Melter | |
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The Melter. Art by Bob Layton. |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Tales of Suspense #47 (Nov. 1963) |
Created by | Stan Lee & Steve Ditko |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Bruno Horgan |
Team affiliations | Masters of Evil Death Squad |
Abilities | Melting weapon (iron and later all types of matter) |
The Melter (Bruno Horgan) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Tales of Suspense #47 (Nov. 1963) and was created by Stan Lee and Sam Rosen.
Contents |
Publication history
The character debuted in Tales of Suspense #47 (Nov. 1963) as an industrialist who specializes in providing munitions to the United States government. After an initial encounter with hero Iron Man, the character reappears in Avengers #6 (Jul. 1964) as part of supervillain team the Masters of Evil. A version of the Masters of Evil return in Avengers #15 - 16 (Apr. - May 1965), with the Melter being jailed.
The Melter reappears to battle Iron Man in Tales of Suspense 89 - 90 (May - Jun. 1967), and then Avengers #54 - 55 (Jul. - Aug. 1968) as part of the next version of the Masters of Evil (formed without the villains knowledge by the robot Ultron) and again in Avengers #83 (Dec. 1970). The character becomes a perennial villain in the title Iron Man, appearing in issues #72 (Jan. 1974); #92 (Nov. 1976) and #123 - 124 (Jun. - Jul. 1979) and #127 (Oct. 1979).
After another attempt to sabotage the company Stark International in Iron Man #166 (Jan. 1983), the character reappears in Marvel Two-in-One #96 (Feb. 1983) before being assassinated during the Scourge of the Underworld storyline in Avengers #263 (Jan. 1986). As writer Mike Conroy stated "Bruno Horgan was one of those villains who suited simpler times...Times moved on, though, and Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's creation didn't. Despite numerous upgrades to his weaponry, the Melter was never a major player."[1]
Long-time Marvel writer Roger Stern recalled:
“ | ...Mark Gruenwald had complied a list of villains who were either less than inspired or had outlived their welcome. I picked the Melter because he was such a doof. There had been maybe one good Melter story...which had been repeated over and over again by various writers. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with the name.[2] | ” |
The character also made several posthumous appearances in the titles Fantastic Four;[3] X-O Manowar/Iron Man: Heavy Metal;[4] and Avengers.[5]
Another character using the name "Melter" debuted during the Dark Reign storyline in the limited series Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 - 5 (July - Dec. 2009).
Fictional character biography
Bruno Horgan is driven into bankruptcy when a government safety inspection team proves that he is using inferior materials, with the defense contracts awarded to his competitor, Tony Stark (the alter ego of hero Iron Man). Discovering that one of his faulty devices is capable of generating a beam capable of "melting" anything composed of iron, Horgan redesigns the device so that it can be strapped to his chest, and after donning a costume adopts the alias the Melter. As the Melter, Horgan becomes a professional criminal and embarks on a campaign of industrial sabotage, eventually encountering Iron Man. Despite damaging the hero's armor, the Melter is defeated when Stark builds a temporary duplicate armor composed of aluminium.[6]
The Melter reappears as an employee of master villain Baron Zemo (who has upgraded the melting beam to effect all metals) as part of supervillain team the Masters of Evil.[7] The Masters of Evil have a second encounter with the Avengers, and are eventually defeated, with the Melter being jailed.[8] The character upgrades his weaponry and battles Iron Man once again,[9] before reappearing as part of the next version of the Masters of Evil, although the villains are defeated when betrayed by the Black Knight.[10] The Masters of Evil - with the Melter - also accidentally encounter the Avengers during a parade and during the battle are defeated when surprised by the superheroines the Lady Liberators.[11]
The Melter has several battles with Iron Man: at the direction of other-dimensional villain the Black Lama, the Melter joins fellow villains Whiplash and the Man-Bull to form the team the Death Squad and attempt to kill the hero;[12] upgrades once again and attack before being defeated;[13] and reappears, with many other villains, as an employee of criminal mastermind Justin Hammer. At Hammer's direction the Melter and fellow villains have a series of encounters with Iron Man in an unsuccessful attempt to neutralize the hero.[14] After another attempt to sabotage the company Stark International[15] the character makes a brief appearance with other villains in an unsuccessful attempt to kill Fantastic Four member the Thing;[16] and then in a storyline involving the Scourge of the Underworld, a vigilante who assassinates minor supervillains. The Melter is surprised and murdered by the Scourge, who is disguised as the villain's laboratory assistant.[17]
A teenage boy later adopts the Melter name and is recruited to lead the "Young Masters," a teenage super power team opposing the Young Avengers." The second Melter has inherent melting super powers and does not require artificial aids. Unlike the original Melter, his abilities also extend to humans, and are fatal (capable of fatally melting as opposed to burning).[18]
Powers and abilities
Bruno Horgan invents a device which projected a form of energy that loosened the bonding forces between the molecules of substances, causing these substances to change from solid form to liquid form, thereby melting. The Melter's first melting beam could affect iron, while a later version could affect almost any substance. The melting effect did not appear to involve heat, but when used on a human being, the beam inflicts burns as opposed to truly melting. The Melter uses several of these devices, including hand-held pistol versions and a device worn on his torso in a harness. Horgan possesses extensive knowledge of weapons and munitions.
In other media
Television
- The Melter appears in the Iron Man segment of the animated television series The Marvel Superheroes voiced by Bernard Cowan
- Melter appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "Hulk Talk Smack" voiced by Charlie Adler as a member of Doom's Lethal Legion. He also appears in "A Brat Walks Among us" where he assisted the other villains in capturing Brynnie Bratten. He confessed his love to Ms. Marvel, prompting her to punch him in the face.
Video games
- Melter appears in the arcade game Captain America and the Avengers.
- Melter appears in the Iron Man video game voiced by Gavin Hammon.
References
- ^ Conroy, Mike. 500 Comicbook Villains, Collins & Brown, 2004.
- ^ Conroy, Mike. 500 Comicbook Villains, Collins & Brown, 2004.
- ^ Fantastic Four #405 (Oct. 1995)
- ^ X-O Manowar/Iron Man: Heavy Metal #1 (Sep. 1996)
- ^ Avengers vol. 3, #8 - 9 (June - July 1997)
- ^ Tales of Suspense #47 (Nov. 1963)
- ^ Avengers #6 (Jul. 1964)
- ^ Avengers #15 - 16 (Apr. - May 1965)
- ^ Tales of Suspense 89 - 90 (May - Jun. 1967)
- ^ Avengers #54 - 55 (Jul. - Aug. 1968)
- ^ Avengers #83 (Dec. 1970)
- ^ Iron Man #72 (Jan. 1974)
- ^ Iron Man #92 (Nov. 1976)
- ^ Iron Man #123 - 124 (Jun. - Jul. 1979); #127 (Oct. 1979)
- ^ Iron Man #166 (Jan. 1983)
- ^ Marvel Two-in-One #96 (Feb. 1983)
- ^ Avengers #263 (Jan. 1986)
- ^ Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 - 5 (July - Dec. 2009)