PLANTMAN

Real Name: Samuel Smithers

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Prison inmate; former adventurer, scientist, professional criminal, gardener

Group Membership: None;
formerly Thunderbolts (Amazon, Atlas/Erik Josten, Baron Helmut Zemo, Cobalt Man/Tony Stark, Cyclone/Pierre Fresson, Fixer/Norbert Ebersol, Harrier, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, MACH-III, Moonstone/Karla Sofen, Skein, Songbird, Vantage), Chain Gang 421-011 (Cottonmouth, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Headlok, Mentallo), New Enforcers (Blitz, Controller, Dragon Man, Dreadnought, Eel/Edward Lavell, Fixer/Norbert Ebersol, Madame Menace, Mentallo, Mr. Fear/Alan Fagan, "Super-Adaptoid", Tangle, Thermite, Vanisher), Maggia (Count Nefaria, Eel/Leopold Stryke, Porcupine/Alex Gentry, Scarecrow/Ebenezer Laughton, Unicorn);
Simuloids of Plantman have participated in the Crime Wave (Cowled Commander, Eel/Leopold Stryke, Porcupine/Alexander Gentry, Scarecrow/Ebenezer Laughton, Viper), “Defenders” (Beetle/Abner Jenkins, Blob, Electro/Max Dillon, Looter, Sagittarius (LMD), Whirlwind/David Cannon), Force of Nature (Aqueduct, Firebrand, Firewall, Skybreaker, Terraformer (the Plantman simuloid)), and other groups

Affiliations: Beetle/MACH-1, Benjamin, Boomerang, Bulldozer, Carpenter, Chance (Nicholas Powell), Chess Set, Cotati, Doctor Doom, Eel (Leopold Stryke), Grey Gargoyle, Justin Hammer, H'ylthri (Sssesthugar), Leviathan, Mentallo, Porcupine (Alex Gentry), William Potts, Quill, Red Onslaught, Silver Sable and Wild Pack, "Tree-Creature", Unicorn, V-Battalion (Elizabeth Barstow, Citizen V (John Watkins III), Fred Davis, Jim Hammond), Weed, Wizard (Bentley Wittman), Wrecker (Dirk Garthwaite)
Simuloids: Bono, Fawn Broderick, Captain Ultra (most likely), Lightmaster, Radioactive Man, Whirlwind (Dave Cannon), and others

Enemies: Alpha Flight (Guardian/Heather Hudson, Puck, Wildheart), Avengers (Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Luke Cage, Captain America/Sam Wilson, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Monica Rambeau, Doc Green/Bruce Banner, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Scarlet Witch, She-Hulk, Starfox, Sunfire, Thor, Vision, Wasp, Yellowjacket/Hank Pym), Avengers (Captain America/Sam Wilson, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Nova/Sam Alexander, Spider-Man/Miles Morales, Thor/Jane Foster, Vision), Avengers Unity Squad (Cable, Deadpool, Dr. Voodoo, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Quicksilver, Rogue, Synapse), Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Blood Rose (Richard Fisk), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley), Miss Edmundson, Elite Agents of SHIELD (Kid, M-80, Nails, Silicon, Skul), Doris Evans, Mr. Evans, Falcon, Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Ms. Marvel/Sharon Ventura, Thing), Fawn, Generation X, Graviton, Guardians of the Galaxy (Groot, Thing/Ben Grimm), Guardsman (Chris Fallon), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Inhumans (Black Bolt, Gorgon, Karnak, Medusa, Triton), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Masters of Evil (Black Mamba, Cardinal, Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer), Cyclone (Pierre Fresson), Gypsy Moth, Hydro-Man, Machinesmith, Man-Killer), Namor, Namorita, Nemesis, Orb, SHIELD (Dum-Dum Dugan, Agent Farber, Nick Fury, Jasper Sitwell), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Synch, Thing, Thor, Wolverine, Wonder Man, X-Men (Angel (Warren Worthington), Beast (Hank McCoy), Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey));
Simuloids: Francis Barnum, Captain America (Rogers), Celestial Mind Control Movement (Nebulon), Death's Head (FPA), Defenders (Doctor Stephen Strange, Nighthawk, Power Man (Luke Cage), Red Guardian (Tania Belinsky)), "Defenders for a Day" (Giant Man (Bill Foster), Havok, Hellcat, Hercules, Iron Fist (Daniel Rand), White Tiger (Hector Ayala)), Falcon, Marionette, Percy, Arcturus Rann, She-Hulk

Known Relatives: Unidentified parents (deceased), Desdemona Smithers (ex-wife)

Aliases: Blackheath, Flower-Child, the Pernicious Plantman, Mr. Greenjeans, Sprouthead, Planty, Mr. Smith, Prisoner #278704, Inmate #671950, Master of the Vegetable World 

Place of Birth: London, England

Base of Operations: Variable

Education: Two years of college botany studies, no degree

First Appearance: Strange Tales I#113 (October, 1963)

Height: 6’
Weight: 193 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Grey (formerly brown)

Powers/Abilities: Plantman can mentally control any form of plant life, from microscopic to vast in size, on the earth or beneath the water. Plantman can mentally communicate with plants and convey those communications to others through external sources. He utilizes various plants in a variety of ways, enlarging them, cultivating man-eating plants, firing their thorns or quills, flinging their collected dew, growing them into monstrous forms, etc. Plantman now possesses this ability inherently, ever since his recent transformation, though he previously had to use his plant-gun, or his modified Vega-Ray, to do so. Plantman can create simuloids, which are sometimes capable of possessing free will, that can mimic his own appearance or the appearance of another human, some doing so by touch. Plantman has created various plant-monsters, such as Leviathan or “Tree-Creature.” Plantman has sometimes wielded offensive weaponry, such as a thorn-launching wrist-device, a high-tech submarine equipped with offensive weaponry and magnetic devices, and even a jet-propelled domed city. Part plant, Plantman can regenerate from injuries using organic matter to augment his own tissue. Plantman could once communicate with “the Green” or “the Bioverdant Fields”, the planet’s collective consciousness of plant-life, until the fields rejected him when his wishes did not correspond with their own. As Blackheath, Plantman could manipulate branches and roots from his own form, create various salves, grow spores and molds, and use fertilizer for a fuel source. At one point, Plantman used a mutagenic pollen to transform others (and later himself) into a plant being. Smithers surrendered his human consciousness to take on a full plant form, and developed the ability to create plant warriors out of vegetation.

History:  

(Thunderbolts I#67 (fb) - BTS) - Sam Smithers lost his parents when he was very young. His mother sang him lullabies when he was little.

(Sub-Mariner I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Sam Smithers grew up in the slums of London, where his ideas were rejected.

(Thunderbolts I#69 (fb) - BTS) - Smithers was an orphan and raised as a servant.  He eventually became a gardener, but never developed enough skill to be a botanist.

(Strange Tales I#113) - Working as Mr. Evans' gardener in New Jersey, Sam Smithers held a special affinity for plants and felt that they had special intelligence. He tried designing a ray that could increase the I.Q. of plants, causing Mr. Evans to fire Smithers while his daughter Doris and her boyfriend Johnny Storm (the Human Torch) looked on. He continued working to perfect his ray until one night a seemingly random bolt of lightning struck the device and Smithers discovered he could make plants grow and respond to his commands by using the ray. He tested it by making two trees fight.

(Namor I#24 (fb)) - The alien H'ylthri, seeking a human agent, had sent the bolt from their dimension, allowing it to power Plantman, though he would not learn this for years.

(Strange Tales I#113) - In a trench coat and hat and calling himself Plantman, he had plants turn off burglar alarms and open doors and safes for him, stealing several items and framing Evans for the theft. While robbing a jewelry store later, Plantman had plants flip their dew on the attacking Human Torch, putting out his flames, then ensnared him in roots and branches before leaving. The next day, he claimed a section of Central Park his, sending the crowd running with plant-thrown thorns and poison ivy, and tossing a policeman away in branches. Human Torch attacked again and Plantman used a leaf storm, an overturned tree, specially prepared damp seaweed, and acorn projectiles against the hero, who generated a large fireball to wither all the plants up. The plants, angered, smashed Plantman's ray, but Plantman hid and escaped capture by the Torch.

(Strange Tales I#121) - Now in a new leaf-themed costume, Plantman designed a new ray then broke into the Torch's home, had a plant dump a bucket of water on him, and locked him in the closet for a half hour while he used plants to rob a hotel safe. Plantman thrilled to all his stolen goods, then challenged the Torch to a final battle at the Botanical Gardens. Human Torch met Plantman there, and the villain uprooted trees, used acorn projectiles, fired needles from cacti, and plant-wielded garden hoses to defeat the hero. Human Torch, though, wielded a weed killer and sprayed it on attacking plants. Human Torch called Fantastic Four for help, when Plantman revealed he had a plant holding Doris Evans hostage. Thing saved Doris, though, and Human Torch punched Plantman out, leaving him to be arrested. 

(Fantastic Four Annual#3/Marvel Heroes and Legends#1) - At the wedding of Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, Plantman, Grey Gargoyle, Eel (Leopold Stryke), and Unicorn attacked Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. Captain America dodged a blast from Black Knight (Nathan Garrett) that felled Plantman. The villains were influenced by Dr. Doom's Emotion Charger.

(X-Men I#22) - Count Nefaria recruited several villains to serve as his Maggia lieutenants, and involved them in a large blackmail plot. The villains, Eel, Plantman, Porcupine (Alex Gentry), Scarecrow (Ebenezer Laughton), and Unicorn were assigned to capture the X-Men. Plantman ensnared Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) in branches, then knocked her out with chloroform gas from his gun.

(X-Men I#23) - Nefaria took the city of Washington D.C. hostage and demanded millions of dollars in payment. He sent the X-Men to retrieve the money from the military, hoping to frame the heroes in the end, and sent his Maggia lieutenants to watch the heroes, but the lieutenants decided to betray Nefaria and take the money for themselves. They fought off the military after the X-Men had the cash (Plantman using spores and roots) and then attacked the X-Men. Plantman used roots to trip up Beast. Unicorn betrayed them, so the other four fought their way through the military and fled.

(Original X-Men I#1) - The X-Men fought Plantman again before oddly disappearing, then he escaped with the Eel.

(Sub-Mariner I#2) - Plantman stole a submarine vessel from Count Nefaria and found a coral reef underwater from which to conduct his experiments. When he saw Black Bolt past, he was angered, and he soon noted Triton, the aquatic Inhuman, swimming toward him from one side and the Sub-Mariner from the other. Using an outer voice amplifier, Plantman made Triton believe Sub-Mariner was evil, and the two started battling. After several minutes, Plantman fired his Vega-Ray on a plant that swiftly grew in size, and, controlling the plant through electronic commands, and ordered both heroes to be wrapped in the plant’s sticky tendrils. He held them captive in ionized water, then fled when the Inhumans (Black Bolt, Gorgon, Karnak, Medusa) tried to storm his ship. Plantman sped towards London, which he planned to attack.

(Sub-Mariner I#3) - After unleashing several giant plants on London, Plantman tried convincing Namor to serve him as his slave and act as an emissary to the British government. Namor refused, however, even when he and Triton were threatened with asphyxiation. Plantman then turned his Vega-Ray on a pile of coral and formed his most monstrous creation yet, the gigantic plant-like Leviathan, which would continue to grow. The Leviathan attacked the city while Sub-Mariner and Triton freed themselves, destroying a giant cactus to do so. They knocked Plantman aside, then pummeled the Leviathan, which was now mindlessly rampaging due to Plantman’s unconsciousness. With the Leviathan destroyed, Plantman fled in his ship.

(Captain America I#158) - A Plantman simuloid joined the Cowled Commander’s Crime Wave alongside Porcupine, Eel, Scarecrow, and Viper (Jordan Stryke).

(Captain America I#159) - The villains robbed a jewelry store while "Plantman's" vines blocked the street, and were attacked by Captain America. The villains retreated and conferred at their headquarters only to be attacked again by Captain America and Falcon, where they were defeated and arrested.

(Defenders I#36) - Hearing of the new enlightenment movement called the Celestial Mind Control Movement, Porcupine and Eel determined to join up and see if they could become more effective villains. A Plantman simuloid reluctantly agreed to accompany them. They met Mr. Nebul (secretly Nebulon) and clown-clad cheerleaders and "Plantman" stormed away in frustration. He decided to kidnap the waylaid Kyle Richmond and hold him for ransom. He later ensnared Richmond and his two allies, Dr. Stephen Strange and Red Guardian (Tania Belinsky), with whom "Plantman" traded blows including firing thorns from his new wrist launcher, and placed them in a plant prison. He demanded fifty million dollars for their release.

(Defenders I#37) - "Plantman" demanded ten million dollars to release Dr. Strange, Red Guardian, and Richmond, promising to overwhelm the city with plants and kill the hostages if his demands weren't met. Dr. Strange and Red Guardian managed to escape, so "Plantman" hit them with spores he'd developed and enlarged them with his Chloro-blaster, causing the plants to take the heroes up into the atmosphere. Power Man (Luke Cage) punched "Plantman", who retreated back to Celestial Mind Control Movement headquarters and watched Porcupine and Eel getting brainwashed. He tried to flee, but Nebulon stopped him.

(Marvel Team-Up I#71) - In order to save Captain America from a deadly poison, Falcon and Spider-Man teamed up to find an antidote. Storming Plantman's secret base, they managed to procure the antidote and save Captain America's life.

(Defenders I#63) - As part of a team of villains seeking to defame the Defenders, Porcupine and a Plantman simuloid, alongside Sagittarius (LMD), Whirlwind (David Cannon), Looter, Beetle (Abner Jenkins), Electro (Max Dillon) and Blob looted the diamond district. A group of heroic “Defenders for a Day”, including Hercules, Iron Fist (Daniel Rand), Giant-Man (Bill Foster), Havok, Hellcat, and White Tiger (Hector Ayala), attacked the villains. The brief battle was broken up by the police.

(Defenders I#64) - The villains tried to escape ("Plantman" by riding vines) and clamored upon a subway, riding away. Hercules stopped the subway and the battle resumed until Hellcat knocked out all the heroes and villains with a mind-blast.

(Micronauts I#21 (fb) - BTS) - Making plans to rob a bank in Poughkeepsie, a Plantman simuloid stole block plans from a local library and discovered access to the vault through a neighboring store, Fawn’s Flora, which sold plants. He romanced the store’s owner, Fawn, and helped her in the store, gaining her trust slowly.

(Micronauts I#21) - Finally left alone in the store, "Plantman" donned his costume and used his Chloroblaster to get plants to open the safe, calling them “photosynthetic safecrackers.” Two small heroes, Arcturus Rann and Marionette, interrupted the robbery just as Fawn returned, and "Plantman" fought them all, using his plants, until a trowel struck him in the head, leaving him stunned. As he fell, his own gun enlarged a plant that ensnared "Plantman" until the police arrived to arrest him.

(Avengers I#232 (fb) - BTS) - Plantman and Wizard allied in jail and made a deal: Plantman would create a simuloid of Wizard so that Wizard could escape from prison and Wizard would grant Plantman a submersible ship with offensive weaponry. Plantman created simuloids of himself and Wizard so that no one would expect they’d escaped. Plantman, after receiving his ship, generated several hundred simuloids that could absorb the appearance and memories of humans they touched.

(Avengers I#227) - Plantman and Wizard were escorted out of the Vault to a prison in upstate Vermont.

(Avengers I#230) - While Abner Jenkins (Beetle) was being moved in a Pennsylvania prison, he punched the arm of “Plantman”, who’d been sweeping the floor. The guard and Jenkins failed to notice the bark beneath “Plantman’s” skin.

(Avengers I#231) - Plantman had his simuloids mimic and replace an entire base of SHIELD agents, including Agent Farber and Jasper Sitwell. When the United States President and Nick Fury arrived at the base, the simuloids took them captive and one billion dollars in gold was demanded for their ransom. The Avengers (Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Hawkeye (Clint Barton), She-Hulk, Thor, Wasp) attacked the base easily defeated the simuloids. Plantman ordered the Sitwell simuloid to murder the president, but the simuloid failed. Plantman, from his ship, created a gigantic “Tree-Creature” to attack the Avengers, but it too was defeated, with the aid of new ally Starfox. Plantman fled.

(Avengers I#232) - Plantman, pursued by the Avengers and the navy, enlarged a bed of kelp to attack his pursuers. When the Avengers and Starfox caught up and evaded his offensive weaponry, Plantman signaled the Wizard for aid, and was shocked when his ship encased him in a metal sphere and shot him into the sky. A recording from the Wizard informed Plantman that he would perish in orbit. Plantman, pleading for help, was rescued by Captain Marvel, who sent him plummeting to Earth, then captured and arrested by Thor.

(Code of Honor#3) - While most heroes were away due to the Beyonder's Secret War, Plantman entangled the World Trade Center with plants. He was ultimately stopped by the local police and others.

(Solo Avengers#20 (fb) - BTS) - Plantman created a dome in the desert which he filled with plant-life. He planned to release prepared spores into the desert, creating a tropical paradise. He'd worked for years to bio-engineer the spores.

(Solo Avengers#19) - From his dome in the desert, Plantman watched Hawkeye and Orb enter and damage one of his plants. Furious, he sicced a flesh-eating plant on them.

(Solo Avengers#20) - The plant tried to swallow Hawkeye and the Orb, but they escaped. Plantman sicced several plants on them, then returned, with his similarly clad plant-woman, back to his dome's control center. Plantman shared his goals with the captive Orb just as Hawkeye and attacked, firing an arrow into the dome's machines and disrupting it. Hawkeye and Orb fled, and Plantman set his dome to fly away, determined to restart it somewhere else.

(Avengers Spotlight#21 - BTS) - A group of plant-men killed Orb's motorcycle gang and put on their clothing. When Hawkeye and Orb came across a deserted town, the gang shot and murdered Orb. Hawkeye netted the entire gang and set them on fire, then Wonder Man arrived to destroy the rest.

(Fantastic Four I#335) - Influenced by a mood stabilizer designed by Dr. Doom, Plantman attacked a courthouse where the Fantastic Four (Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura), Thing) were at a trial about the Super-Hero Registration Act. He rushed the room at the same time as Quill, and they crashed into each other, incapacitating each other, and both were arrested.

(Avengers Annual#19/5) - A Plantman simuloid sought to attack the Avengers at the construction of their new headquarters, but was taken down by construction workers Francis and Percy before he could attack She-Hulk.

(Sensational She-Hulk#24) - Hired by a lawyer named Bono to retrieve a priceless vase with a computer disk inside, a Plantman simuloid, Whirlwind, Radioactive Man, and Lightmaster fought She-Hulk and Death’s Head. "Plantman" did not get involved, claiming he had no plants to manipulate.

(Namor I#16) - In prison, Plantman received a birthday cake that contained a communiqué from the H'ylthri, who had been responsible for Plantman's empowerment.

(Marvel Holiday Special 1991/7) - On Christmas Eve Plantman (most likely a simuloid) stole Christmas trees all over New York by controlling them, but Captain Ultra was near to stop the nefarious villain. Plantman explained himself (he just wanted to do something good for Earth) and they made a compromise.
  One week later the Captain Ultra planted the used trees in a park and Plantman used his plant-ray to re-root them. Plantman thanked Captain Ultra for not bringing him to jail and gave the hero a present: a new costume (what a mean-spirited present)

(Namor I#19) - Plantman purchased a house, going by the alias Mr. Smith, and had one plant kill the realtor, Miss Edmundson.

(Namor I#20) - Sssesthugar, of the H'ylthri, chided Plantman for his murder of the woman, but Plantman told the alien he worried too much.

(Namor I#21) - Still planning with Sssesthugar, Plantman had his plants capture intruder, Wolverine.

(Namor I#22) - Plantman convinced Sssesthugar to work to brainwash Wolverine into being their slave, even though Wolverine had been able to resist their interrogation.

(Namor I#23) - After spending time brainwashing Wolverine, Plantman tested the hero against a plant simulacrum, and Wolverine triumphed, completely under Sssesthugar's control.

(Namor I#24) - Plantman ensured his human allies, Benjamin, William Potts, and Weed, that Sssesthugar could be trusted and that they would all have leadership over the newly conquered world. Plantman sought Weed's individual attentions, but they were distracted by the sounds of Sssesthugar murdering Benjamin and William. Sub-Mariner attacked the manor, and Wolverine held him off until Plantman, in his trench coat costume, revealed himself and explained the H'ylthri's plans. Sssesthugar, however, tossed Plantman aside, stating that their alliance was complete.

(Namor I#25) - Before passing out, Plantman passed his plant control gun over to Namorita, telling her to kill the H'ylthri, and reflecting that this was the first time he'd ever been betrayed by a plant.

(Web of Spider-Man#100) - As part of the newly formed New Enforcers, Plantman joined Eel (Edward Lavell), Blitz, Tangle, and Thermite in attacking Blood Rose, when a steel-clad Spider-Man (Peter Parker) attacked them. Spider-Man broke through Plantman's vines and the New Enforcers were all soon defeated. However, the Inner Circle remained free.

(Alpha Flight I#121) - Plantman was one of those present at Chess Set's auctioning of the Sphinx power-filled corpses of Silver, Auric and Dr. Hedison. The auction was interrupted by Alpha Flight and Spider-Man, and the corpses merged into a single entity and left for space.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#437 (fb) - BTS) - Plantman came at odds with Generation X and felt humiliated when they defeated him.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#437 (fb) - BTS) - In his plant-filled base in a New York tunnel, Plantman developed a mutagenic pollen that would turn humans into monstrous beings prone to violence. He developed an antidote as well, in case the pollen ever got turned on him.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#437) - Seeking revenge on Generation X, Plantman tracked Synch through the city and sent a flower with the mutagenic pollen. Synch mutated and began fighting Spider-Man until Plantman brought Synch to him with roots. Spider-Man pursued and was also mutated in the pollen. He attacked Plantman, who had two root warriors hold the hero off. While Plantman soliloquized about his plans for a world dominated by plants, Synch broke free and, with Spider-Man, fought against more plants, some emitting thorns and others bright lights. When Plantman got exposed to his pollen, he mutated as well, and so produced the antidote, allowing all of them to get back to normal.

(Thunderbolts I#69 (fb) - BTS) - After this, Plantman's body began to take on more of a vegetable form and he developed the ability to tap into the Earth's Verdant fields, calling it "the Green." It also became apparent to some that Plantman was the only one capable of activating a toxin that villain financier Justin Hammer had placed into hundreds of superhumans, both heroes and villains. Realizing the potential of this, certain villains and heroes began looking for ways to garner Plantman.

(Thunderbolts I#26) - From Seagate prison, Plantman unsuccessfully plotted escape with Boomerang, and the two of them whispered about a conversation taking place between Human Cannonball and MACH-1.

(Thunderbolts: Life Sentences) - Plantman got into a fight in Seagate with Wrecker (Dirk Garthwaite), Bulldozer, Chance (Nicholas Powell), Boomerang, Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and others, but it was halted by Mentallo.

(Thunderbolts I#55) - As part of Chain Gang 421-011, Plantman was to be transported to a new prison alongside Clint Barton, Headlok (possessed by Mentallo), and Cottonmouth. They were equipped with technological manacles which prohibited them from separating or using their powers.

(Thunderbolts I#56) - The van carrying the prisoners went careening over a cliff, caught in an earthquake.

(Thunderbolts I#57) - While his fellow inmates considered escape, Plantman was overcome by the state of the Earth's vegetation, noting that "The world is crying! The green is being savaged!" due to the ravaging to the Earth done by Graviton. When Cottonmouth tried to run away from the others, they were all knocked out by the neural shock from their manacles.

(Thunderbolts I#58) - Still reeling from the state of "the Green", Plantman agreed to remain with the others while they found a way to get rid of their manacles, and then to retrieve a deadly weapon from one of the headquarters of the deceased Justin Hammer.

(Thunderbolts I#60) - The Chain Gang drove to Pittsburgh and, while they stopped for gas, Plantman tried using microscopic spores and molds to negate the manacles. A Guardsman from Seagate tracked them down and stopped their car. Plantman stated that he could stop the Guardsman (Chris Fallon) in a way that would be unlikely to hurt him.

(Thunderbolts I#61 (fb)) - Plantman grew spores in the Guardsman's mouth to incapacitate him, but the Guardsman's asthma reacted and he choked to death. Hawkeye was furious.

(Thunderbolts I#61) - While camping in Nebraska, Cottonmouth tried chewing off Plantman's arm while he slept. Plantman healed reformed his arm using roots from the ground, and said he was fine.

(Thunderbolts I#63) - At their eighth Hammer facility, this one in Vancouver, while looking for the weapon, the Chain Gang finally had success. Hammer's aid, Carpenter, agreed to disable the manacles in return for the Chain Gang's services. However, Carpenter only altered the manacles, allowing the villains access to their powers, but keeping the neuro-shock devices in. Suddenly Cyclone (Pierre Fresson) attacked to steal the weapon, contained on a compact disc, but Plantman and Hawkeye stopped Cyclone and Songbird arrived to aid them, though Cyclone still got away. She removed Hawkeye's manacles but kept Plantman's on, determined to keep him by them until they figured out what his connection to the weapon was (as Mentallo had specifically arranged for Plantman to be part of the Chain Gang). The three of them left, determined to trace Cyclone to Symkaria.

(Thunderbolts I#64 - BTS) - Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer) organized a new Masters of Evil team (Cardinal, Black Mamba, Cyclone, Gypsy Moth, Hydro-Man, Machinesmith, Man-Killer) to apprehend Plantman, who she determined would be needed to control Hammer's weapon.

(Thunderbolts I#65) - The three allies pursued Cyclone through Paris through the following weeks, determined to catch him to find his employer so they could finally find what the weapon was. They finally caught him, Plantman aiding by growing spores in Cyclone's mouth. Cyclone took them to one of Hammer's houses and Plantman manipulated roots to break them through the floor, where they found the Masters team waiting. Plantman traded fibrous blows with Gypsy Moth before Man-Killer knocked him out. The Masters took Plantman and fled, leaving Machinesmith to experiment on him, discovering that Plantman was now forty percent vegetable matter. Machinesmith discovered that Plantman, due to his newly enhanced connection to the planet's Bioverdant field, was the only one who could activate Hammer's weapon. Songbird and Hawkeye attacked again, freeing Plantman. Hawkeye revealed that the weapon was a Hammer had placed a biological agent inside every villain that he'd ever employed, and that Plantman had the capability to control it. Faced with this, Man-Killer, Gypsy Moth, and Cardinal agreed to aid Hawkeye in putting an end to the plot. Cyclone did as well, after being coerced.

(Thunderbolts I#67) - The villains (except Cyclone) all took new codenames to give themselves a new level of anonymity. Amazon (Man-Killer), Harrier (Cardinal), Skein (Gypsy Moth), Songbird, Hawkeye, Cyclone, and Blackheath (Plantman) fought Silver Sable and her Wild Pack, and Hawkeye explained what they were doing in Symkaria. Blackheath showed her the Bioverdant field and explained how the weapon worked. Blackheath tuned in to nature and tried to explain to Hawkeye how his powers worked. Crimson Cowl and the remaining Masters then attacked.

(Thunderbolts I#69) - The Masters knocked out the Thunderbolts, and Hydro-Man drained Blackheath's body of moist of its moisture, leaving him looking withered. After being questioned by Crimson Cowl, Blackheath collapsed and, through the Verdant fields in his mind, reviewed his history. He suddenly understood that he could either control those Hammer had infected, or he could free them, recognizing that the second option would be worse for the world's plants. Machinesmith and Crimson Cowl continued working on him while he inwardly made his decision to release a pollen that would cancel out the toxin and cancel the weapon. Blackheath remained withered while the Elite Agents of SHIELD arrived with Dum-Dum Dugan and took down the Masters.

(Thunderbolts I#71) - While the Thunderbolts battled with the Elite Agents, Blackheath began drawing water into himself from Hydro-Man's form and he stood revived, in a more monstrous plant-form. He debated attacking the Elite Agents (Kid, M-80, Nails, Silicon, Skul), who'd sought to use him to control the toxin, but stood down at Hawkeye and Songbird's request. Citizen V (John Watkins) arrived to ask for aid.

(Thunderbolts I#73) - Citizen V and Jim Hammond of the V-Battalion informed them that the world was in danger, and all but Cyclone agreed to continue acting as heroes, SHIELD allowing them to go free, and Silver Sable went with them. Elizabeth Barstow and Fred Davis informed them of an open hole in reality that needed to be filled. Blackheath and Songbird began filling the hole with mass, and Blackheath reflected on the damage he was doing to the Green. Blackheath, exhausted, joined the others behind a sound barrier and they ran the risk of getting sucked into the void. They leapt into fight, but the Void dissipated.

(Thunderbolts I#74) - Hawkeye's team was shocked to see the long-missing Thunderbolts (Atlas (Erik Josten), Baron Helmut Zemo, Fixer (Norbert Ebersol), MACH-III, Moonstone (Karla Sofen), Dallas Riordan), who had come through the Void.

(Thunderbolts I#75) - The two teams of former villains worked together to close the void once and for all, plugging it with the V-Battalion’s ship. They retreated to the Canary Islands and most everyone departed. Blackheath encouraged Skein to leave, stating she didn’t belong, but he chose to stay as he figured he could help “the green” in the long run. Baron Zemo proposed that his new Thunderbolts (Atlas, Blackheath, Fixer, Moonstone, Songbird, Vantage) save the planet by ruling it.

(Avengers III#71 - BTS) - Whirlwind stated in a phone call that Plantman provided him with a criminal lead.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#2 (fb) - BTS) - Blackheath, wanting to help “the green”, agreed to Zemo’s plans to develop a machine called the Liberator that would give the Thunderbolts control over all forms of energy on Earth.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#1) - Blackheath, with the Thunderbolts, took down a nuclear plant in the country of Carnelia. Later, in Scotland, he conferred with Atlas and Vantage about their suspicions of Baron Zemo. At Fixer’s request, Blackheath ingested sixty pounds of fertilizer and purified it into a mass of ammonium nitrate, depositing at the disgusted Fixer’s feet.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#2) - The Thunderbolts intervened in a difficult nuclear situation between Cobalt Man (secretly Tony Stark) and the Avengers (Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hawkeye, Iron Man (an empty suit of armor), Scarlet Witch, Vision, Wasp, Yellowjacket) and recruited Cobalt Man to their team (though it was a plant from the Avengers).

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#3) - The Thunderbolts attacked the Wizard (Bentley Wittman) to procure anti-gravity technology, and Blackheath grew mold spores from the bathroom to assist in the fight. Later, they gathered to test the Liberator, but Cobalt Man pointed out a design flaw. Soon, Baron Zemo began the test and started drawing the world’s energies into the Liberator.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#4) - The Avengers arrived, investigating, and Blackheath watched the cameras, noting that armies were preparing to mobilize worldwide in retaliation for the energy drainage. Blackheath stood by while the Avengers tried to take control of the Liberator, then Moonstone shocked them by seizing control over all the energies.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#5) - When Moonstone began using her gravity powers to tear the surrounding eco-system apart, Blackheath turned against her, turning his full powers against hers, though greatly weakening himself.

(Avengers/Thunderbolts#6) - “The Green” abandoned Blackheath, leaving him to slowly turn back to human once more. He used some self-generated resins that soothed Baron Zemo’s recently received burns, and was saved by Songbird when he almost fell through a teleportation circle. After Moonstone was finally defeated, Smithers, now fully human again, decided to return to prison to get back in touch with himself.

(Avengers and X-Men: Axis#1) - In Los Angeles, Plant-Man (appearing as a large giant plant creature) attacked, determined to get back at humans for polluting the world. A group of Avengers (Black Widow, Captain America (Sam Wilson), Doc Green, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Sunfire, Thor, Vision, Wasp) attacked, but they turned on each other, due to the Red Onslaught's influence. Iron Man defeated Plant-Man.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Guardians of Infinity#3/2) - Plant-Man used a plant dupe to occupy his cell, then escaped from the police and used a plant creature to attack New York. Thing and Groot, of the Guardians of the Galaxy, fought him, but Plant-Man managed to briefly mind-control Groot until Groot broke free, and Plant-Man was apprehended by the police.

(All-New All-Different Avengers#8) - The villains of Pleasant Hill, including Plant-Man, got their memories and identities back and battled the Avengers and Avengers Unity Squad.

(Empyre: Avengers#2 (fb) - BTS) - Smithers interfaced with the Cotati, a plant-based alien race, who planned to invade Earth and wipe out all animal life. Surrendering his consciousness to a full plant form, Smithers merged into a plant form, allowing him to alter his own body into a giant plant-form, as well as the plants around him. Smithers also developed the ability to create plant warriors to fight for him.

(Empyre: Avengers#1) - Plantman formed a thick fungal barrier over the reservoir in Central Park, and he saw Luke Cage, Vision, and Doctor Nemesis arrive to investigate.

(Empyre: Avengers#2) - Plantman created warriors to battle the Avengers, and he ignored the Vision's pleas to abandon his alliance with the Cotati.

(Empyre: Avengers#3) - Plantman tried keeping Cage captive within his own form, but Cage broke free. The plant warriors attacked the civilians, but they were defeated by Doctor Nemesis' chemicals and Vision's heat rays.

(X-Men Unlimited III#18 - BTS) - At an unrevealed point in time, the Warden of superhuman prison the Dungeon acquired a genetic sample of Plantman which he later used amongst other samples to become the Human Adaptoid. The Human Adaptoid used Plantman's abilities to make contact with Krakoa.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Joe Carter, and Dick Ayers.

Amazing Spider-Man I#437 references the defeat of Plantman at the hands of Generation X as taking place in Generation X I#25, but the villain in that story is a plant-controlling Black Tom Cassidy.

Special thanks to John Kaminski, Loki, Markus Raymond and Dragynwulf for their help with portions of this profile.

Plantman's ex-wife has never appeared in a comic book. Instead, she was mentioned in the first OHOTMU that Plantman appeared in, and not mentioned again until the latest OHOTMU. With a name like Desdemona, she's bound to be mysterious...

I believe it was Robert McKinney who pointed out Wildfire in the crowd of Captain America I#411 to me (I thought it was some Plantman variation, d'oh!), and I passed it on to Omar, and we're passing it on to you. He's on the far left of the crowd spread, right above Poundcakes.
--Snood.

Plantman has entries in OHotMU I#8, Deluxe Edition#10, Master Edition & All-New OHotMU#8.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Plantman has no known connections to

• Plant Lady, cousin Betsy, Hulk enemy, Hostess ad @ Hostess ad (Howard the Duck I#9)
• Plant Creatures, Artie Choke, Mai Gold, and Rhoda Dendron @ Hostess ad (Howard the Duck I#9)
• or any other "Plant" or "Man" characters

images: (without ads)
Empyre: Avengers#1, p8, pan5 (plant-form, main)
Namor I#21, p7, pan3 (unmasked)
Sub-Mariner I#2, p6, pan4 (open leaf costume)
Defenders I#36, p23, pan1 (leafy costume with plant-gun)
Avengers I#231, p1, pan1 (simuloids)
Namor I#24, p17, pan1 (trench coat costume)
Avengers Annual#19, p3, pan1 (brown body suit costume)
Thunderbolts I#69, cover (Blackheath, coat)
Thunderbolts I#75, p23, pan1 (Blackheath)
Empyre: Avengers#2, p5, pan5 (plant warriors)

Appearances:
Strange Tales I#113 (October, 1963) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Joe Carter (penciler), Dick Ayers (inker)
Strange Tales I#121 (June, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Steve Ditko (penciler/inker)
Fantastic Four Annual#3 (1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
X-Men I#22-23 (July, August, 1966) - Roy Thomas (writer), Werner Roth (penciler), Dick Ayers (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sub-Mariner I#2-3 (June-July, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Captain America I#158-159 (February-March, 1973) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), John Verpoorten (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#36 (June, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders I#37 (July, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Marvel Team-Up I#71 (July, 1978) - Bill Kunkel (writer), David Wenzel (penciler), Dan Green (inker), Jim Shooter (editor)
Defenders I#63 (September, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Jim Shooter (editor)
Defenders I#64 (October, 1978) - David Kraft (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Don Perlin (inker), Jim Shooter (editor)
Micronauts I#21 (September, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick (penciler), Armando Gill (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Avengers I#227 (January, 1983) - Roger Stern (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Brett Breeding (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#230-232 (April-June, 1983) - Roger Stern (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Solo Avengers#19-20 (June-July, 1989) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Wilson (penciler), Don Heck (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers Spotlight#21 (August, 1989) - Howard Mackie (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Don Heck (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Fantastic Four I#335 (October, 1989) - Walter Simonson (writer), Rich Buckler (penciler), Romeo Tanghal (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers Annual#19 (1990) - Gary Barnum (writer), Steve Buccelato (penciler), Mickey Ritter (inker), Len Kaminski (editor)
Sensational She-Hulk#24 (February, 1991) - Simon Furman (writer), Bryan Hitch (penciler), John Beatty (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Namor I#16 (July, 1991) - John Byrne (writer/penciler/inker), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor I#19-25 (October, 1991-April, 1992) - John Byrne (writer/penciler/inker), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Marvel Holiday Special 1991 (1991) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Dennis Jensen (pencils), Barb Kaalberg (inks), Renee Witterstaetter (editor)
Web of Spider-Man#100 (May, 1993) - Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Joe Rubinstein (inker), Rob Tokar (editor)
Alpha Flight I#121 (June, 1993) - Simon Furman (writer), Craig Brasfield (pencils), Frank Turner (inks), Rob Tokar (editor)
Marvel Heroes and Legends#1 (October, 1996) - Stan Lee, Fabian Nicieza (writers), Sal Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Bob Harras (editor)
Code of Honor#3 (April, 1997) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Bob Wakelin, Derick Gross & Paul Lee (artists), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#437 (August, 1998) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Rafael Kayanan (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thunderbolts I#26 (May, 1999) - Joe Casey (writer), Leonardo Manco (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts: Life Sentences#1 (July, 2001) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Charlie Adlard (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#55-58 (October, 2001-January, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zircher (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#60-61 (March-April, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zircher (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#63 (June-August, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zircher (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#67 (October, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zircher (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#69 (October, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Jean Jacques Dzialowski (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#71 (November, 2002)  - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Manuel Garcia (penciler), Al Vey (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#73 (December, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Manuel Garcia (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Andrew Lis (editor)
Thunderbolts I#74 (January, 2003) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Chris Batista (penciler), Rich Perrotta (inker), Andrew Lis (editor)
Thunderbolts I#75 (February, 2003) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Manuel Garcia (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Andrew Lis (editor)
Avengers III#71 (November, 2003) - Geoff Johns (writer), Steve Sadowski (penciler), Andrew Currie (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers/Thunderbolts#1-2 (May-June, 2004) - Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza (writers), Barry Kitson (penciler), Gary Erskine (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers/Thunderbolts#3-6 (July-October, 2004) - Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza (writers), Tom Grummett (penciler), Gary Erskine (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#8 (August, 2006) - Various writers, Jeff Youngquist, Jennifer Grunwald (editors)
Avengers and X-Men: Axis#1 (December, 2014) - Rick Remender (writer), Adam Kubert (artist), Tom Brevoort, Daniel Ketchum, Wil Moss (editors)
Guardians of Infinity#3/2 (April, 2016) - Darrel DMC McDaniels, Eduardo Miranda Rodriguez (writers), Nelson Faro DeCastro (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
All-New All-Different Avengers#8 (June, 2016) - Mark Waid (writer), Adam Kubert (artist), Tom Brevoort, Wil Moss (editors)
Empyre: Avengers#1-3 (September-October, 2020) - Jim Zub (writer), Carlos Magno (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
X-Men Unlimited III#18 (January, 2022) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Matt Horak (pencils, inks), Jordan D. White (editor)
Original X-Men I#1 (February, 2024) - Christos Gage (writer), Greg Land (penciler), Jay Leisten (inker), Sarah Brunstad (editor)