With She-Hulk’s Disney+ show being a legal comedy, it will likely be stocked with Marvel’s Z-list characters, and that is where Armadillo fits in.
Since he’s already a joke character, having him on She-Hulk’s doorstep needing legal counsel would be perfect.
For the handful of fans who watched the stop-motion comedy M.O.D.O.K., Armadillo had a featured role as part of a group of nice-guy criminals.
In one of the episode’s funniest moments, we see Armadillo burrow his way to his ex-wife’s yard, where we get a full-frontal view of Mandrill and his blurred appendage.
Just as Armadillo became a fan favorite on M.O.D.O.K., he could in for a bigger audience in the near future. On that note, let’s look at these three issues.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #308
Armadillo had an uphill battle from day one. In his first appearance, he was pitted against Captain America. Instead of following the usual protocol of making the giant look like a real threat, Armadillo was proven to be incredibly strong but slow and dumb. Without much effort, Cap defeated the monster by tricking him, and Armadillo fell into a pit. After that, Cap learned that Armadillo was transformed into this creature in order to save his wife.
Not many copies of Cap #308 have traded hands lately, at least not the graded variety. The last time a 9.8 was bought and sold online, it earned $98 in July 2021. If you stroll over to eBay, the copies described as very fine and near-mint have sold for $12 or less.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #316
Readers would not see Armadillo again until eight issues later. By this point, Antonio had traded his criminal enterprises for an underground wrestling career, which sounds an awful lot like the Shang-Chi cage fights. Things fell apart when he saw his estranged wife, Bonita, with another man, and that sent Armadillo into a full, anger-fueled rage. He got to the point of being suicidal, but luckily Cap and Hawkeye were there to help.
Want a copy for your budding Armadillo collection? A graded 9.6 sold for $21 two years ago, but you can get raw copies for closer to $5.
SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #30
By no means is Armadillo a major character in this comic, but this could very well be his link to the MCU. It was in this 1991 issue that the beleaguered goon met She-Hulk.
Armadillo was one of several villains magically summoned to fight her. The group had A-listers like Sabretooth, Juggernaut, and Rhino, but it also had low-level punching bags like Jack O’Lantern, Master Mold, and Caliban. Since these guys weren’t planning on working together, they spent most of their time fighting one another, which makes sense for this group.
Not much came of Sensational She-Hulk #30’s actual plot, particularly in regards to Armadillo. Years later, She-Hulk would be his lawyer, and that could be the opening for the show.
Like practically every other Armadillo (very minor) key, you can find this one in a dollar bin. If you want to order off eBay, the raw copies can range anywhere from $3.75 close to $20. I don’t quite know why it sells for so much, so if you have any ideas, leave me a comment.
ARMING THE ARMADILLO
As much as we may laugh at Armadillo, the sad story of Antonio Rodriguez could actually make for good reading. When you peel away the goofiness, it’s the tale of an average guy dealing with relatable issues like depression, anxiety, and heartbreak. Out of desperation, he becomes a monster. Even if he doesn’t make it into the MCU, this could be fertile ground for a limited series.
Want more Oddballs in your life?
-
ODDBALL OF THE WEEK: DOOP
-
OFF WITH HIS HEAD: JACK OF HEARTS AND THE ODDBALL OF THE WEEK
-
ODDBALL OF THE WEEK: 3D MAN
