MAINFRAME

Real Name: Ian Wajler

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Mercenary, inventor

Group Membership: Cybertek Systems Inc. (Stanley Cross, Billy Hansen, Dr. Fox Hu, Ben Jacobs, Dr. Kimble, Harlan Ryker, others)

Affiliations: Beetle (Abner Jenkins), CIA (especially Gullivar South), Caesar Cicero, Cyberwarriors, Dragonflies (One, Two, Three), Hydro-Man (Morris Bench), Roxxon (especially Clayton Burr), Silvermane (Silvio Manfredi), Terminals (Number One, Number Two, Number Three, Number Four, Number Five, Number Six, Number Seven, Number Eight);
formerly Ben Jacobs, Scorpia (Elaine Coll)

Enemies: A.I.M., Jesus Badalemente, Coldblood (Eric Savin), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Deathlok (Michael Collins), Jim Dworman, Guardsman (Patrick Herbert), Ben Jacobs, Quasimodo, Scorpia (Elaine Coll), Siege (John Kelly), Silver Sable (Silver Sablinova), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wesely Foundation, Wild Pack (Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins, Amy Chen, Crippler/Carl Striklan, Doug Powell, Raul Quentino)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: A series of secret underground labs owned by Cybertek in Paris;
   formerly an abandoned junkyard in Brooklyn, New York City;
   formerly imprisoned at the Vault, Colorado Rocky Mountain Base;
   formerly Cybertek headquarters in Paterson, New Jersey;

First Appearance: Deathlok I#2 (August, 1990)

Powers/Abilities: Due to cybernetic remote servo-technology implants in his brain Mainframe possesses long-range technopathy, the ability to manipulate and control electronic devices. This included not only high-tech like the cyborg Cyberwarriors, Dragonflies, Guardsmen armors, a hovercraft, the SQ 1 Deep Sea Attack Craft, Terminals armors, Ben Jacob's exoskeleton, Scorpia's cybernetic suit or any kind of security or communications systems but also lower tech like regular construction vehicles. Mainframe's remote servo-technology was specifically modified to broadcast directly to Deathlok's main operating system enabling him to control Deathlok within a one hundred meter range.

Mainframe is ruthless, uncaring and is only out for profit, betraying others left and right if it served him. He is not much of a fighter despite his well-trained body and often ended up knocked out by a single hit.

Height: 6' (by approximation)
Weight: 210 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Brown or blond

History:
(Deathlok I#2) - Harlan Ryker hired Mainframe to hunt down rogue cyborg Deathlok (Michael Collins). Stanley Cross put a bug on Collins' friend Jim Dworman and traced a call he made to Coney Island. Mainframe was ready to roll out with a crew of operatives to capture Deathlok. He took a van with eight Terminals to Coney Island where he oversaw the hunt for Deathlok and tell Deathlok via microphone to turn himself in. When Terminals One through Six decided to flee during their battle with Deathlok Mainframe took control over them and sent Seven and Eight to continue the battle against Deathlok. Mainframe then contacted SQ1 to activate it. Before long Deathlok was surrounded by the Terminals under Mainframe's control, but he escaped their attack while SQ1 released three Dragonflies into the sky. When Ryker asked Mainframe to shut down the operation because it had become too public, Mainframe pulled out the ground troops, releasing the Terminals from his control so they could flee by foot. Mainframe then took control over one of the Dragonflies to initiate a kamikaze attack on Deathlok, but Deathlok just jumped on to the jet. Mainframe controlled the jet to shake off Deathlok and drop him into the ocean where SQ1 was already waiting for him. Mainframe took control over SQ1 and entangled Deathlok with SQ1's tentacles. Deathlok broke free and jumped on to one of the Dragonflies. Mainframe decided to crash the plan into the ground, but Deathlok restored cockpit control so the pilot could land it. Mainframe left the van to check on the Dragonfly and SQ1, but both were inoperable. Deathlok's ally Jesus Badalemente took a shot at Mainframe and missed. Mainframe was then arrested by the local police.

(Deathlok II#8 (fb) - BTS) - Mainframe was sent to the Vault where he became a model prisoner. He befriended Guardsman Patrick Herbert by giving him stock info. The guards were unaware that Mainframe was honing his abilities to eventually crash the security systems and seize control of a Guardsman armor.

(Deathlok II#8) - Herbert delivered cigarettes to Mainframe and thanked him once again for the stock info. Mainframe thanked Herbert by crashing the security screens and taking over Herbert's Guardsman armor to force him to open his cell. Mainframe then used his control over the armor to force Herbert to take off his helmet. Mainframe proceeded to knock out Herbert and put on the Guardsman armor himself to blend in with the other Guardsmen to escape the Vault.

(Deathlok II#8 - BTS) - Deathlok received a communications alert to inform him of Mainframe's escape from the Vault.

(Deathlok II#8) - Mainframe set up shop at an abandoned junkyard in Brooklyn. He created an exoskeleton for Ben Jacobs to enable him to walk once again. Even though Jacobs wanted to kill Deathlok, Mainframe convinced Jacobs to let Deathlok live and instead help Mainframe override Deathlok's operating system so Mainframe could gain control over Deathlok and then lease him to others for profit. Jacobs begrudgingly agreed to the plan because he felt like he owed Mainframe, but still wanted to get revenge on the man inside Deathlok as soon as they were finished with him. Mainframe still knew about Deathlok's Coney Island hideout so he and Jacobs made their way to a construction site there. Mainframe took control over several construction vehicles, threatening the lives of innocent workers. Deathlok arrived to save the day and spotted Jacobs and Mainframe while saving everyone on the construction site from cranes, excavators and other technology gone mad. Deathlok went after Mainframe, but was warned by his computer that Mainframe's abilities had been tweaked to control Deathlok within a one hundred meter range. Mainframe took a shot at taking over Deathlok when he was close enough and succeeded. Ben Jacobs inserted a disc into Deathlok's arm and controlled by Mainframe Deathlok saluted his new masters.

   A short time later Mainframe forced Deathlok to attack A.I.M. Research Facility #13 in Stamford, Connecticut to steal back the Cybertek research they had acquired. Mainframe controlled Deathlok to attack A.I.M. agents while Jacobs, sitting in a new battle mech, did the same. Deathlok still tried to regain control, but Mainframe mocked him for his efforts. When the local police and army reserves arrived to deal with the situation Mainframe tried to override Deathlok's "no killing" parameter to kill them, but Deathlok fought back and finally broke Mainframe's control over him. Mainframe injured his arm when he fell off Jacobs' battle mech when Deathlok attacked. When Jacobs tried to crush Deathlok's head Mainframe took control over Jacobs' exoskeleton to force him to drop Deathlok, who was far too valuable to Mainframe alive. Mainframe then controlled Jacobs to pick him up and fly away with the battle mech to escape the authorities. Jacobs was furious at Mainframe for taking away his opportunity to kill Deathlok, but he was helpless to do anything about it while his exoskeleton was controlled by Mainframe.

(Deathlok II#18) - Out of prison Ryker contacted his former employees, including Mainframe to rejoin Cybertek. Mainframe arrived after Jacobs had helped improve the weapons systems of Cybertek's Cyberwarriors in one of their secret underground laboratories in Paris. Mainframe was glad to see Ryker out of prison and Ryker was impressed by his work on Jacobs, who immediately tried to attack Mainframe. Ryker considered it unfortunate that Mainframe needed to control Jacobs to not get killed by him, but there was no other way at that point.

   Mainframe later controlled Jacobs, in his battle mech, to prepare the Cyberwarriors for transport by carrying the stasis tubes they were placed in to the right location. When Deathlok, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack attacked the lab Mainframe took control over a flying hovercraft to get out of harm's way and use several Cyberwarriors to attack the mercenaries while Jacobs took care of Deathlok. Silver Sable surmised that Mainframe was in control of the Cyberwarriors, but he quickly put up the hovercraft's force field before Silver Sable could shoot him.

(Deathlok II#19) - Mainframe continued to use the Cyberwarriors to attack the mercenaries, but when Deathlok released the mind of John Kelly to take over one of the Cyberwarriors the other Cyberwarriors began to fall at his might. Mainframe saw them losing some of the Cyberwarriors and wanted to know from Jacobs what was going on, but Jacobs didn't care because he was only interested in killing Deathlok. With the situation becoming dire Mainframe contacted Ryker to inform him that they had been ambushed by Deathlok, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack and that somehow he had lost control over one of the Cyberwarriors. Ryker ordered Mainframe to pull out immediately before they lost more Cyberwarriors, who had already been sold to the Genesis Coalition. Mainframe reasserted control over Jacobs to force him to blow a hole in the underground base with his battle mech and flood the lab and escape in the chaos. The Cyberwarrior controlled by John Kelly followed Mainframe, who ordered Jacobs to initiate a transmission sequence to teleport away and they succeeded to escape with the remaining Cyberwarriors.

(Deathlok II#20) - Mainframe and Jacobs arrived in another hidden Cybertek lab in Paris. Mainframe listened while Jacobs told Ryker that he overheard that one of the Cyberwarriors was taken over by former Deathlok John Kelly, who was presumed dead. Ryker and Mainframe both saw marketing possibilities in this accidental storing of a human mind on a microchip and transferring it into another body. When Deathlok, Coldblood and Siege (the Cyberwarrior controlled by John Kelly's mind) attacked the base Mainframe took control over the other Cyberwarriors once again to fight of the trio of cyborgs, but Coldblood knocked Mainframe out to end the threat.

(Deathlok II#21) - Mainframe was out cold in front of Coldblood and was taken into custody.

(Spider-Man: Power of Terror#3 (fb) - BTS) - Mainframe somehow escaped again.

(Spider-Man: Power of Terror#3) - Silvermane hired Mainframe, who developed new technology to transfer Silvermane's mind into Deathlok's body. Mainframe was revealed as an employee of Silvermane after Deathlok was captured by Silvermane's agents Scorpia, Beetle and Hydro-Man. While overseeing the transfer Mainframe realized that they would only be able to transfer a copy of Silvermane's mind into Deathlok because Deathlok had altered his programming so much. Mainframe told Cicero that the real Silvermane would remain in his own body, but in a coma-like state and that it could take months before he regained consciousness. Mainframe then completed the transfer to give Silvermane control over the Deathlok cyborg.

(Spider-Man: Power of Terror#4) - Deathlok (Silvermane) led Cicero, a few of his henchmen and Mainframe in an attack on the Wesely Foundation, a secret military intelligence safehouse and weapons research facility. On Deathlok (Silvermane)'s order Mainframe shut off all outgoing communication and internal security. When they confronted a group of scientists, who planned to use new armors against the villains, Mainframe took control over one of the armors while Deathlok (Silvermane) took down the others. Spider-Man and Daredevil arrived to stop Deathlok (Silvermane). Spider-Man was nearly killed by the armor under Mainframe's control because he didn't pay attention to his own Spider-Senses, but Scorpia, who had followed the heroes to get revenge on Silvermane for betraying her (he knocked her out last issue to convince Spider-Man and Daredevil that he was the real Deathlok), saved him. Mainframe took control over Scorpia's cybernetic suit and forced her to fight Spider-Man until Daredevil knocked out Mainframe with his staff. Freed from Mainframe's control Scorpia attacked Deathlok (Silvermane) alongside Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Punisher.

(Dark Reign Files) - Gullivar South, working for the CIA, on an assignment in Cuba was aided by Mainframe to subdue the robot Quasimodo. Though Mainframe subdued him within seconds, Quasimodo's RAM were damaged in the process.

(Dark Reign Files) - Quasimodo researched Mainframe for Norman Osborn.

Comments: Created by Dwayne McDuffie, Gregory Wright, Jackson Guice & Scott Williams.

This profile was completed 03/14/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary's celebratory event.

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Mainframe (Ian Wajler) should not be confused with:

The Dragonflies have no known connection to:

The SQ1 Deep Sea Attack Craft has no known connection to:

The Terminals have no known connection to:

Dragonflies

Dragonflies were fighter jets created by Cybertek Systems Inc. and piloted by Cybertek operatives. They were stored inside the SQ1 Deep Sea Attack Craft. SQ1 released Dragonflies One through Three during Cybertek's hunt for rogue cyborg Deathlok (Michael Collins). The Dragonflies' first assault damaged a rollercoaster so severely that Deathlok had to risk his own life to save innocents using the ride. Another Dragonfly attacked a news helicopter. While a third was taken over by Mainframe to attack Deathlok directly with a kamikaze maneuver, but Deathlok jumped on to the plane. Mainframe shook off Deathlok, dropping him into the ocean where SQ1 proceeded to attack Deathlok. Meanwhile the Dragonflies continued their attack on the news helicopter until Deathlok jumped from the ocean to hitch a ride back to the shore on one of them while taking it apart. Mainframe tried to crash the Dragonfly, but Deathlok restored cockpit control to allow the pilot to crash land it on the shore. The other two Dragonflies backed off and fled. The third crashed on the shore where Deathlok knocked out the pilot before facing off with SQ1 and Mainframe.

--Deathlok I#2

SQ1 Deep Sea Attack Craft

The SQ1 Deep Sea Attack Craft was created by Cybertek Systems Inc. and stored in an underwater base. It housed an unknown amount of Dragonflies jets inside. During Cybertek's hunt for rogue cyborg Deathlok (Michael Collins) SQ1 was sent to intercept the cyborg. Underwater it took course to Coney Island and released Dragonflies One through Three on the way there. When Deathlok dropped into the ocean after falling off of one of the Dragonflies he was attacked by SQ1, remote-controlled by Mainframe. It entangled Mainframe with its tentacles, but Deathlok broke free by firing at the tentacles. The damaged SQ1 was directed to the shore by Mainframe, but it was quickly rendered inoperable by Deathlok.

--Deathlok I#2

Terminals

The Terminal armors were created by Cybertek Systems Inc. and piloted by human operatives. Eight Terminals were taken to Coney Island by Mainframe in a van to use to catch rogue cyborg Deathlok (Michael Collins). The Terminals tracked down Deathlok and engaged him, endangering civilians left and right. Deathlok did his best to protect civilians while disarming the Terminals. When the Terminals' pilots decided to flee Mainframe took control over Terminals One through Six. He sent Terminals Seven and Eight after Deathlok. Eight believed to have taken down Deathlok after a hot dog sign seemingly crushed him and informed Mainframe, but Deathlok was still operating. The Terminals under Mainframe's control and Eight surrounded Deathlok and used flamethrowers against him, but Deathlok evaded the attack by jumping on to a rollercoaster. Mainframe released the Terminals from his control when Ryker asked him to shut down the operation because it had become too public. The Terminals ran away.

--Deathlok I#2

images (without ads)
Spider-Man: Power of Terror#3, p12, pan1 (main)
Deathlok I#2, p9, pan6 (dark head set)
Deathlok I#2, p44, pan4 (head shot)
Deathlok II#8, p8, pan7 (using powers)
Deathlok II#8, p18, pan1 (blue boots)
Deathlok I#2, p38, pan1 (Dragonflies)
Deathlok I#2, p39, pan1 (Dragonflies)
Deathlok I#2, p40, pan1 (SQ1)
Deathlok I#2, p23, pan1 (Terminals)
Deathlok I#2, p21, pan6 (Terminals)

Appearances:
Deathlok I#2 (August, 1990) - Dwayne McDuffie (script/plot), Gregory Wright (plot), Jackson Guice (pencils), Scott Williams (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Deathlok II#8 (February, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), John Hebert (pencils), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#18 (December, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (pencils), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#19 (January, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#20 (February, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Tom Raney & J.J Birch (pencils/inks), Mark McKenna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deathlok II#21 (March, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Walter McDaniel (pencils), Greg Adams (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Spider-Man: Power of Terror#3 (March, 1995) - Gregory Wright (writer), Darick Robertson (pencils), Malcolm Jones III & Lee Sullivan (inks), Mark Powers & Tom Brevoort (editor)
Spider-Man: Power of Terror#4 (April, 1995) - Gregory Wright (writer), Darick Robertson (pencils), Greg Adams & Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Dark Reign Files (2009)

First Posted: 09/25/2021
Last updated: 09/26/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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