# Masters of Evil

The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 (July 1964), with the lineup continually changing over the years.

## Publication history

The first version of the Masters of Evil debuted in The Avengers #6, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
The second version of the Masters of Evil debuted in The Avengers #54, created by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, and George Tuska.
The third version of the Masters of Evil debuted in The Avengers #222, created by Jim Shooter, Steven Grant, and Greg LaRocque.
The fourth version of the Masters of Evil debuted in The Avengers #270, created by Roger Stern, John Buscema, and Tom Palmer.
The fifth version of the Masters of Evil debuted in Guardians of the Galaxy #28, created by Jim Valentino, Herb Trimpe, and Steve Montano.
The sixth version of the Masters of Evil debuted in The Incredible Hulk #449, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.
The seventh version of the Masters of Evil debuted in Thunderbolts #3 created by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley, and Vince Russell.
The eighth version of the Masters of Evil debuted in Secret Avengers #21.1, created by Rick Remender, Patrick Zircher, and Andy Troy.
The ninth version of the Masters of Evil debuted in Thunderbolts #10, created by Jim Zub, Jon Malin, Kurt Busiek, and Mark Bagley.

## Fictional team biography
### Baron Heinrich Zemo's Masters of Evil

The original Masters of Evil (consisting of existing Marvel Comics supervillains the Black Knight, Melter, and Radioactive Man) was gathered by Heinrich Zemo. Despite attempting to capture the Avengers with Adhesive X and spreading it over New York City, the Avengers find an antidote with the help of Paste-Pot Pete, give it to the Masters in secret, and then send most of the members to jail. Zemo is tricked into opening a container filled with tear gas inside his helicopter, but escapes anyway.
Baron Zemo leads the team in his revenge on Captain America and the Avengers. The team had been joined by the Enchantress and the Executioner, whom Zemo found in their exile to Earth that was imposed on them by Odin for attacking Thor. The Enchantress hypnotizes Thor into attacking the Avengers, but Iron Man breaks him out of the trance. Meanwhile, Captain America has been lured to South America to fight Zemo. After defeating Zemo, Captain America returns on Zemo's helicopter and stops Zemo from shooting the Avengers. However, Enchantress casts a spell that gets the helicopter to the rooftop she and the Executioner are on. The Executioner knocks Captain America out by striking his shoulder, and takes him out of the helicopter, after which they all try to escape. The Masters are sent to another dimension in a space warp generated by Thor.
Two issues later, Enchantress returns them to Earth using a spell. Simon Williams is given superhuman strength with an ionic ray, though he is told he will die in a week unless given an antidote Zemo has. He captures the Wasp and lures the Avengers into a trap, but sacrifices himself to save the Avengers. Immortus appears and offers to help the Masters by defeating the Avengers. He succeeds in sending Captain America to the Tower of London in 1760. The Masters attack the Avengers, but Captain America manages to return. The Enchantress, sensing defeat, sends the villains back in time to before they met Immortus.
In a later issue, Zemo kidnaps Rick Jones with an attractor beam and has the Enchantress and the Executioner release the Black Knight and the Melter (the Radioactive Man having been deported back to China). They attack the other Avengers, forcing Captain America to go alone to Zemo's kingdom to rescue Rick. The Executioner tells the Avengers that a battle in the city would hurt many people, meaning they should surrender. Captain America blinds Zemo with his shield and Zemo dies when he accidentally triggers a rock slide. The Black Knight and the Melter are then captured after Thor transports them to another dimension with different scientific laws, meaning their weapons rebound. The Enchantress and the Executioner escape by running away before the transportation happened.

### Ultron's Masters of Evil

The second version, organized by Ultron, consisted of Black Knight, Klaw, Melter, Radioactive Man, and Whirlwind. Black Knight later betrayed the Masters of Evil and helped the Avengers defeat them.

### Egghead's Masters of Evil

Criminal scientist Egghead organized a third version, consisting of Moonstone, Scorpion, Tiger Shark, and Whirlwind. After the team's defeat, Egghead kept only Moonstone and Tiger Shark; the Scorpion and Whirlwind were replaced with Beetle, Shocker, and Radioactive Man. Egghead uses this incarnation to assist him in making technological breakthroughs.

### Baron Helmut Zemo's Masters of Evil
#### First version

Helmut Zemo formed the fourth version of the Masters of Evil from over a dozen villains, consisting of Absorbing Man, Blackout, Black Mamba, Fixer, Goliath, Grey Gargoyle, Mister Hyde, Moonstone, Screaming Mimi, Tiger Shark, Titania, Whirlwind, the Wrecking Crew (Bulldozer, Piledriver, Thunderball and Wrecker), and Yellowjacket, created with the goal of overwhelming the Avengers with sheer raw power, whereas others had attempted to match the current line-up.
The villains storm Avengers Mansion in a multi-issue storyline titled "Avengers Under Siege".
A flashback later revealed that Augustus Roman's family had died during the fight between the Avengers and this incarnation of the Masters of Evil.

#### Second version

The sixth incarnation was again assembled by Helmut Zemo, and posed as superheroes known as the Thunderbolts. In addition to Zemo, the team consisted of Beetle, Fixer, Goliath, Moonstone, and Screaming Mimi. All eventually became heroes and renounced their criminal ways, though Zemo, the Fixer, and Moonstone all returned to villainy some time later.

#### Third version

Baron Helmut Zemo created an 11th incarnation consisting of Whiplash, Man-Killer, Klaw, Tiger Shark, and the Wrecking Crew, all of whom had been members of previous incarnations of the Masters of Evil. Baron Zemo sent them out to persuade Atlas of the Thunderbolts, the former Goliath of Zemo's earlier incarnation of the Masters of Evil, to rejoin the team. Atlas resisted and only an unexpected reappearance of the Thunderbolt Jolt interrupted the Masters' plan. The Masters then went after the Winter Soldier, who was then leading the Thunderbolts, and captured him. Zemo and the Masters then assaulted the Thunderbolts in their base, capturing several of them.
During the Secret Empire storyline, Baron Zemo has Kobik send Bucky Barnes back through time to World War II and another battle with the Thunderbolts, in which the Man-Killer was apparently killed by Kobik. Upon Atlas, the Fixer, and Moonstone joining the Masters of Evil, they worked to reassemble Kobik. As Erik Selvig hordes the fragments that he has, kisses them, and commits suicide, the Kobik-reprogrammed Captain America persuaded Baron Zemo to have the Masters of Evil join HYDRA's "Army of Evil." Baron Zemo did just that. The Masters of Evil assisted the Army of Evil in causing havoc in protest for what happened at Pleasant Hill.

### Doctor Octopus' Masters of Evil

The fifth incarnation was organized by Doctor Octopus, but bore little resemblance to previous incarnations. Its roster included Gargantua, Jackhammer, Oddball, Powderkeg, and Puff Adder, in addition to former members Absorbing Man, Shocker, Titania, and Yellowjacket.
This incarnation initially fought the original Guardians of the Galaxy - a superhero group from an alternate future timeline - but then fought with the Guardians against an army of doppelgangers.

### The Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil
#### First version

The seventh incarnation was recruited by the Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer). This version consisted first of the third Cyclone, Flying Tiger, Klaw, Man-Killer, and Tiger Shark, and later expanded to include Aqueduct, Bison, Blackwing, Boomerang, Cardinal, Constrictor, Dragonfly, Eel, Icemaster, Joystick, Lodestone, Man-Ape, Quicksand, Scorcher, Shatterfist, Shockwave, Slyde, Sunstroke, and Supercharger.

#### Second version

The eighth incarnation, led by the Crimson Cowl, consisted of Black Mamba, Cardinal, Cyclone, Gypsy Moth, Hydro-Man, Machinesmith, and Man-Killer.
Both versions of the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil sought to master and control Earth's superhuman mercenaries. They even tried to get the Thunderbolts to join them.

### The Shadow Council's Masters of Evil

Max Fury of the Shadow Council forms a ninth incarnation of the Masters of Evil, consisting of Princess Python, Vengeance, and Whiplash. They were discovered by the Secret Avengers during a mission run by Captain America and Hawkeye. Max Fury later recruits Black Talon, the Brothers Grimm, Carrion, Constrictor, Crossfire, Diablo, Firebrand, Griffin, Killer Shrike, Lady Stilt-Man, Pink Pearl, and Squid to join the Shadow Council's Masters of Evil. Fury and the Masters of Evil capture John Steele after he attempts to escape Bagalia with the Serpent Crown and the Crown of Thorns. In order for the Masters of Evil to obtain the Crown of Wolves for the Shadow Council, Fury hired the Taskmaster to retrieve it. The Taskmaster demanded more money for the job and he hid in the Hole (a bar located in an underground city in Bagalia). Upon claiming the Crown of Wolves, Fury was unable to harness its power because he is a Life Model Decoy. When the Taskmaster donned the Crown of Wolves, he was unable to control the powers of the Abyss. Under the control of the Abyss, the Masters of Evil and the other people in Bagalia make their move. The Secret Avengers fight to keep the people under control of the Abyss from leaving Bagalia and invading other countries to spread the possession to other people. While possessed by the Abyss, Taskmaster used its power to take control of the villains and have them board an airplane out of Bagalia to spread the campaign of the Abyss. While the others fight the possessed villains and other people, Venom uses his symbiote to break the Crowns and capture the Taskmaster.
When the second incarnation of the Secret Avengers raid Bagalia to free the Taskmaster, they have to fight through the Masters of Evil. During this time, it is shown that Bi-Beast, Madcap, Ringer, and a number of other supervillains have joined the Masters of Evil.
The Masters of Evil are featured in "Avengers Undercover" as part of the second wave of comics that are part of the "Marvel NOW!" branding. Following the death of Max Fury, Baron Helmut Zemo had been sworn in as the new leader of the Masters of Evil. He is shown to have Madame Masque as his right-hand woman, has Constrictor as his bodyguard, and Daimon Hellstrom is in their company as their magic expert. The Anachronism, Cammi, Chase Stein, Death Locket, Hazmat, and Nico Minoru teleport to Bagalia in disguise and locate Cullen Bloodstone at the Hole, a Bagalian bar owned by Arcade. After a fight with the villains there, Cullen reveals that he has become a member of the Masters of Evil, having been accepted by them. Constrictor and Madam Masque arrange for Cullen to teleport the group to a nearby swanky party at Massacrer Casino hosted by Arcade so that they can get revenge on him once and for all. Zemo, Masque, Constrictor, and Hellstrom watch as the young heroes try to avoid being killed, as Arcade has arranged the party at Massacrer Casino as the testing grounds for his newest version of "Murderworld": fancy parties at casinos where the rich and powerful can try and kill each other to prove their supremacy. After Arcade was killed, Zemo, Masque, Constrictor, and Hellstrom begin plotting their next move regarding the heroes. After the young heroes are apprehended during a S.H.I.E.L.D. raid on Bagalia, Hellstrom later teleports the S.H.I.E.L.D. lair back to Bagalia, where Zemo offers the group a chance to join the Masters of Evil. Zemo instructs Constrictor, Hellstrom, and Masque to take a portion of the Murderworld survivors and take them into Bagalia City. While the other young heroes take up Zemo's offer to join the Masters of Evil (with a plan to take the group down from within), Cammi is the only one to decline. Zemo hears that she is the only one not joining and says that they will respect her choice. Cammi flies away, only to be caught by Constrictor and slammed into a rock wall.

### Lightmaster's Masters of Evil

While the Shadow Council had their version, Lightmaster assembles a more traditional lineup (10th incarnation) when he and his henchmen, the Wrecking Crew, encounter of the Superior Spider-Man and his Superior Six while attacking Alchemax and attempting to steal its technology during a plot to blackmail New York City for money. Besides the Wrecking Crew, this roster includes the Absorbing Man, Titania, Mister Hyde, Whirlwind, and Blackout.

### West Coast version

To combat the West Coast Avengers, Madame Masque formed a West Coast version of the Masters of Evil consisting of the Eel, Graviton, Lady Bullseye, MODOK Superior, Satana, and Kate Bishop's parents Derek and Eleanor Bishop.

### Multiversal Masters of Evil

When the Prehistoric Avengers fought a younger Thanos and sent him back to the future, Mephisto found out that an alternate version of Doctor Doom called Doom Supreme had witnessed this fight. Mephisto suggested to Doom Supreme to form a team of evil villains that would take on the Avengers. As a condition from the Council of Red, Doom Supreme is to save Earth-616 for last. He formed a Multiverse version of the Masters of Evil that consisted of Black Skull, Dark Phoenix, Ghost Goblin, Kid Thanos, and King Killmonger.

## Related teams
### Young Masters

During the "Dark Reign" storyline, a young version of the team - controlled by criminal mastermind Norman Osborn - debuts in the miniseries Dark Reign: Young Avengers.

### Bastards of Evil

A group calling themselves the Bastards of Evil debuted in the 2010 "Heroic Age" storyline. All members claim to be the children of supervillains who were discarded and disavowed by their parents. They include Aftershock (the supposed daughter of Electro), Warhead (the supposed son of the Radioactive Man), Mortar (the supposed daughter of the Grey Gargoyle), Singularity (the supposed son of Graviton), and Ember (the supposed son of Pyro).
It was later revealed that the Bastards are led by a child genius known as Superior (who claims to be the son of the Leader). It was also revealed that the Bastards were actually normal teenagers who were mutated by exposure to radiation by Superior as well as given false memory implants. The surviving Bastards are held in the Raft after their capture.

## Reception
### Critical response

Darby Harn of Screen Rant included the Masters of Evil in their "10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics" list, and in their "15 Most Powerful Black Panther Villains" list. Mark Ginocchio of ComicBook.com ranked the Master of Evil 1st in their " Marvel's 5 Greatest Supervillain Stables" list." Jerry Stanford of Comic Book Resources ranked 3rd in their "10 Most Important Marvel Villain Teams" list, while David Harth ranked the team 6th in their "5 Best Marvel Villain Teams (& The 5 Best DC Villain Teams)" list.

## Other versions
### Heroes Reborn (1996)

An alternate universe iteration of the Masters of Evil appear in Heroes Reborn: Masters of Evil, initially consisting of Black Knight, Klaw, Melter, Radioactive Man, and Whirlwind before Klaw leaves the group and the Crimson Dynamo and Titanium Man take his place. After Doctor Doom's Doombots kill Black Knight, Crimson Dynamo, and Titanium Man, Whirlwind leaves the group to start a new life.

### "Heroes Reborn" (2021)

A group based on the Masters of Evil called the Masters of Doom appear in "Heroes Reborn" (2021), consisting of Doctor Juggernaut, Silver Witch, All-Gog, and the Black Skull. This version of the group are enemies of the Squadron Supreme of America and were previously imprisoned in the Negative Zone.

### House of M

An alternate reality iteration of the Masters of Evil appear in House of M: Masters of Evil, formed and led by the Hood and consisting of Absorbing Man, Batroc the Leaper, Blizzard, Chemistro, Cobra, Constrictor, Crossbones, Madame Masque, Mister Hyde, Nitro, Sandman, Titania, Wizard, and the Wrecking Crew. This version of the group was formed to defy Magneto. While taking over the Central American country of Santo Rico, its dictators Madison and Lionel Jeffries kill two of the Wrecking Crew, Bulldozer and Piledriver. Though the group succeed in killing the Jeffries in turn, Magneto and Sebastian Shaw expose the Masters of Evil's criminal pasts, leading to Cobra, Crossbones, Hyde, Chemistro, Wizard, and Wrecking Crew member Thunderball abandoning the remaining members, most of whom are killed by the Red Guard, though Absorbing Man throws Titania to safety.

### Marvel Adventures

The Masters of Evil appear in Marvel Adventures #4, consisting of Helmut Zemo, Abomination, Leader, and Ultron. Additionally, a group called the New Masters of Evil appear in Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #16, consisting of Egghead, Man-Bull, Melter, and Whirlwind.

### Marvel 2099

A future incarnation of the Masters of Evil from Earth-2099 appear in the Marvel 2099 story Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #3, consisting of Patriot, Black Knight, Baron Zemo, Enchantress, Melter, and Radioactive Man. This version of the group killed several members of the Avengers and conquered multiple worlds. After Zemo kills the Black Knight for disobeying orders, the Masters of Evil are defeated by the New Avengers and remanded to a prison on the planet Wakanda.

### Ultimate Marvel

A group based on the Masters of Evil called the Liberators appear in Ultimates 2, formed by Loki under the alias of Norwegian scientist "Gunnar Golman" and consisting of Abomination, Crimson Dynamo, Schizoid Man, Colonel Abdul al-Rahma, Hurricane, Insect Queen, and Perun. They received support from international governments, such as China, France, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and later Russia, and other superpowered individuals such as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Hank Pym, and his Ultron / Vision II sentries to invade the United States. However, they are defeated by the U.S.'s heroes, with Perun surrendering to S.H.I.E.L.D. and being held in the Triskelion and Loki being held by Odin for inciting a world war.

## In other media
### Television

* The Masters of Evil appear in The Marvel Super Heroes episode "Zemo and his Masters of Evil", consisting of Heinrich Zemo, Black Knight, Radioactive Man, and Melter.
* The Masters of Evil appear in The Avengers: United They Stand episode "Command Decision", consisting of Helmut Zemo, Absorbing Man, Boomerang, Cardinal, Dragonfly, Moonstone, Tiger Shark, and Whirlwind.
* The Masters of Evil appear in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, formed by Enchantress, Executioner, and Heinrich Zemo and consisting of them, Arnim Zola, Wonder Man, Crimson Dynamo, Abomination, Chemistro, Grey Gargoyle, and Living Laser. They battle the Avengers twice until Zemo discovers the Enchantress was secretly working with Loki to help him take over Asgard while Thor is away on Earth and betrays her while enacting a plot to use Karnilla's Norn Stones to fuse Earth with Asgard. After the Avengers foil the plot, Enchantress seeks vengeance on Zemo and eliminates Chemistro, Living Laser, and Zola, forcing the surviving Masters of Evil to ask for the Avengers' help in stopping her. During the Enchantress' subsequent attack, Black Panther builds a power dampener, which successfully negates her powers. Wonder Man prevents Zemo from finishing her off, but when the Enchantress tries to take the last Norn Stone, Wonder Man grabs it simultaneously, causing both of them to disappear. In the aftermath, Zemo, Abomination, Crimson Dynamo, and the Executioner are incarcerated at Prison 42.
* The Masters of Evil appear in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, consisting of MODOK, Abomination, Heinrich Zemo, Graviton, and Tiger Shark.
* The Masters of Evil appear in Avengers Assemble, consisting of Helmut Zemo, Beetle, Fixer, Goliath, Moonstone, and Screaming Mimi. Following failed attacks on Stark Industries and Avengers Tower, the Masters of Evil reappear as the superhero team, the Thunderbolts, via a shrouding device to mask their appearances. However, Screaming Mimi has a change of heart and convinces her teammates to join the Avengers in exposing Zemo, who escapes while the remaining Masters of Evil turn themselves in.
* The Masters of Evil appear in the first season of Marvel Future Avengers, consisting of the Leader, Enchantress, Ares, Winter Soldier, and Bruno, a teenage Hydra operative who underwent genetic manipulation. The group is recruited by Kang the Conqueror and join forces with Hydra and Loki to enact the "Emerald Rain" project, a plan to reverse-engineer Terrigen crystals and use them to mutate Earth's populace to become Kang's new foot soldiers. The Winter Soldier and Bruno later defect, with Bruno joining the Future Avengers.

### Video games

* The Masters of Evil appear in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, led by Doctor Doom and consisting of Baron Mordo, Loki, Enchantress, and Ultron as his lieutenants as well as Arcade, Attuma, Bullseye, Byrrah, Crimson Dynamo, Executioner, Fin Fang Foom, Lizard, MODOK, Mysterio, Radioactive Man, Rhino, Scorpion, Shocker, Tiger Shark, Warlord Krang, Winter Soldier, and the Wrecking Crew. Additionally, Mandarin, Grey Gargoyle, and Dragon Man appear as former members who left when the Mandarin failed to take leadership from Doom.
* The Masters of Evil appear in a self-titled DLC pack for Lego Marvel's Avengers, consisting of Helmut Zemo, Enchantress, Black Knight, Skurge, Melter, Radioactive Man, and Whirlwind.