UMBRAL DYNAMICS

Membership: Drone Surroguards, Caroline le Fay, Scorpia (Elaine Coll), Titania (Mary MacPherran), various guards and scientists;
infiltrated by Machine Man (X-51)

Purpose: To secretly utilize the radiation from radioactive superhumans to revive the Presence (Sergei Krylov) under the guise of capturing superhumans for their own protection

Aliases: None

Affiliations: The Presence (Sergei Krylov);
formerly the Mercs for Money (Deadpool/"Wade Wilson," Foolkiller/Greg Salinger, Slapstick/Steve Harmon, Solo/James Bourne, Stingray/Walt Newell, Terror of Earth-88194)

Enemies: Cobalt Man (Ralph Roberts), the Mercs for Money (Deadpool/"Wade Wilson," Domino/Neena Thurman, Gorilla-Man/Ken Hale, Machine Man/X-51, Masacre), Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Ellie Phimister), Nuke (Frank Simpson), Nuklo (Robert Frank, Jr.), Radioactive Man (Chen Lu)

Base of Operations: Umbral Dynamics Headquarters, Bagalia

First Appearance: Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1 (September, 2016)

History: (Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4 (fb) - BTS) - Secretly organized by Caroline le Fay as part of her attempts to destroy the world, Umbral Dynamics captured radioactive superhumans to siphon off their radiation in an effort to revive the radioactive Presence, all under the guise of using science to help the world.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics hired Deadpool's Mercs for Money to abduct certain individuals, claiming it was for their own protection. Telling Deadpool that the individuals were being taken for the additional protection of their families and communities, Umbral Dynamics paid Deadpool a deposit check on the condition that Deadpool not ask too many questions about Umbral's project.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics identified the mutant Negasonic Teenage Warhead as a potential source of radiation and a danger to herself. Umbral then dispatched the Mercs for Money to Albuquerque, New Mexico to apprehend Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics' check cleared shortly before the Mercs for Money left on their mission to apprehend Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics identified Chen Lu, the Radioactive Man, as a major source of radiation and an extreme danger to himself.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1) - After apprehending Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Deadpool and his Mercs for Money delivered her to an Umbral Dynamics drop point, where they greeted by men in radiation suits, prompting Deadpool to ask if his Mercs should have been issued radiation suits of their own. One of the Umbral men assured Deadpool they would be fine, as Negasonic Teenage Warhead was not yet emitting any radiation, but when Deadpool began to have doubts about turning Negasonic Teenage Warhead over to Umbral, the man assured him that Negasonic Teenage Warhead would be given the best care possible. The man then gave Deadpool details on their next target via flash drive and assured Deadpool that they would need to bring the target back alive. The man also warned Deadpool that the Mercs would have their work cut out for them with the next target, suggesting they wear protective gear and warning that the target may not come along peacefully. Deadpool then admitted that they might have better luck if they knew why they were apprehending certain targets but the man reminded Deadpool that he had agreed not to ask too many questions and that the Mercs were being paid for their indifference to Umbral's project. The man then asked if questions were going to be a problem and Deadpool responded by assuring the man that they would not and asking the man to forget Deadpool had said anything. Deadpool then returned to the Mercs, announcing that their next target would not be a little kid and that they would have to work harder on the next mission, reminding the Mercs that they were apprehending targets so they could get the help they deserved.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics dispatched the Mercs for Money to a remote location in Vietnam to apprehend the Radioactive Man.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#2 - BTS) - After having the heroic Gorilla-Man lead them in the Vietnamese jungles to apprehend Radioactive Man the Mercs for Money discussed the danger of the next target, to which Deadpool replied that Umbral Dynamics had hired them to bring in targets for their own protection. When the Mercs found Radioactive Man and a battle ensued, Radioactive Man refused to go with the Mercs, commenting that he had heard rumors of what happened to the Mercs' target and Umbral's torture of subjects. Warning the Mercs not to ally with forces of evil, Radioactive Man accused Umbral of potentially using the Radioactive Man's powers to unleash terrors even he couldn't imagine but Radioactive Man was ultimately apprehended when Stingray used a R.A.M. cannon against him. Following the successful apprehension of the target, Radioactive Man, Deadpool walked outside to get some air, where he monologued that perhaps he needed air for a variety of reasons, including his moral compass being on the blink, Radioactive Man being full of "bunk," the Mercs' talk of unspeakable terror or perhaps his opinion that Umbral Dynamics was a force of evil and torture.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3 (fb) - BTS) - Umbral Dynamics provided Deadpool and the Mercs for Money with information on their next target, Nuklo. At some point, the heroic Machine Man joined up with Umbral Dynamics as an undercover operation to learn more about the group. Machine Man soon learned of Umbral's true plans and became determined to stop them from within.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3) - After capturing the Cobalt Man, Deadpool delivered him to an Umbral Dynamics drop point, where a helicopter landed to pick up Cobalt Man. Umbral employee Machine Man met with Deadpool while Umbral employees secured the retired Cobalt Man and whispered to Deadpool that he had been working for Umbral undercover and that Deadpool needed to contact the Avengers or X-Men or someone who could stop Umbral's plans. Machine Man then returned to the other Umbral employees to board their helicopter in an effort to not blow his cover. Somewhat surprised, Deadpool returned to the Mercs for Money's base and announced that he no longer thought Umbral Dynamics was on the up-and-up and needed the Mercs' help in setting things right. Finding the headquarters empty, Deadpool decided to take on Umbral Dynamics by himself.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4) - Deadpool parachuted into Umbral Dynamics' headquarters in Bagalia, taking down several guards as he made his way further inside, unaware that Umbral Dynamics was observing his moves via robotic surveillance drones. Ordering a squad of guards to detain Deadpool, Umbral Dynamics soon realized the time stamps on the surveillance drones had been tampered with and that Deadpool was right on top of them. Deadpool then revealed that Machine Man had helped him bypass Umbral's security systems and he forced one of the scientists to tell him where Umbral's prisoners were being kept. Disguising himself as a scientist, Deadpool ventured into Umbral's labs, where he was assaulted by several Drone Surroguards that he made quick work of before forcing an Umbral scientist to tell him where Negasonic Teenage Warhead was being kept. The scientist did as he was told but warned Deadpool that Negasonic Teenage Warhead's power levels were higher than any other in Umbral's charge. Deadpool nonetheless freed Negasonic Teenage Warhead but was then assaulted by secret Umbral Dynamics agents Titania and Scorpia, who attempted to make sure Negasonic Teenage Warhead stayed captured. As the battle progressed, one of Umbral's surveillance drones projected a hologram of Caroline le Fay, who revealed herself as the secret boss of Umbral Dynamics and wished to end things peacefully. Caroline further revealed that she had been acquiring radioactive superhumans to use their enemies to revive the radioactive Presence. Caroline then unleashed the revived Presence, who knocked Deadpool out in the woods, where he came face-to-face with his new team of Mercs for Money.

(Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#5) - Deadpool and his new Mercs for Money returned to Umbral Dynamics' headquarters and found that Negasonic Teenage Warhead had been recaptured by Umbral. During the battle, Deadpool accidentally freed Radioactive Man, who was too weak to fight, and soon, most of the Mercs for Money had been downed by Umbral and their agents. Domino managed to use her probability powers to fire a bullet that cracked the tubes housing Negasonic Teenage Warhead and the other captives. While the Mercs for Money took the fight directly to the Presence, Deadpool convinced Negasonic Teenage Warhead to use her powers in an attempt to end the fight for good. Negasonic Teenage Warhead managed to absorb the radiation that had revived the Presence, dispersing his energies and the gloating hologram of Caroline le Fay. Following the return to the Mercs' Schaffer Theater headquarters, Deadpool announced how great his plan had been but Domino reminded Deadpool that it was his working for Umbral Dynamics in the first place that had given Umbral Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

Comments: Created by Cullen Bunn and Iban Coello.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Umbral Dynamics has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4, p8, pan1 (Umbral Dynamics agents working in a lab, main image)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1, p17, pan2 (Umbral Dynamics agents in radiation suits)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3, p18, pan5 (Umbral Dynamics boarding their helicopter with undercover Machine Man)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4, p3, pan1 (Umbral Dynamics soldiers)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4, p5, pan5 (Umbral Dynamics scientists)

Appearances:
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#1 (September, 2016) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (art), Jordan D. White (editor)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#2 (October, 2016) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (art), Jordan D. White (editor)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#3 (November, 2016) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (art), Heather Antos, Jordan D. White (editors)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#4 (December, 2016) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (art), Heather Antos, Jordan D. White (editors)
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money II#5 (January, 2017) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (art), Heather Antos, Jordan D. White (editors)

First Posted: 03/13/2019
Last updated: 03/15/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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