Deathlok the Demolisher

One of the more unique characters to surface at Marvel Comics during the 1970s was Deathlok the Demolisher. Introduced 50 years ago in Astonishing Tales #25 (August 1974), Deathlok was the brainchild of artist Rich Buckler, who had established his credentials following Jack Kirby as artist on Fantastic Four. With the help of writer Doug Moench, Buckler crafted the tale of a post-apocalyptic near future, with society fallen into lawlessness and chaos.

Luther Manning, a soldier fallen in battle, was subjected to a top secret military experiment that grafted his brain and other surviving organic tissue into a mechanical humanoid body, making him into a prototype living weapon. With his human memories erased, the newly christened Deathlok was programmed to perform high risk military missions. Eventually, however, his submerged human personality began to emerge and reassert itself, with Manning ultimately rebelling and taking control of his own destiny.

He fought military regimes and evil corporations that threatened the US, and he often fought Simon Ryker, battling his Super-Tank, and he tangled with the first War-Wolf. Deathlok fought alongside a time-traveling Spider-Man against mutants and he worked with the CIA.  

Mentallo and the Fixer took control of Deathlok and tried to use him to assassinate the president. The Thing and Nick Fury stopped Deathlok, then Thing took him to England where Louis Kort cured him. Deathlok started working with Brand Corporation, he fought his own clone, then battled Hellinger alongside Captain America.

Deathlok’s life was further complicated by other versions of himself. His mind was transferred into a Luther Manning clone, Roxxon built a robot Deathlok to destroy Project Pegasus, and there was a time-traveling clone of Luthor. In one complicated time-travel story, the original Deathlok, the Luthor clone, and Timestream fought Michael Collins/Deathlok, Godwulf, and Siege.

Deathlok returned to his time where he stopped a megalomaniac who had wrested control of the country. He attempted a life of solitude, but it was taken from him, first when S.H.I.E.L.D. apprehended him, then when the Owl kidnapped him. The Owl immobilized him and planned to auction him as a weapon, but the Hood stole him and sent him on a suicide mission.