Toad (Mortimer Toynbee) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The X-Men #4 (March 1964).
Toad is most often depicted as an enemy of the X-Men and was originally a hunchbacked mutant with superhuman leaping ability. He was Magneto's sniveling servant (or "toady") in the 1960s line-up of the Brotherhood of Mutants. He later became the leader of his faction of the Brotherhood, which focused more on criminal activities than mutant liberation.
Since his inception, the character has appeared in numerous media adaptations, such as television series, films, and video games. Ray Park played a significantly different version of Toad in 2000's X-Men film, with aspects of his portrayal being incorporated into the comic book version. A younger Toad appeared in the film X-Men: Days of Future Past, played by Evan Jonigkeit, and an alternative version of the same character appears in Deadpool & Wolverine, played by Daniel Ramos.
Publication history
Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #4 (March 1964).
Fictional character biography Lackey
Mortimer Toynbee was born in York, England, with his mutation manifesting at birth and giving him a frog-like appearance. He was soon after abandoned by his parents and spent many years in an orphanage, where he was constantly tormented by other children. Mortimer was considered to be mentally inferior due to his extreme shyness and mild learning disabilities during his primary school years, though he was actually quite intelligent. He dropped out at an extremely early age and decided to fend for himself. Following years of abuse, Mortimer developed a severe inferiority complex.
Later, he was recruited into Magneto's original Brotherhood of Mutants, becoming Magneto's sycophantic "toady." Toad believed that Magneto loved him, while Magneto considered him little more than a lackey. Toad also develops a crush on his teammate Scarlet Witch, but she does not return his feelings.X-Men #4-7 (March - September 1964)
Solo career Sometime later, Toad uses the Stranger's technology to menace the Avengers.The Avengers #137-139 (July - September 1975) He even attempts to kill Angel in a castle outfitted with traps by Arcade. However, he instead turns the castle into an amusement park and becomes its caretaker.Marvel Two-in-One #68 (October 1980) Toad is eventually ejected from the castle by Doctor Doom and becomes suicidal, realizing that he is too dependent on others to work alone. He befriends Spider-Man and allies with Spider-Kid and Frog-Man as the superhero adventurer team, the Misfits.The Amazing Spider-Man #266 (July 1985) Toad later leaves the Misfits and returns to villainy. He forms his own version of the Brotherhood of Mutants along with Blob, Pyro, and Phantazia.X-Force #5-7 (December 1991 - February 1992)
X-Men: Forever Years later, still struggling with depression, Toad is captured by Prosh, along with Juggernaut, Iceman, Jean Grey, and Mystique as part of a time-hopping plan to stop a global threat. Toad learns that his deformed body was the result of experimentation by Juggernaut's father, Kurt Marko, at Alamogordo, New Mexico, which left him with an unstable genetic structure. The Stranger's equipment corrects his genetic flaws, giving him augmented abilities and a prehensile tongue. Though his change improves his self-esteem, Toad continued to live life without direction. He proceeds to join several short-lived incarnations of the Brotherhood of Mutants.X-Men Forever #1-6 (January - June 2001)
New X-Men For reasons unknown, Toad returns to Magneto's side during the "Planet X" storyline. However, he is not as docile and subservient as he had been in the past, even openly questioning Magneto at times. Magneto, in turn, is tyrannical in his treatment of Toad, who had become his second-in-command. After Magneto is apparently killed, it is revealed that he had been an imposter named Xorn and that the real Magneto was still alive.
Civil War
Toad is among the 198 estimated mutants who retain their powers following the events of "Decimation", when the Scarlet Witch removes the powers of most mutants on Earth. He, Caliban, Domino, Shatterstar, and a number of other mutants hide in what they believe to be an abandoned nuclear bunker in the Nevada desert. While the X-Men and the Office of National Emergency battle outside the bunker, Johnny Dee is instructed by General Lazer to cause chaos among the 198. The group of mutants discovers this as Outlaw, controlled by Johnny, attacks Domino.
It is later revealed that the bunker was a blast-containment chamber for experimental weapons. As the auto-destruct sequence is initiated, Toad is trapped inside the chamber with the rest of the 198. The X-Men, Bishop, Iron Man, and Ms. Marvel rescue the trapped mutants, who escape unharmed.
Regenesis After a fight between Cyclops and Wolverine, the X-Men are divided between Utopia and Westchester. Toad decides to go to Westchester with Wolverine. who accepts him as the school's janitor.X-Men: Regenesis #1 (December 2011)
During the events of "Avengers vs. X-Men," Toad and Husk develop a sentimental relationship.Wolverine and the X-Men #9-15 (June - October 2012) The relationship leads to Toad quitting the Grey Academy to join Husk at the Hellfire Academy, where she had become a teacher. However, he is relegated to the position of janitor and witnesses Husk undergo a mental breakdown, quickly regretting that he joined.Wolverine and the X-Men #30-32 (July - August 2013)
During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Toad joins New Tian's strike force following Hydra's takeover of the United States. He gains a secondary mutation that enables him to light his tongue on fire.X-Men Blue #7 (September 2017)
During the storyline "The Trial of Magneto", the Scarlet Witch convinces Magneto to strangle her to death a part of her plan to resurrect deceased mutants whose minds were not backed up by Cerebro. After being resurrected, Scarlet Witch implicates Toad for her murder. Toad pleads guilty and is banished to the Pit of Exile.X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #5 (February 2022) Toad is eventually freed by Cypher along with the other inmates of the Pit in exchange for leaving Krakoa and hunting down the recently escaped Sabretooth so he can be punished for his crimes.Sabretooth (vol. 4) #5 (September 2022)
Powers and abilities Toad's intellect and physical abilities have gone through some changes over the years. In the character's inception, he possessed superhuman leg strength, endurance, agility, reflexes, coordination, and balance, as well as a superhuman ability to leap great distances. However, over the years, Toad's original powers have increased, and he has gained additional powers through further mutation, including adhesive saliva, the ability to stick to and climb walls, and an elongated prehensile tongue.. As a result of further mutation, he now has mottled green skin and pointed ears.
Toad's primary mutant ability is a superhuman leaping ability that allows him to leap many times higher and farther than an ordinary human. He possesses some degree of superhuman strength and endurance, primarily concentrated in his lower torso and legs, which grants him superior leaping abilities. His vertebral column and skeletal structure are unusually flexible, enabling him to remain in a constant crouching position and contort his body into an unusual position without injury or strain. In his first appearances, Toad had very little knowledge of hand-to-hand combat, fighting mainly by kicking wildly and by leaping about and attempting to land on his opponents. In later appearances, he has demonstrated a better sense of combat and a leaner physique, using both his leaping ability and his tongue to his advantage.
As a result of having his genetic structure restored (thus stabilizing and augmenting his mutation), Toad gained an elastic, prehensile tongue that he can extend up to 25 feet in length and use to ensnare and constrict others. He can also secrete odorless pheromone venom and psychoactive chemicals from his tongue and fingertips that allow him to control minds to a limited extent. Thanks to special pads on his hands and feet, Toad can stick to and climb most surfaces with ease, even if they are vertical, inverted, or slick. He can also secrete a highly adhesive resin from his pores that paralyzes the nervous system of anybody who touches it. Toad has also demonstrated the ability to telepathically communicate with amphibian life (which he often uses as spies), and to expel powerful gusts of wind from his lungs.Wolverine (vol. 2) #167 (October 2001)
Toad's intellect has increased beyond his original levels, and he has considerable knowledge of advanced technology and access to vast technological and scientific knowledge, which he gained as a lackey to Magneto and while he was held captive by the Stranger, as well as his studies of machinery in the possession of Arcade and Arkon. He once possessed alien technology that he stole from the Stranger's world, and could utilize it to create synthezoid robots, among other uses. He has demonstrated the ability to apply this advanced technology but lacks the creativity to make progress beyond his existing knowledge. For example, while he could construct and utilize a powerful exoskeletal armor, he would be unable to improve on its base design.
Toad later underwent a secondary mutation, gaining the ability to light his tongue on fire.
Other versions
1602 An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-311 appears in Marvel 1602. This version is a servant of Enrique in the Vatican.Marvel 1602 #7 (April 2004)Marvel 1602 #8 (June 2004)
Age of Apocalypse An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-295 appears in Age of Apocalypse. This version is a member of Forge's resistance group, the Outcasts, before being killed by Grizzly.X-Man #3 (May 1995)
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-18119 appears in Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows. This version is a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants.The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (vol. 2) #6 (June 2017)
Earth X An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-9997 appears in Earth X. This version obtained Magneto's powers following a polar shift and usurped him as leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants.Universe X #3 (December 2000)
House of M An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-58163 appears in House of M. This version is a member of Wolverine's Red Guard.House of M #5 (October 2005)
Marvel Noir An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-90214 appears in Marvel Noir. This version is a corrupt police officer and partner of homicide detective Fred Dukes.X-Men: Noir #1 (February 2009)
Marvel Zombies A zombified alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-2149 appears in Marvel Zombies/Army of Darkness #2.
Powerless An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-40081 appears in Powerless #4.Powerless #4 (November 2004)
Ronin An alternate universe version of Toad appears in X-Men Ronin.
Ultimate Marvel An alternate universe version of Toad from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. This version possesses a more frog-like appearance and is a member of the X-Men.Ultimate X-Men #15 (April 2002)
In other media Television Toad makes a cameo appearance in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Prison Plot" as a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Toad appears in X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, voiced by Frank Welker. This version is a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists. Toad appears in X-Men: The Animated Series, voiced by Tony Daniels. This version is a member of Solarr's mutant-supremacist group, the Children of the Shadow.