Neutro

Real Name: Neutro

Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial (Plutonian) robot

Occupation: N.A.

Affiliations: John Dodge, “Doc” Banyan

Enemies: Group 777

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Earth

First Appearance: Neutro #1 (Dell Comics, January 1967)

Powers/Abilities: Neutro is strong enough to bend steel like paper or rip apart tanks; swift enough to outfly missiles; able to dig through the earth at high speed; immune to most forms of attack, up to and including nuclear blast; and armed with weaponry capable of incinerating enemies.

History: Neutro is an alien robot who was planted on Earth in the American Southwest around a thousand years prior to the modern day. The aliens' visit became part of the local folklore, which described how strange creatures, like humans but somehow different, came from the sky in a saucer shaped ship and buried four large boxes deep under a hill, before issuing a warning that anyone who disturbed the resting place would die.

Scientist John Dodge hears these tales and leads an expedition to discover the boxes the aliens left behind. After months of searching, during which time all his helpers except for Doc Banyan abandon him as a crazy man, he finds the site of the landing. Uncovering the boxes, he discovers they contain electronic components and, surprisingly, a simple to follow set of instructions for assembling the giant robot which is the finished product. Once completed, the robot, dubbed Neutro, stands as tall as two men, but he has no brain of his own, instead following radioed instructions. Fearing the consequences should Neutro fall into evil hands, Dodge and Banyan decide they must retain control of the robot and use his powers only for good, little realising that the original reason the aliens left Neutro on the planet was for the exact opposite reason - his creators, the Plutonians, would leave Neutro-like robots on each planet they visited, and then centuries later return by which time some locals had invariably used the robot to conquer the entire planet, at which point it was a simple task for the Plutonians to would seize control of their robot along with whichever group now ruled.

Comments: "Whoever controls Neutro controls the world!" Sure enough, before the end of his first and only issue, an organisation of evil scientists known as Group 777 devine the existence of Neutro, and a battle of control began between the villains and Dodge and Banyon, a struggle which was never concluded.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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