LIBRA

Real Name: None

Identity/Class: Android (LMD)

Occupation: Crimelord

Group Membership: "Defenders" (Boomerang/Fred Myers, Joe the Gorilla, Leap-Frog/Vincent Patilio, Melter,/Bruno Horgan, Pecos, Shocker/Herman Schultz, Toad/Mortimer Toynbee), Zodiac (LMDs)

Affiliations: Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)

Enemies: Defenders (Hellcat/Patsy Walker, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Nighthawk/Kyle Richmond, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde), "Defenders for a Day" (Falcon/Sam Wilson, Jack of Hearts/Jack Hart, Prowler/Hobie Brown, Stingray/Walter Newell, Torpedo/Brock Jones), Jack Norriss, 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: None

Base of Operations: The Ankh Dimension;
   formerly Honolulu, Hawaii
   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)

Powers/Abilities: In its original male form, the Libra LMD could fly and become intangible.

In its later female form, Libra could fly, but demonstrated no other powers.

Height: 6' (by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eye: Unrevealed
Hair: Black

History:
(Defenders I#48 - BTS) - Libra 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) - Rather than battle the Defenders, Libra remained observing on the sidelines, not wishing to participate. He advised Gemini and Aquarius on whether or not they should participate in the conflict, before deciding to depart before the battle had ended.

(Defenders I#64) - Believing that cosmic justice must be restored over Scorpio's defeat, Libra decided to create chaos with Sagittarius; taking advantage of a TV broadcast by Dollar Bill which claimed that anyone could be a Defender, the two created their own teams of Defenders made up with villains. Libra led his team to the New York Stock Exchange, and began robbing them. When Nighthawk burst into the building, the Melter brought him down almost immediately, and Libra decided it was time they departed.

   Nighthawk caught up with his fellow Defenders and faced Libra at the docks. Declaring that order had been established, Libra disappeared, leaving his allies to the Defenders.

(West Coast Avengers Annual#1) - Libra joined the Zodiac LMDs in following Quicksilver in his attempt to gain revenge upon the Avengers. Libra joined Leo, Scorpio and Virgo in attacking the Keibler Circus. After he menaced the spectators, Libra was apparently blown up by a trio of rocket arrows shot by Hawkeye (see comments).

(West Coast Avengers II#26 (fb) - BTS) - Libra was restored by Scorpio, who used the Zodiac Key to grant the LMD a new female form.

(West Coast Avengers II#26) - Libra 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, Libra joined the LMDs in an attempt to rob businessmen at a cattle auction in Wichita, but they were interrupted by the West Coast Avengers. Libra fought Mockingbird alongside Gemini, but fled the battle with the other LMDs when Hawkeye accidentally slew Sagittarius. Afterwards, Libra was reprimanded with the others by Scorpio, who was disappointed in them for having run.

(West Coast Avengers II#27) - Later, Libra aided the LMDs in ambushing Hawkeye, whom Scorpio then replaced with his new Sagittarius LMD built in the form of Hawkeye. Afterwards, Libra attended a meeting with the LMDs as they bickered over how to defeat the Avengers, and noted that Van Lunt, who was now aiding the Avengers, was correctly surmising their plans.

(West Coast Avengers II#28) - Libra joined the LMDs in robbing the Denver Mint, but they were interrupted by the Avengers, although Scorpio managed to teleport them to Death Valley along with their loot. When the Avengers caught up to them once more, Libra clashed with Mockingbird again and was beaten, but the Zodiac Key re-energized her so that she could continue the fight. When Scorpio brought the Avengers and LMDs to the Ankh Dimension, hoping to have an advantage, the LMDs were all shut down instead, leaving them immobile in the Ankh Dimension.

Comments: Created by David Kraft, Keith Giffen, Mike Royer, John Tartaglione and Dave Cockrum.

All 12 LMDs were reported as arrested at the start of West Coast Avengers II#26, but Libra didn't even engage the Avengers during West Coast Avengers Annual#1. Perhaps he turned himself in to maintain balance?

Thanks to Omar Karindu for pointing out Libra's first destruction in West Coast Avengers Annual#1

New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Libra should not be confused with:

• Libra (Gustav Brandt) - member of the human Zodiac Cartel--Avengers I#72
• Libra - leader of another Zodiac organization--Avengers I#396
• Libra - of Zodiac-Ecliptic--Alpha Flight II#12
• any other characters with similar names

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)
Defenders I#63 (September, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Bob Hall (editor)
Defenders I#64 (October, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Don Perlin (inker), Bob Hall (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)

First posted: 01/31/2005
Last updated: 03/20/2025