Name: Arnim Zola
Legal Status: Swiss citizen with no criminal record as
Identity: Publicly known
Other Aliases: The Bio-Fanatic
Place of Birth: Weisshorn Mountain, Switzerland
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: One-time ally of the Red Skull
Base of Operations: Weisshorn Mountain, Switzerland
First Appearance: CAPTAIN AMERICA #208
History: Arnim Zola was a biochemist who
began his experiments in genetic engineering in the late 1930s
upon discovering a cache of ancient scientific papers in his
ancestral castle in Switzerland. The documents, brought to the
castle by Zola's ancestors during the Crusades, were written
in the ancient language of the Deviants, a strange offshoot
of mainstream humanity who had been performing genetic research
for millennia. After decoding the papers, Zola used the advanced
knowledge contained therein to perform experiments to create
artificial life. Soon succeeding in fashioning even more sophisticated
lifeforms, Zola became the first human genetic engineer in history,
his work predating that of the High Evolutionary by about a
Among Zola's original accomplishments was the
construction of a brain pattern-imprinting device by which the
essence, memories, and personality of the one mind could be
totally transferred to another. Soon a completing this device,
he went to Adolf Hitler with it, hoping to secure funds from
Nazi Germany to expand his research. Hitler was intrigued by
Zola's work and submitted himself to Zola's treatment. Consequently,
when Hitler was slain in his bunker by the android Human Torch,
he was able to project his mental essence into a clone brain
in Zola's laboratory.
Born with a frail, dwarfish body, Zola used his
scientific skills to genetically fashion a new stronger body
for himself. Having done so, Zola used the mind-transferrance
technique he devised to project his mind into the cloned brain
of his new body, a brain that he situated in the chest cavity
where it would be more protected. Since the brains of all of
his genetic creations were grown from cells of his own, he can
mentally project his intelligence into any of his creations.
Later, Zola cloned various bodies for his patron,
Adolf Hitler, to enable the Nazi leader to survive in various
guises in the decades since his physical death.
In recent years, Zola's experiments were financed
by another master Nazi, the Red
Skull. Under the Skull's auspices, Zola produced such advanced
genetic creatures as Primus and Doughboy. Despite the nature
and scope of his work, Zola managed to keep his existence a
secret for decades until he encountered Captain
America in the jungles of Central America where he was conducting
some experiments for the Skull. Zola abducted Captain America
to his stronghold in Switzerland but the Avenger managed to
escape. Zola also assisted the Red Skull in his plan to recreate
the Cosmic Cube. Finally severing ties with the Skull, Zola
recently attempted to raid Northwind Observatory in order to
confiscate Dr. Bruce Banner's various
scientific discoveries. This effort ended in failure, and Zola
was apparently destroyed in an explosion. Whether or not he
is truly dead, however, remains to be seen.
Height: 5 ft. 10 in.
Weight: 200 lbs.
Unusual Features: Zola has an ESP Box instead of a head.
A three-dimensional hologram of his original face appears in
a viewscreen on his chest. The ESP Box enables Zola to see and
hear by psychic means, as well as to control his genetic creations
Strength Level: Arnim Zola possesses the
normal human strength of a male athlete in his prime, despite
the fact that he does not exercise and is over a half-century-old.
Known Superhuman Powers: Arnim Zola possesses
the ability to mentally control his various genetic creations
by means of the ESP Box mounted atop his torso and surgically
attached to his central nervous system. Although most of the
creatures possess limited intelligence and the capacity for
creative thought, Zola can override their mental processes if
he so desires. The ESP Box is a retractable device that can
convert brain waves into electronic signals for transmission
as telepathic commands within ordinary radio range. Normally,
Zola is capable of controlling only his own organic creations,
but if he remains linked to his support equipment, he can stimulate
his own mental power to such a degree that he can create a psychonkinetic
network able to animate inorganic matter within radio range.
Zola is unable to control natural organic life.
Abilities: Arnim Zola possesses genius-level
intelligence and scientific skills.
Equipment: Zola employs a mental commands
to his creations in the form of energy bolts of approximately
100,00 volts. Similar in purpose to the ESP Box, the prod is
limited in range to 18 feet and can only work on his own organic