Warning! Preview pages ahead for Avengers #26Ultron may be Marvel's most famous AI villain, but there's at least another robotic Ultron has upgraded his physical vessel and defied death multiple times. However, he isn't the only one.

In a preview of Avengers #26, Captain America and Earth's Mightiest Heroes approach the Masters of Evil's headquarters. Before the heroes face the villains, though, the Mad Thinker lands a huge blow on the Impossible City, thus advancing the Masters' plan to overthrow Doctor Doom and create a "new world". Of course, this is just an excuse to satisfy their thirst for chaos, but neither Doom nor the Avengers are expecting what the Masters of Evil are about to do.

When the Mad Thinker orders his sentient AI creation Quasimodo to "persuade" the Impossible City's core consciousness, Quasimodo understands the message, and he starts destroying the City's mainframe. The honorary Avenger Impossible City challenges Quasimodo. In turn, Quasimodo gloats over his own power and intellectual superiority, describing himself as a better AI system than Ultron himself.

Marvel's Quasimodo Compares Himself To The Universe's Most Powerful And Dangerous AI

Avengers #26; Written By Jed MacKay; Art By Andrea Broccardo; Color By Federico Blee; Letters By Cory Petit; Cover By Valerio Schiti

Quasimodo's self-description is partly accurate. The Mad Thinker's towering henchman is the tenth iteration of the Quasi-Motivational Destruct Organism, a product of human-designed artificial intelligence, and a powerful villain who can hurt "anything that thinks", as the Mad Thinker says. But Quasimodo goes one step beyond and describes himself as "the finest creation of the finest human mind" and an AI being with a code structure so powerful that he can "humble Ultron". This statement seems to be less factual and much more emotional for an AI system that prides itself on suring Marvel's most famous AI antagonist.

Quasimodo's Track Record Doesn't Quite His Ultron Boast

No Other AI Character Has Come Close To Matching Ultron's Power And Legacy So Far

Quasimodo hasn't had much luck fighting his enemies throughout the years. Despite being created by the Mad Thinker specifically to fight the Fantastic Four, Quasimodo has failed to become a believable menace to Marvel's First Family and the Silver Surfer, as well as other characters like Spider-Man, Vision, Kate Bishop, and Arno Stark. To make matters worse, Quasimodo has lost to a lesser-known AI: Machine-Man, whose intellect and physical power is but a fraction of Ultron's.

On the other hand, beating the Impossible City's mainframe to pieces adds a valuable victory to Quasimodo's poor track record. At this point, Quasimodo seems like a bigger threat than other of the Masters of Evil, like the reluctant Dreadknight and the treacherous Oubliette. Regardless of whatever the Masters of Evil have in store for Doctor Doom and the Avengers, Quasimodo could finally stand out as a physical threat to the Masters' enemies.

Will Quasimodo Ever Truly Be A Better AI Than Ultron?

Quasimodo Needs To Learn One Key Quality That Makes Ultron So Dangerous

Quasimodo's return in Avengers #26 highlights the biggest difference between him and Ultron. As his original name states, the Mad Thinker's Quasi-Motivational Destruct Organism is driven by a savage impulse to destroy, whereas Ultron is a much more cerebral AI that designs complex plans to end organic life. If Quasimodo truly wishes to reach Ultron's level, he might need to shift focus to other areas of his alleged superiority; though that may require a higher degree of self-awareness and some help from the Mad Thinker in future Avengers issues.

Avengers #26 will be available on May 28, 2025, from Marvel Comics!