Mad-Dog
Robert "Buzz" Baxter
- Known Aliases: None
- Identity: Known to the authorities but not to the public
- Occupation: Colonel in the United States Air Force (retired), former security consultant to the Brand Corporation
- Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record
- Place of Birth: Centerville, California
- Marital Status: Single (Divorced)
- Known Relatives: Patsy Walker Hellstrom (ex-wife)
- Group Affiliation: Former agent of Roxxon Oil Corporation, agent of Professor Power's Secret Empire, ally of the Mutant Force
- Base of Operation: Mobile
- Education: BS in Criminal Justice, Air Force officer training school graduate
- Species: Human
- Gender: Male
- Height: 6 ft. 2 in.
- Weight: 270 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue
- Hair: Black
- Other Distinguishing Features: None
Robert “Buzz” Baxter was the childhood friend of Patsy Walker, who would later become the costumed crimefighter Hellcat. While they were still adolescents, Patsy’s mother, Dorothy Walker, began publishing fictionalized romantic adventures about her daughter in the long-running Patsy Walker series. At Patsy’s request, Dorothy based one of the comics’ recurring love interests on the neighbor boy Patsy admired—Robert “Buzz” Baxter. As Buzz grew older and began to resemble his fictional counterpart, Dorothy increasingly disliked him personally, though the popularity of the character prevented her from removing him from the series.
Shortly after graduating from high school, Patsy and Buzz married, much to Dorothy’s displeasure. Baxter joined the United States Air Force and served a tour of duty during the Vietnam War. Afterward, the couple relocated to an air base in North Carolina. Buzz returned from Vietnam deeply troubled by his experiences, and his resulting emotional instability strained their marriage. When he was promoted to captain, he was assigned to supervise security at the Brand Corporation, a civilian research company performing government-contracted projects.
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While stationed at Brand, Baxter became suspicious of the presence of the mutant Beast, unaware that the blue-furred “mutant” on site was in fact Dr. Henry McCoy, newly hired as a genetics researcher. During this period, Patsy secretly sheltered the wounded Beast and provided him with an alibi in exchange for his promise to help her become a costumed adventurer. Soon after Beast escaped Brand, Patsy divorced Buzz. Baxter remained with the company and was eventually promoted to colonel.
Months later, Patsy returned to Brand alongside the Avengers to investigate reports of illegal activities involving a private army operating on the premises. It was during this mission that she formally adopted the identity of Hellcat and accompanied the Avengers to the Squadron Supreme’s alternate dimension. Upon their return, the Avengers were captured by Brand personnel. Hellcat escaped and confronted Baxter, threatening him and slashing his face to demonstrate her resolve. Faced with her determination, Baxter released the Avengers. Subsequent investigations exposed Brand’s illicit operations, and its parent company, Roxxon Energy Corporation, shut it down.
Humiliated by both the scandal and his ex-wife’s actions, Baxter resigned from the Air Force and sought revenge. He volunteered for experimental mutagenic enhancement treatments conducted by Roxxon. The procedures granted him augmented strength, speed, agility, heightened senses, and feral, canine-like physical traits. Adopting the costumed identity Mad-Dog, he embraced a violent criminal career.
Mad-Dog was later recruited by the Secret Empire and allied with the Mutant Force. He attacked Patsy during her wedding to Daimon Hellstrom but was defeated by her allies in the Defenders. Placed in custody by S.H.I.E.L.D., he was later freed and again aligned himself with criminal elements, including assisting Professor Power in an attempt to trigger global nuclear war via satellite launch. The scheme was foiled by the Defenders with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s assistance, and Mad-Dog was returned to custody.
Strength Level: Mad-Dog possesses superhuman strength enabling him to lift (press) 5 tons under optimal conditions.
Known Superhuman Powers: Mad-Dog possesses enhanced strength, agility, speed, and stamina, due to the cellular augmentation process he underwent. He also has a highly acute sense of smell and hearing, analogous to that of a dog. Further, his jaw muscles were bionically strengthened and he was given large canine teeth, enabling him to rend and grip things with his mouth. The teeth emit a foaming chemical poison, to which his body is immune, which causes paralysis and possibly death in whoever he bites.
Mad-Dog does not normally use any weapos are paraphernalia.
- First appearance as Buzz Baxter (Amazing Adventures #13, 1972)
- First appearance as Mad-Dog (Defenders #125)
