TITANIC THREE
Membership: Crimson Dynamo (Alex Nevsky), Radioactive Man (Chen Lu), Titanium Man (Boris Bullski)
Purpose: To protect Communist interests in Vietnam
Affiliations: Formerly the Slasher; the Vietcong, including Colonel Sin-Li
Enemies: Avengers (Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Mantis, Thor Odinson, Vision/"Victor Shade"), Libra, Slasher
Base of Operations: Vietnam
First Appearance: Avengers I#130 (December, 1974))
History:
(Avengers
I#130 (fb)) - After several defeats by the Avengers and other heroes
while serving on behalf of Communist nations, the Crimson Dynamo and
Titanium Man grew tired of servitude and decided to become independent
agents. Hearing rumors of this from prison, the Radioactive Man escaped
his confinement and joined with Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo. The
three of them traveled to Vietnam, which had fallen under control of the
Communists, and allied themselves with the Vietcong. The trio dubbed
themselves the Titanic Three. Because they were allied with the
Vietcong, the only popular front in that beleaguered land, nobody could
touch them without political complications. They were no longer
considered villains, and acted instead as the heroes of the Communist
Vietnamese.
(Avengers I#130) - In Vietnam, the Avengers had just
finished holding a funeral for their fallen ally, the Swordsman; when
they heard a scream, they investigated and saw the Titanic Three chasing
Sen Fa, a man who had struck and killed his own wife. The Crimson Dynamo
and Titanium Man caught the Vietnamese man and fired energy blasts at
him, not killing him, but causing him excruciating pain. The Avengers
prepared to fight the Titanic Three, but the trio of Communists
explained to the Avengers how they came together, and that in the land
of Vietnam, they were not criminals, but the authority, and thus they
could not be attacked by Americans without undue political
complications. The Avengers hesitantly went on their way.
Later, a villain known as the Slasher had stolen a fortune in diamonds
from the Saigon Diamond Exchange, and when he spotted the Avengers, he
mistakenly figured they were after him. Then the Slasher saw the Titanic
Three, so he lied to them, claiming that the Avengers had falsely
accused him of stealing the diamonds. The Titanic Three then attacked
the Avengers, and a battle between the two teams ensued. The fight was
stopped early when the Vision made the Slasher drop the diamonds he
stole, proving he was actually guilty of his crime. The Titanic Three
then left the Slasher to the Avengers and went on their way.
(Giant-Size Avengers#4 (fb)) - The Titanic Three went looking for the Avengers after their disappearance from Saigon caused quite a stir. However, Kang was also looking for them. Kang found the Titanic Three and beat the snot out of them.
(Giant-Size Avengers#4) - Iron Man, Thor, and Hawkeye found the Titanic Three laying helpless after Kang's assault. They explained to Iron Man what had happened to them.
(Iron Man I#74) - The Crimson Dynamo returned to the the Titanic Three in Vietnam following a battle with Iron Man, and was immediately mocked by the Titanium Man for being defeated. Before the three villains could come to blows, they were confronted by Colonel Sin-Li, who placed them all under house arrest due to damages the Crimson Dynamo caused during his fight with Iron Man. The Titanic Three were effectively over.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#3: Crimson Dynamo) - The Crimson Dynamo was assassinated by the Soviets, who turned his armor over to other men in the years that followed.
Comments: Created by Steve Engelhart, Sal Buscema, and Joe Staton.
All three members of the Titanic Three have had handfuls of their own adventures, tons of appearances, and several profiles elsewhere on the internet, as well as (I think) in the OHotMU.
For a discussion on the Vietnam war in
the Marvel Universe, click this link. Vietnam
"War"
in the Marvel Universe
The bottom line is that VIRTUALLY all references, including
those from the above story, are topical.
New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by Stunner and Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Titanic Three have no known connection to:
images: (without ads)
Avengers I#130, p7, pan4 (Titanic
Three pursuing Sen Fa)
Avengers
I#130, p9, pan5 (Titanic Three)
Appearances:
Avengers I#130
(December, 1974) - Steve Engelhart (writer), Sal
Buscema (pencils), Joe Staton (inks), Bill Mantlo (colors) Joe
Rosen (letters), Roy Thomas (editor)
Iron Man I#74 (May, 1975) - Mike Friedrich
(writer), Arvell Jones & Keith Pollard (pencils), Dick Ayers
(inks), Len Wein (editor)
Giant-Size Avengers#4 (June, 1975) - Steve Engelhart (writer), Don
Heck (pencils), John Tartaglione (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#3 (March, 1983)
First Posted: 09/27/2004
Last updated: 07/31/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
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