MISTER FEAR

Real Name: Zoltan Drago

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Criminal, wax sculptor

Group Membership: Fellowship of Fear (Eel (Leopold Stryke), Ox (Raymond Bloch))

Affiliations: Dweller-in-Darkness, Mister Fear (Larry Cranston), Karl Stragg, Warden Williams

Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Mister Fear (Starr Saxon), Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Karen Page

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, New York

Education: Bachelor's degree in art.

First Appearance: Daredevil I#6 (February, 1965)

Powers/Abilities: After discovering fear gas, which would drive others to insane levels of paranoia when they inhaled it, Zoltan Drago formed the gas into bullets which could be fired from a gun. He then designed costumed armor that he could wear into battle. His fear gas uses compounds based on pheremones, simulating the flight-scent that sends animals running. The gas is tailored for human beings and induces varying levels of anxiety, fear, and panic, even capable of causing hallucinations, and it makes most humans follow the will of he who administers the gas. The dosage of a single pellet of fear gas can incapacitate a human for five to 15 minutes, though different levels can leave longer term side effects, lasting up to days at a time. Drago was a talented chemist and sculptor.

Height: 6'
Weight: 170 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:

(Daredevil I#6 (fb)) - Zoltan Drago, though slightly mad, was a talented sculptor who opened a wax museum. He carved lifelike figurines of the world's heroes and villains, but he received little business. He spent all of his spare time trying to mix chemicals that would turn his statues to life.

(Dr. Strange III#33/2 (fb) ) - The Dweller-in-Darkness influenced the dreams of Zoltan Drago.

(Daredevil I#6 (fb) ) - He was working one day when his cat knocked over some chemicals. When Drago inhaled them, he grew incredibly frightened. Thrilled with this discovery, he turned the gas into bullets he could fire from a gun, then designed a costume as Mister Fear (fear gas creation and costume design were influenced by the Dweller-in-Darkness; see above). He looked over his statues for potential henchmen to recruit and selected Ox and Eel. Using his gas, he manipulated criminals into revealing the Eel's location, then used his gas to convince the Eel to join them. As the Ox was released from prison, Drago and Eel picked him up and recruited him as well.

(Daredevil I#6) - Fear hired a movie crew to record Ox and Eel, who he called his Fellowship of Fear, robbing a store, surmising that the public would think it legal with the camera crew present. The costumed hero Daredevil attacked the duo and successfully fought them off until Fear arrived and shot a pellet, scaring Daredevil off. Drago created a wax statue of Daredevil and advertised it, assuming Daredevil would come to investigate it and they could get their revenge. Vast crowds came to see the new statue while the Fellowship watched silently. That night, Daredevil entered, only to be attacked by the Fellowship. While Fear fired a gas pellet, Foggy Nelson, a patron from earlier who was returning to get his hat, entered and knocked Fear's shot off-balance and then lunged and ripped free Fear's mask. Fearing that Nelson was a cop, Drago ordered Ox to take care of him. Ox knocked Nelson down, then Fear ordered the Fellowship to abandon the building, fearing more cops would soon be arriving. The Fellowship posed as doctors and went to Nelson's room later to silence him. When they entered, they ordered Karen Page to leave. Daredevil burst through the window and evaded Ox's punches; Fear and Eel didn't have their uniforms. Daredevil turned off the lights and knocked the criminals around until they fled. Fear grew frustrated later when Ox and Eel began to question his leadership and he promised to prove their worth with their next heist. Daredevil suddenly revealed he'd been posing as a wax statue in the museum and knocked Ox and Eel down, then he stood by an exhaust fan that sucked up the fumes of Fear's gun. Daredevil then turned the fan backwards, hitting Ox and Eel with the fumes. Ox and Eel ran, knocking the gun from Fear's hand, though Fear was not affected by the gas as his face was protected by his mask. Daredevil kicked the gun away and turned the villains' attacks against each other. He separated Ox from the others and wore him down, then turned back to Fear, who begged for Daredevil to not hurt him. With all three villains defeated, Daredevil left them tied up for the police.

(Daredevil I#15 - BTS) - Drago's lab was used by Karl Stragg and the Ox to switch intelligences.

(Daredevil I#55 (fb) - BTS) - Drago was sent to prison and watched over by Warden Williams. He worked with a psychiatrist, who made a list of Drago's various phobias, including a fear of heights. When Drago was released from prison, he was murdered by Starr Saxon, who assumed the identity of Mister Fear.

(Daredevil I#91 (fb)) - As Drago died, he was questioned by Larry Cranston and revealed the location of his armor and fear gas. Cranston later became another Mister Fear.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood.

As part of Mister Fear entries throughout all OHotMU editions, Drago received partial entries in OHotMU I#7, Deluxe Edition#8, Master Edition and Daredevil 2004.

Mr. Fear is listed as Daredevil's 8th deadliest villain in Daredevil Annual I#8/2.

The coloring of the main image is a bit off (see Fellowship of Fear entry), but it is a great body shot of Drago as Mister Fear.
--Markus Raymond

Thanks to Markus Raymond for adding the Dweller-in-Darkness connection.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:

Mister Fear should not be confused with

Mister Fear has no known connections to

Warden Williams

(Daredevil I#55 - BTS) - The warden of a jail, Williams was contacted by attorney Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, who was seeking information on former inmate Zoltan Drago, who had once been Mister Fear.

--Daredevil I#55 (Daredevil I#55 - BTS

images: (without ads)
Dr. Strange III#32, p21, pan2 (main)
Daredevil I#6, p6, pan6 (head shot)

Appearances:
Daredevil I#6 (February, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Wally Wood (penciler/inker)
Daredevil I#15 (April, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), John Romita (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker)
Daredevil I#55 (August, 1969) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Daredevil I#91 (September, 1972) - Gerry Conway (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Dr. Strange III#32 (August, 1991) - Jean-Marc Lofficier, Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), Larry Alexander (pencils), Tim Dzon (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)

First Posted: 04/12/2008
Last updated: 04/12/2008

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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