Doctor Nemesis

Doctor Nemesis
Doctor Nemesis in Uncanny X-Men #515 Art by Greg Land
Publication information
Publisher	Ace Magazines, Marvel Comics
First appearance	(historic) Lightning Comics #6 (April 1941) (Marvel Universe) Invaders Vol.2 #1 (May 1993)
In-story information
Alter ego	James Nicola Bradley
Species	Human mutant
Team affiliations	X-Men[1] X-Club[2] Battle-Axis
Notable aliases	Doctor Death
Abilities	Extended longevity, enhanced immune system, heightened eyesight, "self-evolved intellect"

Doctor Nemesis is the alias of James Nicola Bradley,^[3] a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age character that originally appeared in Ace Magazines' Lightning Comics. He is a co-creator of the original Human Torch android,^[4] and appears in Uncanny X-Men as a member of the X-Club.^[2] Doctor Nemesis is also the alias used by Michael Stockton, an enemy of Henry Pym's who uses Pym Particles.

Fictional character biography

Although primarily trained as a medical physician, Dr. James Bradley began working in the late 1930s with Professor Phineas T. Horton in developing the original android Human Torch of World War II. While mostly a silent partner in this endeavor, Dr. Bradley began building a second android during this time.

The two scientists were unable to correct the design flaw that would cause their android to burst into flames upon exposure to oxygen. Bradley had preferred they resolve this issue before revealing their work to the public. However, Horton, eager for both fame and further financial backing held a press conference in late 1939 debuting their work. This turned into a public relations disaster, as Bradley had predicted, when the android caught on fire, causing the press to label it a menace. Bradley broke off their partnership thereafter and took his unfinished second android with him.^[5]

Sometime before 1941, Bradley completed his work and the second android acted as the superhero Volton, the Human Generator, from late 1941 to early 1942. Unaware of its artificial origins, Bradley led Volton to believe it was a scientist named Guy Newton who had discovered how to utilize his body's power to generate static electricity. Around this time, Bradley also decided to become a masked crimefighter, too. While working by day at Mercy Hospital in New York City, he would don a surgical mask and arm himself with a hypodermic gun to fight corruption and crime as Doctor Nemesis.^[6]

After a number of adventures, Doctor Nemesis was approached by agents of the Third Reich to form a group of costumed beings. Signifying a change in tactics, Bradley changed his alter-ego to Dr. Death and recruited Human Meteor, Spider Queen, Strongman and Volton for the group, Battle-Axis. The members of Battle-Axis did not, necessarily, agree with the Nazi policies and agenda but, for a variety of reasons, sought to force the United States to pull out of World War II. Doctor Death started work on "Project Mojave". Using an experimental device called an oscillotron, Battle-Axis would cause a severe earthquake on the U.S. west coast. Besides causing much damage to American cities, it would destroy the war industry plants and release poison gas from underground storage. With such devastation, the U.S. would be forced to withdraw from the war in order to deal with its homefront crisis.

On June 22, 1942, Battle-Axis made their public debut protecting a German U-Boat from the Invaders attack. The two teams battled several times as the Invaders slowly unraveled Doctor Death's secret plans. Doctor Death kidnapped the Blue Bullet (John Goldstein) to employ him in his Project Mojave, and his brother Jacob was obliged to obey his orders in exchange for John's life. Jacob was forced, as the Golem, to attack the Invaders in Doctor Death's plan to force the USA out of involvement in World War II. When the Invaders attacked Doctor Death's base, the Golem remained neutral to keep from putting his brother in danger. John escaped during the battle, but was shot by Sky Shark. Though the Invaders were able to stop Doctor Death's plan, the Blue Bullet died.^[7]

In their final confrontation, Doctor Death was able to get the oscillotron activated when he was struck down by Volton. The android had learned of its origins and Doctor Death's own role in keeping it secret. The Sub-Mariner was able to shutdown the machine and Doctor Death was left for dead.^[8]

Somehow surviving the attack, Bradley returned to New York City. Apparently repentant, he assumed his original costumed persona of Doctor Nemesis. Continuing on his war on crime, he became engaged to his co-worker, Nurse Mary Strong. The majority of his wartime activities remain unchronicled.^[9]

After the war, Doctor Nemesis moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to hunt down any Nazi superscientists and any of their clones.

X-Club

Many years later, Doctor Nemesis was approached by Beast and Angel to help assist in undoing M-Day. Doctor Nemesis had no interest in undoing the "spell" that turned off the X-gene. But after defeating two Super Nazis, he agrees to join McCoy's science team.^[4] They later locate and recruit Madison Jeffries (formerly of Alpha Flight).^[10] When they return to San Francisco, they are joined by Dr. Kavita Rao.^[11] The X-team later time-travel back to turn-of-the-century San Francisco in order to obtain genetic samples for study, from the biological parents of one of the first of the modern (20th century) wave of mutants. The mutant in question is actually Doctor Nemesis himself, who reveals to the rest of the team his power of "self-evolved intellect", which allowed him to greatly extend his longevity through his own invented serums. His father is a brilliant radical inventor who actually manages to invent a self-powered electric light bulb, and his mother is her husband's bodyguard. Doctor Nemesis' father is killed when he helps the X-Club stop the Hellfire Club's first-ever Sentinel from ravaging across San Francisco. Nemesis' mother later dies in childbirth, as she is already in a weakened condition from the trauma of losing her spouse. Unknown to the rest of the X-Men, Dr. Nemesis delivered himself as he secretly traveled back in time again to be the Doctor of his own mother.^[3] The X-Club are ultimately unable to obtain the couple's genetic samples as it appears that they are being deliberately blocked by the Dreaming Celestial (because they would not have survived the time-jump back to the present, they were buried in a cryogenic capsule in Golden Gate Park) as part of some grand cosmic plan.^{[volume & issue needed]}

After rescuing Beast and Professor X from Norman Osborn's prison, Doctor Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club join the X-Men on the risen Asteroid M, renamed Utopia, where they mourn the death of Yuriko Takiguchi shortly afterward.^[12]

After the arrival of Hope Summers leads to an attack by Bastion, Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club are lead to a trap that takes them out of Utopia, where Bastion creates an energy sphere blocking out the entire San Francisco area from the outside world, despite help from the Avengers, they are unable to breach the barrier.^[13]

Powers and abilities

Dr. Nemesis possesses the mutant powers of having a self-described "self-evolved" intellect, making him an instinctively-intuitive scientific & technological genius (like his fellow Xman, the mutant shaman/inventor Forge). He has delayed his own aging and enhanced his own immune system, leading to a prolonged lifespan. He has also enhanced his eyesight, allowing him to see genetic anomalies, including the Nazi clones he primarily hunted before joining the X-Club, over a distance of 200 m (660 ft).^[14]

Dr. Nemesis is a polymath who has made major advances in handheld weaponry, medicine, chemistry, genetics, interdimensional travel, computer programming, and robotics.^{[volume & issue needed]} He arms himself with twin handguns that fire hypodermic projectiles containing dangerous narcotics. The projectiles were tailored to pierce body armor. He developed a sedating truth serum for use as an investigator. He created androids, including the sentient and superhuman android, Volton. He perfected a "dimension smasher" which teleported beings from other dimensions. His oscillotron device can trigger major eathquakes. He is an accomplished investigator and hand to hand combatant.

Other versions

Age of X

In the Age of X reality, Doctor Nemesis is seen in a hidden room built unknown to Magneto himself at the center of the fortress. He is frozen and distorted as he is not completely in this reality. Gambit notices he's looking at some brain scans, probably Legion's.^[15]

References

1. ^ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z, vol. 13 (2010) Marvel Comics
2. ^ ^{a b} Uncanny X-Men #507
3. ^ ^{a b} Uncanny X-Men #512
4. ^ ^{a b} Uncanny X-Men #504
5. ^ Invaders II #3
6. ^ Lightning Comics #6
7. ^ The Invaders #2-4 (June-August 1993)
8. ^ Invaders II #1-4
9. ^ Super-Mystery #3
10. ^ Uncanny X-Men #505
11. ^ Uncanny X-Men #508
12. ^ Uncanny X-Men #515
13. ^ X-Men Legacy #236
14. ^ Uncanny X-Men #504
15. ^ New Mutants #23

External links

• Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley) at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Doctor Nemesis (James Bradley) at the Comic Book DB
• Doctor Nemesis (Michael Stockton) at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Doctor Nemesis (Michael Stockton) at the Comic Book DB