Origin
James Nicola Bradley was born to Nicola & Catherine Bradley in 1906. He was present alongside his mother to aide her while giving birth. Nicola was killed while fighting along side the rest of the X-Men’s Science Squad against Cornelius Shaw and his prototype Sentinel.
Creation
Originally created by an unknown artist and author at Ace Magazines, Doctor Nemisis first appeared in Lightning Comics #6 (1941). Over 50 years later Roy Thomas, Brian Garvey and Dave Hoover adapted the character to Marvel in a 1993 revival of the Invaders. His first Marvel appearance was in The Invaders issue 1 (1993).
Major Story Arcs
Bradley first appeared as Doctor Nemesis in Lightning Comics vol. 1 #6 (April, 1941) by Ace Comics. He was a highly trained physician who also used his athletic skills and proficiency as a hand-to-hand combatant as a vigilante. He used an unusual weapon to inject criminals with truth serum solutions, leaving them pliable for interrogation. He had some skills as a detective. Working in Mercy Hospital showed him what crime did to innocent people, it was witnessing these horrors that drove him to become a hero.
Marvel revived him as Doctor Death, an American hero who defected to the Axis side during World War II. He appeared as such in “Invaders” vol. 2 #2-4 (June – August, 1993). He formed the team known as the Battle-Axis. While retaining his skills from his earlier appearances, Bradley was retconned with further skills and connections. His expertise with the human body was consulted by Phineas Horton when he sought to create his first android. The two ended up working together to create the original Human Torch, effectively becoming his co-parents. Bradley learned enough of Horton’s robotics skills to create his own androids later on. He now used a larger-caliber weapon which fired darts filled with a super-sedative substance. The projectiles were thrown with enough force to penetrate chain-mail armor. He served as the leader of the Battle-Axis. He was betrayed and killed by Volton, an android created by him. Volton was enraged to learn his memories as a human were actually only programmings by Bradley.
Apparently he got better since he later resurfaced and was recruited by Beast for his science squad. It is revealed that he is a first generation mutant, born in 1906. After rescuing Beast and Professor X from Norman Osborn’s prison, Nemesis and the rest of the X-Club join the X-Men on the risen Asteroid M, renamed Utopia, where they mourn the death of Yuriko Takiguchi shortly afterward.
Second Coming
For more information: Blind Science
While investigating the oil rig constructed by Bastion, Dr. Rao discovers a timer which is counting down. As the timer hits zero Dr. Nemesis, Dr. Rao and Jeffries are seemingly transported to another dimension. They encounter a man who seems to know them and what’s going on and is later discovered to be Hank McCoy. They are all attacked by elemental-like beings who then capture McCoy. As Dr. Nemesis and the rest escape they deduce that they are still in San Francisco in the year 2030 or 2040. To draw out the elementals and try to save McCoy, Dr. Nemesis injects a stray cat with a synthesized shot of his X-Gene. The elementals attack and McCoy is rescued. He reveals the details of how things came to be this way. They won the war against Bastion but Hope began to mutate out of control and psychically control the other X-Men and later all mutants. He asks that Rao develop another form of the cure to use against her and she does so. Once created the whole thing is revealed to be a simulation by the Sapien League to get a form of the mutant cure. Rao reveals she really created a pyro virus which took out their captors and the oil rig. Dr. Nemesis, Rao, and Jeffries leap to safety in the ocean only to turn around and see Bastion’s sphere enclose Utopia.
Dr. Nemesis scans the sphere only to find that it is quantum irresolvable. The Avengers along with Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four arrive to assist but they fail to penetrate the sphere. They remain outside until the final conflict where Hope defeats Bastion.
After the events of Second Coming, Dr. Nemesis accompanies Rogue, Cypher, and Hope to Cooperstown, Alaska so she can find out about her mother. Cyclops then calls them in to help one of the new “lights” that have appeared, Laurie in Vancouver. Dr. Nemesis later speaks with Magneto who is recovering from the battle when he questions Nemesis about the Young Avengers. Dr. Nemesis tells him about Wiccan and Speed and how they may be his grandchildren.
Smoke and Blood
For more information: Smoke and Blood
During the Curse of the Mutants story arc, Dr. Nemesis is tasked with trying to reverse the vampire effect. While checking in with Emma Frost the X-Club’s living specimen escapes containment and begins stalking the X-Club and killing some of the survivors from the initial suicide attack. Dr. Nemesis seals himself under quarantine with the creature and scares him off with a light gun. It becomes evident that the vampire is using Jeffries as a psychic amplifier to start controlling the survivors and Jeffries. As Dr. Nemesis is being overwhelmed by the vampire and affected citizens, he gets a psychic call out to Emma to interrupt the mind control allow Jeffries to kill the vampire. While discussing the aftermath, Jeffries is convinced magic is involved, Dr. Nemesis refuses to accept that as a plausible excuse.
Generation Hope
For more information: Generation Hope
Upon the Lights return from Tokyo, Dr. Nemesis examines and explains their powers to each of them. When testing Gabriel’s abilities he asks him to speed over water knowing he would fall through the water. Gabriel takes it to heart & displays his close combat abilities on Dr. Nemesis.
Betrayal in the Bermuda Triangle
For more information: Betrayal in the Bermuda Triangle
When the FF arrive to Utopia with a distress call from Lee Forrester, Cyclops takes Dr. Nemesis along with others through a dimensional portal in the Bermuda Triangle. Upon arriving their sub is damaged and the portal is destroyed. Reed, Magneto, and Dr. Nemesis stay behind to repair the sub and portal while the others search for Lee. Dr. Nemesis creates plans and builds a new portal but cannot create a means to power it. As Dr. Nemesis and Reed continue their work, they are attacked by Scorpius’ army (who have also captured some of the other FF and X-Men). They are captured by Scorpius who reveals he will power their portal with his own energy source and conquer our dimension. The X-Men and the FF break free and separate Scorpius from his energy source using it to power their portal and return home.
X-Club
For more information: X-Club
Dr. Nemesis addresses the public along with Cyclops and the rest of the science team. They are unveiling a new project in cooperation with the SC company to build a space elevator called the Stringstar. Nemesis is interviewed by reporters about his feelings on the world’s smartest superheroes list when an protesting Atlantean begins to lose control and mutate wildly. Dr. Nemesis fires on the beast with his dart gun but the creature swats them away. The creature explodes, unable to control its mutation. The base of the Stringstar then comes under attack by sea creatures with super powers. Nemesis personally aids in clearing the base of the creatures when a starfish with the ability to project one’s true thoughts, attaches itself to his head. Dr. Nemesis comments on Dr. Rao’s nice figure before admitting to Cyclops that he wishes his costume was as cool as Scott’s. Nemesis prepares himself to be lowered into the ocean where they have located the source of the mutation and identified it as being some sort of Terrigen leak. As he is preparing for his dive, Nemesis confesses to Madison that he craves his friendship. The deeper Nemesis is lowered the more the laws of physics change around him. He discovers that there are several different dimensions overlapping each other at this very point at the bottom of the ocean. Nemesis recognizes this as being a Schrodinger’s Cat thus allowing him to reason that if he merely focuses on the correct dimension he will force it to be. He succeeds and continues deeper until he comes across a large mutated bio mas sitting atop a wreck bearing the SC company’s insignia. The crew up top give the order to cut his line.
Cable and X-Force
For more information: Cable and X-Force
Dr. Nemesis is recruited, at gunpoint, by Cable to be on his newest incarnation of X-Force as his doctor. He works alongside Forge to operate on Cable to find the cause of his headaches.
Powers
Originally, Bradley had no superhuman abilities and relied upon his superior intellect and technology. However, he was retconned into a mutant in Uncanny X-Men #504. His mutant powers are a “self-evolved” intellect and biology. He possesses both an enhanced immune system and slowed aging process that gives him an advanced longevity. In Uncanny X-Men, Bradley revealed he has altered his eyes to give him enhanced vision and the ability to see genetic anomalies. He is a genius in several fields, and uses various self-developed weapons and gadgetry. He is also a gifted athlete and a trained hand-to-hand combatant.