George Tarleton was an agent and technician of average intelligence who was employed by the subversive organization known as the Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM. Tarleton was chosen at random by AIM's "scientist supreme" (leader) Lyle Getz to be a subject in an experiment in controlled mutation. Placed against his will in the "alteration chamber," Tarleton underwent extensive cellular irradiation and physical bioengineering that transformed him into a massive-headed being possessing superhuman intelligence and extraordinary psionic powers. Getz intended to have the transformed Tarleton serve as a living computer as well as to employ Tarleton's new psionic abilities for probing the Cosmic Cube, an object of immense power. Hence, Tarleton was given the codename of Modoc, which stood for "Mobile Organism Designed Only for Computing." Enraged by his hideous condition, Tarleton used his new psionic powers to slay Getz and henceforth assumed the acronym "Modok," the "k" standing for "killing." |