MAXIMUS

 

MAXIMUS

Real Name: Maximus Boltagon

First Appearance: Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #47, February 1966

Powers: Maximus the Mad is an Inhuman (Homo sapiens inanthropo), a genetically engineered human offshoot created by the Kree to possess heightened strength, speed, agility, endurance, and reaction time, roughly 50% greater than humans. He was also exposed to the mutagenic properties of the Terrigen Mist, a mutation-causing substance discovered by the Inhuman scientist Randac. It is potent enough to cause any living organism to mutate from exposure to it, although the Inhumans zealously restrict its use to Inhumans only. In the case of Maximus, his exposure as an infant initially granted him no outward signs of a mutation. But as he matured in age, he developed and successfully hid his psionic powers.

He possesses the ability to override the thought processes of other brains around him, although the potency of this power varies greatly over time. At its peak, Maximus can overtake the minds of others. While he is capable of numbing the minds of as many people as there are within a 20-foot radius of him, he can only direct one sort of behavior at a time. He can impose a certain behavior on either a single individual or as many people as are in his radius. Maximus is especially adept at controlling the actions of the limitedly intelligent Alpha Primitives worker class. Maximus' power can even cause short-term amnesia if he overpowers a mind with sufficient force. He can blank people's minds or control their actions for as long as he so concentrates: They revert to normal as soon as he stops.

Maximus is an inventor of genius-level intellect. Despite his mild insanity, he retains an excellent theoretical and practical knowledge of mechanics, physics, and biology. He is particularly gifted at fashioning elaborate machines out of common, simple materials.