Asbestos Man is a fictional supervillain appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

. Created by editor-plotter

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

, writer Ernest Hart, and artist

Dick Ayers Richard Bache Ayers (; April 28, 1924 – May 4, 2014) was an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of Jack Kirby's inkers during the late-1950s and 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comics, including on s ...

, the character

first appeared In American comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first issue to feature a fictional character. These issues are often highly valued by collectors due to their rarity and iconic status. Reader interes ...

in ''

Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...

'' #111 (Aug. 1963).

Publication history

The character made his official debut in ''

'' #111 (Aug. 1963). The plot was developed by editor

and the story was written by Ernest Hart, under the pen name H. Huntley, with illustrations by

. Asbestos Man did not reappear in the comics for many years until 2011's '' Fear Itself'' storyline.

Fictional character biography

Dr. Orson Karloff is "the world's foremost analytical chemist." He invents a chemical capable of melting metals, among other things, which he thinks he can use to steal money from banks like

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...

. However, he is not swift or stealthy and is almost caught by the police during one of his burgling attempts. Realizing that he is not skillful enough, Karloff adopts the supervillain handle of Asbestos Man and retreats to an obscure castle, where he hones his powers and one day challenges

Human Torch The Human Torch (Jonathan "Johnny" Storm) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. He is writer Stan Lee's and artist Jack Kirby's reinvention of ...

to a showdown. The Torch nonchalantly agrees. However, it is Asbestos Man who ultimately wins, having created a flame-resistant armor out of "super-

asbestos Asbestos () is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere b ...

" (a combination of iron, calcium and

chrysotile Chrysotile or white asbestos is the most commonly encountered form of asbestos, accounting for approximately 95% of the asbestos in the United StatesOccupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor (2007)29 C.F.R.&nbs ...

), rendering Storm's powers useless. Asbestos Man decides to spare the Torch, having already made a mockery of him. Asbestos Man's triumph over the Torch becomes big news. Blackie Barker, otherwise known as the "King of the Underworld", becomes aware of the villain and ropes him in to help carry out a bank heist. A humiliated Human Torch returns to settle scores with Asbestos Man, after being encouraged by his fellow

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...

members. At the bank, the Human Torch absorbs all oxygen present. Asbestos Man is forced to surrender and he is promptly hauled to prison. During the '' Fear Itself'' storyline, Asbestos Man is revealed to have developed cancer due to the toxicity of his super-asbestos suit and is now living with an oxygen tank so he can breathe. He makes clear his desire to return to life as a villain, but is persuaded not to by the

Great Lakes Avengers The Great Lakes Avengers (also known as The Lightning Rods, The Great Lakes X-Men, The Great Lakes Champions, and The Great Lakes Initiative) are a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The charac ...

. Years later, the Human Torch mentioned that Asbestos Man had died.

Powers and abilities

Asbestos Man is a genius chemist. His knowledge of chemistry enabled him to develop a super solvent and "super-asbestos." His "super-asbestos" armor is high in toxicity and is also resistant to heat. Additionally, his iron shield can block out flames and his metal net is capable of energy manipulation. He holds a

Ph.D A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

in analytical chemistry.

Reception

Impact

At the time of Asbestos Man's creation, many were ignorant about the dangers of asbestos. The California Asbestos Legal Center paid tribute to Asbestos Man in May 2012, writing in its entry on the

Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium). The most common area affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining ...

Lawyer Blog that he, alongside a similar villainess Asbestos Lady, was "a lasting reminder of the significant cover-up perpetrated by the asbestos industry regarding the danger associated with asbestos exposure". Filip Mundt of the

Karolinska Institute The Karolinska Institute (KI; sv, Karolinska Institutet; sometimes known as the (Royal) Caroline Institute in English) is a research-led medical university in Solna within the Stockholm urban area of Sweden. The Karolinska Institute is consist ...

also cited Asbestos Man and Asbestos Lady as examples of asbestos being considered a "miracle fibre" at times in the 20th century, as it was portrayed to have enough heat resistance to take on superheroes.

Accolades

* In 2019, ''

CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...

'' included Asbestos Man in their "Marvel: 10 Most Powerful Great Lakes Avengers Villains" list. * In 2020, ''

'' included Asbestos Man in their "Marvel: 10 Famous Villains From The 60s That Have Been Forgotten" list. * In 2021, ''

'' included Asbestos Man in their "Marvel: 10 Strangest Villains" list.

References

External links

* * {{Stan Lee Characters created by Dick Ayers Characters created by Stan Lee Comics characters introduced in 1963 Fictional chemists Fictional inventors Fictional shield fighters Marvel Comics male supervillains Marvel Comics scientists