Characters : Molten Man

 
 

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Attributes

Height: 6' 5"

Weight: 255 lbs

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Before Transformation: Brown After Transformation: Gold

Features: Skin replaced with a golden-colored liquid metal alloy.

Summary

Created By: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko

Real Name: Mark Raxton

Current Aliases: None

Former Aliases: None

Dual Identity: Known to authorities

Current Occupation: Security Guard for Osborn Industries

Former Occupation: Lab Assistant for Prof. Spencer Smythe

Citizenship: U.S. Citizen

Legal Status: Criminal Record in U.S.

Place of Birth: U.S.

Marital Status: Single

Known Relatives: Liz Allan, Mr. Raxton (father, deceased), Mrs Allen (step-mother), Liz Allen Osborn (step-sister), Harry Osborn (step-brother-in-law, deceased), Norman Osborn (step-father-in-law), Norman Osborn Jr. (step-nephew).

Known Confidants: Liz Allan

Known Allies: Spider-Man, Second Green Goblin

Major Enemies: Formerly Spider-Man

Usual Bases: Manhattan

Former Bases: None

Current Groups: None

Former Groups: None

Education: Presumably High School/College graduate

 

Powers & Paraphenalia

Strength Level: Superhuman

Powers: Can generate and project intense heat and fire. Metal alloy makes his body more resistant to damage.

Abilities: Skilled fighter

Equipment: None

Weapons: None

Limitations: His body temperature is not controlled, and at one point threatened to melt his skin. Will lose his molten properties if submerged in water.

 
 

Background

The Molten Man was known for a good portion of his life as Mark Raxton, a lab assistant for Spencer Smythe (inventor of the Spider slayers), and the stepbrother of Liz Allen, a longtime friend of Peter Parker. One night, Raxton stole a strange metallic alloy derived from an organic meteor he and his boss had been experimenting on. Raxton, however, spilled the alloy all over his body, transforming him into the Molten Man! The metal alloy made his skin inpervious to damage, gave him super-human strength and granted him the ability to increase his body temperature to super-heated degrees.

Raxton spent most of his supervillain career seeking desperately to find a way to reverse his condition. After a fight at the suburban home of the now-married Liz Allen Osborn, a quick dousing into the pool put out his fire. Since then, Raxton has worked side by side with Spider-Man more than once. While still a bit of a (ahem) hothead, Raxton seems to have switched to the side of the angels... at least for now.

Life has not been easy for Mark Raxton, as his dysfunctional family and criminal past has caused him countless headaches. His brother in law gave him a job at the Osborn Chemical factory, but this seeming struck of luck turned bad. He was coerced by Tombstone into stealing an experimental plant preservation chemical called DIOX-3 from Osborn Chemical. The robbery was foiled by Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, as Harry Osborn was attempting to reform himself at the time. Spider-Man vouched for Mark's innocence when the police arrived and Harry gave him a job as head of security at the factory.

As Harry's sanity continued to fall apart, Spidey asked Mark to keep an eye on him. Harry kidnapped Mark, Liz Allan and Norman Osborn, Jr, and forced them to sit together at dinner as a family. As Harry ranted and raved about how the Osborns would rule New York, Raxton activated a spider tracer that Spider-Man had given him, which alerted Spidey to the danger. After Harry beat the Molten Man into submission for alerting Spider-Man, the Goblin was defeated and sent to prison.

Mark was sent to an Osborn factory in California by Harry (after he got out of prison) and wasnt able to aid Spidey when Harry and Peter had their final battle. He was much more helpful when Norman Jr was kidnapped by a trio of robotic Goblin women. Harry created the robots to kidnap and expose his young son to the Green Goblin formula, not knowing that the chemicals were toxic. Liz called her step brother to watch Spider-Man and Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich's backs. He protected Urich as Spidey battled the Goblin robots and destroyed the mind control device that Harry used on Liz.

Mark was next used as a pawn by Norman Osborn, who used mind control to make Raxton attempt to assassinate Alison Mongrain, whom Norman considered a threat to his plans. Mark was stopped at the last minute, when Robbie Robertson got rid of the homing device that allowed the Molten Man to follow them.

Raxton continued trying to turn his life into a more postive direction by becoming a mentor to a young boy, but this backfired when the Chameleon threatened to kill the boy unless the Molten Man agreed to join the Deadly Foes of Spider-Man (made up of Swarm, Will O the Whisp, Electro and Scarecrow). He reluctantly agreed but was defeated.

Thanks To:

Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.

The assistance of the Marvel Chronology Project is gratefully acknowledged.

 

 
 

Character Appearances

Sep 1965 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #28
  Origin and first appearance.
Apr 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #35
May 1974 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #132
  Relation to Liz Allen revealed
Jun 1974 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #133
Sep 1977 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #172
... Here is the Full Appearance List (21 Apps)
 

By Wildman (E-Mail) & Al Sjoerdsma (E-Mail) & Dave Sippel (E-Mail)


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