IRON RING
Real Name: Melissa Morbeck
Identity/Class: Human technology user
Occupation: Criminal; former CEO of multiple companies
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Baron Mordo (Karl Mordo), "Commando Tiny Jerk", Doctor Bear, Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom), Doombear, Dormammu, Fin Fang Foom, Leader (Samuel Sterns), M.O.D.O.K. (George Tarleton), Mr. Bettany, Mr. Paul, Taskmaster (Tony Masters), Wednesday the cat, Whiplash (Anton Vanko); formerly Alfredo the Chicken, Chef Bear
Enemies: Alfedo the Chicken, the Avengers (Black Panther/T'Challa, Blade/Eric Brooks, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Thor/Odinson), G'illian Blax'zthor, Brain Drain (Werner Schmidt), Chef Bear, Chipmunk Hunk (Tomas Lara-Perez), Chrrt-Chuk race, Galactus, Hippo, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Koi Boi (Ken Shiga), Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff), Mary Mahajan, Mole Man (Harvey Elder), Ms. Chloe, Ratatoskr, Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich), Sentinel X-42903-22, Sootori, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Squirrel Girl (Doreen Green), Thor (Jane Foster), Thor (Odinson), Tippy-Toe, Tree Lobster, Nancy Whitehead
Known Relatives: Uunidentified mother, unidentified grandmother
Aliases: Inmate #49420
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17 (April, 2017)
Powers/Abilities: A multi-millionaire computer genius and engineer, Melissa Morbeck has perfected a nano-tech chip that, when inserted into an animal's brain, allows her to communicate with the animal and to influence their thoughts and decisions. In time, Morbeck built the massive supercomputer Mark VI, which allowed her greater control of the animals. Morbeck began sending animals out as spies, in places as powerful as the White House, and she has gathered vast amounts of information on people around the world; she also controlled animals in revenge schemes against personal and business rivals. Morbeck has owned many different companies, including one that implanted microscopic chips into animals. Morbeck has an advanced security system, one that records faces and takes measurements of guests, and she is capable of having new super-suits, enhanced with tech, designed quickly to give to operatives. She once assembled a group of bears armed with guns as her guards, and had other bears acting as her chef and doctor.
Morbeck once hacked Tony Stark's computer, giving her access, and over time, control, to his technology, and she built herself a suit of armor equipped with repulsor rays, calling herself the Iron Ring. She also equipped several operatives with armor. Morbeck has at times used stolen teleportation technology and Pym Particles. Morbeck also downloaded alien technology, enhancing her systems, and building Brain Drain an upgraded body.
Height: 5'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 130 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
History:
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18 (fb) - BTS) - Melissa Morbeck grew up hearing stories about how her grandmother used tricks to get a moth to mess up scientist Grace Hopper's computer in 1947, and how Melissa's own mother dedicated her life to trying to control and communicate with animals. Melissa remained obsessed through her life with perfecting the ability to speak with animals.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck made sure to go to school far away from home.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17 (fb) - BTS) - A graduate of Empire State University, Morbeck donated a lot of money to the school over the years.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck launched her own engineering firm and it was very successful. In time, Morbeck began hearing about the hero Squirrel Girl, who could talk to and control squirrels, Morbeck believed, and she suddenly realized her dream was possible.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) ) - Morbeck designed computer chips that could be implanted into animals, giving her the ability to communicate with and control animals, and she perfected the tech. She began sending animals out as her spies, including Wednesday the cat, the president's dog, and birds outside Iron Man's window. With access to expanding tech, including that of Doctor Doom and Iron Man, Morbeck built a super-computer, which she called the Mark VI, granting her even greater control over animals. She also stole teleportation technology from the Avengers.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck went on to own dozens of companies, becoming a multi-millionaire in time. One of her more un-profitable companies focused on implanting microscopic chips into animals in veterinary offices, in zoos, in nature preserves, and in circuses, giving her the ability to communicate with and control animals all around the world.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck trained and employed Chef Bear as her personal chef.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck trained several other bears to work for her, including Mr. Paul and Mr. Bettany as her butlers.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck also trained Commando Tiny Jerk as security and Dr. Bear in medical.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) ) - Morbeck used her skills to put herself forward in business, or to get revenge on people who inconvenienced her. She used Canadian geese to force a plane to land, and used animals to knock people over regularly.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck used her animal intelligences to determine the true identity of Squirrel Girl: Doreen Green. She then discovered two other young people who could talk to animals, Ken Shiga, also known as Koi Boi, and Tomas Lara-Perez, also known as Chipmunk Hunk. She used her skills and connections to get all three accepted into Empire State University. Morbeck monitored Squirrel Girl's adventures, finding inspiration in some, and she gathered a cache of Pym Particles.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18 (fb) - BTS) - Ready to meet Squirrel Girl in person, Morbeck arranged to give a lecture at her college.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17) - Morbeck was introduced to a classroom full of students (including Doreen Green, Nancy Whitehead, Ken Shiga, Mary Mahajan, Brian Drayne, and Tomas Lara-Perez) as a guest lecturer who was donating her time, even though world leaders pay her thousands of dollars for even brief consultations. Morbeck gave a lecture on human deaths as a result of computer programming errors. Afterwards, Morbeck invited Doreen over for tea at her home. While there, Morbeck dropped several hints that she knew of Doreen's secret identity. In an attempt to win Doreen over, Morbeck revealed that she could talk to chickens, introducing Doreen to Alfredo the Chicken as evidence, then revealing she could talk to all animals. Morbeck turned down Doreen's invitation to join her in fighting crime, and instead offered to bankroll her, giving her a costume that would allow her to fly and glide. Doreen soon called in to report she had successfully bested the Rhino with her flying suit.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck watched as Doreen used her new suit to help stop a bank robber named Louis "The Chef" Hastings, who she then helped rehabilitate. Morbeck was disgusted.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18) - Morbeck saw Doreen come to visit with Nancy Whitehead, Chipmunk Hunk, and Koi Boi, and after having her computers measure the two males, she promised to make them flying suits. Morbeck asked to speak to Doreen alone, and was annoyed when she insisted that Nancy stay with her. Nancy caught Morbeck in some lies, exposing that she had nefarious intentions, so Morbeck had the bears lock them in. Doreen grabbed Nancy and burst through the window to escape, then summoned Tippy-Toe and other squirrels, but Morbeck summoned rats to counter her. Doreen tried flying away with Nancy, but Morbeck caused her suit to malfunction and crash, then she promised to let Nancy and the squirrels go if Doreen came inside with her to hear her plans, and Morbeck swiftly realized that Squirrel Girl had no potential to be an ally as she was too idealistic. Morbeck summoned animals from the local zoo to surround her house so the police couldn't enter.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19) - Morbeck continued to brag about her schemes, ranting about her history, and showing her the Mark VI, then she had a cockroach implant it in her own ear before using the teleporter to escape while Doreen battled the bears.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 - BTS) - Morbeck spent weeks strategizing, then she had a plane with a banner announce that Doctor Doom was attacking the city with mosquitoes, frightening the public.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#20) - Morbeck had Doombear, a bear in a Doctor Doom costume, reveal itself to Squirrel Girl and her allies, and Morbeck spoke through the bear, revealing she planned to frame Squirrel Girl for the animal and mosquito attacks across the city. Morbeck, positioned in a helicopter over the city, was challenged by Squirrel Girl to face her directly, and Morbeck did so, speaking over a megaphone and knowing that the media was recording every move. Squirrel Girl, Chipmunk Hunk, and Koi Boi battled the animal army while Mary and Nancy worked on creating an EMP. Tippy-Toe shaved off her fur to pose as a rat, then she ran directly up to Morbeck and detonated the EMP, shorting out her ability to control the animals. Morbeck was arrested and Detective Mike Corson at first didn't know who to believe until Thor (Odinson), Thor (Jane Foster), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), and Iron Man (Tony Stark) vouched for Squirrel Girl's character, and Morbeck was arrested. Later, as Inmate #49420, Morbeck was visited by a woman who unmasked herself as Ratatoskr.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#47 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck, out of jail, kidnapped Brain Drain.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#48 (fb) - BTS) - Morbeck set Brain Drain up with a new super-powered tank body, while incorporating some of his alien technology to allow her greater control over machines. Morbeck also began sneaking small amounts of code into Stark's company, allowing her to develop control over his armor systems.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#47 - BTS) - Morbeck publicly revealed Squirrel Girl's secret identity. Then she had her apartment blown up. Morbeck then addressed a room full of powerful super-villains, including Whiplash, Leader, Baron Mordo, Fin Fang Foom, Taskmaster, Dormammu, M.O.D.O.K., and Doctor Doom, and she proposed they team up to control the world and defeat Squirrel Girl.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#48) - Doctor Doom lectured how he was the superior intellect before all of the villains agreed to work with Morbeck for the time being, and she showed them Brain Drain in his new tank body. Morbeck met Squirrel Girl, Tippy-Toe, Nancy Whitehead, Chipmunk Hunk, Koi Boi, and Mary Mahajan in Central Park and declared her intent to ruin their lives. When Iron Man arrived, Morbeck easily took control of his armor and then put the armor on herself. Calling herself the Iron Ring, Morbeck hit Squirrel Girl with a repulsor ray before having her super-villain allies attack. Morbeck then had Brain Drain attack in his new enhanced form.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#49) - After blasting Squirrel Girl back, Iron Ring watched her forces fight Squirrel Girl, her friends, and an army of squirrels. The Avengers attacked, having been alerted to the battle by the media, but Morbeck summoned more Iron Man armor parts and equipped her allies with them. Squirrel Girl had a new set of allies arrive, including Ratatoskr, Rhino, Ms. Chloe, Kraven the Hunter, Sentinel X-42903-22, G'illian Blax'zthor, Hippo, Sootori, the Chrt-Chuk, Mole Man, Chef Bear, the Tree Lobster, and Alfredo the Chicken. Impatient, Doctor Doom set off a bomb that would kill everyone there in seconds, and Squirrel Girl threw herself on the bomb to protect her friends.
(Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#50) - Squirrel Girl survived the bomb, but then Morbeck and her friends tried to destroy her, but Galactus arrived to intervene and froze time. Becoming aware, Morbeck realized she was in a jail cell with her criminal allies, all of her armor taken away.
Comments: Created by Ryan North and Erica Henderson.
Grace Hopper is a real famous person.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Iron Ring has no known connections to:
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Louis "The Chef" Hastings (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Louis "The Chef" Hastings ran into financial trouble and began robbing banks to support himself. He then baked money into cakes to give to others. (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) ) - Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe stopped Hastings from committing a robbery, then helped him learn how to better plan for his financial future instead of arresting him. --Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 ([19 (fb)], 19 (fb) |
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Wednesday the cat (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) - BTS) - Melissa Morbeck placed micro-chips in many animals to control them, then sent them out to spy on others. (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 (fb) ) - Wednesday was held by a little girl. --Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19 ([19 (fb)], 19 (fb) |
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images: (without ads)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#48, p15, pan1 (Iron Ring)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17, p8, pan1 (face)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#18, cover (main)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19, p8, pan5 (Louis "The Chef" Hastings)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#19, p5, pan3 (Wednesday the cat)
Appearances:
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#17-20 (April-July, 2017) - Ryan North (writer), Erica Henderson (artist), Will Moss (editor)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#47 (October, 2019) - Ryan North (writer), Derek Charm (artist), Will Moss (editor)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#48 (November, 2019) - Ryan North (writer), Derek Charm, Michael Cho, Evan Shaner (artists), Will Moss (editor)
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl II#49-50 (December, 2019-January, 2020) - Ryan North (writer), Derek Charm (artist), Will Moss (editor)
First Posted: 08/22/2020
Last updated: 08/22/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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