DR. VOLTON
Real Name: Emil Volton
Identity/Class: Human (Post-World War II
era)
Occupation: Scientist
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Various versions of Eddie (his "sons"/creations)
Enemies: Judge Stephan Purdy (only at his trial)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: An unidentified American city
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#47/4 (June, 1956)
Powers/Abilities: Although a bit eccentric, Emil Volton appeared to be a genius in the fields of robotics and robot construction, as exemplified by the creation of his various robotic versions of Eddie.
History: (Strange Tales I#47 (fb) ) - Emil Volton made Eddie climb up a building when Eddie was ten. Eddie reached the top, but lost his footing and fell; he was saved only by falling onto a flagpole and grabbing it in time. Dr. Volton said he made Eddie do this in the interest of science.
(Strange Tales I#47 (fb) ) - When Eddie was fourteen, Volton took him up in a basket suspended from a balloon, but as the balloon reached ten thousand feet, it developed a leak and plunged back to earth. Fortunately, the basket landed in some trees which miraculously saved Eddie and Volton. Dr. Volton was warned never to put Eddie's life in jeopardy again.
(Strange Tales I#47 (fb) ) - When Eddie was nineteen, Volton took him up in a plane that he had built himself, although he was warned by authorities that the plane was unsafe. The plane crashed, but both Volton and Eddie were saved because of the padding in the cabin.
(Strange Tales I#47) - In spite of warnings from the police, Dr. Volton sent Eddie up in a rocket. Volton was arrested and brought to trial.
At the trial of Dr. Volton, Judge Purdy asked him if he had no fatherly feelings for Eddie. Dr. Volton, holding what looked to be a family album, said that he did and that he'd have been very lonely without Eddie, then offered to let the judge see Eddie at the age of ten. The judge declined, thinking it was all just a display of false sentiment.
As his testimony of the previous events continued, the judge came to the conclusion that Volton was endangering his child. Volton admitted that all of the previous events were true, but that the reason he did it all was in the interest of science. Volton then asked the judge if he wanted to see Eddie at the ages of ten, fourteen, and nineteen. Exasperated, the judge relented and agreed to look at Volton's family album...which wasn't a photo album at all -- it was actually a remote control device for the three robots Dr. Volton summoned into the courtroom: Eddie at ten, Eddie at fourteen, and Eddie at nineteen. Emil Volton explained that this was why he didn't worry about endangering his "son" -- he could always build another Eddie!
Comments: Created by an unknown writer and Ed Winiarski.
Maybe the "real" Eddie was actually the son of Emil Volton who died at an early age, so Volton honored his deceased son by building a robot in his image.
I would say that Emil Volton probably learned a thing or two about robotics from Victor Timely (one of the many identities used by Kang/Immortus/Scarlet Centurion, etc.).
And now, my main reason for doing this profile: Maybe Emil Volton was once an associate of Dr. James Bradley, the creator of the android Volton...maybe Dr. Volton helped him complete the android, so Bradley named it in his honor -- that, and because "Volton" sounds like a cool name for an android with electrically-based powers.
...and I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures, but there just really weren't any clear views of Dr. Volton in this story.
And a big THANK YOU to Dennis Giansante for scanning this story for me!
Profile by John Kaminski
CLARIFICATIONS:
Dr. Emil Volton has no known connections to:
The Eddies have no known connection to:
Three separate androids, they represented Eddie at the ages of ten, fourteen, and nineteen. Dr. Volton would subject them to dangerous tests; although people thought he was endangering his son, Volton didn't worry because he could always build another one.
Although they seemed to be capable of independent thought, they could also be controlled by a remote device that Dr. Volton had hidden in a photo album.
--Strange Tales I#47/4
images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#47, p14, pan5 (main image)
Last updated: 08/22/06
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