The Awesome Android (also briefly known as Awesome Andy) is a

fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life perso ...

appearing in American comic books 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 ...

. The character first appeared in '' Fantastic Four'' #15 (June 1963) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gre ...

. Debuting in the

Silver Age of Comic Books The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an in ...

, the character has made appearances in Marvel titles for over four decades, and also appeared in Marvel-related products including

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

and

trading cards A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and a short description of the picture, along with other ...

Publication history

The Awesome Android debuted in '' Fantastic Four'' #15 (June 1963) as the creation of the

Mad Thinker Mad, mad, or MAD may refer to: Geography * Mad (village), a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia * Mád, a village in Hungary * Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, by IATA airport code * Mad River (disambiguation), several ri ...

. "Since then, he Mad Thinkerand his artificial being ... have had run-ins with most of Marvel's major superheroes. The pair reappeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #28 (July 1964) to battle both the titular superhero team and the mutant superheroes the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...

. The Android continued in the role of antagonist, appearing in '' Tales of Suspense'' #72 (Dec. 1965) as an opponent for Iron Man; '' Rom'' #14 (January 1981) against the

Parker Brothers Parker Brothers (known by Parker outside of North America) was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. Among its products wer ...

-licensed hero Rom; and in '' Captain America'' #311 (Nov. 1985). The Android reappeared as part of a supervillain team in ''The Avengers'' #286-289 (Feb.-May 1988); featured in the '' Acts of Vengeance'' storyline in ''

Avengers Spotlight ''Solo Avengers'' was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, and was a spin-off from the company's superhero team title '' The Avengers''. It was published for 20 issues (December 1987–July 1989) until it was renamed ''Avenger ...

'' #27 (Mid-Dec. 1989); battled several Marvel heroes in '' Thunderbolts'' #2 (June 1997) and ''

Heroes for Hire Heroes for Hire are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in '' Power Man and Iron Fist'' #54 (December 1978), and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias. The team continued to ap ...

'' #1 (July 1997) and had two further encounters with the Fantastic Four in ''Fantastic Four'' vol. 3, #23 (Nov. 1999) and #43-44 (July-Aug. 2001). The Android was reclaimed and upgraded by the Thinker in a humorous storyline in the 2004–2005 series '' She-Hulk''; and made a brief appearance in '' Exiles'' vol. 2 #4 (Sept. 2009).

Fictional character biography

The villain

creates an artificial lifeform based on the research notes of Fantastic Four leader

Mister Fantastic Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) is a superhero character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member, and the leader, of the Fantastic Four. Richards has a mastery of mechanical, aerospace and ...

. A synthesis of

ape Apes (collectively Hominoidea ) are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and as well as Europe in prehistory), which together with its sister g ...

DNA and unstable molecules incorporated into an almost indestructible body with a microcomputer and a solar-power source, the newly christened ''Awesome Android'' is directed against the Fantastic Four, although the superhero team defeats both the Android and the Thinker. The Awesome Android, still as a pawn of the Thinker, returns to battle the combined efforts of the Fantastic Four and the

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

team the

before being deactivated by X-Men leader Professor X. The Thinker directs the Android to

kidnap In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

industrialist Tony Stark, which eventually leads to a battle with Stark's alter ego Iron Man. After an appearance during the "War of the Super Villains" storyline the Android is absent from Marvel continuity until directed by the Thinker to capture the Galadorian spaceknight ''Rom'' for further study. After a brief battle, Rom successfully deactivates the Android. The Android battles Captain America, having been repaired by then abandoned by the Thinker. Fellow artificial creation the Super Adaptoid, posing as villain the Fixer, reprograms the Android and uses it as part of an assault team of advanced

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...

s called Heavy Metal, consisting of the Awesome Android; Machine Man; the Sentry 459, and TESS-One. The group is eventually defeated by the Avengers with

Namor the Sub-Mariner Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc ...

deactivating the Android by ripping off its head while in the water, causing his torso to flood and sink. The Android reappears during the " Acts of Vengeance" storyline, being repaired by the robot Machinesmith and used to distract the Avengers while several villains escape confinement in the prison facility the

Vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosure ...

. The Android is neutralized by Captain Marvel. After battles with the superhero teams the '' Thunderbolts'', and the ''

'', and two more encounters with the Fantastic Four, the Android is reclaimed by the Thinker. The Thinker upgrades the Android to absorb additional abilities, such as

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

al talent and animal traits. Acquiring sentience, the Android rebels against the Thinker and seeks legal aid from law firm Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (the firm that employs Jennifer Walters, the alter ego of heroine She-Hulk). The Android is legally emancipated from the Thinker, with a court recognizing the being as a male with a new name, "Awesome Andy." Andy becomes a general office worker for the firm; lacking speech, he communicates via hand-gestures, body language, and a message board around his neck. The board, originally depicted as a chalk board, was

retcon Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subs ...

ned into a digital display screen with a

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wav ...

connection to his CPU. After a brief fight with a member of the Eternals, Starfox, Andy inadvertently absorbs Starfox's

pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...

-like abilities, causing Andy to gain the affections of his coworker Mallory Book. Upon realizing she does not actually reciprocate these feelings, the character deactivates his powers, and, after being rejected by her, leaves the law firm. Andy reappears as the Awesome Android in the employ of the Thinker, having reset its system with no trace of the previous personality. The Android also encounters the parallel universe team the '' Exiles''. Awesome Android was with

when it was revealed that Mad Thinker was a member of Intelligencia. Awesome Android was with Mad Thinker when he is invited to join the Future Foundation's seminar on how to defeat Reed Richards with the Reed Richards in mind being the Council of Reeds. Awesome Android was present with Intelligencia when they are attacked by the

Sinister Six Sinister commonly refers to: * Evil * Ominous Sinister may also refer to: Left side * Sinister, Latin for the direction "left" * Sinister, in heraldry, is the bearer's true left side (viewers' right side) of an escutcheon or coat of arms; see dex ...

. He was shot into space by the Zero Cannon. MODOK Superior was able to revive Awesome Android and the other Intelligencia members. Awesome Android later appears attacking the Museum of American History and battles Steve Rogers, the original Captain America. During the " Iron Man 2020" event, Awesome Android appears as a member of the A.I. Army. He crashes a stability test at Brevoort Dynamics in Cambridge, Massachusetts and makes off with a robot that was being tested. During the raid, Arno Stark sent out a signal to keep the A.I. Army from escaping to the Thirteenth Floor. Machinesmith is entangled in wires that work to place the submission code in him as he begs for Awesome Android to help him. H.E.R.B.I.E. reports to the rest of the A.I. Army that Quasimodo is deactivated and Mark One is facing off against Iron Man. He runs into Awesome Android who is carrying a tablet that Machinesmith transferred his consciousness into as they flee the Baintronics guards. After the three of them go through a wall, Awesome Android activates his retractable thrusters to slow the descent. When Mark One crashes to the ground, Awesome Android then picks up Mark One's body as the A.I. Army and other robots are left devastated at what happened. As Awesome Android is carrying Mark One's body, H.E.R.B.I.E. states to Machinesmith that they have to flee. The three of them are contacted by Ghost in the Machine who states that they have not yet won the war and to get Mark One's body away from the battle. When Iron Man begins to descend on them, Machinesmith has Awesome Android mimic Iron Man's appearance and provide them with an escape underground. In New Jersey, Machinesmith, H.E.R.B.I.E., and Awesome Android have made use of a temporary lair as Machinesmith places his conscious into another body. Machine Man, Jocasta, and Dr. Bhang contact them stating that they found a way to block the obedience code. H.E.R.B.I.E., Awesome Android, and Machinesmith accompany Rescue in the raid on Baintronics as Awesome Android carry in Mark One's body to one of the remaining bio-tubes that Dr. Andrew Bheng uses to restore Tony. On the Stark Space Station, Awesome Android is among those that confront Arno until the Extinction Entity arrives. As everyone partakes in the fight against the Extinction Entity, Awesome Android flies Machinesmith into battle where they are both taken out by one of the Extinction Entity's tentacles. It turns out that the Extinction Entity was just a simulation and was the result of the disease that Arno thought he cured himself of.

Powers and abilities

The Awesome Android is created when the

steals and uses a technique invented by Mister Fantastic, involving splicing unstable molecules into the DNA patterns of an ape. It has limited artificial intelligence and no capacity for self-motivated activity, and is totally dependent on its programming or the programmer's spoken commands, and usually deactivates itself when not active. The Android has inhuman physical attributes and can mimic an ability (one at a time) after touching an opponent, such as the

Thing Thing or The Thing may refer to: Philosophy * An object * Broadly, an entity * Thing-in-itself (or ''noumenon''), the reality that underlies perceptions, a term coined by Immanuel Kant * Thing theory, a branch of critical theory that focuse ...

's rock-like epidermis or Iceman's frost coating. It can also emit close-range blasts of gale-force wind from its mouth. The Android is given one weakness by the Thinker: a collection of nerve ganglia underneath the left armpit that if struck will cause the Android to shut down.

Reception

Accolades

* In 2017, '' Screen Rant'' ranked the Awesome Android 10th in their "15 Best Thors In Marvel Comics" list. * In 2018, '' CBR.com'' ranked the Awesome Android 12th in their "20 Most Powerful Androids Of The Marvel Universe" list. * In 2021, '' CBR.com'' ranked the Awesome Android 6th in their "10 Strongest Robots In The Marvel Universe" list.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

In the

Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...

imprint, a version of the character named Bobby Burchill appears in '' Ultimate Fantastic Four''. The character is the younger brother and slave of Rhona Burchill (the Ultimate Marvel version of

JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...

In the last issue of ''

JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...

'', the Awesome Android is among the enthralled villains defending Krona's stronghold, and is defeated by Superman.

In other media

Television

* The Awesome Android appears in the "

Namor Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc ...

" segment of ''

The Marvel Super Heroes ''The Marvel Super Heroes'' is an American animated television series starring five comic book superheroes from Marvel Comics. The first TV series based on Marvel characters, it debuted in broadcast syndication, syndication on United States, U.S. ...

''. * The

incarnation of the Awesome Android appears in '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures''. Introduced in the episode "Enter: Iron Monger", this version is named Andy Erwin, an android that Rhona Burchill designed to resemble a goth and act as her "brother". They initially make minor appearances throughout season two until the episode "All the Best People are Mad", wherein Rhona and Andy trap

Tony Stark Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...

's friends in various death traps and force Tony to save them as part of Rhona's Deadly Aptitude Tests (D.A.T.s). After Tony succeeds in doing so, Rhona sends Andy to eliminate them, but contends with Iron Man instead. During their fight, the latter discovers Andy is an android and damages him, causing Andy to shut down in Rhona's arms. * Awesome Android "Andy" appears in ''

Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...

'', with vocal effects provided by Kevin Michael Richardson. This version is an experiment kept in Dr. Curt Connors' lab on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier in brick form. Additionally, it is an artificial intelligence that eats inorganic matter, but is vulnerable to cold temperatures.

Miscellaneous

Awesome Android appears in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' tie-in comic.

Publication history

Fictional character biography

Powers and abilities

Reception

Accolades

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...

In other media

Television

Miscellaneous

References

External links