Jamie Madrox
Jamie Madrox is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
James Arthur Madrox was a male Mutant son of Dr. Daniel Madrox and Joan Madrox with him being born on September 7, 1953. Upon his birth, the doctors instantly realised the boy was not ordinary as he created a duplicate of himself. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4) It was said that the doctor had smacked the child's bottom causing him to create a duplicate thus revealing himself to be a Mutant. (X-Factor v3 #11) Around this time, his parents met with Professor Charles Xavier who revealed the true nature of their son and suggested that the boy grow up isolated till he came to terms with his abilities. Two weeks later, his father Daniel resigned from his position at the Los Alamos Nuclear Research Center and moved his family to Kansas as he isolated himself with him disappearing from the academic world. At the Madrox farm, James grew up isolated with no friends except his parents who attempted to help him cope with his powers. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4) His parents were later met by Damien Tryp of Singularity Investigations who claimed that Jamie was a 'Changeling' similar to himself and attempted to convince Daniel and Joan Madrox that the boy would be better cared for by him. As a Killcrop, he explained that Jamie was one of the Replacement People who manifested their powers from birth and was not a true Mutant. They would, however, refuse and instead wanted their son to be placed in the care of Xavier. In response, Tryp had seemingly used his powers to start a freak tornado that killed Jamie's parents. Damian also modified Jamie's memories, suppressing the boy's knowledge of every having met him. (X-Factor v3 #11)
When he was 15 years old, the family farm fell in the path of a tornado which claimed the lives of his parents leaving James an orphan. He stayed on the farm for the next six years with him not liking living alone but coming to terms with it. This was until six months ago when he put on the television where he became engulfed with energy that left his body in pain as every electric appliance in the house was destroyed. In fear, he decided to leave the farm and headed towards New York where he sought meaning to his life. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4)
He later came to work for Dr. Moira MacTaggert and was stationed at her facility on Muir Island where he helped her in her work. During this time, Erik the Red attacked alongside Havok and Polaris where they restored Magneto from his child-like state to his adult form. The Master of Magnetism was then enraged at his humiliation at the hands of the X-Men where he went on a rampage that left Madrox unconscious. It was then that the X-Men arrived at the scene with them being accompanied by Moira who tended to Jamie whilst the team fought off Magneto. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #104)
Up till then, Jamie and his duplicates had never been apart from each other for longer periods of time and he never bothered to think about what they really were. While Jamie used the dupes as extensions of his own self, there was the problem of them being fully functioning human beings and, as such, they might be inclined to having the same rights as Jamie himself. Given enough time on their own, the duplicates began to vary, developing a sense of independence and a unique identity separate from "Jamie-Prime". On occasion, this independent streak would develop in a particular duplicate far more quickly than it would in others. One duplicate wanted to stay apart from Jamie and have the chance to live a life by itself. Instead of openly addressing the problem, this duplicate kept sulking around, only when Jamie was asleep, and he occasionally drugged him to have a chance to make some new experiences in his stead. (X-Factor v1 #75)
X-Factor
Already before the new team could be presented to the media, Jamie was ambushed while house-sitting for a friend. When someone knocked on the door, Jamie created a duplicate of himself to answer, only to walk right into the ambush. Hidden behind the door, Jamie watched in horror as his other self was shot and he waited until the rest of the new X-Factor showed up before coming out of his hiding place, afraid the killer was still there. When he tried to 'clean up after himself', wanting to reabsorb the corpse, he found that he couldn’t. Jamie had always considered his duplicates to be mere 'constructs' made by his power, and not really alive. (He had always thought he could reabsorb the dupe Proteus took over, had he been able to find it.) For the first time, Jamie began to wonder about the nature of his copies. Did he have any right to create them just as cannon fodder to perform some tasks he himself deemed to risky. (X-Factor v1 #72)
When Cable was suspected of having tried to kill Charles Xavier during the crisis known as X-Cutioner’s Song, X-Factor and the X-Men teamed up to hunt down Cable’s team X-Force, including Siryn. After the young mutants had been arrested, Jamie approached Theresa in the makeshift cells they had in the Danger Room. They discussed their past, and the memories Jamie's renegade duplicate made with Siryn while among the Fallen Angels. Jamie made it painfully clear to her that it was only his renegade duplicate that she had formed the close friendship with and, though he retained some of his memories, he was not emotionally attached to them. (X-Force v1 #17)
Among X-Factor, Multiple Man and Strong Guy got along well, both of them having an odd sense of humor and constantly joking. A session with superhero psychiatrist Dr. Leonard Samson uncovered the reason for Jamie’s humorous attitude. Due to his rather unusual childhood, Jamie does whatever necessary to receive some attention and to get noticed, as he never wants to be alone again. (X-Factor v1 #87)
With his curse lifted, Jamie retired to his family farm with Layla and sold the rights of the X-Factor name to Harrison Snow. (All-New X-Factor v1 #1)
House of X
After the establishment of the nation of Krakoa, he was one of many Mutants that came to reside on the living island that was the home of their people.
Madrox Prime came to operate primarily from the Flower Processing Plant in the Savage Land when he was approached by Monet who wanted him for the Board of Directors for the X-Corporation that was looking to expand. (X-Corp v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He also went by the name of Jamie Madrox. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4)
It was noted that his parents were scientists. (X-Factor v3 #11)
Powers and abilities
Jamie Madrox was identified as a Mutant whose abilities manifested as a new born infant. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4) One account though claimed that he was not an actual Mutant but rather a Killcrop who legend knew as Changelings or Replacement People. These were a genetic throwback that preceded Homo Superior where they manifested their power from birth. (X-Factor v3 #11)
Upon being by a physical impact, a shimmering energy engulfed Madrox’s body leading to a duplicate of himself being created. He was able to survive physical force whose sheer power would devastate an ordinary man with this instead only leading to the creation of more duplicates. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4)
The duplicates think, feel, and act independently, and each tends to manifest one aspect of Madrox's personality. (X-Factor v3 #1)
When a Madrox merged back, the original came to retain memories, knowledge, and experiences of the dupe. At first, his absorbed memories would feel like he was 'watching TV'. (X-Force v1 #17)
When a dupe died, he would immediately inherit their memories without having to absorb them. (X-Force v1 #17)
The maximum number of dupes that Madrox could create and maintain was said to be approximately 50 copies of himself. (X-Factor v3 #6)
From a young age, his father had constructed a special body-suit designed to help contain his powers as it was designed to neutralise Jamie’s duplication ability. (Giant-Size Fantastic Four v1 #4)
Notes
- Jamie Madrox was created by Chris Claremont, Len Wein and John Buscema where he made his first appearance in Giant Size Fantastic Four v1 #4 (February, 1975).
- As noted on CBR, Wein originally planned to introduce the character as Zerrox the Multiple Man but was overruled over fears of a lawsuit.
Alternate Versions
- In Amazing X-Men v1 #4 (1995), an alternate version of Jamie Madrox appeared in the Age of Apocalypse reality designated as Earth-295 in the Multiverse. Be became one of the many Mutants captured by Sinister and the Dark Beast for experimentation. His powers were overextended beyond their limits, leaving him nearly mindless, and his duplicates become the Madri — a fanatical cult worshipping Apocalypse and serving as his inquisitors and secret police. The original Madrox was reduced to a diapered, drooling lunatic who played with children's toys such as rattles and building blocks whilst being kept in seclusion at the Church of the Madri in Quebec. Eventually, Banshee and Quicksilver attempted a rescue; however, in the end, Madrox shuts down all of his duplicates and died in the resulting psychic backlash. The destruction of the Madri was one of the major blows to Apocalypse's regime that helped the X-Men overthrow the mutant overlord.
- In Multiple Man v1 #2 (2018), an alternate version of Jamie Madrox was shown that was set 16 years in the future. This one had married Layla Miller and had a son with her named David Miller but the original Multiple Man was killed by the Terrigen Cloud. In the aftermath, a Dupe created a fascist regime and took over the world as Emperor Madrox with David Miller leading a resistance against him.
In other media
Television
- In X-Men, Multiple Man appeared in the setting of the 1990s animated television series in the episode "Cold Comfort".
- In X-Men: Evolution, Jamie Madrox appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by David A. Kaye. This was a younger version of the character version who uses the codename Multiple where he was a member of the X-Men's junior team called the New Mutants.
- In Wolverine and the X-Men, Multiple Man appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "eXcessive Force" where he was voiced by actor Crispin Freeman. This version was shown as being a member of Mister Sinister's Marauders where he was sent to deal with Cyclops who had broken into their underground laboratory.
Films
- In X-Men: The Last Stand, Jamie Madrox appeared in the setting of the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Eric Dane. This version was a criminal reputed to had robbed seven banks simultaneously. He later became a member of Magneto's Brotherhood after the latter frees him and Juggernaut from federal custody and assisted him in opposing the mutant cure. After government forces located the Brotherhood's camp, the Brotherhood begin their march towards Alcatraz whilst Madrox stayed behind to cover their advance by using his mutant powers to clone himself enough times to fool the military before he was apprehended.
Video games
- In X-Men Legends, Multipleman appeared as an NPC in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Dee Bradley Baker.
- In Marvel Heroes, Jamie Madrox appeared in the setting of the MMORPG video game where he was voiced by actor Rick Pasqualone.
Appearances
- Giant Size Fantastic Four v1: (1975)
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- X-Factor v1:
- Multiple Man v1:
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- X-Factor v3:
- X-Men v5:
- X-Force:
- X-Corp v1: (2021)
External Links
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