This has got to be the worst alternate universe ever. -Spider-Man
Hey! Article is a stub. This means that it is short and needs more information, or should be expanded with up to date information, if there is any new information. You can help the Spider-Man Wiki by expanding it. Thanks! |
Molten Man | |
Full Name: | Mark Raxton |
First Appearance: | Amazing Spider-Man #28 |
Created by: | Stan Lee, Steve Ditko |
Home Universe: | Earth-616 |
Alignment: | Bad, later good |
Status: | Alive |
Place of Birth: | New York City |
Citizenship: | American |
Base: | |
Affiliations: | Alchemax, Formerly Exterminators |
Powers/Abilities: | Can raise own body temperature to levels high enough to melt objects |
Height: | 6' 5" (1.96 m) |
Weight: | 550 lbs (250 kg) |
Hair Color: | Golden |
Eye Color: | Hazel |
Unique Features: | Entire body is molded with a gold colored alloy |
"It's just not FAIR!! " |
Mark Raxton (of Earth-616), better known as the Molten Man, is the half-brother of Liz Allan and uncle of Normie Osborn.
Mark has aided Spider-Man in fighting many supervillains over the years and has been a bodyguard to Peter Parker's friends and family during times of crisis.
History[]
Early life[]
Mark Raxton was born in New York City. He was a scientist who was very eager to use his skills to become wealthy, and once worked at Oscorp Industries, as the laboratory assistant to Dr. Spencer Smythe, creator of the Spider-Slayers. Raxton and Smythe developed an experimental new liquid metallic alloy for the Spider-Slayers from a radioactive meteor, but Raxton became impatient and greedy. He attempted to steal it and sell it for his own profit, ignoring Smythe's protests that it needed more testing. In the ensuing fight with Smythe in the laboratory, Raxton spilled the liquid alloy all over himself, his skin absorbing it and turning golden. Fearing for his life, Raxton ran for the nearest hospital, only to discover that the alloy had changed him for the better when he angrily punched an irate motorist's hood, buckling it. Realizing the great potential his new abilities afforded him, Raxton, now calling himself Molten Man turned to crime to further his gains. Spider-Man nearly missed his high school graduation to stop Molten Man's first crime spree. He was released from jail before long, only to continue his criminal activities.
Becoming Molten Man[]
Eventually, his body begins to give off intense heat and to consume itself. His metal skin became molten, and he stole meteor fragments from a museum to attempt a cure. An encounter with Spider-Man resulted in his submergence in the polluted East River, which temporarily reversed the deterioration. After a few more encounters with Spider-Man, it was revealed that Peter's friend Liz Allan was Raxton's stepsister. Raxton broke into a pharmaceutical company to steal chemicals which would reverse his condition permanently. When the procedure failed, he went berserk and kidnapped Liz. Liz was saved by Spider-Man, but Molten Man was buried beneath the laboratory. He later resurfaced at the same site and once again sought his sister out.
Spider-Man prevented the Molten Man from hurting her, knocking him into a swimming pool, thus extinguishing his flames and cooling his molten properties. He was then taken to The Vault. Raxton realized that his stepsister was the only member of his family who had not abandoned him. He was eventually released from The Vault and approached Liz once again, this time to apologize. Spider-Man misunderstood his intentions and battled him once more. Reconciled with Raxton, Liz and her husband Harry Osborn gave Raxton a job as head of security at Osborn Industries. Molten Man later teamed up with Spider-Man and the second Green Goblin against Tombstone and Hammerhead.
Additionally, unlike most of Spider-Man's more thuggish villains, Molten Man had brains to compliment his raw physical strength. An intelligent and completely sane scientist, Molten Man was smart enough to learn from his mistakes and not fall for the same trick twice. He is a college graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.
A Good Guy[]
However, in the months following the Clone Saga, Raxton was abducted by Norman Osborn, and brainwashed. Under mind control, Molten Man attacked and killed Osborn's henchwoman Alison Mongraine, the only person who knew of the location of Peter and Mary Jane's baby. While Molten Man has since recovered from the mind control, he still bears a heavy burden of guilt over the incident. Sometime after Harry Osborn's death, Raxton is called in when mysterious forces kidnap Liz Allan's son, Normie. He uses his brawn and brains to help Spider-Man and Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich uncover what happened.
Powers and Abilities[]
Molten Man was given superhuman powers after exposure to an organic liquid metal alloy obtained from a meteor discovered by Spencer Smythe.
- His skin completely absorbed the experimental alloy, turning all of the external tissues of his body into a solid metallic substance, as well as the trunks, belt, and boots he was wearing at the time of the accident.
- Molten Man possesses superhuman strength and his skin is composed of a frictionless metal that grants him a high degree of resistance to physical injury.
- Raxton's metallic fingers are sensitive enough to pick locks (making him an expert safe cracker), and his skin is so slick he cannot be restrained with Spider-Man's webbing. Molten Man's skin can also generate intense heat, burning anybody who tries to touch him and shooting flaming projectiles at his foes.
Weaknesses[]
- In his molten form, the Molten Man's skin may reach a critical stage at which point his skin could actually melt off him.