MASTER MAN

Like Steve Rogers, the future Captain America, Willie Lohmer was a weak German who was desperate to enlist. His loyalty and perfect Aryan looks made him the perfect candidate to undergo Brain Drain's experiment to create a Nazi superman similar to Captain America. Brain Drain's experiments worked, and Willie Lohmer became the superhumanly strong Master Man! He battled Captain America and Bucky, The Human Torch and Toro, and The Sub-Mariner. The heroes were unable to defeat Master Man individually, so British Prime Minister Winston Churchill suggested they team up to battle Master Man. Unable to defeat them all, Master Man overtaxed his strength and the serum that created him gave out. He reverted to the weak Willie Lohmer and was defeated by Bucky. Following the battle, Prime Minister Churchill suggested the five heroes remain together for the duration as the Invaders.

Master Man was taken into British custody (under the watch of the Liberty Legion) but was eventually freed by German spies. Returning to the Fatherland, Willie Lohmer was again transformed into Master Man; but this time he was even stronger and was able to fly. Again attacking the unsuspecting Invaders, Master Man easily defeated them. They were taken captive to Hitler's castle Berchtesgaden, where the Nazi spy Julia Ratsel was interrogating American GI Biljo White. Biljo had written a comic book that vaguely described the super-soldier serum. Assuming he knew the actual ingredients, Frau Ratsel hypnotized him. The only factor in the super-soldier serum Biljo knew was potassium--the only part the Nazis didn't know. Frau Ratsel recreated the serum and used it on herself, becoming Warrior Woman. She and Master Man teamed up to defeat the freed Invaders, and Hitler ordered them married on the same day he planned to execute the Invaders. Although Warrior Woman loathed the "oafish" Master Man, she consented to Hitler's orders. However, during the marriage, the minister was killed when the roof collapsed on him. The Invaders were again free, and it was their battle that had caused the cave-in. Although not officially married, Hitler procalimed his strongest underlings wed in order for them to create superhumanly strong Aryan children. This never came to pass, since Warrior Woman despised Master Man. Still, she fought beside him--as Hitler commanded.

Later, Master Man joined up with U-Man and Sky Shark as part of Brain Drain's attempt to build a giant, indestructible flying machine in the shape of a swastika. U-Man battled the Liberty Legion and managed to defeat them, stealing a secret bulletproof cockpit Brain Drain needed for his machine. However, to prevent the Nazis from using this device to win World War II and upset the balance of good and evil in the universe, the Watcher sent the Fantastic Four's Thing back to 1942 to aid the Liberty Legion in stopping the Nazi villains. Together, the Liberty Legion and the Thing were able to defeat Brain Drain and his cohorts.

Master Man and Warrior Woman then again teamed up as members of Lady Lotus' Super-Axis. Despite aid from U-Man and Baron Blood, they were again defeated at the hands of the Invaders.

After this defeat, and shortly before the end of the war, Nazi party member Herr Nacht had Baron Wolfgang von Strucker put Master Man and Warrior Woman in suspended animation. Herr Nacht taught his son about the fabled Nazi warriors, and told him that it would one day be his responsibility to free them from their suspended animation. The younger Nacht fell in love with Frau Ratsel, and seduced her when she and Master Man were awoken from their suspend animation in the early 90s. Hoping to get Willie Lohmer out of the picture, Herr Nacht sent him to battle the Sub-Mariner. Still egotistical, the rejuvenated Master Man battled Prince Namor. But during the course of the battle, Herr Nacht's treachery became apparent when Master Man was once more reduced to the feeble Willie Lohmer. Herr Nacht then arrived and proclaimed himself the new Master Man of the upcoming fourth Reich. Warrior Woman was by his side, and when she refused to help her weak husband Willie Lohmer realized that she never had and never would love him. Overcome by his insecurities and disappointment, Willie sabotaged an electrical box that caused an explosion. The Sub-Mariner and his allies escaped the explosion, but Willie Lohmer, Warrior Woman, and Herr Nacht were all caught in the blast. However, authorities were never able to find any bodies. It remains to be seen if Warrior Woman or Master Man II will return, although Willie Lohmer emerged from the explosion a few months later a changed man. Ben Herman explains further (thanks for the information Ben!): "After the explosion in Namor #12, Willie Lohmer was found by one of Cable's followers (known as "The Believers," I think). Lohmer was barely alive, and the loss of his powers had caused him to rapidly age, and he was now in his seventies. The Believer nursed Lohmer back to health, and told him about Cable's mission to save the world from Apocalypse. Lohmer's betrayal by Warrior Woman, the loss of his powers, and his aging made him realize he had been a fool to follow Hitler. He felt tremendous guilt, and decided to become a believer to try and cleanse his conscience. Some time later, Lohmer rescued Cable and Irene Merrywether (a journalist and ally of Cable) from the Hellfire Club, who they were fighting in Switzerland. The Hellfire Club was seraching for the lair of Apocalypse, so they could steal his advanced technology. Lohmer offered to help Cable to stop them. Cable quickly realized who Lohmer really was, and he didn't like the idea of working with a war criminal, but he accepted Lohmer's help reluctantly. During a battle with the Hellfire Club, Lohmer, still obsessed with redeeming himself, sacrificed his life to save Cable. Cable then buried Lohmer's body in the Swiss Alps."

INSIDE STORY: Master Man was Roy's first, and arguably greatest (if not necessarily most original), Nazi villain. Not only was he the Invaders' strongest foe, but he perfectly exemplified a lot of Nazi soldiers. He had been mocked as a child and reveled in the power that being a Nazi gave him. But it never took much to bruise Master Man's ego and bring his insecurities to the forefront. In the first issue, this set the Invaders apart from all the stories originally published in the 40s. Nazis in those propaganda comics were always two-dimensional, evil, and cartoony. But Master Man came across as a real person with human motivations--which was a lot scarier than the cardboard Nazis of the 40s. As a side note, the name Willie Lohmer was a nod to the character Willie Lohman in the play Death of a Salesman. There was no particular reason for this homage, Roy stated that it just sort of happened.

MASTER MAN I:

First Appearance: GIANT-SIZED INVADERS #1 (1975)

Other Appearances: INVADERS #16-21,34,40-41; MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE ANNUAL #1, MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #20 (1976); NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER (vol. II) #11-12 (1991); CABLE #51

Final Appearance: CABLE #52

MASTER MAN II:

First Appearance: NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER (vol. II) #11 (1991)

Other Appearance: NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER (vol. II) #12 (1991)

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