Mendel Stromm

Dr. Mendel Stromm is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has also been known as Robot Master and Gaunt.

Publication history

Stromm first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #37 (June 1966), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Fictional character biography

Mendel Stromm was Norman Osborn's college professor and later became a partner in OsCorp Industries. His early research was on a chemical that would provide enhanced strength in its test subjects and would eventually turn Osborn into the Green Goblin. Osborn, wanting the formula for himself, discovered that Stromm had been embezzling funds from OsCorp. Stromm explained that he was merely borrowing but Osborn turned him over to the police. After several years in prison, Stromm was released and tried to kill Osborn for revenge using evil robots. He was stopped by Spider-Man and seemingly died of a heart attack when he was nearly shot.^[1]

Stromm had made plans for his death, however, by arranging to have his brain waves transferred to a robot double. Now calling himself "Robot Master", Stromm returned in Spectacular Spider-Man #68 (July 1982). Spider-Man defeated and destroyed the robot double.^[2]

In Spectacular Spider-Man #233 (April 1996), Stromm returned again, this time as a cyborg called "Gaunt". It was revealed that he survived through a cybernetic suit fused to his body - attached by none other than Osborn.^[3] Osborn had discovered that Stromm had survived his heart attack thanks to the Goblin Serum, but on a level of consciousness supported only by his suit. Eventually, via Seward Trainer, he was cured of his need for the suit and came back in a large suit of robotic armor,^[4] only for it to be destroyed by Ben Reilly and Peter Parker despite Stromm's attempt to defeat them both with two flying robots and three childlike androids attacking simultaneously.^[5] Shortly afterward, Norman Osborn knocked him out with a laser blast and left him for dead, though he survived and only had amnesia.^[6] He came back in yet another robot suit, only to be stopped by Spider-Man once again.^[7]

In Peter Parker: Spider-Man vol. 2, #27 (March 2001), Stromm tried to create a sentient robot to kill Osborn, but it turned on him and destroyed his body, keeping his severed head alive. This artificial intelligence then attempted to take over New York City's electrical grid, but was stopped when Spider-Man fought his way into its core processor and uploaded a computer virus into it, putting both the A. I. and Mendel into a comatose state.^[8]

The artificial intelligence took over Electro's body and tried to use his powers to create a horde of self spawning robots, but after the interference of Spider-Man the AI altered Spidey's spider sense, after which Spider-Man defeated the AI.

In Penance: Relentless #1 (2007), it is revealed that Spider-Man tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off to Stromm's whereabouts and that they were able to rescue him from the suspended loop he was stuck in. He eagerly registered as part of the Initiative.

Later, Penance goes AWOL on the Thunderbolts and stages an assault on Stromm's home, threatening to kill him unless Stromm tells him how to activate nuclear launch codes Penance has stolen in a bid to get Nitro deported from Latveria.^[9]

During the Civil War II storyline, Mendel Stromm meets Clayton Cole at the henchman bar called Moynihan's Social Club during its happy hour. He gives Clash an offer to work for him in his plan to get revenge on Harry Osborn.^[10] While sporting the new version of his Clash outfit, Clayton Cole arrives at Mendel Stromm's apartment where he meets with Stromm in his Robot Master form and his robots. Robot Master then compliments Clash's out outfit and claims that Spider-Man won't know what hit him. When Clash attacks Robot Master stating that he will look out for himself, Robot Master unleashes his robots on Clash even when Spider-Man arrives. Spider-Man manages to web Robot Master in the air with foam web.^[11]

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

Although Mendel Stromm doesn't have an Ultimate Marvel incarnation, elements of his character are amalgamated into Doctor Octopus's Ultimate Marvel incarnation.

Spider-Verse (2015)

During the Secret Wars storyline, a version of Mendel Stromm resides in the Battleworld domain of Arachnia. He appears as one of the Oscorp scientists where they are attempting to decipher the Web of Life and Destiny.^[12]

In other media

Film

• Mendel Stromm appears in the 2002 Spider-Man film, played by Ron Perkins. This version is a scientist employed by Oscorp to develop Human Performance Enhancers, although he expresses doubts in the Enhancers' effectiveness because the initial mouse test subjects having demonstrated violent insanity. Despite his doubts, he assists Norman Osborn in his attempt to use the still-unstable serum on himself. After acquiring his powers, Osborn's resulting 'Green Goblin' personality kills Stromm by grabbing him by the throat and hurling him through a glass window into some lab equipment.
• Mendel Stromm's role was parodied in 2008's Superhero Movie under the name of "Dr. Strom" (portrayed by Brent Spiner).

Video games

• Mendel Stromm appears in the Spider-Man video game, voiced by Peter Lurie.
• In Spider-Man: Edge of Time, there's a newspapers about Mendel Stromm in both timelines.
• Mendel Stromm appears in The Amazing Spider-Man video game (based on film of the same name), but his voice actor was uncredited. He is an Oscorp scientist who is responsible for a cross-species experiment codenamed "Nattie" (based on Curt Connors's research) which is a red-bellied piranha/human hybrid where Mendel and the scientists with him injected human DNA into a red-bellied piranha. Mendel Stromm named it Nattie due to the subject's scientific name of Pygocentrus nattereri.^[13] In the game, Mendel Stromm is among the scientists infected by the Cross-Species Virus. When the Cross-Species Virus starts to take over Mendel's body, one of Alistair Smythe's Combat Sentries detects Mendel and attacks him.

References

External links

• Mendel Stromm at Marvel.com
• Dr. Mendel Stromm at Spiderfan.org
• Mendel Stromm at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe