VANADIUM

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human mutate (Russian)

Occupation: None

Group Membership: Elements of Doom (Carbon, Chlorine, Cobalt, Phosphorus, Radium)

Affiliations: Elements of Doom;
    formerly Dr. Vasily Khandruvitch

Enemies: Avengers (Beast/Hank McCoy, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: An unidentified nuclear power plant in Russia

First Appearance: Avengers I#188 (October, 1979)

Powers/Abilities: Vanadium was composed of pure metallic Vanadium, which was naturally resistant to corrosion and various acids. His metallic form provided superhuman strength and durability, sufficient to withstand attacks from superhumanly strong opponents such as Ms. Marvel without any physical damage whatsoever. He was not completely invulnerable to physical attacks, however, as Wonder Man was capable of completely shattering Vanadium's metallic form.

    If damaged or shattered, Vanadium could reassemble his atoms to reform himself, though this process took several minutes.

    Vanadium was capable of communicating telepathically.

Height: Various
Weight: Various
Eyes: No visible irises
Hair: None

History:
(Avengers I#188 (fb) - BTS / Thunderbolts I#7 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, an unidentified human was transformed into pure elemental Vanadium by Dr. Vasily Khandruvitch in an effort to create Super-Soldiers to serve the state. Rebelling and joining other transformed humans as the Elements of Doom, Vanadium aided in taking over a Russian nuclear power plant for use in creating more Elements of Doom.

(Avengers I#188) - When the Avengers were drawn to the Elements' attack on a Russian power plant while flying home from the Inhumans' Great Refuge, they investigated the attack to find Vanadium lurking inside the plant. Thinking the heroes were people he had summoned to bring him certain specimens, Vanadium warned the Avengers not to trifle with him.

(Avengers I#188 / Thunderbolts I#7 (fb)) - He then grabbed a piece of a destroyed Russian tank and slung it at the Avengers, prompting Ms. Marvel to performing a flying charge against the creature, only to bounce off him with absolutely no effect on the elemental being.

(Avengers I#188) - Wonder Man then opted for a second attack, using his strength to fly through Vanadium, completely shattering and destroying the elemental being. The Avengers then moved further into the power plant's reactor, where they discovered the other Elements of Doom working on a large machine. Upon seeing the heroes, the Elements discussed being observed and Phosphorus deduced that Vanadium must have been destroyed before Chlorine asked Radium if Vanadium could be recreated in another. Radium replied that it was possible but there were over a hundred elements still to be created before a new Vanadium could be formed. When Phosphorus emitted an explosion of bright light and the Wasp responded by hitting him with her Wasp's Sting, Wonder Man warned Carbon to call off the other Elements of Doom or risk being shattered into pieces that would need sorting out from Vanadium's. Soon forced to retreat from Chlorine's poisonous gas, the Beast remarked that they seemed to be faring no better than the Russian soldiers at the plant before asking about their victory over Vanadium, to which a retreating Captain America remarked that he still wasn't they had seen the last of the shattered elemental.

    The Falcon soon went back into the fray to rescue the Wasp, only to be attacked by a reformed Vanadium, who hit the Falcon with a hard punch and announced his ability to reassemble his atoms. Knocking the Falcon out, Vanadium then carried him back to the other Elements of Doom to be used as a specimen for transformation into a new Element of Doom. The rallying Avengers returned and quickly rescued the Falcon. Ms. Marvel then used a laser to pierce the power planet's fusion reactor, exposing its molten core which then covered the Elements of Doom, breaking down their atomic structure and completely destroying Vanadium, Radium, Chlorine and, seemingly, the other Elements of Doom.

Comments: Created by Jim Shooter, Bill Mantlo, John Byrne, Dan Green and Frank Springer.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Vanadium should be distinguished from:

• VANADIUM - Elements of Doom, being created of pure elemental Vanadium--Thunderbolts I#7
• other "Vanadium" characters, groups, items, races or events
  

Appearances:
Avengers I#188 (October, 1979) - Jim Shooter (plot, editor, editor), Bill Mantlo (script), John Byrne, Dan Green, Frank Springer (art)
Thunderbolts I#7 (October, 1997) - Kurt Busiek (co-plot, script), Roger Stern (co-plot), Jeff Johnson (pencils), Will Blyberg, Eric Cannon, Larry Mahlstadt, Greg Adams, Keith Williams (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First posted: 11/09/2025
Last updated: 11/09/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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