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Religion: Royalist Forces of America; repentant 
Name: Mason Harding
Other Names: Professor Mason Harding; Prof. Harding
Classification:
supporting character
scientist
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Captain America (vol. 1) #198 (June 1976): "Captain America's Love Story"
Creators: Jack Kirby, Frank Giacoia, Mike Esposito
Number of Appearances: 4
Teams/Affiliations: Royalist Forces of America
Enemy of: Captain America
Occupation: criminal, scientist
Gender: male
Note: designed Madbombs
Professor Mason Harding designed the weapon known as "Madbombs." Later, while in jail, he tried to help Captain America recall his past.
The Madbombs for which Mason Harding is best known first appeared in Captain America (vol. 1) #193. These bombs were central to the plot in this issue, but Mason Harding himself was not mentioned by name in this issue.
The Madbombs utilized a new technology developed by Harding. Their purpose was not physical destruction as with traditional bombs, but the destruction of human sanity. The bombs affected the human mind and drove people crazy. The bombs were developed for the "Elite," the leading faction of the Royalist Forces of America, who wanted to topple the current American government and replace it with their own hand-picked elite leaders.
The Madbombs came in a variety of sizes. "Big Daddy" was the largest bomb, and was big enough that it would have affected the entire United States had it been successfully deployed. The "Dumpling" was much smaller, big enough to affect all the people in a neighborhood. One Dumpling was set off in Harlem, New York. The smallest variety of Madbomb was the "Peanut." Mason Harding used a Peanut Madbomb in order to escape the Royalists after he decided to part with them.
Captain America
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- http://www.comicvine.com/mason-harding/29-35665/
- http://www.comicboards.com/marvelguide/h.html
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/hanharj.htm
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/madbmadz.htm
- http://marvel.wikia.com/Captain_America_Vol_1_198
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=16914