Gremlin (comics)

Gremlin
Kondrati Topolov as Titanium Man in Iron Man #229 (April 1988)
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Incredible Hulk #163 (May 1973)
Created by	Steve Englehart Herb Trimpe
In-story information
Alter ego	Kondrati Yurivich Topolov
Species	Human mutant
Team affiliations	Soviet Super-Soldiers Assembly Hydra
Notable aliases	Titanium Man Titan
Abilities	Superhuman intelligence Use of advanced devices and weapons Armored suit grants: Superhuman strength Damage resistance Flight Energy blasts and constructs

The Gremlin (Kondrati Topolov) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #163 (May 1973).

Concept and creation

Co-creator Steve Englehart recounted, "I’ve always treated the entire run of a book, up to the point that I took it over, as worthy of respect. So I was always interested in where series started out, and how they developed in their early days. The Gargoyle had indeed been in Hulk #1, so I thought it would be fun to connect to him—but I had to make something interesting for my time, not just wave at the past. I thought, ‘Gargoyle + Kremlin = Gremlin’."

Fictional character biography

Kondrati Topolov is the son of Russian scientist Yuri Topolov, also known as the Gargoyle, and inherited the grotesque appearance and superhuman intelligence. Following Yuri's death, Kondrati creates a high-tech armor and becomes an enemy of the Hulk. He additionally created Droog, an intelligent Triceratops-like monster, via genetic engineering.

The Hulk and Thunderbolt Ross later invade the Gremlin's base in Siberia to rescue Glenn Talbot. The Gremlin and Droog contend with the Hulk, but Bitterfrost was destroyed by S.H.I.E.L.D. Later, the Gremlin helps defeat the alien Dire Wraiths before joining Soviet Super-Soldiers.

Topolov next appeared as the second Titanium Man, wearing a new version he had originally created for Boris Bullsky. With the other Soviet Super-Soldiers, he contended with the X-Men and the Avengers in an attempt to capture Magneto.

In Armor Wars, the Gremlin battles Iron Man before apparently being killed when his Titanium Man armor explodes.

He later appears alive, having ejected from his Titaniun Man armor prior to destruction and worked with Hydra to kidnap and brainwash several children, including Spider-Woman's son Gerry. He blended in with Assembly by operating an armor called Titan. When Spider-Man defeated the Gremlin at Alcatraz, he activated Titan's self-destruct sequence. Spider-Woman and the Assembly got away as it exploded. Liberty assumes that Gremlin might've gotten away from the explosion in time.

Powers and abilities

The Gremlin is a mutant who has inherited the immense intelligence of his father, the Gargoyle. He had completed doctoral programs in various sciences and attained mastery over many areas of technology.

Equipment

Kondrati Topolov wore the Titanium Man battlesuit that granted him tremendous strength, physical resistance, hypersonic flight, and the ability to utilize energy as weapons.

His Titan armor resembles an armored version of the Hulk and possesses super-strength.

Other characters named Gremlin

• An unrelated character named Gremlin appears in Sub-Mariner #61 as an agent of Doctor Hydro and a member of the Hydro-Men who wields mind-controlling disks.
• An unrelated character named Gremlin appears in Avengers Icons: The Vision as a synthezoid and enemy of the Vision.

In other media

The Gremlin makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the X-Men: The Animated Series episode "Beyond Good and Evil (Part 4): End and Beginning" as one of Apocalypse's prisoners.