COMMANDER ROBERT "IRONGUTS" O'HARA

Real Name: Robert O'Hara

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Police officer

Group Membership: San Francisco Police Department (Officer Andrews, Officer Fred Bunker, Lt. Paul Carson, Officer Greg Harris, Officer Kowalski, Officer Wilson, others)

Affiliations: Officer Andrews, Anne, Biri, Black Widow (Natasha Romanova), Officer Fred Bunker, Lt. Paul Carson, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Danny French, Officer Greg Harris, Officer Kowalski, Moondragon (Heather Douglas), "Foggy" Nelson, Mrs. O'Hara, Gerald O'Hara, Shanna the She-Devil (Shanna O'Hara), Officer Wilson

Enemies: Black Spectre, Blue Talon, Kerwin J. Broderick, Damon Dran, Dark Messiah, Electro (Maxwell Dillon), Nekra, Terrex

Known Relatives: Mrs. O’Hara (deceased), Shanna O’Hara (niece), Gerald O’Hara (brother, deceased), Patricia O'Hara (sister-in-law, deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: San Francisco, California, USA

First Appearance: Daredevil I#87 (May, 1972)

Powers/Abilities: Robert O'Hara was a trained police officer with years of experience. He led an entire department of tactical officers for much of that time.

Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 185 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Grey (sometimes dyed brown)

History: (Daredevil I#87 (fb) – BTS) – Long-term police officer Robert "Ironguts" O'Hara worked the force until a bullet shattered his leg. Later, he was appointed commander of the Tactical Force unit, handling special problems in San Francisco. He earned the respect of most men on the force. Eventually, a bullet meant for him took the life of his wife.

(Shanna the She-Devil I#1 (fb) – BTS) – Robert's brother Gerald moved to Africa with his wife Patricia and his daughter Shanna and there, he secured vast wealth in diamond mining. While hunting, Gerald accidentally shot Patricia, mistaking her for an animal. After that, Gerald lost himself, giving in to alcohol and leaving Shanna to raise herself.  

(Daredevil I#87) – "Ironguts" O'Hara was ready to go home to Anne when he got a call to investigate activity at Coit Tower. There, he found Daredevil and Black Widow had tied up a security guard to investigate a super-villain (in order to save him from electrocution), and O'Hara warned them that they didn't get to act as police officers in his city. Lt. Carson vouched for the heroes, however, and O'Hara ordered Tactical Unit Officers Wilson and Andrews to don special suits and climb Coit Tower. Daredevil and Black Widow attacked the police, worried for their safety when they realized Electro, who had electrified the building, was behind the attack. Black Widow tied the furious O'Hara's hands then the heroes battled Electro as the police realized that their lives had been saved. Electro escaped, however, his electric shield repelling the bullets that the police fired on him. O'Hara excused the heroes' rash actions this time but warned them for the future.

(Daredevil I#88 (fb) – BTS) – Over the following ten days, as publicity from the Electro battle hit the papers, O'Hara grew enraged at the coverage. He sought out Daredevil and Black Widow, thinking they were glory hounds, and when Carson continued defending them, O'Hara grew frustrated again.  

(Daredevil I#88) – Daredevil showed up at the station as O'Hara was yelling at the mayor on the phone. Daredevil said he wasn't leaving San Francisco and O'Hara ordered Carson to show him out.

(Daredevil I#92) – Hearing of Daredevil's battle with Blue Talon, O'Hara rushed to the scene but Blue Talon was soon seemingly killed in battle. A news report had just posited that Daredevil was Matt Murdock but Murdock himself showed up, explaining that the original Daredevil had been his twin brother Mike, and the new Daredevil's identity was secret. O'Hara didn't know that this Daredevil was the Black Panther in disguise.

(Daredevil I#94) – O'Hara grew worried when cops Fred Bunker and Greg Harris cut him off during a report. He conferred with Carson and realized the city was in danger from Damon Dran, the Indestructible Man. O'Hara had the mayor call in the National Guard but Dran easily shrugged them off. Daredevil and Black Widow were overwhelmed by Dran then they joined with the police, telling them what they knew. Danny French soon sacrificed himself to stop Dran, dying in the process.

(Daredevil I#96) – Hearing that Daredevil had been shot and was in for surgery, O'Hara rushed down to offer the Black Widow (who was with Carson) comfort, admitting he'd been wrong about Daredevil. Soon, news came in that DD would live.

(Daredevil I#97) – The criminal Dark Messiah staged a massive jail break, freeing over 200 criminals, and he built a force shield around them. Carson brought Daredevil in and after O'Hara criticized the hero briefly, O'Hara asked him for help.

(Daredevil I#98) – When the force field disappeared, Carson and O'Hara rushed in to congratulate Daredevil until they realized the hero hadn't won the fight, the villains had only left. DD went rushing off despite O'Hara's warnings that he should be careful.

(Daredevil I#106) – O'Hara was handling the threat of Kerwin J. Broderick, who had manipulated Dark Messiah into putting up a force field over the city. After he got off the phone with the military, O'Hara got a letter brought in by Kowalski and Robert learned that Gerald had died in Africa.

(Daredevil I#107) – Daredevil, Black Widow and Paul Carson brought in Moondragon (who had come from space) in to O'Hara to discuss the seemingly hopeless threat of Terrex. Overwhelmed and finding it ridiculous that they were now dealing with aliens, O'Hara stormed out for a meal. Carson saw the letter, which detailed that O'Hara's brother had been murdered. Kowalski soon helped the heroes get to the villain to defeat him.

(Daredevil I#108 – BTS) – O'Hara left for Africa to settle affairs, leaving Paul Carson in charge.

(Daredevil I#111 (fb) – BTS) – In Cape Town, South Africa, O'Hara saw Gerald properly buried.

(Daredevil I#109 (fb) – BTS) – O'Hara returned from Africa to New York City, where he heard Daredevil was battling Black Spectre.

(Daredevil I#109) – O'Hara helped Daredevil get up after a fight then met with "Foggy" Nelson and Matt Murdock just as Shanna the She-Devil, O'Hara's niece, arrived with her jungle cats, Biri and Ini, and identified Black Spectre as being behind the murder of her father.

(Marvel Two-In-One I#3) – O'Hara heard Shanna give a full report to Daredevil, recounting how Gerald O'Hara had been kidnapped by the Mandrill and how she had spent months looking for him until his body was found in Cape Town, South Africa.

(Daredevil I#110) – O'Hara, Shanna and her two jaguars went to the police station, where Daredevil had apprehended two of the Black Spectre agents, but the villains blew themselves up rather than face capture.

(Daredevil I#111) – Daredevil told O'Hara and Shanna that Mandrill was behind Black Spectre and the villain had plans to overthrow the American government. Shanna soon helped Daredevil chase off Silver Samurai. The next morning, "Ironguts" went with the heroes to "Foggy" Nelson's office, where Shanna discussed how Nekra had murdered her friend Patrick McShane. Silver Samurai soon attacked with Black Spectre agents, kidnapping Shanna and escaping. "Ironguts" got medical help.

(Daredevil I#112) – "Foggy" Nelson learned that Black Spectre were keeping the hero teams occupied with threats of a nuclear bomb, as "Ironguts" O'Hara stood nearby. Daredevil, Shanna and Black Widow worked together to defeat Mandrill, Nekra and Black Spectre at the White House.

(Daredevil I#113) – Matt Murdock bid farewell to O'Hara at the airport, staying behind in New York City to settle affairs. O'Hara told Matt he wished he would return to San Francisco soon.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer.

The similarities between Robert and Gerald's stories is startling. Robert's wife died with a bullet meant for him while Gerald accidentally shot his wife. Shanna spent her youth being raised by family in America and this could have been Gerald and his wife who raised her.

 In Daredevil I#87, "Ironguts" was thinking about Anne, but it never says who she is. It could be a cat, a girlfriend or a teddy bear for all we know.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Robert "Ironguts" O'Hara has no known connections to:

Anne

(Daredevil I#87 – BTS) – Robert O'Hara thought about going home to see Anne. (see comments)

--Daredevil I#87 - BTS

Fred Bunker & Greg Harris

(Daredevil I#94) – Fred Bunker and Greg Harris, cops on patrol, cut off their report to "Ironguts" O'Hara when they saw the giant Damon Dran destroying the Golden Gate Bridge. They tried fighting back but Dran was indestructible.




--Daredevil I#94

Kowalski

(Daredevil I#106) – Kowalksi delivered a letter to "Ironguts" O'Hara and was shocked to hear it announced the death of O'Hara's brother in Africa. (O'Hara mistakenly called him Kawalski)

(Daredevil I#107) – Kowalski rushed into O'Hara's office and delivered the news that Terrex was battling Captain Marvel in Golden Gate Park, seeing Paul Carson, Moondragon and Daredevil there. Kowalski helped get O'Hara's helicopter ready to help the heroes.



--Daredevil I#106 (#107,

Mrs. O'Hara

(Daredevil I#87 (fb) – BTS) – The wife of police officer Robert "Ironguts" O'Hara, Mrs. O'Hara was killed by a rogue bullet meant for her husband.

--Daredevil I#87 (fb) - BTS

Officer Wilson & Officer Andrews

(Daredevil I#87) – When Electro seized Coit Tower in San Francisco, Officers Wilson and Andrews were among the responders under the command of Robert O'Hara. Daredevil and Black Widow warned the police to stay back while they handled the villain.



--Daredevil I#87

images: (without ads)
Daredevil I#106, p8, pan2 (Robert O'Hara main, with grey hair)
Daredevil I#87, p13, pan4 (Robert O'Hara face, with brown hair)
Daredevil I#94, p9, pan2 (Fred Bunker and Greg Harris)
Daredevil I#107, p7, pan1 (Kowalski)
Daredevil I#87, p15, pan1 (Officers Wilson and Andrews)

Appearances:
Daredevil I#87-88 (May, June, 1972) – Gerry Conway (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Shanna the She-Devil I#1 (December, 1972) – Carole Seuling, Steve Gerber (writers), George Tuska (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#92, 94 (October, December, 1972) – Gerry Conway (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Daredevil I#96 (February, 1973) – Gerry Conway (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Ernie Chua (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Daredevil I#97-98 (March-April, 1973) – Gerry Conway, Steve Gerber (writers), Gene Colan (penciler), Ernie Chua (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#106 (December, 1973) – Steve Gerber (writer), Don Heck (penciler), Sal Trapani (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#108 (March, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Bob Brown (penciler), Paul Gullacy (inker), Len Wein (editor)
Daredevil I#109 (April, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Bob Brown (penciler), Don Heck (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Marvel Two-In-One I#3 (May, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#110 (May, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Frank Chiarmonte (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#111 (June, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Bob Brown (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#112 (July, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Gene Colan (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Daredevil I#113 (August, 1974) – Steve Gerber (writer), Bob Brown (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)

First Posted: 07/01/2018
Last updated: 07/01/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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