MANDROIDS

Classification: Extraterrestrial (Kree) technology

Creator: Ronan the Accuser, Yon-Rogg (both using Psyche-Magnitron)

User/Possessors: Magnitron (Yon-Rogg), Ronan the Accuser, Wastrel (Dr. Walter Lawson)

Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Hazmat (Jennifer Takeda), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Starforce Blue (Accuser/Inndig-O, Protector/Yond-R, Pursuer/Cadmi-M, Shatterax/Seruly-N, Ultimus/Major-L), War Machine (James Rhodes)

First Appearance: Captain Marvel I#18 (November, 1969)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Mandroid was slightly larger than human-sized, had great strength, and was equipped with "infra beams" which it fired from its eyes. This Mandroid's sole weakness was that it was dependent on the energies of the Psyche-Magnitron to sustain its existence. (see comments)
The models created by Ronan on the Moon had only four fingers per hand and a more mechanical appearance. They had weak joints and seemed easy to shatter, but they were also able to fight without arms. They were not invulnerable to their own optical beams and they could speak.

 

 

 

 

History:
(Captain Marvel I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Mandroids were used to hunt and execute traitors in the Kree galaxy.

(Captain Marvel I#18) - Using the power of the Psyche-Magnitron, Yon-Rogg formed the Mandroid, and had it battle Captain Mar-Vell in an earthly Kree outpost. After a brief struggle, Mar-Vell tricked the Mandroid into firing its beams at the Psyche-Magnitron, damaging the device and causing its power sources to run out of control. With no energy to sustain it, the Mandroid faded to nothingness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Iron Man III#14) - Ronan the Accuser, helped by a hypnotized Susan Richards, retrieved a Universal Energy Core of a Psyche-Magnitron, stealing it from Uatu's Dome on the Moon. Iron Man, the rest of the Fantastic Four and Charlotte Jones tried to stop him and had to fight against four Mandroids created by Ronan through the Universal Core. The Mandroids blasted energy beams from their eyes but were easily destroyed by Iron Man's repulsor blasts, Thing's blows and Human Torch's fire.

(Captain Marvel VII#14) - Magnitron (Yon-Rogg) created a horde of Mandroids (the original look) and sent them against Captain Marvel (Danvers) and Captain America (Rogers). They fought the heroes, who attempted to protect innocent bystanders. Captain Marvel was shot and overpowered by two Mandroids. They held Captain Marvel for Magnitron, who absorbed energy from her to create even more Kree weapons, including more Mandroids. Captain America, Hulk and Spider-Woman fought the Kree robots and other weapons until they deactivated when Captain Marvel disrupted the circuit that allowed Magnitron to use his powers.

(Marvel Team-Up IV#4 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Wastrel acquired a Mandroid. He repaired and reprogrammed the Mandroid to serve his purposes and named him Manuel. They stole Kree technology from Damage Control warehouses and other places.

(Marvel Team-Up IV#4) - Wastrel and his Mandroid (called Manuel by Wastrel) broke into Damage Control WH-6 in Jersey City to steal Kree technology. Manuel knocked out a nightwatchman and Wastrel became angry because he told him not to use violence. They got away with armor pieces, scanning equipment and the broken spear that had been used to kill Captain Marvel's mother.

   Wastrel allowed Captain Marvel (Danvers) and Ms. Marvel (Khan) to find him at the abandoned Starblaster's Laser Tag where they were attacked by Mandroid (Manuel) and a Supremor. When he was taken down by a powerful energy blast from Captain Marvel, Manuel requested permission to use lethal force, but Wastrel wouldn't allow it. Instead Wastrel introduced himself as the man behind Mandroid and Supremor.

(Marvel Team-Up IV#5) - The Mandroid was crouching next to Wastrel while he explained to Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel how he survived, stole all the Kree technology and how he planned to take his revenge on the Kree. When it became clear that Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel wouldn't aid him, Wastrel caused a blackout and fled with the Mandroid and Supremor.

   Wastrel allowed Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel to track him down again in the Smoky Mountains. With the Mandroid and Supremor at his side Wastrel welcomed the heroic duo in the rebuilt Kree spaceship Helion. He had activated the ship's distress beacon and the Kree had sent a Starforce team to Earth.

(Marvel Team-Up IV#6) - Mandroid (Manuel) revealed that Starforce were a team of first responders sent to deal with dangerous situations. When Starforce Blue tried to arrest Wastrel, the Mandroid aided him against them. He blasted Shatterax with an eyebeam, but it had no effect on Shatterax, who quickly threw him to the ground. Pursuer then tossed Supremor right on top of the Mandroid.

(Captain Marvel XII#20) - On the planet Mar-Da'en Wastrel sent a Sentry, Mandroid and Supremor against Captain Marvel (Danvers) and her allies Hazmat, War Machine and Spider-Woman. The Mandroid attacked War Machine, but blew it away with his hammer. The Mandroid took a shot against Hazmat as well, but she ripped it apart by mixing her powers with her hammer's to create an E.M.P. wave.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, and John Buscema.

A short profile, but the Mandroid (or parts of it) only appeared in a total of 9 story panels on 5 pages.

He had a few more appearances since then.
--Markus Raymond

Yon-Rogg told his captive, Carol Danvers, that the Mandroid in Captain Marvel I#18 was actually a re-creation of the Mandroids used to hunt and execute traitors in the Kree galaxy -- possibly those are another model/offshoot of the Sentries (see Sentry #459, for example).

As the actual Kree-built Mandroids have (to my knowledge) never been seen, it is possible that they could have other powers/abilities/functions beyond Yon-Rogg's duplicated version.

There seem to be two versions.
--Markus Raymond

The Mandroid on the cover (solely by Gil Kane) appears somewhat different from the Mandroid seen in the story (art by Gil Kane and John Buscema) -- probably a result of the two artists' styles mixing together.

The Mandroids in Iron Man III#14, Marvel Team-Up and Captain Marvel XII#20 looked exactly like the one seen on the cover of Captain Marvel I#18.

Thoughts of Markus Raymond:
In Captain Marvel VII#6 and 14 the Mandroids looked like the ones seen in the story of Captain Marvel I#18, which makes sense considering the former was an alternate version of the CM I#18 events and the latter were created by Yon-Rogg.

Captain Marvel VII#6 (December, 2012) showed an alternate version of the first appearance of the Mandroid in Captain Marvel I#18, but with some changes due to time travel shenanigans involving Carol Danvers and Helen Cobb.

It is unknown if the Mandroid seen in Captain Marvel XII#20 was still Manuel. He could've been taken into custody along with Wastrel, but we don't know.

Profile by John Kaminski. Updates by Spidermay (Iron Man) & Markus Raymond (Marvel Team-Up & Captain Marvel).

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Mandroid should not be confused with:


images: (without ads)
Captain Marvel I#18, p12, pan (main image)
Captain Marvel I#18, p14, pan4 (head shot)
Captain Marvel I#18, p16, pan2 (Mandroid's destruction)
Iron Man III#14, p11, pan4 (Mandroids created by Ronan)
Marvel Team-Up IV#4, p1, pan3 (Manuel, Wastrel servant)
Captain Marvel XII#20, p11, pan1 (Mandroid on Mar-Da'en)
Captain Marvel I#18, Cover (first cover appearance)


Appearances:
Captain Marvel I#18 (November, 1969) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gil Kane & John Buscema (pencils), Dan Adkins (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Iron Man III#14 (March, 1999) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writers), Sean Chen (pencils), Lary Stucker & Eric Cannon (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Captain Marvel VII#14 (September, 2013) - Kelly Sue DeConnick (writer), Scott Hepburn & Gerardo Sandoval (artist), Sana Amanat & Lauren Sankovitch (editors)
Marvel Team-Up IV#4-6 (September-November, 2019) - Clint McElroy (writer), Ig Guara (artist), Alanna Smith (editor)
Captain Marvel XII#20 (October, 2020) - Kelly Thompson (writer), Cory Smith (pencils), Adriano Di Benedetto (inks), Sarah Brunstad (editor)


Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First Posted: 12/27/2006
Last Updated: 11/16/2021

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