BEDLAM's ARCTIC COMPLEXBEDLAM's ARCTIC COMPLEX
Classification: Technology (architecture)
Creator: Bedlam (William Nowlan)
User/Possessors: Alpha Flight (Box/Madison Jeffries, Sasquatch/Walter "Wanda" Langkowski, Vindicator/Heather Hudson), Bedlam (William Nowlan), Bedlamites, Derangers (Breakdown/Esme Fernando, Laura Dean, Freakout/Arthur Amadeus van Krijg, Goblyn, Janus/Willem Vincent), Manikin/Whitman Knapp, Purple Girl/Kara Killgrave, Weapon X/Wolverine (James Howlett/Logan)
Location: The Arctic Circle
First Appearance: Alpha Flight I#53 (December, 1987)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: Based in the Arctic, which was largely composed of ice and snow, the immense complex (dimensions unrevealed) provided shelter from the frigid environment. Initially, it was believed that Bedlam's power helped maintain comfortable temperatures, etc., but Box (Madison Jeffries), Manikin (Whitman Knapp), and Sasquatch ("Wanda" Langkowski) remade it so that the complex provided full climate control.
Vindicator, at least, sensed that the complex "reeked of the evil of its creator, Bedlam," although Box was working to be certain that the facility was completely sanitized.
Via the designs of Manikin's futuristic "Highbrow" aspect, Box extended shafts down through the depths of the ice into the water below. These could be used to suction up fish as needed for a food source.
"Wanda" Langkowski designed a food processing system that was able to convert fresh-caught fish into ready-to-eat meals.
The complex contained an infirmary, although only a single room was glimpsed, and none of the equipment was seen in action.
The complex contained a morgue, although it is unclear whether Box designed this or whether it was pre-existing.
Bedlam apparently used sort of laboratory to presumably mutate other forms of life into various other, more monstrous forms known only as Bedlamites.
The complex also
almost certainly contained a number of areas Alpha Flight did not even
have a chance to explore/discover.
History:
(Alpha Flight I#53 (fb) / Gamers Handbook of the Marvel Universe 1989 Character Updates) - Tracking down a quartet of beings who had escaped from Scramble (Lionel Jeffries)'s New Life Clinic, Bedlam took mental control of and transported them to his
newly created Arctic Circle complex/base. He forged them into a fighting team
and then bound them in his base. At some point, Fernando, van Krijg, and Vincent were codenamed Breakdown, Freakout, and Janus, respectively.
(Alpha Flight I#56 (fb) - BTS) - Bedlam apparently (as theorized by Sasquatch) performed organic experimentations, creating a number of lifeforms (which Sasquatch/Langkowski would later identify as Bedlamites).
(Alpha Flight I#53) - Bedlam transported Manikin, Purple Girl, Sasquatch, and Vindicator (with Box having retreated his mind deep into his mechanical form to escape Bedlam's influence) to his Arctic Circle complex where they were imprisoned across from the still bound Dean, Fernando, van Krijg, and Vincent.
(Alpha Flight I#53 - BTS) - Wolverine revived Box/Jeffries upon arriving at Manson Alpha, and Box tracked Bedlam to his base.
(Alpha Flight I#53) - Bedlam forced Alpha and his newly-designated Derangers to fight. Eventually, the Alphans helped the Derangers rebel against Bedlam, who slew Breakdown, Freakout, and Janus.
Wolverine and Box then arrived, but despite their having submerged their minds, Bedlam gained Wolverine's conscious attention and then turned him against Box. Ultimately, to save her life and stop Bedlam from killing others, Vindicator blew off Bedlam's head with a force blast, killing him.
With Mansion Alpha destroyed, Alpha Flight briefly adopted Bedlam's complex as their own.
(Alpha Flight I#54) - Alpha Flight worked to sealed the breaches in the complex's walls during a snowstorm, and Manikin's "Highbrow" aspect suspected that Bedlam had mentally controlled the climate to some degree. When Box suggested that they mechanically mimic this climate control, Vindicator argued that they were going to depart as soon as the storm let up. Reminding her that they had nowhere else to go, Box offered to change the metal to anything she wanted, and Sasquatch ensured her that he could devise climate control and life-support systems. Vindicator further argued that Box could absorb the complex's mass, fly it and the Alphans to a more hospitable environment, and reconstruct it there.
Seeking to recover Goblyn, the senior Alphans Box, Sasquatch, and
Vindicator left the complex and tracked her down; Goblyn wounded each
of them in turn, escaping from and incapacitating Box after he brought
her into the complex.
As the others recovered and returned to the base, Purple Girl mentally bonded with Goblyn and convinced the others she was worth saving.
(Alpha Flight I#55 (fb) - BTS) - Manikin's futuristic aspect, Highbrow, arranged for Jeffries to sink a shaft down through the ice into the sea and suck up fish as needed for meals, while "Wanda" Langkowski designed a processing system to turn their catch into "the finest TV dinners this side of Mrs. Paul's!"
(Alpha Flight I#55) - As the storm raged on, in order to make the complex more habitable, Box transmuted materials based on Sasquatch's designs, and Manikin's selves helped as well: the protozoa-esque Proto dissolved debris, the neanderthal-istic Apeman hauled it away, and Highbrow teleported needed parts, which Whitman Knapp used to enhance their computer equipment.
Vindicator reminded them that they weren't staying there, but Manikin
and Box argued that they could have a comfortable base where the
govenment couldn't get to them. Box further noted how the complex
extended way down below the ice cap to the sea below. 
Vindicator worried about Bedlam having designed it -- as she felt that she could sense his evil stench throughout the place -- but Jeffries assured her he could remake the place so antiseptic "that no self-respecting spook would ever care to haunt it!"
Manikin explained how they could now provide food; Vindicator was impressed, but she chose to reserve her decision until after the storm lifted.
(Alpha Flight I#55 - BTS) - Via her connection to Sasquatch's Tanaraq form, "Wanda"/Sasquatch was manipulated by the Great Beasts into sculpting a gateway for them to return to Earth.
(Alpha Flight I#55) - When Sasquatch resisted the Great Beasts, they smashed her through a wall into the complex, after which Tundra, Kariooq, and Tolomaq tore through the complex's roof to confront the heroes.
Ultimately, in order to defeat the immense Tundra, Box absorbed/incorporated the entire complex into his form.
(Alpha Flight I#56 (fb) - BTS) - Box unconsciously restructured his own mass after the complex's labyrinthe vastness.
(Alpha Flight I#55) - When Tundra drew on the surrounding land, ice, and snow to grow ever larger, Box took Sasquatch's advice and converted a portion of his mass into energy.
(Alpha Flight I#55) - The released energy annihilated Tundra and launched Box and the rest of the Alphans (who had entered his immense form; although Laura Dean and Purple Girl were in the Liveworld dimension) into deep space where he entered warp space.
(Alpha Flight I#56) - The "Bedlamite" lifeforms infiltrated Box's form, affecting his mechanical brain, causing him to soar through space, unable to focus his thoughts or stop his flight.
Goblyn sensed and led Sasquatch and Vindicator to the Bedlamites, which the group battled, eventually freeing Jeffries' mind and allowing him to finish them off.
Box then again entered warp space with the goal of returning everyone to Earth.
(Alpha Flight I#57 - BTS) - Having exhausted almost all of Bedlam's complex via converting it to energy/fuel to maintain the flight, Box dropped out of warp and landed on a crystalline planet to replenish his raw materials.
Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo, Jim Lee, and Whilce Portacio.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Bedlam's Arctic complex should be distinguished from:
Via the designs of Manikin's futuristic "Highbrow" aspect, Box extended shafts down through the depths of the ice into the water below. These could be used to suction up fish as needed for a food source.
"Wanda" Langkowski designed a food processing system that was able to convert fresh-caught fish into ready-to-eat meals.
--Alpha Flight I#55
The complex contained an infirmary, although only a single room was glimpsed, and none of the equipment was seen in action.
--Alpha Flight I#55
The complex contained a morgue, although it is unclear whether Box designed this or whether it was pre-existing.
--Alpha Flight I#54
images: (without ads)
Alpha Flight I#53, pg. 8, panel 4 (Bedlam's Arctic base, outside);
panel 5 (Alpha Flight and Derangers bound);
#54, pg. (morgue)
#55, pg. 3, panel 1 (external base, oblique)
pg. 6, panel 3 (suction shafts);
pg. 7, panel 1 (infirmary);
pg. 14, panel 1 (Great Beasts tearing open the complex);
pg. 20, panel 1-3 (Jeffries pulling complex into Box robot);
panel 6 (complex-enhanced Box punching Tundra);
pg. 21, panel 3 (Alpha inside elevator shaft within immense Box);
#56, panel 1 (complex-incorporated Boxship)
Appearances:
Alpha Flight I#53 (December, 1987) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (penciler), Whilce Portacio (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#54 (January, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Hugh Haynes (penciler), Whilce Portacio (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#55 (February, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (penciler), Tony DeZuniga (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Alpha Flight I#56-57 (March-April, 1988) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Jim Lee (penciler), Tony DeZuniga (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
First posted: 03/14/2018
Last Updated: 03/14/2018
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