Saturday Showcase: the Mandroids

Mandroid Security (as seen in New Warriors)

    For today's Showcase, I thought I would one of my first memories in comics.  In was 1979, and I was infatuated with the X-men.  I go to my local comic store, back then it was a K&B and other local drugstores, and come across issue #118 of the Uncanny X-men.  On the cover, Sunfire is being blasted by what appears to be a robotic hand.  Is this some new version of a sentinel?  I had to have this issue!  What I read inside made me a fan of the Mandroids.  I didn't like that they were used to hunt the X-men, but I loved what the Mandroid armor represented.  It represented the ability to be a superhero without having to be a mutant or having powers of my own.  It meant, that even I, could be a superhero.

the Uncanny X-men Vol. 1, #118 (February 1979)

    My fascination with the Mandroids led me to doing my first non-school related research project.  I had go know more about these suits of armor.  In the hands of Moses Magnum, they were used for evil but I had the feeling they were created for good.  That is when I found out that originally they were designed by Tony Stark for governmental use, mainly for certain missions overseen by S.H.I.E.L.D.   

    The Mandroid armor first appeared in the Avengers #91.  They are the brainchild of Marvel Greats Roy Thomas and Neal Adams.  As I said earlier, they were made for S.H.I.E.L.D. but it didn't take long for such villains as Moses Magnum to get their hands on them and use them to strike fear.

First Appearance: Avengers Vol. 1, #94 (December 1971)

    There has been many versions of the Mandroid, but the mission has always been the same.  The suit gives the person inside the ability to handle all threats, especially those of the superhuman kind.  That's what made them so attractive to villains who were tired of being stopped by the Avengers or the X-men.  Hell, I remember a Hulk story line that had General Talbot put on the "Super Mandroid" suit to try to put an end to the Hulk.  As you may know, that didn't end the way the General had hoped.  

Super-Mandroid (Hulk Vol. 1, #245)

    So, as you can see, as a little child I was infatuated with becoming that hero that I idolized.  I wasn't a mutant, so I needed to find a way that I could become that hero.  I think the Mandroid was the reason I paid attention in Science classes years later, hell, the Mandroid probably also fueled my love for robots.  Most of the toys that I still own from childhood are robotic related.  I never really came to that conclusion until I was preparing this post.  Hmmm, I guess you really do learn something new everyday. 

Mandroid armor as seen in the Marvel Universe Handbook

Until next time, get your READ on and unleash your inner NERD.