GLITCH

Real Name: Charles J. Amundson

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Unknown, presumably a computer programmer

Group Membership: Espionage Elite (former)

Affiliations: Spymaster (former), Nick Fury (his parole officer)

Enemies: Iron Man (former)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: “Chazz”

Base of Operations: Originally resided in a house in Los Altos, California; currently unknown.

First Appearance: Marvel Super-Heroes III#12 (Winter, 1992)

Powers: Originally, Glitch possessed no inherent superhuman abilities, but he was one of the best computer hackers around at the time, being brilliant enough to gain cybernetically-controlled computer access into Iron Man’s heavily shielded armor. In order to do this, he designed, built, and used a suit of armor based upon the cybernetic mechanisms present within the Guardsmen armor, showing off the engineering/tinkering skills he had as well in the process. Serendipitously, his armor actually projected his consciousness into the computer systems that he wished to manipulate.

Weaknesses: His consciousness could be trapped within computer systems with write-only memory, although this did not make him completely helpless as he could take over and control such systems. If the system was destroyed, he could escape.

Physical Description: Looked like a blonde-haired beach bum, hacked like nobody's business. He looked to be in his mid-twenties.

History: (Marvel Super-Heroes III#12) - After eating a meal won from a bet to gain access into Project: PEGASUS computers, computer programmer and hacker Charles “Chazz” Amundson, AKA Glitch, was approached at his Los Altos home by Spymaster, who asked Glitch to join his current incarnation of Espionage Elite. Spymaster explained that they needed Glitch in order to hack into Iron Man’s security-locked computer systems, and Chazz accepted for the sheer challenge.

With some research resources and supplies provided by Espionage Elite, Chazz built the Glitch armor to gain access to Iron Man’s closed computer systems. Finding Iron Man after several days of searching, Glitch tested his armor’s capabilities by successfully entering Iron Man’s systems, forcing his jet-boots to fire at maximum thrust for several seconds. Riding off on his motorcycle, Glitch left to make some minor adjustments to his armor.

Days later, Glitch once again indirectly observed Iron Man in action and placed his consciousness within the suit, but this time Iron Man’s genius alter-ego, Tony Stark, trapped Glitch within a Life Model Decoy (LMD), an android placed within the armor rather than Stark himself. Stark correctly theorized that whatever took control of his armor could be trapped within the write-only memory of the LMD, but he was unaware that what he had captured and returned to him was a human being’s consciousness. Imprisoned within a blind android, Glitch gained control of it, throwing off the Iron Man armor in confused rage. In order to stop Glitches rampage, Stark partially donned the Iron Man armor and destroyed the LMD with a repulsor blast. With that, Glitches consciousness escaped and returned to his body.

Mounting his bike in panic, Glitch returned to Espionage Elite’s headquarters, but Iron Man soon arrived after following Glitch's energy pattern. Using his power, Glitch immobilized Iron Man from fear of imprisonment. After this was done, Spymaster gloated over Iron Man, stating how he would make a fortune on the different components of his armor. Disgusted by this materialistic display, Glitch freed Iron Man, who made short work of Espionage Elite.

Once the group was captured, Glitch surrendered to Iron Man. By the recommendation of Tony Stark, Glitch's judge suspended his sentence, placing him in the custody of Nick Fury, who had Glitch find ways to make SHIELD’s computer systems hack-proof.

(Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Tony Stark considered Glitch as a potential Initiative recruit.

Comments: Created by Kurt Busiek and James W. Fry III.

So what happened to Glitch anyway? Perhaps he eventually hooked up with the Whiz Kids. Was he still working for SHIELD I when the Deltites killed most of their agents and replaced them with LMDs? Did he share their fate? If so, could his consciousness have taken control of the LMD that was going to replace him or any LMDs for that matter? Could he have entered the SHIELD computer mainframe before his imminent demise? Who knows? But these all sound like some good springboards to reintroduce this character.

This story took place prior to the events of Iron Man I#215 as Iron Man was wearing his Silver Centurion Mark armor within it.

Profile by: Kyle Smith

Clarifications:
Glitch has no known connection to:

• Gliitch, artificially created Internet lifeform, @ Avengers Annual#23
• The Glitch Brothers, Tector and Mr. Glitch, @ Moon Knight III#1