AKEEM SMITHAKEEM SMITH
Real Name: Akeem Smith
Identity/Class: Human;
active circa 1992
(and likely at least prior to that; see
comments)
Occupation: Special Effects designer
Group Membership: Crew of Idol
Affiliations: Rachel Ahmed, Molly Black (head of marine life), Alexi Gorsky (aka Evans), Henry "Mac" Macadam, Keith Muhammad (diver), Captain Rachel Olitksy, Patrick Stone, Erich (director, deceased), Kate (stunt double, deceased); others unidentified in the crew
Enemies: Dr. Travers
(aka the Phantom of the Set, apparently deceased), Floyd Lawrence, Lloyd Lawrence
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly the unidentified undersea former government
research base (I would guess that it was off the coast of California, or
at least on the USA's west coast, but I don't think it was confirmed)
First Appearance: Idol Book One
of Three (March, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Akeem does not have superhuman powers.
Akeem is highly skilled with movie special effects, including creating a giant, robotic squid creature, a robotic slightly-larger-than-human mer-man creature, a miniature replica of the same creature, a large rubbery suit (in the form of the same mer-creature) with an oxygen supply, insulated aquatic suits with various gauntlets able to project light, darts laced with an anesthetic device and a miniature harpoon.
He designs various types of explosives
that he remotely controls, and he can direct and coordinate a team of
subordinate workers.
History:
(Idol Book One of Three (fb) - BTS) - Akeem heard of a special effects
man putting squibs (stunt fireworks that spew sparks rather than
exploding) on backwards so that the fired into the stuntman wearing
them, causing a mixing of real blood and F/X blood. 
(Idol Book Three of Three (fb) - BTS) - Akeem worked with
or at at least knew actress Rachel Ahmed for two years.
(Idol Book One of Three (fb) - BTS) - An underwater
U.S.
government research facility developed a microbe from the
bioluminescence of deep-sea fish that attacked the brain and nervous
system, causing psychosis and intended to be a personal disruption agent
for last resort defense exercises.
However, as no vaccine or cure could be
found to protect their forces, the microbe proved to be impractical and
was not put into use. After the Russian government learned of the
operations, the military was forced to withdraw from the facility. The
microbe was sealed in a restricted region and the remaining portions of
the facility were emptied out and decontaminated.
However, Dr. Travers, one of the former
researchers aboard the facility, secretly continued working with the
microbes and aquatic life in the restricted regions, continuing to work
on developing a vaccine and/or cure in secret alliance with a US
government official who wished to weaponize the microbe. As Travers
needed food and power, his government ally arranged to facilitate this.
(Idol Book One of Three (fb) - BTS) - Forced to make a sequel to her "Idol of Slime" movie, Rachel Ahmed leased the closed underwater U.S. government research facility, which was reported to be safe. Akeem served as the special effects expert. US Naval Captain Rachel Olitsky oversaw the facility during the movie's production, and ensigns Lawrence and Lawrence (secretly loyal to Travers) were assigned to assist her. The film crew provided the power and food that Travers needed, but as a result, the facility suffered a number of power outtages and/or power outtages/surges, as well as the disappearance of some food and other supplies.
(Idol Book Three of Three (fb) - BTS) - Suspecting the
movie was a front to re-open the bio-weapon installation, the Russians
sent Alexi Gorsky to infiltrate the crew as "Evans," a cameraman. The
Russians maintained contact with him from a short distance away,
prepared to blow up the facility if Gorsky did not confirm otherwise.
(Idol Book One of Three) - Akeem was highly frustrated as his life size animated model of the sea monster exploded following another power surge. While the camera man Evans pulled the burning plastic off of Rachel's stunt double, Kate (who was protected by the Idol suit), and another man used a an extinguisher to put out the flames, Akeem shattered his remote control in frustration, noting that he had had the design perfect. Mac (the actor who wore the monster exoskeleton costume) mockingly told him, "Doesn't look perfect to me."
After the dinner buffet supplies
vanished, Akeem worked on a miniature monster model, oblivious to larger
crisis. Akeem subsequently outfitted Patrick with "Squibs" for an
upcoming scene. When Rachel questioned him about the upcoming squid
scene, he advised her that he had been ready for an hour and that his
team was ahead of schedule despite the problems. 
During the squid scene, Akeem had a
number of small flashes occur on the squid's tentacles to make it appear
as if Idol was firing wristblasts at the creature. As he prepared his
team to drop Kate upon the fourth flash, however, Travers caused another
power surge, which left Kate trapped in the tentacle. The out-of-control
tentacle smashed Kate's head against a metal plate, apparently cracking
open the back of her skull. Meanwhile, Akeem and his team were also cast
into the water and trapped beneath the equipment.
Rachel and Mac dove into the water, found Kate apparently dead and focused their efforts on saving the struggling Akeem and his team. Patrick helped pull Akeem out of the tank, but Akeem's control station was destroyed. His face burnt in the explosions, Akeem advised "Evans" to help him to warn the others that there were other F/X charges planted in the set and that they needed to evacuate. "Evans" led Akeem to warn Captain Olitski, who facilitated the evacuation, during which they found the maddened Molly Black (who had been exposed to the bio-weapon) coverd with some sort of rash, and they were forced to contain/quarantine her in a sealed chamber.
(Idol Book Two of Three) - After Captain Olitsky took command of all operations, she ordered the crew (including Akeem) to remain within that section until all had been checked by microscanners to rule out exposure by anyone else.
When pumps began dumping ocean water into that section, Akeem urged the others to climb out of the waters' range before it hit the cables, and the others did so just before this happened and dangerous electric shocks occurred. Akeem further advised Rachel that they could not shut down the pumps remotely because the controls were in his FX console, which had been trashed. Rachel and Mack used their Idol and monster suits to head out an airlock and to shut off the pumps directly. Akeem advised Rachel on where to find the storage for her helmets and to also take specific gauntlets for light and weapons, if needed.
(Idol Book Two of Three - BTS) - Rachel and Mac plugged
the vents with lids from cannisters containing monkey skeletons, which
they realized had been dumped by the Lawrence ensigns.
(Idol Book Two of Three) - Akeem appreciated their success
as the water drained from the bottom of the section that he and the
others were trapped in. When they returned, he urged them to climb back
to higher levels as there were still FX charges, immediately after which
a set exploded. As Erich worked to shut down the circuit breaker, Lloyd
Lawrence warned Dr. Travers, who then opened the outer doors, and Erich
and those with him all drowned. Travers then shut the outer doors again.
In an effort to escape without
potential exposure to the microbe, Captain Olitsky had Mac and Rachel
use the oxygen supply in their suits to swim the others out in a few
trips. Akeem asked to go with the first group, but they instead took
Olitksy and "Evans," the latter of whom noted he had technical
experience and had served on a submarine.
Tiring of the problems the others were
causing, Travers instructed Lawrence and Lawrence to neutralize the
others, and they opened fire on Akeem, Stone and the others.
(Idol Book Two of Three / Idol Book
Three of Three (fb) - BTS) - Protected
by
his uniform and faking wounds via the props Akeem had put on him (while
taking a bullet to the left shoulder), Stone fell back and collapsed on
top Akeem, whose skinny nature allowed him to hide behind Stone and
avoid getting hit. The others presumably perished, but Akeem and Stone
survived.
(Idol Book Three
of Three) - Confident the Lawrences had departed, Akeem told Stone to
get off of him, noting that while his own "skinny ass" had saved him
from being him repeatedly and telling Stone that he had taken one shot,
as well. Seeing his own blood, Stone fainted, but after patching Akeem
woke him up by telling him he had gotten the part (as he wished to be a
serious actor) and then admitted that he probably wouldn't have done
well if he had been shot, either. Packing up some equipment, Akeem led
Stoneto head out to try to help the others.
They found Captain Olitsky being held
at gunpoint by Dr. Travers, but when they heard gunfire from another
direction, Akeem chose to go to help Rachel (noting he had only known
Olitsky for two weeks), and he told Stone to make his own choice.
With Rachel and Mac having previously taken out Lloyd, Akeem witnessed as Floyd seemingly shot Mac in the head and killed him. Using a light to magnify the shadow of his monster miniature, Akeem made Floyd think there was another person in a monster suit, and he turned to face it. Having had the shot got through the top of his monster suit's head and only grazed his skull, Mac then beat Floyd senseless. When Rachel and Mac thanked him, Akeem directed them to help Olitsky.
As Akeem, Rachel and Mac watched Travers holding Stone and Olitsky at gunpoint, Travers sensed their presence and considered that he had five subjects on whom to test his vaccine. Ultimately, Rachel shot Travers with a miniature harpoon to the chest, apparently killing him, while obtaining his vaccine.
With Gorsky having advised the Russians
not to destroy the facility or risk releasing the bio-weapon as well as
having them contact the US Navy to help those left in the facility (and
with Gorsky having been bitten by Molly, so that both of them were now
delusional from the bio-weapon), Akeem stood by as Rachel, Mac, Olitksy
and Stone as Rachel stated that they needed to stay together so that
they deal with whatever happened.
Comments: Created by Gerard Jones, Steve Mattson and Ron Randall.
As a creator owned character from
Epic, it is unlikely that this story was intended to be part of
Reality-616, but there's also nothing to exclude it...the events involved
a small number of people and a localized covert government military plot.
There's no reason it could not have taken place in 1992, which due to
Marvel's sliding timescale in is over 20 years and counting before the
Fantastic Four's space flight.
Earth-29391 The costumed heroic Idol fought sea creatures. Mimics the story of the Idol movies featuring Rachel Ahmed. Idol #1 (1992)
Thanks to Loki for suggesting this
character to profile!
This profile was completed 05/09/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Akeem Smith should be distinguished from:
First posted: 09/11/2026
Last updated: 04/16/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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