| Mauler | |
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The second Mauler battles Iron Man on the cover of Iron Man #156 (March 1982). Art by Al Milgrom. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daredevil #167 (Nov. 1980) |
| Created by | David Michelinie and Frank Miller |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | -Aaron Soames -Brendan Doyle |
| Team affiliations | Cord Conglomerate |
Mauler (an acronym for Mobile Armored Utility Laser-guided E-beam, Revised) is a name used by two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version appears in Daredevil #167 (Nov. 1980) and was created by David Michelinie and Frank Miller. The second character first appears in Iron Man #156 (March 1982) and was created by David Michelinie; John Romita, Jr. and Pablo Marcos.
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The Mauler debuted in Daredevil #167 (Nov. 1980) although the character died the same issue. The armour was stolen and used by a petty criminal in Daredevil #176 (Nov. 1981) before it reappeared (being used by a mercenary) in Iron Man #156 (March 1982).
The character reappeared with the armour in Marvel Team-Up #136 (Dec. 1983) and Spectacular Spider-Man #122 (Jan. 1987) before it was retrieved by Iron Man in Iron Man #225 (Dec. 1987). Other significant appearances included What If? #8 (Dec. 1989); Alpha Flight #113 (Oct. 1992) and Iron Man Annual #16 (1995). The Mauler also featured briefly in Civil War: War Crimes #1 (Feb. 2007) and Avengers: The Initiative #13 (July 2008).
Aaron Soames, the first Mauler, was an elderly, former employee of Cord Conglomerate deprived of his pension benefits by a computer error. Soames stole the prototype suit of Mauler armor in the hopes of punishing Edwin Cord, who was indifferent to Soames' plight. Soames had two skirmishes with the hero Daredevil, and after humiliating Cord by symbolically erasing his existence as well by destroying his driver's license, credit cards and other means of personal identification (he did not intend to do him any actual harm), he was killed with advanced weaponry by Cord's men. Daredevil was one of the few mourners at Soames' funeral.[1]
The Mauler armor reappears when small-time criminal Turk Barrett steals the armor and attempts to kill Daredevil. Barrett, however, is defeated in seconds.[2]
Later, Mercenary Brendan Doyle is hired by the now imprisoned Edwin Cord to steal the armor from Stark International (the company of Iron Man's alter ego Tony Stark) and destroy all records of the suit design and history. Although successful in stealing the suit, Doyle is prevented from reaching the records by former comrade Jim Rhodes, and decides to keep the suit.[3] As a soldier for hire, Doyle battles the heroes Spider-Man and Wonder Man[4] and encounters Spider-Man once again while trying to retrieve his infant son.[5] Doyle reappears during the Armor Wars when the Mauler armour confiscated by the hero (who is tracking down technology based on his stolen designs).[6]
Doyle eventually gains a new suit of Mauler armor and battles Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight.[7] Jim Rhodes briefly impersonates the Mauler [8] and Doyle returns during the Civil War caused by the Superhuman Registration Act[9] and encounters superhero team the Avengers.[10]
The Mauler armor provides heavy protection from physical and energy-based attacks, boosts the wearer's strength and courtesy of turbines allows flight. In addition to internal life support systems, a laser cannon that doubles as an electron particle gun is mounted on the left arm. The right palm of the armor can also generate a high-frequency electric shock.
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