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The Deterrence Research Corporation (DRC) was formed by Moses Magnum, who was able to make it into the world's largest independent weapons manufacturer. When the DRC was hired to develop a toxic biochemical gas they tested it on kidnapped victims in South America. The Punisher and Spider-Man managed to shut down the operation, apparently killing Magnum; but he secretly survived and the DRC avoided prosecution for his crimes, and even became more powerful. Among the victims of the gas were relatives of Amanda Sheridan, head of Sheridan Industries. She hired various agents to go after Moses Magnum and tried to get even on the DRC.

Through stolen SHIELD files, the new CEO of DRC, Ivor Carlson was able to learn about Drydock, the secret orbital headquarters of the Guardians of the Galaxy. With the help of renegade NASA scientist Eric Salter, he planned to send a rocket to Drydock and rob it of its futuristic weapons and technology. The Guardians learned of this and tried to steal the stolen files, but the DRC had hired superhuman agents Hammer and Anvil, and fixed their alien chain technology, as security. With the help of Spider-Man the Guardians were able to destroy the files and break Hammer and Anvil's chain.

Amanda Sheridan was satisfied with the apparent death of Moses Magnum, but DRC decided to punish her for her actions against Magnum with a corporate takeover of Sheridan Industries. They sent Hammer and Anvil with a once again fixed chain to kidnap her. She was saved by the arrival of Spider-Woman who defeated Hammer and Anvil. The DRC tried one last tact to stop her by ordering her employee Eric Lazar, who was secretly working for DRC, to kill her, but he was stopped by Spider-Woman. The DRC confronted Spider-Woman again soon afterward when they tried to kill crimelords Nguyen Ngoc Coy and the Kingpin so as to cause a gang war to increase their weapons sales; but Spider-Woman foiled their plan.

In more recent times, they absorbed Paradigm Micronics and rehired Moses Magnum, who vainly tried to sell a cloaked orbital weapons platform to an Asian power.

History

The Deterrence Research Corporation (DRC)[1] is a weapon development company that, while dealing especially on munitions, sells any weapon, from simple to sophisticated, to any paying customer,[5][1] including customised developments adapted to the customer's requirements.[4] The DRC is known to have resorted to any immoral tactic to obtain their goals, resorting to illegal activities to succeed,[5][11][12] including kidnapping,[5] hostile takeovers of other companies to obtain their strategic assets,[9] and theft of confidential technology.[13] Their state-of-the-art facilities allow them to perform advanced research and development for new products,[5] like stealth technology for orbital platforms,[3] and the DRC scientists have successfully repaired alien technology in the past.[11][12] Mainly based in the United States,[4][5] they have also operated in South America[4] and Asia.[3]

D.R.C. Tower (Earth-616), Lawrence Reynolds III (Earth-616) from Marvel Team-Up Vol 1 89 001

Magnum Tower, the DRC's main headquarters

It was established[1][14][11][12] by Ethiopian weapons expert Moses Magnum, who was able to make it into the world's largest independent weapons manufacturer. Magnum also became the president of the company,[4] succeeding in his own words because of his mercilessness and craftiness, and because he tried to prepare for every eventuality,[15] which allowed him to give a pretense of legitimacy to his company even when they were committing countless crimes.[4] Magnum passed this attitude to his DRC mentee Peter Coelho, who eventually left the company to work as a freelance arm smuggler.[14] Magnum also built the main headquarters of the company, the D.R.C. Tower[1] a skyscraper on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue that looked typical but was outfitted with advanced defense systems that made it almost impregnable,[1] while also allowing for Magnum's huge flying Hover-Copters to dock directly on the windows.[4] Because of Magnum's personal involvement in its creation, the D.R.C. Tower was nicknamed Magnum Building.[1]

The DRC also had another campus near the Ames Research Lab and close to Santa Ana, California,[11][6][7] with several buildings and electronic ID cards for employees so that they could only access the buildings they were allowed to, being this their only official facility in the west coast. While the DRC insisted, especially in California, they worked on R&D and had several affirmative action programs (including hiring people with criminal records, some of whom were not reformed and used in illegal activities) and an excellent service record, and their worst crimes were not publicly known or proven in court, their military-oriented activities were public domain and people perceived the DRC as a weapon-manufacturing company; yet they had no problem to hire personnel to work for them.[5] Even in years past, DRC did not require formal attire for his employees - although those in certain positions, such as security guards, did have to wear uniforms,[4][5] with reglementary padding, helmet, goggles and specific advanced weapons (that proved not enough against enemies like the Punisher).[4] The security guard uniform has changed through the years.[4][5]

South American Toxic Gas[]

When the DRC was hired[16] to develop a toxic biochemical gas[4] to be used in terrorist acts,[17] they tested it on kidnapped victims[16] [18] in South America,[18] where the DRC built a death camp in a jungle, in an undisclosed location, keeping the prisoners in barracks and watched by guards armed with rifles and machine guns;[4] these guards were DRC forces.[19] It also include watch towers and a private fortress to house the DRC managers visiting. They confirmed that the gas was operational, as it melted the victim's skin and flesh without killing them, condemning the victims to a very painful death,[4] then the DRC refused to provide any burial and simply got rid of the remains by dropping those in swamps.Among the victims of the gas were relatives of Lady Amanda Sheridan, head of Sheridan Industries, including her grandson Thomas, his family,[15] and her great-granddaughter Samantha's parents and siblings.[5]

Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616), Peter Parker (Earth-616) from Giant-Size Spider-Man Vol 1 4 001

The DRC death camp in South America

Vigilante the Punisher discovered about the DRC activities, obtaining marketing footage of the gas in use and a sample of it, and looked for a way to find where the prisoners were being kept. He successfully planted a tracker on Magnum, then teamed-up with superhero Spider-Man, who was appalled when he saw the horrible death of the victims in the video.[4] They prepared a convoluted plan to raid the D.R.C. Tower, assuming that Magnum's forces could capture Spider-Man and take him to their hidden base: Spider-Man would try to stop Magnum and attract attention, while the Punisher would sabotage the building's power source to prevent Magnum from using non-autonomous technology, both heroes having to deal with the security. So as to protect Spider-Man's secret identity, the Punisher provided him with plastic moldings applied to Spider-Man's face, meaning that the latter could not be recognized if unmasked. The operation was somewhat successful: Spider-Man interrupted an international meeting of Magnum with several investors, then Magnum summoned his guards and those used numeric superiority to overpower Spider-Man; but, before they could kill him, the Punisher cut off the building's power. Magnum, not wanting to risk his business partners' lives, evacuated them in his Hover-Copters, and decided to take Spider-Man to his death camp. This allowed the Punisher to find the camp's location, thanks to his trackers; so Punisher stock up on gas bombs and masks and followed there, with Magnum suspecting nothing. Punisher also researched on Magnum's past, to be prepared against him. In the death camp, Magnum met with Spider-Man to gloat, mockingly offering him champagne and trying to find out his secret identity, thou the Punisher's plastic moldings protected him.[4]

Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616) from Giant-Size Spider-Man Vol 1 4 001

DRC guards capturing Spider-Man in New York City

During the night, Magnum manipulated gas canisters with protective gloves[4] and a self-contained anti-gas bodysuit hidden under his clothing.[15] Meanwhile, Punisher sneaked into the camp and released Spider-Man, so that both of them could assault the guards. Spider-Man reached Magnum's isolated laboratory and confronted him, yet Magnum, an excellent fighter, floored Spider-Man, then grabbed a gas canister to use as a blunt weapon. The Punisher entered and, disregarding Spider-Man's warning, shot against the canister, which flooded the room with lethal gas. Spider-Man quickly took himself and the Punisher out of the room and sealed the door, unable to save both the Punisher and Magnum.[4] Spider-Man and the Punisher believed that Magnum would be killed by the gas,[4][18] but Magnum had planned against an accidental exposure to it, and used the anti-gas body suit to protect himself, so that he would survive and escape.[15] Magnum was considered dead, thou. Spider-Man and the Punisher contacted local South American authorities and the United Nations to return the surviving prisoners to their respective countries, and probably apprehend the guards.[4][18] The operation was shut down.[17][16]

With Magnum officially dead,[15] the Deterrence Research Corporation managed to distance itself from Magnum's illegal activities and continued their own business, while replacing Magnum as company's president with similarly ruthless Ivor Carlson; Spider-Man was disgusted every time he swang by the D.R.C Tower, untouched by the authorities.[1] Lady Amanda Sheridan, however, swore to get even on the DRC for the death of her relatives;[5] eventually discovering that Magnum had survived and started a new criminal operation, Sheridan sent agents after him, until Magnum eventually was believed dead again.[15] Magnum resurfaced in Japan,[20] thou he was no longer affiliated with the DRC at that point (and again was presumed dead after that operation).[1]

Drydock[]

Carlson felt he needed superhuman employees for certain operations, and to that end had Hammer and John Anvil released from prison.[1][11][12] Hammer and Anvil obtained superhuman strength and powers through the Energy Synthecon, an extraterrestrial technology that linked them,[5][1] but had been broken by the Hulk in a previous encounter,[1][11][12] which had also caused Hammer and Anvil to go mad.[11][12] Carlson had the DRC scientists repair the synthecon,[1][11][12] in a way that would not affect the users' minds, and allowing them to remove it at will.[1] Hammer and Anvil joined the DRC as employees,[5][6][7][19] answering directly to Carlson and working some of the time as mere security guards,[1] and sometimes as field operatives.[6][7]

Through stolen SHIELD files and the help of NASA renegade scientist Dr. Eric Salter, Carlson was able to learn about Drydock, the cloaked orbital headquarters of the Guardians of the Galaxy,[1] superbeings from an alternate future who had time-travelled to the past.[21] With Salter, he intended to send a rocket to Drydock and rob it of its futuristic weapons and technology. The Guardians learned of this and tried to recover the stolen files; but alien-looking Martinex of the Guardians was filmed by Lawrence "Rap" Reynolds, journalism student at Columbia University, who had sneaked into the building to steal secret information to sell to the networks. Reynolds was brutally stopped by Anvil when he left the building, but Spider-Man, attracted to the area due to rumors of the DRC preparing an important illegal operation, helped him escape. However, another of the Guardians, Nikki, stole Reynolds' tape, being chased by Spider-Man and photographed by Reynolds. Nikki and the Guardians convinced Spider-Man to not interfere in their mission, and Spider-Man agreed to recover the negatives Reynolds had taken of Nikki.[1]

Leroy Jackson (Earth-616), John Anvil (Earth-616), Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616), Peter Parker (Earth-616), Ivor Carlson (Earth-616) from Marvel Team-Up Vol 1 89 001

Shackles used by Ivor Carlson to immobilize Spider-Man

Carlson sent Hammer and Anvil to capture Spider-Man, both to analyse his biology and try to replicate his powers, and to punish the hero for his previous interference with the DRC. Hammer and Anvil ambushed Spider-Man while he was looking for Reynolds and knocked him down, taking him to the D.R.C. Tower; the Guardians saw this from afar, but they prioritised the destruction of the information on Drydock before rescuing Spider-Man. Spider-Man was binded with high-tech elector-shackles that turned his own strength against him, and Hammer and Anvil kept a close watch on him, while Carlson interacted from behind a protective glass.[1] Before they could even start the process, however, three Guardians (Martinex, Nikki and Starhawk) broke into the cell to release Spider-Man, confronting Hammer and Anvil.[1][19][11][12] Hammer and Anvil, with the DRC-repaired technology and their trained teamwork, were a match for the three Guardians and a tired Spider-Man, while Carlson left. Starhawk understood how the synthecon was the advantage,[1] and Martinex used his freezing power to cover it with ice, making it brittle and allow Spider-Man to shatter it in very small pieces.[1][11][12] Without their powers, Hammer and Anvil were quickly defeated, then Martinex used a Psi-Comp so they would not remember a thing about their encounter; leaving soon afterward, Spider-Man also destroyed Reynolds' film roll.[1]

Hammer and Anvil's synthecon was again restored by Dr. Melloncamp,[8] one of the DRC scientists,[5] using advanced technology and, in her opinion, probably saving their lives.[8] Hammer and Anvil then continued working for the DRC.[5] However, apparently Melloncamp left the DRC and her services were no longer available. Hammer and Anvil decided that Mellocamp was too necessary in case the synthecon broke again, and they chased her to apparently kidnap her,[8] and force her to use her latest procedure to keep their symbiotic link functional.[22] Three circus performers (Gorilla Girl, Muck Monster and Six) helped her escape.[8][22]

Mandroid Operations[]

Mandroid Armor Mk II, Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 34 001

Mandroid Armors used by the DRC

The Mandroid Armor MK II is a heavily armored combat suit, originally designed by Stark International to be used by SHIELD, but an increased production of the technology led to misuse by unauthorised parties. The DRC stole the plans for the MK II and built several units to outfit several of their agents,[13] including a number of them in the DRC facilities in California.[5]

At that point, the DRC decided to punish Lady Amanda Sheridan for her actions against Magnum and them, with a corporate takeover of Sheridan Industries.[5][11][12] To ensure that Lady Amanda herself did not interfere with the operation, as she would be able to keep Sheridan's board under control in a critical meeting,[5] the DRC arranged for Hammer and Anvil to kidnap Lady Amanda[5][11][12][6][7] to keep her away from the meeting. The DRC equipped Hammer and Anvil with a hovering platform . The operation was less secretive than it should have been, as criminologist Scott McDowell discovered that the kidnapping was being planned (thou not where exactly or that the perpetrators were superhuman), and asked his superheroine friend Spider-Woman to patrol the area of Santa Ana.[5] Spider-Woman confronted Hammer and Anvil[5][23][6][7] - but Spider-Woman failed to stop Hammer and Anvil from kidnapping Lady Amanda. She prevented them from also kidnapping Lady Amanda's adult great-granddaughter Samantha, who helped her managing the company. In his hurry to leave, however, Anvil dropped his DRC electronic ID card, which was recovered by Samantha. Samantha shared with Spider-Woman the reason behind the attack, and suggested to send a crack commando team to rescue Lady Amanda; Spider-Woman convinced her not to, as the DRC would surely expect that, and they may kill Lady Amanda if they did. Instead, Spider-Woman went to Scotty McDowell to be briefed on the DRC and to obtain a false ID card, with Anvil's same number, to the name of Dr. Ariadne Hyde, an alias Spider-Woman would be able to use to infiltrate the facilities pretending to be a prospective worker; in her civilian identity as Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman told her roommate Lindsay McCabe that she was visiting the DRC to ask for a job.[5]

Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616), Jessica Drew (Earth-616) and Lindsay McCabe (Earth-616) from Spider-Woman Vol 1 34 001

DRC west coast campus, being visited by Jessica Drew

Meanwhile, Lady Amanda was kept in a high-security building in the DRC campus, with two Mandroid-armored agents keeping a watch on her on 18-West area; yet the DRC had underestimated the elderly woman's skills and determination. Lady Amanda tricked one of her watchpeople out of the armor, then enter the armor herself, waiting for an opportunity to escape. The false Ariadne Hyde met with Director of Personnel Ross Holden, who gave her a tour of the facility that identified the high-security building, then entered such place pretending to go checking on Lady Amanda and using her own pheromone powers to trick DRC staff and obtain more information. Her stealth failed and she had to confront guards, then another ambush by Hammer and Anvil (whom she dropped 18 floors through an elevator shaft), and found the Mandroid-protected cell. Lady Amanda shot at the other Mandroid by surprise, then revealed her identity to Spider-Woman. Both women reached the gargate and stole a car to try and escape - but the DRC sent several flying Mandroids after them. In the road outside the facilities, they were attacked and lost their car, while the Mandroids started a forest fire to stop them from escaping.[5] Once again, Hammer and Anvil confronted Spider-Woman, but she fired bioelectrical energy into their synthecon, rendering it useless, then defeating both men.[5][11][12] Spider-Woman risked flying through the fire with Lady Amanda, which allowed her to reach the Sheridan Industries board meeting in time for Lady Amanda to stop the takeover - much to the surprise of DRC's agent there, Mr. Kraye. A corrupt Sheridan board member, Eric Lazar, tried to shoot Lady Amanda dead during the meeting, but Spider-Woman stopped him in time with a venom blast. Spider-Woman then kicked out the DRC members off the meeting, delivered Lazar to the police, then met with Lindsay McCabe to tell her that she had decided not to work for a company like DRC.[5]

Soon afterwards, New York City-based crimelord the Kingpin arranged a summit with his San Francisco counterpart Nguyen Ngoc Coy in the 50th floor of the Carillon Towers, San Francisco.[10] The DRC tried to murder both of them at that point, hoping to start a continent-wide gang war[24] which would increase their weapon sales profits. This was discovered by the California-based Yakuza faction Dragon Clan - yet they had neither proof to convince the authorities, nor the time to stop it altogether, so they recruited Spider-Woman[10] (who had already foiled some of Coy's operations)[24] to save the crimelords. Indeed, the DRC shot a missile to the floor, but Spider-Woman saved the Kingpin's life. The DRC then sent three Mandroids, but Spider-Woman defeated them - throwing one of them through the window, tricking another one so he'd break a support beam and be buried under the failing ceiling, then knocking down the last one while he was cutting the elevator's cable. Spider-Woman then stopped the elevator, saving the lives of the attendees and checking that they'd be fine. Kingpin then thanked Spider-Woman and promised to leave San Francisco in peace - but he was also a man known for retaliating when he was attacked.[10] If he actively took any measure against the DRC, it is not known.

Later activities[]

Hammer and Anvil continued working for the DRC[6][7] and their synthecon was repaired in a way that, once more, linked their life forces and could not be removed at least by only one of them.[11][12] Hammer and Anvil fought the Hulk in New Mexico, but the serial killer of supercriminals, the Scourge of the Underworld, disguised as a Native American, shot Hammer dead; Anvil understood that he would immediately die after that, and indeed he did.[25][11][12]

DRC acquired a company named Paradigm Micronics in a hostile takeover, simply to obtain its designs and patents, and disregarding any other Paradigm asset, including staff and buildings. Paradigm was working on a new weapon, considered revolutionary, but DRC did not know that Paradigm had already built a prototype, which was forgotten in Paradigm's abandoned corporate headquarters. Blob-led Brotherhood of Evil Mutants obtained this information and prepared a plan to steal the device - but their plan was stopped when the High Evolutionary initiated a worldwide regression of all mutant powers.[9][26] The process was soon reversed;[9][26] yet it is unrevealed whether the Brotherhood retook this operation.

Deterrence Research Corporation (Earth-616) from Iron Man Thor Vol 1 1 001

The space station that Moses Magnum was trying to sell

The DRC once again recruited Moses Magnum, who did a sales pitch for an Asian power about their new cloaking technology for orbital weapons platform, claiming that this product would made their (unspecified) country raise twelve position in the world's power league, with the idea of building seventeen units after a successful demonstration. During the demonstration, however, the Crimson Dynamo VII, with the Mk VI armor, destroyed the platform as part of his work for the High Evolutionary, who wanted to create a new god adapted to the current times and for some reason considered that the DRC's orbital weapons platform was incompatible with his plans.[3] After this, Magnum was next seen in Las Vegas as the leader of a criminal organisation called Kigali Clan;[2] it is unclear whether this activity was compatibilised with his DRC work, or he left the DRC after the Dynamo catastrophe.

Notes

Trivia

  • Anvil's DRC ID card's number was 171001711.[5]
  • Some of the technologies developed by the DRC include:
    • The biochemical toxic gas that melts the skin and flesh, causing a slow, painful death,[4] that can be avoided with an anti-gas body suit.[15] This operation was officially closed by the United Nations and the product is probably no longer produced.[4]
    • The technology used by DRC scientists to repair Hammer and Anvil's Energy Synthecon, an item of extra-terrestrial manufacture. While purportedly adapted so that Hammer and Anvil could remove the chain linking them,[1] in the end their life forces were still linked.[25]
    • A rocket to reach the orbital platform Drydock and steal the technology within.[1]
    • High-tech bindings to keep Spider-Man helpless, apparently by returning the prisoner's own force against him. These bindings were broken when shot with a laser gun.[1]
    • A three-person hovering platform that Hammer and Anvil used to kidnap Amanda Sheridan.[5]
    • Customized electronic ID cards that provided a DRC employee with access to certain buildings. These cards could be forged.[5]
    • Missiles used to shoot at a given floor of a building, with the intent of killing the people there.[10]
    • A state-of-the-art orbital weapons platform that could be put in space in a week, and with cloaking technology that supposedly prevented anyone from finding it - although the Crimson Dynamo was able to find it and overcome its defenses.[3]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 Marvel Team-Up #86
  2. 2.0 2.1 Storm (Vol. 3) #4
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Iron Man/Thor #1
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 Giant-Size Spider-Man #4
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 Spider-Woman #34
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #4 ; Hammer's profile
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #27 ; Anvil's profile
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Marvel Tales (Vol. 2) #256
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Uncanny X-Men #379
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Spider-Woman #46
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #17 ; Hammer and Anvil's profile
  12. 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #2 ; Hammer and Anvil's profile
  13. 13.0 13.1 Iron Manual Mark 3 #1 ; Mandroid's profile
  14. 14.0 14.1 Marvel Super-Heroes (Vol. 2) #11
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Power Man Annual #1
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #6 and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #7; both Moses Magnum's profiles
  17. 17.0 17.1 Marvel Encyclopedia #Marvel Knights ; Deterrence Research Corporation's profile
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Marvel Legacy: The 1970s Handbook #1 ; Punisher's profile
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Marvel Encyclopedia #Spider-Man ; DRC's profile
  20. X-Men #119
  21. Marvel Encyclopedia #Spider-Man ; Guardians of the Galaxy's profile
  22. 22.0 22.1 Avengers Assemble #1
  23. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #8 ; Spider-Woman (Drew)'s profile
  24. 24.0 24.1 Wolverine: Weapon X Files #1 ; General Coy's profile
  25. 25.0 25.1 Marvel Fanfare #29
  26. 26.0 26.1 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #7 and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #7; both Mimic's profiles
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