Doctor Octopus

Real Name
Otto Gunther Octavius

Occupation
Criminal mastermind, former atomic researcher

Citizenship
U.S.A. with a criminal record

Place of Birth
Schenectady, New York

Known Relatives
Torbert Octavius (father, deceased), Mary Lavinia Octavius (mother, deceased), unnamed maternal grandmother, Elias Hargrove (cousin)

Group Affiliation
Thunderbolts Army; (formerly) Sinister Six, Masters of Evil

Education
Ph.D. in atomic physics, honorary doctorate in biochemistry, decorates in nuclear physics

Height
5'9"

Weight
245 lbs.

Eyes
Brown

Hair
Brown

Powers
After the explosion that grafted the tentacled harness to Dr. Octavius, he was misdiagnosed with brain damage. In actuality, his brain was creating new neuro-pathways so that he could possess the superhuman ability to telepathically control his tentacles at will. Originally, at his earliest stages, it was thought he could only control his tentacles while they were attached to him. However, when he became separated from his tentacles, he proved he was able to telepathically control them, even if they were a considerable distance. Over long periods of time, he mentally increased the range to which he was able to control them, recorded at over 900 miles in diameter.

Abilities
Doctor Octopus is the world's leading authority on nuclear radiation and its effects on human physiology. He is also a brilliant engineer and inventor.

Other Info
Otto Octavius' father was a factory worker and was abusive and violent towards both Otto and his mother. Otto's mother insisted that Otto not become like his father and to put all his efforts into his education. It was hinted that Otto was a low-level telepathic mutant whose powers emerged at puberty. This may have been the reason why his father had an aneurysm one day when he was going to beat Otto. After his father died in an industrial accident, Otto continued to study physical science. Otto became a brilliant and respected nuclear physicist, inventor, and lecturer. He became the youngest person to serve on the National Board of Nuclear Science. He also designed a set of highly advanced mechanical arms to assist him with his research in atomic physics. The tentacled arms were resistant to radiation and were capable of great strength and highly precise movement. They were attached to a harness that fit around his body.

Later, during an accidental radiation leak that ended in an explosion, the tentacled apparatus became fused to Dr. Octavius' body. It was later revealed that the radiation (or possibly his own mutation) had mutated his brain so that he could control the movement of the arms with his thoughts. The tentacles have since been surgically removed from his body, but Octavius still retains the power to control them telepathically from a great distance. People thought that he suffered brain damage during the accident (although it was later suggested that what people thought was brain damage was acutally his mind rewiring itself to accommodate four extra limbs). From this point on, Octavius became the criminal known as Doctor Octopus.

Even though Dr. Octopus himself is a bit chubby and in poor physical shape, he has recently been able to improve upon his physique. He was also near-sighted to the extent that he was legally blind without the aid of his extremely thick glasses, but he no longer appears to suffer from that problem, presumably through the use of laser surgery. With his harness attached, he is physically far more than a match for Spider-Man. In fact, in his first battle with Spider-Man, he beat Spider-Man so badly that Spider-Man considered giving up his heroic career. (To learn about Spider-Man, just click on his highlighted name above,)

Over the years, Dr. Octopus has become one of most recognizable members of Spider-Man's most dangerous enemies. During a battle with Spider-Man's then-partner/lover, Black Cat, Dr. Octopus almost killed the Black Cat and placed her in critical condition at the hospital. In response to this attack, Spider-Man beat Dr. Octopus within inches of his life. The trauma from the beating left Dr. Octopus with a phobia of Spider-Man and spiders in general for years. This phobia lasted until Spider-Man was forced to let Dr. Octopus beat him in combat to allow Dr. Octopus to break free of his fears and to be recruited to save New York City from an exploding nuclear reactor.(Note: Beware of Black Cat's bio page with her in both skin-tight and revealing costumes.)

Doctor Octopus was later murdered by the insane Peter Parker clone named Kaine. Octavius's student, Carolyn Trainer, took over the identity of Doctor Octopus until Octavius was resurrected by the group, the Hand. (Other people have taken on the name Dr. Octopus, but currently none of them are currently active.) After his resurrection, Octavius became involved in a plot involving using prosthetic limbs as mind-control devices, to create an army of minions. And most recently, Dr. Octopus resurfaced in the attempt to kidnap a Palestinian ambassador, in hopes of causing chaos for reasons unknown. His plot was thwarted by Spider-Man and his temporary sidekick the Kiwi Kid. Octavius is currently doing time in a penitentiary. (To learn about any of the highlighted characters and group above, click on their names.)

To learn more about Doctor Octopus, and to learn in detail about what his tentacles are made of and can do, check out his Marvel.com bio page at http://marvel.com/universe/Doctor_Octopus_(Otto_Octavius).