Molten Man
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Molten Man is a former supervillain in the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. He once was a deadly foe of Spider-Man, but the two have since become friends and occasional allies.
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[edit] Biography
Mark Raxton was a scientist who could not wait to use his skills to become rich, and once served as the assistant to Dr. Spencer Smythe, creator of the Spider-Slayers. Raxton developed an experimental new metallic alloy for the Spider-Slayers from a radioactive meteor, but in an argument with Smythe spilled it all over himself, his skin absorbing it and turning golden. Fearing for his life, Raxton ran for the nearest hospital, only to discover that the alloy had changed him for the better when he angrily punched an irate motorist's hood, buckling it. Realizing the great potential his new abilities afforded him, Raxton, now calling himself the Molten Man turned to crime to further his gains. Peter Parker, as Spider-Man, was forced to nearly miss his high-school graduation to stop the Molten Man's first crime spree.
After a few more encounters with Spider-Man, it was revealed that Peter's friend Liz Allan was Raxton's step-sister. After Molten Man made an aborted attempt to attack Liz (stopped by Spider-Man by knocking him into a swimming pool, thus extinguishing his flames), he realized that his step-sister was the only member of his family who had not abandoned him. Reconciled with Raxton, Liz and her husband Harry Osborn gave Raxton a job as head of security at Osborn Industries. Molten Man and Spider-Man have since become friends, and Molten Man has occasionally used his powers to come to Spider-Man's aid against other supervillains.
However, in the months following the Clone Saga, Raxton was abducted by Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, and brainwashed. Under mind control, Molten Man attacked and killed Osborn's henchwoman Alison Mongraine, the only person who knew of the location of Peter and Mary Jane's baby. While Molten Man has since recovered from the mind control, he still bears a heavy burden of guilt over the incident.
He has now been pressed into a super-villain group again though- when the Chameleon approached him and threatened to kill the boy he looked after if Raxton did not join his 'Exterminators'. Raxton was then forced to attack Liz Allan.
[edit] Powers and Abilities
Molten Man's skin completely absorbed the experimental alloy, turning all of the external tissues of his body into a solid metallic substance. This has made Molten Man not only strong enough to lift and move objects weighing 40 tons with little strain, but also highly resistant to most forms of physical injury. Raxton's metallic fingers are sensitive enough to pick locks, and his skin is so slick he cannot be restrained with Spider-Man's webbing. Molten Man's skin can also generate intense heat, burning anybody who tries to touch him and shooting flaming projectiles at his foes.
Additionally, unlike most of Spider-Man's more thuggish villains, Molten Man had brains to compliment his raw physical strength. An intelligent and completely sane man, Molten Man was smart enough to learn from his mistakes and not fall for the same trick twice.
[edit] Ultimate Molten Man
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Mark Raxton is no villain at all, but instead a guitarist in a local punk rock band, the name of which is later revealed to be "Molten Man" (Ultimate Spider-Man #88).
He asked Mary Jane Watson on a date, and she reluctantly accepted, but she spent most of the evening talking about Peter Parker, who had just broken up with her. Raxton remained a gentleman the entire time. Later, he encountered Mary Jane at the mall, and upon learning that the boy she was with was Peter, told him "Good for you," and left without further incident.
