So as I said... he is one of my two favorite comicbook characters (together with Wolverine). Death's Head is essentially a robot/cyborg, with real artificial intelligence (in at least his two first incarnations, not sure about the 3rd since I have not read that one yet). He is really funny, a wise cracker and what not (again, at least his first 2 incarnations). In his first incarnation his intelligence is a created one, and he is basically a Bounty Hunter, who talks a bit funny, is a joker and wisecracker, occasionally breaking the 4th wall. He is maybe not the nicest guy around, and usually only does good because it happened to go along with what he was doing. He is a total badass! Also, how many characters do you know who has been part of both Marvels universes, the Transformers universe (where he started out actually), AND Dr Who's universe? XD Not that I personally am a fan of Dr Who, never been able to bring my self to watch that series (even though on paper it should be something for me).
But it is especially his 2nd incarnation, Death's Head II, which I really like, since that is where I found him (he was also the reason I got into reading Marvel comics to begin with). In his second incarnation Death's Head inhabits a new robot body, an AI robot called Minion which can "assimilate" other peoples minds (built by Dr Evelyn Necker in the year 2020 (fancy that!) to protect and further the goals of A.I.M)... unfortunately for the people, who's mind Minion "assimilated", they do not survive the process. At the time of Death's Head's encounter with Minion, Minion had assimilated the knowledge and minds of 105 different people (not only humans) through out space and time (yes... Minion was a time/space/dimention traveler as well... so was/is Death's Head and Death's Head II), anyone from warriors to scientists, etc, who have a huge range of skills and/or knowledge and/or intelligence. Death's Head became the 106th. But due to the fact that Death's Head was not a "real" intelligence, but rather an artificial intelligence, this caused problems for Minion, since Death's Head was able to fight back against Minions own artificial intelligence to try and gain control over the body. Death's Head was losing though, and if nothing was done Minion would eventually overcome Death's Head and make him part of Minions "library" of people. Fortunately Death's Head get's help, from Minions actual intended 106th target, and the result of that is that Minions mind and programming is suppressed, and Death's Head mind becomes the dominant mind of the Minion robot/cyborg... and thus Death's Head II is "born".
Due to the already existing minds of 105 other personalities though, Death's Head's own personality is slightly altered. For one he becomes more of a good guy, where his original incarnation had not been all that fussy about all that... being a bounty hunter and all who would take the bounty for any person... good or bad. His abilities are also highly elevated due to the Minion programs programming, and those 105 personalities combined intelligence, knowledge, and combat skills. But also due to the much more powerful robot/cyborg that he now inhabits (the right arm can morph into what ever he needs it to be really for example... he usually makes it a melee weapon... but it can also morph into various energy based ranged weapons... not to mention his assimilation "tool", the "Cranial Siphon").
Images!
Death's Head in his original form. The weaponry can, and has, changed through out the various DH1 stuff... although his melee weapons seems to usually have been the same, at least in DH1's own comics. In the DH2 comic he looked slightly different, and he used an altered set of weaponry.
Death's Head in his form in the "Death's Head II" comics, note the sword blades coming out of his wrists (which of course is very reminiscent of Wolverine). This is a tracing that I did of him back in... oh probably 1992 or 1993. I always intended to do a tracing of DH2 as well back then, but I could not make up my mind which picture of DH2 I wanted to use, so it never happen. This is the look I usually tend to prefer when it comes to DH1.
This is the cover, for the DH2 comic, where DH1 go head to head with DH2. This is also the cover used for the Swedish collectors comic called "MEGA Marvel" that I found back in the early 90's, which is the comicbook that got me into reading Marvel comics in the first place. The cover drew me in when I saw it. Minions right arm here (on the left in the image) is the "Cranial Siphon" tool.
Death's Head II in all his glory. This is a pretty recent painting/drawing of DH2. It was pencilled by Liam Sharp, who is one of the two creators of DH2 . Someone else, Ryan Brown, painted it. Other people created DH1.
DH2 also ran around with a partner during some time. Her name is Tuck. From what I remember she was one of many of Dr Evelyn Neckers experiments. She was created through genetic and synthetic engineering, her body is organic but her physical abilities are enhanced.
Death's Head is awesome. Yes?
