Origin
Francis Vibereaux was a geologist that was hired by Franklin Fortney to take some measurements of a deep trench right above the San Andreas Fault. Vibereaux created a machine that was meant to absorb lethal seismic energies in hopes to prevent earthquakes. He was sent down the trench with his machine when an earthquake suddenly occurred and Vibereaux plunged below the deep earth. Fortney assumed Vibereaux was killed in the fall and told his men to take care of the mess. However Vibereaux survived the fall but was horribly disfigured. Vibereaux emerged from the earth below with seismic abilities and called himself Vibro. He discovered that a local off-shore oil rig was taken over by terrorist and Fortney was one of the hostages. Iron Man came to the rescue and defeated the terrorist when Vibro destroyed the oil rig with a devastating wall of vibration hoping to get his revenge on Fortney. Iron Man would confront Vibro and knock him out with a punch. Vibro was placed in a local jail cell when he discovered that Fortney was saved by Iron Man. Vibro was enraged and broke out of his cell.
Vibro threatens to destroy the town until Iron Man or Fortney shows up. Iron Man would appear and attempts to dive towards Vibro from the air. Vibro hits Iron Man with his vibration waves and sends Iron Man upwards. The shockwaves are so intense that Iron Man cannot aim his repulsors and his gyro systems are badly damaged. Iron Man crashes into a warehouse where Tony Stark and Morley Erwin pick him up. Erwin came up with a theory about Vibro’s powers. Erwin believed that Vibro’s powers are somehow connected to the fault and has to be in close proximity in order to use his deadly shockwaves. Stark doesn’t think the connection makes a lot of logical sense but goes with Erwin’s theory and comes up with a plan. Iron Man would confront Vibro back in town and goads him into chasing him in a jeep. Iron Man takes Vibro fifty miles away from the San Andreas Fault and disables the jeep. He dives towards Vibro and takes some shockwaves but they are not strong enough to stop him. Iron Man picks up the jeep with Vibro inside and takes him a couple hundred feet off the ground. Vibro surrenders and is placed in a special cell in Nevada.
Creation
Vibro is created by Dennis O’Neil and Luke Mcdonnell in 1984 and first appeared in Iron Man # 186.
Story Arcs
Vibro would be escorted by two agents from Nevada to California to stand trial. After they land in , the two agents escort Vibro in cuffs towards the police car. Vibro begins to sense the seismic abilities near him until his body is permeated with power from the earth. Vibro breaks his cuff and manages to escape the authorities when he uses his vibration powers to elevate him over a barb wired fenced. Vibro would start attacking people at a nearby air show hoping to lure Iron Man. Rhodes in the Iron Man armor confronts Vibro and fight breaks out. Tony Stark reluctantly puts on a new Iron Man suit and decides to help because his lack of experience as Iron Man may place innocent civilians in danger. Stark would grab Vibro from behind while he was distracted with and tosses him into the air. Stark kept blasting him higher and higher with his repulsor rays until Vibro passes out.
A few years later, Vibro would break out of the Vault with Titania and Mr. Hyde. This criminal group would come into conflict with Steve Rogers, D-Man, Falcon and Nomad. Vibro is taken down by Nomad and all four criminals are apprehended. Vibro would reappear at the Los Angeles Department of Urban Development after reading a report stating that they have been allowing substandard construction in the city. Vibro was so upset that office was being irresponsible and disregarding the safety of the city if an earthquake would occur. Vibro decided to start a massive earthquake to teach them the stupidity of their ways. Vibro is defeated by the West Coast Avengers when Hank Pym uses his Pym particles to close the fault. Sometime later, Vibro battles Stark after his recovery from paralysis. Iron Man defeats Vibro when he uses magno-couplers to lift him off the ground and keeps spinning him until he surrenders.
HYDRA would capture a number of B-list villains and brainwash them. Vibro would be one of the many brainwashed super-criminals that assault a SHIELD helli-carrier called Black Hawk. The kamikaze assault on SHIELD is led by Northstar and Elektra. They infiltrate the ship and battle NIck Fury and his agents. Vibro and Shock begin to break down a wall that leads to the medical facility containing a brainwashed Wolverine. The medical staff are trying to help Logan recover but they realize time is of the essence and set him loose. The medical staff turn off the lights and hide. Wolverine systematically takes down each villain, one by one. Vibro is an unfortunate victim of Wolverine when he punctures his chest with his adamantium claws. Whether or not Vibro was killed remains to be seen.
Powers & Abilities
Vibro can release seismic shockwaves from his hand. These shockwaves can destroy buildings in a matter of seconds and disable an opponent as well. The vibration from these blasts can be very disorienting and can cause someone to pass out. The shaking can be so bad it can cause mechanisms to malfunction and lose control. Vibro can also use his shockwaves to reach elevated heights and achieve flight by aiming his blasts towards the rear of his body and the shockwaves will thrust him up and forward. He can even cause the air around him to vibrate so much that bullets and other projectiles will veer off its target. Vibro’s abilities and powers are connected to the San Andreas Fault and he must be within a certain proximity of any fault zone in the world to use his powers. The closer he is to a fault zone, the more powerful he becomes.