Mister Hyde
Real Name: Doctor Calvin Zabo
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery 99
What's His Problem? Inspired by the fictional tale of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, Calvin Zabo became obsessed with distilling the essence of human savagery. To facilitate his bizarre research, he stole money and equipment from his various employers. The cunning Zabo moved from job to job frequently and never left any firm evidence that could convict him, but his shady reputation eventually led Dr. Don Blake (secretly the thunder god Thor) to reject his application for employment. Incensed, Zabo vowed revenge and soon completed his "Hyde formula." Ingesting the mixture, Zabo was transformed into the superhumanly powerful and irredeemably evil Mister Hyde. As Hyde, he has battled Thor, Daredevil and many other heroes in his brutally violent quest for wealth and power.
Powers: So long as he periodically ingests his special formula, Zabo can assume the form of Mister Hyde. As Hyde, Zabo is a huge figure of great superhuman strength and durability.
Favorite quote: "Mister Hyde dares many things!" (Captain America 251)
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: Mr. Hyde started out battling Thor, but his most persistent foe has been Daredevil. Other heroes who've taken a piece out of Zabo's Hyde include Captain America, Falcon, Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Hulk and Ghost Rider.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: Good luck finding 'em. Hyde's a brutal madman who revels in evil for its own sake. Past allies often turned on him, or vice versa. Most notably among these is the Cobra, Hyde's longtime partner, who abandoned Zabo during a prison escape and earned Hyde's undying enmity.
Most Despicable Act: Mr. Hyde has committed countless cruel and unusual crimes, but he was perhaps at his most evil when he tried to blow up all of New York City in an attempt to kill his old partner, the Cobra. Luckily, Captain America and Batroc stopped 'im. As for the nastiest thing Hyde actually did accomplish, that may well be the brutal, prolonged torture of Avengers butler Edwin Jarvis after Hyde helped the Masters of Evil capture Avengers Mansion. Jarvis was lame and half-blind for some time thereafter.
by Sean McQuaid
