TAURUS

Real Name: None

Identity/Class: Android (LMD)

Occupation: Member of the Zodiac

Group Membership: Zodiac (LMDs)

Affiliations: Krona, Maggia, Quicksilver

Enemies: Avengers (Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Captain America, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Hercules, Wasp), Iron Man (James Rhodes), Defenders (Hellcat, Hulk, Nighthawk, Valkyrie), Jack Norriss, Zodiac Cartel

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The Ankh Dimension
formerly, New York City
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 Avegners Annual#1 (1986)

Powers/Abilities: In its original form, Taurus had retractable horns mounted on its arms and attached to cables, which it would fire at opponents. Taurus also possessed internal sensors enabling it to detect heat and organics.

In its second form, Taurus possessed enhanced strength, and immunity to energy blasts. It could also exist underwater.

History: (Defenders I#48 - BTS) - Taurus was created in the "Theater of Genetics" by Scorpio, 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 its head. Just as it began to revive, Nighthawk dropped a heavy piece of machinery on top of it.

(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 defences in Van Lunt's building, but also had to contend with Iron Man, 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 it; 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, who 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, he 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, and Scorpio used the Zodiac Key to redesign Taurus' body, granting it a female form.

(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 him 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 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.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Taurus should not be confused with:

• Sir William Taurey, 18th century American Loyalist, enemy of Steven Rogers, @ Captain America I#194
• William Taurey, of the Royalist Forces of America, @ Captain America I#194
• Taurians, extra-terrestrial race, @ Thor I#160
• Tauron, an Inhuman, @ Inhumans III#1
• Taurus of the pre-Cataclysmic era, Sea Wolves, @ Kull the Conqueror III#3
• Taurus of Nemedia, Hyborian era, thief, ally of Conan, @ Tower of the Elephant
• Taurus of Khoraja, Hyborian era, former chancellor to Yasmela, @ Black Colossus
• Taurus, Cornelius Van Lunt, financier of the Zodiac Cartel, @ Avengers I#72
• Taurus, of Zodiac-Ecliptic, @ Alpha Flight II#1

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