Marvel Villain MODOK Gets a Hunky Hollywood Makeover

Warning:  SPOILERS For West Coast Avengers #2

A classic Avengers villain (who is rumored to play a major role in Avengers 4) has just given himself the ultimate Hollywood makeover, as Marvel’s MODOK has received one of the most drastic revamps in comic history – becoming a new entity dubbed BRODOK.

With unnaturally yellow hair and orange skin, as well as a head that is just a little bit too large for his well-sculpted body, BRODOK is a far cry from the big-headed MODOK of yesterday. Yet despite looking nominally more human, BRODOK is still incredibly unsettling, as the second issue of Marvel’s West Coast Avengers makes clear.

Related: John Hodgman Really Wants To Play The MCU’s MODOK

Created by Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) as part of an experiment to enhance the intelligence of their agents, the being called MODOK first appeared in Tales Of Suspense #94 in October 1967. Though AIM’s experiments were a success and their test subject also gained psychic powers, their Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing (M.O.D.O.K) was left horribly disfigured physically and unable to move without the use of a special flying chair. MODOK would later take over AIM and use it to further his own twisted experiments, continually bringing him into conflict with The Avengers, particularly Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and Captain Marvel, whom he once tried to brainwash into loving him.

When making his made-over debut in West Coast Avengers, BRODOK encounters the heroes as they try to pacify former Avenger Tigra, who has become a giant for reasons no one can begin to guess. At least, not until BRODOK introduces himself, announces his intentions to help drive off the giant cat-woman, and then offers his unsolicited origin story. Despite his incredible tale, every single one of the heroes makes the connection between this supposed BRODOK (Bio-Robotic Organism Designed Overwhelmingly for Kissing) and MODOK, even before BRODOK says that he recently started a new plastic surgery firm called Advanced Image Mechanics. That was before he decided to use his enhanced physique to fight crime, instead of merely helping others to enhance their bodies.

Given MODOK’s long history of altering people’s bodies and minds against their will, this sets off all kinds of alarm bells for the new Avengers’ team leaders Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and Hawkeye (Kate Bishop). It doesn’t take a genius detective to figure that there has to be a connection between BRODOK’s convenient presence, and Tigra’s sudden need to reenact Attack Of The Fifty Foot (cat)Woman. It’s even more obvious that his desire to become friends with the West Coast Avengers – and see inside their headquarters – are all part of a plan to analyze their weaknesses and find a way to kill them all. Except for Kate… whom he really wants to kiss. Which is his new purpose, after all.

Unfortunately, letting BRODOK hang around the base for ‘team movie night’ is the best plan that the new Avengers can come up with to keep BRODOK distracted, while the Hawkeyes break into his AIM offices for evidence to foil his strange new villainous plans. When their skulduggery is discovered, BRODOK unleashes Tigra and a number of other women (whom he apparently also enhanced) upon an unwitting Los Angeles. How this will end, and how soon MODOK returns to his former, floating self is anyone’s guess, but we think it’s a safe bet that we won’t see anything this crazy in Avengers 4.

West Coast Avengers #2 is now available from Marvel Comics.

More: Avengers: 15 Things You Never Knew About M.O.D.O.K.

About The Author

Matt Morrison
(1839 Articles Published)

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Matt Morrison has been writing about comics since before the word
“blogging” was coined. He got his start writing for the
legendary DC Comics digital fanzine Fanzing,
before receiving his own column, The Mount. Since then he has gone on
to write for over a dozen websites, including 411
Mania, Comics
Nexus and The Cult of Nobody. He holds both an MS in Information
Science from the University of North Texas and a BFA from the
University of Texas at Arlington. Known as a font of comic book
history trivia, he has delivered lectures on the history of American
Comic Books, Japanese Manga, Doctor Who, and Cosplay at over a dozen conventions
and served as an Expert In-Residence for a course on Graphic Novels
for Librarians at the University of North Texas. In addition to his
work for Screen Rant, Matt is currently the Editor In Chief of
Kabooooom.com and writes reviews for No
Flying, No Tights – a graphic literature and anime review site
aimed at teachers and librarians. He also maintains a personal blog –
My Geeky Geeky Ways –
which hosts his extensive episode guide for the television series
making up The Arrowverse as well as his
comedic Let’s Play videos. What little spare time he has is
devoted towards acting, role-playing, movie-riffing and sarcasm. You
can follow his adventures on Twitter, @GeekyGeekyWays.

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