History:
X-13
Real Name: X-13
Identity/Class: Robot (Pre-Modern Era)
Occupation: None
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Jason Burke
Enemies: Clara Burke, Elmview's mayor and citizens, the state Congress, U.S. Military
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "The Thing," "The Monster"
Base of Operations: The floor of the Atlantic Ocean; formerly Elmview, somewhere in the USA
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#93 (February, 1962)
Powers/Abilities: X-13 was said to have been built from indestructible materials but was still subject to rust from prolonged exposure to water. Due to its size and construction, it possessed superhuman strength; it might be able to lift 10 tons. X-13 was designed to perform mathematical problems and had a highly refined intelligence. Although it could write, it was incapable of speech.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 20')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 1 ton)
Eyes: No visible irises
Fur: Orange
History:
(Strange Tales I#93) - X-13 was built by scientist John Burke in the cellar of his house in Elmview and programmed it to be incapable of causing any harm. He intended X-13 to solve mathematical problems. When X-13 was completed, John summoned his sister Clara and friends from her bridge party into the cellar. They were frightened by X-13's monstrous appearance, calling it "a monster" and when Jason simply asked X-13 to raise its arms, the women fled from the cellar in terror.
Later, Jason led X-13 out of his house and into the streets of Elmview, intending to have X-13 demonstrate its intelligence by working on mathematical problems in full view of the town's citizens. However, when Jason's neighbors saw X-13 they immediately fled. Determined to convince people, Jason led X-13 through the town to find people, but bystanders mistook X-13 for a Martian. Fleeing to the town's mayor, they asked him to help; the mayor told Jason to keep X-13 off the streets and in his home.
Despite taking X-13 off the streets, Jason received volumes of angry letters calling him "Dr. Frankenstein" and blaming him for creating a "hideous thing." Although Jason went on television to defend his creation and insisted X-13's safeguards prevented it from hurting anyone, people remained unconvinced. The matter escalated as the state's Congressmen claimed they would pass laws to outlaw the robot.
Realizing it wouldn't find acceptance among humans, X-13 wrote a letter to Jason explaining it was going to pretend to run amok then trick the humans into thinking it had been destroyed so that it coudl go into hiding at the bottom of the ocean until a day came when humans would learn the tolerance and understanding nescessary to accept it.
X-13 then left John's house and went on a seeming rampage in the streets of Elmview, picking up cars, toppling statues and smashing through buildings, causing people to believe John's promise that the robot couldn't harm anyone was a lie. Finally, X-13 went to a military base where there was a missile. Climbing inside, it rewired the weapon so that it would launch while X-13 was aboard it. While the missile was flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the military activated the missile's self-destruct.
The military believed X-13 had been destroyed when the missile exploded but it actually fell into the ocean, as planned. Finally coming to rest on the bottom of the ocean, X-13 began to wait until the day would come when humanity could accept it among them. Slowly, it began to rust.
Comments: Created by an unidentified writer (likely either Stan Lee or Larry Lieber), Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Glenn Stuart should not be confused with:
Clara Burke was Jason Burke's sister and shared a house with him in Elmview. When Jason completed buiding his robot X-13 he invited Clara and friends from her bridge party to view the robot, but Clara and her friends were frightened by the robot. Clara accused John of ruining her reputation with her friends and never came around to appreciate X-13, despite John's efforts.
--Strange Tales I#93
John Burke was a scientist who created X-13; he shared a house in Elmview with his sister Clara. John attempted to show the world X-13 could be a boon to them with its ability to solve mathematical problems but its appearance frightened people so much that they agitated against John, ordering him to keep X-13 in his home and sending him angry mail, accusing him of being a "Dr. Frankenstein." John went on television to explain X-13 was incapable of harming anyone but they refused to listen. X-13 finally pretended to run amok and was seemingly destroyed but it left behind a letter for John in which it explained its actions and informed him it would wait at the bottom of the ocean for a later date when humanity's tolerance and understanding would accept it.
--Strange Tales I#93
images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#93, page 1 (main)
Strange Tales I#93, page 6, panel 3 (face)
Strange Tales I#93, page 2, panel 3 (Clara)
Strange Tales I#93, page 7, panel 3 (Jason)
Appearances:
Strange Tales I#93 (February, 1962) - unidentified writer, Jack Kirby (penciler), Dick Ayers (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 08/28/2026
Last updated:
08/28/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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