View source for Life Model Decoy

{{Short description|Type of android in Marvel comics}}
{{Infobox comics elements
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics--> 
|image     = 
|imagesize = 200
|caption   = 
|publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
|debut     = ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #135
|debutmo   = August 
|debutyr   = 1965
|creators  = [[Stan Lee]]<br>[[Jack Kirby]]
|type      = Android 
|supports  = [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]]<br>[[Nick Fury]]
|subcat    = Marvel Comics 
|altcat    = 
|sortkey   = Life Model Decoy 
|addpubcat#= 
}}
A '''Life Model Decoy''' (frequently known by the abbreviation '''LMD''') is a fictional [[Android (robot)|android]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. LMDs duplicate all outward aspects of a real living person with such authenticity that they can easily impersonate a specific person without casual detection. LMDs first appeared in "The Man For the Job!", a short story by writer [[Stan Lee]] and artist [[Jack Kirby]] that ran in the anthology book ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #135 (August 1965), in which the spy agency [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] created LMDs of agent [[Nick Fury]] to use as decoys for an attack by the terrorist organization [[Hydra (comics)|Hydra]].

LMDs have been used in numerous Marvel Comics storylines since their first appearance, and have also been adapted into other media based on Marvel, including films, television series, animation and video games.

==Publication history==
Life Model Decoys first appeared in "The Man For the Job!", a short story by writer [[Stan Lee]] and artist [[Jack Kirby]] that ran in the anthology book ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #135 (August 1965). The spy agency [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] created LMDs of agent Nick Fury to use as decoys for an attack by the terrorist organization [[Hydra (comics)|Hydra]].<ref name=io9>Whitbrook, James (January 10, 2017). [http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-silliest-life-model-decoy-stories-in-marvel-comics-1790994884 "The Silliest Life Model Decoy Stories in Marvel Comics History"]. [[io9]].</ref>

A Life Model Decoy is a S.H.I.E.L.D.-designed robot that duplicates all outward aspects of a living person. The owner can see through, speak through, and control everything the Life Model Decoy does. [[Nick Fury]]'s Life Model Decoys are probably the most common in the Marvel Universe.

It is designed to function as an exact [[body double]] for [[Very important person|VIP]]s. Their design is such that they [[mimicry|mimic]] the subject's outer appearance (i.e., [[fingerprint]]s, [[hair]], all details of the [[skin]]), [[speech]] patterns, [[odor|scent]], [[Iris (anatomy)|iris]] and [[retina]] patterns, [[body language]], thought patterns (to fool [[telepathy|telepath]]s), and any other biological indicators. Aside from any invasive procedure and vulnerability to strong [[electromagnetic pulse]], they are indistinguishable from the original.

==Powers and abilities==
{{unref section |date=July 2024}}
As an android, a Life-Model Decoy possesses superhuman strength, durability, and agility. [[Nanorobotics|Nanites]] within the LMD allow for self-repair similar to an enhanced healing factor.
==Known examples==
A number of Life Model Decoys with simple numerical designations have appeared in storylines. The following are listed in numerical order:

* '''281''' – Appears in the 2011 "[[Fear Itself (comics)|Fear Itself]]" storyline.<ref name="Hulk #37">''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|Hulk]]'' (vol. 2) #37 (September 2011)</ref>
* '''361''' – Appears in the 2011 ''Hulk'' storyline "Scorched Earth".<ref name="Hulk #29">''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #29 (March 2011)</ref>
* '''391''' – Appears in the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline.<ref>''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #38 (October 2011)</ref>
* '''399''' – Appears in the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline.<ref name="Hulk #37"/>
* '''442''' – Appears in the 2011 ''Hulk'' storyline "Scorched Earth".<ref name="Hulk #29"/>
* '''737''' – Appears in the 2011 ''Hulk'' storyline "Scorched Earth".<ref name="Hulk #29"/>

A number of Life Model Decoys have also been depicted impersonating specific characters. The following are listed in alphabetical order:

* '''Amber D'Alexis''' – The Life Model Decoy of the mother of [[Scorpio (Marvel Comics)|Mikel Fury]] (aka Scorpio) appears in the 1994 [[graphic novel]] ''[[Wolverine/Nick Fury: Scorpio Rising]]''.<ref>''[[Wolverine/Nick Fury: Scorpio Rising]]'' (October 1994)</ref>
* '''Annie''' – This female Life Model Decoy created and programmed by [[Hulk|Bruce Banner]] in a 2011 ''Hulk'' storyline to assist [[Thunderbolt Ross|Red Hulk]] between missions.<ref>''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #30.1 (May 2011)</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Richards |first=Dave |date=July 20, 2011 |title=Parker Hounds 'Hulk' with an Army of Adversaries |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33363 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724100447/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33363 |archive-date=July 24, 2011 |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]}}</ref>
* '''[[Eric O'Grady|Ant-Man]] III''' – In a 2010 ''[[Secret Avengers]]'' storyline, a villain named Father replaces Eric O'Grady, the third Ant-Man, with an LMD following his death. This LMD later took on the identity of '''[[Black Ant (comics)|Black Ant]]'''.<ref>''[[Secret Avengers]]'' #32 (August 2010)</ref><ref name=Newsarama>Marston, George (May 18, 2016). [http://www.newsarama.com/29353-s-h-i-e-l-d-s-lmd-life-model-decoy-explained.html "S.H.I.E.L.D.’s LMD - LIFE MODEL DECOY Explained"]. [[Newsarama]]. [http://www.newsarama.com/29353-s-h-i-e-l-d-s-lmd-life-model-decoy-explained.html Archived from the original] on May 22, 2017.</ref>
* '''[[Bucky Barnes]]''' – An LMD of Bucky Barnes appears in the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline.<ref>''[[Fear Itself (comics)|Fear Itself: Captain America]]'' #7.1 (January 2012)</ref>
* '''[[Black Panther (character)|Black Panther]]''' - After [[Erik Killmonger|Killmonger]] was resurrected by the [[Mandarin (character)|Mandarin]], he battled and appeared to have killed Black Panther, but it was later revealed that he had used an LMD to fake his death.<ref>Iron Man Annual #5 (1982)</ref>
* '''[[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Black Widow]]''' – An LMD of Black Widow appears in the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline.<ref>''[[Fear Itself: Black Widow]]'' #1 (August 2011)</ref>
* '''[[Captain America]]''' – An LMD of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, appears in a 1968 storyline in ''Captain America''.<ref>''Captain America'' #106 (October 1968)</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQD0WX6czQAC&pg=PA111|title=Captain America and the Struggle of the Superhero: Critical Essays|publisher=[[McFarland & Company, Inc.]]|author=Weiner, Robert G.|date=2009|isbn=9780786453405|access-date=May 22, 2017}} Archived at [[Google Books]].</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jt-1DrRegMIC&pg=PA287|title=US Icons and Iconicity|author=Hölbling, Walter|publisher=[[LIT Verlag]]|location=[[Münster]]|date=2006|isbn=9783825886691|access-date=May 22, 2017}} Archived at Google Books.</ref>
* '''[[Sharon Carter]]''' – An LMD of Captain America's ally, Sharon Carter, appears in a 1969 storyline in ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]''.<ref>''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #108 (December 1969)</ref>
* '''Chuck''' – The Life Model Decoy who functions as the driver for Red Hulk and Annie is destroyed by Black Fog in a 2011 ''Hulk'' storyline.<ref>''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #33 (July 2011)</ref>
* '''[[Deadpool]]''' – In the 2009 ''Hulk'' storyline "Code Red", [[Deadpool]] is attacked by a number of Life Model Decoys made to resemble him.<ref>''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #14 (October 2009)</ref>
* '''[[Dum Dum Dugan]]''' – The 2014 storyline "[[Original Sin (comics)|Original Sin]]" reveals that Nick Fury's long-time S.H.I.E.L.D. subordinate was killed in 1966 and secretly replaced with an LMD that operated for many years without drawing suspicion from anyone, and which believes itself to be the genuine Dugan.<ref name="Newsarama" /><ref>''[[Original Sin (comics)|Original Sin]]'' #5 (October 2014)</ref> The Dugan LMD appears in a 2015 storyline in ''[[Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' and ''[[New Avengers (comic)|New Avengers]]'', where it was revealed that the real Dugan is alive, preserved via suspended animation, and remotely controlling his LMD.<ref>New Avengers (vol. 4) #17 (December 2016)</ref>
*'''[[Valentina Allegra de Fontaine]]''' - Years after the original allegedly died in a Russian [[gulag]], a Life Model Decoy of de Fontaine was created.  The LMD is equipped with plasma cannons, a cloaking device that can make her invisible, and cables that can hack into computer systems.  She heads the O.X.E. group and is recruited by [[Bucky Barnes]] as part of his newest [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]] lineup.<ref>''Thunderbolts'' (vol. 5) #1 (February 2024)</ref>
* '''[[Nick Fury]]''' – Numerous Life Model Decoys of Nick Fury are employed throughout his career.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npIsZV7grboC&pg=PA33 |title=Marvel Graphic Novels and Related Publications: An Annotated Guide to Comics, Prose Novels, Children's Books, Articles, Criticism and Reference Works, 1965–2005 |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |author=Weiner, Robert G. |date=2008 |isbn=9780786451159 |access-date=May 22, 2017}} Archived at Google Books.</ref> 
** '''Max Fury''' - One LMD of Nick Fury is an enhanced version that is stolen by Scorpio in a 1977 storyline,<ref>''[[The Defenders (comic book)|Defenders]]'' #46 (April 1977)</ref> and later takes the name "Max Fury" after being recruited into the [[Shadow Council]].<ref>''Secret Avengers'' #1 (July 2010)</ref>
* '''[[Maria Hill]]''' – Maria Hill has used LMDs of herself as a tactical or hazardous situations that pose a danger to her life.<ref name="Newsarama" /> During the 2008 storyline "[[Secret Invasion]]", S.H.I.E.L.D. Hill uses her LMD, which she uses in order to escape a group of alien shapeshifters known as [[Skrulls]].<ref>''Mighty Avengers'' #18 (November 2008)</ref><ref>''[[Secret Invasion]]'' #1 (June 2008)</ref>
* '''[[Human Fly (comics)|Human Fly]]''' - The third [[Big Man (comics)|Big Man]] used numerous Human Fly LMDs to attack Spider-Man and [[J. Jonah Jameson]]. They were defeated when Jameson used a remote to hack into the [[Spider-Slayer]] replicas.<ref>''Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 5) #12 (February 2019)</ref>
* '''[[Iron Man]]''' – LMDs of Iron Man, Tony Stark, were used as a tactical or hazardous situations that pose a danger to his life.<ref name="Newsarama" /> In a 1969 storyline that ran in ''Iron Man'' #11-12, his archenemy, the [[Mandarin (character)|Mandarin]], discovers that he is secretly Iron Man. Tony has an LMD of himself built in order to trick the Mandarin into believing that Iron Man is actually someone else. Stark subsequently secures the LMD in a vault which gains [[sentience]], and believes in being the real Tony Stark.<ref name="io9" /> Stark LMDs would reappear in subsequent storylines featuring Iron Man.<ref>''Iron Man'' #17 (September 1969)</ref><ref>''Iron Man: The Iron Age'' #2 (September 1998)</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=White |first=Mark D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xoLvbBZCD9wC&pg=PT117 |title=Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark Reality |date=2010 |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |isbn=9780470482186 |access-date=May 22, 2017}} Archived at Google Books.</ref>
* '''Joanie''' – In a 2013 storyline in ''[[Avengers A.I.]]'', a Life Model Decoy is created by the terrorist weapons maker [[Advanced Idea Mechanics|A.I.M.]] to infiltrate the youth culture in the 1970s. She later becomes an ally of Dimitrios.<ref>''[[Avengers A.I.]]'' #2 (October 2013)</ref>
* '''Master Matrix''' – An sentient super Life Model Decoy created by [[Richard and Mary Parker]] to control the other LMDs. When he tried to replace all humans with LMDs, he is stopped by [[Spider-Man]] and [[Deadpool]] and convinced into becoming a superhero.<ref>''Spider-Man/Deadpool'' #34 (August 2018)</ref>
* '''[[Nightshade (Marvel Comics)|Nightshade]]''' – An LMD of this character appears in a 2012 storyline in ''[[Villains for Hire]]''.<ref>''[[Villains for Hire]]'' #1 (February 2012)</ref>
* '''[[Thunderbolt Ross]]''' – In a 2009 storyline in ''The Incredible Hulk'', a Life Model Decoy of Ross is used to hide his identity as the [[Red Hulk]].<ref name="Newsarama" /><ref>''Incredible Hulk'' #600 (September 2009)</ref>
* '''Valentina Rychenko''' – An LMD of Valentina Rychenko appears in the 2001 "Rage" storyline in ''[[X-Force]]''.<ref>''[[X-Force (comic book)|X-Force]]'' #110 (January 2001)</ref>
* '''[[Glenn Talbot]]''' – During the 2010 "[[World War Hulks]]" storyline, a Life Model Decoy of Glenn Talbot is created and programmed to believe that it is the real Talbot resurrected. It is destroyed when [[Thunderbolt Ross|Red Hulk]] tears its head off its body.<ref>''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #23 (August 2010)</ref>
* '''[[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]''' – An LMD of Thor appears in a 1976 ''Avengers'' storyline.<ref>''[[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]'' #145 (March 1976)</ref>

==Other versions==
===Heroes Reborn===
In the alternate timeline of the "[[Heroes Reborn (1996 comic)|Heroes Reborn]]" storyline, [[Captain America]] is brainwashed into believing that he is a civilian living in the suburbs. As part of this ruse, his wife and son are LMDs assigned to protect him. Nick Fury also used a Captain America LMD during secret missions.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=May 2017}}

===Livewires===
The android protagonists from the 2005 miniseries ''[[Livewires (comics)|Livewires]]'' are built using LMD technology and Mannite technology. The main antagonists of the series are revealed to be rogue Nick Fury LMDs as well.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=May 2017}}

===Ultimate Universe===
During the "[[Ultimate Invasion]]" storyline, [[Maker (character)|Maker]] traveled to [[Ultimate Universe|Earth-6160]] and remade it into his own image. It is revealed that [[Illuminati (comics)#Ultimate Universe|Maker's Council]] has made a lot of uses of the [[Nick Fury#Ultimate Universe|Nick Fury]] Life Model Decoys. Each one would be replaced if the current LMD starts to develop a conscious and ends up destroyed attempting to take Maker's Council down with it.<ref>''Ultimate Universe - One Year In'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==In other media==
===Television===
* Life Model Decoy models appear in ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]''.
* A Life Model Decoy of [[Nick Fury (Ultimate Marvel character)|Nick Fury]] appears in the ''[[Iron Man: Armored Adventures]]'' episode "Extremis". 
* Life Model Decoys appear in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]''. These versions can holographically project a person's exact appearance and duplicate the powers of whoever they impersonate.
* Life Model Decoys appear in ''[[Avengers Assemble (TV series)|Avengers Assemble]]''.

===Marvel Cinematic Universe===
* Life Model Decoy mentioned in ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]'' by Tony Stark while answering a phone call from Phil Coulson.
* The ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' TV series has Life Model Decoys inspired by the [[Eric Koenig|Koenig siblings]], though the project remained dormant until scientist and inventor [[Holden Radcliffe (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Holden Radcliffe]] revived it in the present after he turned his [[artificial intelligence|A.I.]] assistant [[Aida (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|AIDA]] into an LMD, who went on to create more. Additionally, LMDs controlled by [[Anton Ivanov (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Anton Ivanov]] appear in the [[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4|fourth]] and [[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5|fifth]] seasons.<ref name="HollywoodReporter">Bucksbaum, Sydney (July 19, 2016). [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/agents-shield-season-4-what-912172 "'Agents of SHIELD' Season 4: What Is a Life Model Decoy?"]. ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''.</ref><ref>Abrams, Natalie (January 11, 2017). [http://ew.com/tv/2017/01/11/agents-shield-radcliffe-aida-villain/ "''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' reveals true villain of 'Life Model Decoy' arc"]. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''.</ref><ref>Leane, Rob (May 22, 2017). [http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/tv/agents-of-shield-season-4/49592/how-marvels-agents-of-shield-fixed-the-22-episode-problem "How Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. fixed the 22-episode problem"]. [[Den of Geek]].</ref> while the [[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7|seventh season]] introduces a [[Phil Coulson]] LMD enhanced with [[Chronicom]] technology.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Agard |first=Chancellor |date=August 2, 2019 |title=''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' bosses explain what those twists mean for the final season |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/02/agents-of-shield-season-6-finale-time-travel-coulson/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803064420/https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/02/agents-of-shield-season-6-finale-time-travel-coulson/ |archive-date=August 3, 2019 |access-date=August 18, 2019 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>

===Film===
* Life Model Decoys appear in ''[[Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (film)|Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]''

===Video games===
* LMDs appear in ''[[Spider-Man: Friend or Foe]]''.
* LMDs of Nick Fury appear in ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2]]''.
* LMDs appear in ''[[Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes|Disney Infinity 2.0]]'' as part of Nick Fury's special ability.
* LMDs appear in ''[[Marvel Contest of Champions]]'' as part of Nick Fury's signature ability.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Life-Model_Decoy Life Model Decoy] at Marvel Wiki
* [https://comicvine.gamespot.com/life-model-decoy/4055-42286/ Life Model Decoy] at Comic Vine
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/nickfurylmds.htm Nick Fury's Life Model Decoy] at Marvel Appendix

{{Nick Fury}}
{{S.H.I.E.L.D.}}
{{Jack Kirby}}
{{Stan Lee}}

[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1965]]
[[Category:Characters created by Jack Kirby]]
[[Category:Characters created by Stan Lee]]
[[Category:Fictional robots]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics robots]]
[[Category:Nick Fury]]
[[Category:S.H.I.E.L.D.]]