DARK RIDERS

 

DARK RIDERS

Roster: (clockwise) Tusk (3 Tuskettes in front), Psynapse, Foxbat, Gauntlet, Harddrive, and Barrage

First Appearance: X-Factor (Vol. 1) #65, April 1991

History & Powers: Originally known as the ‘Riders of the Storm’, the Dark Riders were a strike team assembled by Apocalypse. Initially, they were identified as Inhumans in their earliest appearances, but have been treated as mutants ever since. The newer members in the second incarnation of the Dark Riders led by Genesis (Tyler Dayspring) were all mutants.

Tusk has unspecified superhuman abilities. It has been implied that a little parasitic worm may possibly be animating the larger Tusk form normally seen. Regardless of the worm's existence, Tusk's normal body is enormous, standing over seven feet tall with massive musculature. He has superhuman strength, endurance, resistance to physical injury, two curved tusks extending up from his back, and an organic crust of armor extending between his shoulders and down his back somewhat. Tusk is capable of spawning underlings, or Tuskettes, from this crust on his backside. These underlings act as extensions of his being, similar to Multiple Man's duplicates. They are roughly three or four feet tall generally, but still possessed enhanced levels of strength, stamina, and durability, though not as great as the larger Tusk.

Psynapse was a telepath. He could read the thoughts and feelings of other people, and pull them into his own astral plane where they are subject to his complete control over their psychic surroundings. He could also assume remote control over the physical actions of others, or trigger their pain responses to send them into unbearable agony.

Foxbat possessed augmented strength, speed, agility, endurance, reflexes, leaping ability, and increased night vision. He had clawed hooves and fingers, fangs, and spear-like appendages which could be triggered to grow from the inside of his arm straight out the underside of his wrists, or from the outside of his arms pointing up past his shoulders.

Gauntlet never demonstrated any noticeable superhuman powers. He had green scaly skin and rows of needle-sharp teeth. If anything, he probably possessed superhuman eyesight and uncanny accuracy. Primarily, he employed a cache of plasma rifles, grenades, and other military-style weapons.

Harddrive has the ability to cybernetically bond himself with metal and technology, assimilating it into his neural net. This effectively allows him to transform himself into a cyborg at will, and possibly reverse the process just as easily. Merging with computer systems gives him immediate access to all the files stored in the software, downloading the information directly into his brain. He has used his powers to incorporate various forms of high technology into his person. Harddrive possesses enhanced physical strength and armored protection for his organic parts. He has highly advanced sensory abilities, including being able to detect electromagnetic wavelengths, mentally receive radio transmissions, and hack into security systems to see through closed-circuit video cameras monitoring a building. He can also projection his holographic consciousness over a distance, allowing him to observe and communicate with people hundreds of miles away. Harddrive is equipped with offensive weapons such as laser arrays, electro-jectors, and cryo-thermal relays. Finally, he is able to teleport himself and others from one location to another, across the planet's entire surface. He can trigger this teleportation signature to encompass anyone within his immediate vicinity, or in the vicinity of his holographically-projected consciousness (Also, Harddrive had the alias of "Mainframe" and both appear to be separate consciousnesses inside the body, apparently the organic mind and a computer-based A.I. respectively).

Barrage's forearms have been transformed into organic weapons, bio-mechanical energy conduits that can collect ambient energy from the environment and focus it into discharges of heat and explosive power. He produced photo-voltaic and concussive force, which is projected out through his cybernetics as devastating blasts. He could also strike opponents with the energy-charged arms for greater physical impact.