Hulu's new stop-motion animated show, "MODOK", absolutely delights in the use of obscure
Marvel Comics characters. If you're new to the bizarre world of MODOK, here's what these
characters are all about.
While you may not have heard of him before now, the hovering, big-headed super-genius
MODOK has been a part of Marvel Comics since 1967's "Tales of Suspense" #94. He was originally
a Captain America villain, but doesn't really belong to the rogues' gallery of any one hero.
From the very beginning, MODOK has been associated with a group of evil scientists and weapons
dealers called Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM, which was brought into the Marvel Cinematic
Universe in "Iron Man 3."
"Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM, for short. You get it?" "I see that, 'cuz it's on your
t-shirt!" "Ah!"
Of course, it should be noted that the MODOK currently hovering around in Marvel Comics
— including the four-issue 2020 miniseries "Head Games" penned by "MODOK" creators Patton
Oswalt and Jordan Blum, which lays the groundwork for much of the show — isn't technically
the original MODOK. That MODOK was changed back into his original human form, George
Tarleton, during the "World War Hulks" event in 2010. The new MODOK, dubbed "MODOK Superior,"
is a cloned version, but nonetheless possesses Tarleton's memories.
In "MODOK," the Super-Adaptoid is the comic relief character in the MODOK family, half
inept butler and half annoying pet. As a result, it might surprise viewers to learn that the
Adaptoid not only predates MODOK himself by a full year in Marvel Comics history, but
was also a supervillain to be taken seriously.
While the Hulu version seems to be just a shapeshifter and imitator, the Adaptoid in
the comics could also appropriate someone else's superpowers, or even multiple sets
of superpowers at the same time. It was powered by the Cosmic Cube — the comic book inspiration
for the Tesseract in the MCU — and was a regular opponent of the Avengers, at one point
becoming almost omnipotent before being defeated by Captain America.
The Adaptoid has been used semi-regularly in the comics since then, and there have proven
to be multiple versions. This plot point comes up in "Head Games," which reveals that AIM's
founder — and MODOK's original father — has an entire army of Super-Adaptoids hidden away
in a small town in Ohio.
Another character closely associated with AIM, Monica Rappaccini, is a villainous scientist
specializing in biochemistry. The show initially depicts her as MODOK's primary underling before
the two of them engage in a heated rivalry over who will be Scientist Supreme in the
new AIM, a conflict that puts a hilariously mundane spin on their relationship in the
comics.
Since her first appearance in 2005, Monica has almost always been MODOK's direct enemy,
constantly battling him for control of both AIM and the title of Scientist Supreme. While
MODOK often gets the better of her in the comics, the show portrays her as being his
clear superior in both science and villainy.
Perhaps more interesting than Monica, however, is her daughter Carmilla, who makes a couple
brief appearances in "MODOK." While she didn't do much in Season 1, the scorpion design on
her shirt is a reference to the fact that in the comics, Carmilla is a superhero and
SHIELD agent known as Scorpion, who has powers of toxicity provided by her mother's genetic
experimentation.
Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, has one of the more bizarre narrative histories in Marvel
Comics — first appearing in "Avengers #9" in 1964, he is given superpowers in order
to fight the Avengers by the evil Baron Zemo, but ends up turning against Zemo to save the
Avengers instead. Unfortunately, he also dies in the process, making him the rare character
with decades' worth of continuity despite the fact that he didn't live through his debut
issue.
This is made possible both by the fact that his brain waves were copied by Iron Man and
ultimately used to create the Vision, and the fact that his body wasn't actually dead,
and would be revived multiple times before he finally, officially joined the Avengers.
Wonder Man is an interesting choice of Avenger for "MODOK" to use even in a limited capacity.
He is famously conflicted about being an Avenger, often wondering if the team actually does
any good, and at one point leaving to become an actor. He would later openly lament his
time with the Avengers and even form his own team to actively oppose them.
The fourth episode of "MODOK" sees the title character team up with five other low-level
villains, who then show up sporadically for the rest of the season. Probably the most
notable is Armadillo — who, unlike the others, has comic book ties to MODOK.
In "MODOK," Armadillo is seen obsessing over his ex-wife, a reference to his comic book
origins — he allowed the criminal scientist Karlin Malus to experiment on him, mixing
his genes with those of an armadillo, if Malus would cure his wife's illness. Malus did so,
but Armadillo would later go on a rampage after discovering she was cheating on him
and he's been involved in various small-time villain shenanigans ever since.
He was also a member of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, a superhuman wrestling
promotion. And most importantly, he was a member of the so-called "MODOK's 11," a heist
crew put together by MODOK to steal a device called the Hypernova. Armadillo was one of
the few members of the team who didn't betray MODOK.
Another representative of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation is Poundcakes. Originally
a member of a four-woman wrestling team called the Grapplers who came into conflict with
the Thing, Poundcakes would later be given superhuman strength and durability by the
Power Broker Corporation, a company that offers superpowers for the right price. It was co-founded
by the same Karlin Malus that gave Armadillo his powers.
If we get "MODOK" Season 2, it would be fun to see the other three members of the Grapplers,
particularly Screaming Mimi, who had a lengthy career as a villain before adopting the name
Songbird and eventually joining the Avengers.
Another connection to Screaming Mimi exists in the form of Angar the Screamer. Beginning
his existence as essentially an evil hippie in the pages of "Daredevil," Angar has sonic
powers that he uses to cause hallucinations in the minds of others — though in "MODOK,"
his abilities appear to be more of the standard "sonic scream" used by characters like Banshee
and Siren.
He has some tangential connections to previous Marvel adaptations — he got his powers as
part of a scheme to fight Thanos — but his most notable connection is his long-standing
criminal partnership with Screaming Mimi. Angar's death would be the catalyst for Mimi
rechristening herself Songbird and eventually becoming a superhero, even killing Angar again
when he returned as the being of solid sound known as Scream.
Okay, so Melter dies at the end of "MODOK" Episode 4, with MODOK's insistence that they
were best friends coming up on several occasions. But he's still an instructive character when
it comes to intuiting where "MODOK" might go next.
Several of the characters we've looked at so far have been associated in some capacity
with a group called the Masters of Evil, led by Baron Zemo. Melter is an original member
of the Masters of Evil, and his presence might be the strongest clue in favor of something
resembling that group showing up in Season 2 of "MODOK." He's also, appropriately, the
oldest character on this list, dating back to 1963, when he was introduced as an Iron
Man villain due to his dastardly ability to melt iron.
Last and certainly least of MODOK's team, Tenpin is an extraordinarily obscure Marvel
Comics character who is a member of a villainous team called the Death-Throws. Yes, really.
The dubious brainchild of an evil juggler named the Ringleader, the Death-Throws are,
in fact, entirely composed of evil jugglers, including Bombshell, Knickknack, and Tenpin's
brother Oddball. Tenpin, naturally, uses bowling pins as weapons, though in the comics they
don't explode.
It might seem strange to even mention Tenpin on this list, but to be honest, in a show
like "MODOK," is it really more likely to see characters the comics take seriously,
or characters that are already a ready-made joke? You laugh now, but you'll thank us when
MODOK encounters a group of nefarious circus performers in Season 2, and you get to tell
your friends what their names are.
Tenpin might be a silly character, but when it comes to Marvel villain silliness involving
sinister gameplay, there's nobody quite as wonderfully dumb as Arcade. Originally created
in 1978, Arcade is a genius inventor who also happens to be thoroughly insane, and applies
his considerable intelligence to the creation of elaborate death traps for superheroes,
which they, of course, always escape.
For fans of Marvel Comics, his appearance in "MODOK" is one of the highlights of the
show, as the script hits us with one joke after another running down his ridiculous
idiosyncrasies and self-sabotaging schemes. As an assassin who never manages to kill his
targets because he insists on following the rules of his bizarre games, he has, until
now, been an untapped well of Marvel adaptation comedy.
"I took the liberty of adding two more MODOKs, because I am freakin' cuckoo for symmetry.
I've got to have it!"
Of all the all-but-unknown characters used in "MODOK," none are quite as obscure as Hexus,
the Living Corporation. While the show's primary antagonist is a time-traveling version of
MODOK himself, Hexus serves as a capable secondary villain, serving as the shadowy board of the
company that purchases AIM. It's a sensible decision considering the modern themes of
corporate acquisition and start-up culture that "MODOK" plays with, but it's also a staggeringly
deep pull.
In order to know who Hexus is in Marvel Comics, you would have to have read a single issue
of "Marvel Boy" from October 2000, in which the series' Kree protagonist, Noh-Varr, must
take down the swarming alien corporation before it consumes Earth. Written by the acclaimed
Grant Morrison, "Marvel Boy" #3 provides a scathing critique of corporate capitalism
by equating standard corporate activity with a plot to actively destroy the world. Ironically,
by the time Noh-Varr fights it, Hexus is already threatening to topple Disney.
In light of this critique, it is perhaps unsurprising that Hexus has never been revisited in the
pages of Marvel Comics, and unless Noh-Varr himself is going to make an appearance, there's
not much speculation to be drawn from its presence in "MODOK." What the inclusion of
Hexus does tell us, however, is that there's no character too small for "MODOK" to unearth
and use as part of its narrative. If Hexus the Living Corporation can show up, anyone
can.
"Clap, clap. The board is pleased."
At first glance, there's no indication that MODOK's wife and children have roots anywhere
in the comics. Comic book MODOK is not a bumbling loser in the grip of a mid-life crisis — he
is a twisted, deformed villain, and he's certainly never had anything resembling a human family.
That is, of course, until 2020's "Head Games," in which Oswalt and Blum took the opportunity
Marvel had handed them in the form of writing a MODOK miniseries to introduce Jodie, Melissa,
and Lou prior to the release of the "MODOK" show. Of course, in "Head Games," MODOK's
family isn't real — his memories of them are simulated, part of a plan by his father.
But by the end of the story, MODOK has defeated his father and used three members of AIM's
army of Super-Adaptoids to create real versions of the family, which then join forces with
him to bring down his enemies.
What could this tell us about Season 2? Well, considering the show ends with MODOK having
sacrificed his family in order to realize his dream of world conquest, the end of "Head
Games" could foreshadow an attempt to duplicate them using the Super-Adaptoid, though we can't
imagine that going well. What's more interesting in this case is the reverse effect — the
fact that Marvel programming is now introducing new characters to Marvel Comics.
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