CYBERTEK SYSTEMS INC.
Membership: Borrosu, Michael Collins (Director of Computer Software Systems Unit, later Deathlok), Stanley Cross (security agent), Jim Dworman, Billy Hansen, Fox Hu, Ben Jacobs, Dr. Kimble, Laurie (Ryker's secretary), John Rozum (accounts manager), Harlan Ryker (head of Cybertek division), Ian Wajler (contractor, created Mainframe remote server/override technology), Warwolf (lupine Cybertek Assassination Cyborg)
Purpose: Cybertek was a cybernetics research firm, acquired or created by its parent corporation Roxxon as a prosthetics and robotics research facility. It was enhanced and/or expanded out of their desire to reverse-engineer a Deathlok cyborg which had come from an alternate future (Earth-7484). Cybertek has since been closed.
Affiliations: Cyberwarriors, John Kelly;
Cybertek was a subsidiary of the Roxxon Energy Corporation, and its purpose was influenced by the closure of Roxxon's Brand Corporation subdivision and the transfer of Brand's prosthetics, robotics, and cyborg work to Cybertek.
Enemies: Deathlok (Michael Collins), SHIELD
Bases of Operations:
Cybertek division headquarters, Paterson, New Jersey.
Cybertek weapons development testing facility number four, near Paterson, New Jersey.
Presumably several others.
First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (1990)
History:
(Avengers Annual#25/5 (fb)) - Kang the Conquereor seeded the 20th century with new technology; some of this eventually ended up developing into technology used in Cybertek projects, which included Deathlok.
(Deathlok II#31 (fb)) - Roxxon Oil stole the Earth-7484 Deathlok cyborg from SHIELD and turned it over to Harlan Ryker, then a Brand Corporation employee. Ryker was ordered to disassemble Deathlok and recreate it.
(Deathlok II#32 (fb)) - Ryker built a completely robotic Deathlok, which was turned over to Roxxon.
(Deathlok II#32 (fb)/Captain America I#287 - BTS) - Following Brand's closure, Ryker was placed in charge of Cybertek and their cyborg research was moved there. The original Deathlok was reassigned to serve the Nth Command.
(Deathlok II#1 (fb)) - As part of their cybernetics work, Cybertek developed the Warwolf, a cyborg using a wolf's brain.
(Deathlok II#25 (fb)) - Harlan Ryker unsuccessfully attempted to recruit Luther Manning for Cybertek's cyborg super-soldier program.
(Deathlok II#17 (fb)) - Harlan Ryker recruited police officer John Kelly for Cybertek's cyborg super-soldier program. He voluntarily had his brain implanted in the Deathlok cyborg, and participated in a number of test runs.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4) - At Cybertek weapons development testing facility number four, Harlan Ryker demonstrated the Kelly Deathlok for Roxxon's Clayton Burr. The computer killed John Kelly, the human inside Deathlok, and moved from test ammunition to live ammo, killing the rest of his opposition.
(Deathlok I#1) - When computer programming executive uncovered the Deathlok program and confronted Ryker, Harlan drugged him and had his brain removed for a new Deathlok. While on a Roxxon mission to the South American nation of Estrella, Collins' mind awoke and gained some control of Deathlok, who was quickly recalled to Cybertek. At Cybertek, Collins achieved full control and escaped.
(Deathlok I#2) - Ryker sent Ian Wajler (Mainframe) after Deathlok using three Cybertek androids and several dragonfly flyers. Deathlok defeated them at Coney Island; the National Security Council contracted Cybertek to investigate what had happened there.
(Deathlok I#3) - Ryker sent Ben Jacobs and a number of giant robotic ants to Estrella, where Deathlok defeated them. Deathlok returned to New Jersey and assaulted Cybertek, confronting Ryker.
(Deathlok I#4) - Under investigation from SHIELD, Ryker betrayed Cybertek and fled, attempting to sell Cybertek's property to a Japanese rogue for three billion dollars.
(Deathlok II#1) - To limit their own culpability, Roxxon ordered Cybertek closed and placed Jim Dworman in charge of the shut-down. The rogue Warwolf subsequently invaded Cybertek and destroyed all the records which might incriminate Ryker; it also killed Billy Hansen and attacked John Rozum before Deathlok killed it.
(Deathlok II#11 (fb)) - Cybertek's technology and contracts were sold to a wide number of corporations, including Magnum Munitions.
(Deathlok II#8) - Much of Cybertek's technology ended up in the hand of A.I.M.
(Deathlok II#11) - Cybertek technology possessed by Magnum Munitions was stolen from them by Curtis Carr of Stark Prosthetics (Denver, CO).
Comments: Created by Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Jackson Guice (art), Terry Kavanagh (editor).
Though not immediately important, it seems worthy of note that Roxon/Brand produced a wide number of robot/cyborg figures whose technology may have derived from Ryker's work on Deathlok. These could include Bushmaster, Delphine Courtney, and Alphonso Erdoes. A number of the Brand/Roxxon cyborgs clearly are not Deathlok-derived, as they predate Roxxon's acquisition of Deathlok. Manticore is a good example of one which predates Deathlok.
I think that Dr. Kimble's first name was intended to be Borrosu. However, the "which one is he?" confusion as he's drawn caucasian in some books and black-skinned in others seems to have broken that.
Cybertek Mark Nine Demolishers can be found in Marvel's alternate "2099" future, discovered in Vault of Forbidden Sciences in Ghost Rider 2099 I#18-19.
In Avengers Annual #21/5, one of Kang's robots told Terminatrix (Ravonna) that technology brought to the 20th century by Kang was, by the end of that century, used in a number of computers, prosthetics, cyborgs, and robots; pictured are Misty Knight and Deathlok. This is significant because the robot also implies that Kang could take control of this technology and make it serve his own ends should he so desire. It is unclear if the technology is original to 616's Deathlok and Cybertek, or if it came to Cybertek via the reverse-engineering of the Earth-7484 Deathlok. Thanks to Per Degaton for pointing out this issue.
If you're looking for a profile on Cybertek's Deathlok (Michael Collins), please check the 2006 All New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, issue 3.
Profile by SQUEAK
CLARIFICATIONS:
Cybertek has known connection to
Dworman was a Cybertek executive and a close friend of Michael Collins. After Collins uncovered the Deathlok program, he was drugged by Ryker and placed in the Deathlok cyborg; Collins contacted Dworman a few days later to reveal this. Despite having been promoted into Collins' old position, Dworman stole files from Cybertek to help Collins try to discover what he'd been used for.
Following Ryker's arrest, Dworman's aid of Deathlok was exposed; Roxxon executives promoted Dworman and placed him in charge of supervising the shutdown of Cybertek. He continued to allow Deathlok access to secret files, and was instrumental in removing files from the Warwolf that allowed the prosecution of Harlan Ryker for Billy Hansen's murder.
After Deathlok was seriously damaged, Dworman aided SHIELD in restoring him. Later, Roxxon's Clayton Burr contacted Dworman, asking him to contact Deathlok for him, telling him that he knew the location of Deathlok's body. Dworman did so.
--Deathlok I#1 (2, Deathlok II#1, 10, 17
Billy Hansen was computer programming lead on the Warwolf and the Deathlok project; he kept Kelly's brain after his death. He experimented on Kelly's brain using nanotech assemblers, and eventually discarded the brain. He helped create the Collins Deathlok. Following Ryker's arrest, Hansen accepted a deal to turn state's evidence against Ryker in return for a suspended sentence. Shortly thereafter, he was killed by the Warwolf. However, Kelly's brain's nanites evolved it into the sentient Biohazard; it consumed Billy's corpse and absorbed his memories and facets of his personality.
--Deathlok I#1 (2, Deathlok II#1, 13-14
Surgeon Fox Hu was involved in the creation of the Deathlok cyborg, was present at the demo wherein John Kelly was killed, and conducted the operations which moved Collins brain into Deathlok a few days later.
Following Cybertek's shutdown, Dr. Hu, Kimble, Stanley Cross, and someone else fled to Paris, where they constructed Cyberwarriors. They were later joined there by Harlan Ryker, who brought in others. After the group was assaulted twice by Deathlok and others, Harlan Ryker killed Dr. Hu to increase his own leverage against Deathlok.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (Deathlok I#1-2, Deathlok II#17, 19-20
Robotics expert Ben Jacobs was involved in the creation/adaptation of the Deathlok cyborg's mechanical components, was present at the demo wherein John Kelly was killed, and helped create the Collins Deathlok. He also designed a firetank (ATAV: All Terrain Attack Vehicle) which he considered as superior to Deathlok. In the South American country of Estrella, Jacobs supported Roxxon anti-insurgent efforts using an army of robotic ants, but Deathlok destroyed them.
Following Cybertek's closure and Ian Wajler's escape from prison, Wajler and Jacobs worked together to build a robotic/cyborg armor for Jacobs and develop a device to allow Wajler to control Deathlok. The pair then attacked the A.I.M. Research Facility #13, in Stamford, CT in an attempt to steal some of Cybertek's original equipment, but Deathlok broke free and they were forced to flee.
Jacobs and Ian Wajler were contacted by Harlan Ryker, and joined him and other Cybertek employees in Paris building Cyberwarriors. However, Deathlok and Silver Sable attacked, and Jacobs was defeated in a battle in the air over Paris but escaped. After another battle with Siege (Kelly) and Deathlok, Jacobs teleported himself and Ryker away to the Middle East. Even there, Deathlok tracked him down and finally captured him.
Due to an unrevealed injury, Jacobs is missing his left arm and cannot walk. He usually was in a high-tech wheelchair of some sort, before upgrading to a high-tech robotic/cyborg armor suit.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (Deathlok I#1-3, Deathlok II#8, 18-21
Kimble developed the cybernetic interface for Deathlok, allowing the computer and the brain to interact. He was present at the demo wherein John Kelly was killed, and helped create the Collins Deathlok.
Following Cybertek's shutdown, Kimble, Dr. Hu, Stanley Cross, and Borrosu fled to Paris, where they constructed Cyberwarriors in three secret laboratories. They were later joined there by Harlan Ryker, who brought in Ian Wajler and Ben Jacobs. Deathlok tracked them there; after killing Ryker to ensure that Dr. Kimble was the only one who could restore Deathlok to his own body, Ryker put a gun to Kimble's head to threaten Deathlok. Kimble fought off Ryker and fled.
Kimble was occasionally drawn as white and occasionally as black, depending on the artist.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (Deathlok I#1-2, Deathlok II#17-21
A Brand employee, Ryker was placed in charge of reverse engineering the Deathlok cyborg. He created a derivative robot, and gained complete control of the cyborg. When Brand was closed Ryker was placed in charge of a new Roxxon subsidiary, Roxxon, to continue his work; he created a lupine Warwolf and recruited subjects for a new Deathlok program.
Ryker, with Burr, was present at the demo wherein John Kelly was killed. When Burr pushed for a new Deathlok, Ryker ordered the team to have a new Deathlok ready within 24 hours, and when Michael Collins uncovered the Deathlok project, Ryker drugged him and had his brain removed to control Deathlok. After Deathlok went rogue and SHIELD began investigating Cybertek and Ryker, Harlan fled to Japan (briefly coercing Deathlok into helping him by offering him his original body back) and tried to sell Cybertek's weapons to a Japanese terrorist. Deathlok and SHIELD arrested Ryker. Ryker then activated the Warwolf and had it destroy records which incriminated him, as well as killing potential witnesses Billy Hansen and John Rozum. Deathlok killed the Warwolf and saved Rozum; Jim Dworman pulled information from the Warwolf to let them prosecute Ryker for Hansen's murder.
Ryker escaped or was released, and struck a deal with Roxxon's Clayton Burr. He went to Paris, where former Cybertek employees were building Cyberwarriors, and brought in more employees to aid them. Deathlok and Silver Sable attacked; John Kelly emerged to take control of a Cyberwarrior, and Ryker ordered the Cyberwarriors to flee. After Kelly and Deathlok attacked again, Ryker killed Dr. Hu for leverage but was forced to have Jacobs teleport him away. In the Middle East, where he was selling the Cyberwarriors, Ryker was finally captured by Deathlok and SHIELD; he revealed Burr's part in his plan to reduce his own sentence.
At some point before his capture, Ryker hired the Tailor Group to take down Deathlok.
Note that Harlan Ryker has an alternate earth counterpart on the world of the original Deathlok (Earth-7484). The two Ryker's should not be confused. Harlan's brother Simon was the creator of the Symbionic Man.
--Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (Deathlok I#1-4, Deathlok II#1, Deathlok Annual#2 (fb) - BTS, 17-21
images:
Deathlok I#1, p2, pan2 (exterior view)
Deathlok I#1, p10, pan1 (Dworman)
Deathlok I#1, p26, pan6 (Hansen)
Deathlok I#2, p9, pan2 (Hu)
Deathlok I#1, p3, pan5 (Jacobs)
Deathlok I#21, p4, pan1 (Kimble - black)
Deathlok I#19, p20, pan1 (Kimble - white)
Deathlok I#2, p19, pan1 (Ryker)
Marvel Comics Presents I#62/4 (1990) - Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Jackson Guice (art), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Deathlok I#1-2 (July-August, 1990) - Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Jackson Guice (art), Scott Williams (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Deathlok I#3 (September, 1990) - Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Rick Magyar (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Deathlok I#4 (October, 1990) - Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Kyle Baker, Mike DeCarlo, & others (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Deathlok II#1 (July, 1991) - Dwayne McDuffie & Gregory Wright (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Mike Manley (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#8 (February, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), John Hebert (art), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#10 (April, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Mike Manley (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#11 (May, 1992) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Mike Manley (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#13 (July, 1992) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Denys Cowan (art), Mike Manley & Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#14 (August, 1992) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Mike Manley (art & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers Annual#21/5 (1992) - Peter Sanderson (writer), Rich Yanizeski (art), Fred Fredericks (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Deathlok II#17-18 (November-December, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (art), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#19 (January, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (art), Kim DeMulder (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#20 (February, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Tom Raney & JJ Birch (art), McKenna, Birch, & Raney (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#21 (March, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (art), Greg Adams (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#25 (July, 1993) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Chris Wozniak with Pete Garcia (art), Brad Vancata, Al Vey, & Greg Adams (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok Annual#2 (1993) - Evan Skolnick (writer), John Hebert (pencils), Mark McKenna & Roy Richardson (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#31-32 (January-February, 1994) - Gregory Wright (writer), Kevin Kobasic (art), Greg Adams (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 01/31/2008
Last updated: 01/20/2008
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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