ARMADILLOReal Name: Antonio Rodriguez
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Adventurer;
formerly professional criminal, fighter;
wrestler
Group Membership: None;
formerly Hood's army, MODOK's Minions (Chameleon (later impersonated by Ultra-Adaptoid), Deadly Nightshade, Living Laser, Mentallo, Puma, Rocket Racer, Spot);
Rangers (Firebird, Phantom
Rider, Red Wolf, Shooting Star, Texas Twister), Vil-Anon (Big Wheel, Equinox,
Hypno-Hustler, Man-Bull,
Schizoid-Man),
formerly Ultimate Fighting
League, Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
Affiliations: Axum, Avengers (Ares, Hawkeye/Bullseye, Iron Patriot/Norman Osborn, Ms. Marvel/Karla Sofen, Sentry/Robert Reynolds, Spider-Man/Mac Gargan), Baron
Brimstone, Captain American/Captain
(Steve
Rogers), Constrictor, Consultant, Grandmaster (En Dwi Gast), Hulk (Banner), Jack O' Lantern
(Levins), Man-Ape, Masked Marauder, MODOK, Orka, Owl,
Rhino, Rogue, Rose (Philip Hayes), Scarecrow, She-Hulk (Walters), Stilt-Man (Wilbur Day), Tiger
Shark, True Believers (Battalus, Headtrip, Red Zone), Vagabond (Lyons), Whirlwind;
formerly Coach Cady, Dr. Doom, Lennie J.
Feitler, Dr.
Karl Malus, Rey Trueno
Enemies: AIM, Avengers (Cage,
Captain
America, Iron Man, Sentry, Spider-Man (Parker), Spider-Woman (Drew)), Big Papi,
Black Panther (Shuri), Chameleon, Chupacabra, Controller, Daughters of the Dragon (Misty Knight, Colleen Wing), Dazzler (Alison Blaire), Doom Stomp and the Vill Kill Korps,
Fantastic Four (Ben Grimm, She-Thing, Human Torch), Hercules, Infinicide, Iron Man (Stark), Jackpot (Sara Ehret), Klaw,
Dr. Karl
Malus, Mandarin (Temujin),
Mister Hyde,
Monster,
New Warriors (Microbe, Namorita, Night Thrasher, Nova,
Speedball), Punisher (Frank Castle), Ramon, Maria Bonita
Rodriguez, S.H.I.E.L.D., Spot, Thunderbolts (most notably Atlas),
Titania (MacPherran), Ultra-Adaptoid, unidentified ex-Hydra agents, Venom (Eddie Brock);
formerly Axum
Known Relatives: Maria Bonita Rodriguez
(estranged wife)
Aliases: Awesome Armadillo, 'Dillo, Mr. A, Tony
Place of Birth: San Antonio, Texas
Extent of Education:
High school graduate
Base of Operations: A prison in Upstate New York;
formerly the Raft, Ryker's Island;
formerly Fairbury, Illinois;
formerly the Raft, New York;
formerly Ultimate Fighting League building,
New Jersey;
formerly the Vault, Colorado;
formerly Los Angeles, California;
formerly San Antonio, Texas
First Appearance: Captain America I#308
(August, 1985)
Powers/Abilities: Armadillo can lift (press)
roughly 25 tons under optimal conditions. His thick hide can resist
most forms of injury (fire, acid, bullets), short of light anti-tank
weapons or prolonged exposure. He possesses sharp claws on each hand
which are strong enough to gouge medium-grade steel. He now possesses
only four toes/claws on each foot. He can roll his form up into a
ball-like shape, which protects him even further during an attack.
Height: 7'
6" Weight: 540
lbs. Eyes:
Brown Hair: None
(formerly black)
History:
(Captain America I#308 (fb)) - Antonio Rodriguez
returned home from a short prison stint to find his wife Bonita
unconscious on their home's floor, stricken with an unknown illness. He
took her to several physicians, with no success. He eventually met Karl
Malus, who offered to cure Bonita, but only if he would allow himself
to be transformed into a superhuman creature. Malus used his equipment
to transform Antonio into Armadillo, and sent him to the West Coast
Avengers compound to retrieve Goliath (Erik Josten), who was being held
there.
(Captain America I#316) - Armadillo and Bonita arrived
to Manhattan
hotel in preparation for his upcoming UCWF match against Doc Sawbones.
Bonita wished to sight-see, and left with Ramon. Armadillo beat
Sawbones, and Captain America, who was in the crowd, went backstage to
congratulate his former foe. Later, Armadillo learned of Bonita's
adultery, and went on a maddened rampage through the New York streets.
His manager, Lennie J. Feitler, tried to calm him down, but was tossed
away. Captain America arrived and tried to do the same, but ended up
engaging the enraged wrestler. A suicidal Armadillo then began to climb
the side of the Empire State Building, with Cap right behind. Captain
America caught up with him and pleaded with him to calm down, but when
Hawkeye arrived to find out what was happening, Armadillo took the
opportunity to jump from their high perch. He crashed through the
street, breaking something in the process. Captain America called for
an ambulance.
(Thunderbolts I#76) - Armadillo beat another
(unidentified) contender for his belt. Later, He and Coach Cady
discussed his upcoming match with Monster, which Armadillo also won.
(New Avengers I#4 (fb)-BTS) - Armadillo was revealed
to have been
one of the inmates to have escaped the Raft during the battle.(Super-Villain Team-Up II#1 (fb) ) - For unrevealed reasons Armadillo was fired from the Rangers. Armadillo returned to wrestling. He went to Mexico because no manager wanted him in the United States anymore because of his criminal life. Big Papi became his manager in Mexico, who only gave him 30% of the money.
(Super-Villain Team-Up II#1) - In Acapulco Armadillo beat Chupacabra in a wrestling match. After the show he received 10.000 peso from his manager and wasn't happy. When Big Papi was gone Armadillo was contacted by MODOK (in form of Holy Mary), who told him to come to an address in Brooklyn at midnight on the 5th of May.
Armadillo went to Brooklyn where he met his new team. A fight broke out between the villains as Spot tried to steal MODOK's money. MODOK intervened and told them what he wanted them to do to earn the money -- steal from the Infinicide.
(Super-Villain Team-Up II#2) - Armadillo trained along with his teammates in a simulation of their attack on the Infinicide. They failed miserably and MODOK told them his superior plan.
Some time later Armadillo waited with the rest at a pier for their ride to China.
(Super-Villain Team-Up II#3) - Armadillo dug a tunnel near enough to the Infinicide's flying beacon to allow Spot to create a portal that led inside the fortress which had already been infiltrated by Chameleon (actually the AIM controlled Ultra-Adaptoid). Only Armadillo, Nightshade and Spot stayed behind. Armadillo and Nightshade didn't realize Spot's sudden disappearance until it was too late to warn their fellow teammates (Spot stole the Hypernova and sold it to Mandarin). Upon leaving the tunnel Armadillo and Nightshade saw the crash of the Infinicide's beacon right on them.
(Super-Villain Team-Up II#4) - Armadillo, Nightshade and the rest of their team that had been on board were saved by a force-field created by the Ultra-Adaptoid. Rocket Racer appeared with Big Wheel (not the guy, just the giant wheel) and gave his team a ride to Mandarin's ship. Armadillo stayed behind to drive Big Wheel while the rest of the team went on board Mandarin's ship to get the Hypernova. Some time later Armadillo saw Rocket Racer pass by with the Hypernova followed by Chameleon (Ultra-Adaptoid). The diversion led to Armadillo accidentally crashing Big Wheel into Mandarin's ship. The damaged ship then crashed.
(Super-Villain Team-Up II#5) - Without a ride Armadillo rolled down the mountain by himself and inadvertently destroyed the Ultra-Adaptoid, whose controller Monica Rappaccini, had just lost connection to it a second before thanks to Puma blocking the signal with a part of Mandarin's ship. Living Laser told his team and Mandarin that he was in possession of the Hypernova and that Rocket Racer's Hypernova was just an illusion created by Living Laser. In hope to turn himself into a human again he then used up the Hypernova's energy, which destroyed it.
Armadillo, Nightshade and Puma returned to Brooklyn to tell MODOK that they didn't get the Hypernova. They were angry because half of their team had betrayed them and MODOK never had the money to pay them. MODOK then showed them the Hypernova and explained how he had created a replica of it while Puma passed it to Spot through the Dark Dimension. A Death's Head Unit then appeared because MODOK had told AIM where he was to sell the Hypernova to them. MODOK was now able to pay his remaining agents. Armadillo and the others each received 10,250,000 dollars instead of 5 million because MODOK redivided the shares of the traitors as well.
(New Avengers#35) - Armadillo was one of a large number of super-villains who met with the Hood, hearing and apparently accepting his position as the new Kingpin of super-villain crime. For his attendance, he was given $25,000.
(Secret Invasion#1 - BTS) - Armadillo was confirmed to be a prisoner aboard the Raft when a tehchnological malfuction hit the prison.
(True Believers#4) - A group of unidentified former Hydra agents kidnapped Armadillo. Chained to a wall they demonstrated the effect of the neurotoxin Anathema on him to Madame Hydra, to get back in touch with their former employers. Anathema turned the ferocious fighter Armadillo into a cowering victim unable to fight the agents. The True Believers hacked into the video conference between Madame Hydra and the former agents and found the location the former agents hid out. Red Zone used a holographic projector to look like Armadillo to distract the agents. Battalus came to his aid and together they defeated the former Hydra agents and brought Armadillo to safety.
(Dark Reign: The Cabal#1/3) - Armadillo was at the funeral where the Hood delivered a short eulogy that acted more like a warning to members of his army.
(Dark Reign: The Hood#1-2) - Armadillo hung out at one of Hood's safe houses and partied.
(New Avengers I#56) - When the Hood's powers failed, his army revolted, under the leadership of Jonas Harrow, who used a device to cancel out the powers of the New Avengers (Ronin, Mockingbird, Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel, Luke Cage) and Osborn's Avengers (Iron Patriot, Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ares, Sentry, Hawkeye), Members of the Hood's army gathered to make their demands, including Crossfire, Cutthroat, the Brothers Grimm, Mr. Hyde, Mandrill, Razor-Fist, Armadillo, Scarecrow, Bulldozer, Piledriver, Wrecker, Thunderball, Chemistro, and Dr. Demonicus.
(New Avengers I#57) - Armadillo watched Osborn agree to Harrow's terms. The power dampener switched off, allowing the New Avengers to escape via a Quinjet that blasted the assembled army of villains.
(Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot#3) - Hired by Rose (Hayes) Armadillo fought Jackpot and Spider-Man. He tossed the former out through a window and caught the latter to that Rose could talk with him.
(Incredible Hulks#616/2) - Armadillo fled to Pueblo for solitude, but was turned in by a villager to the Vill Kill Korps led by Doom Stomp, who sought to kill him to boost their reputation. Elsewhere, the Hulk and the She-Hulk registered his presence and jumped across to stop him. Realizing what had happened and recognizing that while he was a wanted felon, he was not evil, She-Hulk stopped the fight with the Hulk and told him that he would not be turned in as long as he helped the locals, such as digging wells. She-Hulk also scared off the Vill Kill Korps to ensure some level of safety for Armadillo.
(X-Men: To Serve and Protect#4/3) - Armadillo was one of the many participants in Chadmaster's (a younger Grandmaster) cosmic roller derby and lost to Dazzler (Alison Blaire) and the Daughters of the Dragon.
(X-Men Legacy#275 (fb) - BTS) - Armadillo was transferred from the Raft to a prison in Upstate New York.
(X-Men Legacy#275) - Imprisoned at the Raft Armadillo volunteered to have a portion of his powers absorbed by X-Men member Rogue. His powers enabled her to thwart a prison break at the Raft.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary and Dennis Janke.
For a guy that is considered a joke, Armadillo sure
busts out of a lot of prisons. Even if he doesn't really want to.
The time-travel bit in She-Hulk is a bit fuzzy to
place. I've opted to place it only in the "current" time period of when
he's drawn forth to, as it's never explicitly stated when he was
plucked from time.
Bonita's name was given as "Maria" in Armadillo's
entry in the OHotMU Deluxe Edition#1. It was later corrected in their
Data Corrections section. Later on, the Avengers: Most Wanted Files
handbook "Robert Bruce Banner-ed" her into Maria Bonita.
Yes, he looks different in the T-Bolts issues. Blame
it on the artist's urge for creativity.
It was Armadillo's first battle with Captain America
that persuaded the Beyonder (who was watching the incident while
invisible) to take on Cap's form.
Armadillo's size changes a LOT depending on who's drawing him.
In She-Hulk II#21 Earth-721's Antonio Rodriguez was among the clients of Albert E. DeVoor. He traveled from Earth A (Earth-721) to Earth B (Earth-616) for a superpowered vacation. This means, that for some time two Armadillo's were active on Earth-616. At this point it is unknown at which point Earth-721's Armadillo was active, but it is possible that in some of the appearances in the history it was Earth-721's version instead of Earth-616's.
Big thanks to Chadman for providing the Avengers:
Deathtrap info.
Oh, for the record, I liked the "Fightbolts" issues.
They just never should have been tagged onto the end of the
Thunderbolts run.
Profile by Madison Carter.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Armadillo has no known connections to
Antonio Rodriguez's wife, Bonita fell to a
mysterious illness while Antonio was serving prison time. After his
release, he tried to find a doctor to cure her, winding up with Karl
Malus. Malus turned Antonio into the Armadillo and promised to cure
Bonita if Antonio did his bidding. After Captain America intervened,
the Avengers made Malus cure Bonita. When the Armadillo became a
professional wrestler, Bonita began an affair with a man named Ramon,
and the Armadillo went berserk when he learned of it. He broke out of
the Vault at one point in hopes of finding and killing his unfaithful
wife, but was talked out of it by Vagabond.
--Captain America I#308 ( Captain America I#308 (fb),
316, [340]
images: (without ads)
Captain America I#308, page 6, panel 1 (main image)
Captain America I#308, page 12, panel 2 (human form)
Captain America I#316, page 18, panel 5 (lifting car)
Thunderbolts I#76, page 10, panel 5 (Ultimate Fighting League)
New Warriors III#1, page 14, panel 1 (rolled up in ball)
Captain America I#316, page 7, panel 6 (Bonita)
Captain America I#308 (August, 1985) - Mark Gruenwald
(writer), Paul Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike Carlin
(editor)
Captain America I#340 (April, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Kieron
Dwyer (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers Spotlight#26 (December, 1989) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer),
Dwayne Tuner (penciler), Chris Ivy (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Fantastic Four I#336 (January, 1990) - Walter Simonson (writer), Ron
Lim (penciler), Mike De Carlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
She-Hulk II#30 (August, 1991) - Louise Simonson (writer), Tom Morgan
(penciler), Jim Sanders & Keith Williams (inkers), Renee
Witterstaetter (editor)
Avengers: Deathtrap: The Vault (1991) - Danny Fingeroth (writer), Ron
Lim (penciler), Jim Sanders & Fred Fredericks (inkers), Kelly
Coverse (editor)
Thunderbolts I Annual '97 (1997) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Chris Marrinan
(penciler), Andrew Pepoy (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Deadline#2 (July, 2002) - Bill Rosemann (writer), Guy Davis (artist),
Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#76-81 (April-September, 2003) - John Arcudi (writer),
Francisco Ruiz Velasco (artist), Andrew Lis (editor)
She-Hulk III#9 (January, 2005) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Pelletier
(penciler), Rick Magyar (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
New Avengerrs I#1-4 (January-April, 2005) - Brian Michael Bendis
(writer), David Finch (penciler), Danny Miki (inker), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Spider-Man: Breakout#3 (August, 2005) - Tony Bedard (writer), Manuel
Garcia (penciler), Raul Fernandez (inker), Axel Alonso (editor)
New Warriors III#1 (August, 2005) - Zeb Wells (writer), Skottie Young
(artist), Mackenzie Cadenhead (editor)
Spider-Man Unlimited III#12 (January, 2006) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Larry Stucker (inker), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Underworld#5 (August, 2006) - Frank Tieri (writer), Staz Johnson
(penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Axel Alonso (editor)
Civil War#7 (January, 2007) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven
(pencils), Dexter Vines, John Dell & Tim Townsend (inks), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Punisher War Journal II#4 (April, 2007) - Matt Fraction (writer), Mike
Deodato (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
New Avengers#35 (December, 2007) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer),
Leinil Yu (artist), Molly Lazer (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
True Believers#4 (December, 2008) - Cary Bates (writer), Paul Gulacy (artist), Molly Lazer & Bill Rosemann (editors)
Dark Reign: The Cabal#1/3 (June, 2009) - Rick Remender (writer), Max Fiumara (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Dark Reign: The Hood#1-2 (July-August, 2009) - Jeff Parker (writer), Kyle Hotz (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
New Avengers I#56 (October, 2009) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (penciler), Wade von Grawbadger (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
New Avengers I#57 (November, 2009) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot#3 (June, 2010) - Marc Guggenheim (writer), Adriana Melo (pencils), Mariah Benes (inks), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Incredible Hulks#616/2 (January, 2011) - Tim Seeley (writer), Al Rio (artist), Jordan D. White (editor)
X-Men: To Serve and Protect#4/3 (April, 2011) - Jed Mackay (writer), Sheldon Vella (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
X-Men Legacy#275 (2012) - Christos Gage (writer), David Baldeon (penciler), Jordi Tarragona (inker), Dan Ketchum (editor)
Last updated:12/18/12
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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