including Jenkins, became disillusioned with their leader, Baron Helmut Zemo, and decided to reform and become actual heroes. After some time away from the team, Jenkins appeared as a regular character in Thunderbolts since issue #144, and has appeared as a supporting character since the title transitioned into Dark Avengers beginning with issue #175. During his time with the Thunderbolts, Jenkins made numerous upgrades to his armor, resulting in various iterations, from MACH-2 all the way to MACH-X. Fictional character biography Criminal career Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Abner Jenkins was a master mechanic at an aircraft parts factory who became dissatisfied with his boring, low paying job. Using his considerable mechanical knowledge, Jenkins built an armor-plated, strength-augmenting suit, a pair of gravity-defying wings, suction-fingered gloves, and a cybernetic control helmet. Calling himself the "Beetle", Jenkins decided to use his battle-suit for fame, wealth, and adventure. Believing a victory over half the Fantastic Four would make him an overnight sensation, the Beetle chose to lure the Human Torch and the Thing into battle. However, Thing and Human Torch defeated him, and he was sent to prison. Paroled a short time later, he sought revenge on Human Torch, but found himself in battle with Spider-Man instead. He kidnapped Human Torch's girlfriend, and Human Torch briefly battled Spider-Man, thinking he was in league with Beetle. Once again, with Human Torch's help, he was defeated after a cage of high-temperature flame was created around him. He was jailed once more. Upon his release, he decided to forego petty revenge and concentrated on the acquisition of wealth. At one point, Beetle was mentally dominated and recruited by the Collector to serve as his unwilling agent. Under the Collector's domination, Beetle faced the Avengers. He battled Daredevil and then, allied with Gladiator, fought him again. The Beetle also battled Spider-Man again. He later became a member of the group of supervillains who briefly posed as the Defenders to confuse the authorities and earn a bit of public trust. Losing every battle against costumed crime-fighters and failing to accumulate very much wealth, Beetle offered his services to underworld financier Justin Hammer who kept various superhuman criminals on retainers. His offer accepted, Beetle was dispatched against the original Iron Man, as part of a battalion of costumed criminals. His Beetle armor was severely damaged by Iron Man during the fight. Abner then invested all of the capital he