MODAM

MODAM (Olinka Barankova) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history
MODAM first appeared in West Coast Avengers #36 and was created by Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom.

Fictional character biography
A.I.M. mutated one of their female agents into a large-headed creature similar to MODOK. This agent claimed to be Maria Trovaya, Hank Pym's deceased first wife. Pym took her in, believing she was the late wife, but she was secretly a spy and returned to A.I.M.. There, she was further mutated into a being nearly identical in appearance to MODOK called SODAM (Specialized Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers). In this new form, she opposed Hawkeye and Dr. Pym. Her code name was later changed to MODAM (Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers). Her first assignment as MODAM was acquiring Quasar's quantum bands. MODAM later appeared as one of Superia's Femizons.

Omega Red believed that MODAM was not Maria Trovaya, but Olinka Barankova, a woman who had once betrayed the mercenary. However, MODAM herself stated that "A.I.M. personnel files are routinely falsified".

She disappeared when A.I.M. sent her in to attempt to fix a breach in reality caused by a defective version of the Cosmic Cube.

Powers and abilities
MODAM was empowered through artificial acceleration of her brain tissue growth by means of mutagenic chemicals and radiation, plus cybernetic implants. As a result, she possesses a superhuman intellect, and the ability to project psionic force for a number of effects, including: concussive energy, generation of heat, and protective fields. She also possesses limited telepathy and imposition of her will upon others. MODAM's headband contains equipment which aids her in the focusing of her psionic powers.

MODAM is permanently encased within an exo-skeletal shell of life-supporting machinery which augments her musculature, provides mobility, and performs various bodily functions. Sensors equipped throughout the exoskeleton monitor both her body's functions and the system's mechanical functions and transmit this data telemetrically to A.I.M. headquarters. Thus, they monitor both her blood sugar level and her rocket fuel level. MODAM is equipped with two telescoping tentacle-like arms within which her own arms fit. Each terminates in a pronged "hand". Maximum elongation of these arms is 15 ft. MODAM's "hover-chair" contains anti-gravity generators enabling it to hover and chemically fueled rocket boosters to propel it. MODAM's musculature is atrophied (at least proportionally) while her head has been enlarged; thus, she is physically dependent on the exoskeleton provided by her hover-chair for physical support and movement.