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Quote1 You're out of your mind if you think I'm just rolling over for the likes of you. Out of your mind for throwing down with me at all! I've fought Iron Man! I've fought the Hulk! No way a lunatic and a bunch of wannabe has-beens besting me! Quote2
Cobalt Man[src]

History

Ralph Roberts was a scientist who had been studying the effects of nuclear radiation involving the element of cobalt. He sought to use this as a weapon and began designing a suit, which he planned to give to the military as opposed to Iron Man. Upon completion, he called himself the Cobalt Man. When he first put on the suit, he was suffering from a concussion, because he had injured himself in a pole jump competition with his brother Ted. Because of his head injury, he became obsessed with defeating Iron Man.[1] He was defeated by the X-Men before his unstable suit could explode.[2][3]

Ralph finally achieved superhuman size and power due to being bombarded with radiation. However, this was slowly killing him and he decided to show the world the dangers of nuclear power by destroying himself and the city of Sydney, Australia. He later seemingly died in a fight with the Hulk, when thrown safely away from the planet.[4]

The Cobalt Man resurfaced alive, having been brainwashed to serve Egghead as part of his Emissaries of Evil, and fought the Defenders. Roberts was believed to have been killed in a nuclear explosion while trying to escape from Egghead.[5] He later turned up alive battling the Hulk, who violently smashed him with a car.[6]

Roberts was imprisoned at Ryker's Island, but escaped and allied himself with a group of supervillains hiding out in Stamford, Connecticut. The New Warriors arrived to capture the villains, but one of them, Nitro, blew himself up killing most of the Warriors, six hundred innocent civilians and, apparently, all of his fellow fugitives, including Roberts.[7]

Ralph seemingly returned from the dead but it was later revealed this was really a Skrull Impostor. When interrogated by Captain Marvel about the Skrulls's Secret Invasion plans, the Skrull told him that he was not the real Captain Marvel.[8] One of Roberts' suits was acquired and modified by a distraught man seeking to reconcile with his girlfriend. The newly named Cobalt Tomahawk tried to rob an Arizona reservation casino only to be stopped by American Eagle.[9] Later, a group of men wearing cheap knockoffs of the Cobalt Man suit attacked surviving New Warrior Speedball in retaliation for the Stamford massacre, calling themselves the Cobalt Men.[10]

During Hercules' journey to the Hades the underworld, Cobalt Man was seen gambling for his resurrection.[11] He was later seen as a member of Pluto's jury alongside Nessus, Orka, Armless Tiger Man, Abomination, Jack O'Lantern, Scourge of the Underworld, Baron Heinrich Zemo, Kyknos, Artume, and Veranke for Zeus' trial.[12]

Ralph Roberts was later resurrected and retired from villainy. He was forced back into action after being targeted by Umbral Dynamics for his radioactive suit. He was captured by the Mercs for Money and taken into Umbral Dynamics custody. Once the Mercs realized Umbral was actually evil, they stormed their headquarters in Bagalia and set free all the radioactive-based superhumans imprisoned there, including Cobalt Man.[13][14]

Attributes

Power Grid[19]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Medium Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Bulletproof:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Superhuman (25-75 ton):Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Powers

  • Radioactive Physiology: After being mutated by radiation Ralph acquired several superhuman abilities and gained additional muscle mass.[15]
    • Superhuman Strength: Ralph strength was enhanced to superhuman levels by his mutation.[15]
    • Superhuman Durability: After his mutation Ralph gained superhuman levels of durability.[15]
    • Energy Projection: Ralph acquired the ability to project radioactive energy from his hands as concussive force beams.[15]
    • Flight: Ralph can project his radioactive energy to achieve flight.[15]

Abilities

Genius Intelligence: Cobalt man designed his own high tech armor, as well as its cobalt based power source.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Cobalt Man Armor: The Cobalt Man operated a powered armor similar to that of Iron Man. It used cobalt to power a nuclear reactor, although it was notoriously unstable. The armoured suit gave him a number of abilities:[16][17]
    • Superhuman Strength: The armor grants his user superhuman levels of strength.[15]
    • Superhuman Durability: The armor is constructed from super-cobalt alloy many times stronger than steel.[15]
    • Self-Sustenance: The armor contains an internal oxygen supply.[15]
    • Flight: The armor grants the user the ability to fly.[15]
    • Energy Projection: The armor can fire concussive recoil beams.[15]

See Also

Links and References

References

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