BARON ZEMO

Real Name: Dr. Heinrich Zemo

Identity/Class: Human (German) technology user (World War I to modern-day)

Occupation: Scientist, would-be conqueror, former special operative for German intelligence

Group Membership: None;
formerly Pluto's Jury (Abomination, Armless Tiger Man, Artume, Commander Kraken, Iron Monger, Jack O'Lantern, Kyknos, Nessus, Orka, Scourge of the Underworld, Veranke), Legion of the Unliving (Midnight/M'nai, Flying Dutchman's Ghost, Wonder Man/Simon Williams, Human Torch/Jim Hammond, Frankenstein's Monster), Masters of Evil (Black Knight/Nathan Garrett, Enchantress/Amora, Executioner/Skurge, Melter/Bruno Horgan, Radioactive Man/Chen Lu, Wonder Man/Wimon Williams), Nazi Party;
(Heinrich Zemo fascimile only) Legion of the Unliving

Affiliations: His assassins, androids, and mercenaries;
    Baron Strucker (Wolfgang von Strucker), Batroc the Leaper, Franz Gruber, "Iron Hand" Hauptmann, Adolf Hitler, Erik Josten, Kang, Killbot, Charles Lindbergh, Logan (James Howlett), Andrea MacLain, Master Man (Wilhelm Lohmer), Matrix Eight, "Nazi Torches", Nox, Red Skull (Johann Shmidt), Kenneth Sturdy, Nikola Tesla, Arnim Zola;
    formerly the Board (General Piper, others), Immortus, Pluto, She-Wolf;
(Heinrich Zemo fascimile only) Grim Reaper (Eric Williams), Lloigoroth

Enemies: Avengers (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Black Panther/T'Challa, Giant-Man/Henry Pym, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Thor/Odinson, Vision, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne), Black Widow (Anya Derevkova), Bucky (James Barnes), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Citizen V (John Watkins), the Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson), the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII), Dominic Fortune, Hercules (Herakles), Howling Commandos (Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Timothy "Dum-Dum" Dugan, Nick Fury, Gabe Jones, Dino Manelli, Percival "Pinky" Pinkerton, Robert "Reb" Ralston), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Secretary Harold Ickes, Attorney General Robert Jackson, Immortus, Rick Jones, Secretary Frank Knox, Amanda MacLain, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Pluto, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, She-Wolf, Teen Brigade, Thunderbolts (Boomerang/Fred Myers, Centurius/Noah Black, Fixer/P. Norbert Ebersol, Mr. Hyde/Calvin Zabo, Moonstone/Karla Sofen, Satana, Troll/Gunna), V-Battalion, Vertiplasm, Vice President Henry Wallace

Known Relatives: Harbin Zemo (great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Hademar Zemo (great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Heller Zemo (great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Herbert Zemo (great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Helmuth Zemo (great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Hackett Zemo (great-great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Hartwig Zemo (great-great-great-grandfather, deceased), Hilliard Zemo (great-great-grandfather, deceased), Hoffman Zemo (great-grandfather, deceased), Hobart Zemo (grandfather), Herman Zemo (father, deceased), Hilda Zemo (wife, deceased), Helmut Zemo (son), Heike Zemo (daughter-in-law, deceased), Isla Zemo (great-great-great-grandmother, deceased), Gretchen Zemo (great-great-grandmother, deceased), Miss Klein, Wendell Volker, Fleischtung (distant relatives)

Aliases: Baron Zemo, Doctor Zemo

Base of Operations: Hades;
   formerly a temple in the Amazon jungle, South America
   formerly Castle Zemo, Bavaria, Germany

First Appearance: Avengers I#4 (March, 1964)

Powers/Abilities: Zemo usually carried his death-ray laser pistol, and also had several weapons which could emit his powerful Adhesive X. He also designed the anesthetic gas Formula X and the electronics-disrupting Particle X. Zemo was a strong hand-to-hand combatant, trained in karate. He also employed vast armies of mercenaries.

He maintained much of his youthful vigor long after World War II via Compound X

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Grey-black

History:
(Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1 (fb)) - Heinrich Zemo was born in 1900, and served in the Germany army during World War I. He felt betrayed when Berlin surrendered to the Allies, and was an early member of Hitler's National Socialist party afterwards, becoming a member of the Nazi Party's Brown Shirts.

(Captain America I#168 (fb)) - Heinrich married a woman named Hilda, and she bore him a son, Helmut. Heinrich loved his family, and became a leading scientist in the Third Reich.

(Mystery Men#5) - <1932> The Fear Lord Nox invited Baron Zemo to a meeting with the criminal Board led by General Piper.

(Mystery Men#5) - <June, 1932> Arriving at the Board's blimp Baron Zemo mentioned his hopes that Nox could turn the Board around to Germany's national socialistic thinking. Nox promised the General would know what to say to turn the Board into allies of Germany.

   A member of the board criticized the inclusion of Baron Zemo and was sacrificed by the General, who promised the other members of the Board even more power after they sacrificed a bunch of children on summer solstice.

   After the Mystery Men thwarted the mass sacrifice on the night of summer solstice Zemo accompanied Nox when she returned Charles Augustus Lindbergh J., the kidnapped son of Charles Lindbergh, to his parents. Nox told Lindbergh to keep his son's survival secret and promised him that her allies in Germany, including Baron Zemo, would protect the Lindbergh family. Nox told Lindbergh that a new power rising in the east (Nazis) could use the support of a hero. Lindbergh promised his support after what Nox and Zemo had done for his family. Lindbergh and Zemo shook hands.

(Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1 (fb)) - Zemo traveled to America in 1933 and met Dr. Nikola Tesla, learning from him of his invention "Teleforce," a powerful laser weapon.

(Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune#2-3 (fb) - BTS) - <1937> Baron Zemo handled the Third Reich's business deals with the American corporation Stark Industries. He worked closely with Stark Industries' Amanda MacLain, who was an intermediary between the Third Reich and Wakanda in the Third Reich's attempt to buy large amounts of a rare metal (later known as Vibranium) from the small African nation.

(Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune#2 - BTS) - From Berlin Baron Zemo called Myron MacLain at Stark Industries' Hephaestus foundry to give his condolences to Myron regarding his daughter Andrea's death. Unfortunately for Zemo Myron MacLain told Zemo he would be unable to take over his daughter's expedition without upsetting Howard Stark's British customers. Instead he offered to put Zemo in touch with her sources.

(Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune#3) - At a meeting in Berlin Wolfgang von Strucker introduced Amanda and Dominic Fortune to Baron Zemo, who handled the Third Reich's dealings with Stark Industries. Zemo assured Fortune their research only involved defensive measures like armor and fortifications and told Amanda her sister was working as an intermediary for them with the Wakandan nation to buy a rare mineral from them (later known as Vibranium). The Nazis assured Fortune and Amanda they were not involved in her death. Strucker ended the meeting and Zemo told Fortune and Amanda the SS had already booked their return passage to Lakehurst with the Hindenburg. Fortune and Amanda had other plans and took a train to Latveria to continue their investigation into Andrea's murder.

(Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1 (fb)) - By 1939, Hitler had promoted Zemo to the rank of colonel.

(Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1 (fb) - BTS) - He was put in charge of creating "Vengeance Weapons" for the Third Reich.

(Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#3 - BTS, Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#4) - Hitler, his aide Johann Shmidt and scientist Abraham Erskine witnessed a test of Zemo's death-ray, used on a live human to see how quickly it would kill him. Erskine was outraged by the barbaric nature of the tests, but Hitler ignored him. After the demonstration, Heinrich found a stranger in the lab, unaware that it was his own son Helmut, time traveling his way through the history of the Zemo family. Heinrich began to launch into a speech of German superiority, but Helmut ultimately became enraged and attacked him, declaring himself to be superior to Heinrich. Heinrich had his guards attack Helmut, but Helmut was teleported back to the present before they could kill him.

(Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1) - On the German U-boat U-238 Baron Zemo was brought to the Bahamas to kidnap the exiled Duke and Duchess of Windsor and escort them to Hitler, who desired to turn them into puppet monarchs of Great Britain.

(Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1 - BTS) <March 19, 1941> - Zemo and his men arrived on the island and invaded the residence of an English businessman where the Windsors resided at the time.

(Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1) - President Roosevelt arrived on the island and met with the Windsors. They were all shocked when Zemo and his men confronted them in the study and explained his plan to take the Windsors to Germany. Roosevelt tried to convince Zemo to leave to avoid a war with the US and the U-238's First Mate agreed with him. Zemo shot the first mate and changed his plan to kidnap Roosevelt, Secretary Ickes and Secretary Knox as well. Outside Captain America and the Human Torch, who were secretly sent along with Roosevelt to Nassau, took out Zemo's men. When Zemo heard the screams of his burning men, he decided to change his plan again and just shoot the Americans and only take the Windsors, but Captain America saved Roosevelt. Zemo fled from Captain America to the Windsor's residence and used the death ray hidden in his briefcase against Cap. Zemo dropped the weapon after Cap hit him and it accidentally destroyed the whole building while Zemo got away. He was found by German sleeper agents, who were going to hide Zemo on the island until he could be smuggled back to Germany.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#8) - Soon after completing his first version of the death-ray, Zemo's castle in Germany was invaded by the Howling Commandos, come to kidnap him. Zemo attempted to kill them with his castle's death-traps, but they avoided them, and when he confronted them with his death-ray, "Reb" Ralston snatched it from his hands with his lariat. Zemo fled his castle and destroyed it as he departed by self-destructing the death-ray, hoping to slay the Howlers. However, the Howlers survived, and discovered that the death-ray's energies had slaughtered a nearby town. They had leaflets distributed through Germany revealing what Zemo had done, and he was disgraced before his own nation.

(Avengers I#6 (fb)) - Because of the leaflets, Zemo became "the most hated man in Europe" (surely Hitler still held that dishonor?), and took to wearing a mask until his face was forgotten.

(Wolverine: Origins#20 (fb) - BTS) - Zemo had been reading Captain America Comics and wondered how much truth was in them about the real Captain's powers.

(Wolverine: Origins#20 - BTS) - <November, 1941> As suggested by Logan, who was trying to save Strucker on orders from Seraph, Baron Strucker contacted Baron Zemo to aid him in his escape before he was captured by American soldiers led by Captain America in Djerba, Tunisia.

(Wolverine: Origins#20) - Near Algiers, Algeria Zemo had Captain America's plane shot down over the desert. After taking in Baron Strucker Zemo, who was impressed to meet Captain America for the first time, ordered Logan to arrest Captain America. When a fight began between Logan and Captain America Zemo told his men to let them fight because he was interested to see what Captain America was actually capable of. When Bucky sniped the Nazi soldiers Zemo fled the scene with Strucker in a jeep without Logan, who got beaten up by Cap and shot by Bucky.

(Avengers I#6 (fb)) - As Zemo labored over Adhesive X, a powerful glue, he was confronted by Captain America. As they fought, the Captain's shield struck a container of Adhesive X, and the glue spilled over Zemo's face, welding the mask to his skin.

(Captain America I#168 (fb)) - With his mask fused to his head, Zemo began to lash out against his own family, striking Helmut. He finally left Hilda and Helmut to focus on his plans for the Third Reich, and for the defeat of Captain America.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1) - <Winter 1942> Zemo worked at a secret facility in Yugoslavia on a nuclear weapon. When the Howling Commandos and Black Widow (Derevkova) attacked the facility. Zemo immediately informed Adolf Hitler via phone. Hitler ordered Zemo to destroy the atomic weapon before the Commandos could get their hands on it, but before Zemo could activate the self-destruct mechanism Nick Fury tackled him into the bomb's cooling system. Zemo was electrocuted, but somehow survived the incident.

(Captain America I#606 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Heinrich did something for Jurgen Hauptmann, who was from that moment on indebted to him.

(Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1) - In 1943, Using Tesla's "teleforce" theories, Zemo designed a new death-ray, called "the Medusa Cannon." Zemo sent Master Man to America to kill Tesla and destroy his notes, while he prepared the Medusa Cannon to shoot down Allied bombers as they flew over Berlin. Zemo's own wife Hilda turned against him, and brought Captain America to his laboratory in the hopes of stopping him. However, Master Man defeated Captain America. Bucky broke into the laboratory with the help of Helmut, but Helmut turned Bucky over to his father. Heinrich promised Helmut that he would be the first to fire the Medusa Cannon for his work. Zemo strapped Bucky to the Medusa Cannon, but Captain America had set himself free, and overpowered Master Man. Helmut foolishly activated the cannon when it wasn't aimed at the sky, and it wound up destroying Zemo's laboratory. Captain America and Bucky took Helmut to safety, but Hilda was killed by debris.

(Captain America/Citizen V 1998 Annual (fb)) - Zemo, aided by the She-Wolf, attempted to launch Particle X, a weapon that would nullify all radio and radar operations in Britain, granting the Nazis a major advantage. However, She-Wolf betrayed Zemo to Citizen V, Captain America and Bucky, who stormed Castle Zemo and destroyed Particle X before it could be launched.

(Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings#-1 (fb)) - Later in 1943, Zemo again encountered the heroic Citizen V in Poznan, Poland, where he had led his V-Battalion against Nazi forces. Heinrich shot Citizen V, then strangled him to death.

(Thunderbolts I#164 (fb) - BTS) - <Winter 1943> Zemo became the Red Skull's chief scientist. When Nazis under Red Skull's command captured the Human Torch they placed him in the hands of Zemo, who reverse engineered the technological wonder by taking it apart in a lab in an Austrian castle. The result of his findings were a horde of "Nazi Torches".

(Thunderbolts I#164) - Zemo started to understand how to trigger the synthetic nerves of the android and burnt one of his underlings reporting about the Thunderbolts and Invaders closing in on their location. Red Skull complimented his understanding, but reminded him that he caught the Human Torch and that in the end Hitler would receive the credit anyway. When Red Skull left Zemo wished him safe travels.

   When Captain America and Namor attacked Zemo's castle base Zemo used a death ray against them, wondering how they could find his base. Zemo then released the untested "Nazi Torches" against the Americans.

(Thunderbolts I#165) - Zemo watched the Thunderbolts, Captain America and Namor fight the "Nazi Torches" from the castle. He informed the Red Skull that the "Nazi Torches" were unlikely to succeed against their enemies and wanted to know why the Red Skull's spies didn't warn them of the Thunderbolts. Red Skull suggested to evacuate the fortress because within the next hour a squadron of bombers would reduce the castle and everything nearby to rubble.

   Zemo's lab was invaded by the Thunderbolts while he was packing up. He escaped to a rocket ship, but Moonstone caught up to him. Moonstone stole the Human Torch's DNA from Zemo, who offered her a high place in the Third Reich when she pulled him out of his cockpit and threatened his life. Moonstone showed mercy when Zemo promised to sire a son and name him Helmut. Heinrich then escaped in his rocket ship. (see comments).

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition - Baron Zemo (fb) - BTS) - Zemo assisted Arnim Zola in creating a pair of androids which could grow in size.

(Tales of Suspense I#80 (fb) - BTS) - Zemo was ordered to steal an experimental drone plane by the Red Skull from a facility in England.

(Spider-Man: Fear Itself) - On April 30th, 1945, Hitler met with Heinrich Zemo, informing him that he planned to commit suicide that night. As a reward for his faithful service, Hitler told him, "like your Führer, Zemo, you will become...a god..."

(Avengers I#56/Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty I#12/Winter Soldier: The Bitter March#4 (fb)) <May 2, 1945> - Captain America and Bucky attacked Zemo's base.

(Avengers I#56/Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty I#12) <May 2, 1945> - Zemo used a pair of massive androids to aid him in his mission, and had them defeat Captain America and Bucky when they intervened.

(Captain America V#4 (fb)/Captain America V#50 (fb)) <May 2, 1945> - Zemo had Bucky tortured in front of Captain America after he had caught the duo, but also had Cap beaten up.

(Avengers I#56/Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty I#12) <May 2, 1945>  - Zemo strapped them to the drone plane, intending to send them to Berlin as prisoners.

(Avengers I#56) - However, time-traveling members of the Avengers (including Goliath, Hawkeye, the Black Panther and Captain America) appeared, and attempted to alter history. Although they vanished before they could change time, Cap managed to set his and Bucky's past selves free.

(Avengers I#4 (fb)/Avengers I#56 (fb)/What If? I#5 (fb)/Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty I#12/Captain America: Reborn#4/Captain America V#50 (fb) (see comments)) - Zemo launched the drone plane as Captain America and Bucky chased after it. When Bucky grabbed on to the plane, he realized it was booby-trapped, and Zemo destroyed it from the military base. Zemo believed that Captain America had been slain in the explosion as well, but he was actually cast into the ocean.

(Captain America I#257 (fb) - BTS) - One of Zemo's assistants during the war went on to lead Matrix Eight, a band of other Nazi fugitives who sold weapons.

(Avengers I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Heinrich moved his base of operations to a temple in the Amazon jungle, and conquered some of the native people, making them his slaves. He also brought his mercenary army along, including amongst their ranks Erik Josten.

(Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#4 (fb)) - Heinrich showed Helmut the construction of his temple, and declared that one day in the future they would strike back against their "Zionist" enemies.

(Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings#-1) - Heinrich was reunited with Helmut, now a grown man, and had him subject himself to his Compound X to increase his life span. When Heinrich's slaves rose up in revolt, Heinrich placed Helmut into the care of Erik Josten, and led his mercenaries in assaulting the slaves. When the slaves were defeated, he had the leaders brought forth, and asked Helmut what should be done with them. Helmut suggested flogging them, but Heinrich was adamant that in order to bring down a resistance, you must destroy hope, and shot the leaders dead.

(Avengers I#6) - Zemo had his pilot Franz Gruber bring him news from America, but was disappointed that the latest science journals held no answers to the removal of his mask. Then he noticed an article revealing that Captain America was alive, and had joined the Avengers. Zemo decided to prepare an attack on the Avengers.

(Untold Tales of Spider-Man#13 - BTS) - As Zemo began to gather allies to confront the Avengers with, the Black Knight made a bold bid for "captaincy" in his group, kidnapping the princess of Ksavia. As the Black Knight contacted Zemo to boast of his success, Spider-Man invaded his hideout, and Zemo told the Black Knight to deal with him, and that he would be contacted later. The Black Knight was finally defeated by Spider-Man and the Human Torch, but someone -- possibly an agent of Zemo's -- collapsed a building on the two heroes so that the Black Knight could escape.

(Avengers I#6/Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#3) - Zemo recruited the Radioactive Man, Melter and Black Knight into his Masters of Evil, and equipped them with Adhesive X, spraying it throughout New York in order to draw out the Avengers. They succeeded in bringing them out, and managed to affix Captain America and Giant-Man to the pavement of a street, forcing the Avengers to find an antidote for the adhesive.

(Avengers I#6) - After the Avengers had found an antidote (thanks to Paste-Pot Pete), Rick Jones filled the Masters' containers of Adhesive X with the antidote so that they would set free all the people they had trapped earlier while on another run.

(Avengers I#6/Captain America: Man Out of Time#4) - The Avengers defeated the Masters.

(Avengers I#6) - Captain America himself faced Zemo in combat, forcing him to flee. Zemo departed with what he thought was a sample of the antidote, but it was actually a container of tear gas, and he crashed his ship while fleeing.

(Avengers I#7 (fb) - BTS) - Zemo slipped through the Avengers' fingers, and returned to South America.

(Avengers I#7) - Zemo had his slaves bring him treasure in order to cheer him up, and was visited by the Enchantress and Executioner, who joined the Masters of Evil in order to gain revenge on Thor. The Executioner lured Captain America to Zemo's temple, and Zemo sent his slaves to fight him, but the Captain overcame all of Zemo's defenses. Zemo fled to America for his allies, but the Captain followed. They fought again, but the Executioner knocked out Captain America from behind. Zemo's airship was then cast into a space-warp by Thor.

(Avengers Classic#7/2) - The airship was attacked by a Vertiplasm. Zemo and Enchantress sent the Executioner outside to deal with the extradimensional being before it could crush their ship and end them. With the ship free, Zemo took the ship back to Earth.

(Avengers I#9) - After returning to Earth thanks to the Enchantress, Zemo had his allies bring him Simon Williams, whom he transformed into Wonder Man, using his ion-ray machine. Zemo kept Wonder Man under his control because the process which powered him would also kill him without an antidote only he could provide. They then launched a false attack on the Avengers so that Wonder Man could come and save them, and the Enchantress helped trick the Avengers with her magic so that they would believe Wonder Man's story about wanting to become an Avenger. Wonder Man then led the Avengers into an ambush in the Amazon, but turned against Zemo when he learned they would kill the Avengers. Faced by the revived Avengers, Zemo fled with the Masters of Evil as Wonder Man passed away, deprived of Zemo's antidote.

(Avengers I#10) - Zemo was approached by Immortus, who offered to assist the Masters of Evil against the Avengers. He kidnapped Rick Jones in order to bring Captain America into the past, but the Captain returned in time to aid the Avengers against the Masters.

(Avengers Classic#10/2/Avengers I#10) - The Enchantress sent herself, Zemo and the Executioner back in time, and they prevented Immortus from contacting them the second time over.

(Tales of Suspense I#60/2) - Zemo had some of his men train to battle Captain America by dressing one of them in Captain America's uniform. He sent his assassins to America to deal with the real Captain America and attacked him at a charity exhibition, using Formula X, only to be defeated by him and Rick Jones. Captain America then sent out a broadcast which Zemo received in which he called Zemo a coward, and vowed to face him soon.

(Hulk Smash Avengers#1) - Enchantress located the Hulk for Zemo, who believed the Hulk could aid them to destroy the Avengers. After Enchantress teleported Zemo and Executioner to the Hulk's location, Zemo convinced the Hulk to join them destroying the Avengers.

   Zemo led Enchantress, Executioner and Hulk in an ambush on the Avengers, who accompanied the US military to track down the Hulk. Utilizing a remote-controlled Killbot he had specifically designed to battle Captain America, Zemo once again failed to defeat his nemesis and took Rick Jones hostage, threatening to kill him. When the Hulk saw his friend Rick threatened by his ally he turned on Zemo while the other Avengers defeated Enchantress and Executioner. Enchantress teleported herself, Zemo and Executioner back to South America.

(Avengers I#15/Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#5-6) - Zemo kidnapped Rick Jones with his airship's tractor beam, and had the Enchantress and Executioner release the Black Knight and Melter to face the Avengers. Captain America pursued Zemo to the Amazon and freed Rick, then faced Zemo in combat again. Zemo fired a shot at the Captain which was reflected off his shield, blinding him. Zemo fired a wild shot which started an avalanche.

(Avengers I#131) - Just moments before his death, Zemo was snatched away by Kang and made a member of his Legion of the Unliving, sending them to face the Avengers in a maze within Immortus' Limbo.

(Avengers I#132) - Zemo was disappointed that Captain America was not amongst the ranks of the Avengers he faced, but participated in skirmishes with the Vision, Hawkeye and Iron Man.

(Giant-Size Avengers#3) - Kang's control over Zemo began to fade as his own personality asserted itself, and he began to question Kang's authority to lead him. Kang reminded him that only he possessed the power to keep Zemo alive. Zemo then went off and fought Hawkeye in a chamber where Immortus and Rama-Tut were being held prisoner by Kang. After defeating Hawkeye, Zemo complained about the Adhesive X that fastened his mask to his face. Immortus offered to let Zemo go back in time and prevent his mask from being stuck. This allowed Hawkeye a chance to break Immortus out, and Immortus transformed Zemo into a blob of protoplasm. After Kang had been driven off, Immortus returned Zemo to normal and returned him to the moment of his death.

(Avengers I#15/Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#6) - Zemo was crushed to death by the avalanche he had started.

(Captain America I#168 (fb)/Avengers I#16) - Captain America buried Zemo.

(Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#7/Avengers I#16 - both BTS) - With Zemo dead, Captain America was finally able to come to terms with the death of Bucky.

(Deadpool III#28 (fb) - BTS) - Deadpool ("Wade Wilson") and Bullseye (Lester) first "crossed swords" at Baron Zemo's tomb. During the fight, Bullseye attempted to strangle Deadpool with Zemo's large intestine. Years later, both men looked back fondly on the experience.

(Vision and the Scarlet Witch II#5) - Zemo was one of several deceased villains who assaulted the Scarlet Witch while she was in the land of the dead.

(Captain America I#362) - Hoping to revive his father with the Bloodstone, Helmut carried his father with him to Hong Kong in search of the Bloodstone fragments. However, when the fragments assembled themselves nearby Zemo's body, the spirit of the Hellfire Helix took possession of his form and attacked Helmut and Captain America. Zemo's body was destroyed when the mercenary Crossbones fired a crossbow bolt into the Bloodstone, shattering it.

(Incredible Hercules#129) - Residing in Hades Heinrich served in Pluto's Jury for Zeus' trial.

(Incredible Hercules#130) - Hercules attacked the Jury and some of Nessus' blood spilt in Zemo's face. Due to Nessus' blood being mixed with the Hydra's poison Zemo had to endure agonizing pain.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and George Roussos.

Zemo was first referred to by the title of Baron in Daredevil Annual#1, after his death. He was referred to as "Dr. Zemo" in most of his early appearances.

In Spider-Man: Fear Itself, the Baroness claimed to be Heinrich Zemo, his mind transferred into the body of a woman by Arnim Zola. However, the Baroness herself later denied this in Captain America I#432.

Kenneth Sturdy was said in Avengers I#164 to have been present at the creation of Wonder Man, which is how he was able to replicate the process for Count Nefaria, but Zemo had no assistant visible in Avengers I#9.

As Helmut Zemo is the 13th Baron Zemo, this would make Heinrich Zemo the 12th.
    A perfect example of why not to call him Baron Zemo I, ya HAMMERHEADS!!!--Snood

    Fantastic Four Annual#11 depicted an alternate reality wherein Zemo obtained a canister of Vibranium that had accidentally been transported back in time and used it to develop weapons which would have won the war for the Nazis, but the Invaders and Fantastic Four of Earth-616 defeated him.

Thanks to Ronald Byrd for adding a missed flashback from Deadpool III#28.

A complete list of all 13 Baron Zemos was presented in Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#4, including the undepicted Hoffman Zemo.

Captain America (Steve Rogers) twice had a shot at saving Bucky (James Barnes) due to time travel as depicted in Avengers I#56 and Captain America: Reborn#4 and he failed both times.

In Captain America V#3-4 (March-April, 2005) Steve Rogers remembered how he and Bucky were caught by Zemo on their last mission together and how Bucky got tortured in front of him. These events, even according to Steve himself in #3, never took place that way and he didn't know himself why he remembered them this way. A Cosmic Cube was involved back then...similar to events in 2016 and 2017! Bucky remembered the events the same way in Captain America V#50 (July, 2009), but Steve used the Cosmic Cube on him back in Captain America V#14 (April, 2006), so both of their memories got screwed up the same way.

In Winter Soldier: Bitter March#4 (July, 2014) Hydra agent Drain made the brainwashed Russian agent Winter Soldier (Bucky) remember his time with Captain America in World War II, including their final battle with Zemo.

Baron Zemo is probably most famous for being the villain responsible for Captain America ending up frozen and Bucky nearly dying and becoming the Winter Soldier. The scene was shown numerous times over the years with more or less info added.

In Thunderbolts I#165 Zemo was probably a bit surprised that this strange flying woman asked him to sire the son he had already sired with his late wife Hilda.

Cyclops II#1 (2011) story actually takes place in the "First Class" reality (X-Men: First Class, Uncanny X-Men: First Class, Wolverine: First Class, etc. etc.), which was ruled to not be in Earth-616 continuity.

Unless Timely Comics gave someone else credit for creating the Nazi Death Ray (Laser), the Death Ray used by the Black Ace (the Flying Flame) and the Disintegrator Gun that Asbestos Lady's brother "Killer" Murdock found could've been created by Baron Zemo.
--Gammatotem

In Thunderbolts I#39 (June, 2000) a portrait of Heinrich and Hilda was seen during the attack of Scourge (Jack Monroe) on Heinrich's son Helmut in Castle Zemo. Helmut clearly identified the people depicted in the portrait as his parents before it was destroyed. In Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#3 (June, 2007) it was revealed by Wendell Volker, a distant cousin of Helmut Zemo, that the portrait was painted in 1932, but he misidentified the person in the painting as Heinrich's father, Herman, who died in 1921 according to Volker's own notes seen in Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#4 (July, 2007). I believe Helmut is the more trustworthy source in this case because he actually knew his father. It is also far more likely that Heinrich Zemo wore Nazi regalia in a portrait than Herman. Though it was not impossible that both had joined the Nazi Party at this point, it was not that big of a deal yet before Herman's death that he would've been depicted with a Swastika on his hat.

Profile by Prime Eternal. Post-2007 updates by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Heinrich Zemo should not be confused with:

ZEMO'S ASSASSINS

Zemo once trained an army of assassins to defeat Captain America for him, and they faced him at a charity exhibition, fooling some of the onlookers into believing it was all a show. However, they failed in their mission, finally being defeated by Captain America and Rick Jones.

 

Each assassin was a specialist in unarmed combat, and carried weapons such as an iron fist glove, a powerful knock-out drug called Formula X, knock-out gas guns, clubs, and a miniature missile launcher that could be concealed within a belt buckle.

 

--Tales of Suspense I#60/2

 










Baron Zemo (fascimile)

(Avengers I#353) - Invoking Azotharoth and Nigguraab, the Grim Reaper created a Zemo fascimile along with several other deceased foes of the Avengers to assist him in battle against the Avengers as a new Legion of the Unliving. Zemo joined with the spirit of Nathan Garrett, the Black Knight of his Masters of Evil, in attacking Dane Whitman, the current Black Knight.

(Avengers I#354) - The Zemo fascimile continued to battle the Black Knight until the Grim Reaper lost control over his soul, and he joined the rest of the Legion of the Unliving in attacking him.

--Avengers I#353 (Avengers I#353-354







images:
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC#1, Baron Zemo profile (main image)
Thunderbolts presents: Zemo - Born Better#4, p8, pan1 (head shot)
Mystery Men#5, p6, pan1 (in 1932)
Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1, p12, pan2 (family picture)
Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1, p13, pan4 (1941, Nazi uniform)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1, p18, pan2 (Nazi uniform)
Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings #-1, p21, pan3 (in rainforest)
Avengers I#56, p7, pan2 (modern era)
Thunderbolts I#39, p6, pan3 (painting with wife)
Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#3, p9, pan1 (painting with wife)
Tales of Suspense I#60/2, p7, pan3 (assassins)
Avengers I#353, p20, pan5 (fascimile)

Appearances:
Avengers I#4 (March, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), George Roussos (inks)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#8 (July, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer), Dick Ayers (pencils), George Roussos (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#6 (July, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Chic Stone (inks)
Avengers I#7 (August, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Chic Stone (inks)
Avengers I#9-10 (October-November, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Don Heck (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
Tales of Suspense I#60 (December, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Don Heck (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
Avengers I#15 (April, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Don Heck & Jack Kirby (pencils), Michael Esposito (inks)
Avengers I#16 (May, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
Avengers I#56 (September, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils), George Klein (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#131 (January, 1975) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Staton (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Avengers I#132 (February, 1975) - Steve Englehart & Roy Thomas (writers), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Staton (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Giant-Size Avengers#3 (February, 1975) - Steve Englehart & Roy Thomas (writers), Dave Cockrum (pencils), Joe Giella (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Captain America I#168 (December, 1973) - Tony Isabella (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), John Tartaglione & George Roussos (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
What If? I#5 (October, 1977) - Don Glut (writer), George Tuska (artist), Roy Thomas (co-plot/editor)
Vision and Scarlet Witch II#5 (February, 1986) - Steve Englehart (writer), Richard Howell (pencils), Jack Abel & Mike Esposito (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Captain America I#362 (November, 1989) - Kieron Dwyer & Mark Gruenwald (writer), Kieron Dwyer (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Man: Fear Itself (1992) - Gerry Conway & Stan Lee (writer), Ross Andru (pencils), Michael Esposito (inks)
Avengers I#353 (September, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (pencils), Ariane Lenshoek (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#354 (October, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), M.C. Wyman (pencils), Steve Alexandrov & Ariane Lenshoek (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America: The Medusa Effect#1 (March, 1994) - Roy Thomas (writer), Rich Buckler & M.C. Wyman (pencils), Andrew Pepoy & James Sanders III (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Untold Tales of Spider-Man#13 (September, 1996) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Pat Olliffe (pencils), Al Vey & Pam Eklund (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings#-1 (July, 1997) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Steve Epting (pencils), Bob Wiacek (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America/Citizen V 1998 Annual (1998) - Kurt Busiek, Karl Kesel & Barbara Kesel (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Greg Adams & Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deadpool III#28 (May, 1999) - Joe Kelly (writer), Pete Woods (pencils), Walden Wong (inks), Matt Idelson (editor)
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty I#12 (August, 1999) - Mark Waid (writer), Dougie Braithwaite & Anthony Williams (pencils), Dan Green & Scott Koblish (inks), Matt Idelson & Bobbie Chase (editors)
Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#3 (February, 2005) - Joe Casey (writer), Scott Kolins (pencils/inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes#5-7 (March-April, 2005) - Joe Casey (writer), Scott Kolins (pencils/inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America V#4 (April, 2005) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Steve Epting & Michael Lark (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts Presents: Zemo - Born Better#4 (July, 2007) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Tom Grummett (penciler), Gary Erskine (inker), Molly Lazer (editor)
Wolverine: Origins#20 (February, 2008) - Daniel Way (writer), Steve Dillon (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
Avengers Classic#7/2 (February, 2008) - Macon Blair (writer), Michael Avon Oeming (artist), Mark D. Beazley & Alejandro Arbona (editors)
Avengers Classic#10/2 (May, 2008) - Macon Blair (writer), Juan Doe (artist), Mark D. Beazley & Alejandro Arbona (editors)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1 (July, 2009) - Jesse Alexander (writer), John Paul Leon (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune#2-3 (July-August, 2009) - Dean Motter (writer), Greg Scott (artist), Michael Horwitz (editor)
Incredible Hercules#129 (July, 2009) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Ryan Stegman (pencils), Terry Pallot (inks), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#130 (August, 2009) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Ryan Stegman & Rodney Buchemi (pencils), Terry Pallot (inks), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Captain America V#50 (July, 2009) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Luke Ross (pencils), Rick Magyar & Luke Ross (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America I#600/2 (August, 2009) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Butch Guice with Howard Chaykin, Rafael Albuquerque, David Aja & Mitch Breitweiser (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America: Reborn#4 (January, 2010) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Bryan Hitch (pencils), Jackson Guice (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America I#606 (August, 2010) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Butch Guice (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America: Man Out of Time#4 (April, 2011) - Mark Waid (writer), Jorge Molina (pencils), Karl Kesel (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Hulk Smash Avengers#1 (July, 2012) - Tom DeFalco (script, co-plotter), Ron Frenz (pencils, co-plotter), Sal Buscema (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Winter Soldier: The Bitter March#4 (July, 2014) - Rick Remender (writer), Roland Boschi (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America & the Invaders: Bahamas Triangle#1 (September, 2019) - Roy Thomas (writer), Jerry Ordway (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 03/09/2005
Last updated: 12/31/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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