Steven Lang (comics)

Steven Lang
Steven Lang Art by Ibrahim Roberson with Lan Medina
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	X-Men #96 (December 1975)
Created by	Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum
In-story information
Alter ego	Steven Lang
Team affiliations	Purifiers Human Council Phalanx Project: Armageddon Department of Defense
Notable aliases	Master Mold, Template
Abilities	Cybernetic organism

Steven Lang (sometimes spelled Stephen Lang) is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a manufacturer of the mutant-hunting robots called Sentinels. He first appeared in X-Men #96.

Dr. Steven Lang is a pioneer in the field of robotics and genetic mutation who hates mutants. An employee of the U.S. government, he is placed in charge of a federal investigation into the origin of genetic mutation. He plans to use his talents to create an army of mutant hunting robots to kill all mutants. To this end he seeks to get the government to endorse and financially support his operations. Lang begins by targeting mutant criminals such as Mesmero. He is backed by Ned Buckman and the "Council of the Chosen," the secret group in control of the New York Branch of the Hellfire Club prior to Sebastian Shaw's takeover.

To defeat his main targets, the X-Men, Lang creates the "X-Sentinels," android doubles of Professor X and the original X-Men. However, the X-Sentinels manage only inferior imitations of the X-Men's powers, and are easily defeated by the new X-Men. Jean Grey then telekinetically forces Lang to crash his mini-gunship into a wall-screen. He is left in a coma with severe brain damage. During this time, Lang's brain is used as a template for the minds of two sentinels, Conscience and a new Master Mold, both of whom are destroyed in an attempt to release a virus which would have killed all mutants and roughly 97% of normal humans on Earth.

Years later, Lang returns as a member of the Phalanx, a group of humans who had been transformed into techno-organic human-alien hybrids. The transformation process restores Lang's mind, and he becomes their leader. Lang is the only one of the Phalanx to retain his individual human identity, possibly due to the brain damage; when his true nature is revealed, he was dragged to his apparent death by his lieutenant, Cameron Hodge.