AGENT

Real Name: Rick Mason

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Mercenary; Espionage agent

Affiliations: Cage (Power Man), Victoria Maria Consuela, Nick Fury, Shen Kuei, Dennis Nayland, Dakota North, SHIELD, Tinkerer (father), Alexi Vazhin;
Teng Yun-Suan (former sensei)

Enemies: Arcfire Network, Black Metal, Carrion (William Allen), Contract, Corporation, Dog, Gold (Auric), Horse, Kingpin, Manslaughter, Monkey, Noise, Quota, She-Devil, Silver, Stealth, Streetman, Teng Yun-Suan, Troubleshooter, Zapper

Known Relatives: Phineas T. Mason (Tinkerer, father), Deborah Watts Mason (mother, deceased)

Aliases: Various assumed identities in the line of duty

Place of Birth: New York City, New York

Base of Operations: mobile across the planet

Extent of Education: College graduate; extensive martial arts training

First Appearance: Marvel Graphic Novel: The Agent (1989)

Powers/Abilities: Rick Mason is a skilled agent of espionage.  He is extremely talented in both armed and unarmed combat, and he is especially proficient at thinking on his feet and reacting quickly and efficiently under pressure.  He is experienced in overcoming even superhuman opposition, is an excellent marksman and escape artist, and also has an exceedingly high tolerance to pain.

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:
(OHotMU 2006 A-Z#1) - As the Tinkerer's son Rick grew up exposed to the latest technologies and their criminal users.
He started his career as a covert operative by working beside or studiying under men like Nick Fury, Shen Kuei, Dennis Nayland and Alexi Vazhin.

(Agent GN [fb]-BTS) - Approximately ten years ago, Mason underwent martial arts training under the sensei Teng Yun-Suan.

(Agent GN (fb) - BTS /OHotMU 2006 A-Z#1) - He became a highly covert operative only accessible online under the codename "The Agent". As a free-lance agent he specialized in data on non-lethal handling of superhumans. Mason worked in the past for the United States' CIA, the British, the Japanese, the French, and the Israelis as well as international agencies such as S.H.I.E.L.D.  One notable mission was personally bringing down the Arcfire Network.

(Agent GN) - Julie Somers, working for an unknown organization in China, hired Mason to investigate a plot to overthrow the government.  He uncovered the involvement of Dog and several other superhuman former agents of the Chinese government (Gold, Horse, Monkey, She-Devil, Silver), all working for an unknown party.  Horse attacked Mason and was killed in the ensuing struggle.

Mason was next hired by Nick Fury to investigate similar events in the country of Costa Brava, in which another group of superhuman warriors, led by Black Metal, had taken over and ousted the US backed rightwing dictator.  

(Alpha Flight I#79 - BTS) - Before meeting the Scorpion at JFK International Airport, the Tinkerer saw his son off to Costa Brava.

(Agent GN) - Mason traveled to Costa Brava, where he rescued Victoria Maria Consuela and convinced her to rally the local resistance behind him.  He managed to take out Black Metal and all of his allies--Noise, Quota, Stealth, and Zapper--although not without being captured and tortured before escaping.

Mason's former sensei, Teng, revealed himself as the mastermind behind the various super-villain coups, funded by the Kingpin.  Teng attacked Mason, but the Agent killed him in combat.

(Cage I#13, 14) - Mason was captured by the criminal organization known as the Corporation.  His father, the Tinkerer, sought to coerce Cage and Dakota North into freeing them but also offered information on Cage's brother and father, who were also "guests" of the Corporation.  As the heroes broke into the facility, Mason broke free of his cell and participated in bringing down the organization.

(Spider-Man: Dead Man's Hand-BTS) - Mason was afflicted with the "zombie plague" spread by one of the incarnations of Carrion--this time with Dr. William Allen as the host.  Mason was taken to a SHIELD facility for intensive care.  The Tinkerer tried to coerce SHIELD to work harder, but he ended up in an "alliance" with Spider-Man in defeating Carrion.  Spider-Man provided information courtesy of the High Evolutionary that enabled them to cure the victims of the plague.

(Deadline#2) - The Tinkerer reported the death of his son--apparently at the hands of criminals released by Judge Hart.

(OHotMU 2006 A-Z#1) - After his apparent death, Mason's identity as the Agent became public knowledge.

Comments: Created by James D. Hudnall and John Ridgway.

Thanks to Grant Rybicki, the Continental Op, for pointing out the Alpha Flight issue.

Profile updated/edited by Kyle Sims

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connections to:

The characters from Agent GN get clarifications in their own entries.

images: (without ads)
Marvel Graphic Novel: The Agent, Cover (main image)

Other appearances:
Alpha Flight I#79 (December, 1989) - James Hudnall (writer), John Calimee (pencils), Mike Manley (inks), Carl Potts & Danny Fingeroth (editors)
Cage I#13-14 (April-May, 1993) - Marc McLaurin (writer), Scott Benefiel (pencils), Frank Turner (inks), Chris Cooper (editor)
Spider-Man: Dead Man's Hand (April, 1997) - Roger Stern (writer), Darick Robertson & Dan Lawlis (pencils), Keith Aiken (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deadline#2 (July, 2002) - Bill Rosemann (writer), Guy Davis (pencils/inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)

Last updated: 06/13/05

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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