Doctor Nemesis
Encyclopedia
Doctor Nemesis is the alias of James Nicola Bradley, a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics
. He was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age character that originally appeared in Ace Magazines' Lightning Comics. He is a co-creator of the original Human Torch android, and appears in Uncanny X-Men
as a member of the X-Club. Doctor Nemesis is also the alias used by Michael Stockton, an enemy of Henry Pym
's who uses Pym Particles.
in developing the original android Human Torch of World War II
. While mostly a silent partner in this endeavor, Dr. Bradley began building a second android during this time.
The two scientists were unable to correct the design flaw that would cause their android to burst into flames upon exposure to oxygen. Bradley had preferred they resolve this issue before revealing their work to the public. However, Horton, eager for both fame and further financial backing held a press conference in late 1939 debuting their work. This turned into a public relations disaster, as Bradley had predicted, when the android caught on fire, causing the press to label it a menace. Bradley broke off their partnership thereafter and took his unfinished second android with him.
Sometime before 1941, Bradley completed his work and the second android acted as the superhero Volton, the Human Generator, from late 1941 to early 1942. Unaware of its artificial origins, Bradley led Volton to believe it was a scientist named Guy Newton who had discovered how to utilize his body's power to generate static electricity. Around this time, Bradley also decided to become a masked crimefighter, too. While working by day at Mercy Hospital in New York City, he would don a surgical mask and arm himself with a hypodermic gun to fight corruption and crime as Doctor Nemesis.
After a number of adventures, Doctor Nemesis was approached by agents of the Third Reich to form a group of costumed beings. Signifying a change in tactics, Bradley changed his alter-ego to Dr. Death and recruited Human Meteor, Spider Queen
, Strongman and Volton for the group, Battle-Axis. The members of Battle-Axis did not, necessarily, agree with the Nazi policies and agenda but, for a variety of reasons, sought to force the United States to pull out of World War II. Doctor Death started work on "Project Mojave". Using an experimental device called an oscillotron, Battle-Axis would cause a severe earthquake on the U.S. west coast. Besides causing much damage to American cities, it would destroy the war industry plants and release poison gas from underground storage. With such devastation, the U.S. would be forced to withdraw from the war in order to deal with its homefront crisis.
On June 22, 1942, Battle-Axis made their public debut protecting a German U-Boat from the Invaders
attack. The two teams battled several times as the Invaders slowly unraveled Doctor Death's secret plans. Doctor Death kidnapped the Blue Bullet
(John Goldstein) to employ him in his Project Mojave, and his brother Jacob was obliged to obey his orders in exchange for John's life. Jacob was forced, as the Golem, to attack the Invaders in Doctor Death's plan to force the USA out of involvement in World War II. When the Invaders attacked Doctor Death's base, the Golem remained neutral to keep from putting his brother in danger. John escaped during the battle, but was shot by Sky Shark. Though the Invaders were able to stop Doctor Death's plan, the Blue Bullet died.
In their final confrontation, Doctor Death was able to get the oscillotron activated when he was struck down by Volton. The android had learned of its origins and Doctor Death's own role in keeping it secret. The Sub-Mariner was able to shutdown the machine and Doctor Death was left for dead.
Somehow surviving the attack, Bradley returned to New York City. Apparently repentant, he assumed his original costumed persona of Doctor Nemesis. Continuing on his war on crime, he became engaged to his co-worker, Nurse Mary Strong. The majority of his wartime activities remain unchronicled.
After the war, Doctor Nemesis moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to hunt down any Nazi superscientists and any of their clones.
and Angel to help assist in undoing M-Day
. Doctor Nemesis had no interest in undoing the "spell" that turned off the X-gene. But after defeating two Super Nazis, he agrees to join McCoy's science team. They later locate and recruit Madison Jeffries
(formerly of Alpha Flight
). When they return to San Francisco, they are joined by Dr. Kavita Rao
. The X-team later time-travel back to turn-of-the-century San Francisco in order to obtain genetic samples for study, from the biological parents of one of the first of the modern (20th century) wave of mutants. The mutant in question is actually Doctor Nemesis himself, who reveals to the rest of the team his power of "self-evolved intellect", which allowed him to greatly extend his longevity through his own invented serums. His father is a brilliant radical inventor who actually manages to invent a self-powered electric light bulb, and his mother is her husband's bodyguard. Doctor Nemesis' father is killed when he helps the X-Club stop the Hellfire Club
's first-ever Sentinel from ravaging across San Francisco. Nemesis' mother later dies in childbirth, as she is already in a weakened condition from the trauma of losing her spouse. Unknown to the rest of the X-Men, Dr. Nemesis delivered himself as he secretly traveled back in time again to be the Doctor of his own mother. The X-Club are ultimately unable to obtain the couple's genetic samples as it appears that they are being deliberately blocked by the Dreaming Celestial (because they would not have survived the time-jump back to the present, they were buried in a cryogenic capsule in Golden Gate Park
) as part of some grand cosmic plan.
After rescuing Beast and Professor X
from Norman Osborn's prison, Doctor Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club join the X-Men on the risen Asteroid M, renamed Utopia
, where they mourn the death of Yuriko Takiguchi shortly afterward.
After the arrival of Hope Summers
leads to an attack by Bastion
, Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club are lead to a trap that takes them out of Utopia, where Bastion creates an energy sphere blocking out the entire San Francisco area from the outside world, despite help from the Avengers
, they are unable to breach the barrier.
Dr. Nemesis is a polymath who has made major advances in handheld weaponry, medicine, chemistry, genetics, interdimensional travel, computer programming, and robotics.
He arms himself with twin handguns that fire hypodermic projectiles containing dangerous narcotics. The projectiles were tailored to pierce body armor. He developed a sedating truth serum for use as an investigator. He created androids, including the sentient and superhuman android, Volton. He perfected a "dimension smasher" which teleported beings from other dimensions. His oscillotron device can trigger major eathquakes. He is an accomplished investigator and hand to hand combatant.
reality, Doctor Nemesis is seen in a hidden room built unknown to Magneto himself at the center of the fortress. He is frozen and distorted as he is not completely in this reality. Gambit notices he's looking at some brain scans, probably Legion's.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. He was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age character that originally appeared in Ace Magazines' Lightning Comics. He is a co-creator of the original Human Torch android, and appears in Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
as a member of the X-Club. Doctor Nemesis is also the alias used by Michael Stockton, an enemy of Henry Pym
Henry Pym
Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...
's who uses Pym Particles.
Fictional character biography
Although primarily trained as a medical physician, Dr. James Bradley began working in the late 1930s with Professor Phineas T. HortonPhineas Horton
Professor Phineas T. Horton is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and was the creator of the original Human Torch.-Publication history:Phineas T...
in developing the original android Human Torch of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. While mostly a silent partner in this endeavor, Dr. Bradley began building a second android during this time.
The two scientists were unable to correct the design flaw that would cause their android to burst into flames upon exposure to oxygen. Bradley had preferred they resolve this issue before revealing their work to the public. However, Horton, eager for both fame and further financial backing held a press conference in late 1939 debuting their work. This turned into a public relations disaster, as Bradley had predicted, when the android caught on fire, causing the press to label it a menace. Bradley broke off their partnership thereafter and took his unfinished second android with him.
Sometime before 1941, Bradley completed his work and the second android acted as the superhero Volton, the Human Generator, from late 1941 to early 1942. Unaware of its artificial origins, Bradley led Volton to believe it was a scientist named Guy Newton who had discovered how to utilize his body's power to generate static electricity. Around this time, Bradley also decided to become a masked crimefighter, too. While working by day at Mercy Hospital in New York City, he would don a surgical mask and arm himself with a hypodermic gun to fight corruption and crime as Doctor Nemesis.
After a number of adventures, Doctor Nemesis was approached by agents of the Third Reich to form a group of costumed beings. Signifying a change in tactics, Bradley changed his alter-ego to Dr. Death and recruited Human Meteor, Spider Queen
Spider Queen
Spider Queen was a fictional Golden Age comic book character. She first appeared in Fox Feature Syndicate's The Eagle #2 . The character was later revived by writer Roy Thomas for Marvel Comics' 1993 Invaders mini-series....
, Strongman and Volton for the group, Battle-Axis. The members of Battle-Axis did not, necessarily, agree with the Nazi policies and agenda but, for a variety of reasons, sought to force the United States to pull out of World War II. Doctor Death started work on "Project Mojave". Using an experimental device called an oscillotron, Battle-Axis would cause a severe earthquake on the U.S. west coast. Besides causing much damage to American cities, it would destroy the war industry plants and release poison gas from underground storage. With such devastation, the U.S. would be forced to withdraw from the war in order to deal with its homefront crisis.
On June 22, 1942, Battle-Axis made their public debut protecting a German U-Boat from the Invaders
Invaders (comics)
The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the . The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 . A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol...
attack. The two teams battled several times as the Invaders slowly unraveled Doctor Death's secret plans. Doctor Death kidnapped the Blue Bullet
Blue Bullet
Blue Bullet is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:The Blue Bullet first appeared in Invaders #11-12 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins....
(John Goldstein) to employ him in his Project Mojave, and his brother Jacob was obliged to obey his orders in exchange for John's life. Jacob was forced, as the Golem, to attack the Invaders in Doctor Death's plan to force the USA out of involvement in World War II. When the Invaders attacked Doctor Death's base, the Golem remained neutral to keep from putting his brother in danger. John escaped during the battle, but was shot by Sky Shark. Though the Invaders were able to stop Doctor Death's plan, the Blue Bullet died.
In their final confrontation, Doctor Death was able to get the oscillotron activated when he was struck down by Volton. The android had learned of its origins and Doctor Death's own role in keeping it secret. The Sub-Mariner was able to shutdown the machine and Doctor Death was left for dead.
Somehow surviving the attack, Bradley returned to New York City. Apparently repentant, he assumed his original costumed persona of Doctor Nemesis. Continuing on his war on crime, he became engaged to his co-worker, Nurse Mary Strong. The majority of his wartime activities remain unchronicled.
After the war, Doctor Nemesis moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to hunt down any Nazi superscientists and any of their clones.
X-Club
Many years later, Doctor Nemesis was approached by BeastBeast (comics)
Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
and Angel to help assist in undoing M-Day
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
. Doctor Nemesis had no interest in undoing the "spell" that turned off the X-gene. But after defeating two Super Nazis, he agrees to join McCoy's science team. They later locate and recruit Madison Jeffries
Madison Jeffries
Madison Jeffries is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the . He first appears in Alpha Flight #16 and was created by John Byrne.- Publication history :...
(formerly of Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
). When they return to San Francisco, they are joined by Dr. Kavita Rao
Kavita Rao
Dr. Kavita "Vita" Rao is a fictional character, a geneticist in the Marvel Comics universe of the X-Men. She first appeared and featured prominently in the first story arc of the monthly series Astonishing X-Men in 2004.-Hope:Dr...
. The X-team later time-travel back to turn-of-the-century San Francisco in order to obtain genetic samples for study, from the biological parents of one of the first of the modern (20th century) wave of mutants. The mutant in question is actually Doctor Nemesis himself, who reveals to the rest of the team his power of "self-evolved intellect", which allowed him to greatly extend his longevity through his own invented serums. His father is a brilliant radical inventor who actually manages to invent a self-powered electric light bulb, and his mother is her husband's bodyguard. Doctor Nemesis' father is killed when he helps the X-Club stop the Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club (comics)
The Hellfire Club is a fictional society within the Marvel Comics Universe that often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men...
's first-ever Sentinel from ravaging across San Francisco. Nemesis' mother later dies in childbirth, as she is already in a weakened condition from the trauma of losing her spouse. Unknown to the rest of the X-Men, Dr. Nemesis delivered himself as he secretly traveled back in time again to be the Doctor of his own mother. The X-Club are ultimately unable to obtain the couple's genetic samples as it appears that they are being deliberately blocked by the Dreaming Celestial (because they would not have survived the time-jump back to the present, they were buried in a cryogenic capsule in Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
) as part of some grand cosmic plan.
After rescuing Beast and Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
from Norman Osborn's prison, Doctor Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club join the X-Men on the risen Asteroid M, renamed Utopia
Asteroid M
Utopia is the name of the sepratist mutant homeland created by the X-Men from the remains of Asteroid M which is the name of several fictional settings, each an asteroid converted by the mutant Magneto into his home/orbiting base, in the Marvel Comics Universe...
, where they mourn the death of Yuriko Takiguchi shortly afterward.
After the arrival of Hope Summers
Hope Summers (comics)
Hope Summers is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #205 in 2007 , and was created by writers Mike Carey and artist Chris Bachalo during the "X-Men: Messiah Complex" event...
leads to an attack by Bastion
Bastion (comics)
Bastion is a supervillain that appears in the fictional Marvel Universe. The character was created by Scott Lobdell and Pascual Ferry and first made a cameo appearance in X-Men #52 . His first full appearance was Uncanny X-Men #333...
, Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club are lead to a trap that takes them out of Utopia, where Bastion creates an energy sphere blocking out the entire San Francisco area from the outside world, despite help from the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, they are unable to breach the barrier.
Powers and abilities
Dr. Nemesis possesses the mutant powers of having a self-described "self-evolved" intellect, making him an instinctively-intuitive scientific & technological genius (like his fellow Xman, the mutant shaman/inventor Forge). He has delayed his own aging and enhanced his own immune system, leading to a prolonged lifespan. He has also enhanced his eyesight, allowing him to see genetic anomalies, including the Nazi clones he primarily hunted before joining the X-Club, over a distance of 200 m (656.2 ft).Dr. Nemesis is a polymath who has made major advances in handheld weaponry, medicine, chemistry, genetics, interdimensional travel, computer programming, and robotics.
He arms himself with twin handguns that fire hypodermic projectiles containing dangerous narcotics. The projectiles were tailored to pierce body armor. He developed a sedating truth serum for use as an investigator. He created androids, including the sentient and superhuman android, Volton. He perfected a "dimension smasher" which teleported beings from other dimensions. His oscillotron device can trigger major eathquakes. He is an accomplished investigator and hand to hand combatant.
Age of X
In the Age of XAge of X
"Age of X" is a comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics which features an alternate reality of the X-Men. The first issue of the storyline, Age of X: Alpha, was published in January 2011. Publication continued in February, March, and April 2011...
reality, Doctor Nemesis is seen in a hidden room built unknown to Magneto himself at the center of the fortress. He is frozen and distorted as he is not completely in this reality. Gambit notices he's looking at some brain scans, probably Legion's.