- Unicorn (comics)
Superherobox|
caption=The Unicorn as featured on the cover ofIron Man #154 (vol. 1, Jan.1981). Art byBob Layton ] .
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Unicorn
real_name=Milos Masaryk
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Tales of Suspense " #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964)
creators=Stan Lee Don Heck
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Maggia
aliases=
powers= Energy projection via emitter on brow of suit|The Unicorn (Milos Masaryk) is a
supervillain that exists in thefictional Marvel Universe . The character first appears in "Tales of Suspense " #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964) and was created byStan Lee andJack Kirby .Fictional character biography
Milos Masaryk is a
Soviet intelligence agent assigned to track down the original Crimson Dynamo, who defects to America after being tricked by Iron Man. Wearing technology designed by the Dynamo, Masaryk gives himself the alias the "Unicorn" and battles Iron Man. Although Iron Man crashes the Unicorn's plane, the villain manages to escape. ["Tales of Suspense" #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964)]The Unicorn was among the villains affected by
Doctor Doom 's high-frequency emotion charger, and went to theBaxter Building to attack theFantastic Four . He once fought Iron Man and was defeated with one punch. He teamed with Beetle, Electro, Mandarin, and theMelter against Cyclops and Iceman, but the resultant combination of their power blasts knocked them all out, and they were sent back to the immediate past by Reed Richards with no memory of attack. ["Fantastic Four Annual" #3, 1965; "Marvel: Heroes and Legends", 1996]The Unicorn later allies himself with
Count Nefaria for financial reasons, but is stopped by theX-Men . ["Uncanny X-Men" #22 - 23 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug 1966)] He then undergoes experimental conditioning to augment his powers and battles Iron Man once more, but is defeated. [Iron Man #4 (vol. 1, Aug.)] Unfortunately, the process leaves the Unicorn with "accelerated cellular deterioration", and he is taunted with a cure by theRed Ghost in exchange for help against Iron Man. However, once it becomes evident that the Red Ghost has lied, the Unicorn aids Iron Man and later escapes. [Iron Man #15 - 16 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug. )] He gives up on the Red Ghost after he failed to find cure. ["Defenders" #8, 1973]The master villain, the the Mandarin, makes a similar promise to the Unicorn and deploys him against Iron Man. On two separate occasions Unicorn's battle with Iron Man ends in defeat. ["Iron Man" #57 - 58 (vol. 1, Apr- May ); #68 - 69 (vol. 1, Jun - Aug (bi-monthly)] Using the alias "The Other" , the
Titanium Man uses the Unicorn against Iron Man who is finally able to capture Masaryk. In a dramatic turn, the very moment of his capture sees Masaryk slip into a life-threatening coma. ["Iron Man" #113 (vol. 1, Aug. 1978)] Iron Man takes Masaryk to the Avengers' mansion where team-mate Henry Pym wakes Masaryk and cures him of his debilitating disease. The process has the unfortunate result of driving Masaryk insane, and a disorientated Unicorn inadvertently activates the hidden robot Arsenal. The Unicorn is stunned by the robot - which Iron Man drives off - and then placed in stasis pending a cure for his mental illness. ["Iron Man" #114 (vol. 1, Sep. 1978)]Months later, Masaryk is freed when a fire breaks out at Stark Enterprises, ["Iron Man" #145 - 146 (vol. 1, Apr - May 1981)] and assuming the identity of the Unicorn finds and attacks Iron Man once again. Still suffering from insanity, the Unicorn refuses to be believe that "The Other" was a lie, and decides to walk back to the Soviet Union via the ocean to find him. A severely weakened Iron Man is powerless to stop him and can only watch as the Unicorn apparently drowns. ["Iron Man" #154 (vol. 1, Jan. 1982)] The Unicorn is later revived by the entity the
Beyonder to fight with a new version of theLethal Legion , and given a true third eye on a stalk with energy projection capabilities in lieu of a suit. ["Marvel Age" Annual #1 (1985)] This act eventually drives Masaryk insane, who goes on a rampage inSt. Petersburg until captured by the thirdTitanium Man . Masaryk's third eye is then amputated and he is incarcerated. ["Soviet Super-Soldiers Special Edition" #1 (1992)] Masaryk is later freed and recruited into the supervillain group Stockpile to destroy Iron Man, but they are defeated by the combined efforts of Iron Man andWar Machine . ["Iron Man" #330-331 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug. 1996)]Civil War
During the Civil War event, the Unicorn is approached by
Baron Zemo and forced to either join Zemo's team of Thunderbolts or go to jail. Masaryk chooses to join and fights on the team's behalf. ["Thunderbolts" #104 (2006) + 107 (2007)]Powers and abilities
The Unicorn has superhuman strength and endurance. The Unicorn's soft tissues are dozens of times harder than those of an ordinary human, making him highly resistant to physical injury.
He wears headgear equipped with an energy projector that tunes to various frequency and power levels. This allows him to project force beams and thermal beams. It also allows him to project a force field and to levitate objects magnetically. He also wears a rocket belt equipped with twin, high-efficiency electric micro turbines that allow him to fly.
Other versions
Ultimate Unicorn
The
Ultimate Marvel version of the Unicorn briefly appears as a participant in the abandoned Russiansupersoldier program. This version is one of many convicts found by theUltimates in theTunguska base who were altered usingbiotechnology torn from theUltimate Vision , and driven mad by years of isolation. He appears to have the power to project electricity from his horn, to levitate, and enhanced durability. ["Ultimate Nightmare " (#1 - 5, Aug. 2004 - Dec. 2004)]References
External links
* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Unicorn Unicorn] at Marvel.com
* [http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/u/unicorn.htm Unicorn at MarvelDirectory.com]
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/stockp.htm#unic The Stockpile's Unicorn at the Marvel Appendix]
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