DR. RICARDO JONES
Earth-21766
Real Name: Ricardo Jones
Identity/Class: Alternate reality
(Earth-21766) human mutate (pre-modern era)
Occupation: NASA astro-biologist;
former ground control supervisor for the Cassandra 4
rocket program
Group Membership: NASA (Dr. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, others)
Affiliations: Enrico Fermi, President Lyndon B. Johnson, President John F. Kennedy
Enemies: The Fantastic Four (Human
Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mister Fantastic/Reed
Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Washington, D.C., USA
First Appearance: Fantastic Four: Life Story#1 (July, 2021)
Powers/Abilities: Dr. Ricardo Jones was a brilliant inventor and designer, especially in regards to astro biology and space travel technology.
After being mutated, Dr. Jones possessed superhuman
strength and a durable, rock-like hide.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'0",
originally 6'1")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 500 lbs., originally 215 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue (originally brown)
Hair: Bald
History:
(Fantastic Four: Life
Story#1 (fb) - BTS) - Shortly after NASA was
formed, Dr. Ricardo Jones had lunch with several other scientists and
they all concluded that the galaxy was teeming with millions of alien
civilizations, prompting Enrico Fermi to ask where all the aliens were.
(Fantastic Four: Life Story#1) - In April 1961, Dr.
Ricardo Jones sat
in on a meeting between President Kennedy and Reed Richards, in which
Kennedy tapped Richards to help design a rocket for the international
"Space Race." After Kennedy placed Richards in charge of the project
and suggested Dr. Jones would make sure Richards had everything he
needed, Dr. Jones grew angry and exclaimed that he had been promised
command of the Cassandra 4 rocket program.
Arguing that Richards'
designs didn't even look like rockets, Dr. Jones was told by Kennedy
that they already knew what failure looked like and suggested they try
"failing" in new ways. Dr. Jones reluctantly backed down from the
argument and stood off from the other two as Richards admitted that Dr.
Jones was right to be concerned. Kennedy then told Richards since Dr.
Jones was a skeptic who would keep Richards grounded, he would be
placed in charge of ground control for the program. Dr. Jones then
watched as Kennedy asked Richards about a new form of subatomic fuel
Richards had developed. Later, while Richards was on the phone with his
girlfriend Sue Storm, Dr. Jones interrupted the phone call to talk to
Richards about his fuel, claiming he could not approve the rocket
launch until they could test Richards' new fuel. When Richards asked
when they might be able to test the fuel so the project could continue,
the jealous Dr. Jones claimed they wouldn't be able to test such an
experimental fuel until sometime in 1982 and he decided to mothball
Richards' rocket design, canceling the entire Cassandra 4 project.
Later, after Dr. Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm
and Ben Grimm launched the stolen Cassandra 4 rocket and were bombarded
with cosmic radiation, Dr. Jones observed the recovering 
foursome at a
military hospital and told a nurse that he wanted a cell culture from
each of the four. He was interrupted when Johnny Storm uncontrollably
burst into flames and he later led Dr. Richards and Sue Storm to Ben
Grimm, who had been transformed into a rock-hided creature, remarking
to Richards his hopes that Richards was happy with himself after what
had happened. Richards asked Dr. Jones how long before Grimm would
return to normal but Dr. Jones commented that it could be the next day
and it could be never, assuring Richards that he was doing everything
to understand Grimm's new condition.
In 1964, Dr. Jones, who
had become NASA's chief
astro-biologist, was asked to President Lyndon Johnson's White House
for a meeting with Dr. Reed Richards to discuss the looming threat of
the cosmic destructor Galactus. Dr. Jones suggested Richards' paranoia
over Galactus and even the idea of Galactus himself could be a
psychosis affecting Richards following Richards' exposure to cosmic
rays. As a smiling Dr. Jones watched, President Johnson opted not to do
anything about Galactus, as he was already very busy with Earthly
affairs.
Later, in 1967, Dr. Jones appeared on television
alongside Dr. Richards and when asked if he had brought any aliens with
him, Dr. Jones chuckled and admitted that while the galaxy was likely
filled with alien life, perhaps the aliens were content to watch Earth
from afar. When Dr. Richards was questioned, he suggested the question
of where the aliens were was self-terminating, as Earth was lucky to
have not yet encountered alien life. He later located Ben Grimm at the
Runway Bar and offered to transform Grimm back into human form while he
would take on the rocky form Grimm then possessed. Grimm happily
accepted and Dr. Jones was transformed into a rocky creature while
Grimm was restored to his original human form. Plotting to murder Reed
Richards, Dr. Jones then entered the Fantastic Four's headquarters
posing as Ben Grimm and agreed to assist Reed Richards as Richards
activated his subspace chamber in an 
attempt to learn more
about
Galactus.
As the chamber was activated, Dr. Jones revealed his true
identity to Richards and shoved Richards, claiming that Richards had
stolen everything from him and spread lies about seeing Galactus. Just
as Jones was ranting, however, the two met Galactus, who proclaimed
that he was coming for Earth. Realizing Richards had been right the
whole time about Galactus and the destruction he would bring, Dr. Jones
repented on his actions as the chamber collapsed. Richards was ready to
die but Dr. Jones insisted that Richards had to survive, as he was the
only other man who truly knew what Galactus was and could stop him.
Shoving Richards back through the chamber's exit, Dr. Jones then fell
back into the subspace chamber and when he died, Ben Grimm reverted
back to his rocky form.
Comments: Created by Mark Russell and Sean
Izaakse.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Earth-21766's Dr. Ricardo Jones should be
distinguished from:
Appearances:
Fantastic Four: Life Story#1 (July, 2021) - Mark Russell (writer), Sean
Izaakse (art), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First posted: 10/13/2022
Last updated: 10/13/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!