LAWMAN
LAWMAN
Real Name: Leon Frankfurt
Identity/Class: Cyborg (see comments)
Occupation: (see comments)
Group Membership: Anti-Registration Underground (All-Out/Unarmed Training Automaton Attacker/Richard Taine, Awe-Striker/Cecily Johnson, Basic Black/Norman Gentry, Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins, Brain Spasm/Dennis Hoxie, Canasta/Henry Cavanaugh, Captain Kinship/Edward Randlebuck, Dahntu/Charles Luc Phan, Freeware/Kurt Duryea, Gladiatrix/Robin Braxton, Green Guardswoman/Natalie Bell, Harbormaster/Sean Beckett, Haunter/Mark Runnemyer, Human Haze/Steve Cochrane, Iguanid/Tom Boldstep, Johnny Justice/Jonadab Megyscol, Kruzado/Dorothy Cardoza, Leather Angel/Andrew Mussawyr, Masked Rose/Josie Tyler, Natural/Beru Addison, Network/Valerie Martin, Orange Crusher/Andy Gardner, Panthrax/Alex Mitchell, Peace-Lover/Barry Kanczeski, Qiblah/Jared Nelson, Saint Hildegard/Sonya van Jagt, Scorecard/Bill Merrick, Skybolt/Zack Zimmerman, Solo/James Bourne, Spaceheat/Charles Yaméogo, Staten Island Star/Russell Feldman, Stone-Tough/Ted Pendleton, Tosser/Ferris Hartke, Typeface/Gordon Thomas, U.S. Annie/Harriet Best, Warbug/Bernard Van Buren, Winter Woman/Angela Stover, Xantippe/Mandy Atkinson, Zapster/Langley Saint-Margaret, others); see comments
Affiliations: See comments
Enemies:
(At least formerly)
S.H.I.E.L.D.
and its "Cape-Killers"
see comments
Known Relatives: See comments
Aliases: See comments
Base of Operations:
Unrevealed;
previously an unidentified
Anti-Registration Underground safehouse in Manhattan, New York
see comments
First Appearance:
(Unidentified) Civil War: Front Line#4 (2006);
(identified) Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z
hardcover#14 (2010)
Powers/Abilities: See
comments
Height:
Unrevealed (approximately 6'1"; see
comments)
Weight:
Unrevealed (approximately 191 lbs.; see
comments)
Eyes:
Unrevealed (see comments)
Hair:
Unrevealed (see comments)
History: See comments.
(Civil War: Front Line#4 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14: Anti-Registration Underground (fb) - BTS) - Following the Stamford disaster, where hundreds had perished during a battle between New Warriors and four Raft escapees, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) and others worked with US officials to develop the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), outlawing any crimefighting activities by unregistered super heroes.
Vigilante Typeface, although his identity was already known, resolved to fight a perceived assault on freedom, and he organized an Anti-Registration Underground, beginning with ex-government operative Battlestar and anti-terrorist Solo, to support super heroes who continued fighting crime without SHRA approval. Their ranks were soon supplemented by mystic-armored Freeware; bodysuit-enhanced Green Guardswoman; Masked Rose, leader of super-team T,J,A.W. (Truth, Justice, and the American Way), empowered by accidental mutant blood exposure; exoskeleton-empowered Network; and cyborg Skybolt. Via a covert interview with Alternative reporter Sally Floyd, ARU members publicized their perspective, and several other anti-registration heroes joined, including the Lawman.
(Civil War: Front Line#4) - The Lawman was present with the ARU when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members.
As the ARU members debated whether to seek and join Captain America (Steve Rogers)'s Secret Avengers, a better organized and equipped anti-SHRA unit, or to remain independent, armored S.H.I.E.L.D. Cape-Killers, accompanied by Iron Man, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and at least ten unidentified flying heroes, raided the base. Caught by surprise, few ARU members managed to effectively fight back against their more powerful and organized opponents. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. captured over 40 members, the Harbormaster, the Awe-Striker, Canasta, Dahntu, the Green Guardswoman, and the Tosser evaded capture, as did the Masked Rose, who had been absent seeking new recruits.
(Civil War: Front Line#5/2) - ARU prisoners, such as Typeface, were seen being sent to the Prison 42.
(Civil War#6 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers and the Superhuman Registration Act resistance arrived at Prison 42 to free the prisoners.
(Civil War#7 / Amazing Spider-Man I#538 / Civil War: Front Line#10-11 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers penetrated Prison 42, freeing many prisoners. When the combined anti-registration forces were confronted by Iron Man's pro-registration forces, Secret Avenger Cloak (Tyrone Johnson) teleported both groups to Manhattan. Freed ARU prisoners took part in the battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, spanning from the Negative Zone prison to the streets of New York. In the ensuing battle, which caused severe damage, the Thunderbolts' Venom (Mac Gargan) apparently killed Typeface. Other fatalities may also have occurred. Following Captain America's surrender to forestall further civilian risk, Battlestar and possibly others avoided recapture.
The government offered amnesty in return for registration. Although Gladiatrix rejected the offer, Network registered under the 50 States Initiative, while Solo also registered but pursued independent interests. Presumably additional ARU members followed Gladiatrix's example, others followed Network's or Solo's, and still more remained at large.
Comments: Created by
Created by
Paul Jenkins
and
Ramon Bachs.
Codename, real name, and nature provided by Ronald Byrd
During
the production of the Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) writer
Paul Jenkins provided Ronald with authorization to provide
identities, real names for the various background Anti-Registration
Underground characters, and to flesh them out as much as he wanted.
Ronald provided identities and real names for the Anti-Registration
Underground entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A
to Z hardcover#14 (2010). There wasn't room to provide much more than
that in that entry. However, Ronald had backgrounds and histories in
mind for these characters when he provided their names.
While
the information is unofficial until it sees print,
here is the
full story behind the Lawman:
REAL
NAME: Leon Noel Frankfurt
ALIASES: Big Nut, Big-Screen,
Room 11, Leon Noel Elmore-Frankfurt
IDENTITY: Known to US
authorities
OCCUPATION: Adventurer; former U.S. special
operative, soldier
CITIZENSHIP: USA
PLACE OF BIRTH:
La Crosse, Kansas
KNOWN RELATIVES: Christopher Frankfurt
(father), Mackie Frankfurt (nee Frant, mother); Anderson Frankfurt,
Renfest "Ren" Frankfurt (brothers); Gloria Frankfurt, Renee
Frankfurt (sisters); Robért Elmore (formerly Elmore-Frankfurt,
ex-husband)
GROUP
AFFILIATION: Formerly Anti-Registration Underground, Project:
Sierra Hotel, U.S. Army
EDUCATION: High school graduate,
U.S. Army special training
SHRA CLASSIFICATION:
Cyborg
FIRST APPEARANCE: Civil War: Front Line #4 (2006)
HISTORY:
As a U.S. Army soldier, Leon Frankfurt distinguished himself in
military campaigns against Loki Laufeyson's Asgardian forces,
would-be world conqueror Doctor Sun, and similar menaces. As a
result, he was selected for participation in Project: Sierra Hotel, a
covert government operation to cybernetically enhance U.S. soldiers
in the eventuality that international treaties forbidding superhumans
from serving in the military might be changed or overridden. He
quickly adapted to using his newly acquired abilities, but Sierra
Hotel's S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison, Agent Roger Dooley, for whatever
reason, developed an intense dislike of Frankfurt and became
determined to have him dismissed from the project.
Because Project: Sierra Hotel had originated as an extra-governmental operation decades before, its existence remained unknown to most in the U.S. government, and its official regulations had thus evaded upgrades according to changing social mores; as a result, it remained feasible to discharge Frankfurt from Sierra Hotel service due to his homosexuality, and Dooley pressured the heads of the project to do so. Frankfurt, angered to learn of his imminent dismissal, pre-emptively resigned both from Sierra Hotel and from the U.S. military and, rather than risk unfavorable publicity, the government allowed him to do so without incident, offering him a large cash settlement and maintaining his military pension. Although careful investments allowed Frankfurt to live comfortably, he felt a need to put his superhuman abilities to good use and thus took the costumed identity of the Lawman.
Following the passage of the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), the Lawman, still bitter over his treatment by Project: Sierra Hotel, refused to register as a matter of principle. He was eventually recruited into Typeface's Anti-Registration Underground and was present when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members, including himself. He was detained in the Negative Zone Prison 42, where he maintained his refusal to register, despite offers of reinstatement into both the U.S. Army and Project: Sierra Hotel in exchange for cooperation. During the course of his imprisonment, he offered no responses to interrogation beyond repetitions of his name, rank, and serial number. Following the SHRA's repeal, he was released without incident.
HEIGHT: 6'1" WEIGHT: 191 lbs. (pre-cybernization, 180 lbs.)
EYES: Brown HAIR: Black
ABILITIES/ACCESSORIES:
The Lawman is strong enough to lift up to 1000 pounds and can run at a speed of up to 70 mph; his physical endurance and agility
have been similarly augmented. His heart, lungs, and other internal
organs have been augmented to function at least five times more
efficiently than normal. The cartilage in his arms, legs, and spine
has been augmented with an unidentified substance, rendering it
significantly stronger and more durable than is customarily the case
in humans, and he requires significantly less food, fluid, and sleep
than a non-augmented human.
Although he possesses 20/20 vision, he
sometimes wears specially designed contact lenses to augment his
vision; similarly, he sometimes wears specially-designed ear
amplifiers to augment his auditory abilities.
Even prior to receiving augmentations, the Lawman was a highly trained soldier with above average abilities in adaptability, first aid, concentration, hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, problem-solving, reasoning skills, self-discipline, strategic planning, tactical training, weapons proficiency, and other, similar skills.
Profile by Ronald Byrd, Snood, and Multi-Tasking Mike Fichera.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Lawman should not be confused with::
images: (without ads)
Civil War: Front Line #4, Page 5, Panel 3 (main,
behind Typeface's left shoulder);
Civil War: Front Line #5, Page 17, Panel 2 (headshot,
to the left of the Staten Island Star)
Appearances:
Civil
War: Front Line#3/1 - BTS (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer),
Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Cory Sedlmeier
(editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/1 (September, 2006) - Paul
Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/3 (September, 2006) -
Paul Jenkins (writer), Sean Chen (penciler), Rick Magyar (inker),
Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Civil War: Front Line#5/2 (October, 2006) - Paul Jenkins
(writer), Steve Lieber (artist), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson
(assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#6 -BTS
(December, 2006) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils),
Dexter Vines (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#7 -BTS
(January, 2007) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils),
Dexter Vines, John Dell & Tim Townsend (inks), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z
hardcover#14 (June, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen & Mike Fichera
(head writers/coordinators), Markus Raymond & Mike O'Sullivan
(coordination assistants), Stuart Vandal, Sean McQuaid, Michael
Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Markus Raymond, Mike O'Sullivan, Madison Carter,
Kevin Garcia, Gabriel Shechter, Jacob Rougemont, Rob London, Rich
Green, Chris Biggs, David Wiltfong, Jeph York, Mark O'English, &
Mike Gagnon (writers), John Denning (associate editor), Alex Starbuck
(assistant editor), Theodore Kutt (copy editor), Mark D. Beazley
(editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer
Grunwald (editor)
First posted:
06/28/2025
Last updated:
06/28/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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