The Origins of Marvel's 3-D Man and Triathlon

History of the Marvel Universe No. 222
The Origin of 3-D Man
For more on the Skrulls:
• The Kree/Skrull War ☆ ...
Sources:
The Triple-Evil
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 050 (2001)
The Original 3-D Man
‣ Marvel Premiere 035-037 (1977)
Additional details from
‣ Skrulls! (2008)
His ability to see through Skrull disguises
‣ Avengers: The Initiative 016 (2008)
The 1950s Avengers
‣ What If? 009 (1978)
‣ Agents of Atlas 001 (2006)
‣ Enter the Heroic Age (2010)
Return of the 3-D Man
‣ Incredible Hulk 251 (1980)
‣ Contest of Champions 001 (1982)
Triathlon and the Triune Understanding
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 008-009 (1998)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 013-015 (1999)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 000 (1999)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 024-028 (1999-2000)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 032 (2000)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 035-036 (2000)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 041 (2001)
‣ Avengers (Vol. 3) 048-055 (2002)
The New 3-D Man
‣ Avengers: The Initiative 004 (2007)
‣ Avengers: The Initiative 012 (2008)
‣ Avengers: The Initiative 014 (2008)
‣ Avengers: The Initiative 016 (2008)
‣ Aveng001-005 (2010)
Additional information from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Twitch:
/ merrymarvelite
Discord:
/ discord
Patreon:
/ merrymarvelite
Twitter:
/ merrymarvelite
Instagram:
/ merrymarvelite
Tumblr:
/ merrymarvelite
Reddit:
/ merrymarvelite
Music:
"Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
#Marvel #Comics #Avengers

[@MerryMarvelite]

Hey, heroes! I'm streaming on Twitch again this weekend! On Saturday I'm playing more Castlevania: Symphony of the Night while on Sunday it's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom! Streams start at 2:30 ET! www.twitch.tv/merrymarvelite

[@foldabotZ]

Happy coincidence that the Triforce of 3D-Man is similar to the Triforce in Legend of Zelda.

[@Duck_Dodgers]

You should put modern origin in the title. You're not doing original origins

[@vincentfranklin17]

I always liked Triathlon. Wish they did more with the character.

[@kimbelsimpson7535]

I used to read this series way back in the day.

[@knightofkorbin888]

I've wondered for years about why 3D Man was one of the characters who was close (though Morbius and Omega the Unknown were as well) to appearing in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes to the point where both he and Triathalon had designs already. Triathalon's briefly visible on Nick Fury's board of suspects in either Infiltration or Secret Invasion. Though Armadillo was also on that board...

[@goredongoredon]

I read the first appearances of 3D Man back in the 70s and his tie-in to Triathlon many years later was a pleasant surprise that I didn't see coming. The Busiek & Perez years on the Avengers are a high point of the series.

[@willingdealer]

this was actually a great story! I could see it being a tv miniseries or something.

[@christopherulichney]

I loved how Triathlon was tied into the history of the mostly forgotten 3D Man. I still think his Triathlon costume was better than the 3D man costume though. Still leading the charge to get a video on BATTLESTAR for th fourth of July. As always MAKE MINE THE MERRY MARVELITE!!!!

[@DIEGhostfish]

Battlestar's great!

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

I'll always see Triathlon as a missed opportunity for Marvel to have its own Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt.

[@funkmastaC]

Dam, that takes me back. I forgot the real fake chosen one.

[@CharzaKitsune]

I find it amusing the Avengers fought a poorly disguised Scientology

[@thecat5872]

OMG, what a origin! I have this first appearance somewhere in my collection Such a original character super cool look, I know they’ve tried bringing him back with different incarnations but nothing tops the original

[@radrno7]

Ok, that's it, I need a 3-D Man movie. Shot in 3D, made by 3 different actors and by 3 different studios.

[@AKJames762]

I like how you always list the issues you reference in the description. A lot of other comic channels don't and its frustrating. Not a lot of creators cite their sources. Your videos get a like by default from me just for that alone but the content is already great as well.

[@jamesmoss3424]

I like to see 3-D Man in the MCU one day. 😀👍

[@trod1330]

One of the best origin stories

[@andreguilherme5978]

That's a very creative character. I miss the old marvel. I bought a Spider Man Omnibus edition and the comics from late 60's and early 70's was packed with passion from the writers and pencilers. They summarized what a real hero should be.

[@KGBookkeeping]

Agents of Atlas for the win!!!

[@seanwelch71]

Your summations are excellent. I like to collect as many appearances of my favorite B-characters as I can find. Triathlon is a cool character. I like the idea of "official" corporate heroes.

[@Lazrael32]

gotta love the "she'll always be captain marvel" sign. One i agree with and a nice jab at marvel's treatment of the character that continues to today.

[@Melkac]

They really improved on the original shitty costume with triathlon and thought “nah too good let’s go back to the green and red monstrosity”

[@deadlyraver4454]

That was far more interesting than I thought it would be. thanks for the vid. 👍

[@trexadvent4726]

How do you think the 3D Man and Triathlon should appear in the MCU? Would it be awesome if we saw these two making their MCU debut in the Secret Invasion Disney Plus show since they were involved with the Skrulls?

[@darthGOLDAR]

Reminds me of this awsome little place I used to go to called 3-D'S COMICS.😎👌

[@eddiec9756]

This was cool to see such an obscure character play a major role. When you think of marvel heros 3D man and triathlon aren’t in that list but a good role in a tv show or movie could fix that

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of Ironheart, Amatsu-Mikaboshi, Arno_Stark Iron Man, Squirrel_Girl, Constrictor, Deathlok, Amadeus_Cho, the Griever, Pepper Potts AKA Rescue and the Agents of Atlas along with Crescent, Morgan_Le_Fey, White Fox and Luna Snow?

[@DIEGhostfish]

6:54 The Soviets also had their own Cold Warrior! He's in the War Machine comics from the 90s. He was a cyborg who absorbed heat (Kinetic energy in general actually, but heat was easiest) but that was only half of his power, because he used that power to fuel concussion blasts. Rhodey was told he died, but that was off-panel so he could still be around, or they may have been others with the same cybernetics.

[@dfailsthemost]

This is awesome

[@Supremmo]

The Triune Understanding was Marvel low key poking fun at Scientology.

[@TheSushiandme]

Thanks, I've been wondering who they were for years. Got the heroclix of them and didn't find much details about them

[@dfailsthemost]

Dude, imagine finding out that someone imprisoned the souls of two people in you.

[@canis2020]

If 3D man ends up in the MCU would he just be called Man?

[@johnashton4776]

Would like to see this as a movie taking place in the 1960's, and 1970's three part movie.

[@micpar2]

SWEET X-MAS!!

[@ivane5110]

I definitely remember the 3D Man. I got his first appearnce story arc as each came out and for a long while he was my favorite hero right down to tryin to make some truly pitiful toy figures of him. I was so sure he was going to be the next big hero. And What If? just enforved that. Shows what I know, lol. What a treat it was when he showed up in Contest of Champions, even if only a cameo. It was a nice tip of the hat to him. Seeing them all return in the Hulk was also a cool surprise but bitter sweet; loved getting an update on their lives and seeing him in action again but kinda messed up that he was kept dorment all that time by his kid brother (kid brothers, sheesh) and his powers looked so weak against Hulks. But wow no idea so much was dome with the character since (ironicalky a lot more than when he was at his brief height of fame). Not a fan of the Borg "homage" connection though; it would've been nice if it'd been tied at least to a Silevr or Bronze Age powerful menace instead. Thanks for another detail, energetic and fun video.

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

If 3D-Man was in any of the Marvel Movies, he probably would’ve been using IMAX 3D or Dolby Digital 3D.

[@blubastud]

16:17 Man, he is looking real sassy to be looking in a refrigerator.

[@jamesellerbee4406]

Great character

[@thepanelbiter9915]

3D Man and Machine Man could be awesome in the MCU if they had films/shows that feel like 70’s science fiction movies.

[@RedDevilVR]

2nd! lets go!!!!

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of the Living_Brain, the Elementals, Cyclone, Hydro Man, Molten Man, Puck, Sandman, Rom_the_Spaceknight, Stingray, Quasar, Starbrand, Nightmask, Ava Ayala the White Tiger, Crossfire, Living Laser, Century, Lore and Technovore?

[@MrIrdatlan]

Oh man imcant wait to see the Mcu 3d man woowowow

[@funkmastaC]

I remember him in rom but only because the rom space knight series was a magical fever dream.

[@jasonic-ks2tm]

I'm thinking spymaster or the eel would be great choices

[@CMWaters]

Why during the start with the history with the mass of evil and a fragment going elsewhere do I get flashbacks to Aku's origin from "Samurai Jack"?

[@quentinfogger5755]

Who do you think is the best between the 3D-Man and Triathlon? What do you think they would be like if they appeared in the MCU?

[@trexadvent4726]

It would be awesome if these two appeared in the MCU to help the Avengers fight against Kang the Conqueror

[@radrno7]

So he's basically Ant-Man, Moon Knight and Miss Marvel in one character? Hmm that's pretty interesting, except for the Ant-Man part that multiplies his abilities. I always thought it was just one of those Golden Age characters doing all sorts of wacky stuff, kinda like Spot mixed with Doctor Strange. He legit has an entire backstory and real relatable conflicts, which is kinda surprising. I could totally see him as a big new hero, with reality warping powers to travel through different dimensions. He could basically get so thin you wouldn't even be able to see him because he flattened himself to 2D, or he could pass through any small hole because he shrunk himself into 1D. I would 100% watch a movie with a character like that, just doing optic illusions to get away from anything, pass through any obstacles and even fooling aliens with that.

[@inflatable_sparrow947]

Isn't every man already in 3D?

[@fredthemithrilogre]

Wasn't 3-Dman's comics suppose to be in 3-D but failed? Anyway, this vid made me have a better view of the characters. 👍

[@cerromeceo]

There's no sound Update: it work

[@quentinfogger5755]

So when are you going to do history of Zora_Vukovic Victorious since you did the history of Dr_Doom?

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do history of the characters mentioned in this video?

[@quentinfogger5755]

What all Marvel characters are similar to the 3D-Man? Who do you think is his DC counterpart?

[@jamielthashepherd6870]

Can you do a video on Stryfe?

[@trexadvent4726]

Are you going to do history of Ironheart, M'Baku, Namora, Attuma and Shuri as the Black Panther since they played a major role in the Black Panther Wakanda Forever movie?

[@trexadvent4726]

Are you going to do history of lesser known characters like Rom_the_Spaceknight, Stingray, Ultimo, Inferno, Zora_Vukovic Victorious, Flerken, Blacklash, Deathlok, Elematrix, Vertigo, Masked Raider, Red_Wolf, Tarantula, Forge, Bishop, Titanium_Man, Crimson Dynamo, Dreadknight, Deathcry, Kobik AKA the Cosmic Cube, Blizzard, Quasar, Starbrand, Nightmask, Bastion, Master Mold, Nimrod, Starhawk, Fixer, Whirlwind, Chemistro, Whiplash, the Controller, Madam_Masque, Count_Nefaria, Ava Ayala the White Tiger, Crossfire, Living Laser, Century, Lore and Technovore?

[@dfailsthemost]

Interlinked

[@quentinfogger5755]

Who do you think is the best user of the three Crystals and who's the best for each of the three worlds?

[@beesmith5379]

I actually forgot about 3-D Man.

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do history of Master Pandemonium, Sleepwalker, D'Spayre, Lilith, Chthon, Mephisto, Black heart, Dormammu, Clea, Nightmare and Pkzkrfmknna along with Firestar and Vance_Astrovik AKA Justice?

[@ayaavalon6213]

Shauuuurd

[@trexadvent4726]

What do you think is the best thing about the 3D Man and Triathlon in the comics? Which one of their powers and abilities do you think is the best?

[@samuelgates5935]

I had the actual #1 issue of this, but my little brother stole it😠

[@dawg065]

this triune looks alot like scientology.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Intentional.

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do history of the Elementals(Hellfire, Magnum, Hydron and Zephyr), Bastion, Master Mold, Nimrod, Inferno, Zora_Vukovic Victorious, Night Nurse, Moondragon, Phyla_Vell and Genis-Vell along with the Supreme Intelligence, Puppet_Master, Diablo, Mole_Man and Angel/Archangel along with Exodus and Ex-Nhilo?

[@goredongoredon]

I second the Night Nurse request!

[@MrMetro-mt5qv]

I really hope Triathlon shows up in Secret Invasion.

[@angryjack7963]

That would be a great way to introduce him, and he would be of great help

[@user-cu3cs8kh3n]

I had a comic of 3d man before someone took it

[@micpar2]

The 3-D Man needs his own movie set in the 50's and with the 1950's Avengers! They could pull a 50's gimmick at the theaters. Having a guy dressed up as the 3-D. So if some one says aaaaaaa this movie sucks. They could change their mind. LMAO kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoeUamaenNF0l8k

[@Duck_Dodgers]

You're doing modern origin not the original one so put in modern origin in title

[@majinsole8554]

Think he’s do for an upgrade. ~_~

[@DanielSheffler-ju6be]

I had one comic of 3d man before someone took all my comics

[@depsoul1604]

1:57 Elizabeth olsen

[@stevebourgeault8340]

Wen are you going to make an organ about sand man

[@tinfoiltyrant]

That time the Avengers had Scientologist infiltrators in their midst. Holy shit, kudos to Kurt Busiek for writing this one, those nutjobs still make life hell for people who speak out against them, he was taking shots at them when they were operating unimpeded.

[@AgentNevets]

I was never a fan of Triathlon…which Skrull ally did he kill?

[@louiswebtser]

During Avengers Initiative, once he got 3-D Man’s glasses he killed every Skrull on each team of the 50-State Initiative

[@justinhaupt1151]

I don't know yo seems too far away and we ran out of Cheetos and we need some more beer dude with some more cheap essential scenery

[@LucasDarkGiygas]

His name made my mind go to a dozen different places trying to figure out what someone called 3-D Man would be able to do, and turns out he's just as strong as 3 people. God, what a disappointment lol

[@KenDAKL4ever]

One of the worst superhero costumes ever

[@Dynamo001]

3-D Man is just a failed Marvel character that they don't want to admit is a failure.