Steven Lang(sometimes spelledStephen Lang) is asupervillainappearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.He is a manufacturer of the mutant-huntingSentinels.He first appeared inThe X-Men#96 (December 1975).
| Steven Lang | |
|---|---|
 Art by Ibrahim Roberson andLan Medina | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The X-Men#96 (December 1975) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont Dave Cockrum |
| In-story information | |
| Species | HumanCyborg |
| Team affiliations | Purifiers Human Council Phalanx Project: Armageddon Department of Defense |
| Notable aliases | Master Mold, Template |
| Abilities | Cybernetic organism |
Fictional character biography
editDr. Steven Lang is a pioneer in the field of robotics and genetic mutation who hatesmutants.An employee of the U.S. government, he is placed in charge of a federal investigation into the origin of genetic mutation. He plans to use his talents to create an army of mutant hunting robots to kill all mutants. To this end, he seeks to get the government to endorse and financially support his operations.[1]
Lang begins by targeting mutant criminals, such asMesmero.He claims possession ofBolivar Trask's wreckedSentinelbase's resources,[1]and is backed byNed Buckmanand the "Council of the Chosen",[1]the secret group in control of the New York Branch of theHellfire Clubprior toSebastian Shaw's takeover.[2]
Lang desires to defeat his main targets, theX-Men,so he creates the "X-Sentinels",androiddoubles ofProfessor Xand the original X-Men. However, his androids manage only inferior imitations of the X-Men's powers, and are easily defeated by the real X-Men.Jean Greythen telekinetically forces Lang to crash his mini-gunship into a wall-screen.[1]He is left in a coma with severe brain damage.[3]
Afterwards, Lang's brain is used as a template for the minds of two Sentinels,Master Moldand Conscience, both of whom are destroyed in an attempt to release a virus which would have killed all mutants and roughly 97% of normal humans on Earth.[4]
Years later, Lang returns as a member of thePhalanx,a group of humans who had been transformed into techno-organic human-alien hybrids. The transformation process restores Lang's mind, and he becomes the Phalanx's leader.[5]Lang is the only one within the Phalanx to retain his individual human identity, possibly due to the brain damage. While he is ardent in his desire to see mutants eradicated, he comes to realize the Phalanx are a danger to humans as well. He conspires with the X-Men to destroy the Phalanx citadel on Earth, following which he is dragged to his apparent death by his lieutenantCameron Hodge.[6]
Lang's corpse is exhumed by thePurifiersand reanimated byBastionusing Technarch. He joins a group formed by the foremost anti-mutant leaders under Bastion's control.[7]During theSecond Comingstoryline, Lang andGraydon Creedare killed byHope Summers.[8]
Powers and abilities
editAs a normal human being, Stephen Lang had no superhuman powers. However, he was a genius and pioneer in the field of robotics, with adequate financial resources to fund his operations.
As a member of the Phalanx, he had all of the characteristics of a techno-organic life form: enhanced strength, durability, and agility, ability to re-shape corporeal form at will, and to infect other beings with thetechno-organic virusand control infected beings.
Other versions
editIn the 2009-2010 miniseriesX-Men Noir,Lang is a fictional character and lead for Bolivar Trask's pulp sci-fi series, "The Sentinels", who seeks to protect humanity from mutants.[9]
In other media
editGeneralWilliam Kincaid(a character similar to Steven Lang) appears inX-Men Legends,voiced byJohn DiMaggio.Under his campaign "Operation Vigilance", he planned to use theGravitonmetal to crashAsteroid Minto New York to blame the deaths and destruction on mutants for revenge. He later utilized his "Master MoldArmor "hidden inside Asteroid M but was defeated and arrested.