| Project Pegasus | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Two-in-One #42 (August 1978) |
| Created by | Ralph Macchio |
| In-story information | |
| Type of organization | Governmental research laboratory |
Project Pegasus (Potential Energy Group/Alternate Sources/United States) is both afictional and scientific base in the Marvel Comics universe which has been the location of a variety of stories for superheroes and supervillains, most notably in the title Marvel Two-in-One.
History[]
Created in Marvel Two-in-One #42 (August, 1978) by writer Ralph Macchio, Project: Pegasus was originally intended to research alternative (and unusual) forms of energy, but has also been used as a prison for super-powered individuals. The location of this facility is described as being in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State.
The facility is remembered best in comics for "The Project Pegasus Saga" printed in Marvel Two-in-One #53-#58 (later collected as a trade paperback of the same title, co-written by Macchio and Mark Gruenwald with art by John Byrne and George Pérez). However, its recurring use as a prison for supervillains of the Marvel Universe has led to a number of comics stories in the following decades, significant among them an emergence of the Serpent Crown. Several Marvel characters have served terms working security at the facility, including The Thing, Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) and most recently Darkhawk. At one time it also served as a temporary home for the Squadron Supreme when they were exiled from their own universe.
Project Pegasus also seems to possess vast knowledge of other realities in the Marvel Multiverse, ranging from alternate futures to parallel universes, as shown in the in-Marvel Earth-616 continuity files after the Sentry arc of the New Avengers, naming them by the official names Marvel use. One rogue Project Pegasus scientist tested various energy sources on himself. As a result, the scientist was turned into a rapidly expanding being who destroyed numerous universes until being stopped by the original Squadron Supreme [Squadron Supreme: Death of A Universe].
During the Dark Reign storyline, Norman Osborn has Project Pegasus shut down.[1] However, it became reactivated in the aftermath of the War of Kings, due to the opening of the time-space tear called the Fault.[2] Loki later freed Absorbing Man from Project Pegasus.[3]
Staff, Inmates and Other Characters[]
- Main article: Characters of Project Pegasus
Since its creation in the 1980s, Project Pegasus has been used as a location for a variety of fictional stories, making use of both existing and newly made characters in Marvel Comics. Some have worked as general staff, some as security, some as guests. Quite a few characters have also been imprisoned there, either simply as punishment or while also being used for research.
Other versions[]
Ultimate Marvel[]
An Ultimate version of Project Pegasus appears in the miniseries Ultimate Power. This version is located in Devil's Point, Wyoming. It is owned by S.H.I.E.L.D..
The head of security is S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Wendell Vaughn (Quasar's Ultimate Marvel counterpart). After the project is attacked by the Serpent Squad (who believes that the Serpent Crown is contained there), Vaughan refuses to confirm or deny this claim, stating that "all Project Pegasus business is classified under the Grunewald Doctrine". The use of the name Gruenwald is presumably an homage to Mark Gruenwald, who wrote many Project: Pegasus stories and Quasar's origins.
Ben Urich (Daily Bugle reporter) also mentions it to Jonah Jameson as the subject of an article he's writing in issue #106 of Ultimate Spider-Man.
In Ultimate Origins, Project Pegasus is revealed to be a government-issued warehouse for objects with mysterious origins and, usually, mass destructive value. It is here that the Ultimate Marvel version of the Watcher was contained here since during World War II and it relates an upcoming event to the Fantastic Four, Carol Danvers, and Wendell Vaughn. Other objects seen include the Infinity Gauntlet and Cosmic Cube.[4]
Post-Ultimatum, Project Pegasus was put on alert in the wake of unexplained attacks on the Baxter Building and Roxxon. Pegasus's personnel were reinforced with the aid of Captain Mahr Vehl. However, Mahr Vehl was infected with an unknown virus and went berserk, attacking Pegasus personnel.[5][6] Mahr Vehl was transported away by Rick Jones, but only for Project Pegasus to be left vulnerable and invaded by the true instigator of the attacks, Reed Richards, who pilfered the facility's valuable possessions.[7]
HYDRA has recently "acquired" the Mind Gem from Pegasus (with help from Thor's son, Modi), and used it to control S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Melvin Flumm to un-successfully assassinate to President of the United States, and Ultimates member Cassandra Lang to attack the new Spider-Man.[8]
Power Pack Day One[]
In this universe, Dr. James Power worked for Project Pegasus being hired to build a weapon of incredible power.
Due to the alien race Snarks kidnapping Power and his wife, their children receive super powers to destroy the machine and save the earth from the weapon which the Snarks called the Anhilation Machine. The Power children defeat the Snarks, destroy the machine before it's activated and save their parents.
It was revealed that Carmody who is in charge of Project pegasus in this reailty, and power pack's main villain in mainstream community was in contact with the Snarks, who tricked him into hiring Power to build the Anhilation Machine. Carmody was knocked out by Jack Power (Mass Master).
In other media[]
Television[]
- Project: Pegasus is seen in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode "The Cure." Mole Man is shown trying to attack the base.
- Project: Pegasus appears in the Iron Man: Armored Adventures episode "Iron Man VS The Crimson Dynamo." Under the direction of Dr. Anton Harkov (voiced by Richard Newman), they develop the Crimson Dynamo armor for space travel, and the base is nearly destroyed by the vengeful villain, but Iron Man reasons with him. In "Seeing Red," Obadiah Stane (alongside his head of security O'Brian) approached Dr. Anton Harkov to offer him to update the Crimson Dynamo armor in exchange for Obadiah helping with Anton's funding. After O'Brian in the Crimson Dynamo armor captures Iron Man, Obadiah has Anton run a scan on the Iron Man armor while he's away. When Pepper causes a diversion by shutting down the power enough to activate the emergency power, Anton stays with the armor while Crimson Dynamo heads out to investigate. Iron Man knocked down Anton and escaped with Pepper. Upon hearing this from Anton, Obadiah demanded whatever data they have on Iron Man and the Crimson Dynamo armors sent to him immediately. To prevent Project Pegasus from delivering the Iron Man data to Obadiah Stane, Tony creates the Technovore virus (an updated version of the virus that Iron Man used to burn out Mr. Fix's system) to use on Project Pegasus' computers (which run on the AI DELPHI). After Iron Man uploads the Technovore Virus and defeats Crimson Dynamo, Obadiah has his secretary tell Anton that his offer is rescinded. In "Technovore," Project Pegasus ends up attacked by nanites infected by the Technovore virus allowing it to take on a solid form. Rhodey inspects a disturbance finding a terrified Harkov in the facility. Technovore scans the gauntlet of the Iron Man armor and is obsessed to "comsume" it while Harkov flees. Tony is lured back thanks to the Virus consuming the gauntlet and Rhodey's earpiece phone. After numerous attempts including an EMP, Rhodey convinces Tony to detonate the Armor failsafe as a last-ditch attempt at the Technovore Virus. The two escape while Project Pegasus is incinerated along with the virus. Unfortunately, a piece of Technovore is hidden in Harkov's coat. In "The Hawk and the Spider," Pepper mentioned to Tony that the Black Widow used to work for Project Pegasus.
- Project Pegasus is referenced in the pilot episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Skye mentioned that S.H.I.E.L.D. had covered up Project Pegasus at the time she was being interrogated by Phil Coulson.
Film[]
- Project Pegasus is alluded to in Iron Man 2. Tony Stark is shown opening a wooden crate (1:24:04) marked "Project Pegasus" in preparation to synthesize a new element. Additionally, in the tie-in prelude comic to the Avengers, the World Security Council mentions that funding is being redirected from S.H.I.E.L.D (with help from NASA) to a new operation, codenamed Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S, in the aims of analyzing the Tesseract.[9]
- The subterranean Project Pegasus facility appears in the post credit scene in Thor, when Nick Fury approached Erik Selvig with help investigating the cube, unaware of Loki influencing him.
- The events of the post-credits of Thor leads into the opening scenes of The Avengers where the Tesseract is being studied. It proceeds to collapse when a portal opened by the Tesseract implodes.
References[]
External links[]
- Project: PEGASUS at Marvel.com
- Project: PEGASUS at Marvel Appendix