TRI-DI-ROENTGEN HAND-GUN

Classification: Terrestrial technology

Creator: Unidentified SHIELD technicians

User/Possessors: Unidentified SHIELD technician

First Appearance: Strange Tales I#148/1 (September, 1966)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The tri-di-roentgen hand-gun was a device that projected harmless 3-D x-rays which could render objects and/or living beings transparent.

Initially built in a crude model form, it was later modified into a portable hand-gun.

History:
(Strange Tales I#148/1 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, a SHIELD technician had developed a crude model of the tri-di-roentgen device. Acting on a suggestion from Agent Jasper Sitwell, the technician used the most advanced techniques to further collapse the device down into a smaller package -- a portable hand-gun.

(Strange Tales I#148/1) - While Nick Fury was touring a heavily-guarded laboratory in SHIELD's ordnance division, he inquired to the technician about the crude model's function. The technician then demonstrated the hand-gun on Fury, temporarily turning him into a transparent "living skeleton". After he returned to normal, Fury sarcastically suggested to the technician to "keep miniaturizing that thing...and when it's the size of a pill...SWALLOW it and FORGET it!"

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby (scripter) and Don Heck (artist).

Maybe the tri-di-roentgen technology was later modified and spun-off to create other similar devices such as the Spy-Ray Lens and the Spectre-Suit.

And maybe that technician got an idea from Fury's "advice" and went on to further modify the device into the Transparency Capsule.

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Tri-di-roentgen hand-gun has no known connections to

• Tri-Man, android used by Masked Marauder android @ Daredevil I#22
• Tri-Man, another android used by Masked Marauder @ Werewolf by Night I#42
• Tri-Man, and another one @ Spectacular Spider-Man II#25
• Tripodal Observation Module, Leader vehicle @ Incredible Hulk II#123
• Tri-Sentinel, three Sentinels combined by Loki's magic @ Amazing Spider-Man I#329
• or anything else with a similar name

images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#148, p5, pan3 (hand-gun used on Nick Fury)