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Real Name:
Otto Octavius
Occupation: Former atomic-research consultant, criminal mastermind Identity: Publicly known Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record Place of Birth: Schenectady, New York Group Affiliation: former leader of the Sinister Six Base of Operations: New York City First Appearance: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #3 Vol. 1 History: Otto Octavius was a brilliant mild-mannered atomic researcher who designed and constructed a chest harness to which four artificial tentacle-like arms were attached to enable him to manipulate radioactive substances from a safe distance. Because of his invention Octavius was nicknamed Doctor Octopus. In a freak laboratory accident, volatile radioactive organic liquids exploded, bombarding the scientist with radiation. The accident bonded his harness to his skin and nervous system. Octavius received brain damage in the accident, causing him to become criminally insane. Octavius has sought to amass wealth and power through various criminal activities, but was defeated each time by the hero Spider-Man. He has battled other heroes such |
At more than one point, Octavius
managed to link Spider-Man to his secret identity of Peter Parker, only
to repeatedly dismiss the truth as illogical. Another time, Octavius courted
Parker's aunt May and even planned to marry her. Octavius' true motive
was to gain control of an atomic plant that May had inherited. The wedding
never took place, the plant was ultimately destroyed, and Octavius has
not encountered May for years.
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Even before his laboratory accident
and criminal exploits, he was the object of adoration by Carolyn Trainer,
a virtual reality scientist and former protégé of Octavius.
Carolyn would often visit Octavius in prison, after his numerous defeats
by the heroic Spider-Man, although Octavius never reciprocated her feelings.
Years later, Octavius gained a oft-partner in his devoted girlfriend, Angelina
Brancale, code-named Stunner. Octavius devised a scheme to use a virtual
reality (VR) body for himself in order to fight Spider-Man. He sought out
Carolyn, who had become one of the leaders in the field. Together, the
two scientists helped create VR identities for Stunner and himself, calling
his VR body the Master Programmer.
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a virtual reality wave generator to allow her to warp reality and create
a persona for the digital intelligence of Master Programmer, who was based
on Octavius. She stole equipment after confronting Alistair Smythe and
successfully recreated the Programmer before the Scarlet Spider destroyed
the device and forced her to flee.
After many months, Octavius' body was stolen by the villains Rose, Delilah, and the organization called the Hand, who wanted to resurrect Octavius. The also captured Spider-Man as a part of the resurrection ceremony, but he managed to escape. At the same time, the ceremony was crashed by Trainer and Stunner. The villains decided to use Stunner's body instead, but as it was a body created by virtual reality, the process destroyed it, threw Brancale into a coma, and killed Master Zei, leader of the resurrection ceremony. Nevertheless, Octavius was restored to life. Trainer gave up her costumed identity and equipment and used her technology to give Octavius the knowledge and experience of the Master Programmer. Thus, Octavius once again became Doctor Octopus. |
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Known Superhuman Powers: Doctor Octopus' abilities derive from his four titanium tentacles. Attached to a stainless-steel harness encircling his lower chest and waist, each telepathically-controlled, telescoping tentacle is capable of moving at speeds of 90 feet per second and can strike with the force of a jackhammer. Also, Doctor Octopus can generate a 50-mph wind by spinning the prehensile limbs like a giant fan. At full extension, the mechanical appendages allow him to travel high above the ground as if on stilts, either using two tentacles, or all four for maximum speed (about 50 mph). Each tentacle is about 5 inches in diameter and terminates in three, single-jointed pincers. The pincers can rotate in relation to the tentacle for 360 degrees, in a screwdriver-like twisting motion.
