Molten Man
Attributes
| Eyes: | Brown |
| Features: | Skin replaced with a golden-colored liquid metal alloy. |
| Hair: | Before Transformation: Brown After Transformation: Gold |
| Height: | 6' 5" |
| Weight: | 255 lbs |
Powers
| Abilities: | Skilled fighter |
| Limitations: | His body temperature is not controlled, and at one point threatened to melt his skin. Will lose his molten properties if submerged in water. |
| Powers: | Can generate and project intense heat and fire. Metal alloy makes his body more resistant to damage. |
| Strength Level: | Superhuman |
Summary
| Citizenship: | U.S. Citizen |
| Created By: | |
| Current Occupation: | Security Guard for Osborn Industries |
| Dual Identity: | Known to authorities |
| Education: | Presumably High School/College graduate |
| Former Occupation: | Lab Assistant for Prof. Spencer Smythe |
| Known Allies: | Spider-Man, Second Green Goblin |
| Known Confidants: | Liz Allan |
| Known Relatives: | Liz Allan, Mr. Raxton (father, deceased), Mrs Allen (step-mother), Liz Allen Osborn (step-sister), Harry Osborn (step-brother-in-law, deceased), Norman Osborn (step-father-in-law), Norman Osborn Jr. (step-nephew). |
| Legal Status: | Criminal Record in U.S. |
| Major Enemies: | Formerly Spider-Man |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Place of Birth: | U.S. |
| Real Name: | Mark Raxton |
| Usual Bases: | Manhattan |
Background
”The Menace of the Molten Man!”
The Molten Man was known for a good portion of his life as Mark Raxton, a lab assistant for Spencer Smythe (inventor of the Spider slayers), and the stepbrother of Liz Allan, a longtime friend of Peter Parker. One night, Raxton stole a strange metallic alloy derived from an organic meteor he and his boss had been experimenting on. Raxton, however, spilled the alloy all over his body, transforming him into the Molten Man! The metal alloy made his skin impervious to damage, gave him super-human strength and granted him the ability to increase his body temperature to super-heated degrees. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #28)
”The Molten Man Regrets…!”
Raxton was released from prison for good behavior and went back to his apartment. He broke a brick pillar and decided he was stronger than ever and had only been defeated because of inexperience. Several days later, he showed up at a Madison Avenue jewelry store and asked to see the most expensive items. In the back of the store, the owner opened the safe, allowing Molten Man to shove him aside. The owner shot him in the chest, amazed that the bullet bounced away. Raxton crushed the gun in his hand but the gunshot had caught the attention of Spider-Man.
He swung in through the the back of the store and saw the distinguished gentleman, who immediately gave up. Expecting an easy arrest, Spidey let his guard down. That when he got punched and knocked backwards. Molten Man kept hammering at Spidey, stunned that he was still conscious. Meanwhile the jeweler had run to the door and yelled for the police. Molten Man bolted for the door before Spidey could catch up. He went to the rooftop, hoping to catch sight of the thief. Molten Man escaped to his apartment and removed his disguise. He was pleased to have escaped without Spider-Man learning who he was but angry that he had left the jewelry behind.
Frustrated that the bad guy escaped, Peter bought a newspaper to learn what else had happened. After reading that the owner’s gun had been crushed, he remembered how strong the crook had been. He also seemed familiar and “packed a punch like iron.” This made him think of Molten Man and he soon traveled to Raxton’s old boarding house. He waited outside of Raxton’s window until he came home and went to bed. Knowing that he had no proof that Raxton was the thief, he placed a tracer in his coat. It took days before Raxton moved but Spidey eventually caught him in a new disguise. Molten Man went back to the same jewelry store and ripped open the burglar alarm. As he tried to open the safe, the spider signal filled the room.
They fought but Molten Man escaped again but Spidey knew where to find him. By the time Raxton got home, Spider-Man was waiting. They fought again and Molten Man ended up hogtied. At the police station, he was shown the photos taken by Spidey of the second break in. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #35)
”The Master Plan of the Molten Man!”
His powers were far from stable, as the heat within him was slowly burning him alive. Still a scientist by profession, Mark tried to reverse the meltdown by experimenting with stolen radioactive meteorites. A nosy boarding house maid got suspicious and called the Daily Bugle to report a strange boarder and Ned Leeds arrived to check it out. Ned arrived just as Mark finished his experiment, exposing the reporter to radiation poisoning. Ned was taken to the hospital by Peter Parker, who was also made ill by the radiation. Molten Man made several attempts on Ned's life but was consistently saved by Spider-Man. Raxton made one last robbery of the meteors but never got to use them, as the following battle with Spidey ended with the super heated crook falling into a freezing river. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #133)
Raxton spent most of his super villain career seeking desperately to find a way to reverse his condition. After a fight at the suburban home of the now-married Liz Allen Osborn, a quick dousing into the pool put out his fire. Since then, Raxton has worked side by side with Spider-Man more than once. While still a bit of a (ahem) hothead, Raxton seems to have switched to the side of the angels... at least for now.
”Friends and Enemies”
Life has not been easy for Mark Raxton, as his dysfunctional family and criminal past has caused him countless headaches. His brother in law gave him a job at the Osborn Chemical factory, but this seeming struck of luck turned bad. He was coerced by Tombstone into stealing an experimental plant preservation chemical called DIOX-3 from Osborn Chemical. The robbery was foiled by Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, as Harry Osborn was attempting to reform himself at the time. Spider-Man vouched for Mark's innocence when the police arrived and Harry gave him a job as head of security at the factory. (Web of Spider-Man #66 & #67)
"The Osborn Legacy"
As Harry's sanity continued to fall apart, Spidey asked Mark to keep an eye on him. Harry kidnapped Mark, Liz Allan and Norman Osborn, Jr., and forced them to sit together at dinner as a family. As Harry ranted and raved about how the Osborns would rule New York, Raxton activated a spider tracer that Spider-Man had given him, which alerted Spidey to the danger. After Harry beat the Molten Man into submission for alerting Spider-Man, the Goblin was defeated and sent to prison. (Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1) #189)
”Legacy of Evil”
Mark had been forced to relocate to a new job in a California OsCorp plant by Harry (after Harry got out of prison) and wasn't able to aid Spidey when Harry seemingly died in battle. He was much more helpful when Norman Jr was kidnapped by a trio of robotic Goblin women. Harry created the robots to kidnap and expose his young son to the Green Goblin formula, not knowing that the chemicals were toxic. Liz called her step brother to watch Spider-Man and Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich's backs. He protected Urich as Spidey battled the Goblin robots and destroyed the mind control device that Harry used on Liz. (Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil)
”Maximum Carnage”
While Carnage and his “family” was tearing apart New York City and spreading a riot, Mark was keeping his friends and family safe. When May Parker and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law were arriving at Liz’s apartment for safety, they were confronted by a street gang called the Bedrocks. Flash Thompson tried to fight off the gangbangers but got beaten up pretty quickly. Molten Man stopped the beating and scared off the gang. (Spider-Man #36)
”Blood Brothers”
Mark had advanced to chief of operations at OsCorp when he got wind of another company, MultiVex, skimming funds away from OsCorp. He broke into the MultiVex headquarters to access their database when he was confronted by Ben Reilly and Peter Parker. Both Spider-Men had been attacked by goons that led them to believe OsCorp was involved. Ben only knew Raxton as a criminal and instantly assumed he was behind the assaults.
Three stories down in the MultiVex building, Seward Trainer and Gaunt were going about healing Gaunt's withered body. Molten Man's heat powers melted through the floors and landed the three of them into the rejuvenation room. Gaunt, desperate to be human again, ordered the guards to kill the Molten Man but keep the spiders alive. Naturally, the ensuing fight destroyed the rebirth machine and the building. In the end, Ben and Peter had no answers as to who had attacked them, besides Gaunt's taunt that it was someone from their past.
“The Final Chapter”
Mark was next used as a pawn by Norman Osborn, who used mind control to make Raxton attempt to assassinate Alison Mongrain, whom Norman considered a threat to his plans. Mark was stopped at the last minute, when Joe Robertson got rid of the homing device that allowed the Molten Man to follow them. (Amazing Spider-Man #441)
”The Lethal Foes of Peter Parker”
Raxton continued trying to turn his life into a more positive direction by becoming a mentor to Normie, but this backfired when the Chameleon threatened to kill the boy unless the Molten Man agreed to join the Deadly Foes of Spider-Man (made up of Swarm, Will O the Whisp, Electro and Scarecrow). He reluctantly agreed but was defeated. (Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #29-#31)
”Civil War”
Scarecrow and Molten Man were later used as bait to draw out Captain America's New Avengers, but instead brought out the Punisher. The incident left Raxton badly injured. (Punisher’s Hit List)
”Mind on Fire”
Raxton's condition was still unstable and he was getting treatment hired by his step sister. His mental state also seemed to be declining, as he went on a rampage when a surprisingly alive Harry (and Peter Parker) showed up at Liz's home. Wanting to be protective of his step sister and remembering Harry's instability, he failed to realize that the fight with Spider-Man was destroying her home. In the course of the fight, Harry revealed the secret he had hoped would make Liz hate him a little less: a possible cure for Mark's condition. He had managed to find a cure after studying Charlie Weiderman, the second Molten Man. Mark was taken to a hospital and Liz thanked Harry. (Amazing Spider-Man #582)
”The Graveyard Shift”
Mark used technology from Liz's company to monitor his condition, making sure he wouldn't be a threat again. The treatments worked and he was soon starting a new life as Head of Security at Alchemax Industries. Mark escorted his step sister and her assistant, Tiberius Stone, to a meeting with the Department of Corrections as an example of what Alchemax tech could do to rehabilitate super-criminals. Their competition to get the D of C contract was Parker Industries. While Peter showed up to the meeting looking like the ruffled, disheveled nerd he had always been, Liz still worried that he might steal their contract from them. Raxton and Stone soon showed up at the Black Cat's hideout, looking to hire some assistance to squash Parker Industries bid for the deal. They hired an assassin with the moniker of Ghost to remove Peter. (Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 3) #16)
”Go Down Swinging”
”The Good Son”
Mark was called one night to look after Normie and Dylan Brock, son of Eddie Brock. While Mark was passed out on the couch, Normie saw Dylan in a trance, talking to an invisible person. Dylan left and Normie read his journal. It told about a dark faceless man in Dylan’s dreams. Dylan caught Normie reading the journal and a fight broke out, leading them to fall out of the Osborn family’s penthouse window. They were saved by Sleeper, the last of Venom’s spawn. The symbiote got them back to Normie’s room before Mark came to see what was going on. (Web of Venom: The Good Son #1)
”Dark Web”
Norman had been cleansed of his sins by the undead Sin Eater and gained a conscience. While New York was under a new demonic attack, Normie was having a birthday party at Liz’s apartment. Mark was the entertainer and showed the kids some chemistry tricks with liquid gallium. The party was attacked by a new Jack O’Lantern, who was looking for Norman. Liz took Normie and Stanley to safety while Mark wished that he could protect them as the Molten Man. He even had a vial with a chemical, saying he had been looking for an excuse. (Gold Goblin #3)
Image Gallery
Appearances
Thanks To
The assistance of the Marvel Chronology Project is gratefully acknowledged.
Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.