Imperial Hydra

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caption=
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Imperial Hydra
real_name=Arnold Brown
species=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Strange Tales" #135 (Mar 1965)
creators=Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=HYDRA
aliases=Supreme Hydra, the Master
powers=|

Imperial Hydra is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.

Publication history

The Imperial Hydra appeared in "Strange Tales" #135 (August 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

The Imperial Hydra received an entry in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition" #18.

Fictional character biography

When Arthur Brown's wife died in poverty, he vowed that he would give his daughter Laura everything that her mother had lacked. Brown joined both the powerful corporation Imperial Industries International, and the criminal organization HYDRA. He worked his way up in both organizations to become both the executive secretary to a member of the corporation's board of directors, as well as the Imperial Hydra, and used his corporate position to divert money and resources secretly to HYDRA. HYDRA's true leader Baron Strucker used Brown as a figurehead to distract attention away from himself. Brown also inducted his daughter Laura as special HYDRA Agent H, thinking that giving her such power would make up for his wife's misery in poverty.

Under Brown's leadership, HYDRA was quite successful, developing an arsenal of weaponry and assault vehicles, building a Manhattan headquarters for HYDRA, and assassinating S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first Public Director. However, when he threatened to use a bomb to release lethal radiation across the planet unless the nations of Earth surrender control to him, Anthony Stark deactivated the bomb and Nick Fury captured HYDRA's Manhattan headquarters. Sensing defeat, he removed his Imperial Hydra costume and planned to blow up the headquarters. Two fleeing HYDRA agents, not recognizing him in his civilian identity, shot him. As he lay dying, Nick Fury and Laura Brown came upon the scene, Laura holding him in her arms and telling him all she really wanted was his love.