History:
JOHN
Real Name: John
Identity/Class: Android
Occupation: Scientist
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: His "brother"
Enemies: Burke, Freddy, Cyril Stretford
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "The Living Robot," impersonated Cyril Stretford
Base of Operations: A moorland estate in England
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#8 (March, 1960)
Powers/Abilities: John was a robot built from durable materials and had superhuman strength (possibly at enhanced level). A small compartment in John's chest contained an electro-magnetic blast weapon that he could fire; the blast was apparently fatal to humans. John once carried a sophisticated pistol of unrevealed capabilities. He was also a genius roboticist who designed his own robots. As his human features were plastic he could mould his face in order to adopt other people's identities.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 800 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: None (artificial brown hair)
History:
(Tales of Suspense I#8/5) - In the year 1999, the first robot was built. From this model many more were fabricated and sold to citizens around the world. These robots worked not only as laborers in factories and homes but even as playmates to children. However, over time more and more robots began to malfunction and became a danger to those around them. People became increasingly concerned about the presence of robots among them. Finally the World Council reached the decision to deactivate all the robots on Earth. They also decreed that anyone caught building a robot would face the death penalty.
One robot who survived the destruction of nearly all his comrades had been posing as a human named John in the United Kingdom. John felt it was wrong to put the robots out of commission because they were a symbol of man's scientific progress. John began building a robot who would be his "brother" and designed him to possess abilities which John himself did not have. Once the "brother" was built John took him outside to the nearby moors to test his abilities at night. On the first night he practiced his brother's ability to walk. The robot began walking towards John but when John ordered him to stop it had a delayed reaction. John was unnerved that the robot took so long to respond to orders.
On the nights that followed John continued to test his robot on the moors, testing its superhuman strength and its ability to fire energy blasts from its fingers. Finally, John took the robot out to test its ability to conquer gravity, an ability no previous robot had possessed. Much to John's delight his "brother" proved able to fly but this test was observed by Freddy and his friend. The two men ran to the police to tell them about John and the robot, hoping to earn a reward. The police responded by sending out four officers to investigate, with officer Burke carrying the gamma blaster. The police arrived while John and his "brother" were still outside. Burke opened fire with his gamma blaster and hit the "brother," automatically destroying it.
John fled from the police to the edge of a cliff. The police warned him that he couldn't escape them but John refused to face the death penalty. The ledge crumbled under John's feet and he fell. The police assumed John was killed by the fall and didn't investigate further, not realizing that because John was himself a robot he had survived.
(Tales of Suspense I#9/5) - As John climbed back up the cliff he determined the fall had damaged his motviation system. Rather than wishing to build robots that would help humanity, John resolved he would build robots to destroy mankind. Instead of subverting the law, John decided he would simply change the existing laws so that robots would be legal again.
John spent a week preparing his plan, then summoned his Member of Parliament friend Cyril Stretford to his home. When Cyril arrived he was eager to help John but John drew a gun on Cyril then guided him to his cellar. John placed Cyril then molded his face to copy Cyril's features. John bricked up the cellar, leaving Cyril imprisoned there.
The next day, John went to the House of Commons to propose the resumption of robot building, claiming that humanity could perfect the construction of robots so they would never turn on their masters again. The other MPs were startled to hear "Cyril" speaking pro-robot sentiments. As the debate in the Commons went on, more and more MPs became swayed by "Cyril"'s rhetoric as he pointed out all the ways in which robots would aid mankind.
Just as the voting was about to begin the real Cyril Stretford burst into the House of Commons and denounced the other man as an imposter and a robot. Realizing he had been found out, John climbed out the window of the House of Commons and fled across nearby rooftops, resuming his face's normal appearance. However, Cyril pursued John. John fought with Cyril and was surprised that Cyril wasn't overwhelmed by his robotic strength. Finally John fire an electro-magnetic beam from his chest but even this failed to harm Cyril. Cyril threw John over the edge of the building where they were fighting. John was arrested by the police without learning that the reason Cyril withstood him was that Cyril was also a robot but belonged to a secret order of robots who were dedicated to protect manking in secret.
Comments: Created by an unidentified writer (likely either Stan Lee or Larry Lieber) and Don Heck.
He's only called "the Living Robot" in the title of the story.
Both stories end with the surprise reveal that one of the characters was actually a robot. I kind of wish they had made a dozen stories in row with increasingly ridiculous robot reveals in the last panel.
Stretford is also called "Stredford."
You can tell this is science fiction. The English police have a gun. :p
This profile was completed on 11/24/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
John should not be confused with:
John built his so-called "brother" at his estate near the moors and tested the robot's functions at night. The robot "brother" had superhuman strength, could fire some form of energy blasts from its fingers and could levitate. When the English police learned of the "brother"'s existence they sent officers to deal with it and Burke shot it with the gamma blaster, which destroyed the robot with a single shot.
--Tales of Suspense I#8/5
Burke was an English policeman. When John's robot "brother" was discovered he joined three other policemen in investigating and was told to bring the Gamma Blaster to deal with the robot. Finding John with his robot, Burke fired the Gamma Blaster at it and destroyed it with a single shot. Burke and the other policemen tried to arrest John for the crime of building a robot but John fell over a ledge. Burke and the others assumed John was dead, not realizing he was a robot.
--Tales of Suspense I#8/5
Freddy and his pal were out on the moors on the night John was testing his robot "brother"'s ability of flight. Freddy and his mate decided to tell the police about John and the robot hoping to earn themselves a reward.
--Tales of Suspense I#8/5
Cyril Stretford was a robot who belonged to a secret order of robots who were charged to defend humanity from harm, even if the harm were caused by other robots. Cyril became a Member of Parliament and served in the House of Commons where he was a proponent of anti-robot legislation after robots were found to be harming humans. Cyril befriended John but was apparently unaware John was a fellow robot. When John resolved to make robots legal again he had Cyril come to his estate and imprisoned him in his cellar, manacling Cyril to the wall and bricking up the entrance. Disguised as Cyril, John tried to advance pro-robot legislation in the House of Commons and because of Cyril's anti-robot reputation his efforts convinced many but Cyril escaped the cellar using his own robotic strength and went to the House of Commons to expose John as an imposter. As John fled, Cyril pursued him and successfully fought and defeated John as John kept underestimating Cyril, assuming him to be a human. Cyril observed as John was arrested by the police.
--Tales of Suspense I#9/5
images: (without ads)
Tales of Suspense I#8/5, page 2, panel 5 (main)
Tales of Suspense I#9/5, page 2, panel 2 (face)
Tales of Suspense I#8/5, page 3, panel 1 (brother)
Tales of Suspense I#8/5, page 5, panel 3 (Burke)
Tales of Suspense I#8/5, page 4, panel 6 (Freddy)
Tales of Suspense I#9/5, page 5, panel 7 (Cyril)
Appearances:
Tales of Suspense I#8/5 (March, 1960) - unidentified writer, Don Heck (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Tales of Suspense I#9/5 (May, 1960) - unidentified writer, Don Heck (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 09/01/2026
Last updated:
11/24/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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