Curtis Carr

Origin

Curtis Carr once worked for Mainstream Motors in their chemistry department. He made better wheels and other practical inventions. On his free time he managed to invent a gun that could change the chemical make-up of an object. He called it the Alchemy Gun. This being a major break through in science, the company wanted to take it from Curtis. Curtis however refused, not wanting a corporation to make money with his own invention. For this, he was fired, but however took his invention with him. Curtis became overwhelmed with revenge, and made up the persona of Chemistro to ruin Mainstream Motors. To Carr's misfortune, Mainstream Motors hired Luke Cage to stop him. During the final fight between Carr and Cage, Carr shot his own foot, turning it into solid steel. He used his foot to knock Cage down and run, but his gun's ability was unstable. Carr's foot chemically broke down, and he was left a cripple.

Creation

Curtis Carr was created by Steve Englehart and George Tuska in 1973 and first appeared as Chemistro in Hero For Hire issue 12.

For the second and third Chemistro, see Chemistro (Calvin and Morton).

Story Arcs

While in prison, Curtis met another inmate named Arch Morton who beat the information of how to make the alchemy gun out of him. Curtis, eventually agreed to give him the information, but left out some details. While Arch Morton was out of prison, he made the gun, but the gun exploded, giving Arch the ability to change the structure of material just by touching an object with his hand. As Arch reappeared as the new Chemistro, Cage called upon the help of Curtis Carr. Carr, who had fell into a depression after he was out of prison and left a cripple, realized that it was his duty to stop Arch. Carr made a device named the Nullifier to cancel out Arch's powers. Thanks to Carr's brilliance, Cage defeated the second Chemistro.

However, things would not let up for Curtis. When Curtis' brother Calvin Carr came out of prison, he visited him. Calvin, let down and more angry then ever, planned to make a criminal reputation for himself. This while Curtis was now a reformed criminal and was trying to better his life. Calvin however obtained the alchemy gun, taking it by force from Curtis. Calvin started his criminal reputation as the third Chemistro by taking out two of Luke Cage's (the man responsible for putting Curtis in prison) friends, Colleen Wing and Bob. Curtis was soon visited by Luke and Iron Fist, then known as the Heroes for Hire. They hoped to gain information and help from him to take down the new Chemistro, just like he had helped Luke out last time. He helped them best he could, but Calvin however did manage to make his escape.

Later, after a phone call from Danny Rand to Tony Stark, Curtis would be hired by Stark Industries. There, beside making new inventions, he made himself a prosthetic leg. Things looked to go up for him, but it soon seemed to fall apart after a confrontation with his brother Calvin, the new Chemistro. He had helped Luke and Iron Fist and Calvin was furious. Thanks to Curtis, Calvin was brought to justice in the end. But not before Curtis lost his other foot as well because of the Alchemy Gun. He luckily replaced that leg with another prosthetic as well and could finally start out his new life as the man he always wanted to become.

In recent years, Carr would later become the hero known as High-Tech. He used this anonymity to fight against corrupt companies. On one occasion he stole Cybertek designs from Moses Magnum and had to be saved by Deathlok, who, despite disapproving of Carr's theft, was impressed by Carr's dedication to using technology to make the world a batter place. He convinced Carr to be a better hero by staying on the straight and narrow; Carr turned himself in for the theft, but Magnum decided not to press charged in order to maintain deniability, and so Carr remained a free man. Carr continued to fight alongside other heroes and was even considered to be part of Iron Man's 50-state Initiative.

Other Media

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

The Curtis Carr version of Chemistro appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes voiced by Nolan North. He first appeared in episode "The Breakout" as Vault inmate, when a mass prison break occurs. He was punched in the face by Hawkeye. He later reappears in the episode "This Hostage Earth" as a newly recruited member of the Masters of Evil and battles Hawkeye, angered by the fact that he cannot remember his name. Hawkeye had finally beaten him by destroying his chemical gun.

In the episode "Acts of Vengeance," Amora The Enchantress and Executioner target and capture Chemistro. Amora then interrogates Chemistro so that he will tell her Baron Zemo's location. He tells Enchantress that he doesn't know where Zemo is, but pleads for her to let him live if he tells her another key peace of information. He tells her that Arnim Zola is held up in a warehouse in New Jersey. The Enchantress congratulates Chemistro by turning him into gold with his own alchemy gun.