Mandrill (comics)

Mandrill (Jerome Beechman) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Mandrill is a mutant resembling his namesake who has battled Daredevil, Shanna the She-Devil, and the Defenders on multiple occasions. He can generate pheromones that place women under his control, which he used to found the all-female cult Black Spectre.

Mandrill
The Mandrill as depicted in The Defenders #79 (January 1980). Art by Herb Trimpe and Ed Hannigan (pencillers), Mike Esposito (inkier), and Carl Gafford (colorist).
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Shanna the She-Devil #4 (June 1973)
Created by	Carole Seuling (writer) Ross Andru (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Jerome Beechman
Species	Human mutant
Team affiliations	Black Spectre Mutant Force
Partnerships	Nekra
Notable aliases	Hensley Fargus, Monkey Face
Abilities	Gifted planner and strategist Skilled acrobat and hand to hand combatant Superhuman strength, speed, agility, dexterity, flexibility, reflexes, coordination, balance and endurance Above-normal intellect Mind control via pheromones

Mandrill has made limited appearances in media outside comics, with Fred Tatasciore and Kevin Michael Richardson voicing him in the animated series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and M.O.D.O.K. respectively.

Publication history

Mandrill was created by writer Carole Seuling and artist Ross Andru, and first appeared in Shanna the She-Devil #4 (June 1973).^[1] Steve Gerber contributed to the comic, but denied having any role in the character's creation, crediting it to Seuling.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Jerome Beechman is the son of Frederic Beechman, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and Margaret Beechman. Due to his parents being affected by radiation, Jerome was born with black skin and tufts of body hair.^[3][4][5] As a result, he was rejected and abandoned in the New Mexico desert.^[6][7]

While wandering the desert, Jerome encounters Nekra Sinclair, the daughter of a cleaning woman who was bombarded by radiation in the same accident that affected Jerome's father. Although her parents were black, she was born albino and developed vampiric features. For six years, the two live by theft and scavenging until they are attacked by a lynch mob whose members believe them to be monsters. During the battle, Jerome and Nekra's mutant abilities activate, enabling them to escape.^[8]

Now possessing a monkey-like appearance, Beechman becomes a professional criminal and takes the name Mandrill. He and Nekra found Black Spectre, a cult of black women committed to overthrowing America.^[7][9] As leader of Black Spectre, Mandrill battles the Thing and Daredevil.^[10]

In the Dark Reign storyline, Mandrill joins the Hood's gang in attacking the New Avengers, who were expecting the Dark Avengers.^[11]

In the "Hunted" storyline, Mandrill is among the animal-themed superhumans who are captured by Taskmaster and Black Ant for Kraven the Hunter. During Kraven's Great Hunt, Mandrill is killed by hunter robots.^[12] In Captain America (vol. 9), Mandrill is revealed to have survived.^[13]

Powers and abilities

Mandrill is a mutant who possesses superhuman physical abilities as well as pheromones that can control women.^{[3][5][14][15]} In at least one instance, he used technology to affect men as well.^[10]

In other media

Television

• Mandrill appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Fred Tatasciore.^[16]
• Mandrill appears in the M.O.D.O.K. episode "If Saturday Be... For the Boys!", voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.^[17]

Video games

Mandrill appears in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. He is killed by the Circle of Eight.