Fan Casting

The Chameleon was born a Soviet citizen named Dmitri Smerdyakov. In his youth, he was a servant and half-brother to Kraven the Hunter, Sergei Kravinoff, and eventually became a minor associate to one Gustav Fiers. Although Dmitri and Sergei were friends, Sergei was often abusive to Smerdyakov, leading to a combination of admiration and resentment towards Kravinoff. Eventually, Smerdyakov emigrated to the United States of America. As he had made a talent for himself during his youth, impressing his brother by impersonating friends and neighbours, he assumed an even more impressive disguise: the identity of the Chameleon. During his first known criminal outing on a spy gig, he impersonated Spider-Man.Mark Raxton was a laboratory assistant to Dr. Spencer Smythe, and while both are employed at Oscorp Industries they create an experimental metallic alloy derived from a meteor or organic material. Dr. Smythe's intends to use this alloy on his last invention, the Spider-Slayers. Raxton's greed gets the better of him and he tries to steal the alloy to sell it but he's caught in the act by Smythe. Following a small scuffle between Raxton and Smythe, the alloy is spilled on and absorbed by Raxton’s skin. While in route to the hospital, Raxton discovers the alloy has given him various powers and realizes that they can help him achieve vast wealth. Raxton takes on the name Molten Man, and decides to use a life of crime to further his goals but is stopped by Peter Parker, as Spider-Man.