Jump to content

Mendel Stromm

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Professor Mendel Stromm
Mendel Stromm as depicted in Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man #3 (August 2016).
Art by Travel Foreman.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Amazing Spider-Man #37 (June 1966)
Created byStan Lee (writer)
Steve Ditko (artist)
In-story information
SpeciesHuman cyborg
Team affiliationsOscorp
Empire State University
Notable aliasesRobot Master
Gaunt
Abilities

Professor Mendel Stromm is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has also been known as the Robot Master and Gaunt. Primarily an enemy of Spider-Man, Stromm initially appeared as an assistant to Norman Osborn and contributed to the formula that transformed Osborn into the Green Goblin. After his apparent death, Stromm was converted into a cyborg.

Publication history

[edit]

Stromm first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #37 (June 1966), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.[1]

Fictional character biography

[edit]
In his first appearance, Mendel Stromm watches as Spider-Man battles two of his robots. From The Amazing Spider-Man #37.

Professor Mendel Stromm is Norman Osborn's college professor at Empire State University and later becomes a partner in Oscorp Industries. His early research is on a chemical that would provide enhanced strength in its test subjects and would eventually turn Osborn into the Green Goblin.[2] Osborn, wanting the formula for himself, discovers that Stromm had been embezzling funds from Oscorp. Stromm explains that he is merely borrowing the funds, but Osborn turns him over to the police. After several years in prison, Stromm is released and tries to kill Osborn for revenge using deadly robots. He is stopped by Spider-Man and seemingly dies of a heart attack when he is nearly shot.[3]

Stromm survives by transferring his consciousness into a robotic double. In Spectacular Spider-Man #233 (1996), Stromm returns as a cyborg called Gaunt.[3] Osborn had discovered that Stromm had survived his heart attack thanks to the Goblin Formula, but on a level of consciousness supported only by his suit. Eventually, Stromm is cured of his need for the suit.

Stromm tries to create a sentient robot to kill Osborn, but it turns on him and destroys his body, keeping his severed head alive. The artificial intelligence attempts to take over New York City's electrical grid, but is stopped when Spider-Man fights his way into the robot's core processor and uploads a virus into it, rendering the A.I. and Stromm comatose. Spider-Man tells S.H.I.E.L.D. Stromm's whereabouts, allowing them to rescue him.[4]

Stromm obtains a Tri-Sentinel from the bunker of the bankrupt Life Foundation, which proceeds to battle an Isotope Genome Accelerator duplicate of Spider-Man. After the Tri-Sentinel is defeated, Stromm is approached by Kindred, who gives him a Master Mold that specializes in creating Tri-Sentinels. After Spider-Man defeats the Tri-Sentinels, Stromm is confronted by Kindred, who states that his usefulness has ended and kills him.[3]

In other media

[edit]

Television

[edit]

Wardell Stromm appears in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series episode "Enter the Green Goblin", voiced by Philip Abbott.[5] He is Norman Osborn's assistant and one of the few who knows of Oscorp's connections to the Kingpin.

Film

[edit]

Video games

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Manning, Matthew K. (2012). Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. DK Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7566-9236-0.
  2. 1 2 Craig, Richard (March 9, 2024). "10 Spider-Man Movie Characters You Didn't Realize Were From Marvel Comics". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Fielder, Brennan (September 6, 2021). "Spider-Man: Marvel Just Put a New Villain Under Green Goblin's Mask". CBR. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Drew (March 21, 2012). "6 Psychotic Punishments Doled Out by Famous Superheroes". Cracked. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Wardell Stromm Voice - Spider-Man (1994) (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 24, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  6. ↑ "Mendel Stromm Voice - Spider-Man: The Video Game (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 24, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  7. ↑ Baker, Chris (June 25, 2012). "Who the Heck Is Nattie?". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mendel_Stromm&oldid=1379663734"