EXPERIMENTAL ENERGY LABS
Membership: Cassidy "Cassie" Linnix, Taylor Linnik, others
Purpose: To research and develop new scientific ideas
Affiliations: Hulk (Bruce Banner), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards)
Enemies: Wizard (Bentley Wittman)
Aliases: EXEL
Base of Operations: A compound in Southern Virginia, USA
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1 (August, 2011)
History:
(Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1) - Experimental Energy Labs ("EXEL") was an energy research facility in Southern Virginia which had developed gyroscopic technologies. The married couple Cassie and Taylor Linnik were two of the scientists employed there. Unknown to the rest of the staff, Taylor had secretly made an alliance with the super-criminal scientist the Wizard to help him complete his Magnetic Energy Converter. Taylor kept this secret even from Cassie.
(Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1) - As Taylor and the Wizard completed their work on the Magnetic Energy Converter, the Human Torch visited EXEL so he could obtain a frictionless gyroscope to assist him in repairing the Fantastic Four's Fantasticar. The other scientists at EXEL were excited at first to see the Fantasticar pulling up, thinking Mister Fantastic was visiting them, and were deflated to see instead it was the Human Torch who had been sent to inspect the gyroscope. However, the Human Torch quickly demonstrated he was capable of managing the task as he correctly identified the gyroscope on sight.
The arrival of the Fantasticar caused the Wizard to panic as he assumed Taylor had betrayed him to his enemies, the Fantastic Four and he prepared to activated the Magnetic Energy Converter. Just then, Bruce Banner arrived at the facility, hoping he could use the M.E.C. to try and drain his body of the gamma radiation that turned him into the Hulk. However, one of the facility's guards agitated Banner and he turned into the Hulk. Despite Cassie's efforts at calming him, soon the Hulk went on a rampage. The Human Torch went to fight the Hulk and the Wizard decided this was the perfect distraction for him to use the M.E.C. Raising the M.E.C. through the facility's open dome, the Wizard began drawing energy from the moon into the converter, then from the converter into his armor, granting him immense power. The Human Torch fought the Wizard but quickly found he couldn't harm him. Finding the M.E.C. was shielded, the Human Torch tricked the Hulk into assaulting the M.E.C., destroying it and cutting off the Wizard's power. Taylor admitted his part in helping the Wizard.
Comments: Created by Jack C. Harris, Karl Kesel and Steve Ditko.
This story was originally drawn by Ditko for an issue of Marvel Team-Up in the early 1980s but the art wasn't finished and it sat in a drawer until 2011 when Karl Kesel finished it up.
Steve Ditko's mad scientist Jason Trump in World of Fantasy I#19/2 also built a magnetic energy device with a similar principle as the Magnetic Energy Converter.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Experimental Energy Labs should not be confused with:
The Magnetic Energy Converter was conceived of by Dr. Taylor Linnik as what he dubbed "M.E.C. Tech." Unable to complete his invention on his own, he formed an alliance with the Wizard to secretly help him complete the device at Experimental Energy Labs' facility. The Magnetic Energy Converter had a large dome built around it which could retract so that it could draw magnetic energy from the moon. Taylor believed this device would supply the planet with an unlimited amount of clean heat, light and power. However, the Wizard actually intended for all the magnetic energy to be routed into his armor, giving him immense power that included force blasts said to have the impact of atomic energy. The Magnetic Energy Converter was shielded to prevent anyone from tampering with it after the Wizard had activated it but the Human Torch tricked the Hulk into smashing the device, cutting off the Wizard from the magnetic energy supply.
--Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1
Dr. Cassidy "Cassie" Linnik was married to Taylor Linnik and worked alongside him at Experimental Energy Labs. Cassie studied alongside Bruce Banner in college (possibly at Desert State University, New Mexico). When Taylor began working with the Wizard to develop his Magnetic Energy Converter, he shut Cassie out of his lab, claiming it was too dangerous for her. When Bruce Banner came to EXEL hoping the Magnetic Energy Converter might help drain the gamma radiation from his body that turned him into the Hulk, he was agitated by a guard and turned into the Hulk. Cassie, recognizing Banner, used her expertise from calming Taylor's "tantrums" to try and calm down the Hulk, but the guard aggravated the Hulk even further, causing him to rampage. The Hulk's subsequent fight with the Human Torch provided the Wizard with a distraction so he could activate the M.E.C. With his new power the Wizard blasted Cassie, annoyed that she didn't recognize who he was. Subsequently, Taylor revealed how he'd enlisted the Wizard's help which seemed to deepen the gulf between he and Cassie, even after the M.E.C. was destroyed.
--Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1
Dr. Taylor Linnik was a scientist at Experimental Energy Labs and worked alongside his wife Cassie there. Taylor was obsessed with the idea of harnessing magnetic energy from the moon in order to create a Magnetic Energy Converter, what he called "M.E.C. Tech." To complete his ideas, Taylor formed a secret alliance with the super-criminal scientist the Wizard, permitting the Wizard access to EXEL's facility. Believing Cassie would never look past the Wizard's criminal history he locked her out of his lab, claiming the magnetic energy was too dangerous for her to be around. When the Human Torch came to EXEL to obtain a new gyroscope for the Fantastic Four's Fantasticar, the Wizard accused Taylor of betraying him to his enemies. Even then, Taylor remained committed to assisting the Wizard and professed his innocence. When the Wizard subsequently activated the M.E.C. on his own and used its power to increase his own, the Wizard blasted Taylor with his new magnetic energies. Recovering, Taylor told the Human Torch what he knew about the M.E.C. and admitted his part in helping the Wizard. The Human Torch tricked the Hulk into destroying the M.E.C. which stopped the Wizard, but having heard Taylor's confession, Cassie appeared to be even further emotionally separated from her husband.
--Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1
images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1, page 3, panel 6 (main)
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1, page 10, panel 3 (gyroscope)
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1, page 5, panel 1 (M.E.C.)
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1, page 12, panel 4 (Cassie)
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1, page 4, panel 1 (Taylor)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault I#1 (August, 2011) - Jack C. Harris (plot), Steve Ditko (breakdowns), Karl Kesel (script, finishes), Tom Brevoort (editor), Tom DeFalco (editor)
First posted: 11/02/2026
Last updated:
11/02/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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