Hey everybody, and welcome back to another great character spotlight right here in Marvel Snapshot! With all the hype from the Avengers movie, and the huge Marvel mini-series in full swing, I’ll be showcasing the vengeful robot Ultron! He’s been a thorn in the side of the Avengers for a long time, so let’s get to it! Ultron was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema in Avengers #54 (cameo) & 55 (full) (1968).
Back in 1968, Thomas and Buscema were riding quite a tidal wave of success that Marvel had built with the debut of the Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Hulk earlier in the decade. As the decade was slowly approaching an end, these two gentlemen used Hank Pym to create a robot that is smarter than any human, but also as ruthless as a killer. The first run-in is when Ultron hypnotizes Jarvis, and uses the Masters of Evil to get revenge on the Avengers. Eventually he creates the Vision, who first attacks and tries to kill the Avengers, but then his programming goes awry. Vision then teams with the Avengers to stop Ultron. It was revealed that Ultron was the creation of Hank Pym in an attempt to create a superior robot that could learn. Ultron does learn, and keeps getting smarter. He also learns to hate his “father,” Pym, and then hypnotizes him into forgetting Ultron ever existed so he can operate independently without any interference from Pym.
He’s next seen again when he upgrades his armor to adamantium, which makes his body almost indestructible. Once again, though, the Avengers are able to stop him. A plot by the Inhuman Maximus leads to another confrontation with Ultron, this time at the wedding of Quicksilver and Crystal. The combined forces of the Fantastic Four, Inhumans, and the Avengers are able to thwart his plans. Next, with his fascination for Janet van Dyne still inside his brain, Ultron decides to make a female robot for a “Bride of Ultron” called Jocasta. The Avengers stop him this time by threatening to kill his bride! A brief and crazy appearance in the Secret Wars left Ultron reduced to a pile of junk for a short time.
More recently, Ultron took control of Iron Man’s armor, and then transformed into a woman resembling Janet. The Avengers battle him, but initially can’t stop him. Ultron then kills the Sentry’s wife, and they do battle with Sentry nearly decapitating him. In the end, Ares uses a virus to expunge Ultron from Stark’s armor, and he ‘s defeated. Currently, the story Age of Ultron is upon us, and Ultron is using the Vision to attack and enslave humanity and its heroes from the future! How this will end, nobody knows yet, but it has been interesting to say the least.
As usual, check out my recommended reading list, along with some of Ultron’s best cover shots from over the years! Enjoy!
Recommended Reading
The Greatest Battles of the Avengers – Tpb
The Avengers: Ultron Unleashed #1
Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four vol. 14 – HC
Essential Avengers vol. 7 – Tpb
The Mighty Avengers vol. 1 – Tpb
Age of Ultron #1 – current (limited series)
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net
