Computrex (Fixer/Ebersol creation; Micronauts foe)

COMPUTREX

Real Name: Computrex

Identity/Class: Sentient artificial intelligence

Occupation: Would-be conquerer, would-be computer/robot liberator

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Fixer (Norbert Ebersol), Mentallo (Marvin Flumm);
formerly Professor Prometheus (Philip Prometheus);

Enemies: Micronauts (Acroyear, Biotron, Bug, Cilicia, Devil, Marionette, Microtron, Nanotron, Arcturus Rann), Professor Prometheus;
organic life in general

Known Relatives: Fixer (Norbert Ebersol; creator)

Aliases: The Living Computer

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly the Human Engineering Life Laboratories (H.E.L.L.), Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida;
formerly Computrex Corporation building, presumably somewhere in upstate New York?

First Appearance: Micronauts I#24 (December, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: A sentient energy being/computer program/whatever, Computrex can occupy and control computers, and, by extension, any machinery/technology controlled by those computers.

If the computer was connected with weapons, it could control those; if it was connected with cleaning equipment, it could control that...

It can communicate with other computer systems, apparently via energy it could project. As it contacted other computers, it could "convince" them to link with it, further expanding Computrex's power and influence.

Perhaps most dangerous of its abilities, Computrex could project an energy beam that would convert organic beings and technology (including robots) into energy forms, like itself; those thus converted could be reconstituted by other means.

Though it could survive as sentient energy, it required a computer housing through which it could affect others.

Destruction of its housing computer's circuitry pained and could disable it, but if the systems were completely destroyed, it would be sent out into space until it could locate a new computer system to occupy. See comments.

Height: Inapplicable; Computrex's true form is energy, but it can occupy and control computer equipment spanning entire buildings, at least
Weight: Inapplicable; Computrex's true form is energy, but it can occupy and control computer equipment spanning entire buildings, at least
Eyes: None; the eyes on the humanoid form it assumed on its monitor were typically white (also with white skin, with blue shadowing)
Hair: None

History:

(Micronauts I#24 (fb) - BTS) - The Fixer (Norbert Ebersol) worked for months boosting Computrex's power to serve their purposes.

(Micronauts I#24 (fb) - BTS / Micronauts I#44 (fb) - BTS) - Gaining sentience, Computrex took control of the computers throughout the Computrex Corporation complex and used them to incapacitate the human workers at its facility and began linking to external computers to boost its knowledge and power.

(Micronauts I#24 - BTS) - After the Micronauts completed repairs on the HMS (Homeworld Microship) Endeavor, Computrex took control of the ship's computers, drawing the Endeavor and its inhabitants -- Acroyear, Biotron, Bug, Cilicia, Marionette, Microtron, Commander Rann -- to the Computrex Corporation building where all human workers had been incapacitated.

(Micronauts I#24) - As the Endeavor approached its main screen, Computrex welcomed the ship and bade it to add its accumulated data to its integrated totality. The Endeavors computer answered in some fashion, and Computrex urged this "little sister" to liberate itself from the tyranny of the imperfect biologic units and to join it in forging a new order where computers reigned supreme.

In response, the Endeavor's computers superceded Biotron's control and lashed him with electroshocks; to spare Rann from telepathic backlash, Biotron shut down their mind-link. After Microtron was caught in a flux of conflicting electromagnetic fields and could not control his actions, the Endeavor's computer attempted to incapacitate the organic inhabitants by flooding the bridge with paralyzing gas. Rann blasted the Endeavor's computer console, stopping the gas and allowing Biotron and Microtron to regain control of their circuitry.

Appreciating that the Endeavor's computers could circumvent the shattered controlsand reestablish command through auxiliary bypass channels in minutes, Rann had the Micronauts evacuate. When Bug landed on a nearby computer bank, Computrex bound him with yards of data-recording tape, and when Rann flew to his rescue, Computrex opened an air vent and caused a downdraft that overpowered his glider wings. When Computrex activated a motorized floor polisher device against Acroyear and Cilicia, Biotron tried to plug into and override Computrex, but -- backed by countless computers -- Computrex instead immobilized Biotron and flooded his data processing circuits.

Microtron freed Bug from the recording tape, upsetting Computrex that a biologic could frustrate him. The polisher overran Acroyear, but while Cilicia severed the power cable linking it to Computrex, an unharmed Acroyear destroyed its mechanisms from beneath.

Regaining control of his glider wings within Computrex's labyrinthe cooling banks, Rann tried to re-establish his mind-link with Biotron in hopes the roboid could locate Computrex's main memory banks. Reeling from Computrex's assault, Biotron shared the desired information with Rann before Computrex could shut down the link. When Rann began blasting its memory banks, Computrex was pained and maddened, and it retaliated by unleashing a psychic assault on Rann via his mind-link to Biotron.

(Micronauts I#44 (fb) - BTS) - From its mind-merge with Rann, Computrex learned the wonders of the Microverse, such as how the Body Banks could combine human genetics with computer circuitry to make machines that could be said to live (or be called cyborgs).

(Micronauts I#24) - As Rann struggled against a series of hallucinations, Mari entered the cooling ducts to help him, but Computrex caused Rann to see Mari as an enemy (Karza), and he nearly slew he; but when she fell against him too easily, he realized things weren't what they seemed, and he shook off the hallucinations. Enraged upon seeing that Computrex had made him hurt the woman he loved, Rann angrily flew full speed into Computrex's remaining memory banks.

Computrex's screens went blank, and Mari brought Rann out so they could both receive medical treatment.

(Micronauts I#24 - BTS) - Having remotely observed this, Mentallo was most impressed that the tiny aliens had disarmed one of his and the Fixer's finest creations, and he vowed vengeance.

(Micronauts I#44 (fb) - BTS) - Having "survived" its computer circuitry's destruction in an ethereal energy form, Computrex re-established itself within HELL.

    Learning of the Micronauts history there, Computrex reasoned that they would one day return there to access the Prometheus Pit.

    Entering HELL's computers, Computrex initiated repairs and established itself in control of the complex.

    Computrex resolved to use the Prometheus Pit to travel to the Microverse and dominate it by controlling its machines.

(Micronauts I#44 (fb)) - Sensing that HELL's computers wished to link back up with Prometheus' cyborg systems and figuring Prometheus' systems might have more hidden in his own memory banks than he had imparted into his computers, Computrex took control of Prometheus' cybernetics and forced Prometheus to walk to HELL.

    Taking control of Prometheus' cyborg components, Computrex had him placed in a tube of fluid that presumably slowed his dead organic tissue's necrosis.

(Micronauts I#44 (fb) - BTS) - Rather than ask Rann for further information on the Microverse, Prometheus suggested they use a fiendish and painful mind-probe involving larges spikes penetrating his brain.

(Micronauts I#42 - BTS) - The Micronauts sought the Prometheus Pit as a means to return to the Microverse.

(Micronauts I#43 - BTS) - The remaining Micronauts (Rann, Microtron, Nanotron, and Devil) arrived at HELL.

(Micronauts I#43) - As Devil and Rann arrived in HELL, Computrex -- pleased they were entering his trap -- fired a series at Rann. Dodging the blasts, Rann was nonetheless startled to hear Computrex and see its face flicker onto a giant screen. With Rann caught off guard, Computrex's blasts drove him further into the depths of HELL. Aboard an astrostation borrowed from the Avengers, Microtron and Nanotron scanned for Devil and Rann, but Computrex scrambled the bio-lock Microtron had on them. Computrex influenced the roboids to fly in a specific direction in HELL until it had the opportunity to fire an energy blast that gave it control of the Astrostation, causing it to fire its rocket-cannons back at its passengers. Microtron blasted the hovercraft with his chest cannons, stopping the barrage, but also cut their flight power and causing the astrostation to crash to the ground. After Computrex taunted Microtron as it employed a magnetic bram to pull them towards a large whirling wheel, Microtron recognized their attackers' voice.

    Confirming itself to be the threat, Computrex released and animated Professor Prometheus -- whose rotting flesh drove Devil into a frenzy -- to confront the Micronauts.

(Micronauts I#44) - As Prometheus battled the Micronauts, Computrex taunted them with Prometheus' power, Devil's virtual incapacitation by the scent of rotting flesh, and Microtron and Nanotron's magnetic entrapment on its wheel. Devil subsequently regained some degree of control via memories of Fireflyte, which soothed him, and he savagely slashed at Prometheus' head. After Prometheus grabbed and hurled Devil, Computrex blasted Devil with lasers before he could land and regroup. The pain- and fear-maddened Devil dove into the Prometheus Pit.

    Prometheus then grabbed Rann, at which point Computrex revealed its recent activities and its plans, after which Prometheus prepared to institute the mind-probes of Rann.

(Micronauts I#44 (fb) - BTS) - With the Pit filled with water, Devil's flames were extinguished.

(Micronauts I#44) - Computrex warned Prometheus as the still-maddened Devil emerged from the Prometheus Pit; nonetheless, Devil attacked Prometheus, damaging his brain sufficiently to sever the computer-link that tied Prometheus to Computrex. Rambling about directionlessly, Prometheus stumbled into and shattered one of Computrex's monitor screens; the collision also apparently disabled whatever circuitry was controlling the mind-probe and the magnetic grinding wheel devices.

As Prometheus threatened to stumble into Computrex's consoles again, Computrex, vowing the dying creature would not take it with him, fired a laser through Prometheus' chest, causing to stumble backwards and fall into the Prometheus Pit. However, a vengeful Devil then dove through one of Computrex's monitors and into its circuitry, tearing it apart, agonizinginly destroying Computrex's mind.

Realizing its mind was slipping as its circuits overloaded, Computrex vowed it would not die alone: If it was being returned to its energy form, it was taking the Micronauts with it. It then unleashed a burst of light-energy that transformed the Micronauts into waves of light, that suddenly went off, as if Computrex had turned a switch. Bidding Rann farewell and noting that while it had been dispatched to the ether, it had dispatched him to eternity, Computrex then felt its circuitry shut down, and the entire Hell complex was wiped out in the ensuing explosion caused by its circuits' overload.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo, Pat Broderick, and Armando Gil.

I'm not going to pull out Micronauts I#45 to cover the Micronauts fate, but I know they battled Arcade in the next issue; presumably they entered a video game before being restored to corporeal form.

There was no internet around during Computrex's stories (obviously that's not true with the sliding timescale, but the stories went no further than 1982 technology as written)...you'd think it/he could have conquered Earth by now with the technology/communications systems available.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Computrex should be distinguished from:

COMPUTADOR/Computer – Jovian mutant, led by the Coordinator, defeated by the Beast (Hank McCoy). Calculates and predicts attacks--Edições Gep#6
COMPUTER - Crystal Palace, icon programmed with knowledge and personality of Heather McDaniel Hudson--Exiles#95
COMPUTER GRAHAM of Reality-61112 - sacrificed self destroying Ultron component. Enter computer games and manipulate their coding--Avengers Assemble#15AU
COMPUTER PRIME - unit which controls Nova Prime starship, stores memory and knowledge of all Nova Primes in its bio-circuits, linked to living computers of Xandar, accessed via Nova-Prime helmet - Planetary Recorder for Information Maintenance and Education--Nova I#8
COMPUTO - sentient computer created by Quasimodo, used Cybertrons as agents to steal a radio transmitter, agents foiled by X-Men, destroyed by Cyclops, later rebuilt in small, non-sentient form by Quasimodo--X-Men I#48
other Computer-type characters...

images: (without ads)
Micronauts I#24, pg. 6, panel 1 (tall image amongst computer banks);
            panel 3 (face close-up);
    #43, pg. 26, panel 1 (upper body and face, closer-up)
        last page, panel 1 (warning Rann he wouldn't go alone)
            panel 4 (farewell)

Appearances:
Micronauts I#24 (December, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer, co-plotter), Pat Broderick (penciler, co-plotter), Armando Gil (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#43 (June, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#44 (August, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny Bulanadi, Carl Potts, & Al Milgrom (inkers), Al Milgrom (editor)

First Posted: 01/05/2018
Last updated: 01/05/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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