ICONICON
Real Name: A'Kurru U'mbaya
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Bio-chemist;
former graduate student
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Formerly Black Panther
(T'Challa), Mikina
Enemies: Black Panther (T'Challa),
Captain America (Steve Rogers), Excalibur (Captain Britain/Brian
Braddock, Lockheed, Meggan, Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde), Iron Man (Jim
Rhodes)
Known Relatives: Mikina
(daughter, deceased)
Aliases: "Son" (called by Captain America)
Base of Operations: Wakanda
First Appearance: Excalibur I#59 (Late
December, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Icon possessed the ability
to transform flesh into a wooden form resembling an ancient Wakandan
dancing icon. When turning this ability onto himself, he could alter
his body at will, allowing for the transformation of his limbs into
weapons or the extending of his limbs as desired.
He could also transmute others into wooden duplicates
of his Icon form that he could mentally control, though the effects of
these transformations only lasted a maximum of one hour.
Height: 5'8" (by approximation)
Weight: 148 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed; (transformed): yellow
Hair: White; (transformed): none
History: (Excalibur I#59) -
A'Kurru U'mbaya was a graduate student that had once met T'Challa, the
Black Panther.
(Excalibur I#60 (fb) - BTS) -
Becoming a bio-chemist, U'mbaya was known as Wakanda's most brilliant
scientist. When his daughter Mikina died of toxic waste poisoning
outside Wakanda, U'mbaya blamed science and himself for not saving her.
Experimenting on himself, U'mbaya worsened his mental state and soon
thought to seek revenge on the modern world for its failings.
(Excalibur I#59) - Plotting against the Wakandan throne, Icon masqueraded as a dancing icon of Wakandan mythology during a meeting between the Black Panther, Britain's Brian Braddock and Meggan, the USA's Captain America and Iron Man, and others to discuss toxic waste disposal and Wakanda's role in it. During the ceremony, Icon transformed all of the native Wakandans present into virtual duplicates of his own wood-like form and announced his presence as the embodiment of Wakanda as it should be: pure, primal and prepared to wrest itself from the grip of the modern era. Black Panther quickly recognized Icon's voice as belonging to A'Kurru U'mbaya but U'mbaya proclaimed himself Icon and assured everyone present that while he appeared ugly, he was extremely powerful. Icon then transformed his hand into a spear and placed it at Meggan's throat but Black Panther activated an Instant Vibranium Containment device to protect Brian Braddock and Meggan. As stowaway Shadowcat freed Brian and Meggan, Icon warned the other heroes not to make a move or he would order the transformed, mind-controlled Wakandans to destroy their own now-wooden bodies by attacking the heroes. When the heroes proved unsure of what their next course of action should be, Icon proclaimed that Black Panther could either save them all by abdicating his throne of Wakanda to Icon or stand by and watch his people die. Shadowcat and a shape-changed Meggan then phased from the ground and announced that neither option was viable with Excalibur present, prompting an annoyed Icon to exclaim that any other day of the week, there would be only one costumed adventurer in Wakanda but on the day he decided to overthrow the government, there would be several.
(Excalibur I#60) - Again
proclaiming himself the future leader of Wakanda, Icon had his wooden,
mind-controlled Wakandans inch closer to the assembled heroes,
demanding their subservience if not their respect. When Icon revealed
several of his subjects equipped with guns, ready to fire on their
transformed brethren, Black Panther reluctantly surrendered to Icon to
save the transformed Wakandan natives. Assuming control, Icon
proclaimed that not everyone agreed with Black Panther's stance of
dragging Wakanda into the modern era and announced that his first act
would be to rid Wakanda of all outlanders. Starting with the youngest
present, Shadowcat, Icon threatened Shadowcat with a gun but when
Shadowcat pressed the gun's trigger herself, Icon thought he had killed
Shadowcat and began exclaiming that he had not wanted to actually hurt
anyone and that he had only wanted the throne. Humiliated, Icon grabbed
Meggan and threatened to kill her until Brian Braddock, covered in mud
and wearing tattered clothes, entered the fray, prompting Icon to again
comment about the over-abundance of superheroes in Wakanda. The
distraction allowed Captain America to hit Icon with his shield while
Brian saved Meggan but the further humiliation prompted Icon to order
his gun-toting minions to kill the transformed natives. The heroes
worked to rescue the transformed natives and Icon ordered his minions
to destroy the heroes before they were destroyed themselves, making
Captain America and Meggan began to suspect Icon was desperate in his
bid for the Wakandan throne. When Iron Man managed to emit a pulse that
dissolved the guns held by Icon's minions, Icon collapsed to his knees,
saddened that his plans had ended in failure and revealing that his
ability to transform flesh into wood only lasted one hour at a time.
Feeling as if he had failed not only his people but his daughter
Mikina, Icon transformed back into human form and passed out at Black
Panther's feet. Black Panther then picked up the aged U'mbaya and
revealed to Excalibur, Iron Man and Captain America that U'mbaya had
once been a brilliant scientist until his daughter died and he sought
revenge.
Comments: Created by Scott Lobdell, Scott Kolins, Jon Holdredge and Raymond Kryssing.
Black Panther referred to Icon as U'mbaya in
Excalibur I#59 then Dr. A'Kurru in Excalibur I#60. The Wakandan entry
in the Marvel Atlas series later established that Icon's full name was
Dr. A'Kurru U'mbaya.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Icon has no known connections to:
Mikina was the only daughter of Dr. A'Kurru U'mbaya.
While visiting outside Wakanda, Mikina contracted toxic waste poisoning
and died and her father blamed both himself and science for not finding
a way to save her.
--Excalibur I#60 (fb) - BTS
images: (without ads)
Excalibur I#59, p16, pan1 (Icon, main image)
Excalibur I#60, p22, pan2 (Icon, non-transformed headshot)
Excalibur I#59, p22, pan1 (Icon, headshot with mind-controlled minions)
Excalibur I#59, p23, splash page (Icon transforming hand into bladed
weapon)
Appearances:
Excalibur I#59 (Late December, 1992) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Scott
Kolins (pencils), Jon Holdredge, Raymond Kryssing (inks), Terry
Kavanagh (editor)
Excalibur I#60 (January, 1993) - Scott Lobdell (writer), Scott Kolins
(pencils), Jon Holdredge (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
First Posted: 03/15/2019
Last updated: 03/15/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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