AQUARIUS

Real Name: Zachary Drebb

Identity/Class: Human, technology user

Occupation: Zodiac cartel member

Group Membership: Zodiac Cartel

Affiliations: Taurus, his personal agents

Enemies: Clytemnestra Erwin, Morley Erwin, Iron Man (James Rhodes), Tony Stark, Zodiac (LMDs)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "The Water Bringer"

Base of Operations: San Francisco, California

First Appearance: Iron Man I#184 (July, 1984)

Powers/Abilities: Aquarius was skilled at devising clever gimmicks, such as a gas which would cause the tires on James Rhodes' truck to explode, and he made use of the Zodiac Field. He and his agents also wielded laser guns. Aquarius psychologically unstable, and had to remind himself to control his temper when angered.

Height: 6'
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Auburn

History: (Iron Man I#184 (fb) - BTS) - Zachary Drebb was appointed to the position of Aquarius in the  Zodiac Cartel after the death of Darren Bentley, his predecessor.

(Iron Man I#185 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Aquarius and his agents "persuaded" the West German scientist Werner Von Kemp to design an electromagnetic field generator, which Aquarius called "the Zodiac field."

(Iron Man I#184) - Aquarius participated in a viewscreen-only meeting with the other 11 Zodiac cartel members in which Taurus declared his intention to kill Iron Man before he could come after the cartels. After Taurus and Aries both failed to kill James Rhodes, known to be a friend of Iron Man, Taurus asked Aquarius for help, and Aquarius agreed.

Aquarius and three of his men took over a gas station ahead of Rhodes' truck, and one of them shot a tire on the truck to force them to stop at the station. They patched up the tire, and filled all of the tires with a gas that would explode when overheated, and would likely ignite after the truck traveled another 10 miles. Aquarius also used acid on a bridge coming up ahead to be sure that it did the job. Aquarius appreciated his plan, because it involved both air and water-- the air in the tires, and the water below the bridge. However, Iron Man wound up saving his friends, although losing the truck.

(Iron Man I#185) - Amanda, one of Aquarius' agents, led Tony Stark, Iron Man, Clytemnestra Erwin and Morley Erwin to a house where they fell through a trapdoor. Aquarius trapped Iron Man in the Zodiac Field, and manacled the other three to the wall while he filled the room with water to drown them. Clytemnestra annoyed Aquarius by calling him a "sicko," but he maintained his temper. Aquarius and his men then left the house, but Iron Man wound escaping the trap, and caught up to them on the road. He turned him over to the authorities.

(West Coast Avengers II#26) - Aquarius attended a meeting of the Zodiac cartel in Houston, Texas, in which they discussed the threat the LMD Zodiac posed to them. Before they could come to any conclusions, they learned that an LMD of Jake Fury had replaced their Scorpio, and he let in his LMD Zodiac to destroy them. Aquarius was slain by the LMDS.

Comments: Created by Denny O'Neil, Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell.

As an Aquarius, Zachary Drebb was born between the dates January 20th and February 18th.

In West Coast Avengers II#26, Drebb had switched to the costume Darren Bentley had worn when he was Aquarius.

 

Didn't the designer of the Zodiac Cartel have the same name as Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes.
or close to it, anyway?

Werner von Kemperer or something?

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Aquarius should not be confused with:


Aquarius' agents (Amanda, others unnamed) wore costumes similar to his, and assisted him in his many attempts at claiming the lives of Rhodes, Stark and the Erwins.

--Iron Man I#184, 185

















The Zodiac Field was created by the West German scientist Werner Von Kemp, and was an electromagnetic field generator capable of immobilizing Iron Man in mid-air. Iron Man was able to short out the device and destroy it with his armor's unibeam.

--Iron Man I#185



















Images taken from:
Iron Man I#185, page 15, panel 1
Iron Man I#184, page 18, panel 3
agent- Iron Man I#185, page 9, panel 3
field- Iron Man I#185, page 10, panel 5


Iron Man I#185 (August, 1984) - Dennis O'Neil (writer), Luke McDonnell (pencils), Steven Mitchell (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
West Coast Avengers II#26 (November, 1987) - Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (pencils), Mike Machlan (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)

Last updated: 02/10/05

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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