/co/ - Comics & Cartoons

Deathlok, the Demolisher Anonymous 24/12/29(Sun)14:51 No. 27255

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Cyborg-like characters in comic books are a dime-a-dozen, especially after the Image Comics revolution.

From the Robocop wannabes to every possible man-machine interface permutation, cyborgs are a natural addition to every team formation. While DC Comics’ Teen Titans and Justice League member Cyborg is the only one who actually calls himself “Cyborg”, there were other cyborg-like characters before Victor Stone.

One of those that came way before Cyborg’s first appearance in 1980 was Marvel Comics’ Deathlok, who was introduced in 1974 via the pages of Astonishing Tales #25.

While he may seem somewhat gruesome thanks to his half-zombie look caused by his cybernetic implants, his abilities are akin to RoboCop’s, with the mechanical and cyber implants in his armour making him super strong. One major difference from RoboCop is Deathlok's agility and reflexes, which are augmented by his computer brain.

Deathlok has been around for half a century now, though sadly, he has been little more than a bucket of bolts being passed around a few Marvel books and events.
https://50yearoldcomics.com/2024/05/11/astonishing-tales-25-august-1974/

Half the Man(ning) Anonymous 24/12/29(Sun)14:58 No. 27256

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Created by Rich Buckler, Deathlok the Demolisher was Colonel Luther Manning, a fatally injured American soldier who was resurrected in a post-apocalyptic future (circa 1990s) by Simon Ryker, a US army scientist who wanted to create the perfect cyborg soldier.

Assisted by a symbiotic computer aka “Puter”, Manning eventually managed to escape Ryker’s control.

Anonymous 24/12/29(Sun)15:00 No. 27257

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While Manning spent a huge part of his stint time-travelling, he was practically “floating” around the Marvel Universe, jumping from one title to another, while making multiple guest appearances.

His most notable appearances were on the pages of Astonishing Tales (#25-#28, #30-#36), Marvel Team Up #46 and a three-parter with Captain America (#286-#288).

Sadly, Deathlok’s first appearance (Astonishing Tales #25) will always be remembered for the fact that it was also the late great artist George Pérez’s first comic book work.