Baron von Wetzel (Earth-616)

Baron von Wetzel

Gallery

Real Name

Von Wetzel (first name unknown)

Current Alias

Baron von Wetzel

Affiliation

Nazis

Base of Operations

Atlantic Ocean

Status

Identity

No Dual Identity

Citizenship

German

Occupation

Naval commander

Characteristics

Gender

Male

Hair

Brown

Origin

Human

First Appearance	Appearance of Death
Sub-Mariner Comics #14 (September, 1944)	Sub-Mariner Comics #14 (September, 1944)

History

Baron von Wetzel was a member of the Nazis during World War II. By the fall of 1944 he was put in charge of the Nazi's Atlantic operations. He and his minions developed a massive submarine that had specially made gas vents that excreted a chemical agent that caused a near death paralysis of those who inhale it.

Their first successful test attracted the attention of the Sub-Mariner who began investigating the source. Attacking a vessel off the coast of Africa still found survivors in Namor -- who's unique Atlantean physiology found him immune -- and that of the ships captain and reporter Betty Dean who were in deck and to high for the fumes to reach them.

Taking Namor and Betty aboard his vessel, Baron von Wetzel explained his plans and then placed Namor in a heat cabinet to eliminate him. Wetzel's undoing came when he attempted to taunt the Sub-Mariner with a bucket of water. Betty Dean kicked the bucket over so that Namor would be splashed by it. His strength revitalized, Namor beat Wetzel and his men into submission and then severely damaged their sub, leaving it to sink. Wetzel and his crew drowned as Namor and Betty escaped.^[1]