Proton Coagulation Ray (Rigellian technology; Thor & Iron Man stories)

PROTON COAGULATION RAY

proton_coagulation_ray-rigellian-blaster

Classification: Extraterrestrial (Rigellian) technology

Creator: Unidentified Rigellian(s)

Possessors: Rigellian Inspectors, at least

First Appearance: Thor I#131 (August, 1966)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Proton Coagulation Ray is a hand-held blaster that causes a highly durable cage of proton particles to form about a target.

History:
(Thor I#131 (fb) - BTS) - Traveling to Earth to evaluate Tana Nile's claim to that planet, a pair of Rigellian inspectors convened with Tana Nile.

(Thor I#131) - When Thor arrived, Tana used a Mind-Thrust to force him to his knees, but when he resisted that, one of the inspectors used a Proton Coagulant Beam at maximum intensity, sealing Thor in a proton cage.

Wishing to learn the true nature of the Colonizers, Thor chose to save his strength and not yet attempt to shatter the cage. Thor further considered that while the protons restrained him, they also shielded him from further attack.

proton_coagulation_ray-rigellian-cage-thor-shattered

(Thor I#131) - The inspectors then prepared to take Thor back to Rigel-3, hoping that by studying him, they could find a way to defeat the one within the Black Galaxy (Ego), the only other being to have resisted a mind-thrust.

The inspectors used their Gravity Nullifier to transport the Proton Cage down the hallway. After they reached the roof top, one of the inspectors used the Visi-Rod to make their craft visible, while the other guided the proton cage into their ship via the Gravity Nullifier, and they departed for Rigel-3.

After the Rigellians announced that their trajectory was assured and they were en route to Rigel-3, Thor briefly strained his muscles, shattering the Proton Cage, after which he confronted and defeated the pair of Rigellian Inspectors.

proton_coagulation_ray-rigellian-im110-blast

(Iron Man I#110) - As Iron Man and Jack of Hearts emerged through a warp from Earth's moon into a Rigellian Colonizer ship, the Rigellians scrambled to activate their defense systems.

The systems used a Proton Coagulant Ray (see comments), which hit them "dead-center," forming a <virtually> unshatterable casing of proton particles from the energy of the transporter itself.

(Iron Man I#110 (fb) - BTS) - Iron Man's glove unit magnetized the congealing protons, polarizing them so that they could be shattered.

proton_coagulation_ray-rigellian-im110-shattered

(Iron Man I#110) - Although the Rigellians initially considered the intruders to be trapped, Observer X-9 soon pointed out to Chief Engineer Y-17 that the casing was cracking.

After Y-17 noted that this had only happened once before in recorded history, Iron Man and Jack of Hearts broke out of the cage, and Iron Man confirmed that the previous occasion of such an occurrence was when they had tried to contain Thor.

(Iron Man I#112) - Seemingly via mind-thrust, Arcturus imprisoned Observer YJ-18 in a proton shell when he argued with Arcturus regarding his threats to colonize Earth.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta.

The Proton Cage is shown in both images of the Gravity Nullifier profile.

In Iron Man I#110, the weapon is called a "Photon" coagulant ray, but the cage is still referred to as being made of protons by both the Rigellians and Iron Man, so presumably "photon" was a typo/error.

I don't have listings of appearances for all of the Rigellian technology, so I'll profile what I know, and as I go through all of the Rigellian appearances in the process of building a Rigellian profile, I'll add additional appearances as I find them. If you know of more, let me know...

Thanks to Donald Campbell for reminding me of the Iron Man I#110 appearance.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Proton Coagulation Ray should be distinguished from:

PROTON (Geldoff* ) - Fifty-State Initiative program. Generate and project explosive balls of energy--Avengers: The Initiative#9
Proton Beam - powerful energy weapon against which Professor Stromm sacrificed his life to spare the Hulk--Tales to Astonish I#66/2
Proton Beam - weapon--Tales of Suspense I#87
Proton Gun - hand-held weapon used by Iron Man, could fire only one shot --Tales of Suspense I#70
Hyperatomic Anti-Proton Cannon - Doctor Pym-designed technology, 16' cannon able to vaporize a whole building; shrunken and lost by Pym, unwittingly eaten by Wonder Man to minimal negative effect--Avengers West Coast Annual#5/5
other "Proton" weapons, etc.

images: (without ads):
Thor I#131, pg. 11, panel 3 (ray used on Thor);
            panel 4 (Thor within Proton Cage; vertical);
        pg. 13, panel 1 (Thor within Proton Cage; horizontal);
            panel 5 (Thor breaking free from Proton Cage)

Appearances:
Thor I#131 (August, 1966) - Smilin' Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jolly Jack Kirby (penciler), Vivacious Vince Colletta (inker)
Iron Man I#110 (May, 1978) - Boisterous Bill Mantlo (writer), Keith Pollard (penciler), Fred Kida (inker), Alert Archie Goodwin (editor)
Iron Man I#112 (July, 1978) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Keith Pollard (penciler), Fred Kida (inker), Jim Shooter (editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First posted: 09/05/2022
Last updated: 01/15/2023

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