Created by: Steve Englehart, George Tuska, Billy Graham
1st appearance: Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #12; 1973
Nationality: American
Aliases: Chemistro I (Luke Cage), High Tech (Deathlok)
Height: 5’11” Weight: 185lbs
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Relatives: Calvin Carr, brother (Chemistro III)
*note both of Carr’s feet are cybernetic prosthesis*
Skills and abilities: Advanced degrees in chemistry, mechanical engineering, and physics; designed an “Anti-Gravity” wheelchair while working for Stark Prosthetics
Powers: none
Weapons: As Chemistro Calvin was armed with what he named the Alchemy Gun which fired a radiation beam which could transmute matter; he developed a substance that he coated his gun with that prevents transmutation, the substance can also be used on people, and also developed an electrical device that neutralizes the radiation from the gun called the Nullifier, as well as an energy shield and a jamming rifle which could protect someone from the alchemy beam; as High Tech Calvin wore a suit of armor with information gathering capabilities and the jamming gun technology
Biography
Calvin Carr worked in the chemical laboratory at Mainstream Motors developing additives for their products. The job bored Carr, so during his spare time he would conduct his own experiments. One of his experiments yielded what he dubbed the “Alchemy Gun”. Carr had worked on the invention during company time and using company equipment, so his boos, Horace Claymore, told Carr the gun belong to Mainstream. Carr refused to turn over the gun deciding instead to keep it, and was fired by Claymore. Seeking revenge, Carr began a weightlifting regiment and bulked up, and then after making a costume, went to exact his revenge on Mainstream and Claymore.
Calling himself Chemistro, Carr broke into the offices of Mainstream to find out more about the company in order to destroy it. He was discovered by a secretary and used his weapon to getaway. The secretary, Annabelle Crawford, was taken care of at the clinic of Dr. Claire Temple, and while she was being treated, Claymore hired Luke Cage in order to deal with Chemistro, and Claymore paid the bill. When Chemistro snuck back into the company during a board meeting, he was once again discovered, this time by Claymore, whom he attempted to extort $100,000.00 from. Luke Cage was at the company as well, listening in to the board meeting due to not fully trusting his employer, and confronted Chemistro, who used his gun to turn the floor into paper and was able to start a blaze using phosphorous to help him getaway. Cage figured Chemistro would strike at the next public event, and so when a public test drive was announced at the company’s New Jersey track, Cage switched places with the driver. Sure enough, Chemistro fired at the car causing it to turn to molten metal, which Cage was able to survive thanks to his flame-retardant suit. Cage chased after Chemistro, who ran into the stands to try to escape. Once Cage caught up to him and unmasked him, Chemistro turned his foot into steel to try and use against him. Chemistro’s foot turned into dust; due to the unstable nature of the transmutations; after which he fell to the ground, bemoaning how the Alchemy Gun ruined his life. (Hero for Hire #12)
Having gone to prison for his crimes, Carr decides to go straight. One of his fellow inmates, Archibald “Arch” Morton; found out about Carr being the former Chemistro, and beat the secrets of the Alchemy gun out of Carr. Once released, Morton attempted to build a gun for himself, but his replica exploded in his hands. The radiation from the gun bathed Morton, and gave him the ability to transmute objects he touched. Upon Carr’s release, he chose to lie around in bed. Cage contacted Carr to see if he was still operating as Chemistro, but after Cage left, Carr realized who it had to be. After a confrontation with the new Chemistro, Cage returned to talk to Carr, who told him about Morton and offered to help. Cage was once again defeated by Chemistro, and afterward, was given a device by Carr which he called the Nullifier. Cage thanked Carr, and when he encountered Chemistro again, used it, and easily defeated him. (Power Man #37-39)
Carr, still with no job and frequently bed-ridden due to the lack of a prosthetic, keeps himself busy by working on a new Alchemy gun. Carr’s brother Calvin, who was considered the black sheep of the family, came to visit Carr, and forcibly took the gun from him. He warned him about the gun, but Calvin left anyway. Calvin, as the new Chemistro, fought with Power Man and Iron Fist, and turned their friends Bob Diamond and Colleen Wing into the glass. Cage and Rand visited Carr, who vowed to help their friends. Carr devised a process that managed to reverse the effects of the Alchemy gun, and after Power Man and Iron Fist suffer a defeat at the hands of Chemistro, Carr sprayed the heroes with the mixture he used to protect the gun barrel. With the aid of this, the heroes were able to defeat Chemistro. (Power Man and Iron Fist #93-94, #96)
Getting a referral from Danny Rand, Carr was hired by Tony Stark to work at Stark Prosthetics. Carr also gets the opportunity to also meet Jim Rhodes, who at the time was Tony’s bodyguard. While there, Car designed a prosthetic for his missing right leg, as well as artificial limbs for other folks. While on a visit to Carr, Tony and Jim are attacked by the Wrecker. Carr convinces his brother to come to the facility to help Iron Man, not knowing that he belonged to another gang that was after Stark, but when he arrives he tries to kill Iron Man himself. Chemistro turned Iron Man’s armor to lead, and was moving in for the kill, when Curtis stopped him and tried to convince him to back-off. This distraction gave Rhodes time to get Stark out of the armor and they managed to escape. Afterwards Stark brought Curtis in and reassured him that he would repair the damaged building and retain all the staff. He allowed Curtis to work in his personal laboratory where he designed an energy shield that would neutralize Chemistro’s alchemy beam, which he now fired from wrist gauntlets. Chemistro managed to overload the beam, but Curtis had developed a rifle capable of jamming the alchemy beam, but Curtis misfired and hit Chemistro in the chest. To pay for this, Calvin shot Curtis in his good foot, turning it to glass which shattered. He then turned his weapon on the jamming rifle. This gave Iron Man a chance to break free, and in turn defeat Chemistro and destroy his weapons. Curtis declared he would be back on his feet again; feet he would design and build for himself. (Iron Man Vol I #251-252)
While still employed at Stark Prosthetics, Curtis devised a scheme to steal technological information from Magnum Munitions; a subsidiary of Cybertek; a company he held responsible for mass crippling’s around the globe through their anti-personnel mines, but whose technology could further advance his own prosthetic research. In order to gather data and other sensitive information, Curtis developed the High Tech armor. He reasoned that he needed something that would not be linked to Stark Prosthetics, and he could hide his identity calling himself High Tech. Carr broke into Magnum Munitions and made away with files, incapacitating the head of security, Mr Lawson. The files had a tracking program which alerted the security force of Magnum Munitions and was picked up by Deathlok. Deathlok arrived at Carr’s first to check out who had stolen the Cybertek info and their purpose for it, as well as warn them about Magnum Munitions capability of tracking the stolen info down. After a brief skirmish, Deathlok destroyed the High Tech armor. When Mr Lawson attacked with a Magnum Munitions “Terrordome” Deathlok destroyed it as well and forced Mr Lawson to wait for the police to arrive. When Carr went to turn himself in, he found out that Magnum Munitions denied responsibility for both the Terrordome, and having anything stolen. Carr was released and returned back to Stark Prosthetics. (Deathlok Vol II #11)
After the Civil War, Tony Stark considered recruiting High Tech into the Initiative. (Civil War: Battle Damage Report)
