Adam-X was created by Fabian Nicieza and Jeff Johnson. Adam first appeared in the X-FORCE Annual #2 – during a promotion, where the annuals introduced new villains and heroes into the Marvel Universe.
In his first appearance, Adam is tracking down a mutant by the name of Michelle Balters – using the name Neurotap – who had been born with the ability to route an energy pulse through a person’s optic nerves and their nervous system, which resulted in incapacitating them.
Adam is a human/Shi’ar hybrid mutant who has haemo-pyrokinesis which enables him to ignite the electrolytes in a victim’s blood once oxygenated, “flash-frying” the victim and possesses increased strength, speed, agility, endurance, reaction time, vision, and recuperative powers.
While hunting down Michelle Balters – Nuerotap – Adam is struck from behind by a blast from Cable. When Adam turns around he actually knows Cable by name – but Cable is not alone – he has the rest of X-FORCE with him, which does little to deter Adam from backing down.
When Adam first takes on X-FORCE in Annual #2, he had no problems dodging Cable, Rictor, Sunspot and Boomer – using his unmatched agility to not only avoid their attacks – but cut each and every single one of them without them realizing it.
Adam is “known” for saying “Burn” when using his powers – but the first time he’s seen using it in the pages of X-FORCE Annual #2 he does not use the catch phrase. It’s interesting how some things stick in people’s mind as something that always happens.
When Adam takes down all of X-FORCE in Annual #2, even #Shatterstar was genuinely surprised that Adam was able to not only take him down – but hurt him as well. Michelle goes on to explain to Cable who Adam is, and what she knows about him.
In X-FORCE Annual #2
, Adam tracks down Cable and the rest of X-Force who came to Michelle Balters’ aid – and even from a mile out, he’s able to see them with perfect clarity indicating that Adam has more than one power – and that his vision is as sharp as an eagle!
Adding to the mystery that is Adam-X, Adam reveals to X-FORCE that he’s not from Earth. He has a humanoid appearance; but his eyes and marking are a clue to Adam’s birth place!
Adam’s unusual appearance are due to being a crossbreed between Shi’ar and Human. His father is revealed to be D’Ken and the mother is believed to be Katherine Summers, the only human female known to be abducted by D’Ken. Her story was told by her Corsair in Uncanny X-Men 156.
During a fight with #Shatterstar, Adam extends two blades from the back of his fist. The blades, made of Shi’ar metal are strong enough to hold up against Shatterstar’s blade. Since Adam mentions they’re forged, it would appear these are not natural.
Adam reveals to X-FORCE that there’s a blank slate in his memory. He seems to recall his later years, but nothing of his youth.
Adam discusses needing to uncover his past to ensure he doesn’t become what he was trained to be – the killer of Mutants on Earth. Could this be the conditional training from those who sided with D’Ken seeking to wipe out Mutants like X-Men because of their interference?
Michelle explains to Cable that her powers triggered 3 years ago at the age of 16. She explains that her mutant power work through eye contact, and how she can send an energy pulse through a person’s body.
Michelle goes on to explain that she ran away due to her mutant powers. She ended up at the genetic research lab of Strong Industries where she was given room and board and tested on by the members of Strong Industries who had a passion for studying Mutants.
It’s there that she met – and developed a relationship with – Adam. Adam was used by Strong Industries as a mutant tracker and hunter. Adam had clearly been forged to fight and proved to be a useful tool for Strong Industries.
Michelle Balters goes on to explain that Martin Henry Strong, the founder and leader of Strong Industries has the single minded goal of destroying the DNA helix that creates mutant abilities for all Mutants!
Speaking of Martin Strong, Cannonball and Siryn of X-FORCE pose as student researchers to try and rescue Feral whose been captured and brought to his facility. He discovers their rouse and ensures a sonic blast from Siryn and catches Cannonball mid flight by his tie!
When Sam tries to go full blast using his Cannonball power, not only does it not lift Martin Strong from the ground, but he never lets go of Sam, so that Sam eventually putters out, astonished to see Martin Strong still standing!
Martin Strong reveals that he had a wife – and two children – a son & daughter around Feral’s age – and that his wife fled with their children because he was a mutant – so he admits that he’s doing this so everyone can have a “normal” life if he can uncover how to “cure” Mutants.
Adam knows that what Martin Strong is doing is wrong – the destruction of the mutant gene – and when Cannonball and Siryn are captured during an attempt to free Feral – Adam makes the moral choice to help X-FORCE and risk unlocking the keys to his own past.
Adam uses his power to render several members of X-FORCE as a part of the plan to rescue Cannonball, Siryn and Feral from the clutches of Strong Industries. Adam looks down at the unconscious members of X-FORCE and knows he’s doing the right thing – despite the cost to him.
When Adam gets inside Strong Industries, he signals Cable and the rest of X-FORCE, while Rictor, Boom Boom and Adam attack Martin Strong, after Martin taunts Adam about his desperation to learn about his past!
During the fight against Martin Strong, Adam cuts loose enjoying the fight. (Note: This is the fourth or fifth time we’ve seen Adam use his powers and he’s not said “Burn!” yet like everyone thinks he does every time he uses his powers).
Sadly, as Neurotap points out, some of the Mutants at Strong Industries are being kept alive by the tunes and chemicals they’re immersed in; proving the Martin Strong’s goal is not only questionable – but his methods are brutal.
When Martin Strong attempts to get away and Cable can’t break the door down – Adam once again reminds them that none of them would have survived on Ch’ylaritha, the battle world he had spent the majority of his later years.
Despite forfeiting the hope of learning about his past from Martin Strong, Adam launches into an attack against his former employer, Martin Strong, with #Shatterstar right behind him!
Just when things seem to be going good for Adam and X-FORCE and their fight against Martin Strong, Michelle – better known as Neurotap – betrays then for the promise of being cured of being a mutant so that she can live a normal life.
Neurotap – Michelle Balters – is a mutant neuropath who can sense and control neural impulses, the electrical discharges that travel along the nerve fibers within organisms. She can cause people to fall unconscious, experience intense pain, become paralyzed, effect memory, etc.
Adam is seen escaping Michelle’s blast – and he confronts Michelle – telling that betraying tbeir own kind – in this instances, Mutants – is too high of a price to pay for one self.
Adam is forced to cut Michelle and use his power to ignite her bloodstream as she attempts to use her power on him to render him unconscious. (This is the first time he says “Burn” – and it’s out of anger due to Michelle’s betrayal – a woman he had an intimate relationship with).
Adam is furious the Martin Strong was stringing him – and Michelle – along to be used as test subjects to wipe out the mutant gene – and tells Cable to strike down Martin Strong.
Cable uses his blade to cut through Martin Strong’s dense skin which exposes his blood and allows Adam to unleash his own power against Martin Strong.
This is the second time Adam uses “his catch phrase” of Burn, when he’s so furious – Strong suffered and tells Adam he has no idea what he’s doing as his blood feels like it’s on fire (folks, he doesn’t actually catch blood on fire like people think!)
Martin Strong’s secret is revealed – he is a mutant born, whose mutant ability manifested fins on his hands and feet, giving him an amphibious like appearance and explains why his wife fled with their son and daughter!
Martin Strong tries to explain that his mutation ruined his life – his wife taking their children and leaving – and had made him – a man who was a genius – an outcast – and that only Adam would truly understand what it was like to be an outcast among people.
Despite the idea the Martin Strong seeks to destroy the mutant gene helix, Cannonball provides the sound of opposition to destroying Martin Strong’s research since some Mutants were being kept alive because of it; and so some Mutants with disconfiguation will have a choice.
We also learn that Martin Strong isn’t “all bad” – one of his scientists explains that when Michelle’s powers activated originally, she unintentionally put both of her parents into a coma, and it was Strong who gladly paid the medical and care fees.
Cable loosely offers Adam a place with X-FORCE, but Adam declines and explains that he needs to find out the truth about who he is – unaware that he and Cable are – in a way – indirectly related, since Katherine Summers is believed to be Adam’s mother.
