Max Modell

Max Modell is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

Max Modell first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #648 and was created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos.

Fictional character biography

Max Modell is the CEO of Horizon Labs. Mayor J. Jonah Jameson's wife Marla Madison-Jameson was the one who hooked up Peter Parker with Max Modell who got Peter Parker a job at Horizon Labs after proving himself by shutting down Sanjani Jaffrey's out-of-control machine.^[1] When Kingpin's latest agent Hobgoblin attacks Horizon Labs, Spider-Man saves Max Modell from him.^[2] After Hobgoblin was repelled, Max Modell comes into where Peter is and finds him in his underwear listening to some music with his headphones. Peter stated that he didn't hear the attack and Max Modell walks away. Max Modell later give orders to have the reverbium destroyed much to the chagrin of Sanjani Jaffrey.^[3]

At Andru Air Force Base, Max Modell has been confirmed to monitor the launch of the rocket that John Jameson will be piloting. Max and John tell J. Jonah Jameson and Marla that Peter Parker will be in attendance. When it comes to the day of the launch, Max Modell was present when Alistair Smythe unleashes the Spider-Slayers on the launch site.^[4] During Spider-Man's fight with Scorpion, Max Modell makes contact with John Jameson who tells him that the shuttle is out of control.^[5] Max Modell later talks to Peter Parker about his connection to Spider-Man where he thinks that Peter Parker is the one who makes Spider-Man's technology. Spider-Man goes along with that claim. As Peter Parker finishes the device that would negate the Spider-Slayers' sixth sense, Max tells Peter that Spider-Man would lose his enhanced senses if he is in the device's blast radius when it explodes.^[6]

During the threat of Massacre, Max Modell meets with police captain Yuri Watanabe where they talk about the criminal-detecting app S.I.S. which would help them find Massacre. They also discover Massacre's true identity and learn that he was one of Dr. Ashley Kafka's patents.^[7]

Max Modell later tells Peter Parker about the complaints that Grady Scraps and Sanjani Jaffrey gave him about Peter's project heavily borrowing from their projects. Peter tells Max that he will share in the credit of that project.^[8]

During the "Spider-Island" storyline, Max Modell speaks to Mister Fantastic about broadcasting the correct frequency that could fix Spider-Man's spider senses while keeping the Homo Arachus in Manhattan.^[9] When Mary Jane asks Max Modell, Bella Fishbach, and Grady Scraps on why she is only in stage two of the spider virus, they claim that it was from all those years she had with Peter.^[10] Following the Spider Queen's death, Max Modell thanks his staff for helping to combat the infestation that plagued Manhattan.^[11] It was revealed that Max Modell had secret help developing the cure for the spider infestation from Michael Morbius who was an old college friend of Max. Spider-Man later discovered Morbius and fought him with Uatu Jackson's help until Max broke up the fight.^[12]

Peter and Max later coordinate John Jameson's mission on the Apogee 1 Station while opening a channel to J. Jonah Jameson. This lasts until Juergen Muntz tells them that the Apogee 1 Station is experiencing a full system error caused by the Octobots that were sent there by Doctor Octopus and Mysterio. J. Jonah Jameson will hold Max accountable if anything happens to his son.^[13] Max Modell and J. Jonah Jameson watch the fight between Spider-Man, Human Torch, and John Jameson against the Octobot-controlled crew of the Apogee 1 Station on the screen. When J. Jonah Jameson states that the Apogee 1 station is falling out of orbit, Max Modell states that there are other ways off the Apogee 1 station. As the Apogee 1 station starts to fall to Earth, Max Modell tells J. Jonah Jameson to have faith in Spider-Man.^[14]

During the "Ends of the Earth" storyline, it is revealed that Max Modell is openly gay and has a partner named Hector Baez who works as Horizon Labs' lawyer. When J. Jonah Jameson makes various accusations towards Horizon Labs and plans to shut it down, Hector Baez had to defend Max Modell and Horizon Labs from the accusations.^[15] Max Modell was present when J. Jonah Jameson had all energies at Horizon Labs shut down in an effort to have Horizon Labs shut down.^[16] Max Modell and the rest of Horizon Labs make use of a floating laboratory where they work on Spider-Man's project called "Pink Hippo."^[17]

Following Spider-Man stopping Doctor Octopus' plot, Max Modell and the Horizon Labs team are congratulated for their help in stopping the Sinister Six. When Peter is told by Max Modell that he should be given credit, Peter told him that he and the other workers did the heavy lifting. Hector Baez tells Max Modell that J. Jonah Jameson has restored energy to Horizon Labs as an apology gesture. While working with Max Modell, Michael Morbius was attacked by Spider-Man for robbing Billy Connors' grave. Michael Morbius stated that he is working on Billy's body so that he can find a permanent cure for Lizard. Max Modell and Michael Morbius even design special harpoons that would pierce Lizard's skin as Peter states that Lizard considers his human side to be "dead." While also agreeing that Michael Morbius' graverobbing activity was wrong, Max Modell states that he won't have Michael Morbius in Horizon Labs again. When Spider-Man, Michael Morbius, Max Modell, and some Horizon Labs personnel enter the sewers to look for Lizard, they managed to stab him with the harpoons and use the cure on Lizard regressing him back to Curt Connors.^[18] Upon Curt Connors being brought to Horizon Labs, Max Modell runs a diagnostic on Curt Connors where it doesn't find any trace of reptilian DNA in him where Max is unaware that Curt Connors still has Lizard's vengeance for Spider-Man in him. When Curt Connors uses the Lizard Formula again where he regains his lost right arm, he injects Max Modell with the formula turning him into a Lizard as Curt Connors works to become Lizard.^[19] While working on the Lizard Formula, Curt Connors cuts off his right arm and feeds it to Max Modell's lizard form.^[20] Spider-Man was able to restore Max Modell and the other Horizon Labs staff back to their human forms. When Tiberius Stone is missing and some items have gone missing from his office, Max tells Hector Baez to conduct a private investigation.^[21]

With Michael Morbius incarcerated, Max Modell speaks to Tiberius Stone and offers him a position in his think tank. He is also reviewing a group of candidates for the position. After Andy Maguire is hit by some Parker Particles, Peter Parker, Max, and Hector Baez tell his parents what happened as Max calls in Mister Fantastic, Hank Pym, Iron Man, and Beast to study him. After the studying, Mister Fantastic persuades Max Modell to have Andy become Alpha and make him the spokesperson for Horizon Labs.^[22]

As part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel," Max Modell and Hector Baez were brought in by Peter Parker to run Parker Industries west coast operations where they will be specifically running Horizon University. In addition, Max is also the boss of former Horizon Lab workers Grady Scraps and Bella Fishbach. When Max Modell and Hector Baez go to Lab 6, they find Peter in his underwear and Kaine Parker in the Spider-Man suit.^[23]

During the "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" storyline, Kaine tells Max Modell, Hector Baez, and the rest of the employees at Horizon University about the Carrion Virus and reveals his condition. Their research is disrupted by Rhino and the female Electro.^[24] Following the Carrion Virus being stopped, Max Modell arrives with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Horizon University personnel to bring the exposed victims back for treatment.^[25]

At the conclusion of the "Go Down Swinging" arc, Max Modell accepts a job application at Horizon University by Superior Octopus under the alias of Dr. Elliot Tolliver.^[26]

During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Max Modell came in to Dr. Elliot Tolliver's lab when he investigated a sound. Elliot states that he miscalibrated the prosthetic's power settings and that he is near a breakthrough.^[27]

Other versions

In other media

References

External links

• Max Modell at Marvel Wiki
• Max Modell at Comic Vine