Master Menace
Master Menace is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Emil Zebediah Burbank was a male human being who resided on Earth-712 in the Multiverse. (Squadron Supreme v1 #6)
In his prime, was the foremost criminal mastermind of his world where he operated as the villainous Master Menace. Burbank's greatest and most frequent nemesis was the Squadron leader Hyperion. Burbank once contended that their enmity began when Hyperion's atomic vision somehow altered Burbank's hormones, so that since then, Burbank's hair upon his head and face would grow at an unusually rapid rate. (Thor v1 #280)
He appeared on the set of a film biography of Hyperion being directed by his brother, L.L. Burbank, raving that no one would leave the place alive. Burbank carried on him a handgun when he was confronted by Hyperion, who revealed that he was actually Hyperion's villainous counterpart and was secretly impersonating his double. The criminal Hyperion and Burbank conspired together to destroy the heroic Hyperion using a robot of Burbank had invented. The robot was defeated by Thor Odinson the Asgardian god from mainstream Earth. Together with the heroic Hyperion, the pair came to overcome the villainous Hyperion. (Thor v1 #280)
Years later, when the Overmind succeeding in taking control of the Squadron's Earth, Burbank, now calling himself Master Menace and wearing a weapons-laded battle suit, spent six months conquering the Middle East. He then discovered that the Squadron Supreme's proposed the Utopia Program which would be a threat to his own plans for world domination, particularly its plans to use 'behavior modification' on all criminals. The criminals Mink, Remnant, and Pinball sought help from Burbank to flee the Squadron's dimension entirely, which he agreed to do so. (Squadron Supreme v1 #6) Burbank wanted to overthrow the Squadron himself, and discovered the criminal Hyperion adrift and trapped in an extradimensional realm. Burbank freed him and they carried out a plan in which Hyperion captured and replaced his heroic counterpart in the Squadron and Burbank trapped him within a pocket dimension. Burbank wanted to use Hyperion II to subvert the Squadron from within, but Hyperion II refused, in part because of his crush on his teammate Power Princess. Hyperion II trapped Burbank within the same dimension as his counterpart. (Squadron Supreme v1 #7) Burbank and Hyperion were forced to work together to return, whereupon Hyperion defeated his villainous analog. (Squadron Supreme v1 #8)
Master Menace and Nighthawk remained in contact over the b-mod technology. Menace promised to come up with a countermeasure if Nighthawk and his newly formed Redeemers could get him the plans for the device--Burbank couldn't obtain them himself, fearing that Hyperion would know he had broken his promise. After a month, Burbank received the b-mod schematics. Quickly analyzing the data, despite the fact his lab was still in ruins in the wake of the Hyperion construct's attack, Menace managed to build a b-mod device for himself. Retrofitting the technology, Menace constructed a device that undid the b-mod conditioning without any brain damage. He tested it on three converted convicts, who promptly resumed their criminal activities. Menace contacted Nighthawk to inform him of his success. He demanded Nighthawk and the Redeemers bring them the b-mod altered former members of the Institute of Evil so he could help deprogram them. Menace personally oversaw the restoration of Lamprey and Shape. However, Blue Eagle had caught wise and tried to sneak up on the Redeemers. Menace had a simple solution: use the b-mod device on him and turn the hero to their side. Nighthawk refused, instead ordering Menace to simply make his former teammate forget about ever seeing them. (Squadron Supreme v1 #11) Menace was on hand to help deprogram Foxfire, the final member of the Institute of Evil. After adding her to the Redeemer ranks, Nighthawk was ready to move against the Squadron. Master Menace once again declined to fight alongside them, claiming the Squadron would fight them to the death, and that the best way to deal with the heroes was to use the b-mod technology on them. Nighthawk dismissed the notion out of hand, leading Burbank to pack up his technology and teleport away. (Squadron Supreme v1 #12)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He once contended that their enmity began when Hyperion's atomic vision somehow altered Burbank's hormones, so that since then, Burbank's hair grew at an unusually rapid rate. (Thor v1 #280)
Emil Burbank was shown to have a brother named L.L. Burbank who was a film maker. (Thor v1 #280)
Powers and abilities
He was capable of defending himself in combat situations by the use of certain types of technology. (Squadron Supreme v1 #4)
Notes
- Emil Burbank was created by Roy Thomas and Wayne Boring where he made a cameo appearance in Thor v1 #280 (February, 1979) and made his first appearance in Squadron Supreme v1 #6 (February 1986).
- The character was based on Superman Lex Luthor created by DC Comics.
Alternate Versions
- In Supreme Power v1 #18 (2005), an alternate version of Emil Burbank appeared in the setting of the Supreme Power reality set on Earth-31916 in the Multiverse.
Appearances
- Avengers v1: (1976)
- Thor v1: (1979)
- Squadron Supreme v1: (1986)
- Squadron Supreme v4:
External Links
This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.
