ALAIN WEISS
Real Name: Alain Weiss
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: CEO of Winterbrand Corporation Hong Kong
Group Membership: Winterbrand Corporation Hong Kong
Affiliations: Augmen, Opal Tanaka, Robert Tanaka, John Sublime
Enemies: Foe-Dog (Chin Hsi), Iceman (Robert "Bobby" Drake)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Uncle Alain
Base of Operations: Winterbrand Corporation, Hong Kong, China
First Appearance: Iceman II#1 (December, 2001)
Powers/Abilities: In human form, Weiss possessed the intelligence and strategic insights required to run the Winterbrand Corporation (worth four trillion on the Hang Seng). After Weiss used the augmentation device, he mutated into a being made out of lava and rock. In this form, Weiss possessed superhuman strength and was able to shoot fire through the openings in his body, including his fingertips. The fire most likely had the intensity of a lava core.
Height: 6'2" (by approximation)
Weight: 155 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Grey
History:
(Iceman II#3 (fb) ) - As CEO of the Hong Kong based Winterbrand corporation, Weiss had been developing weapons enhancements to give humans a definitive edge over super-powered beings. When cybernetics proved too outdated and clunky, they switched to a program that surgically removed a mutant's enhanced features and abilities to make them suitable for grafting on to human subjects. The Augmentation process was flawed, the grafts only took with children because the superconductors required would overheat with adult subjects.
(Iceman II#1 - BTS) - Weiss created a small army of augmented children he called his Augmen. They were hypnotically programmed to obey him whenever he spoke the words "Uncle Alain".
(Iceman II#3 (fb) ) - Hoping to overcome the superconductor's overheating problems, Weiss figured that Iceman's bio-ice could be resourced to produce an improved superconductor. To get to Iceman, Weiss kidnapped Robert, the son of the X-Man's ex-girlfriend Opal Tanaka and forced her to work for him (Iceman was not the father of Opal's son).
(Iceman II#1 (fb) - BTS) - With all the preparations taken care of, Weiss sent an anonymous e-mail to Iceman with a photo of Opal and her child.
(Iceman II#1) - When Weiss learned Iceman would arrive at Hong Kong airport, he sent a group of criminals and one of his Augmen to attack the X-Man. During the assault, they managed to acquire a piece of his iced up body they returned to Weiss who immediately ordered preliminary testing.
(Iceman II#1) - Weiss introduced himself to Iceman who had come to the Winterbrand offices to see his "son". Alain revealed he was the one who had sent the email. Opal and Weiss then lied to Drake, claiming the child had a rare genetic condition that could only be fixed using Iceman's unique physiology. To cure "his" child, Iceman would have to stay in Hong Kong for several months. After checking into a hotel, Iceman tried to contact his fellow X-Man Beast to gain some more information on the Winterbrand corporation. Feeling Iceman forced his hand Weiss quickly severed the connection and had several Augmen attack him but Iceman escaped.
(Iceman II#2) - Weiss checked in on Opal and Robert, upset that Iceman had slipped through his fingers and the Augmen had been unable to find him for over a day. Opal calmed Weiss down by assuring him Bobby would return for the boy. Sometime later, after Iceman and his new ally Foe-Dog had defeated a group of Augmen , Weiss learned his target was holed up in the Shantytown District. Now more determined than ever, he prepared to mobilize all Augmen reserves to find Iceman, even if he had to destroy Hong Kong in the process.
(Iceman II#3) - Weiss shut down Hong Kong's power supply when he sent his Augmen forces to find Iceman. Confident they would soon return with Iceman's body, he underwent the initial phase of the Augmen process himself, which consisted of several plugs placed in his body through surgery. During the procedure, Weiss received a call from John Sublime (leader of the U-Men, also in the business of grafting mutant tissue to humans). Sublime voiced his concerns regarding Weiss' hunt for Iceman, feeling it might be linked to the Winterbrand Corporation and possibly even Sublime himself. Weiss assured Sublime he had everything under control. After his Augmen forced Iceman out into the open, he ordered them to take him down.
(Iceman II#4) - The Augmen caught Iceman and returned with him to the Winterbrand Corporation where Weiss met them. Iceman agreed to come peacefully if he could see his "son" first. Iceman secretly created an ice based mystical symbol through which his ally Foe-Dog could travel and come to his aid. Foe-Dog would save the child while Iceman and Weiss took a tour of the facilities. While they visited the labs, Weiss showed Iceman where he kept the children who would receive their augmentations and the area where they kept the mutants who would serve as donors. After the tour concluded Iceman was placed in a special machine and prepared for biopsy harvesting. Just then, Foe-Dog made his move and saved Robert Tanaka, causing alarms to go off throughout the building and informing Iceman it was time to act. He broke free and faced the Augmen that had accompanied him and Weiss during the tour. When Iceman easily defeated them, a desperate Weiss completed the augmen process on himself, fully aware it would end in his death. Plugging one of the mutant grafts onto his spine, he suddenly mutated into a creature made out of lava and rock. Confident his newfound powers would win him the day, he attacked Iceman who had been joined by Foe-Dog for the final confrontation. After dealing with the mystic, Weiss turned his attention to Iceman, hoping to burn the icey hero into a puddle. However, Iceman focussed his ice-powers to counter Weiss' fire blasts, until he was consumed by the inevitable lethal side effects of the Augmen process. As he died, Weiss' burning body was covered in ice.
Comments: Created by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Karl Kerschl (pencils, inks).
In a great nod to continuity, writer Dan Abnett linked Weiss' mutant grafting process to Grant Morrison's U-Men. However, it was never explained what the relationship between him and John Sublime entailled. For my money, it felt like Weiss was among the many people working for Sublime. New X-Men Annual 2001 already established the U-Men had a "mutant farm" in Hong Kong where they held mutants prisoner before processing them. It's possible Weiss received his mutants from Sublime's "farm", which would explain why Sublime was so concerned Weiss' activities would be traced back to him.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Alain Weiss has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Iceman II#1, p22 pan3 (main image)
Iceman II#1, p11, pan3 (closeup)
Iceman II#4, p15, pan3 (plugging in the augmentation device)
Iceman II#4, p16, pan3 (mutated form)
Appearances:
Iceman II#1 (December, 2001) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Karl Kerschl (pencils, inks), Mike Marts (editor)
Iceman II#2 (January, 2002) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Karl Kerschl (pencils, inks), Mike Marts (editor)
Iceman II#3 (February, 2002) - Dan Abnett (writer), Scott Young (pencils), Greg Titus (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
Iceman II#4 (March, 2002) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Karl Kerschl (pencils, inks), Mike Marts (editor)
Last updated: 05/03/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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