David Heimerdinger's
ZOMBIE CYBORGS
(in the main image, these are the dark gray-skinned, mechanized pair;
the
pale/off-white, unmechanized guys are World genetic creations, and the
guy in white and green is Noh-Varr (aka Marvel Boy, later Protector)
Classification: Deceased humans activated as cyborgs with computerized brains
Location/Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
most perished in the World;
agent D18's hand perished on a road, somewhere outside the World
Known Members: Agent D18, others unidentified
Affiliations: David Heimerdinger (creator);
formerly HAMMER, Norman Osborn (they were allies up until the zombies cyborgs destruction; but if any survived, they would be enemies)
Enemies: Fantomex, Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), illegal immigrants
First Appearance: Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (December, 2009)
Powers/Abilities: The zombie cyborgs possessed
their human host's physical capabilities (often well-conditioned soldiers; see comments) with varying cyborg
enhancements, such as weaponized limbs (presumably some with a degree
of superhuman strength if they had mechanized hands; others had sharp
claws or blaster weapons), mechanized jaws, etc.
They were no match for the likes of Fantomex, Noh-Varr, or Wolverine.
Agent D18, at least, could direct a dismembered limb from great distances (or perhaps Heimerdinger could remotely control the limb).
Traits: The zombie cyborgs followed their programming, although some exhibited zombie-like hunger for brains.
History:
(Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (fb) - BTS) - David Heimerdinger worked on plans
for cyborg beings created from computerizing the brains of corpses.
This was dubbed (by Heimerdinger or others) as Project: Deathlok.
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Working for Norman Osborn's HAMMER organization, Heimerdinger computerized the brains of corpses; wishing men who had been in peak physical condition, they used mostly soldiers (see comments).
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (fb) - BTS) <According to Osborn> - Osborn provided Heimerdinger with "all the money and the corpses he asked for."
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Heimerdinger's "zombie cyborgs" were used in a few test missions along the US border, hunting illegals, and their kill ratios "showed promise."
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Heimerdinger was certain that he could -- given time -- make it all work as desired.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS / Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Seeking to gain possession of the World, Osborn insisted Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs be put into action, despite Heimerdinger's warning Osborn that his zombie cyborgs weren't properly field-tested.
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Osborn sent Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs into the World.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (fb) - BTS) - Sensing it was under attack, the World created Weapon XVI (aka Allgod), a living religion virus that attacked the faith reserves, putting any being with any type of faith under its control.
(Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - Seeking to thwart Osborn,
Noh-Varr (aka Marvel Boy) informed Wolverine of this plot, and the pair
flew to the World to oppose Osborn's efforts, but Wolverine swiftly fell under the
influence of Weapon XVI and pursued Noh-Varr
alongside the artificial created/evolved superhuman breeding stock of
the World (also under Allgod's influence) and a number of the zombie cyborgs.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - The nature or the World (or perhaps it was Allgod's influence) prevented communication to and from the zombie cyborgs within.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - Fantomex (also a creation of the World) joined forces with Noh-Varr, leading him to the World's brain and had him kiss the brain (Allgod), convincing it that they were not a threat. As a result, the World released its hold on Wolverine.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs then confronted and engaged Fantomex, Noh-Varr, and Wolverine, who made short work of them.
(Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - With communications now more possible, Osborn was furious with the zombie cyborgs' ineffectiveness. 
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - When the last of the zombie cyborgs, Agent D-18, obtained a portion of the World's brain, Wolverine cut off the arm holding the brain fragment before stabbing D18 in the chest. As the heroes headed off, however, D-18's hand, complete with the brain fragment, began crawling away.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - Heimerdinger tried to calm the enraged Osborn, noting that D-18 was still active.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - Just then, however, a truck ran over D-18's hand, and the brain fragment was left on the road.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - Osborn chided Heimerdinger as a waste, noting that nothing would ever come of Project: Deathlok.
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Osborn stripped Heimderdinger of his funding and exiled him to the Roadside Carcass Removal Department.
Forced to make do with the materials at hand, Heimerdinger began creating cyborgs from a number of animals; they were presumably animal carcasses with computerized brains, but that is not confirmed.
Comments: Created by Jason Aaron, Esad Ribic, and Tom Palmer.
zombie cyborgs..or are they cyborg zombies...they're really not zombies, per se, but some did demonstrate a zombie-esque hunger for brains.
When noting they used mostly soldiers as subjects for his corpse brain computerizations, Heimerdinger said, "I believe," indicating that he thought so but wasn't 100% certain.
The use of zombie cyborg soldiers is strongly reminiscent of those used in Hudlin's Black Panther #5-6 (August-September, 2005). I don't recall a connection being directly made, but it sure seems likely....especially given that 4-5 years real time is roughly equivalent to 1 year Marvel Time, which puts that story perhaps a year or less distant from the Dark Reign story.
In Reality-10511, Heimerdinger's work was the basis for Roxxon's Deathlok/Peacelok program (see comments).
H.A.M.M.E.R.: The acronym that wasn't. I guess the writer couldn't come up with the substance to match the style.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs should be distinguished from:
Agent D18, at least, could direct a dismembered limb
from great distances (or perhaps Heimerdinger could remotely control
the limb).
(Wolverine: Weapon X#13 (fb) - BTS) - Osborn sent Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs into the World.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (fb) - BTS) - Sensing it was under attack, the World created Weapon XVI (aka Allgod), a living religion virus that attacked the faith reserves, putting any being with any type of faith under its control.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - Seeking to thwart Osborn, Noh-Varr (aka Marvel Boy) informed Wolverine of this plot, and the pair flew to the World to oppose Osborn's effort.
Upon their arrival, however, Wolverine swiftly fell under the influence of Weapon XVI and pursued Noh-Varr alongside the artificial created/evolved superhuman breeding stock of the World (also under Allgod's influence) and a number of the zombie cyborgs.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - The nature or the World (or perhaps it was Allgod's influence) prevented communication to and from the zombie cyborgs within.
(Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 - BTS) - Fantomex
(also a creation of the World) joined forces with Noh-Varr (both of whom were atheists), leading him
to the World's brain and having him kiss the brain, convincing it that
they were not a threat. 
As a result, the World released its hold on
Wolverine.
(Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - Heimerdinger's zombie cyborgs then confronted and engaged Fantomex,
Noh-Varr, and Wolverine, who made short work of them.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - When Agent D-18, the last of the zombie cyborgs, obtained a portion of the World's brain, Wolverine cut off the arm holding the brain fragment before stabbing D18 in the chest.
As the heroes headed off, however, D-18's hand, complete with the brain fragment, began crawling away.
(Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1) - As the brain-carrying D18's hand tried to cross a road outside the Worl, a truck ran over D-18's hand (terminating D-18), and the brain fragment was left on the road.
--Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1images: (without ads)
Dark
Reign: The List: Wolverine#1, story pg. 7, panel 3 (main: Noh-Varr vs.
two zombie cyborgs and some World creation/servants);
pg. 17, panel 1 (challenging the heroes);
panel 3 (vs. Fantomex, Noh-Varr, and Wolverine);
pg. 18, panel 2 (two vs. Noh-Varr);
pg. 19, panel 2 (D18 full, with a handfull of brain);
panel 3 (D18 disarmed);
pg. 22, panel 1 (D18's hand run over);
panel 3 (Project Deathlok)
Appearances:
Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine#1 (December, 2009) - Jason
Aaron (writer), Esad Ribic (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Jody
Leheup (assistant editor), Jeanine Shaefer and John Barber (editors)
Last updated: 02/26/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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