Cardiac
Character » Cardiac appears in 95 issues.
Inspired by the death of his brother, Elias Wirtham set out to right the wrongs that slip through the cracks. He is the vigilante heart of justice. He is Cardiac.
Cardiac: Why is he still MIA? (Article)
Cardiac, like many other characters in the Marvel Universe (Toxin, Echo, etc), have been playing a pretty lengthy game of hide and seek with its readers. So, what has Cardiac been up to? Is he finally making use of all that vacation time he's accumulated as a well established doctor? Can writers simply not think of a good reason for him to grace the panels of comics again? Or does Marvel think readers just don't care for him? Well, I think he's not only a good enough character to return to a title, but dare I say it, an interesting enough character to hold his own title.
When he discovered the death of his younger brother could have been prevented if a medical company wasn't greedy enough to stall the release of a treatment, he swore to bring justice to all corruption and evil in the world. Well, the Marvel Universe has seen plenty of that (Dark Reign, anyone?), so why wasn't he around? His last appearance was was a mere two page fight with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up in 2004... Before that, another two page appearance in Wolverine back in 1999. Now, I ask Marvel one simple question: Why? Why has a character you've pitted against so many big names in the Marvel Universe been missing in action or barely around for over a decade?
Cardiac, just like Frank Castle, is a man who will stick by his mission objective until the day he dies. I don't know about you, but I would love to see more of his adventures. He's an intellecutal man, capable of creating an artifical heart which enhances his abilities, but also relatable when it comes to his dialogue and even more-so to anyone who has ever lost a loved one. I can understand his passion for justice and revenge, and it makes me interested in his personal life, too. Dark Reign was the ideal time for the house of ideas to re-introduce him to the 616 Universe. Corruption was widspead, and the nation was essentially being run by a madman. Why not, at the very least, give Cardiac a one-shot or an appearance along-side the likes of another anti-hero (Punisher, Moon Knight come to mind)? Even during the Heroic Age an effort can be made to reintroduce him. Amazing Spider-Man, the series he made is first appearance in, already appears to be pulling everyone out of the woodworks, so why not give him another chance?
The complaint could be made that Cardiac's appearances were more-or-less, repetitve. He does research on a company, organization, or individual, and then attempts to put it to an end. Every now and then, there's a hero who gets in the way, and after an amusing fight, they see eye-to-eye. But when it comes down to that, isn't that what the Punisher is pretty much all about as well? The difference is we've been given a deeper look into Frank Castle's life, and not just his action-oriented objectives. So, I propose the same treatment for Cardiac, and in doing so, he'd naturally develop more as a character. We'd learn to care even more for him as we dive into his personal life, instead of just observing his fight scenes and going "Damn, that guy is a bamf." And just like every hero, a primary villain has already been established. In Nightwatch, a spy for a competing company broke into Cardiac's lab and discovered his tech. He took it upon himself to wear one of the armors, and then took the name Cardiaxe. Just like Venom and Spider-Man, Cardiaxe knows Cardiac's true identity.
The complaint could also be made that writers simply don't care for the character, and they never received enough feedback from the fans to care. Well, now is your time to speak up!What do my fellow Viners think? Writers have stated in interviews that they'll check this site, among many others. So, for all we know someone might read this and be motivated to re-introduce him. Would you like to see Cardiac make a return, and if so, to what degree? A cameo, a one-shot, or a chance at his own title? Or is he simply too one-dimensional and should be left to stay forever in the back-issues?
Marvel needs their own version of the Secret Six or Suicide Squad to do something with these type characters. I'd buy it.
Just think of a comic with guys like Cardiac, Deadzone, Foreigner (yes the Foreigner damnit!) and others.
Maybe it's because he's not that well known? When you have so many mainstream characters that everyone is so focused on, it'll be pretty hard to get those people to look up some character they've never heard of before. Not to mention the lack of appearances doesn't help the case.
A one-shot, b4 he gets his own title. Looks like a good character design but Cardiaxe? come on now. Hopefully someone does something new with the character
"Maybe it's because he's not that well known? When you have so many mainstream characters that everyone is so focused on, it'll be pretty hard to get those people to look up some character they've never heard of before. Not to mention the lack of appearances doesn't help the case.
"
He actually has quite a few appearances in comparison to many other the other leser-known characters. He's been in Amazing Spider-Man multiple times (had his own back up stories after the issue, too), Wolverine, Black Cat, and a few others. Plus, how are people supposed to learn about characters if they aren't used? The last thing the public needs is overexposure to a restricted amount of characters, IMO. I think if he's introduced as a cameo in a larger title, or given his own one-shot (done well, naturally), things could pick up. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
"Marvel needs their own version of the Secret Six or Suicide Squad to do something with these type characters. I'd buy it. Just think of a comic with guys like Cardiac, Deadzone, Foreigner (yes the Foreigner damnit!) and others. "
An equivalent of Secret Six would be an amazing idea... But I'm sure people can dispute that's exactly what "Thunderbolts" is.
@Metatron_Da_Don said:
"A one-shot, b4 he gets his own title. Looks like a good character design but Cardiaxe? come on now. Hopefully someone does something new with the character "
Agreed! Cardiaxe would definitely require a revamp.
He was sucked into Marvel's purgatory dimension along with Toxin, Scream, Hybrid, Echo and many others.
....
If I was a writer for Marvel, I'd seriously make a mini-series and make that canon. Just imagine, all of the abandoned characters trying to escape.
" @ComicMan24: If you'd like, I can recommed some of his back issues to you. "Sure.
@InnerVenom123 said:
" He was sucked into Marvel's purgatory dimension along with Toxin, Scream, Hybrid, Echo and many others. .... If I was a writer for Marvel, I'd seriously make a mini-series and make that canon. Just imagine, all of the abandoned characters trying to escape. "
Just like Limbo in DC.
I agree. It seems like a one-shot tends to be the best way to gain more attention to a character, especially if the one-shot has a cameo with an already overexposed character.
/shrug
@ComicMan24:
He's in more, but those were the best ones that comes to mind.
There should soooo be an all 90's team. Cardiac, Adam X , Free Spirit, Wyre, Huntara... that would be awesome." He was sucked into Marvel's purgatory dimension along with Toxin, Scream, Hybrid, Echo and many others. .... If I was a writer for Marvel, I'd seriously make a mini-series and make that canon. Just imagine, all of the abandoned characters trying to escape. "
Adam X was recently seen in San Fran" @InnerVenom123 said:
There should soooo be an all 90's team. Cardiac, Adam X , Free Spirit, Wyre, Huntara... that would be awesome. "" He was sucked into Marvel's purgatory dimension along with Toxin, Scream, Hybrid, Echo and many others. .... If I was a writer for Marvel, I'd seriously make a mini-series and make that canon. Just imagine, all of the abandoned characters trying to escape. "
Yeah, as drunk fist fodder with a bunch of C-listers. Not the greatest of returns.
I remember he made a small appearance in the latest volume of Marvel Team-Up by Robert Kirkman. In it he put a beating to Spider-Man and ditched him. Disappointing that he's disappeared since then.
" @iLLituracy: I was unaware of this, thank you. To what degree does it appear? Is it a quick fight and he vanishes? A flashback? That would imply he had a gap from 99-04, and then has remained MIA from 04-10. "If I remember correctly, it was a quick 1-2 page fight. Might have been a bit longer, I'm sure Spider-Man lost and was late for work [he was working at Midtown High as a teacher]. I'll try to find the issue and scan the fight but it's not all that long of an appearance.
Catman likes the cardiac mucho and has wanted more of him for a long time.
and really who cares if he's somewhat obscure, no more so than every character
that has been floating around since Civil war to date, particularly on the Initiative side of things.
they can toss characters like Menace and Screwball all over his books they could use a bit more of Cardiac.
really when you look at it obscure cast is a staple of Spider books. I'll take some 8-Ball while they're
at it as well. heck Cardiac vs 8-ball in a Cardiac mini or 1-shot, I'm sold.
Marvel is releasing a Thunderstrike limited and the cover price is $3.99. Does that answer your question?
"I wouldn't mind seeing Cardiac out and about. But Toxin can stay gone. "
Why? He has potential.
Answer. I'd read a Cardiac limited before I'd read a Thudnerstrike one.
" @InnerVenom123 said:"Why? He has potential. "To me they should of stopped with two 'main' symbiotes. Venom and Carnage. The rest had short term written all over them. Thankfully. "
I agree, but I still think the others had potential if only they could have been written better. (Scream, the female schizoid, Hybrid, the disabled, and Toxin, the cop).
" @InnerVenom123: Scream was the only one out of the '5' that I saw potential in. Hybrid and Toxin I throw in with the rest of the four. "
I see. I liked how Hybrid had four voices in his head, and while I'm not sure on this, didn't they all tell him to do things in different ways? I never actually read the book with him, (I want to), but that's what I heard.
I think Marvel should do like DC did.
DC had Suicide Squad, and made Secret Six and Gotham City Sirens to keep people updated on villains.
Marvel could have Thunderbolts, as well as a team with Cardiac, Toxin, Echo, Trauma, Deadzone and others. It would be awesome.(I almost died when I say the line-up I just wrote LOL.)
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