Real Name: Erik Gelden
Identity/Class: Human (origins unknown)
Occupation: Bank plunderer
Group Membership: The Hood (Parker Robbins)'s army of resurrected Scourge victims, aka. Deadly Dozen (Basilisk/Basil Elks, Bird-Man/Achille DiBacco, Black Abbott, Blue Streak/Don Thomas, Cheetah/Esteban Carracus, Cyclone/André Gerard, Death Adder/Roland Burroughs, Firebrand/Gary Gilbert, Hijacker/Howard Mitchell, Human Fly/Richard Deacon, Lascivious/Davida DeVito (formerly Titania), Letha/Helen Feliciano, Megatak/Gregory Nettles, Miracle Man/Joshua Ayers, Mirage/Desmond Charne, Turner D. Century/Clifford F. Michaels, Wraith/Brian DeWolff), Scourge victims
Affiliations: Cyclone, Esper-Ts, Firebrand (Gilbert), the Hood, Mirage
Enemies: Uri Geller, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Punisher (Frank Castle), Scourge of the Underworld
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile around the world
First Appearance: Daredevil I#133 (May, 1976)
Powers/Abilities: Mind-Wave possessed the power of telepathy, which allowed him to transmit and receive thoughts--it was unclear whether his powers were inherent to him, or technologically derived from his helmet (see comments).
In a physical fight, he could read his opponent's mind and counterattack in advance. He was also armed with a laser handgun.
He was assisted by a group of henchmen--the Esper-Ts--with whom he communicated telepathically.
During his original crime spree in America, he operated the Think-Tank.
Height: Unrevealed (6'; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Black (beard/mustache; see comments)
History:
(Daredevil I#133 (fb) - BTS) - His
origins unrevealed, Mind-Wave was a criminal who plundered several
countries using his telepathic powers. During one of his robberies
somewhere in Europe, he was confronted by mentalist Uri Geller; but
Geller was unable to stop him. Mind-Wave eventually made his way to the
United States.
(Daredevil I#133) - In New York City, Mind-Wave attacked Wall Street with his Think-Tank (see comments) and his Esper-Ts; he planned to rob banks in the vicinity, but Daredevil intervened and distracted him. The Esper-Ts couldn't stop Daredevil, so Mind-Wave had the Think-Tank blast a building, and Daredevil had to intervene to save an innocent bystander, while.Mind-Wave and his men fled.
A few hours later, Mind-Wave attacked the diamond exchanges and large banks in another area of the city; but his mental vibrations were sensed Uri Geller, who had traveled to New York and accompanied Daredevil. Mind-Wave shot at Daredevil with his ray-gun, but missed him. By reading the hero's thoughts, Mind-Wave managed to counter Daredevil's physical assault twice; after he mentally activated one of the Think-Tank's weapons to immobilize Daredevil, Mind-Wave telepathically ordered his Esper-Ts to loot one of the bank buildings.
But Mind-Wave was shocked when he suddenly sensed Geller's presence; Geller was able to take Mind-Wave by surprise and punched him, because he was shielding his own thoughts from the criminal. While Mind-Wave hid underneath the Tank, Geller used his metal-bending ability to free Daredevil--he bent and short-circuited some of the Tank's delicate wiring, causing the immobilizing weapon to overload and explode.
While Daredevil turned his attention to battling the Esper-Ts, Mind-Wave crawled out from under the Tank and tried to shoot Geller with his handgun, but Geller's powers caused the gun to explode.
Mind-Wave then proposed forming a partnership with Geller ("We are not unlike each other... we are superior to the rest."), but Geller refused, so Mind-Wave mentally ordered the Think-Tank to attack. When Geller noticed that Mind-Wave was standing near a building's barred window, he used his powers to entangle the criminal with the metal bars.
(Daredevil I#133 - BTS) - After Daredevil and Uri Geller stopped the Think-Tank, presumably Mind-Wave and his men were taken into police custody.
(Captain America: Marvels Snapshots#1) - Daredevil's battle with Mind-Wave was noticed by civilians across the city.
(Captain America I#319) - Mind-Wave was among the criminals at the "Bar with no Name," and was shot dead by Scourge.
(Punisher VII#5) - Aided by Dormammu's dark magic, the Hood resurrected Mind-Wave, along with several other of Scourge's victims, to fight the Punisher.
(Punisher VII#6) - The Hood addressed the assembled villains (including Mind-Wave) who had been resurrected, and ordered them to kill the Punisher--he warned them that failure to do so would leave them dead again after 30 days, and he lied to them that it was the Punisher disguised as Scourge who had killed them. Each one resurrected had been augmented, armed and costumed by the Hood. After the crimelord left, Mind-Wave revealed his insecurity about himself, thinking himself to be a nobody.
(Punisher VII#7) - Mind-Wave sat at a table, playing cards with Mirage, Cyclone and Firebrand, and making jokes about Microchip. Letha and Lascivious then arrived; Letha asserted herself by briefly mind-controlling Cyclone to fight Mind-Wave.
(Punisher VII#8) - With Mirage's help, Mind-Wave was disguised as one of the (1980s era) Avengers (possibly Iron Man) as part of an elaborate masquerade to engage the Punisher, but the vigilante saw past the ruse and incapacitated him. The Punisher quickly set Mind-Wave as a booby-trap with a grenade--fearful and badly injured, he warned the others as they approached, but was incinerated in the blast.
Comments:Created by Marv Wolfman, Bob Brown and Jim Mooney.
In his original appearance, Mind-Wave had what appeared to be a weird "cat whiskers" mustache [see headshot]; after his resurrection, he had a full beard and mustache [see fourth image above].
And Uri Geller's projected thoughts to Mind-Wave upon
seeing the Think-Tank ["I see you've improved since our last
meeting..."] would seem to imply that Mind-Wave didn't have that
armored vehicle until he came to America--maybe he got it from the
Tinkerer (Phineas Mason), who was known to supply equipment to other
criminals (e.g. Big
Wheel, Binary
Bug, Bruno
Caper, Hypno-Hustler,
Ringer,
Stinger).
--Ron
Fredricks
It should be noted that the Mind-Wave that was shot by
Scourge (and appeared in a head-shot in the OHOTMU Book of the Dead
under "Scourge's Victims") was wearing one of the Esper-Ts' helmets,
not the helmet worn by Mind-Wave himself. I'm theorizing then that
there is the possibility that this was not Mind-Wave who was present
at the Bar With No Name, but one of his henchmen sent in his place (or
even trying to steal his identity). Perhaps the real Mind-Wave smelled
a trap.
--Madison Carter
Another theory on this topic: Maybe Mind-Wave's actual
telepathy helmet was destroyed in the fight with Daredevil and Geller,
and he was just wearing one of his Esper-T's helmets because it was
all he had. That would also explain how someone who had been a
successful criminal internationally could end up as a no-name
third-rater at a meeting for losers - he didn't even have any powers
anymore.
--Graham
Nothing is said about how Mind-Wave gained his powers.
Possibly the powers could be technologically-based via his
helmet), but it is uncertain.
--Spidermay
It's not stated explicitly, but it's strongly implied
that his powers are based entirely around his helmet.
--Graham
Or maybe Mind-Wave was a minor psychic, and the helmet
greatly amplified his power.
--Ron Fredricks
His real name was revealed in Scourge's profile in OHOTMU A-Z HC#10.
New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by Spidermay
CLARIFICATIONS:
Mind-Wave should not be confused with:
The Think-Tank should not be confused with:
The Esper-Ts should not be confused with:
|
A large and powerful armored vehicle made of titanium steel, it was capable of smashing through walls. It transported Mind-Wave and his Esper-Ts to the scenes of their crimes--Mind-Wave sat in the transparent bubble-dome on its turret. The Think-Tank obeyed Mind-Wave's telepathic thoughts, but it was also capable of making offensive maneuvers and defending itself on its own while it was operating on automatic pilot. |
|
|
Along with its main laser cannon on the turret and several smaller guns, the Think-Tank was equipped with a weapon that temporarily paralyzed Daredevil. Daredevil and mentalist Uri Geller defeated Mind-Wave and his Esper-Ts, but the Think-Tank was on automatic and running amok, so Daredevil broke into the Tank's bubble-dome and smashed its main control panel, rendering the armored vehicle inert. --Daredevil I#133 |
|
|
The normal human henchmen of Mind-Wave, they included Harold (last name unrevealed) and perhaps seven others; Mind-Wave "spoke" to them telepathically during their plundering raids. They were equipped with laser rifles and uniforms, and their primary task was to loot the banks while Mind-Wave and the Think-Tank provided interference. The first time Mind-Wave read Daredevil's mind, he ordered the Esper-Ts to shoot him, but Daredevil managed to avoid their laser blasts. |
|
|
Later, at another bank, they fought Daredevil while Mind-Wave battled mentalist Uri Geller--they weren't a real threat against Daredevil, only giving him difficulty by their numbers. After their defeat, presumably all the Esper-Ts were arrested and taken into custody. --Daredevil I#133 (Comment: At their court trials, I wonder if any of the Esper-Ts could have pleaded innocent by reason of insanity by claiming that Mind-Wave was mentally forcing them to commit crimes [...even though they were probably willing participants]--somebody call Bob Ingersoll!) |
images:
Daredevil I#133, p10, pan6 (main image - Mind-Wave)
Daredevil I#133, p11, pan7 (headshot - Mind-Wave senses Uri Geller's presence)
Daredevil I#133, p15, pan6 (Mind-Wave, about to be trapped by window bars)
Punisher VII#8, p15, pan3 (resurrected Mind-Wave, beaten and booby-trapped by Punisher)
Daredevil I#133, p4, pan3-4 (Think-Tank; Mind-Wave mentally switches Think-Tank to automatic control)
Daredevil I#133, p5, pan2 (Think-Tank [rear view], as Esper-Ts emerge; Mind-Wave in transparent dome)
Daredevil I#133, p10, pan1 (Think-Tank smashes through building)
Daredevil I#133, p11, pan4 (Think-Tank fires main laser cannon)
Daredevil I#133, p11, pan5 (Mind-Wave telepathically orders Esper-Ts to rob bank)
Daredevil I#133, p13, pan5 (Esper-T gets thrown across bank table by Daredevil)
Daredevil I#133, p14, pan1 (Esper-Ts battle Daredevil)
Appearances:
Daredevil I#133 (May, 1976) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Bob Brown (pencils), Jim Mooney (inks), Ray Holloway (letters), Michele Wolfman (colors)
Captain America I#319 (July, 1976) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Neary (pencils), Dennis Janke (inks), Michael Carlin (editor)
Punisher VII#5 (July, 2009) - Rick Remender (writer), Jerome Opena (art), Axel Alonso (editor)
Punisher VII#6-8 (August-October, 2009) - Rick Remender (writer), Tan Eng Huat (art), Axel Alonso (editor)
Captain America: Marvels Snapshots#1 (August, 2020) - Mark Russell (writer), Ramon Perez (artist), Darren Shan (editor)
First posted: 04/08/2005
Last updated: 11/05/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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