Mister Hyde (comics) - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

Calvin Zabo was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a morally abject but brilliant medical research scientist who was fascinated by the effect of hormones on human physiology. One of his favorite stories was Stevenson's 1886 classic, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He was convinced that the experiment in the story could actually be performed and became obsessed with the idea of unleashing his full bestial nature in a superhuman form. However, he needed money to do this so he robbed his various employers systematically. Though too intelligent to be caught, the medical community was suspicious of his tendency to always be employed by organizations which were subsequently robbed.

Zabo eventually sought work as a surgeon in a hospital where Donald Blake was a directing physician, yet Blake would not allow him a job due to his history. Zabo was enraged that Blake would not give him the position (even though he did indeed intend to rob the organization) and swore revenge. He was eventually successful in creating his formula, and turned into a huge, Hulk-like creature he called "Mister Hyde", named after the character in the novel. In this new form, he found he had superhuman strength enabling him to crush cars and tear through steel as though it were made of cardboard. With his new superhuman powers he sought out Blake, who he tried to kill by throwing him from a window, but Blake transformed into Thor by striking his cane on the wall and survived, claiming he had saved Blake. Hyde, hearing of this on the radio, decided to eliminate Thor, and tried to frame him for a bank robbery by using his superhuman strength to tear open a bank vault while disguised as Thor. While Don and Jane were out, Mister Hyde met them and kidnapped them at gunpoint. As Don Blake, Thor was tied up next to a bomb that would explode in 24 hours unless Mr Hyde defused it. However, when attempting to steal a Polarios submarine to roam the seas like a pirate, Hyde was defeated and the authorities, seeing his superhuman strength, realized he must have impersonated Thor, but Thor was forced to allow him to escape, as Jane Foster thought Blake was still in danger.

Hyde went into business as a full-time professional super-criminal and partnered himself with the Cobra to get revenge upon Thor, but they were both defeated despite getting Thor's hammer from him briefly. With the Cobra, he was bailed and employed by Loki to kidnap Jane Foster, and they battled Thor again. Loki doubled their powers to try and help them. Loki showed Thor where Jane Foster was being held. The house had many traps set up for Thor, and Jane Foster was almost killed in an explosion. Thor was able to defeat both villains, Mister Hyde was caught by one of them, a ray which paralyzed him. They were both jailed, and Jane's life was saved by an Asgardian formula Balder sent to Thor. Hyde and the Cobra next battled Daredevil. Cobra then teamed with the original Jester and Cobra against Daredevil. With the Scorpion, Hyde then battled Captain America and the Falcon. Teaming with the Cobra again, Hyde attempted to acquire Cagliostro's serum. Hyde was next employed by the Purple Man, and battled Daredevil in an arena alongside Cobra, the Jester, and the Gladiator.

Hyde and the Cobra frequently fought Thor, Spider-Man, and Daredevil, but their partnership proved essentially inept. Eventually, tiring of their repeated failures, the Cobra elected to sever their partnership when he escaped from Ryker's Island, taking the time to taunt Hyde before leaving. Hyde has never forgiven him for the slight. With Batroc, Hyde later blackmailed New York City with a hijacked super-tanker and attempted to destroy the entire city in order to kill Cobra. Eventually, he was defeated by Captain America with Batroc's aid. Hyde again stalked Cobra seeking revenge, and this time battled Spider-Man. He was imprisoned again, but escaped Ryker's Island and battled Spider-Man and the Black Cat during another attempt at Cobra's life. Hyde later battled Daredevil again.

Hyde later became a member of the Masters of Evil IV and invaded Avengers Mansion along with them, torturing the Black Knight and Edwin Jarvis. With Goliath and the Wrecking Crew, he nearly killed Hercules, but was defeated by the Avengers. Hyde later attempted an escape from the Vault alongside Titania, Vibro, the Griffin, and Armadillo, but was defeated and recaptured by the Captain. He later eventually escaped from the Vault alongside the Wizard and others. Hyde was later defeated in combat by the Cobra.

Hyde later fought with the Grey Hulk and received head trauma that limited his ability to transform, and he was subsequently caught by the police when he coincidentally checked into the same hotel as the one where the Daily Bugle staff were attending Robbie Robertson's retirement party, allowing Peter Parker to defeat him using an improvised costume. Shortly after, Hyde had several run-ins with the Dan Ketch Ghost Rider in which he was defeated with the Penance Stare.

Hyde briefly helped the symbiote-bonded Toxin track Cobra after a prison escape by providing a piece of skin for the symbiote to track.

Zabo was being held in The Raft (the Ryker's Island Prison complex) 6 months after the events of Avengers Disassembled. When a prison break was caused by the villain Electro, Zabo emerged in his Hyde persona, fought with Daredevil, and was knocked unconscious by Luke Cage.

At one point, Zabo was discovered by the Young Avengers to be selling a derivative of his Hyde formula on the street as one of the various illegal substances known as Mutant Growth Hormone.