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U-Foes

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(Redirected from Ironclad (comics))
Not to be confused with UFO (disambiguation).
U-Foes
Cover to Marvel Adventures: The Avengers by Sean Chen
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Incredible Hulk #254 (December 1980)
Created byBill Mantlo
Sal Buscema
In-story information
Member(s)Ironclad
Vapor
Vector
X-Ray

The U-Foes is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as enemies of the Hulk. The group consists of four members: Vector, the group's leader, who can repel matter telekinetically; Vapor, who can transform into any form of gaseous matter; X-Ray, who can generate and project radiation and fly; and Ironclad, who has a metallic body and can control his density.[1]

Publication history

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The U-Foes first appeared in The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #254 (Dec. 1980) and were created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema.[2] Per The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #254's credits, editor Al Milgrom designed the costumes of the U-Foes, while editor-in-chief Jim Shooter helped with the names of the U-Foes.

As noted on the first page of that issue, the group's name was inspired by the 1979 Graham Parker song "Waiting for the UFOs".[3]

Fictional team biography

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Simon Utrecht, a former politician and multi-millionaire, funds an operation to gain superpowers the same way the Fantastic Four had, by flying into space and being exposed to cosmic rays. He chooses three other members to join him: Ann Darnell, her younger brother Jimmy Darnell, and Mike Steel. What the group did not know was that they would be exposed to much higher amount than the Fantastic Four and that it would most likely kill them.[4] They successfully gain powers, but Bruce Banner brings their ship to safety before they can be killed. Banner transforms into the Hulk and a fight ensues, but the U-Foes lose due to their inexperience with their newly gained powers and inability to fight as a team. In the end, their own ongoing mutations incapacitate them, and the team is scattered as they lose control of their increasing abilities.[5]

Some time later, as their powers stabilize, the U-Foes reunite with the goal of revenge and making a name for themselves in the public eye by killing the Hulk. Though they find the Hulk a more formidable foe, with the intelligence of Bruce Banner then in control of the Hulk, X-Ray discovers a way to keep Banner in his human form by generating 'anti-gamma rays'. The U-Foes imprison Banner at the former Gamma Base and hijack television broadcasts worldwide, intending to gain infamy by killing Banner in front of the world. However, Banner is freed by his allies Betty Ross, Rick Jones, and Bereet, and defeats the U-Foes as the Hulk. Ironically, the U-Foes' attempt to gain fame at the Hulk's expense instead reveals to the world that Banner is in control of the Hulk's power, and leads to a brief period of Banner/Hulk as a popular celebrity and superhero (ending when the Mindless Hulk persona re-asserts itself).

After several defeats at the hands of the Hulk and his allies, each of the U-Foes are banished to a different dimension.[6] They manage to reunite and find their way back to Earth when the mutant Portal's powers manifested. The U-Foes attempt to murder Portal to keep him from opening another portal to banish them, but are defeated by the Avengers. They later attempt to kidnap Portal to exploit his mutant powers, and are defeated once again by Captain America, Darkhawk, and Daredevil.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the team generally work alone, but occasionally work as hired hands for other villains. Working for the Leader, they attack the Pantheon, injuring dozens of civilians.[7] Despite the handicap of an orphan girl who had gotten mixed up in the battle, the Hulk and the Pantheon soldiers subdue some of the U-Foes. The villains are tricked into hurting each other. During "Acts of Vengeance", the U-Foes face the West Coast Avengers with the help of Mole Man, but they are defeated.[8]

Around this time, they play an important part in the Vault prison breakout in Marvel Graphic Novel No. 68 - Avengers: Death Trap - The Vault. The various U-Foes work together and with other villains to fight against the prison's security, its forces, Freedom Force and the Avengers. The U-Foes and the other prisoners are neutralized by technological mind-control.

The U-Foes are freed from the Raft when Electro breaks them out in the New Avengers,[9] but are distracted from escaping by a confrontation with Crossfire and his team of mind-controllers — Mandrill, Mister Fear, Corruptor, and Controller — over technology that had been stolen from them, until Spider-Man, Captain America and Iron Man are able to capture them.

During the "Civil War" storyline, the Superhuman Registration Act brings the U-Foes to the attention of the United States government. The U.S. sends the Thunderbolts (Blizzard, Joystick, Fixer, and Quicksand) after the U-Foes. After a battle in Portland, the U-Foes are arrested.[10] Instead of due process, they are given the choice of joining the team or facing jail time.

During the "Dark Reign" storyline, the U-Foes are revealed by new Initiative leader Norman Osborn as the new Initiative team for the state of North Carolina.[11] Osborn orders the U-Foes to attack the Heavy Hitters after they secede from the Initiative. They help the other Initiative teams to defeat and capture the Heavy Hitters' leader Prodigy.[12]

The U-Foes play a role in the beginning of "Siege", when Osborn sends them to fight Volstagg. The resulting clash leads to Volstagg being falsely blamed for destroying Soldier Field and killing thousands, and giving Osborn the excuse to start a war with Asgard.[13] With the help of other villains, they bring down Thor after he is attacked by the Sentry. When Osborn is defeated, the whole team surrenders and is then incarcerated.

During the "Secret Empire" storyline, the U-Foes join Helmut Zemo's Army of Evil.[14]

In The Immortal Hulk, Henry Peter Gyrich hires the U-Foes to go after Hulk in exchange for full pardons for their past crimes. When Hulk was hiding in New York City, the U-Foes attacked him and took turns fighting him. The fight was briefly stopped when Vector accidentally sent Hulk flying to New Jersey. When the U-Foes caught up to Hulk, X-Ray used his anti-gamma rays to apparently kill Hulk. However, the anti-gamma rays transformed him into a variation of Red Hulk which enabled Joe Fixit and Savage Hulk to escape the Below-Place. This resurrects Hulk, who defeats the U-Foes.[15]

The U-Foes later raided Empire State University, where they are attacked by Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider. On Vector's orders, Vapor and X-Ray caused a radiation fallout that affected Spider-Man. With Peter Parker hospitalized and placed in a medically-induced coma, Ben Reilly became Spider-Man again and stopped the U-Foes.[16]

Members

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Vector

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Further reading

Vector (Simon Utrecht) is a businessman and politician who funded the U-Foes' space flight in search of power. He possesses flight and telekinesis that enables him to repel and attract matter.[6][17][18]

Vapor

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Further reading

Vapor (Ann Darnell) is an engineer and X-Ray's older sister who was hired to serve as a life-support manager on the space flight. She can transform into various types of gaseous matter, primarily poisonous ones.

X-Ray

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Further reading

X-Ray (James Darnell) is an engineer and Vapor's younger brother who was hired to serve as a fuel-propulsion engineer on the space flight. He possesses an energy-based body that enables him to become intangible and invisible and project various forms of radiation.[6][7][13]

Ironclad

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Further reading

Ironclad (Michael Steel) is an engineer and pilot who was hired to pilot the space flight. He possesses an organic metallic body and the ability to manipulate his density.[7]

Other versions

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JLA/Avengers

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X-Ray appears in JLA/Avengers #4 as a brainwashed minion of Krona.[19]

Ultraverse

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In Malibu Comics's Ultraverse, Ironclad appears as a member of the New Exiles and Ultraforce.

Future Imperfect

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A possible future version of Vapor appears in the Maestro miniseries. Having been captured by A.I.M., the Maestro eventually frees her and has her help him kill Hercules.[20] Once she succeeded, the Maestro froze her, shattered her, then ordered his soldiers to bury each shard to prevent her from regenerating.[21]

In other media

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Television

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Video games

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References

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  1. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains. New York: Facts on File. p. 405. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[1]
  2. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 387. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura (2008). "1980s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. p. 199. ISBN 978-0756641238. Inspired by the 1979 Graham Parker song Waiting for the UFOs, the creation of the U-Foes was truly a team effort. Writer Bill Mantlo and artist Sal Buscema produced the first U-Foes story, but editor Al Milgrom helped design the costumes and Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter suggested some of the names.
  4. ^ Bray, Adam; Cink, Lorraine; Scott, Melanie; Wiacek, Win (2017). Ultimate Marvel. Penguin Books. p. 250. ISBN 978-1465455727.
  5. ^ Incredible Hulk #254 (December 1980)
  6. ^ a b c Incredible Hulk #304-305 (February - March 1985)
  7. ^ a b c Incredible Hulk #397 (September 1992)
  8. ^ Avengers West Coast #53 (December 1989)
  9. ^ New Avengers #1 (January 2005)
  10. ^ Thunderbolts #104 (September 2006)
  11. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #26 (September 2009)
  12. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #28 (November 2009)
  13. ^ a b Siege #1 (March 2010)
  14. ^ Captain America: Steve Rogers #16
  15. ^ Immortal Hulk #42 - 46 (February - July 2021)
  16. ^ Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 5) #75 - 76 (December 2021)
  17. ^ Incredible Hulk #398 (October 1992)
  18. ^ Incredible Hulk #277 (November 1982)
  19. ^ JLA/Avengers #4 (February 2004)
  20. ^ Maestro #1 (October 2020)
  21. ^ Maestro #4 (January 2021)
  22. ^ a b c "Vector Voices (Hulk)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  23. ^ a b c "Vapor Voices (Hulk)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  24. ^ a b "X-Ray Voices (Hulk)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  25. ^ a b "Ironclad Voices (Hulk)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  26. ^ The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga for DOS (1997) - MobyGames
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