A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) is a
fictional criminal organization appearing in
American comic books published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book 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 Comics'' in 19 ...
. In most versions, it is depicted as a think tank of brilliant
scientist
A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences.
In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophica ...
s dedicated to overthrowing the world's governments through technological means. The organization started out as a branch of
HYDRA
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
, created by
Baron Strucker. Its most notable creations include the
Cosmic Cube,
Super-Adaptoid
The Super-Adaptoid is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has appeared in over five decades of Marvel continuity and featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such a ...
, and
MODOK; the latter has been depicted as a prominent member of A.I.M., and in some incarnations is the organization's leader.
A.I.M. has been featured in several media adaptations, including television series and video games. The organization made its cinematic debut in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
film ''
Iron Man 3'' (2013), in this universe headed by
Aldrich Killian.
Publication history
The organization known as A.I.M. first appeared in ''
Strange Tales'' #146 (July 1966), and was revealed to be a branch of the organization known as THEM in ''Strange Tales'' #147 (Aug. 1966), a larger organization mentioned in ''Strange Tales'' #142 (March 1966), and depicted in ''
Tales of Suspense'' #78 (June 1966) a few months earlier. It was later revealed that THEM was also a parent organization to the
Secret Empire and that it was, in fact, a new incarnation of the previously dissolved organization
HYDRA
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
in ''Strange Tales'' #149 (October 1966).
Organization
A.I.M. is an organization of scientists and their hirelings dedicated to the acquisition of power and to overthrow all the world's governments through science and technology. Its leadership traditionally consisted of the seven-member
Board of Directors (formerly known as the Imperial Council) with a rotating chairperson. Under the Directors are various division supervisors, and under them are the technicians and salesmen/dealers.
The organization supplies arms and technology to various terrorist and subversive organizations both to foster a violent technological revolution in addition to profit. A.I.M. operatives are usually involved in research, development, manufacturing, and sales of high technology. Members of A.I.M. are required to at least have a master's degree, if not a PhD, in some area of science, mathematics, or business.
A.I.M.'s reach is worldwide, including various front organizations such as Targo Corporation, International Data Integration and Control, Cadenza Industries, Koenig and Strey, Pacific Vista Laboratories, Allen's Department Store, and Omnitech. It also did have a number of bases of operations, including a nuclear submarine mobile in the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...
; bases in
the Bronx, New York
The Bronx () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state, state of New York (state), New York. It is south of Westchester County, New York, Westchester County; north and east of the ...
; Black Mesa, Colorado;
West Caldwell, New Jersey;
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
,
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
,
Sudan and Boca Caliente (also known as A.I.M. Island), an island republic in the
Caribbean.
Technology
A.I.M. has produced three major implements of deadly potential which stand far above the rest of their accomplishments. The greatest of these was the
Cosmic Cube, a device capable of altering reality.
[John P. Doucet, "Chapter One: On the Design of Mental Organisms", in: Marie Hendry and Jennifer Page, eds., ''Media, Technology and the Imagination'', Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars, 2013, ]
pp. 19–20
However, A.I.M. did not realize that the cube was merely a containment device, in which the real power was an entity accidentally drawn into this dimension. The Cosmic Cube eventually evolved into
Kubik. Their second achievement was the
Super-Adaptoid
The Super-Adaptoid is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has appeared in over five decades of Marvel continuity and featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such a ...
, an android capable of mimicking the appearance and superpowers of other beings, which was made possible by incorporating a sliver of the Cosmic Cube into its form. When Kubik repossessed the sliver after defeating the Adaptoid, the android was rendered inanimate. A.I.M.'s third and final major achievement was the creation of
MODOK (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing), an artificially mutated human with an enormous head accompanied by a massive computational brain and psionic abilities. MODOK was originally an A.I.M. scientist named George Tarleton, who was selected by A.I.M.'s leader at the time, the
Scientist Supreme, to be the subject of the bionic and genetic experiments that turned him into MODOK.
[ After his transformation, MODOK killed the Scientist Supreme and took control of A.I.M., and later took advantage of the chaos in HYDRA's organization following HYDRA Island's destruction and the deaths of Baron Strucker and most of HYDRA's leading members to sever all of A.I.M.'s ties with HYDRA. A.I.M. has remained independent ever since.
A.I.M.'s level of technology is as highly advanced as any on Earth. Its scientists have also built various cyborgs, robots, and androids; its agents utilize a variety of submarines, hovercraft, jets, etc. A.I.M. has also attempted to recreate versions of MODOK, including transforming ]Dr. Katherine Waynesboro
MODOK (also written as M.O.D.O.K.; an acronym for Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first MODOK is George Tarleton, a former e ...
into Ms. MODOK and creating SODAM (later revamped as MODAM).[''Quasar'' #8] Since A.I.M's redirection as an exotic arms dealer, members have access to whatever exotic weaponry available in its warehouses.
A.I.M.'s leaders traditionally wear yellow three-piece business suits. Technical supervisors wear yellow jumpsuits, skull-caps, and goggles. However, the organization is renowned for the 'beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees.
Beekeepers are also called honey farmers, apiarists, or less commonly, apiculturists (both from the Latin ''apis'', bee; cf. apiary). The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees i ...
'-looking helmets and NBC suit uniform of its underlings since the first appearance.
However, as a result of the "Scorpion: Poison Tomorrow" arc of '' Amazing Fantasy'', A.I.M. has gained a new costume, which tends towards insectoid armor and large guns.
The Livewires member named Cornfed wears an A.I.M. uniform. He also wears a button referencing "The Real A.I.M".
Fictional organization history
A.I.M.'s origins began late in World War II with Baron Wolfgang von Strucker's creation of his subversive organization HYDRA
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
. Under the code name of THEM, he created two HYDRA branches called Advanced Idea Mechanics and the Secret Empire. A.I.M.'s purpose was to develop advanced weaponry for HYDRA. They were close to developing and attaining nuclear weapons when HYDRA Island was invaded by American and Japanese troops. Although HYDRA suffered a major setback, it survived and grew in secret over the following decades.
A.I.M. has had numerous encounters with various superheroes and supervillains, and is the subject of ongoing undercover investigations by S.H.I.E.L.D. It was responsible for reviving the Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
from suspended animation
Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. It may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogen ...
. An A.I.M. android factory in a Florida swamp was once raided by S.H.I.E.L.D., which also involved Count Bornag Royale in a weapons deal negotiation with S.H.I.E.L.D.[''Strange Tales'' #146. Marvel Comics.] A.I.M. then raided S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York City headquarters. As a result of these events, Royale was discredited, and A.I.M.'s headquarters was destroyed.
A.I.M. employed Batroc the Leaper to recover an explosive compound called Inferno 42 and dispatched a chemical android against Nick Fury and Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...
. A.I.M. also dispatched their special agent, the Cyborg, against Captain America.[''Captain America'' #124. Marvel Comics.] A.I.M. was involved in a skirmish with the Maggia and its "Big M". A.I.M. has also captured Iron Man
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 charact ...
in an attempt to analyze and replicate his armor
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or ...
.[''Iron Man'' #1. Marvel Comics.] MODOK and A.I.M. were responsible for transforming Betty Ross
Elizabeth "Betty" Ross (later Talbot and then Banner) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and made her first appearance in ''The Incredible ...
briefly into the gamma-irradiated bird-woman called the Harpy. A.I.M. dispatched their special agent the Destructor to capture Ms. Marvel.[''Ms. Marvel'' #1-4. Marvel Comics.]
For a time, a schism developed within A.I.M., causing it to split into Blue and Yellow factions (the former loyal to MODOK, the latter independent from him). These factions battled each other, with MODOK and the Blue faction once employing Deathbird as an operative. A.I.M. captured 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 focus ...
and 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 I ...
to test Virus X on them. The Blue faction later made an attempt to recapture the Cosmic Cube.[''Captain America'' Annual #7. Marvel Comics.] A second battle occurred between the rival factions, but factions no longer seem to be active within A.I.M. since then.
A.I.M. eventually hired the Serpent Society to kill MODOK, which they did. A.I.M. was responsible for a jet attack on the West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall (comics), Bob Ha ...
compound[''Iron Man'' #201. Marvel Comics.] and then took over Boca Caliente and unleashed a microbe aboard the Stark space satellite. A.I.M. also sent an agent to attempt to confiscate the quantum-bands given to Quasar
A quasar is an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN). It is pronounced , and sometimes known as a quasi-stellar object, abbreviated QSO. This emission from a galaxy nucleus is powered by a supermassive black hole with a mass rangin ...
.
The organization was revealed to have become a 'techno-anarchist' group, with no connection to HYDRA, and even a hatred for fascism. With the introduction of the Death's Head 3.0 character, a pacifist future version of the organization is promised, with a surprise character as leader.
It is later revealed that A.I.M. helped General Thunderbolt Ross and Doc Samson
Doc Samson (Leonard Skivorski Jr.) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a superhero and psychiatrist in the Marvel Universe, known as a supporting character ...
create the Red Hulk.
A.I.M. was revealed to be behind the pocket dimension of Earth-13584 by using a sliver of time they obtained to alter certain events so they can obtain the technology and science from various individuals. They did this by exploiting the fluid nature of time brought on by the manipulations of Kang the Conqueror traveling back to alter the past. This lasted until the Dark Avengers ended up in this reality causing it to collapse. The Dark Avengers were able to get out before the pocket dimension collapsed.
After the Secret Avengers recruited Taskmaster after freeing him from Bagalia, they send him to infiltrate the new High Council of A.I.M. which consists of Andrew Forson, Graviton, Jude the Entropic Man, Mentallo, Superia, and Yelena Belova.[''Secret Avengers'' vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics.] Andrew Forson then leads A.I.M. into attending a weapons expo which led to A.I.M. fighting against the Secret Avengers. During the battle, Andrew Forson takes the opportunity to steal the Iron Patriot armor.
Daisy Johnson launched an unsanctioned operation to send the Secret Avengers to A.I.M. Island to assassinate Forson, and they seemingly killed him. Johnson ended up suspended for breaking protocol and Maria Hill is put in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. again. As Forson was revealed to be alive all along, the news of A.I.M. being a new permanent member of the Security Council is known.
Using an as-yet-unidentified device in the pages of ''Avengers World
''Avengers World'' is an ongoing comic series that was published by Marvel Comics as part of the third wave of '' Marvel NOW!'', from January 2014 until July 2015.
Publication history
Spencer said, "What the book is all about is really in the ti ...
'', Andrew Forson and A.I.M. accelerate the flow of time within the limits of A.I.M. Island, creating in a matter of hours for the real world year of progress and transforming A.I.M. into a technologically advanced empire.
A.I.M. has a more violent offshoot, Advanced Ideas of Destruction (A.I.D.); the two competing organizations were major antagonists of Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...
in the mid-2000s.[Christian Steinmetz, "A Genealogy of Evil: Captain America vs. the Shadows of the National Imagined Community", in: Robert G. Weiner, ed., ''Captain America and the Struggle of the Superhero: Critical Essays'', Jefferson, North Carolina / London: McFarland, 2009, ]
p. 199
As part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel
All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line (comics), line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline "Secret Wars (2015 comic book), Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Unive ...
", it was revealed that the A.I.M. members that fled when Sunspot bought out A.I.M. had been taken in by Maker
Maker(s) or The Maker(s) may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Maker'' (film), a 1997 American drama film
*'' Makers: Women Who Make America'', a 2013 American TV documentary, a 2014 TV series, and related media
*Maker Studios, now part of D ...
where they work for his organization W.H.I.S.P.E.R. (short for World Headquarters for International Scientific Philosophical Experimentation and Research) as his personal tool to reshape the world.
After Sunspot left the American Intelligence Mechanics, Toni Ho succeeded him and allowed the rogue A.I.M. cells to regain their acronym, as Toni had her organization rebranded as R.E.S.C.U.E.
Heroic offshoots
Avengers Idea Mechanics
During the ''Time Runs Out'' storyline which takes place eight months in the future, Sunspot reveals that he bought A.I.M and used their resources to investigate the incursions. Heroes working as part of Avengers Idea Mechanics include Hawkeye, Squirrel Girl, Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds ( Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 50 ...
, Wiccan
Wicca () is a modern Pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was ...
, Hulkling, White Tiger
The white tiger or bleached tiger is a leucistic pigmentation variant of the Mainland tiger. It is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, in the Sunderbans region and e ...
, Power Man Power Man may refer to:
* Luke Cage, a Marvel Comics superhero, originally called Power Man
* Erik Josten, a Marvel supervillain later known as Smuggler, Goliath and Atlas
* Victor Alvarez, the current Power Man introduced in the mini-series ''Shad ...
and Pod
Pod or POD may refer to:
Biology
* Pod (fruit), a type of fruit of a flowering plant
* Husk or pod of a legume
* Pod of whales or other marine mammals
* "-pod", a suffix meaning "foot" used in taxonomy
Electronics and computing
* Proper ort ...
. Sunspot reveals the group was much easier to deal with after much of higher management had been fired. Many heroes working in the primary Avengers team such as Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing ...
and Hyperion, also find themselves working side by side with A.I.M. Once they managed to create a machine to propel individuals across the Multiverse some of the heroes who were helping A.I.M. offered themselves to participate in a one-way trip to find the origin of the Incursions threatening all reality.
Following the fight against Maker
Maker(s) or The Maker(s) may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Maker'' (film), a 1997 American drama film
*'' Makers: Women Who Make America'', a 2013 American TV documentary, a 2014 TV series, and related media
*Maker Studios, now part of D ...
, Sunspot meets with the government and they make plans to merge Avengers Idea Mechanics into the U.S. government. At the same time, the Avengers Idea Mechanics defeats A.I.M's splinter groups.
American Intelligence Mechanics
The merger between the U.S. government and the Avengers Idea Mechanics resulted in the formation of the American Intelligence Mechanics. Since Da Costa had turned the organization into weapon for good, rogue cells existed fighting for A.I.M.'s original goals on behalf of their former leaders, Andrew Forson and Monica Rappaccini. In order to tackle the nuisance by these cells, Da Costa's successor Toni Ho decided to let them reclaim the organization's acronym, while rebranding her own organization into a new one called R.E.S.C.U.E.
Splinter groups
Over time, some AIM splinter cells have appeared:
* Advanced Ideas in Destruction (AID)
** Michael Friedman –
* Radically Advanced Ideas in Destruction' (RAID) – AIM-like company, designed exoskeleton, forced to help Captain America track the Cosmic Cube
* Advanced Genocide Mechanics (AGM) – Located in the Congo. Led by MODOG (Mental Organism Designed Only for Genocide).
Fronts
* Adarco Corporation (Advanced Robotic Company) – A company that developed Annex and BREW technology.
** Dr. Hillman Barto – Ally of Annex. He is currently deceased[''Annex'' #4]
** Brace[''Annex'' #1] – A cyborg. Destroyed by Annex
* Cadence Industries – Entertainment Media company that collected the corpse of MODOK
* IDIC (International Data Integration and Control) –
** Diadem (Lucieane D'Hiven) –
** Kenjiro Tanaka – – A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who trained alongside Wendell Vaughn. He infiltrated IDIC and stayed on as employee after the break-up of SHIELD. He later left to join Vaughn Securities, and was promoted to partner and eventual CEO due to Vaughan spending less time on Earth.
* Koenig and Strey – It is based in Manhattan. It was invaded by Bullseye, Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in '' New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, De ...
, Juggernaut
A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath. ...
, Sabretooth, and The Vulture on behalf of Valeria Jessup.
* Omnitech –
* Targo Corporation –
Leaders
* Alessandro Brannex (Super-Adaptoid)[''Quasar'' #9. Marvel Comics.] – An android and chairman of the board.
* Monica Rappaccini[''Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 #7. Marvel Comics.] – Mother of Carmilla Black
Scorpion (Carmilla Black, born Thasanee Rappaccini) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appears in ''Amazing Fantasy'' (vol. 2) #7 and was created by Fred Van Lente and Leonard Kirk.
F ...
, Scientist Supreme, and an Italian national. She has a PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
in biochemistry from the University of Padua
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from ...
. She became a radical, and developed poisons for the Black Orchestra and A.I.M.. Monica has sought to reestablish contact with her daughter.
* George Tarleton a.k.a. MODOK (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) – Former A.I.M. scientist and current leader of A.I.M. under the rank of Scientist Supreme. He was mutated by George Clinton and driven insane by energies present at the creation of Earth's first Cosmic Cube. Originally was supposed to be called MODOC (Mental Organism Designed Only for Computing). Father of Head Case (Sean Madigan)
High Council of A.I.M.
* Andrew Forson – The Supreme Leader of the High Council of A.I.M.[''Fantastic Four'' #610. Marvel Comics.]
* Graviton – The Minister of Science.
* Jude the Entropic Man – The Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services.
Some governments have separate ministers for mental health.
Coun ...
.
* Mentallo – The Minister of Public Affairs.
* Superia – The Minister of Education.
* Taskmaster – The Minister of Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in so ...
(undercover for the Secret Avengers).
* Yelena Belova – The Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In ...
.
Former
* George Clinton[''Captain America'' #133. Marvel Comics.] – Former Scientist Supreme. He was involved in the creation of MODOC/MODOK and the Cosmic Cube. His mind was eventually drained by the Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
, Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers. The character first appeared in ''Captain America and the Falcon'' #208 (Apr ...
, and the Hate-Monger (a clone of Adolf Hitler) in an attempt to recreate the Cosmic Cube.
* Chet Madden – Former head of A.I.M. and former client of Connie Ferrari.
* Dr. Lyle Getz – A former Scientist Supreme. He is currently deceased.
* Head Case (Sean Madigan) – The long-lost son of MODOK.
* Maxwell Mordius – Currently deceased
* Valdemar Tykkio – Scientist Supreme. He instituted a takeover of Boca Caliente. He is the brother of Yorgon Tykkio.
* Wolfgang von Strucker (Baron Strucker) – A Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hit ...
and the founder of HYDRA
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
Members and agents
* AD-45 Riot-Bots[''Captain America'' vol. 3 #13. Marvel Comics.]
* Abu-Jamal Rodriguez – [''Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 #8. Marvel Comics.]
* Alexandre Copernicus – [''The Uncanny X-Men'' #352. Marvel Comics.]
* Andrew Ritter –
* Arthur Shaman[''The Defenders'' #57. Marvel Comics.] – hypnotist, kidnapped Michael Barnett and attempted to force the Hulk to kill Ms. Marvel
* B'Tumba – A Wakandan who is the son of N'Baza, and an old friend of T'Challa. He allied with A.I.M. to sell vibranium
Vibranium () is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store, and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in Wakanda, the metal is associated w ...
. B'Tumba eventually sacrificed his life to save T'Challa from A.I.M.
* Baron Rolando Samedi – An A.I.M. agent who created pseudo-zuvembies and fought Brother Voodoo. He is not to be confused with the deity of the same name.
* Bernard Worrell – – Member of A.I.M.'s Blue Faction; former apprentice of George Clinton; led the capture of the Cosmic Cube/Kubik, but was unable to control it once it began its metamorphosis into Kubik
* Betty Sumitro
* Betty Swanson
* Brace –
* Brendon Newton –
* Cache – artificial intelligence.
* Carl Alexis Lombardi – A.I.M. agent, sought Uni-Power, slew David Garrett when he had outlived his usefulness, confessed after being captured by Daredevil
* Clete Billups – Infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.; revealed himself and killed his "partners" in order to steal the body of Protocide, he was duped by Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...
and Sharon Carter
Sharon Carter (also known as Agent 13) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a secret agent, an ex-field agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. under Nick Fury, and a love interest of ...
into leading them to A.I.M.'s headquarters.
* Clytemnestra Erwin – infiltrated Stark Enterprises
Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a fictional company appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The company is depicted as being owned and ...
to gain revenge on Tony Stark for causing the death of her brother Morley. Killed by an out-of-control A.I.M. missile.
* Commander Robert Cypher[''Sabretooth & Mystique'' #1. Marvel Comics.] – Sought technology to take control of nuclear missiles
* Count Bornag Royale –
* Cyborg – hired assassin
* David Garrett[''Captain Universe/Hulk'' #1. Marvel Comics.] – ally of A.I.M., funded Gilbert Wiles to monitoring his tracking of the Uni-Power, slain by Lombardi after outliving his usefulness
* Destructor (Kerwin Korman) – former premier weapons-maker, stumbled on and unleashed the power core of Kree Psyche-Magnitron, later built into the Doomsday Man by A.I.M. technicians and used as its power source, discovered and freed by Avengers, required continued connection to the remnants of the Doomsday Man for life support.
* Doctor Nemesis (Michael Craig Stockton) –
* Doomsday Man
The Doomsday Man is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Primarily an enemy of Carol Danvers, the character exists within Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. Created by writer ...
– virtually indestructible robot created by Dr. Kronton in order to steal cobalt bomb and blackmail the U.S., initially defeated by Silver Surfer, later revived by Kree Psyche-Magnitron, battled and destroyed by Ms. Marvel, rebuilt by A.I.M. and merged with Kerwin Korman, whom it used as a power source, battled Avengers, sought Warbird as replacement when Kerwin began to weaken, destroyed by Justice, remnants used as life support for Korman.
* Dr. Cristiano Ryder – posed as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to regain control of Android X-4.
* Dr. Ralph Rider – [''Nova'' #12. Marvel Comics.] – brother of Charles Rider, uncle of Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...
and Robert Rider, leading research scientist until killed by Photon (Jason Dean)
* Evelyn Necker – Earth-8410 liaison
* Fixer (Paul Norbert Ebersol)
The Fixer is the name of two different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Roscoe Sweeney and Paul Norbert Ebersol.
Roscoe Sweeney was portrayed by Kevin Nagle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series ...
– [''Strange Tales'' #141. Marvel Comics.]
* Grizzly
The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.
In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos hor ...
– A.I.M. agent R-1, used by MODOK in a plot to capture atomic scientist Paul Fosgrave; not to be confused with the Spider-Man enemy or Cable's deceased teammate.
* Harness (Erika Benson) – mother of Piecemeal
Piecemeal denotes something being done piece by piece or one stage at a time.
Piecemeal may also refer to:
* Piecemeal (Gilbert Benson), a fictional character in the Marvel Universe
* Piecemeal (Cyborg villain), another fictional character in the ...
; forced him to locate and absorb the energy of Proteus
In Greek mythology, Proteus (; Ancient Greek: Πρωτεύς, ''Prōteus'') is an early prophetic sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water, one of several deities whom Homer calls the " Old Man of the Sea" ''(hálios gérôn)''. ...
; wore an armored exo-skeleton.
* Harold Bainbridge - An A.I.M. Agent that Mockingbird impersonated during the Secret Avengers' raid on A.I.M. Island.
* Highwayman – English criminal, agent of A.I.M., attempted to steal the Cognium Steel from Oracle INC., but was defeated by Iron Fist.
* Hyun Rahman – [''Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 #11. Marvel Comics.]
* Ian Fitzpatrick (Mr. Jinx)[''ClanDestine'' #9. Marvel Comics.]
* James Hendrickson
* Jason Rilker –
* Jethro Prufrock – father of George and Martha Prufock, was a perennial right-wing Libertarian candidate for president and a staunch advocate of arms-stockpiling; he was slain by a mutated George
* Julia Black – adoptive mother of Carmilla Black, former ties to Symbionese Liberation Army, currently deceased
* Lifeform (George Prufrock)[''The Punisher'' Annual #3. Marvel Comics.] – was mutated into a progressively larger carnivorous creature by exposure to experimental virus developed by his father, Jethro Prufock, at A.I.M.
* MODAM (Olinka Barankova) – A creation of A.I.M. whose name is an acronym for Mobile Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers, who also operated under the names "Maria Pym" and SODAM (an acronym for Specialized Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers). Killed by MODOK
* Marc Planck –
* Mentallo (Marvin Flumm)
* Njeri Damphousse – currently still with A.I.M.
* Paul Allen – He infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. His current whereabouts are unknown.
* Peggy Park –
* Professor Aaron Whyte –
* Ramona Starr – shot Ka-Zar in the head and then forced him to perform a mission for A.I.M.; also known as Ramona Courtland
* Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
(Johann Schmidt) –
* Seekers –
* Solemne Brannex – Possibly the sister of Allesandro Brannex, sought aid from S.H.I.E.L.D. when A.I.M. obtained a Shi'ar
The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree E ...
vessel
* Stryke
* Super-Adaptoid
The Super-Adaptoid is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has appeared in over five decades of Marvel continuity and featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such a ...
– A robot that can copy the appearance and superpowers of anyone.
* Timekeeper – scientist and leader of an A.I.M. outpost in Venture Ridge, Wyoming
Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the sou ...
; he attempted to tap into the power of Holly-Ann Ember
* Timothy Black – adoptive father of Carmilla Black, former ties to Symbionese Liberation Army, currently deceased
* Ultra-Adaptoid – A stronger version of the Super-Adaptoid.
* Victorius (Victor Conrad)
* Wakers – A.I.M. deep penetration agents under the leadership of Scorpion (Carmilla Black) and four others, genetically engineered to resist all chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons
** Lars Branco – Waker agent; currently deceased
* Warbot – A.I.M. weapon, used by Arthur Shaman to capture the Hulk to use against Ms. Marvel, destroyed by her
* Yorgon Tykkio – brother of Valdemar; became a cyborg and led a revolt against his brother's rule; controlled the body of MODOK and destroyed it after he was defeated in battle against Iron Man; allied with Clytemnestra Erwin against Tony Stark/Iron Man; was killed by Clytemnestra when she was attempting to flee from him
Avengers/American Idea Mechanics members
* Roberto da Costa - The Supreme Leader following his acquisition and buying out of A.I.M.'s faculties.
* Dr. Toni Ho - A scientist and engineer whose work emulates Stark's Iron Man designs. She became the second Rescue
Rescue comprises responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or the urgent treatment of injuries after an accident or a dangerous situation.
Tools used might include search and rescue dogs, mounted search and rescue ...
and later the third Iron Patriot.
* Red Hulk (General Robert Maverick) - A general who uses a Hulk Plug-In to become his version of Red Hulk for an hour.
Other versions
A.I.M. has outposts active in several other universes in the Marvel Multiverse, including the universes for 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 ...
, Marvel 1602, and Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comic ...
.
Heroes Reborn
In the '' Heroes Reborn'' reality, A.I.M. is led by Baron Zemo
Baron Zemo () is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Heinrich Zemo and his son Helmut Zemo have both been depicted as a major adversary of Captain America and the Avengers, as well as the l ...
and MODOK as they take on Captain America and the new Bucky, Rebecca Barnes
Rebecca "Rikki" Barnes is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in '' Heroes Reborn'' #1/2 (September 1996), where she ...
.
2020 Death's Head Future
A future (2020) version of A.I.M was featured heavily in the Marvel UK
Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US-produced stories for the British weekly comic market. Marvel UK later produced original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve D ...
limited series '' Death's Head II''. This future organisation created the cyborg Minion, which was later taken over by the personality of Death's Head. A.I.M's representative Evelyn Necker became a popular character in the ongoing series that followed.
In ''Amazing Fantasy'' #16–20, set further in the same future, A.I.M is on the point of making peace with the UN, when a renegade A.I.M. scientist unleashes Death's Head 3.0 on the peace conference.
House of M
In the ''House of M
"House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a core eight-issue comic book limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel and a number of crossover tie-in books. Its f ...
'' reality, A.I.M. is re-imagined as a human resistance movement
A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objective ...
led by Monica Rappacini to oppose Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Exo ...
, ruler of Australia and his cohorts
Cohort or cohortes may refer to:
* Cohort (educational group), a group of students working together through the same academic curriculum
* Cohort (floating point), a set of different encodings of the same numerical value
* Cohort (military unit), ...
.
Marvel Adventures
In the ''Marvel Adventures Marvel Adventures, formerly Marvel Age, was an imprint of Marvel Comics intended for younger audiences, including small children. Unlike the standard comics published by Marvel, which often take place in story arcs spanning several issues, each Mar ...
'' version of Iron Man, A.I.M., through the use of dummy companies, acquired Stark International's hover platform and uni-beam technology in their invasion of Madripoor, a third world country. Gia-Bao Yinsen
Y'Garon
Y'Garon is a demon who has clashed with Marada the She-Wolf and Dracula.
Yandroth
Yandroth was the humanoid Scientist Supreme of the " otherdimensional" planet "Yann" and a would-be-conqueror who, with his robot Voltorg, has fought Doc ...
tried to tell the world about A.I.M.'s terrorist attacks on his country. However, his message is dismissed. During Tony Stark's test of his new solar-powered glider, A.I.M. causes Tony to crash on their artificial island. Tony's heart is damaged, and A.I.M. forces him to build an EMP weapon to allow A.I.M.'s forces to finish their conquest of Madripoor. In exchange, A.I.M. will repair his heart. Tony learns that Yinsen was also kidnapped, as A.I.M. wanted to prevent him from telling the world about their attacks on his country and to use his intellect to build technology for A.I.M.. Similar to Iron Man's main Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
origin, Yinsen and Tony both build armor to escape. However, Yinsen destroys the generator powering the island in order to save his homeland. The explosion kills Yinsen, but Tony Stark lives. Tony becomes Iron Man to prevent people like A.I.M. from committing evil against innocents. Here, the Supreme Scientist is a black-haired woman who is extremely brilliant. In addition, the uniforms that A.I.M. uses are basically NBC orange suits. However, the Supreme Scientist wears black clothing in a style similar to Darth Vader.
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 ...
reality, A.I.M. commissioned 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 ...
to steal Cerebro
Cerebro (; Spanish for "brain", from Latin ) is a fictional device appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The device is used by the X-Men (in particular, their leader, Professor Charles Xavier) to detect humans, specifica ...
from 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 ...
and frame the 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 ...
, as seen in the '' Ultimate X4'' mini-series. Ultimate A.I.M.'s full purpose and function has yet to be revealed. The miniseries ''Ultimate Vision
Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to:
Perception Optical perception
* Visual perception, the sense of sight
* Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight
* Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...
'' introduces A.I.M. as composed of several directorates spread across the globe, with George Tarleton as an A.I.M. leader on an orbital research facility. Tarleton and his team attempted to take control of a Gah Lak Tus module that was left behind in orbit after the swarm was driven away. Being unable to do so on their own, they lured Vision to the station to help them by claiming they would use the knowledge to order the Gah Lak Tus swarm to self-destruct. Once the cyborg Tarleton had connected to the module using Vision, he had the module fire an energy beam at her. Tarleton then incorporated the Gah Lak Tus' circuitry into his own body, but it has seemingly taken him over, transforming him more into a machine, with a monstrous appearance. He has since taken over the entire station remotely and has set it to plummet out of orbit, along with the Gah Lak Tus module, which he says has "unfinished business on Earth." Ultimately, Tarleton was broken free of the module's control and helped the Vision and the Falcon a.k.a. Dr. Samuel Wilson in destroying the module.
In '' Ultimate Comics: Avengers'', a group of A.I.M. terrorists stole advanced technology (revealed to be blueprints for a Cosmic Cube)[''Ultimate Avengers'' #3. Marvel Comics.] from the Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The building is depicted in Manhattan, and its five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters.
Publication his ...
and have some associations with the Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
.
In other media
Television
* Though they go unnamed, a group of A.I.M. agents make a cameo in a flashback depicted in the '' Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'' episode "The X-Men Adventure". They attacked the lab where Firestar and Nathan Price worked at before he became the villain Cyberiad.
* A.I.M. appears in ''Iron Man
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 charact ...
''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures'', with the Scientist Supreme, the Controller and MODOC as prominent members.
* A.I.M. appears in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Marvel Anime: Wolverine''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Avengers Assemble''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Spider-Man''. In the episode "School of Hard Knocks", A.I.M. uses an elite boarding school called the Bilderberg Academy as a front for Monica Rappaccini to experiment on students and grant them the combined powers of the captured Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...
, Captain Marvel, and Hulk. Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel infiltrate Bilderberg Academy and undo Rappaccini's experiments while Iron Man
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 charact ...
and Black Widow
Black widow may refer to:
Spiders
* Black widow spider, a common name for some species of spiders in the genus ''Latrodectus''
American species
* ''Latrodectus apicalis'', the Galapagos black widow
* ''Latrodectus curacaviensis'', the South Amer ...
capture the A.I.M. agents present. In the episode "A Troubled Mind", A.I.M. steals three mental projection devices and combine them with their robotics to create MODOK, only for both to be defeated by the Superior Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Ms. Marvel. In the episode "Amazing Friends", A.I.M. collaborates with Baron Mordo
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo (known as Baron Mordo) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted commonly as an adversary of Doctor Strange. The character was created by writer Sta ...
to capture Groot
Groot () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Tales to Astonish'' #13 (Nov. 1960). An extraterrestrial, senti ...
and use him as a template for mystical wood golems, only to be stopped by Spider-Man, Miles Morales
Miles Gonzalo Morales Ahmed, Saladin (w), Garrón, Javier (a). ''Miles Morales: Spider-Man'' #1 (2018) Marvel Comics (New York). () is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, and is one ...
, Ironheart, Doctor Strange, and the Totally Awesome Hulk Totally may refer to:
* ''Totally'' (album), album by German band Bad Boys Blue
* Totally (company), publishing company
See also
*
*Total (disambiguation)
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, ...
.
* A.I.M. appears in '' M.O.D.O.K.'' This version is entirely founded and led by MODOK, although he eventually causes the organization to go bankrupt and allows the rival company GRUMBL to buy it out. Throughout the series, MODOK continually schemes to reclaim his position as A.I.M.'s leader and eliminate GRUMBL CEO Austin Van Der Sleet, although these attempts continually end in failure and lead to him being demoted and replaced by Monica Rappaccini as Scientist Supreme. Meanwhile, Van Der Sleet uses A.I.M.'s resources and technology to further the plans of his superior, Hexus, the Living Corporation. By the end of the first season, MODOK sells his A.I.M. shares to Iron Man, enabling him to buy out A.I.M. from GRUMBL, while MODOK, Rappaccini, and A.I.M. subordinate Gary go on to establish A-I-M-2 independently.
Film
* A.I.M. appears in the anime film '' Iron Man: Rise of Technovore''. They are hired by Ezekiel Stane and Sasha Hammer
This article lists Marvel characters beginning with the letter "H", with a brief description introducing each one.
Hala the Accuser
Gabrielle Haller
Gabrielle Haller was a catatonic Holocaust survivor who awoke from the disorder after Charle ...
to develop a techno-organic virus called Technovore.
* A.I.M. appears in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
film '' Iron Man 3''. This version is a government-sanctioned, privately funded think-tank founded by Aldrich Killian,["Chapter 5: 'Nothing's been the same since New York': Ideological Continuity and Change in ''Iron Man 3'' and ''Thor: The Dark World''", in: Terence McSweeney, ed., ''Avengers Assemble!: Critical Perspectives on the Marvel Cinematic Universe'', London/New York: Wallflower-Columbia University, 2017, ]
n.p.
which goes on to develop the Extremis virus and design the Iron Patriot armor.
Video games
* A.I.M. troopers and attack bots appear in '' Marvel Ultimate Alliance'', with the former voiced by Steve Blum
Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''S ...
.
* A.I.M. appears in the 2008 ''Iron Man
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 charact ...
'' film tie-in game. They work with Obadiah Stane to develop an army of Iron Men based on Tony Stark's original prototype suit. Although their attempts to develop an effective power source fail, they are able to create Titanium Man. However, Iron Man defeats him before thwarting A.I.M.'s attempt to generate power using a solar collection sattelite grid.
* A.I.M. appears in the PS2 and PSP versions of '' Spider-Man: Web of Shadows'', having aligned themselves with Spencer Smythe.
* A.I.M. agents appear in ''Marvel Super Hero Squad
''Marvel Super Hero Squad'' is an action figure line marketed by Hasbro beginning in 2007. The line features scale replicas of comic book heroes from the Marvel Comics universe. Each figure is portrayed in a cartoonish super-deformed style. The ...
'', voiced by Travis Willingham
Travis Willingham is an American voice actor. His most notable roles include Roy Mustang in the ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' franchise, Portgas D. Ace in ''One Piece'', Ginko in ''Mushishi'', Knuckles the Echidna in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchi ...
, Nolan North
Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles.
After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
, and Troy Baker
Troy Baker (born April 1, 1976) is an American voice actor and musician. Baker is known for his video game roles, including Joel Miller in '' The Last of Us'' (2013) and its sequel (2020), Booker DeWitt in ''BioShock Infinite'' (2013), Samue ...
.
* A.I.M. appears in the ''Iron Man 2
''Iron Man 2'' is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the sequel to ''Iron Man'' (2008) and the third film in the Marvel Cinem ...
'' film tie-in game, with its agents voiced by Catherine Campion, Andrew Chaikin
Andrew L. Chaikin (born June 24, 1956) is an American author, speaker and science journalist. He lives in Vermont.
He is the author of ''A Man on the Moon'', a detailed description of the Apollo missions to the Moon. This book formed the basi ...
, Denny Delk, Eric Goldberg, Adam Harrington, and Roger L. Jackson. They work with Kearson DeWitt
Kearson DeWitt is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Iron Man.
Publication history
Kearson DeWitt first appeared in '' Iron Man Annual'' #13 (July 1990) an ...
in collaboration with Roxxon to perfect the Ultimo Program.
* A.I.M. and their R.A.I.D. (Radically Advanced Ideas of Destruction) branch appear in '' Marvel Avengers Alliance''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Iron Man 3: The Official Game''.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Marvel Heroes''. Led by MODOK, they work in collaboration with the Wizard and Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in '' ...
.
* A.I.M. appears in ''Lego Marvel Super Heroes
''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Micr ...
''. Led by MODOK, they are among the supervillains that allied themselves with Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the f ...
. Iron Man, Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing ...
, and Spider-Man track Doom aboard an A.I.M. submarine, where they defeat MODOK and his agents.
* A.I.M., hybridized with ''Resident Evil
''Resident Evil'', known in Japan as is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environmen ...
''s Umbrella Corporation to create "A.I.M.brella", appears as a stage in '' Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite''. Unlike other fused locations, which were created by Ultron
Ultron () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, and initially made his debut as an unnamed character in ''The Avengers'' #54 (Jul ...
Sigma
Sigma (; uppercase Σ, lowercase σ, lowercase in word-final position ς; grc-gre, σίγμα) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used ...
after they fused their respective universes together, A.I.M.brella was a proper company merger, as both A.I.M. and Umbrella are led by warped scientists who chose to pool their resources.
* A.I.M. agents appear in '' Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2''.
* A.I.M. is referenced in '' Spider-Man'', providing funding to Otto Octavius when the city rescinds his development grant.
* A.I.M. appears in '' Marvel's Avengers''. Founded by Dr. George Tarleton after the events of "A-Day", this version is a powerful multinational corporation made to protect the world through science as opposed to superheroes. They also develop robotic synthoids for public service duties, security forces, and to manage the growing population of Inhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peopl ...
. Five years after A-Day, A.I.M. has established a virtual police state in the U.S. Additionally, a young Inhuman named Kamala Khan
Kamala Khan is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker, writer G. Willow Wilson, and artists Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie, Kamala is Marvel's firs ...
discovers that the company's leaders are experimenting on Inhumans rather than curing them, and also harvesting their powers to create an army of Adaptoids to replace the Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. A warped Tarleton, now MODOK, intends to wipe out all Inhumans and superpowers on Earth, but he is defeated by Khan and the Avengers. After he is presumed dead, Monica Rappaccini assumes control of A.I.M. and its assets. Realizing that the company is still an active threat, the Avengers partner with S.H.I.E.L.D. to locate and take out A.I.M.'s remaining facilities around the world.
Live performance
A.I.M. appears in the arena show '' Marvel Universe: LIVE!''.
Miscellaneous
Members of A.I.M. appear in issue #5 of '' The Avengers: United They Stand'' comic book series.
Critical reception
Both A.I.M. and Hydra first appeared in the 1960s as analogues for the threat of Communism, but are also associated with Nazism and resemble organizations fought by Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...
in World War II; political science professor Matthew J. Costello has pointed out that this conflation of Communist and Nazi totalitarianism removes ambiguity from the threat and thus from America's moral superiority in the comics.[Matthew J. Costello, ''Secret Identity Crisis: Comic Books and the Unmasking of Cold War America'', New York: Continuum, 2009, ]
pp. 70–71
In contrast, in the post- 9/11 context of ''Iron Man 3'', Pepper
Pepper or peppers may refer to:
Food and spice
* Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant
** Black pepper
* ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae
** Bell pepper
** Chili ...
says of Extremis' war profiteering, "That's exactly what tark Industries
Tark may refer to:
*Tark, East Azerbaijan, a city in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran
*Tark, Ardabil, a village in Ardabil Province, Iran
*Bal Tark, a village in Gilan Province, Iran
*Tark Darreh, a village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
*Jerry T ...
used to do".[ Whereas immediately after 9/11 Captain America was concerned with Islamic terrorism, by 2005–2007 he was primarily engaged with homegrown terrorists: A.I.M. and A.I.D.][
]
References
External links
A.I.M
at Marvel.com
*
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