Steven Lang is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

, a supervillain

Supervillain

A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...

 in the Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

 universe

Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

. He is best known as a manufacturer of the mutant-hunting robots called Sentinels. He first appeared in X-Men

X-Men

The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...

volume 1 #96.

Fictional character biography

Dr. Steven Lang was a pioneer in the field of robotics and genetic mutation who hated mutants. An employee of the U.S. government, he was placed in charge of a federal investigation into the origin of genetic mutation. He would later use his talents to create an army of mutant hunting robots to kill all mutants. To this end he sought political affiliation so that he could get the government to endorse and financially support his operations. With anti-mutant paranoia at a rise during the time, he was nearly successful. Lang began by targeting minor mutant criminals such as Mesmero

Mesmero

Mesmero is a fictional mutant, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. The character first appeared in [Uncanny] X-Men #49.-Fictional character biography:...

. He was assisted in this by the backing of Ned Buckman

Edward Buckman

Edward "Ned" Buckman, also known as the White King, was a Marvel Comics villain and leader of the New York branch of the Hellfire Club. He was created by Chris Claremont and John Bolton.-Fictional character biography:...

 and the "Council of the Chosen", the secret group in control of the New York Branch of the Hellfire Club

Hellfire Club (comics)

The Hellfire Club is a fictional society within the Marvel Comics Universe that often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men...

 prior to Sebastian Shaw

Sebastian Shaw (comics)

Sebastian Hiram Shaw is a fictional comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an adversary of the X-Men.A mutant, Shaw possesses the ability to absorb energy and transform it into raw strength...

's takeover.

To defeat his main targets, the X-Men, Lang initially used the massive mutant-hunting robot Sentinels. He also created the "X-Sentinels", android doubles of Beast

Beast (comics)

Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...

, Iceman

Iceman (comics)

Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....

, Angel

Angel (comics)

Angel, in comics, may refer to:* Angel comics, comics featuring the Buffyverse character Angel* Warren Worthington III, a Marvel Comics character and member of the X-Men who has used the names Angel and Archangel...

, Marvel Girl

Jean Grey

Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...

, Havok, Lorna Dane

Polaris (comics)

Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...

, and Professor X

Professor X

Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....

 who possessed the appearances of, and could simulate the mannerisms and powers of, the original X-Men. These androids were created to fight against the real X-Men (Cyclops

Cyclops (comics)

Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...

, Colossus

Colossus (comics)

Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...

, Wolverine

Wolverine (comics)

Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...

, Storm, Banshee

Banshee (comics)

Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....

, and Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler (comics)

Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...

). These events led to an epic battle between the original X-Men and the "All-New, All-Different" X-Men, where it seemed that Professor X betrayed the X-Men. In the climax of the battle, Wolverine managed to discover and expose the true nature of the X-Sentinels, and Lang apparently perished when the mini-fighter which he was employing against Cyclops and Jean Grey was telekinetically crashed into a wall-screen, but he was later revealed to have survived, albeit in a coma with severe brain damage. Returning to Earth from Lang's satellite base, Jean Grey apparently sacrificed her life to save her teammates, only to seemingly return as the Phoenix.

Years later, Lang returned as a member of the Phalanx

Phalanx (comics)

The Phalanx are a fictional cybernetic species in the Marvel Comics universe. They have come in conflict with the X-Men and related groups on several occasions. They form a hive mind, linking each member by a telepathy-like system....

, a group of humans who had been transformed into techno-organic human-alien hybrids. The transformation process restored Lang's mind, and he became their leader. Lang was the only one of the Phalanx to retain his individual human identity, possibly due to the brain damage; when his true nature was revealed, he was dragged to his apparent death by his lieutenant, Cameron Hodge

Cameron Hodge

Cameron Hodge is a fictional comic book supervillain and opponent of the X-Men, as seen in Marvel Comics. Created by writer Bob Layton and artist Jackson Guice, Hodge first appeared as a supporting character in X-Factor #1 , and was later revealed to be secretly acting against that group as the...

.

Lang's corpse was recently exhumed by the Purifiers

Purifiers

The Purifiers, also known as the Stryker Crusade, are a fictional paramilitary/terrorist organization in the Marvel Comics universe and enemies of the X-Men...

 and reanimated by Bastion

Bastion (comics)

Bastion is a supervillain that appears in the fictional Marvel Universe. The character was created by Scott Lobdell and Pascual Ferry and first made a cameo appearance in X-Men #52 . His first full appearance was Uncanny X-Men #333...

 using a Technarch. He's now part of a group formed by the foremost anti-mutant leaders under Bastion's control.

During the Second Coming

X-Men: Second Coming

"Second Coming" is a crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics that ran through the most of the X-Men comic books from March to July 2010.-Publication history:...

storyline, Steven Lang alongside Graydon Creed

Graydon Creed

Graydon Creed is a fictional character created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brandon Peterson. The character is an enemy of the X-Men and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #299 .- Fictional character biography :...

 were killed by Hope Summers

Hope Summers (comics)

Hope Summers is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #205 in 2007 , and was created by writers Mike Carey and artist Chris Bachalo during the "X-Men: Messiah Complex" event...

.

Powers and abilities

As a normal human being Stephen Lang had no superhuman powers. However, he was a genius and pioneer in the field of robotics, with adequate financial resources to fund his operations.

As a member of the Phalanx he had all of the characteristics of a techno-organic life form: enhanced strength, durability, and agility, ability to re-shape corporeal form at will, and to infect other beings with the techno-organic virus

Techno-organic virus

A techno-organic virus is a fictional virus in the Marvel Comics universe. The virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material. Techno-organic material resembles both machinery and living tissue...

and control infected beings.