MURDER MACHINE
Classification: Terrestrial technology
Creator: Unidentified Richmond Enterprises technicians
User/Possessors: Defenders (Hellcat/Patsy
Walker, Hulk/Robert Bruce Banner, Nighthawk/Kyle
Richmond)
First Appearance: Defenders I#59 (May, 1978)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: Resembling "a cross between a tank and an Octopus ride" (as per Hellcat), the Murder Machine was a mobile obstacle course that moved about on a pair of treads. It included a rapidly spinning central hub with six attached "arms"; each "arm" terminated with an individual pod containing multiple forms of offensive weaponry, including metallic tentacles, sharp spikes, flame-throwers, constricting rings, and electro-magnets. The machine had the capability of tracking its user's body heat and adjusting its height to compensate for fliers.
Located on its central hub was a control box with a numeric keypad--the machine could only be stopped by entering the correct number sequence, and if the wrong sequence was entered, the machine would increase its rotational speed.
History:
(Defenders I#59 (fb) - BTS) - Needing
a method to test his new jet-pack's maneuverability in mid-flight,
Nighthawk had his technicians at Richmond Enterprises build the "Murder
Machine".
(Defenders I#59) - One night, on the grounds of the Defenders headquarters at Richmond Riding Academy, Nighthawk began the test; while his teammate Hellcat watched, the high-flying Nighthawk approached the Murder Machine, which began to rotate.
As he neared the central control box, the first obstacle activated, and Nighthawk was nearly caught by one of the machine's tentacles; then he narrowly avoided getting speared by the "spike whammy" from another pair of pods. When Hellcat decided to join him in the test, Nighthawk had no objections, but as the machine's flame-thrower pod activated, he advised her to stay alert, because the hazards were every bit as deadly as they appeared.
Then another pod activated and shot constricting rings at Hellcat, binding her legs together (see comments); as she somersaulted out of the range of the rings, Hellcat performed a handstand on the central hub and hit all the buttons of the keypad, which caused the Murder Machine to speed up.
When Hellcat was caught by the tentacles, she called out for help; but Nighthawk was unable to oblige because the machine was spinning so fast, it created a wind suction...and to make matters worse, he was caught in another trap, as one of the pods was a high-powered electro-magnet that latched on to his jet-pack.
As its pods spun faster and faster, it caused all the weapons to discharge at once, and the Murder Machine went running wild; concerned about their employer's safety, the technicians chased after it, but they feared the worst.
Suddenly, at the last possible instant, Valkyrie and the Hulk returned to the Defenders' headquarters; the Hulk stopped the Murder Machine by easily smashing and destroying it.
Afterward, when the smoke from the wreckage had cleared somewhat, Valkyrie assisted Hellcat by helping her get the constricting rings off her legs. The Hulk helped the exhausted Nighthawk get back on his feet, and he expressed his concern for his teammate's well-being ("Hulk hopes puny Bird-Nose is not hurt--even if it would serve him right for playing with stupid machines!").
Comments: Created by David Kraft, Ed Hannigan, and Dan Green.
Although the George Perez cover (see main image) depicted Valkyrie as fighting the machine as well, she didn't show up until after the Murder Machine ran amok, and it was just the Hulk who destroyed it.
When she was attacked with the constricting rings, Hellcat figured they were modeled after the weapons used by the Ringer, whom Nighthawk fought by himself sometime earlier (@ Defenders I#51).--Ron Fredricks
Profile by Chadman. Expansion by Ron Fredricks.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Murder
Machine has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Defenders I#59, cover (main image - Defenders battle Murder Machine)
Defenders I#59, p12, pan1 (Murder Machine activates and begins to rotate as Nighthawk approaches)
Defenders I#59, p12, pan2-3 (Murder Machine's numeric keypad; tentacles from one of the pods attempt to grab Nighthawk)
Appearances:
Defenders I#59 (May, 1978) - David A. Kraft (writer), Ed Hannigan
(writer/pencils), Dan Green (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
First Posted: 04/22/2007
Last updated: 07/25/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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