DR. MARKOV

Real Name: Dr. ?? Markov

Identity/Class: Human technology user (1950s)

Occupation: Scientist, crime-boss

Group Membership: Leader of his own criminal gang

Affiliations: His criminal gang (including Uncle Julius and at least five others)

Enemies: Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Toro (Thomas Raymond)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His mansion, somewhere near New York City (presumably)

First Appearance: Young Men#25/1 (February, 1954)

Powers/Abilities: Dr. Markov was an inventive genius who built the Age-Converter machine. He also showed some proficiency in organizing criminal activity.

History: (Young Men#25/1 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Markov built the Age-Converter and subjected several old men to it to restore their youth. He employed the rejuvenated men to commit a series of robberies.

(Young Men#25/1) - As the city was hit with a major crime wave, the Human Torch and Toro foiled a bank robbery while it was in progress. After capturing the criminal gang, the heroes took them to the police station, but they thought it odd that none of the gangsters appeared to be older than 20.

  While flying over an old-age home that had been boarded up, Toro recognized it as the place where his Uncle Julius lived. They checked with the building's supervisor, who told them that he closed down the home because all of the residents were gone -- Uncle Julius and several other elderly tenants left and had never returned, and they left no forwarding addresses.

  The Torch and Toro decided to investigate the mysterious disappearances further, so with the help of the police department's disguise experts, the two masqueraded as a couple of old men. After hours of hobbling down the city's streets, the "old men" were approached by a young hoodlum, who told them he had once been an old man of over 70 himself, but he had his youth restored, and offered to take them to a place where they could get the same treatment.

  The young hoodlum drove the disguised heroes to a large mansion outside the city and introduced them to Dr. Markov. The Torch and Toro joined with a large group of old men and women and listened to the doctor speak. Markov told them how he would make them all young again -- all they would have to do is work for him...in crime. Markov then demonstrated his Age-Converter to the group, rejuvenating an 80 year old man into a 20 year old. But the Human Torch wondered why Markov used his machine for crime -- he could easily make a fortune with it honestly.

  After several old men were rejuvenated, it was the disguised Torch's turn. The Human Torch burst into flame before Markov could pull the switch, and Toro flew after the young hoodlum -- who revealed himself to be Toro's missing Uncle Julius!

  The Human Torch strapped Markov into the Age-Converter and asked him why he was peddling youth while he himself remained an old man, threatening to activate the machine if Markov didn't answer. Markov confessed that all those made young by the Age-Converter remained young for only 30 days...then they crumbled into dust. Hearing this, and realizing that soon his life would be over, Uncle Julius pulled his gun and started shooting the Age-Converter -- he wanted no one else to make the same mistake he did. The gunshots caused the Age-Converter to explode and start a fire, from which only the Human Torch and Toro were able to escape.

Comments: Created by an unknown writer and an unknown artist.

This story was reprinted in Marvel Super-Heroes I#14 (May, 1968).

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dr. Markov has no known connections to:

• Professor Marko, Golden Age, Human Torch foe @ Human Torch I#38
• any other characters with similar names

Uncle Julius has no known connections to:

• any other uncles

Uncle Julius

He was the elderly uncle of Toro (Thomas Raymond). One week earlier, he had been over 70 years old and living in an old-age home. He was recruited into Dr. Markov's gang, and he received a treatment from the Age-Converter machine that restored his body to that of a 20 year old.

He worked for Dr. Markov's criminal schemes, and even tried to recruit the Human Torch and Toro (both disguised as old men) into the gang with promises of Markov restoring their youth.

When he learned of the side-effects of the treatment, he didn't want anyone else to make the same mistake he did, so he shot his gun at the machine, causing it to blow up and catch fire. He was presumably killed in the resultant fire.

--Young Men#25/1

Age-Converter

A device created by Dr. Markov, it could rejuvenate a senior-citizen and give him the appearance and vitality of a 20 year old. When a subject was strapped onto the machine and it was activated, the subject was infused with energy and his youth was restored. The treatment appeared to be extremely painful, and it had a major drawback: After thirty days, the subject would crumble into dust.

The Age-Converter was destroyed by Uncle Julius, who fired his gun at it and caused it to explode.

--Young Men#25/1

images:
Young Men#25, p8, pan2 (main)