Abraham Erskine (Earth-199999) (Marvel Series)

Dr. **Abraham Erskine** was a German scientist who created the Super Soldier Serum and was forced to use a preliminary version to transform Johann Schmidt into the Red Skull. Fleeing to the United States of America, Erskine joined the Strategic Scientific Reserve where he managed to perfect his serum, using it on Steve Rogers shortly before being assassinated by HYDRA.

## Biography

### Early Life

#### Adolf Hitler's Offer

Abraham Erskine was a German-born scientist from Augsburg, noted for his work in developing a serum to enhance human strength and abilities to superhuman levels. Erskine's work coincided with the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazism in Germany. When Erskine refused to cooperate with the Nazis and tried to escape with his family to Switzerland[5] in 1935[6], Hitler sent Johann Schmidt, the head of his SS research division HYDRA to force Erskine to finish the formula.

#### In Captivity

While Erskine was forced to continue working for the Third Reich, he came into conflict with Johann Schmidt who had intended to use the Super Soldier Serum for his own ends without Erskine's approval. Schmidt had also heard legends of an ancient artifact attainable only to a superior man and believed Erskine's formula would make him that superior man, although Erskine believed that his formula would not only enhance Schmidt's strength but also his rage.

Erskine refused to hand over his formula, until Schmidt threatened him with a gun and took an early version of the formula, which indeed gave him enhanced strength, but also demonstrated severe side effects. Schmidt would lose his hair, his skin would turn a deep red, and his face and head would also be deformed into a grotesque skull-like appearance. Erskine would later say the formula had also enhanced Schmidt's already-malevolent personality as well.

#### Saved by Agent Carter

Furious because of his disfigurement caused by the serum, Johann Schmidt had Erskine thrown into the dungeon to die a slow and painful death. However, with the help of Agent Peggy Carter, Erskine managed to be broken out of his dungeon and escaped to the United States of America, where Colonel Chester Phillips employed Erskine into the Strategic Scientific Reserve to perfect his formula in order to breed an army of super-soldiers to fight the Nazis, while Erskine relocated into Queens in New York City while he worked.

### Project Rebirth

#### Meeting Steve Rogers

While reviewing some more potential test subjects inside a recruiting station at Howard Stark's Stark Expo in 1943, Erskine happened to encounter Steve Rogers, who was having an argument with Bucky Barnes over his own right to go overseas and fight, showing himself to have a strong moral standing. As Erskine looked closer into his recruitment documents, he discovered Rogers had only recently attempted to enlist under assumed names in four different cities.

Intrigued by the lengths Rogers had gone to enlist, Erskine came to speak with him in private and asked Rogers if he wanted to kill Nazis during World War II, admitting that this was indeed a test for Rogers. When Rogers briefly questioned where Erskine was from he claimed he came from Queens in New York City before admitting he was born in Germany. When Erskine asked his question again, Rogers claimed he did not wish to kill anyone but simply disliked bullies.

Rogers' answer satisfied Erskine enough to approve Rogers' draft card as 1-A and had him stationed at Camp Lehigh. As he signed the draft card, Erskine noted that he would be offering only a chance with Project Rebirth and no guarantees, but Rogers insisted that he would take whatever chance he was given. When Erskine questioned where Rogers was really from, he admitted he was from Brooklyn before Erskine called him a soldier and then left.

#### Training Super Soldiers

At Camp Lehigh, Colonel Chester Phillips did not like the idea of bringing a frail boy into the war, but Erskine was sure that he had made his choice for the Super Soldier Program. Though Steve Rogers struggled through basic training due to his small size and poor health, his perseverance and ingenuity impressed Erskine, who regarded Rogers as the clear choice. Erskine resisted Colonel Phillips' efforts to persuade him to select Gilmore Hodge, who was physically superior, but whom Erskine regarded as a bully. Erskine's confidence in Rogers was cemented when he witnessed Rogers throw himself on what he thought was a live grenade in order to protect his fellow soldiers.

The night before the test, Erskine came to the private quarters to offer Rogers a drink from Augsburg, but did not give it to him because the experiment was tomorrow so Rogers could not have any liquids. Erskine admitted his reasons for selecting him. Erskine told him about Schmidt and explained while someone like Schmidt, who had known power all his life, might lose respect for that power, a weak man like Rogers would know the value of strength. Erskine urged Rogers not to forget who he was, not a perfect soldier, but a good man.

#### Transforming Steve Rogers

The next day, when Rogers arrived at the Strategic Scientific Reserve Brooklyn Facility, Erskine, with help from fellow scientist Howard Stark, injected him with penicillin and multiple injections of the Super Soldier Serum and bombarded him with Vita Radiation. Erskine nearly stopped the procedure when it appeared Rogers was having difficulty enduring the procedure, but Rogers urged him to continue. Moments later, Rogers emerged from the chamber significantly taller and noticeably more muscular.

#### Assassination

Erskine's experiment was successful, but his satisfaction was short-lived as Heinz Kruger, an operative sent in by Johann Schmidt to sabotage Erskine's work, had infiltrated the facility disguised as an observer from the State Department, detonated a bomb, destroying Erskine's machinery and shot him before attempting to escape with a sample of the Super Soldier Serum. When Steve Rogers rushed to the fatally wounded Erskine's side, Erskine's final act was to point to Rogers' heart, to remind him of who he was inside.

### Legacy

#### Recreating the Serum

With the last vial destroyed during the pursuit of Heinz Kruger, who committed suicide to avoid capture, Erskine would take the secret of the formula to his grave, leaving Steve Rogers the only example of Erskine's realized dream. Nevertheless, scientists and military personnel would attempt to duplicate his work well into the 21st Century, including Doctor Bruce Banner, who believed Gamma Radiation held the key, and General Thaddeus Ross. However, the success of these experiments proved extremely dubious, as they resulted in Banner and Captain Emil Blonsky being transformed into the creatures known as the Hulk and Abomination.

## Relationships

### Family

* Greta Erskine † - Wife
* Marlene Erskine † - Daughter
* Klaus Erskine † - Son

### Allies

* Strategic Scientific Reserve
	+ Chester Phillips † - Friend
	+ Howard Stark † - Fellow Scientist
	+ Peggy Carter † - Friend
* Steve Rogers - Friend

### Enemies

* Adolf Hitler †
* HYDRA
	+ Johann Schmidt
	+ Arnim Zola †
	+ Heinz Kruger † - Killer

## Trivia

* In the comics, Erskine went under the alias of Josef Reinstein in order to hide himself from Adolf Hitler and Baron Zemo, but no mention of his false name is made in *Captain America: The First Avenger*. However, this alias is seen on the cryo container in *The Incredible Hulk*.
* Erskine's relationship with Rogers is similar to Tony Stark's with Ho Yinsen. Likewise, he also died imploring Rogers to be a good person.
* Erskine's date of birth of September 14, 1869 (according to S.H.I.E.L.D. Files). This would have made him less than three months short of his 74th birthday at the time of his death. This is considerably older than actor Stanley Tucci, who was approximately 49-50 years old at the time of the filming of *Captain America: The First Avenger*.
* A mural painting of Erskine appears on a wall at the Midtown School of Science and Technology.