Molten Man

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Powers: Superhuman strength and endurance, Invulnerability, Fire-bolts, Genius intelligence, ability to immerse body in flames

Molten Man is a former supervillain in the Marvel Universe. He once was a deadly foe of Spider-Man, but the two have since become friends and occasional allies.

1 Fictional character biography
2 Powers and abilities
3 Alternate Versions
- 3.1 Ultimate Molten Man
4 In Other Media
- 4.1 The Spectacular Spider-Man
5 External links

Fictional character biography

Mark Raxton was born in New York City. He 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 and Smythe developed an experimental new liquid metallic alloy for the Spider-Slayers from a radioactive meteor, but Raxton attempted to steal it and sell it for his own profit. In the ensuing fight with Smythe, Raxton spilled the liquid alloy 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.

Eventually, his body began to give off intense heat and to consume itself.

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. A few times he has been a bodyguard for Peter Parker's friends and family when disasters overwhelm the city.

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.

Sometime after Harry Osborn's death, Raxton is called in when mysterious forces kidnap Liz Allan's son, Normie. He uses his brawn and brains to help Spider-Man and the Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich uncover what happened.

Raxton is later pressed into a super-villain group again when the Chameleon approaches him and threatens to kill Normie if Raxton does not join his 'Exterminators[1]'. Raxton is then forced to attack Liz Allan.

During the Civil War, Raxton is attacked by The Punisher and left in critical condition.

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. As a result, Molten Man possesses superhuman strength and a high degree of resistance to 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.

Alternate Versions

Ultimate Molten Man

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Mark Raxton is a guitarist in a local punk rock band, the name of which is later revealed to be "Molten Man" (Ultimate Spider-Man #78). In #78 one of their songs has the lyrics "I am your molten man, and I'm melting on you".

He first appears in the story 'Dumped', in #78, where he asks Mary Jane Watson on a date, and she reluctantly accepts, but she spends most of the evening talking about Peter Parker, who had just broken up with her. Raxton remains a gentleman the entire time. Later, he encounters Mary Jane at the mall, and upon learning that the boy she was with was Peter, tells her "Good for you," and leaves without further incident.

He later appears in #88, part three of the 'Silver Sable' storyline, where a class member of Peter's high school dresses up as Spider-Man and runs out in front of the press. He is revealed to be Mark Raxton, who shouts advertisements for his band 'Molten Man' before being dragged away by police.