Unicorn (comics)

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caption=The Unicorn as featured on the cover of Iron Man #154 (vol. 1, Jan.1981). Art by Bob Layton] .
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Unicorn
real_name=Milos Masaryk
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Tales of Suspense" #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964)
creators=Stan Lee
Don Heck
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Maggia
aliases=
powers= Energy projection via emitter on brow of suit|

The Unicorn (Milos Masaryk) is a supervillain that exists in the fictional Marvel Universe. The character first appears in "Tales of Suspense" #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Milos Masaryk is a Soviet intelligence agent assigned to track down the original Crimson Dynamo, who defects to America after being tricked by Iron Man. Wearing technology designed by the Dynamo, Masaryk gives himself the alias the "Unicorn" and battles Iron Man. Although Iron Man crashes the Unicorn's plane, the villain manages to escape. ["Tales of Suspense" #56 (vol. 1, Aug. 1964)]

The Unicorn was among the villains affected by Doctor Doom's high-frequency emotion charger, and went to the Baxter Building to attack the Fantastic Four. He once fought Iron Man and was defeated with one punch. He teamed with Beetle, Electro, Mandarin, and the Melter against Cyclops and Iceman, but the resultant combination of their power blasts knocked them all out, and they were sent back to the immediate past by Reed Richards with no memory of attack. ["Fantastic Four Annual" #3, 1965; "Marvel: Heroes and Legends", 1996]

The Unicorn later allies himself with Count Nefaria for financial reasons, but is stopped by the X-Men. ["Uncanny X-Men" #22 - 23 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug 1966)] He then undergoes experimental conditioning to augment his powers and battles Iron Man once more, but is defeated. [Iron Man #4 (vol. 1, Aug.)] Unfortunately, the process leaves the Unicorn with "accelerated cellular deterioration", and he is taunted with a cure by the Red Ghost in exchange for help against Iron Man. However, once it becomes evident that the Red Ghost has lied, the Unicorn aids Iron Man and later escapes. [Iron Man #15 - 16 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug. )] He gives up on the Red Ghost after he failed to find cure. ["Defenders" #8, 1973]

The master villain, the the Mandarin, makes a similar promise to the Unicorn and deploys him against Iron Man. On two separate occasions Unicorn's battle with Iron Man ends in defeat. ["Iron Man" #57 - 58 (vol. 1, Apr- May ); #68 - 69 (vol. 1, Jun - Aug (bi-monthly)] Using the alias "The Other" , the Titanium Man uses the Unicorn against Iron Man who is finally able to capture Masaryk. In a dramatic turn, the very moment of his capture sees Masaryk slip into a life-threatening coma. ["Iron Man" #113 (vol. 1, Aug. 1978)] Iron Man takes Masaryk to the Avengers' mansion where team-mate Henry Pym wakes Masaryk and cures him of his debilitating disease. The process has the unfortunate result of driving Masaryk insane, and a disorientated Unicorn inadvertently activates the hidden robot Arsenal. The Unicorn is stunned by the robot - which Iron Man drives off - and then placed in stasis pending a cure for his mental illness. ["Iron Man" #114 (vol. 1, Sep. 1978)]

Months later, Masaryk is freed when a fire breaks out at Stark Enterprises, ["Iron Man" #145 - 146 (vol. 1, Apr - May 1981)] and assuming the identity of the Unicorn finds and attacks Iron Man once again. Still suffering from insanity, the Unicorn refuses to be believe that "The Other" was a lie, and decides to walk back to the Soviet Union via the ocean to find him. A severely weakened Iron Man is powerless to stop him and can only watch as the Unicorn apparently drowns. ["Iron Man" #154 (vol. 1, Jan. 1982)] The Unicorn is later revived by the entity the Beyonder to fight with a new version of the Lethal Legion, and given a true third eye on a stalk with energy projection capabilities in lieu of a suit. ["Marvel Age" Annual #1 (1985)] This act eventually drives Masaryk insane, who goes on a rampage in St. Petersburg until captured by the third Titanium Man. Masaryk's third eye is then amputated and he is incarcerated. ["Soviet Super-Soldiers Special Edition" #1 (1992)] Masaryk is later freed and recruited into the supervillain group Stockpile to destroy Iron Man, but they are defeated by the combined efforts of Iron Man and War Machine. ["Iron Man" #330-331 (vol. 1, Jul. - Aug. 1996)]

Civil War

During the Civil War event, the Unicorn is approached by Baron Zemo and forced to either join Zemo's team of Thunderbolts or go to jail. Masaryk chooses to join and fights on the team's behalf. ["Thunderbolts" #104 (2006) + 107 (2007)]

Powers and abilities

The Unicorn has superhuman strength and endurance. The Unicorn's soft tissues are dozens of times harder than those of an ordinary human, making him highly resistant to physical injury.

He wears headgear equipped with an energy projector that tunes to various frequency and power levels. This allows him to project force beams and thermal beams. It also allows him to project a force field and to levitate objects magnetically. He also wears a rocket belt equipped with twin, high-efficiency electric micro turbines that allow him to fly.

Other versions

Ultimate Unicorn

The Ultimate Marvel version of the Unicorn briefly appears as a participant in the abandoned Russian supersoldier program. This version is one of many convicts found by the Ultimates in the Tunguska base who were altered using biotechnology torn from the Ultimate Vision, and driven mad by years of isolation. He appears to have the power to project electricity from his horn, to levitate, and enhanced durability. ["Ultimate Nightmare" (#1 - 5, Aug. 2004 - Dec. 2004)]

References

External links

* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Unicorn Unicorn] at Marvel.com
* [http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/u/unicorn.htm Unicorn at MarvelDirectory.com]
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/stockp.htm#unic The Stockpile's Unicorn at the Marvel Appendix]