MACROBOTS
Membership: At least three nameless robots
Purpose: Servants of Kang
Affiliations: Kang
Enemies: Agatha Harkness, The Avengers (Hawkeye, Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, Vision), Rama-Tut
Base of Operations: Wherever Kang leads them; apparently originally from the alternate future 41st century ruled by Kang
First Appearance: Avengers I#129 (November, 1974)
Powers/Abilities: The Macrobots were able to absorb, amplify, and return force that was directed at them. This included not only physical forces, but also abstract forces such as the Scarlet Witch's hex powers. They could fire energy blasts from their hands or eyes and had superhuman strength that grew with the amount of power they absorbed. It was possible (but not necessary) to place a living thing inside a Macrobot in order to power it. The more powerful the living thing inside the Macrobot was, the more powerful the Macrobot became.
History: (Avengers I#129 (fb)) - The Macrobots were a result of 41st century science and were built and/or utilized by Kang the Conqueror in his campaigns.
(Avengers I#129) - Kang confronted the Avengers, who were
quick to attack him. Kang responded by sending three Macrobots against the
Avengers. Unaware of the Macrobots ability to absorb and return force used
against them, Thor and Iron Man attacked the robots with brute force, and were
quickly knocked out by a devastating punch from one Macrobot and an energy blast
from another respectively. The Vision then attempted to attack a Macrobot by
becoming intangible and partially solidifying himself inside of the robot. However,
the Macrobot was able to redirect even that force back at the Vision, and
knocked him out. Scarlet Witch tried using her hex powers, but they were turned
against her as well, and Mantis, Scarlet Witch, and Agatha Harkness were knocked
out by falling bricks. Kang took the Avengers back to his lair and put the
Vision, Iron Man, and Thor under paralysis rays for hours until they were unable
to move, and then put each of them inside a Macrobot in order to provide an
incredible power source for it. He planned to send each Macrobot to assassinate
a world leader in order to cause world war three.
(Giant-size Avengers#2) - The first Macrobot, containing the Vision, was sent to assassinate the Secretary of State of the United States. It was confronted by Hawkeye, the Swordsman, and Rama-Tut, but proved to be their physical superior by far. However, knowing that the Vision was powered by solar energy through the gem in his forehead, Hawkeye fired a special arrow at the head of the Macrobot which blocked all light from reaching the Vision. The Macrobot's power source was cut off, it fell, and the Vision was freed. Later, Kang sent the Macrobot containing Iron Man to kill the ruling family of the People's Republic of China. This one was confronted by Swordsman, Hawkeye, Rama-Tut, and the Vision. This Macrobot proved a worthy challenge as well, but the Vision managed to defeat it by removing his cape and solidifying it inside the Macrobot, destroying it and the cape in a violent explosion, but freeing Iron Man. Kang became irate, and abandoned his plans of sending the third Macrobot, powered by Thor, to Moscow, and instead sent it to destroy the Avengers immediately. The Vision freed Mantis and the Scarlet Witch, and all the Avengers battled against the Macrobot being powered by Thor. The battle remained a stalemate for a while, but eventually, the Avengers started to push the Macrobot back. The Scarlet Witch ended the fight by using her enhanced hex powers to call a meteor from space and send it crashing into the Macrobot, incapacitating it permanently.
Comments: Steve Englhart, Sal Buscema, Joe Staton, and Bill Mantlo
Clarifications: No known connection to
images: Avengers I#129 Page 2 Panel 3
Giant-size Avengers#2, Page 22, panel 1
Avengers I#129 (November, 1974) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Staton (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Giant-size Avengers#2 (November, 1974) - Steve Englehart (writer), Dave Cockrum (artist), Roy Thomas (editor)
Last updated: 09/27/04.
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!