TAURUS
Real Name: None
Identity/Class: Android (LMD)
Occupation: Crimelord
Group Membership: Zodiac (LMDs)
Affiliations: Krona, Maggia, Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)
Enemies: Avengers (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Monica Rambeau, Hercules/Heracles, Iron Man/James Rhodes, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne), Defenders (Hellcat/Patsy Walker, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Nighthawk/Kyle Richmond, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde), 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 New York City;
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); (female version) West Coast Avengers II#26 (November, 1988)
Powers/Abilities: In his original form, Taurus had extendable horns mounted on his arms attached to cables, which he would fire at opponents. Taurus also possessed internal sensors enabling him to detect heat and organics.
In his second form, Taurus possessed horns on his head, enhanced strength, and immunity to energy blasts. He could also exist underwater.
The female Taurus possessed horns on her head and enhanced strength.
Height: Unrevealed (6'; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: (Original) bald; (female) blond
History:
(Defenders I#48 - BTS) - Taurus 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) - Taurus engaged the Hulk in battle, but was no match for his superior strength and was smashed through the ceiling, damaging his head; just as he began to revive, Nighthawk dropped a heavy piece of machinery on top of him.
(Iron Man I#183) - The Taurus LMD was hired by the Maggia to kill Cornelius Van Lunt, the human Taurus, after he had begun to move in on Maggia turf. The LMD was able to withstand all of the defenses in Van Lunt's building, but also had to contend with Iron Man (Rhodes), who had been hired by Van Lunt. Not possessing his repulsor rays, Iron Man tried to match the LMD blow for blow, but could not halt the android; he finally turned his armor's unibeam on the LMD, and blasted it with lasers, destroying the LMD.
(West Coast Avengers II#26 (fb) - BTS) - A new Taurus LMD was created by Scorpio, using the Zodiac Key.
(West Coast Avengers Annual#1) - Taurus joined the Zodiac under the leadership of Quicksilver in his attempt to obtain revenge on the Avengers, whom Quicksilver had framed for treason. When one team of Avengers returned to Avengers Mansion through their submarine tunnel, Aries and Taurus attacked them underwater. Taurus held his own with Hercules, and proved immune to Captain Marvel's energy blasts, but when Quicksilver turned on the tunnel's purge switch, Aries and Taurus were both flung out to the river by the water pressure. Taurus was later recovered and turned over to the authorities.
(West Coast Avengers II#26 (fb) - BTS) - Taurus was released from prison; using the Zodiac Key, Scorpio redesigned Taurus with a female appearance.
(West Coast Avengers II#26) - Taurus 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, Taurus joined the LMDs in an attempt to rob businessmen at a cattle auction in Wichita, but they were interrupted by the West Coast Avengers. Taurus fought Hawkeye, but accidentally threw his aim off by striking him, causing Hawkeye to kill Sagittarius. Taurus fled with the other LMDs, and was reprimanded with the others afterwards by Scorpio, who was disappointed in them for having run.
(West Coast Avengers II#27) - Later, Taurus aided the LMDs in ambushing Hawkeye, but was taken out of the fight when Hawkeye caught her and Aries in a net-arrow. After Scorpio had replaced Hawkeye with his new Sagittarius LMD, Taurus attended a meeting with the LMDs as they bickered over how to defeat the Avengers.
(West Coast Avengers II#28) - Taurus 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, Taurus clashed with the Avengers again. 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.
(JLA/Avengers#4) - Taurus (female 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.
Improved images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
Taurus should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Defenders I#50, p2, pan5 (original Taurus)
West Coast Avengers Annual#1, p14, pan1 (second Taurus)
West coast Avengers II#26, p5 (female Taurus)
Appearances:
Defenders I#50 (August, 1977) - David Kraft (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Mike Royer, Keith Giffen, John Tartaglione & Dave Cockrum (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Iron Man I#183 (June, 1984) - Denny O'Neil (writer), Luke McDonnell (pencils), Steve Mitchell (inks), Mark Gruenwald (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: 03/20/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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