Baron Zemo

Real name: Heinrich Zemo

First appearance: Avengers 4 (in shadow), 6 (in full).

Died in: Avengers 15.

What's His Problem? An elite Nazi scientist during World War II, Zemo developed a life-long loathing for Captain America when a skirmish with Cap resulted in Zemo being splashed with his own Adhesive X, permanently affixing his menacing magenta mask to his malevolent mug. When Cap joined the Avengers in later decades, Zemo founded the Masters of Evil in a fit of super-villainous one-upmanship. Eventually, the Avengers-Masters conflict led to Zemo's accidental death in combat with Cap.

Abilities: Zemo was a phenomenally brilliant scientist whose accomplishments included creating Adhesive X and devising ways to breathe, speak, eat and drink despite having a hood glued to his face. He was also a physically formidable foe decades after his heyday thanks to his life-prolonging Compound X.

Weapons: Numerous, including an endless array of wacky sci-fi handguns, one of which eventually caused his accidental death when he misfired wildly and triggered an avalanche (the hood must not have done much for his peripheral vision).

Favorite Quote: "Bah! Even in the latest scientific journals which you bring me, there is still no known formula that can remove Adhesive X! Am I doomed to wear this accursed hood forever?!" (Avengers 6. Zemo catches up on his reading in his South American hideout.)

Heroes He Kept Running Into: Captain America and Bucky in WWII and the Avengers more recently. He also killed the 1940s Polish freedom fighter called Citizen V.

People Who Think He's Not So Bad: Zemo's Masters of Evil colleagues were deferential to his superior intellect if not chummy. The isolated South American tribe that Zemo subjugated, on the other hand, worshipped him like a god (there's something about an aging Nazi in an off-purple hood that commands respect). Mercenary Erik Josten (later Goliath) idolized the Baron and served him loyally. Zemo also enjoyed the love of his wife and son. In fact, his son Helmut followed in daddy's footsteps by swearing vengeance on Captain America. He managed to incur a severe facial disfigurement in battle with the Captain, and donned the trademark Zemo mask. He even went on to found a new Masters of Evil and trashed Avengers Mansion ... but that's another story.

Most Despicable Act: Luring Captain America and Bucky into a trap that blew Bucky to bits before Cap's eyes and threw Cap himself into decades of suspended animation before the Avengers discovered and revived him. Now that's something to brag to the Red Skull about...
by Sean McQuaid

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