246:
computer would often attempt to overrule or counter his human emotions, but as the story wore on Probe became more and more resentful to both the computer and Sharpe's orders, often disobeying the computer's advice completely. Eventually, M.A.C.H. 1 killed Sharpe and then sacrificed himself to enable aliens, provoked into attacking Earth by Sharpe, to return home. Probe's life before his compu-puncture treatment was never clarified or explained, and it was stated several times that the only person who knew anything about his prior life was Sharpe himself.
311:
290:, an East European M.A.C.H. agent created after Sharpe sold the compu-puncture techniques to the Soviets. Maski had been created using inferior technology and although she possessed similar hyperpower to M.A.C.H. 1 would burn out much sooner. Aware of this, she sacrificed herself to allow M.A.C.H. 1 to escape and confront Sharpe over his involvement.
242:
military knowledge he would not normally possess. Probe eventually discovers that his superior, Denis Sharpe, had engineered the compu-puncture treatment which had given him his abilities so as to erase Probe's pre-augmented memory and to cause his death if he did not receive frequent treatments. As a result, Probe was forced to work for Sharpe.
296:
a robot successor to M.A.C.H. 1, created by Sharpe in order to remove the human element and perceived limitations from the M.A.C.H. project. M.A.C.H. 1 fought M.A.C.H. 2, and was beaten, but managed to severely damage M.A.C.H. 2 during the fight. Sharpe prevented M.A.C.H. 2 from killing M.A.C.H. 1,
245:
Probe attempted to leave Sharpe and the service several times, but was forced to return for controlling hyperpower injections to prevent his energy flow from falling below survival level - although one story suggests that he has left Sharpe for an unspecified but considerable length of time. Probe's
284:: M.A.C.H. 1 later met M.A.C.H. Zero, a prototype agent who had not been equipped with a computer implant and had consequently been driven insane by the uncontrolled hyperpower. M.A.C.H. Zero later appeared in his own strip, involving a search for his son Tommy, based on a case of mistaken identity
241:
to give him "hyperpower" equivalent to the strength of fifty men, and computer circuitry imprinted onto his skull to control and advise on use of the hyperpower. The computer also grants him occasional mental skills, such as how to pilot aeroplanes, drive an armoured car, or specific scientific and
262:
agent who volunteered for a special procedure whereby his physical strength, speed and agility would be enhanced using 'compu-puncture', a computerized form of
957:, and other British 1970s strip tropes with an over-the-top working class Zombo (playing the John Probe role) paired with an upper-class Etonian.
869:
in the late 1990s, and gained considerable media attention at the time. The story was not popular with readers, however, and was soon killed off.
68:
813:
779:
1044:
278:, which also fed him tactical information such as the amount of strength or the exact throwing angle required for a given task.
209:, but with more graphic violence. As the strip continued the tone became increasingly dark. This contrasted directly with
1034:
1039:
1049:
1029:
213:, who began as a killer, but was progressively softened by the TV networks until it fitted into family entertainment.
1054:
396:
205:
173:
177:
after kids said they wanted to see that in a comic, and the concept of a computer brain as a partner was taken by
727:
297:
recognising that the human element - which was what enabled M.A.C.H. 1 to damage M.A.C.H. 2 - may still have use.
46:
42:
25:
259:
222:
122:
1007:
191:. The name came from Doug Church while Mills, according to Church, came up with the acronym on the spot.
1001:
995:
884:
38:
17:
163:, which was published in February 1977, and ran nearly continuously until issue 64, dated 13 May 1978.
877:
921:
910:
899:
363:
753:
640:
809:
775:
226:
203:("M.A.C.H." stands for "Man Activated by Compu-puncture Hyperpower") thematically resembled
151:
86:
80:
939:
A second spoof ran in the 40th
Anniversary Special: a fake 'original' version of the strip
234:
144:
941:
888:
749:
738:
716:
658:
636:
583:
537:
484:
310:
1023:
662:
182:
21:
1013:
275:
263:
238:
178:
34:
862:
267:
687:
392:
372:
230:
156:
98:
73:
271:
187:
237:. He has been given extreme physical enhancement by a method known as
350:
16:
This article is about the 2000AD comic strip. For the Marvel Comics
33:"M.A.C.H. 2" and "M.A.C.H. Zero" redirect here. For the speed, see
147:
305:
719:
and Mike
Donaldson (1-2, 4, 6-8), Ramon Sola (3, 5), in
322:
171:
Pat Mills has said the idea was a deliberate ripoff of
159:
and illustrator Enio. It debuted in the first issue of
128:
118:
110:
105:
94:
79:
67:
62:
57:
1016:at the International Catalogue of Superheroes
945:, dropped from the comic's original line-up.
8:
225:agent at first engaging in missions against
143:was a comic strip that ran in the British
54:
132:Superhuman strength, speed and durability
20:member formerly known as M.A.C.H. 1, see
772:M.A.C.H. 1: The John Probe Mission Files
726:"Cyborg Express" (with Henry Miller and
966:
266:using multiple 'electro-needles'. His
7:
920:"He Died with his Boots on" (with
395:(1)/Robert Flynn (2) and Enio (1)/
155:. The strip was created by writer
14:
808:(Rebellion Books, 18 April 2019,
774:(Rebellion Books, 22 March 2018,
379:#6 and #9). Appearances include:
375:format (the beginning and end in
982:Thrill-Powered Overload! page 14
973:Thrill-Powered Overload! page 13
309:
455:"On the Roof of the World" (in
1:
686:"The Final Encounter " (with
462:"Operation Death-Drive!" (in
806:M.A.C.H. 1: Close Encounters
522:"Skyscraper Terrorists" (in
448:"Our Man in Turkostan" (in
1071:
838:2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1979
832:2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1978
792:2000AD Summer Special 1977
748:"M.A.C.H. 0 Book 2" (with
732:2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1978
657:"The Dolphin Tapes" (with
582:"The Death Trumpet" (with
413:"To Kill a President" (in
211:The Six Million Dollar Man
206:the Six Million Dollar Man
174:The Six Million Dollar Man
134:On-board tactical computer
32:
15:
697:"The Taxaco Venture" (in
665:(1-2), Montero (3-4), in
600:"Operation Hercules" (in
593:"The Planet Killers" (in
1045:Eagle (comic) characters
909:"Criminal Record" (with
898:"Blair Force One" (with
483:"Chinese Formula" (with
361:were later reprinted in
715:"Cousin George " (with
650:"Return to Sharpe" (in
63:Publication information
47:Mach 2 (disambiguation)
26:Mach 1 (disambiguation)
635:"M.A.C.H. Zero" (with
529:"Corporal Tanaka" (in
469:"The Laser Hound" (in
377:2000AD Extreme Edition
349:appeared in their own
260:British Secret Service
223:British Secret Service
123:British Secret Service
37:. For other uses, see
24:. For other uses, see
883:"B.L.A.I.R. 1" (with
621:"M.A.C.H. Woman" (in
586:and Marzal Canos, in
498:Summer Special, 1977)
427:"Himmler's Gold" (in
89:#1 (26 February 1977)
39:Mach (disambiguation)
1035:2000 AD comic strips
701:Sci-Fi Special 1979)
270:was controlled by a
106:In-story information
1040:Comics by Pat Mills
575:"Terror Train" (in
441:"Spain Kidnap" (in
1050:Eagle comic strips
1030:2000 AD characters
857:A spoof, entitled
835:2000AD Annual 1979
795:2000AD Annual 1978
766:Collected editions
647:#43-46, 1977-1978)
604:Annual 1978, 1977)
420:"Probesnatch" (in
321:. You can help by
1055:Fictional cyborgs
928:#1097-1098, 1998)
906:#1071-1074, 1997)
841:Gallery of covers
798:Gallery of covers
737:"The Suit" (with
672:"Swamp Saga" (in
568:"King Karat" (in
554:"Arab Story" (in
406:"Battleship" (in
339:
338:
274:implanted in his
138:
137:
119:Team affiliations
1062:
983:
980:
974:
971:
741:and Montero, in
690:and Montero, in
628:"Death Ray" (in
561:"Spy Plane" (in
334:
331:
313:
306:
239:"compu-puncture"
221:John Probe is a
81:First appearance
55:
52:Comics character
1070:
1069:
1065:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1060:
1059:
1020:
1019:
992:
987:
986:
981:
977:
972:
968:
963:
937:
876:(with art from
855:
850:
768:
763:
760:#162-165, 1980)
711:
704:
683:#59 - 60, 1978)
632:#40 - 42, 1977)
625:#36 - 39, 1977)
618:#34 - 35, 1977)
611:#30 - 33, 1977)
597:#27 - 29, 1977)
391:"Vulcan" (with
387:
335:
329:
326:
319:needs expansion
304:
252:
235:organised crime
219:
197:
169:
145:science fiction
133:
53:
50:
29:
12:
11:
5:
1068:
1066:
1058:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1022:
1021:
1018:
1017:
1011:
1005:
999:
991:
990:External links
988:
985:
984:
975:
965:
964:
962:
959:
936:
933:
932:
931:
930:
929:
918:
907:
896:
889:Steve MacManus
865:, appeared in
861:, a satire on
854:
851:
849:
846:
845:
844:
843:
842:
839:
836:
833:
830:
827:
824:
818:
817:
814:978-1781086742
802:
801:
800:
799:
796:
793:
790:
784:
783:
780:978-1781086131
767:
764:
762:
761:
750:Steve MacManus
746:
739:Steve MacManus
735:
724:
717:Steve MacManus
712:
710:
705:
703:
702:
695:
684:
679:"Origins" (in
677:
670:
659:Steve MacManus
655:
648:
637:Steve MacManus
633:
626:
619:
614:"Everest" (in
612:
605:
598:
591:
584:Steve MacManus
580:
573:
566:
559:
552:
547:"Recluse" (in
545:
540:and Lopez, in
538:Steve MacManus
536:"Tokyo" (with
534:
527:
520:
515:"Spotbox" (in
513:
508:"Capitol" (in
506:
499:
492:
485:Steve MacManus
481:
476:"Airship" (in
474:
467:
460:
453:
446:
439:
434:"Bolavia" (in
432:
425:
418:
411:
404:
388:
386:
381:
337:
336:
316:
314:
303:
300:
299:
298:
291:
285:
279:
251:
248:
218:
215:
196:
193:
168:
165:
136:
135:
130:
126:
125:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
103:
102:
96:
92:
91:
83:
77:
76:
71:
65:
64:
60:
59:
51:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1067:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1003:
1000:
997:
994:
993:
989:
979:
976:
970:
967:
960:
958:
956:
952:
948:
944:
943:
934:
927:
923:
919:
916:
912:
908:
905:
901:
897:
894:
890:
886:
882:
881:
879:
875:
872:
871:
870:
868:
864:
860:
852:
847:
840:
837:
834:
831:
829:Progs 162-165
828:
825:
822:
821:
820:
819:
815:
811:
807:
804:
803:
797:
794:
791:
788:
787:
786:
785:
781:
777:
773:
770:
769:
765:
759:
755:
751:
747:
745:#73-75, 1978)
744:
740:
736:
733:
729:
728:Kevin O'Neill
725:
723:#65-72, 1978)
722:
718:
714:
713:
709:
708:M.A.C.H. Zero
706:
700:
696:
694:#61-64, 1978)
693:
689:
685:
682:
678:
675:
671:
669:#54-57, 1978)
668:
664:
663:Jesus Redondo
660:
656:
653:
649:
646:
642:
638:
634:
631:
627:
624:
620:
617:
613:
610:
606:
603:
599:
596:
592:
589:
585:
581:
578:
574:
571:
567:
564:
560:
557:
553:
550:
546:
543:
539:
535:
532:
528:
525:
521:
518:
514:
511:
507:
504:
500:
497:
493:
490:
487:and Kato, in
486:
482:
479:
475:
472:
468:
465:
461:
458:
454:
451:
447:
444:
440:
437:
433:
430:
426:
423:
419:
416:
412:
409:
405:
402:
398:
394:
390:
389:
385:
382:
380:
378:
374:
370:
366:
365:
360:
359:M.A.C.H. Zero
356:
352:
348:
347:M.A.C.H. Zero
344:
333:
324:
320:
317:This section
315:
312:
308:
307:
301:
295:
292:
289:
286:
283:
282:M.A.C.H. Zero
280:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
254:
253:
249:
247:
243:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
216:
214:
212:
208:
207:
202:
194:
192:
190:
189:
184:
183:Marvel Comics
180:
176:
175:
166:
164:
162:
158:
154:
153:
149:
146:
142:
131:
127:
124:
121:
117:
113:
109:
104:
100:
97:
93:
90:
88:
84:
82:
78:
75:
72:
70:
66:
61:
56:
48:
44:
40:
36:
31:
27:
23:
22:Abner Jenkins
19:
1008:B.L.A.I.R. 1
978:
969:
954:
950:
946:
940:
938:
925:
917:#1084, 1998)
914:
903:
895:#1034, 1997)
892:
885:David Bishop
874:B.L.A.I.R. 1
873:
866:
859:B.L.A.I.R. 1
858:
856:
853:B.L.A.I.R. 1
805:
771:
757:
742:
731:
720:
707:
698:
691:
680:
673:
666:
651:
644:
629:
622:
615:
608:
601:
594:
587:
576:
569:
562:
555:
548:
541:
530:
523:
516:
509:
502:
495:
494:"Kraal" (in
488:
477:
470:
463:
456:
449:
442:
435:
428:
421:
414:
407:
400:
383:
376:
371:was also in
368:
362:
358:
354:
346:
342:
340:
327:
323:adding to it
318:
302:Publications
293:
287:
281:
255:
244:
220:
210:
204:
200:
198:
186:
172:
170:
160:
150:
140:
139:
85:
30:
18:Thunderbolts
878:Simon Davis
826:Progs 53-75
823:Progs 34-46
501:"Yeti" (in
403:#1-2, 1977)
397:Ian Kennedy
288:Tanya Maski
264:acupuncture
199:Initially,
179:John Wagner
167:Development
35:mach number
1024:Categories
1014:M.A.C.H. 1
1002:M.A.C.H. 0
996:M.A.C.H. 1
961:References
951:M.A.C.H. 1
947:Z.O.M.B.O.
935:Z.O.M.B.O.
922:Alan Grant
911:Alan Grant
900:Alan Grant
863:Tony Blair
789:Progs 1-33
754:Mike Dorey
676:#58, 1978)
654:#53, 1978)
641:Ramon Sola
607:"UFO" (in
590:#26, 1977)
579:#25, 1977)
572:#24, 1977)
565:#23, 1977)
558:#22, 1977)
551:#21, 1977)
544:#20, 1977)
533:#19, 1977)
526:#18, 1977)
519:#17, 1977)
512:#16, 1977)
505:#15, 1977)
491:#14, 1977)
480:#13, 1977)
473:#12, 1977)
466:#11, 1977)
459:#10, 1977)
384:M.A.C.H. 1
369:M.A.C.H. 1
355:M.A.C.H. 1
343:M.A.C.H. 1
294:M.A.C.H. 2
268:metabolism
256:John Probe
250:Characters
231:terrorists
227:Communists
201:M.A.C.H. 1
141:M.A.C.H. 1
114:John Probe
101:& Enio
95:Created by
1010:at Barney
1004:at Barney
998:at Barney
955:Invasion!
949:parodied
688:Pat Mills
452:#9, 1977)
445:#8, 1977)
438:#7, 1977)
431:#6, 1977)
424:#5, 1977)
417:#4, 1977)
410:#3, 1977)
393:Pat Mills
373:anthology
351:eponymous
330:July 2017
157:Pat Mills
129:Abilities
111:Alter ego
99:Pat Mills
74:IPC Media
69:Publisher
58:M.A.C.H.1
848:Parodies
399:(2), in
353:series.
272:computer
188:Deathlok
926:2000 AD
915:2000 AD
904:2000 AD
893:2000 AD
867:2000 AD
758:2000 AD
743:2000 AD
721:2000 AD
692:2000 AD
667:2000 AD
645:2000 AD
588:2000 AD
542:2000 AD
489:2000 AD
408:2000AD
401:2000 AD
195:Premise
161:2000 AD
152:2000 AD
87:2000 AD
812:
778:
699:2000AD
681:2000AD
674:2000AD
652:2000AD
630:2000AD
623:2000AD
616:2000AD
609:2000AD
602:2000AD
595:2000AD
577:2000AD
570:2000AD
563:2000AD
556:2000AD
549:2000AD
531:2000AD
524:2000AD
517:2000AD
510:2000AD
503:2000AD
496:2000AD
478:2000AD
471:2000AD
464:2000AD
457:2000AD
450:2000AD
443:2000AD
436:2000AD
429:2000AD
422:2000AD
415:2000AD
367:, and
45:, and
43:Mach O
942:Zombo
924:, in
913:, in
902:, in
891:, in
756:, in
730:, in
643:, in
364:Eagle
341:Both
276:skull
181:from
148:comic
810:ISBN
776:ISBN
752:and
661:and
639:and
357:and
345:and
258:: A
233:and
217:Plot
880:):
325:.
1026::
953:,
816:):
782:):
229:,
185:'
41:,
887:/
734:)
332:)
328:(
49:.
28:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.