Who the Clix? Goldbug

Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

For the full Who The Clix? archive, click here. If you think these articles are worth more than $0, click here.

Appearances in Heroclix: Civil War SOP
First Appearance: Power Man # 41 (March 1977)
Team Affiliations: Maggia
Powers: Battlesuit contains electrically-powered exoskeleton that upgrades his strength. "Gold-gun" that shoots gold-coloured dust that hardens on contact.
Created by: Marv Wolfman and Lee Elias

Matthew Gilden becomes independently wealthy through unknown means. His life is simple and comfortable until he becomes consumed with an obsession for gold. He hires the Tinkerer to build him an exo-skeleton, gadgets and “Goldbug” hovercraft. Matthew then assumes the identity of “Jack Smith,” and becomes an executive of Shank's couriers. He uses this position of privilege to learn of multiple mass gold shipments and burglars them as Goldbug. Fearing that the authorities or superheroes may soon ruin his plans, he hires Luke Cage to protect a shipment and plans on framing the hero for the robbery. Goldbug is almost successful until Thunderbolt helps Luke.

Goldbug then manages to capture the Hulk and uses him to find the lost city of El Dorado. Once there, Hulk and Goldbug are both attacked by Tyrannus. They team up and defeat the subterranean conqueror. Realizing how quickly he is burning through his wealth, due to using real gold in his equipment, Goldbug reaches out to the Maggia and attempts an alliance. The Maggia propose a test, a gold heist from the ESU campus. Goldbug is able to infiltrate the lab where Peter Parker is helping in the experiment and successfully steals the gold. Not before, however, Parker is able to plant a spider-tracer on Goldbug's ship.

Spider-Man is able to use the tracer to find the location of the handoff between Goldbug and the Maggia agents. He informs them all that the gold is actually radioactive and is apt to kill them. Skeptical, the villains all attack Spider-Man until he removes Goldbugs gloves to reveal harsh radiation burns. The Maggia believe this to be a double cross and begin attacking Goldbug, only for him to fall into the nearby ocean and disappear.

Goldbug reappears years later and attempts to locate a gold building sunk in the great Puerto Rican trench. Still suffering from his exposure to the radioactive gold, Matthew is determined to pay for his treatment with this scheme. Unfortunately for Goldbug, Namor becomes aware of this building as well and easily dispatches Goldbug in his submarine.

During the Superhero Civil War, Goldbug is among a group of villains that attempts to flee the country but are ultimately defeated. He and the Plunderer eventually set up a meeting with Captain America where they inform him that many of the villains are afraid of a police state. They tell Capt. that they will back him up if he needs them until the Punisher arrives and murders both Plunderer and Goldbug.