A
villain published by
Marvel Comics. MODOK first appeared in
Tales of Suspense #94.
During World War II, Baron von Strucker created a villainous group
called HYDRA bent on world domination. To supply HYDRA with the
tools necessary to function, von Strucker gathered a group of
amoral scientists and organized them into a subgroup of HYDRA called
AIM, Advanced Idea Mechanics. AIM functioned as a part of HYDRA
for many years, but after the majority of HYDRA was beaten back by
the likes of Captain America and Nick Fury, AIM split off and
sought their own way.
AIM under the direction of their Supreme Scientist, who rotates in
and out based upon dangerous internal politics, has created a number
of amazing weapons including the Super-Adaptoid and the Cosmic Cube.
They also are responsible for the creation of a killing machine that
lead the group for many years. That is the villain MODOK.
MODOK stands for Mobile Organism Designed Only for Killing. The
creature began as a member of AIM who was subjected to the experiments
and operations to implant cybernetics into him, eventually turning
him into a giant head with a stunted body that could only move by
flying around in a hover chair. MODOK gained increased intelligence
and psionic powers, like firing bolts of mental energy that could
rend steel. Ultimately, he is a harsh warning to missing a scheduled
staff meeting in AIM.
Enraged by his now freakish appearance, MODOK killed the Supreme
Scientist and took control of AIM. He lead in an attempt to take
over the world on numerous ocassions but was opposed by Captain
America, Iron Man, the Hulk, and others, as
well as the fact that all of the other AIM members wore bright yellow
jumpsuits and bee-keeper-like headgear that heroes, villains, and
the general populace found very hard to take seriously. MODOK was
also responsible for turning Betty Banner into the Harpy.
Eventually, the other members of AIM ousted MODOK who wandered
as a free agent for a time. The new Supreme Scientist of AIM
decided to eliminate MODOK as a threat and hired the newly organized
group of villains with snake names called the Serpent Society
to kill MODOK. They trapped MODOK and killed him despite the
intervention of Captain America. MODOK's body was regained by AIM and used by the Supreme Scientist
to battle Iron Man by remote control, but was ultimately defeated
and destroyed.
A few years ago, another villain similar to MODOK appeared on the
scene. It was called MODAM and was a female version of MODOK.
MODAM stands for Mobile Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers
and was only distinguishable from the MODOK by the fact it wore
lipstick.