CONDOR

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Sub-species of humanity (Inhuman <Avians/Bird People sub-division>), technology user

Occupation: Mercenary, professional criminal

Group Membership: Avians/Bird People;
    formerly the Terrible Trio (Diamondhead, Powerhouse)

Affiliations: Bird-Brain and the Ani-Mates of Paradise Island, Bison, Gorilla-Man (Arthur Nagan), Skeleton Ki;
    formerly Diamondhead, Nova (Rich Rider), Powerhouse, Shadow Consortium

Enemies: Avians (including Brother Wren), Blastaar, Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing), Jack Flag, Guardians of the Galaxy (Bug, Groot, Major Victory, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon), Kur, Nova (Rich Rider), Red Raven, S.H.I.E.L.D., Sphinx (Anath-Na Mut), Star-Lord (Peter Quill);
    formerly Laura Dunham

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Negative Zone Prison 42;
    formerly the Condor Roost, within the mountains on the far north shore of Long Island, New York

First Appearance: Nova I#2 (October, 1976)

 

 

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities: The Condor has wings on his back that allow him to fly. He apparently has enhanced strength and his body is adapted for high speed flight through air. He has sharp talons on the end of each finger. He can apparently generate sufficient wind by flapping his wings to knock grown men off their feet. Since his mutation his strength was increased (Class 10) and his talons became denser. He also became more savage and bird-like, and he sometimes speaks with a clicking/clucking sound (Chik, Chik).
    He is a genius inventor (though he thinks himself smarter than the likes of Reed Richards and resents the respect other -- lesser, in his opinion -- scientists have received). He has designed spaceships; his Computalyzer, which can analyze a being's make-up; another computerized device which can temporally alter the motives and alliances of another; a spray that allows others to breathe in space (presumably by forcing a layer of air to cling to their bodies) for up to an hour; and a variety of hand-held or wrist energy blasters.

 

 

 

 

History:
(Nova III#4 (fb) - BTS) - A brilliant scientist amongst the Avians, the Condor fled his own people and began using his genius for criminal endeavors.

(Nova I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Condor plotted to make himself the high lord and emperor of crime via a series of carefully formulated plans.

(Nova I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Condor plotted to defeat the Sphinx, whom he saw as a rival crimelord.

(Nova I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Condor established the Condor's Roost, a cavern stocked with advanced machinery and computers.

(Nova I#2 (fb)) - The Condor found Powerhouse floating on a small raft in the Atlantic ocean near a merchant ship in which all passengers had died, apparently drained of energy. Powerhouse had lost his memory of his past, and Condor told him he had murdered everyone aboard the ship and coerced him into servitude.

(Nova I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Powerhouse left the Condor's Roost and went to a nearby grotto to think things over. Condor found him and angrily returned him to the roost, instructing him to never leave it.

(Nova I#2) - Condor observed the recently-empowered Nova stopping a bank robbery and noted he would have to work Nova into his plans. Returning to his roost, he was most displeased to find that Powerhouse had wandered out to think again. Condor found Powerhouse on a rocky ledge and knocked him off, catching him at the last second but warning him that he could have easily killed him and would do so if he disobeyed again. Condor then led Powerhouse into the city where he flew around until he drew out Nova. Via his greater maneuverability, Condor easily evaded Nova's charges and then eventually sent Powerhouse against him. Powerhouse gained the advantage over Nova, but as the police approached Condor commanded him to flee.
    That night, Condor led Powerhouse to break into the Museum of Natural History, and they were spotted by Nova during his nightly patrol. As they located a set of scrolls, which Condor hoped would enable them to thwart the Sphinx, Nova confronted them, and in the ensuing battle the parchments were destroyed. Furious, Condor struck Powerhouse and then fled, while Nova took out Powerhouse by using a chemical fire extinguisher to deprive him of oxygen until he passed out.

(Nova I#3) - Diamondhead, also seeking the means to defeat the Sphinx in order to eliminate competition as top crimelord, decided that the means to do so was contained within a box that Powerhouse held on his person. Diamondhead allowed himself to be imprisoned in order to steal this box, which proved useless, but Condor then met with Diamondhead and arranged for him to join forces to take down the Sphinx.

(Nova I#6 (fb)) - Condor stopped Diamondhead from continuing his battle with Nova so that they could free Powerhouse.

(Nova I#6) - Diamondhead and Condor broke into the hospital where Powerhouse was being held, disconnected the device nullifying his powers, and broke him out. Nova happened across Condor as he departed, and Condor subdued Nova with his petrifying gas. Condor and Diamondhead brought Powerhouse and Nova back to the Condor Roost, where they revived the former and used Condor's Computalyzer to learn everything they could about the latter. Upon learning of Nova's connection to an alien computer network, Condor decided to gain this for himself. Nova began to revive (due to Powerhouse unwittingly draining energy from Condor's computers), but Condor, Diamondhead, and Powerhouse subdued Nova yet again. Condor then hooked Nova back up to his computers and used a brainwashing device to make him believe he was an ally of the villains. The process worked, but Nova declared that he would be leading the group.

(Nova I#7) - Playing along with Nova's wishes to be in charge, Condor informed his allies of what he had learned of the Sphinx's origins. Condor sent Nova to obtain a part from an Air Force warehouse to complete his own spacecraft so that they might fly out to the Nova ship. As they returned to the Condor's Roost, Nova' programming began to wear off and Condor had Powerhouse drain his energy so that he could be returned to the computers and reprogrammed. As they flew into space, Condor refused to divulge any information on his own past to Diamondhead. As they arrived, Condor used a spray on himself and his allies that would enable them to survive in space until they reached the Nova ship.
    Monitoring from afar, the Sphinx activated the Nova ship's defense sentries to stop the intruders from obtaining any weaponry they might use against him. Condor and his allies took out the sentries, as well as the mechanical tentacles that followed. When laser attacks came next, Condor allowed Powerhouse to be blasted so that he'd gain the energy needed to break into the vault containing the ship's weapons. Nova's conditioning began to fade again and he fought both Condor and Diamondhead (the former using the ship's weapon that he had sought, though Nova dodged the attack and punched him out), but Powerhouse refused to continue to take orders. Diamondhead managed to stun Nova from behind, and the other three escaped back to Condor's ship as he recovered.

(Nova I#8) - Condor, Diamondhead, and Powerhouse continued their escape.
    Later, back on Earth, they assaulted the Sphinx's base

(Nova I#10) - The Sphinx confronted his attackers, and gave them a chance to depart or he would destroy them. Powerhouse suggested they take his offer of leaving, and Condor punched him aside. The Sphinx easily overpowered Diamondhead, at which point Nova arrived and attacked the Condor, who imprisoned him within an energy field via a weapon stolen from the Nova ship. He turned to use the weapon on the Sphinx who blasted the weapon into pieces. Powerhouse proved a threat to the Sphinx and Condor flew him to safety when the Sphinx nearly crushed him with a tree he had uprooted. As the struggle continued, the Sphinx's traitorous servant, Kur, tried to blast his master in the back, but instead struck Condor, and the blast left Condor mindless. Frustrated because he had wished to probe the Condor's mind but was now unable, he instead turned the Condor into a true condor, which flew off into the distance.

(Nova II#2) - Still in the form of a condor, the Condor pooped on Nova's helmet while perched over him in Central Park. Nova mistook him for a pigeon.

(Nova II#5 (fb) - BTS) - The Condor learned of the island of Paradise, former base of the Ani-Mator and current home to the Ani-Mates, who were animals evolved into humanoid form. Seeking to be turned back to normal he headed there.

(Nova II#3) - The Condor flew to the island of Paradise, where the Ani-Mate Bird-Brain recognized him as a man-made-animal and offered to turn him back.

(Nova II#4) - Bird-Brain initiated the Condor's transformation.

(Nova II#5) - Now semi-humanoid, Condor observed Nova for some time before ambushing him, taking his girlfriend Laura Dunham hostage and blaming Nova for being trapped in monstrous form (as well as resenting him for being able to have a girlfriend and a normal appearance). Nova challenged him to turn let Laura go and seek to be the brilliant scientist he once was, but the Condor angrily through off of the edge of the building. Nova saved her and then flew back and smashed the Condor to the ground. They battled furiously, and the Condor revealed his resentment for never being respected for his accomplishments, as well as for all of his foiled plans. Nova tried to appeal to what was left of the Condor's humanity, and when their struggles severed some electrical wires that struck Laura, the Condor helped Nova perform CPR to save her.
    The Condor acknowledged that their conflict had been useless, and he hoped that good that he had just done indicated that he could still be what he once was, a man of science (and potentially of crime). He then flew off into the night, leaving Nova to take Laura to a hospital.

(Nova II#13) - Condor met with the Shadow Consortium who gave him a tour of their facility and offered him a position with them as a scientist. He noted their technology as appearing otherworldly, and he agreed to consider their offer, promising an answer within two days.

(Nova III#3) - Again observing Nova, the Condor learned he was going to meet Reed Richards (to have his unstable powers tested), and he decided that would be a good time to smash both of them.

(Nova III#4) - Secretly monitoring Nova from a distance, the Condor learned the exact time he was going to meet Richards. As soon as Richards hooked Nova into the device to drain his excess power, the Condor struck, blasting Richards unconscious and then adjusted his equipment, sending Nova into agony. The Invisible Woman arrived and placed a force bubble around his head, but he dropped her with a sonic blast. The Thing and Human Torch then showed up; as the Condor fought them, Nova broke free and punched Condor with all his might...which proved considerably lacking. The Condor punched Nova across the room, but a recovered Reed Richards then ensnared Condor with his body and removed his wrist weapons. As Condor pulled another weapon and prepared to face the entire Fantastic Four, the dazed Nova tried to grab Condor's still crackling wrist weapons, inadvertently tripping the Condor on top of them. Condor was incapacitated by a massive energy discharge, placed in a containment device, and taken into SHIELD custody.
    Meanwhle, Red Raven spoke with the Avian Wren, vowing to bring the Condor back to face Avian justice before mankind could learn the secrets of the Avians from him.

(Nova III#7) - Red Raven led a group of Avians to assault Manhattan to recover the Condor by force and to stop humanity from poisoning the air. Nova convinced Red Raven that humanity was not evil and didn't wish the Avians any harm, but that they may have done so ignorantly. Nova recommended they use their advanced technology to create a device to neutralize pollution, or to work with humanity in other means. Red Raven called off the attack and decided that retribution against the Condor could wait another day.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#562) - Condor attended a Bar With No Name in New York City, where he and a number of other supervillains watched the Basher challenge Spider-Man to a fight via YouTube. He and a number of other villains placed bets with the Bookie that Spider-Man wouldn't show up, and turned on him angrily when an imposter Spider-Man showed up at the fight. He was still at the bar when the real Spider-Man arrived, following a tip from the imposter.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#563) - Condor and the other supervillains in attendance battled Spider-Man, but they stopped when the bartender reminded them that the Bar With No Name was a sanctuary for those being hunted by the law - which currently included Spider-Man. Spider-Man then pressed the bar's tight-lipped occupants for information on the Bookie, finally extracting some from Deke.

(Guardians of the Galaxy II#9 (fb) - BTS) - Condor was caught and sent to Negative Zone Prison 42.

(Guardians of the Galaxy II#9) - After the guards had abandoned the prison Condor became one of the prison's leaders fighting against King Blastaar's hordes. Upon meeting Star-Lord he decided it would be best to open the gates for Blastaar and let him invade Earth. Star-Lord and Jack Flag stopped him and his fellow conspirators.

(Guardians of the Galaxy II#10) - Bison, Condor and Gorilla-Man attacked Jack Flag and Peter Quill while Blastaar's troops invaded the prison. The Guardians of the Galaxy (Bug, Groot, Major Victory, Rocket Raccoon, Mantis) came to their aid and defeated the villains.

SECRET WARS II HAPPENED

(Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega#1 (fb) - BTS) - Condor was imprisoned by S.H.I.E.L.D. in Pleasant Hill where his reality was rewritten by a Cosmic Cube.

(Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega#1) - Freed from his false reality Condor...

(All-New, All-Different Avengers#8) - ...caused havoc in the streets of Pleasant Hill alongside other villains...

(Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega#1) - ...then attempted to escape Pleasant Hill, flying into action against Captain America (Sam Wilson) and Captain America (Steve Rogers).

Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman, John Buscema, and Joe Sinnott.

    I'm pretty sure the Shadow Consortium was wiped out before the Condor had a chance to respond.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:

 

images: (without ads)
Nova I#2, p6, panel 1 (human form, flying)
    p7, panel 2 (human face)
Nova II#5, p11, panel 1 (mutate form)
    p12, panel 2 (mutate face)

Appearances:
Nova I#2 (October, 1976) - by Marv Wolfman (writer, editor), John Buscema (penciler) & Joe Sinnott (inker) - "Artists Supreme"
Nova I#3 (November, 1976) - by Marv Wolfman (writer, editor), Sal Buscema (penciler) & Tom Palmer (inker) - "Artists Supreme"
Nova I#6-8 (February-April, 1977) - by Marv Wolfman (writer, editor), Sal Buscema (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker)
Nova I#10 (June, 1977) - by Marv Wolfman (writer, editor), Sal Buscema (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker)
Nova II#2-5 (February-May, 1994) - by Fabian Nicieza (writer), Chris Marrinan (penciler), Mark Stegbauer (inker), Rob Tokar (editor)
Nova II#13 (January, 1995) - by Chris Marrinan (writer), Dario Carrasco Jr. (penciler), Mark Stegbauer (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Nova III#3-4 (July-August, 1999) - by Erik Larsen (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Armando Durruthy (inker), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Nova III#7 (November, 1999) - by Erik Larsen (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Alpliemente & Al Milgrom (inker), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#562 (August, 2008) - Bob Gale (writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Andy Lanning (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#563 (August, 2008) - Bob Gale (writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Marlo Alquiza (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy II#9 (March, 2009) - Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Brad Walker & Carlos Magno (pencils), Victor Olazaba & Jack Purcell (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy II#10 (April, 2009) - Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Brad Walker (pencils), Victor Olazaba & Livesay (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
All-New, All-Different Avengers#8 (June, 2016) - Mark Waid (writer), Adam Kubert (artist), Tom Brevoort with Wil Moss (editors)
Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega#1 (June, 2016) - Nick Spencer (writer), Danial Acuña & Angel Unzueta Galarza (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 12/16/2006
Last updated: 05/10/2017

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

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters