when Hawkeye accidentally slew Sagittarius and Pisces panicked, he believed her claims of a prophetic dream and fled. Afterwards, Cancer was reprimanded with the others by Scorpio, who was disappointed in them for having run.
(West Coast Avengers II#27) - Later, Cancer aided the LMDs in ambushing Hawkeye, whom Scorpio replaced with his new Sagittarius LMD. Later, Cancer attended a meeting with the LMDs as they bickered over how to defeat the Avengers.
(West Coast Avengers II#28) - Cancer joined the LMDs in robbing the Denver Mint, but they were interrupted by the Avengers, though Scorpio managed to teleport them to Death Valley along with their loot. When the Avengers caught up to them once more, Cancer clashed with Moon Knight. When Scorpio brought the Avengers and LMDs to the Ankh Dimension, hoping to have an advantage, the LMDs were all shutdown instead, leaving them immobile in the Ankh Dimension.
(JLA/Avengers#4) - Cancer (last incarnation) was among the villains pulled forth from time and space by Krona to guard his stronghold from an onslaught by the Avengers and the JLA.
Comments: Created by David Kraft, Keith Giffen, Mike Royer, John Tartaglione and Dave Cockrum.
I'm assuming that the Pisces and Cancer LMDs were destroyed in West Coast Avengers Annual#1 because the human Cancer identifies two as having been destroyed in that encounter when he does a recap in West Coast Avengers II#26, and those are the only two who suffered serious damage.
Improved images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Cancer should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Defenders I#50, p2, pan7 (original Cancer)
West Coast Avengers Annual#1, p14, pan1 (second Cancer)
West Coast Avengers II#26, p20, pan2 (third Cancer)
Appearances:
Defenders I#49 (July, 1977) - David Kraft (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Defenders I#50 (August, 1977) - David Kraft (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Mike Royer, Keith Giffen, John Tartaglione & Dave Cockrum (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
West Coast Avengers Annual#1 (1986) - Steve Englehart & Mark Bright (writers), Mark Bright (pencils), Geoff Isherwood (inks), Michael Higgins (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#26-27 (November-December, 1987) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (pencils), Mike Machlan (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#28 (January, 1988) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (pencils), David Hunt (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
JLA/Avengers#4 (February, 2004) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (artist), Tom Brevoort & Dan Raspler (editors)
First posted: 01/31/2005
Last updated: 03/20/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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