DR. WITHERS
Real Name: Dr. Withers
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Scientist
Group Membership: Maggia, Project N (Dr. Archibald Stancheck, Dr. Hellen Rachelson, Professor Kenneth Sturdy, two unidentified scientists)
Affiliations: Lethal Legion (Living Laser/Arthur Parks, Power Man/Erik Josten, Whirlwind/David Cannon), Count Nefaria
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: basement laboratory inside Count Nefaria's home in uptown New York City, New York
First Appearance: Avengers I#164 (October, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Dr. Withers possessed no known superhuman abilities, he was a gifted scientist with an expertise in genetic engineering and metahuman augmentation and duplication.
Weight: Unrevealed, impossible to determine
Eyes: Unrevealed, impossible to determine
Hair: Brown
History:
(Avengers I#164 - BTS) - Dr. Withers and two unidentified scientists came under the employment of Count Luchino Nefaria. Nefaria had already established a team of scientist consisting of Professor Kenneth Sturdy, Dr. Stancheck and Dr. Hellen Rachelson. Dr. Withers was to be part of Nefaria's Project N.
(Avengers I#164 (fb) - BTS) - To provide his scientists with the necessary financial compensation Nefaria secured the services of Living Laser, Power Man and Whirlwind, promising them riches and power if they agreed to work for him as his Lethal Legion.
(Avengers I#164) - While Nefaria's Lethal Legion were robbing the bank, Nefaria met with Withers and the team of scientists who praised the count on his new superpowered lackeys who would be ideal subjects for Project N. Luchino ignored Doctor Wither's backhanded compliments, telling them all he was sick and tired of relying on others and failing because of the errors of others. He went on to assure the scientists he'd dismiss them as well as soon as they completed their work. When Sturdy piped up to remind the count he still had to pay them the promised "Fuhrer's ransom", Nefaria activated a camera feed that showed Whirlwind and his associates arriving home with the cash. Nefaria immediately summoned them to the underground lab where Project N began in earnest.
(Avengers I#166 (fb) ) - The Lethal Legion was unaware what was going on when they entered the underground lab where Nefaria introduced them to Withers and his colleagues.
(Iron Man I#153 (fb) - BTS) - Withers and the scientists started work on Living Laser.
(Avengers I#166 - BTS) - While Withers and the others continued to work on the Lethal Legion, the criminals believed Nefaria's claims the procedure would permanently increase their powers substantially. That increase was actually merely a temporary side effect of the process. Sturdy had their cell structures analyzed to make energy templates with which he could duplicate their powers into Nefaria's body, only a hundred times stronger. After the scientists had finished his work, the revitalized Lethal Legion left, eager for a rematch with the Avengers. Nefaria allowed them to go, knowing full well they'd soon run out of steam.
(Avengers I#166 (fb) - BTS) - After Withers and the others empowered Nefaria, the villain thanked them by destroying his underground lab. Only Sturdy survived the attack.
Comments: Created by Jim Shooter (writer), John Byrne (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks).
Although not seen in Avengers I#166, Dr. Wither was confirmed to be present in The Official Index to the Marvel Universe: The Avengers. The same index also revealed all scientists including Withers, Rachelson and Stancheck died in Avengers I#166.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Dr. Withers has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Avengers I#164, p10, pan1 (main image)
Appearances:
Avengers I#164 (October, 1977) - Jim Shooter (writer), John Byrne (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Avengers I#166 (December, 1977) - Jim Shooter (writer), John Byrne (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Iron Man I#153 (December, 1981) - David Michelinie, Bob Layton (writers), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Bob Layton (inks), Jim Salicrup, Bob Budiansky (editors)
First Posted: 10/10/2018
Last Updated: 10/10/2018
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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