Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)

Crimson Dynamo
Name	Valentin Shatalov (Russian: Валентин Шаталов)
Current Alias	Crimson Dynamo
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Formerly Avengers West Coast, Remont 6
Marital Status	Single
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	6′2″ (1.88 m), 6′5″ (1.96 m) (in armor)
Weight	210 lbs (95.25 kg), 245 lbs (111.13 kg) (in armor)
Eyes	Irises: Brown
Hair	Black
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Personal Information
Identity	Secret
Citizenship	Russian
Occupation	Colonel-General, KGB officer
Base of Operations	Moscow, Russia
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Glenn Herdling, Fabian Nicieza, Herb Trimpe
First	Iron Man #255 (February, 1990)
First	Iron Man #255 (February, 1990)

To them, this was a uniform of metal and nothing more. None of them have earned this armor as I have.

—Valentin Shatalov[source]

History

Valentin Shatalov had a dream of restoring Russia to the days of Stalin's Soviet Union. He began to publicly associate himself with Russia's super powered team, the People's Protectorate. He used his connections to have Dimitri Bukharin disgraced and then had the Crimson Dynamo armor reassigned to him. With the armor he planned to be considered the nation's true champion. He formed a group called Remont 6 that reflected his hard line ideals. Titanium Man, Firefox, and Unicorn joined him, and as the Remont 6 they began to rival the Protectorate for power and status.

On Shatalov's first mission, an accident briefly caused his and Anthony Stark's mind to be switched while battling Devastator and Freak Quincy. He attempted to learn all of Stark's secrets, but eventually the two were switched back - and Shatalov was arrested for stealing secrets and damaging the Khimry research base, deeds that had been performed by Stark in his body. The arrest was performed by Shatalov's girlfriend up to that point, Lt. Col Yelena Brement.

Remont 6 was later abandoned when President Yeltsin came to power. Still the Dynamo, Shatalov was ordered to stop the Titanium Man. Shatalov joined in as Natasha Romanoff and Iron Man were still battling Bullski. Angered at Shatalov, Titanium Man caused him to crash and break his leg. Not wanting the people to see the American Iron Man defeat Bullski, he asked Stark to wear his Dynamo armor (which was intact) with Shatalov also operating the armor remotely. After a fierce battle and Bullski's refusal to surrender, Shatalov decided to use the 'fusioncaster'. It caused a chain reaction which killed Bullski. An enraged Stark asked if he preferred using others' hands to spill blood. Shatalov's superiors shortly double crossed him as he had did so many others, taking the Dynamo away and demoting him.

Shatalov resurfaced years later, after Tony Stark published his autobiography, The Assembling of Tony Stark. Angered by the portrayal of his nation in it, Shatalov attacked Stark at a signing event for the book, having recovered his Crimson Dynamo armor. Suiting up in his own armor, Stark traded blows with the Dynamo before firing an incapacitating gunk at him, which hardened into an amber-like substance. Shatalov was subsequently towed away by authorities.

He went on to join Avengers West Coast, participating in their battle with Shradram the Breaker.

Attributes

Abilities

• Leadership: Shatalov is an accomplished military leader and politician.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat: Shatalov received KGB hand-to-hand combat training.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Crimson Dynamo Armor Mark V: Shatalov used the newest Crimson Dynamo armors, believed to be MK IV and V. He also retained versions of the older Dynamo armors. Previously he had an 'armor matrix' added to his belt that could form the armor around him when activated.
  • Superhuman Strength: While wearing his armor Valentin can lift up to 75 tons.
  • Superhuman Durability: The armor, being made of a Carbonadium alloy, grants the wearer's great resistance to damage.
  • Flight: The armor can fly via jet boots.
  • Energy Projection: The armor was equipped with electric and laser blasters. and a powerful plasmacaster in the chest.

Weapons

The armor could deliver an electrical shock when touching or grappling with an opponent, it possessed a gatling gun contained in right arm, missiles and a 'fusioncaster' chest beam.

Notes

• Some apparent miscommunications led to continuity errors surrounding Shatalov's role as the 6th Crimson Dynamo.
  • A man named Valentin Shalatov took over for Dimitri Bukharin as the Crimson Dynamo when Bukharin's tour of duty came to an end. Sure enough, a man named Valentin Shalatov was the Crimson Dynamo when the armor next appeared.
  • In Soviet Super Soldiers #1, Shalatov manipulated Bukharin into a politically disastrous mission in order to fire him as the Crimson Dynamo and claim the armor for himself. He was successful, becoming the 6th Crimson Dynamo by crook instead of Bukharin's natural retirement, as previously indicated, and Bukharin joined his teammates in the Supreme Soviets as Airstrike when they reformed as the People's Protectorate.
  • However, the Airstrike armor was never used in any missions, and Bukharin continued to appear with the Protectorate as the Crimson Dynamo, despite Shalatov also possessing the Dynamo armor and identity.

See Also

• 7 appearance(s) of Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 3 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) of Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 9 image(s) of Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 1 quotation(s) by or about Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)
• 2 item(s) used/owned by Valentin Shatalov (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Crimson Dynamo at the Marvel Appendix