Martin

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Martin Lee
Alias(es)	Mr. Negative
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Demon Gang; FEAST Homeless Shelter; Dream Toy Company; S.P.E.A.R. contact and collaborator; associated with the Death Vanguard 58 120 231
Occupation/Role	Chinatown philanthropist and business magnate; leader of the Demon Gang; Kraft Lee's adoptive father; S.P.E.A.R.'s overseas contact; custodian of the Mind Stone 58 131
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Martin escaped the Magia Gang's experimental base alongside the young Kraft, whom he brought out after Kraft clung to him during the prisoners' escape. Kraft had lost his earlier memories and took Martin's surname, later becoming his adopted son 2.

After settling in New York's Chinatown with Kraft, Martin received the Medal of Freedom, which secured genuine identities for them. As his finances improved, he purchased the clothing shop where he had worked and converted it into the FEAST Homeless Shelter, despite Kraft's initial opposition to helping people outside their community 2.

Martin became one of Chinatown's most influential businessmen, with nearly 80% of local industries connected to him and more than half under his decision-making authority 6. He used this wealth to establish the mechanical-lock company that commercialized Kraft's designs, funding factories, trademarks, sales channels, and staffing through FEAST 5.

Secretly, Martin operates as Mr. Negative, the leader of the Demon Gang. His campaign against the Magia Gang is driven by their shared history of abduction and human experimentation, though he deliberately avoids revealing the full danger of that organization to Kraft 14 17. His attempt to seize Magia territory in Hell's Kitchen captured three territories before Rhino's ambush forced his retreat 14.

Before these events, Martin had worked as a people smuggler. His later cooperation with S.P.E.A.R. is pragmatic rather than founded on lofty political ideals: he considers it a more reliable partner than S.H.I.E.L.D. and a useful safeguard against institutional interference 141.

Divided Identity and Adoption

The experiments initially divided Martin sharply between a compassionate daytime identity and the coldhearted Mr. Negative at night. Mr. Negative repeatedly threw the young, disoriented Kraft out, while Martin brought him back. Negative also considered killing Kraft, but attempts to harm him provoked conflict between Martin's two sides. Martin credits his attachment to Kraft with gradually helping the identities merge and preventing Negative from taking over completely 58.

Despite this integration, Martin continued to accumulate negative emotions that needed an outlet. He explained to Peter Parker that the Demon Gang served this purpose while also protecting Chinatown and other Asian communities from more predatory gangs 57. Kraft later established that Martin's condition originated in an unfinished experimental process and worked to resolve its remaining problems 89 94.

Connection to S.P.E.A.R.

Martin once attempted to return to China as an investor, but S.P.E.A.R. intervened because his powers were not fully controllable. It offered him either supervised residence in China, including an injected tracking device, or continued residence in America as an occasional contact. The latter role involved passing information, receiving visitors, and recovering cultural artifacts that had gone overseas 58.

Martin initially resisted and was defeated by S.P.E.A.R.'s Sun Wukong successor. He ultimately chose to remain in America; his antiques business also supported his artifact-recovery duties 58. His cooperation with S.P.E.A.R. deepened after the A.I.M. incident, providing political backing for his and Kraft's subsequent actions against Hydra 116 120.

Treatment and Later Activities

Concerned that his powers were falling behind the world's increasing number of superhumans, Martin asked Kraft to complete the unfinished experiment despite its risks. Kraft initially refused, then agreed to spend a year developing a safer solution after Martin revealed that he possessed the records and could seek treatment elsewhere 89.

Kraft subsequently resolved Martin's physical condition at the Osborn laboratory. Martin retained his negative energy and could still enter his transformed state for greater strength, but no longer needed to do so to use his abilities 94 97 108. After their Sokovia campaign, Kraft entrusted him with Earth-based business responsibilities, new protective equipment, and the Mind Stone 129 131.

Martin later traveled in space, visited Arale Star, and spent time sightseeing on Contraxia. His growing command of the Mind Stone increased his confidence that few threats on Earth could endanger him or Kraft 199 219 230. Possession of the Stone eventually drew the attention of Thanos's subordinates, Cull Obsidian and Supergiant 230.

Appearance

As Mr. Negative, Martin's body becomes black-and-white like a photographic negative; he wears a white suit and conceals his civilian identity with the Mind Demon Mask 14.

• His transformed form reverts to his normal complexion after removing the mask; his white suit likewise returns to black 20.
• In public, he maintains the image of a Medal of Freedom recipient and respected Chinatown philanthropist 14 34.
• Before his treatment, entering the negative form also changed his voice and bodily functions enough to prevent Matt Murdock from immediately recognizing him. After treatment, Matt recognized his ordinary voice during their confrontation 97.
• His Negative Suit: Swift Form is sleek silver-white armor with folded metal wings and black-and-white energy glowing through its seams and thrusters. Its design combines elements of Genji's armor and Pharah's flight equipment from Kraft's dreams 102.
• He also uses the Negative Suit's defensive form, called Black Emperor during the Sokovia ambush and described as Black King Armor during the confrontation on Contraxia 120 230.

Personality

Martin is affectionate and protective toward Kraft, treating him as his own son rather than merely an adoptee. He supports Kraft's inventing, worries about his health, provides resources for his work, and wants them to return to their homeland together someday 1 5 17.

He is also pragmatic, secretive, and willing to manipulate circumstances to prepare Kraft for danger. He arranged attacks by hostile groups to push Kraft toward developing self-defense technology, then admitted that the second attack had been intended as a test 17.

As Mr. Negative, Martin is patient and strategic. Rather than immediately destroying the weakened Magia Gang, he intends to keep pressuring it in hopes of exposing the unknown force behind its advanced technology and experimentation 20.

His early divided personality made Mr. Negative markedly colder and more ruthless than his civilian self. Their gradual integration did not erase Martin's willingness to use criminal methods or pursue revenge, but his bond with Kraft gave him greater control over his behavior 57 58.

Martin rejects Kraft's attempts to restrict charitable aid solely by ethnicity. He refused to exclude white people from FEAST and later persuaded Kraft to distribute prosthetic assistance through raffles and discounts rather than offer free devices only to Chinatown residents 1 111.

He is distrustful of organizations that invoke public safety to monitor or exploit independent people. Although willing to cooperate when useful, he openly criticizes S.H.I.E.L.D.'s American bias and unresolved Hydra infiltration, while treating S.P.E.A.R. as the more dependable alternative 116 141 142.

Even when enraged, Martin can remain calculating. After FEAST was destroyed, he used the Demon Gang's visible investigation as a diversion while Angela traced the actual perpetrators 116. In space, he also displays a relaxed, humorous manner under threat, initially offering Cull Obsidian and Supergiant drinks before recognizing their purpose 230.

His protectiveness does not entirely override Kraft's independence. He chose to support Kraft's departure into space rather than become an obstacle, despite initially wanting to stop him 129.

Abilities & Skills

Negative Energy

Martin possesses negative energy acquired through human experimentation. The power provides superhuman physical enhancement and is particularly suited to mental stimulation and energy-based attacks 14.

• Generates a Negative Energy Shield capable of stopping Hammerhead's gunfire 14.
• Enhances his physical abilities, though not enough to match Rhino's near-invulnerable body in a direct fight 14.
• Operates as Mr. Negative while leading the Demon Gang in combat 14.
• Maintains a routine barrier around his body that arrests incoming handgun bullets, drains their momentum, and lets them fall harmlessly to the ground 97.
• After treatment, can use his abilities without entering his negative form, while retaining the transformation as a means of enhancing his strength 97.
• Creates energy weapons, including Negative Energy Spears, and uses negative energy in conjunction with his armor's melee weapons 102 230 231.
• Can release negative energy inside a target after closing to melee range, as demonstrated when killing Supergiant 231.

Emotional and Mental Influence

Martin's later abilities allow him to induce or intensify negative emotions, including grief, fear, despair, and apathy. He can affect targets at a distance and exploit specific psychological vulnerabilities 95 230 231.

• Used Jessica Jones's trauma under the Purple Man to incapacitate her 95.
• Overwhelmed Iron Fist with grief over his parents despite Daniel's confidence in his K'un-Lun mental training 95.
• Reduced Luke Cage to despair about his usefulness while confronting the Defenders 97.
• Made Hulk cry during Kraft's experiments. The sadness caused cucumber Hulk to shrink slightly, but anger remained dominant, limiting how much Martin could weaken him 110 111.
• Subdued Thor with negative-emotion energy when Thor confronted Kraft, causing him to break down in remorse 194.
• Helped implant false memories in people connected to Notru Stark's fabricated background 219.
• Used black mist to fill Cull Obsidian with unnatural fear and later released a broader wave that induced apathy in nearby people 230 231.

Limitations and countermeasures:

• Hydra developed temple-mounted devices using Loki's Scepter that emitted pulses to counter Martin's emotion-based attacks and restore affected fighters to their senses 123.
• Hulk's overwhelming anger limited the effect of Martin's emotional influence, even when other negative emotions were successfully induced 111.
• Supergiant could dispel Martin's influence over Cull Obsidian and shield both herself and Cull from his broader emotional attacks 230 231.
• Cull Obsidian's durability rendered Martin's initial Negative Energy Spears ineffective. Even after emotional weakening allowed Martin to cut him repeatedly, his resilience and rapid healing prevented an immediate victory 230 231.

Mind Stone

Kraft gave Martin the Mind Stone after their campaign in Sokovia, having considered its potential to strengthen Martin's abilities and support mental-defense research 130 131.

• Martin's control over the Stone increased over time, contributing to his growing confidence in his own safety and Kraft's 199.
• His possession of the Stone rendered most of Supergiant's psychic abilities ineffective against him directly, leading her to rely on Cull Obsidian and controlled mercenaries instead 230 231.
• The Stone's presence made Martin a target for Thanos's followers 230.

Leadership and Underworld Operations

Martin commands the Demon Gang and controls extensive resources in Chinatown's criminal and commercial spheres 14 34.

• Coordinated a full-scale assault on Magia Gang territory in Hell's Kitchen 14.
• Maintains security personnel capable of removing attackers and cleaning evidence from Kraft's home and studio 15 16.
• Uses business income, including Kraft's solar technology, to restore the Demon Gang's depleted finances and ammunition reserves 20.
• Balances his public philanthropic identity against his underground activities through secrecy and the Mind Demon Mask 14.
• Describes the Demon Gang as protection for Chinatown and other Asian communities against more exploitative gangs, and refuses Peter's suggestion that he disband it 57.
• Expanded aggressively into Hell's Kitchen to prepare for conflict with Hydra, taking advantage of Kingpin's incomplete consolidation of local forces 95 98.
• Uses Kraft and Angela's intelligence support to investigate opponents and coordinate action while concealing the extent of his technological backing 84 116.
• Abandoned his confrontation with the local heroes during the Chitauri invasion to organize Chinatown's defenses 102.

Business and Philanthropy

Martin combines commercial influence with public charity, using his wealth to protect and support both Chinatown and Kraft's projects 5 6.

• Founded FEAST Homeless Shelter after buying the clothing store where he once worked 2.
• Helped turn Kraft's mechanical-lock designs into a company with manufacturing and sales infrastructure 5.
• Co-founded Dream Toy Company with Kraft; its dream-derived products later became internationally known 29.
• Obtained Vibranium for Kraft through unofficial channels when official purchases were unavailable 36.
• Concealed much of his and Kraft's history of abduction and experimentation from media investigations following Tony Stark's interest in Kraft's products 5.
• Committed his companies to invest for shares in the prosthetics partnership involving Dream Company, Stark Industries, and Osborn Group 110.
• Guided the prosthetics charity program toward raffles and discounts, avoiding an openly ethnicity-exclusive policy and improving Dream Company's public reputation 111.
• Remained responsible for their Earth-based interests as Kraft prepared to explore space 129.

Combat and Equipment Use

Martin supplements his powers with Kraft's armor and weapons, changing forms and tactics according to the opponent 102 231.

• Uses the Negative Suit's defensive configuration to withstand gunfire, charge enemies, and project larger protective shields 116 120.
• Uses Swift Mode's flight and speed to close on dangerous support opponents, as demonstrated against Supergiant 231.
• Blocked Cull Obsidian's axe and threw him across a room, though repeated heavy blows later damaged his armor 230 231.
• Adapted to Cull's strength by avoiding direct blocks, targeting Supergiant first, and escalating to a Tekkaman particle cannon 231.

Power Progression

Stage / Development	Abilities and Changes	Limitations / Context	Citation
Magia Gang experimentation	Acquired negative energy, physical enhancement, and mental and energy-based abilities; developed the Mr. Negative persona.	The unfinished experiment initially split his compassionate and ruthless identities and left his powers difficult to control.	14 58 89
Gradual integration through attachment to Kraft	His two identities increasingly merged, improving his ability to resist Mr. Negative's domination.	Negative emotions still accumulated and required release; integration alone did not fully resolve his condition.	57 58 63
Early combat demonstrations	Generated shields capable of stopping automatic gunfire and used enhanced strength in the Hell's Kitchen campaign.	His physical enhancement was insufficient to match Rhino directly.	14
Initial Negative Suit	Received custom armor adapted to his negative energy, emphasizing survival, defense, and speed.	Kraft initially could not find a perfect solution to his merged-personality problems; the suit's offensive enhancement was comparatively limited.	63 64 72
Resolution of his physical condition	Kraft treated him at the Osborn laboratory; Martin retained negative energy and optional transformation while gaining freedom from his earlier condition.	His powers remained subject to psychological and technological resistance.	94 97 108
Expanded emotional influence	Demonstrated ranged, trauma-specific attacks that overwhelmed Jessica Jones and Iron Fist, alongside a continuously maintained bullet-stopping barrier.	The Defenders underestimated the scale and precision of his improved powers.	95 97
Swift Form and enlarged defensive shields	Armor enhanced strength, speed, and defense, amplified and compressed negative energy, and supported flight and larger protective barriers.	Swift Form did not amplify his emotion-manipulation effects.	102 116
Mind Stone and Symbiote Suit	Received the Mind Stone and a Symbiote Suit from Kraft; his command of the Stone subsequently grew.	Hydra's earlier Scepter-derived equipment had demonstrated that his emotional abilities could be countered.	123 131 199
Effortless influence over a powerful target	Subdued Thor through negative emotions while protecting Kraft.	Doctor Strange intervened to steady Thor.	194
False-memory implantation	Helped construct Notru Stark's convincing background by implanting false memories in relevant witnesses.	Performed as part of Kraft and Angela's coordinated deception.	219
Contraxia battle	Combined the Mind Stone's psychic protection, defensive armor, Swift Mode, energy weapons, emotional attacks, and a Tekkaman particle cannon.	Supergiant shielded Cull from emotional influence until Martin killed her; Cull survived the cannon blast despite severe burns and losing his axe.	230 231

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Mind Demon Mask — conceals Martin's identity while he operates as Mr. Negative 14.
• Negative Energy Shield — an energy barrier used to block gunfire 14.
• Demon Gang security network — personnel who monitor threats to Kraft and remove captured attackers 15 17.
• Ford car — Martin's usual civilian vehicle 20.
• Negative Suit — Kraft-designed armor adapted to Martin's negative energy. Its original priorities were keeping him alive through enhanced defense and speed; Martin initially avoided combat testing it to prevent exposing the technology and Kraft to the authorities 63 64 72.
  • Swift Form / Swift Mode — silver-white winged armor that improves strength, speed, defense, and flight. It amplifies and compresses negative energy to strengthen energy weapons, but does not enhance emotional manipulation 102 231.
  • Defensive form / Black Emperor / Black King Armor — used to create a massive shield during the FEAST bombing, charge Hydra attackers in Sokovia, and withstand Cull Obsidian's attacks 116 120 230.
  • Self-repairing nanomachines — repaired initial damage to his palm armor from Cull's axe, though sustained attacks caused further damage 231.
• Symbiote Suit — one of the protective suits Kraft prepared for Martin and other allies before leaving Earth 131.
• Mind Stone — entrusted to Martin by Kraft; provides significant protection against direct psychic interference and becomes the reason Thanos's subordinates pursue him 131 230.
• Negative Energy Spears — conjured projectiles used against Cull Obsidian, whose body initially resisted them without injury 230.
• Energy sword — used in Swift Mode to kill Supergiant and repeatedly cut the emotionally weakened Cull Obsidian 231.
• Tekkaman particle cannon — fired an enormous beam that burned Cull Obsidian and destroyed his axe, although Cull remained standing afterward 231.
• Wormhole Generator / Dwarf Teleporter — an unreliable transport device Martin used to return home after killing Aldrich Killian 118 142.
• Warp device — a small square device that replaced his unreliable teleporter once Kraft developed warp technology. Martin used it to transport himself, Alice, and Bea back to Chinatown; wearing his suit reduced the discomfort 142.

Relationships

• Kraft Lee — Adoptive son and fellow Magia Gang escapee. Martin funds Kraft's inventions, protects him from external threats, and shares his wish that they return home together 2 5 17. Martin credits Kraft with helping integrate his divided identity and prevent Mr. Negative from overwhelming him; Kraft later treats Martin's condition and equips him for increasingly dangerous conflicts 58 94 131. Martin supports Kraft's independence, including his decision to explore space, while remaining responsible for their interests on Earth 129.
• Alice — Kraft's robot sister. Martin accepts her as family, secures her identification, and appreciates her care for Kraft and her cooking 12 13. He rebuked Kraft for teasing her with a pointless wind-up key and later entrusted her with the shelter's survivors after the bombing 13 116.
• Angela — Kraft's AI sister, whom Martin also regards affectionately as his daughter. She provides his real intelligence support during the A.I.M. investigation and gave him high-level access to research records concerning his own condition 89 116.
• Demon Gang — Leader. Its members follow his orders during the war against the Magia Gang and serve as his operational force in Chinatown and Hell's Kitchen 14 20. Martin maintains the gang as both community protection and a resource for preparing against Hydra 57 95.
• Magia Gang — Enemy. Martin seeks revenge against the gang for its past human experimentation and continues to investigate the organization’s hidden backers 14 17 20.
• Hammerhead (Joseph Haro) — Rival Magia Gang leader who opposed Martin's takeover of Magia territory in Hell's Kitchen 14 17.
• Rhino (Alexei Mikhailovich Shiskov) — Combatant who ambushed and injured Martin during the Hell's Kitchen conflict 14.
• Kingpin — Underworld figure who warned Mr. Negative not to expand beyond his conflict with Hammerhead 14. Later mistook Martin's anti-Hydra preparations for a bid to control New York's underworld 95 98.
• Aunt May and Uncle Ben Parker — Associates through FEAST and Kraft; Martin has hosted Aunt May's birthday celebrations at the shelter 10. Aunt May helped moderate Kraft's early hostility toward non-Asians and worked with Alice after the shelter bombing 68 116.
• Peter Parker / Spider-Man — Knows Martin affectionately as Uncle Martin. Peter discovered his identity as Mr. Negative and learned the reasons behind his powers and gang activity, but their disagreement over criminal methods remained unresolved 57. Peter later avoided fighting him alongside the Defenders, secretly asked him not to kill them, and collaborated in medical work at the Osborn laboratory 95 108.
• Matt Murdock / Daredevil — Helped Martin and Kraft when they were struggling in Hell's Kitchen and continued as Martin's legal adviser. He later recognized Martin during the Defenders' confrontation once Martin used his ordinary voice 84 97.
• Defenders — Opposed the Demon Gang's expansion, misunderstanding Martin's larger purpose. Martin incapacitated members through psychological attacks before the Chitauri invasion interrupted their conflict 95 97 102.
• Harry Osborn / Shining Locust — Martin assisted during Harry's Green Goblin Serum treatment, recognizing attempts to feign recovery and helping Peter restrain his dangerous behavior 91 92.
• Bruce Banner / Hulk — Martin contributed his experience of merging with Negative to Banner's treatment and used emotional influence to test Hulk's reactions. Hulk's dominant anger restricted the effect of Martin's powers 108 110 111.
• Misty Knight — Initially attacked Martin during the Defenders' confrontation and later reacted defensively when recognizing him at Osborn Tower. Martin reassured her that he had not come to cause trouble 97 108.
• Tony Stark — Business ally and associate of Kraft. Martin thanked him for looking after Kraft and joined the prosthetics partnership involving Stark Industries 108 110. He later helped Kraft fabricate the memories supporting Notru Stark's apparent identity as Tony's son 219.
• S.P.E.A.R. / Zheng Xian — Overseas contact and increasingly close collaborator. Martin invokes S.P.E.A.R.'s backing to deter American interference and keeps Zheng informed about Kraft's departure into space and potential technology transfers 58 116 120 141.
• Sun Wukong's successor — Defeated Martin when he initially resisted S.P.E.A.R.'s conditions for returning to China 58.
• Weather Witch, Sabre, and Daoist Zhang — S.P.E.A.R. operatives involved in capturing the Mandarin during the operation in which Martin killed Killian. Martin declined Weather Witch's invitation to return to China 118.
• Phil Coulson — S.H.I.E.L.D. contact during the shelter-bombing investigation. Martin supplied information about the living bombers and false Mandarin while making clear his distrust of the agency 116.
• Nick Fury / S.H.I.E.L.D. — Maintains a strained, pragmatic relationship. Martin openly mocks the agency's bias and Hydra problem; Fury nevertheless promises to shield his businesses from American interference to preserve access to Kraft's technology 141 142.
• Hydra / Baron Strucker — Enemy associated with the experiments Martin and Kraft investigate. Martin prepares cautiously against the organization, then travels with Kraft and Riot to Sokovia to provoke and confront its local branch 89 95 119 120.
• Aldrich Killian / A.I.M. — Responsible for the attack that destroyed FEAST. Martin tracked Killian through Angela and killed him while he fled the Mandarin's assault 116 118.
• Thor — Martin incapacitated him with negative-emotion energy after Thor angrily confronted Kraft 194.
• Cull Obsidian and Supergiant — Thanos's subordinates who attacked Martin on Contraxia to seize the Mind Stone. Martin killed Supergiant and continued an escalating battle with Cull 230 231.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Kraft's Guardian and Business Partner

Martin provides Kraft with a stable home after their escape, then helps turn Kraft's inventions into viable businesses while maintaining FEAST as a charitable institution 2 5. He also uses Kraft's popularity and Dream Toy Company's success to reinforce their public standing 3 29.

He continues to guide Kraft in ordinary and commercial matters despite the scale of his inventions. Martin reminds him that his size-changing light gun can solve the problem of concealing a large arsenal, insists that he take school examinations personally, and later handles his withdrawal from school when space exploration becomes his priority 39 94 131.

At the Stark Expo, Martin intervenes when Justin Hammer threatens Kraft, then scolds Kraft for provoking unnecessary trouble 68. He subsequently invests in the mechanical-prosthetics venture and moderates Kraft's approach to charitable distribution 110 111.

War with the Magia Gang

As Mr. Negative, Martin deploys the Demon Gang against Magia holdings in Hell's Kitchen. Although the operation damages the Magia Gang, Rhino injures him and prevents a decisive victory 14. Martin later shifts to a longer strategy of weakening the gang and uncovering the force behind its experimentation program 17 20.

Kraft eventually supports the campaign through intelligence on Magia bases and Hell's Kitchen's superpowered residents, while Martin continues to discourage his direct participation in gang warfare 84. The investigation later develops into preparations against Hydra and the confrontation in Sokovia 89 119 120.

Protecting Kraft from Retaliation

Martin warns Kraft that business rivals may target him, but secretly allows attacks to occur so Kraft will develop stronger defenses 13 17. After witnessing Kraft's automated fortifications, Martin is impressed but concerned that their scale could attract FBI attention 17.

His protective interventions later range from using his civilian status to deter Justin Hammer to disabling Thor when the latter threatens Kraft 68 194.

Family Secrecy

Martin and Kraft gradually recognize each other's hidden activities—Martin's identity as Mr. Negative and Kraft's unscientific inventions—without directly forcing disclosure 21. Martin repeatedly urges Kraft to keep dangerous inventions secret from intelligence agencies and other interested parties 20 21.

Peter's confrontation with Mr. Negative brings several secrets into the open. Kraft identifies Spider-Man as Peter through his undisguised voice, Martin returns to normal, and the three discuss the experiments and the Demon Gang's purpose at its base 57.

Martin then reveals his earlier dealings with S.P.E.A.R. and the role Kraft played in integrating his personalities. Kraft refuses to return to China without him or submit their family to government control 58.

Resolving Mr. Negative's Condition

Kraft initially modifies Martin's suit while searching unsuccessfully for a perfect solution to his merged-personality problems 63. Later, records from the Viper Gang and Angela's analysis indicate that the original experimental process was incomplete 89.

Martin presses for completion because he fears becoming too weak to protect the family in a world of increasingly powerful threats. Kraft reluctantly agrees to research a safer approach, and Martin's condition is subsequently resolved at the Osborn laboratory 89 94 108. He retains his abilities and transformation, while his later emotional influence becomes far more formidable 95 97.

Hell's Kitchen Expansion and the Defenders

Martin rapidly expands the Demon Gang's holdings to prepare for the larger Hydra conflict. Kingpin and the Defenders interpret this as an attempt to seize the underworld, leading the heroes to confront him 95.

Martin defeats the Defenders' initial strategy by exploiting Jessica Jones's trauma and Iron Fist's grief, rather than meeting their physical strength directly 95. Misty's gunfire fails against his barrier, and Matt recognizes him as Martin Lee 97. The Chitauri invasion interrupts the broader confrontation; Martin deploys Swift Form and leaves to coordinate Chinatown's protection 102.

FEAST Bombing and Revenge on A.I.M.

A former disabled soldier, restored through experimental treatment, detonates himself inside FEAST. Martin deploys the Negative Suit's defensive form and a massive shield while Alice, Quinn, and Bea protect others, but the shelter is destroyed and several people die 116.

Martin leaves the rescue response to Alice and Aunt May and begins a calculated investigation. He informs Coulson that the attackers themselves are bombs, identifies the televised Mandarin as an impostor, and reveals his S.P.E.A.R. connection to strengthen his position. Angela traces the attackers to Aldrich Killian and A.I.M. 116.

Killian had targeted the shelter partly to provoke Stark and pressure the Vice President, whose need for Extremis was undermined by Dream Company's prosthetics 117. When Killian flees a battle with the real Mandarin, Martin intercepts and kills him using the Negative Suit. S.P.E.A.R. captures the Mandarin, and Martin declines an invitation to return to China 118.

Sokovia Campaign against Hydra

After Angela locates Hydra's trafficking network and Loki's Scepter in Sokovia, Kraft asks Martin to join him in taking revenge on the organization connected to their past 119.

They travel openly with Riot to provoke a response and confirm the local branch's involvement. Martin blocks an armed ambush, enters his negative form, summons Black Emperor, and charges the attackers 120.

Hydra's superpowered fighters carry Scepter-derived countermeasures that neutralize Martin's emotional influence. His suit keeps him protected while Kraft and Riot engage the other opponents; Martin is later shown fighting Carl Creel, the Absorbing Man 123 124.

Earth-Based Representative and Space Traveler

Martin initially wants to stop Kraft from leaving Earth, but decides to support him and manage their businesses instead. Kraft equips him with a Symbiote Suit and entrusts him with the Mind Stone before constructing the Crossbone Vanguard 129 131.

After the ship's launch, Martin reassures Zheng Xian that Kraft may send useful alien technology back to Earth. He is far less cooperative with Fury, mocking S.H.I.E.L.D.'s claims to global authority before explaining that Kraft simply wants to explore space 141 142.

Martin later visits Arale Star and travels for recreation on Contraxia. Kraft briefly calls him back to assist with the false-memory work supporting Notru Stark's fabricated identity 199 219.

Battle with Thanos's Subordinates

Cull Obsidian and Supergiant confront Martin in a Contraxian dance hall and demand the Mind Stone for Thanos. Martin's fear-inducing mist affects Cull, but Supergiant removes the influence; Martin then deploys Black King Armor and counters Cull's attack 230.

Their duel escalates as Supergiant uses mind-controlled mercenaries to distract Martin and protects Cull from emotional attacks. Martin switches to Swift Mode and kills her with an energy sword and an internal burst of negative energy. Before her death, she identifies him with the Death Vanguard and alerts Thanos 231.

Without Supergiant's protection, Cull can be weakened emotionally and cut by Martin's sword, but his durability and regeneration remain formidable. Martin fires a Tekkaman particle cannon, burning Cull and destroying his axe, yet Cull remains standing at the chapter's end 231.

Parallel-World Counterpart

The Martin Lee encountered during Kraft's later parallel-world travels is a distinct counterpart, not the Martin who adopted him in his original world. This Martin developed Mr. Negative through Osborn Group experiments rather than the Magia Gang, and lacked the years of Kraft's influence and treatment that helped the original Martin regain control 310.

Aunt May speaks with the counterpart privately, and Kraft obtains research assistance from Doctor Otto. The counterpart voluntarily enters an Energy Cage while suppressed by the Mind Stone, but Negative regains control when that suppression is removed 312 315.

Using Otto's GR-27 records and further research, Kraft treats the counterpart so that his negative energy remains but can no longer corrupt or control his mind. He still wants revenge on Norman Osborn, but resolves to avoid harming innocent people. He accepts Kraft as his adopted son from another world and misinterprets Kraft's bizarre experimental methods as evidence of a troubled father-son relationship 315.

Trivia

• Martin initially used the Medal of Freedom not only as recognition, but as a means to secure legitimate identities and practical benefits for himself and Kraft 3.
• Kraft considers Martin's naming sense poor, particularly criticizing the name “Demon Gang” 17 34.
• Martin was initially baffled by Kraft's talking-animal scarves, finding them harder to comprehend than Alice or Kraft's combat equipment 20.
• Kraft treats Martin's defeat by Sun Wukong's successor as something worthy of boasting about rather than an embarrassment 58.
• Martin was so shaken by footage of Arale splitting a planet with her bare hands that he spent a week relaxing at a nightclub to recover his sense of normality 141.
• Kraft's immediate invitation to watch a live broadcast from the Moon undercut Martin's emotional farewell after the Crossbone Vanguard departed 142.
• On Contraxia, Martin initially mistook Supergiant's approach for a misunderstanding involving a past romantic entanglement rather than an attempt to seize the Mind Stone 230.
• Cull Obsidian's ability to withstand energy spears with his bare body prompted Martin to complain that real aliens were nothing like the technologically advanced, physically frail beings he expected from science-fiction films 230.