Given the unusual makeup of our mystery villain, it seems appropriate to present his likeness in the form of a figure with moving parts. Though in the criminal underworld, those he associates with don't appear to care one way or the other, as long as he gets the job done.
" 'chiney" is of course how our friend Crossbones refers to the former Samuel Saxon--a character who goes as far back as early 1969 and whose villainous pursuits eventually led to a long and literally life-changing career as Machinesmith. Here, he and Crossbones are investigating the disappearance of the Red Skull, who took part in the just-ended Acts Of Vengeance storyline; yet Machinesmith, who benefited from initially working with Phineas Mason, the Tinkerer, and made the most of the criminal connections that came from that association, is very much a threat in his own right--an electronics genius who knows robotics circuitry like the back of his hand (pun intended, as we'll learn more of in a moment) and who truly enjoys his work, no matter the suffering and misfortune that it may entail for those who cross his path.
To understand who and what we're dealing with here, we must look back to what proved to be one of two turning points in Saxon's life, presented as part of a brief origin for the character put together in 1990 by Mark Gruenwald (who appears to rely on Roger Stern's efforts from 1980 in that regard)--a tale Machinesmith recounts for the prone form of the Skull's fourth "Sleeper" construct.
As we've seen, Machinesmith had developed similar misgivings about having to live out his existence in machine form as did another villain--former Nazi Kyle Dekker, who voluntarily transferred his mind and personality to the form of the Ameridroid but who then reviled his rash action. In Machinesmith's case, however, while Captain America might have left his foe's lab thinking his threat was ended, Machinesmith's brief taste of nonexistence was enough to purge any further notions of consigning himself to oblivion.
We never know when or where Machinesmith will pop up next, though it's evident that he gravitates toward opportunities which will supply him with money so that he can continue to indulge his passion for robotics. And speaking of money and passion, writer Terry Kavanagh pulls Machinesmith out of circulation briefly in 1995 and has him unexpectedly winding up working with Tony Stark--reprogrammed by Stark to serve as a lab partner, in a scene which adds a surprising new facet to this character.
Stark obviously has refined "killing the mood" down to a science.
I read somewhere that Stan Lee had intended this character to be gay in his first appearance. Supposedly the dialogue was going to clue the readers in so he didn’t have to wrestle with the comics code. He later said it was an unsuccessful attempt. I haven’t read the early dd stuff, but the flashback you showed here seems to indicate Mark was in on the secret. Certainly the way he refers to Jack is a dead giveaway. Also, the objections of the mother were read by me as being a case of steel substituting for sex...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I read that Starr Saxon was supposed to have been gay in an interview with Barry Smith, who I guess should know.
ReplyDeleteBashful Barry said that it didn't come across because at the time his drawing skills weren't up to conveying the character's sexuality (which is probably just as well given some of the fairly odd poses in DD #51).
Btw, I think it was Roy Thomas' idea rather than Stan's.
-sean
I flipped thru the run of Astonishing Ant-Man (2015) where Machinesmith made an extended appearance as an employee of Scott Lang's security agency. He never states (that I see) his orientation definitively, but his dialogue is sprinkled with "handsome" and "darling" directed towards male villains and heroes.
ReplyDeletePurely circumstantial, but interesting.
I only know Machinesmith from that Byrne tale of Captain America "killing" him. Then in the above-mentioned Ant-Man tales. Apparently I missed a bunch of appearances!
(If you haven't seen this recent incarnation, he is now a chrome-plated,"naked" robotic version of his original human body...right down to the odd side-mutton chop things)
sean, I remember reading that part about Smith--the source made an apt comment wondering just how you would go about drawing someone to look gay, which I'm assuming was meant in a way other than camp. (Though if I put my mind to it I could probably name a few straight villains who were depicted thus. :) )
ReplyDeleteI'd be hard pressed to name a character and a backstory as unique as this.
ReplyDeleteThe wrench in the hand of the action figure is a nice touch!
I dunno how much the Machinesmith uses a wrench, per se. It's not like he's pulling the transmission out of a Dodge.
Maybe on the bigger robots, a wrench set could come in handy.
Cheers!
M.P.
M.P., you're forgetting that Machinesmith started off in the old analogue era of robotics.
ReplyDeleteBack then, a wrench, a slide rule and a bit of know how was all you needed to try and take over the world. These days you have to have a college degree just to attack the Baxter Building.
-sean
M.P., he could also need that wrench (and a screwdriver, drill, etc.) to build and maintain all of that equipment in his shop (that worktable for the Sleeper, for instance)--but given the way he's hoisting it, I'd imagine it also comes in handy to whack his foes with! ;)
ReplyDeleteHa!
ReplyDeleteM.P.