Team affiliations V-Battalion | Alter ego Helmut Gruler | |
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Created by Roy ThomasFrank Robbins Abilities Armored suit grants:Superhuman strength and durabilityFlight via boot jetsLimited longevitySeveral offensive weapons Similar U‑Man, Super‑Axis, Toro, Master Man, Agent Axis | ||
Iron Cross is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Contents
Publication history
The Helmut Gruler version of Iron Cross first appears in Invaders #36 (Jan. 1979) and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins.
The Clare Gruler version of Iron Cross first appeared in All-New Invaders #1 (Oct. 2014) and was created by James Robinson and Steve Pugh.
Helmut Gruler
Helmut Gruler is a World War II German soldier that first appears in the title Invaders. Gruler volunteers to wear armor created by Professor Franz Schneider for use against the Allied forces. Using the alias "Iron Cross", the character creates havoc until apparently killed during a battle with superhero team the Invaders.
Iron Cross reappears in the modern Marvel universe in the title Midnight Sons Unlimited, having apparently been saved and sustained by his armor.
Iron Cross is revealed in the limited series to be a founding member of the modern version of the V-Battalion, a secret group dedicated to hunting down war criminals. Iron Cross apparently dies preventing the spread of nanotechnology throughout the world by terrorist organization HYDRA.
Clare Gruler
Clare Gruler is the daughter of Helmut Gruler who took on her father's legacy and became a hero in Germany.
As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Clare Gruler's Inhuman gene activated when she was inside the Iron Cross armor which caused her to have powers that molecular-bonded her to the Iron Cross armor transforming her into a cyborg. Iron Cross was later kidnapped by Kurt Dagmar due to her new nature alongside the other robots and A.I.s. Iron Cross managed to send a signal for help which was received by Winter Soldier. The control Dagmar had over Iron Cross was interrupted when he was killed by one of his Deathloks.
Powers and abilities
Helmut Gruler wears an advanced suit of armor provides superhuman strength and durability, and flight via boot jets. The armor also has several offensive features, and is capable of releasing electrical current, sleeping gas and an inky fluid similar to that discharged by an octopus. The suit provides some longevity by sustaining Gruler's body.
Clare Gruler's Iron Cross armor grants her flight and energy discharge. Her molecular bonding appears to have only worked once when her Inhuman gene activated.