The Dragon Man is an android creation of State University’s Professor Gilbert, who created him as a powerful monster, able to best even the Fantastic Four. Though his original design was purely for study and research. However, the alchemist Diablo soon escaped from his melted, stone prison and offered Gilbert the means to animate the Dragon Man. Gilbert had no choice but to accept and together they used Diablo’s potions and a chunk of rock from outer space to give life to Dragon Man.
Diablo immediately ordered Dragon Man to destroy his enemies, the Fantastic Four, starting with the Thing, who had witnessed his animation. The Dragon Man dutifully attacked Ben, and later, the rest of the Fantastic Four. He used his fire breath on the Human Torch, who absorbed it, but was forced to fly into the upper atmosphere to release the pent up heat before he melted everything around him. To save her brother, the Invisible Girl pinned his wings and the Dragon Man fell to the earth. She sensed that Dragon Man was not malicious, however, and tried to comfort him. He responded to her touch by reaching out to stroke her hair, but Diablo returned and gassed the three members of the Fantastic Four with a freezing potion.
Along with his creator, Professor Gilbert, Dragon Man and Diablo faced the Fantastic Four minutes later at the edge of Dead Man’s Lake. But before Diablo could throw another freezing pellet at the four, Dragon Man lashed out with his tail and knocked the pellet out of Diablo’s hand, accidentally freezing the lake instead. Dragon Man then chased Diablo across the frozen lake until they fell through, into the bitter-cold waters. The Thing tried to follow but found that the lake had caves underneath that created a vicious undertow and they gave Diablo and the Dragon Man up as lost. But his creator stayed behind at State U to hold a vigil over the lake in case Dragon Man ever returned, so that he could undo the wrong that had been done in his creation.
Soon, a struggle between the Human Torch and the Inhuman Medusa changed the temperature of Dragon Man’s prison enough to allow him to break free. He attacked them, but confused Medusa for the Invisible Girl, and guarded her. He continued to guard her as the Fantastic Four fought her and her Inhuman family, until Susan encouraged him to join them, but was forced to tranquilize him later when the Thing startled him into anger. Eventually the Seeker, who confused him for an Inhuman, captured him; but when he realized he was of the Earth, he had no more use for him. Though the Dragon Man awoke in shackles and broke out, full of distrust for the human race once again, until the Torch and the Thing managed to subdue him. Mister Fantastic later contacted the authorities who took him to a Desert Isle Sanctuary, under heavy sedation, for examination.
