WRECKING CREW

 

WRECKING CREW

Roster: (l to r): Wrecker (Dirk Garthwaite), Piledriver (Brian Philip Calusky), Bulldozer (Henry Camp), and Thunderball (Eliot Franklin)

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor (Vol. 1) #148, January 1968 (Wrecker); Defenders (Vol. 1) #17, January 1974 (remaining members and team debut)

History/Powers: Years ago, Dirk Garthwaite, a small-time burglar wielding a crowbar, broke into a hotel room and overpowered its occupant, the Asgardian trickster god Loki, who had just requested mystical enhancements from Karnilla the Norn Queen. Accidentally receiving these enhancements, Dirk became the costumed Wrecker. After a battle with Thor caused his mystic power to be transferred into his trademark crowbar, Garthwaite was sent to Ryker's Island prison where he befriended fellow inmates Henry Camp, Brian Calusky, and physicist Dr. Eliot Franklin. Escaping from prison during an electrical storm, the foursome ventured to find Garthwaite's crowbar. Upon finding it, he had his three partners hold onto the crowbar with him during the lightning storm, and the resultant bolt of lightning split the Wrecker's superhuman strength between the four of them, creating Bulldozer, Piledriver, and Thunderball. Together, they formed the super-villain team known as the Wrecking Crew.

-The Wrecker possesses superhuman strength and a high degree of imperviousness to harm as a result of the magical power bestowed upon him by Karnilla the Norn Queen. The enchantment augmented his entire body, strengthening his bone, muscle, and flesh. The Wrecker possesses superhuman strength that enables him to lift (press) about 50 tons. Previously, when sharing his superhuman power with the other three members of the Wrecking Crew, the Wrecker could lift (press) about 10 tons. The Wrecker is capable of withstanding the impact of a .45 caliber bullet without it penetrating his skin.

 

The Wrecker has established a mental link with his enchanted crowbar. In the past when the Wrecker has lost his superhuman powers, the power has transferred itself into the crowbar. By making physical contact with the crowbar, the Wrecker can transfer the power back into himself. Also, by touching the crowbar, the Wrecker can magically transform whatever he is wearing into his costume. By concentrating on the crowbar, the Wrecker can use it to take mental possession of whoever touches it and cause an enchanted aura that can repel bullets to surround that person.

After first gaining his superhuman powers, the Wrecker was able to teleport individuals to Asgard from Earth and to create waves of force about him that could deflect bullets. It is not known whether the Wrecker is still capable of these feats.

The Wrecker wields a four-foot long cast iron crowbar which has become virtually indestructible through extensive contact with the Wrecker's enchanted skin. Wielded by the superhumanly strong Wrecker, the crowbar becomes a weapon of vast destructive potential. The Wrecker has used the crowbar to demolish entire buildings in minutes and to hold off the thunder god Thor in battle. The Wrecker has used the crowbar offensively as both a throwing weapon and a bat.

-Brian Philip Calusky was raised as a farmhand, but eventually turned to a life of crime. The Wrecker’s enchantment augmented his entire body, strengthening his bone, muscle, and flesh. Piledriver possesses superhuman strength that enables him to lift (press) about 10 tons. Piledriver has superhuman durability and is capable of withstanding the impact of a .45 caliber bullet without it penetrating his skin. He often uses large hands and feet as pistons, battering opponents or sending shockwaves through the ground.

 

-Henry Camp was a master sergeant in the United States Army who turned to a life of crime after a dishonorable discharge. The Wrecker’s enchantment augmented his entire body, strengthening his bone, muscle, and flesh. Bulldozer possesses superhuman strength that enables him to lift (press) about 50 tons. Bulldozer has superhuman durability and is capable of withstanding the impact of a .45 caliber bullet without it penetrating his skin. For his costume, Bulldozer has a specially-made armored helmet, neck and shoulder apparatus that gives him added protection and invulnerability when ramming an opponent. The helmet partially affects his peripheral field-of-vision.

-Dr. Eliot Franklin was a physicist who was nicknamed "the Black Bruce Banner" for his expertise in the gamma radiation research pioneered by Dr. Banner. Inventing a baseball-sized compact gamma bomb 10 times as powerful as Banner's original device, he was sent to prison after attempting to steal back his invention from an unscrupulous businessman who patented the device in his own name. The Wrecker’s enchantment augmented his entire body, strengthening his bone, muscle, and flesh. Thunderball possesses superhuman strength that enables him to lift (press) about 10 tons, though she has been temporarily boosted to Class 40. Thunderball has superhuman durability and is capable of withstanding the impact of a .45 caliber bullet without it penetrating his skin. Though originally empowered by Asgardian mystical energy imparted to him by the Wrecker's crowbar, Franklin's been frequently stripped of that energy, regaining his powers by absorbing either the same energy or replacing it with other forms of absorbed energy.

Thunderball was wearing the a chain-gang ball & chain when he was granted his powers, and the wrecking ball thus became his enchanted talisman much like the crowbar. The ball was virtually indestructible and could be hurled at a target, then return to his grasp much like Thor's hammer. Like the crowbar, it also served as a focus for the magic -- if his power began to weaken for some reason, Thunderball could revitalize his strength by coming into proximity with the ball or bar again. Dr. Eliot Franklin holds a Ph.D. in physics. He is a gifted physicist, as well as an expert tactician and planner.

-The Crew lost their power on many occasions, often with either Thor or Loki stealing their power away from them, or gathering it back into the Wrecker alone. On one extended period of powerlessness, Thunderball was recruited by the Secret Empire and designed his own powered-exoskeleton to fight in. It mechanical gave him at least Class 10 strength and protected him from physical injury. It could also produce high-voltage electricity, either on contact or channeled through the wire-guided wrecking ball which extended out from his right gauntlet to great lengths.

In recent years, the Wrecking Crew have been modified slightly so that they must draw upon outside sources of power in order to maintain their abilities -- thus, their strength and durability levels vary depending on how charged they are. They have proven capable of absorbing various forms of electromagnetic energy (both as ambient releases or from power blasts) and Asgardian magic to metabolize for their strength. Once they even managed to drain the mystically-enriched life essence of Hogun the Grim to power themselves.

DEATH

 

DEATH

Real Name: Death

First Appearance: Captain Marvel (Vol. 1) #27, June 1973

Powers: The personification of Death can manifest itself on the physical plane at certain times to certain individuals as a sentient, quasi-tangible humanoid entity of either gender. Like Eternity, Lord Chaos, and Master Order, Death is an abstract being embodying a concept, whose true nature and origin is unknown. Death and the being called Eternity are said to comprise the mystical essence of the universe: Eternity embodies the principle of life, and Death embodies the principle of mortality.

Death and Eternity can both manifest themselves as sentient beings, and have spoken of themselves as siblings. They have appeared in humanoid form, although presumably they could appear in any guise they chose. Eternity generally appears in the form of a male, while Death usually manifests itself in female form. This may simply be the form Death chooses to seduce males into doing its will. When Death presented itself once to the vampire lord Dracula as a rival rather than as a seducer, it took male form. While Death can take the guise of a living human, it more often appears to living beings as a hooded, robed skeleton.

The personification of Death sometimes seems to possess fathomable motives. Death seems to seek new conquests, and manipulates mortals with or without their knowledge in order to gain them. Death once attempted to destroy Dracula through human pawns because Dracula was depriving it of conquests by creating vampires who were neither truly alive nor truly dead Death failed on that occasion, but Dracula eventually fell victim to permanent destruction. Although Death ordinarily seems content to maintain a balance in the universe between its power and Eternity's, Death will seize opportunities that arise to achieve dominance over Eternity. Death once appeared to the mad Titan Thanos in the form of a woman with whom he fell so much in love that he was willing to destroy the universe in order to please her. Death also apparently works in partnership with Galactus, the destroyer of worlds. Death has on occasion taken the role of gamesman, having once played a tournament of champions with the Elder called the Grandmaster.

Death's ultimate goals are unknown. There may be a master plan guiding its movements or nothing more than random chance. Virtually all living creatures in the known universe must eventually surrender themselves to Death. Even the Eternals and Asgardians age, although they do so very slowly, and will someday die. The Olympian gods do not age, but can be killed by a sufficiently powerful force. The Elders of the Universe, reputed to be the oldest living beings in the universe, can also be killed by a sufficiently powerful force. Galactus, the only known entity said to predate the Big Bang itself, believes his death inevitable.

The relationship between Death and the so-called gods of the dead of the various pantheons is also very hazy. Death gods like Hela and demons like Mephisto seem to receive certain undefined powers from Death and even rule over extradimensional realms seemingly inhabited by the souls of deceased mortals. But whether they are Death's pawns or allies cannot be determined.

Death remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. At one point, Death was "killed" by the extradimensional being known as the Beyonder, who later "recreated" it. The implications of this on Death's nature are still a mystery. Later, Death appeared to the Phoenix Force, claiming it to be the product of power of all life yet unborn, and thus somewhat an agent of Death and abstract entity the likes of Eternity and Death. Death helped to convince the Force to leave its then-current avatar, Rachel Summers.

ATOM SMASHER

 

ATOM SMASHER

Real Name: Ronald and Michael English

First Appearance: Black Goliath (Vol. 1) #1, February 1976 (Ronald); Marvel Two-In-One (Vol. 1) #85, March 1982 (Michael)

Powers: Orignally baseline humans with no superhuman powers, Cross Technology Enterprises (CTE) employee and his brother Michael developed nucleonic radiators which those used to mutate themselves, taking on the criminal identity of the Atom Smasher.

The English brothers could generate atomic radiation which they could project as heat, concussive force, or hard radiation. Their energies enhanced their durability, and they could also transform into pure energy, though even this form could be contained with lead, graphite, or other radiation dampeners. Each brother also employed multiple similarly costumed agents, trained in combat and operating his equipment.

Michael used a gyrojet to transport stolen materials and employed three Robotrons, 20-foot tall robots each operated by an agent in its head; extremely strong and durable, these robots fired concussive blasts from their heads and lasers from their wrists.

AWESOME ANDROID

 

AWESOME ANDROID

Real Name: Awesome Android

First Appearance: Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #15, June 1963

Powers: The Awesome Android was the criminal genius Mad Thinker's earliest attempt to create a pseudo-living superhuman servant. The Thinker stole Mr. Fantastic's patented DNA research and
modified it, with a mixture of both synthetic-organic and mechanical components resulting in a pseudo-organic body which was a cross between a robot and a true android. This was made possible, in part, by splicing unstable molecules into the DNA patterns of an ape.

The Awesome Android's unstable molecular tissue and skin can mimic those it makes physical or sensory contact with; originally, it could only copy one ability at a time for about an hour. It could lift around 25 tons without mimicking, was unaffected by gases, could expel hurricane winds from its "mouth" at 180 miles per hour, shape its fists into weapons such as blades or granite blocks, and expand its overall size and mass by 10%. It could duplicate the Thing's rocky skin, Iceman's ice-armor, Stingray's amphibious wing-flaps, etc.

After an upgrade, it could split into at least 6 multiple forms, each one adapting to fight different opponents, growing vastly in size to match a giant opponent, sprouting wings to battle flying ones, and developing diamond-skin to counter super-strength; however, at this juncture, destroying the Thinker robot controlling it caused feedback, which disabled the Android.

The latest upgrade enabled the Android to mimic any living creature's powers and skills, and to retain multiple abilities for months, perhaps permanently. Powered by atomic energy, the Android can be knocked out by striking a vulnerable motor nerve terminal under the right armpit. The Awesome Android is typically mute, but while working for the law offices of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway, it communicated through a chest-top display with a Wi-Fi link to his CPU, allowing to display his thoughts as words.

GEOMETER

 

GEOMETER

Real Name: Unrevealed

First Appearance: Quasar (Vol. 1) #51, October 1993

Powers: A member of an extinct alien race of scientists, the Geometer was the first to create a mathematical equation which described the workings of the universe. Obsessed with mathematical perfection, he began searching for a universe that would fit his ideal.

The Geometer is an angular crystalline being who utilizes the Lathe of Perfection, a device which conducts a form of metamorphic force that manipulates matter and energy for him. The effects it made on matter and energy typically changed them into symmetrical constructions and geometric shapes.

He is virtually immortal, can form gravimetric shields, and even travel across time and dimensions.

EBON SEEKER

 

EBON SEEKER

Real Name: Xanth

First Appearance: Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #229, April 1981

Powers: The being who later became known as the Ebon Seeker was originally named "Xanth" and a member of the Moensien race from billions of years in the future of Reality-81049. The Moensians reached an evolutionary, cultural, scientific, and philosophical dead-end. Xanth and his lover Shareen were chosen to explore space for other lifeforms with which to interact with and enrich their stagnant race. After "40 solar years" of searching, they happened upon a derelict ship floating toward a black hole. Despearate to learn of the ship's origins, Xanth pursued, and his and Shareen's craft were pulled into the black hole.

Their ship and bodies were instantly disintegrated, but their minds lived on as they were pulled into the black hole. Inside the hole, their vaporized life-energies were met by swirling energy-beings of black light, who sought to commune with them. Shareen's life force listened to their voices, and she was reborn as a creature of living light and true peace. The life force that had been Xanth could not listen or comprehend, and was driven mad. He assumed only the darker aspects of the black hole, which consumed him body, mind, and soul. Xanth fled the dark light, and escaped out of the "opposite end" of the black hole, forsaking his Shareen.

Xanth emerged into the physical universe in Reality-616, distant spatially and far earlier temporally from his entry into the black hole. Consumed with completing his mission, Xanth sought life, but his new form was like unto a black hole and, upon contacting a planet, his energy/matter was drained outward, devastating the planet and weakening himself. Upon his death, he destroyed that world and then was reborn in the resultant energies to continue seeking new life, repeating the tragic process allegedly a million times. In addition, the black hole that recreated him began expanding, attempting to reclaim its escaped matter and threatening to prematurely end the universe. Shareen, now known as Firefrost, endlessly pursued Xanth, now known as the Ebon Seeker, to restore his sanity and end the destruction.

Immensely massive, the Ebon Seeker's presence disrupted time and space around him, temporarily causing "reverse video" effects and making it difficult to breathe. He absorbed all force, impact, and matter he contacted. At the same time, he progressively shrunk as he bled off his own energy/matter as tendrils, which ensnared and siphoned power from beings and objects. When his power was depleted, he destroyed the planet around him, regaining his full power in the process. Unaging (and unaffected by fatigue, disease, etc.), he traveled through space's vacuum unaided and communicated telepathically.In reconnecting with Shareen, he may have transformed into a living light being similar to Firefrost.

RESURRECTION FIVE

 

 

RESURRECTION FIVE

Members: (l to r): Tempus (Eva Bell), Proteus (Kevin MacTaggert), Hope (Hope Summers), Elixir (Joshua Foley), and Goldballs (Fabio Medina)

First Appearance: House of X (Vol. 1) #5, September 2019

Function: In creating the mutant nation-state of Krakoa, five mutants were studied and it was discovered how they could combine their powers in order to facilitate the resurrection of any dead mutant.

To begin, Goldballs creates inert spheres of non-viable biological matter; Proteus alters reality to make those spheres into viable "eggs"; an injection of the deceased mutant's preserved DNA is manipulated to bond with the egg by Elixir; Tempus then ages the biological growth rapidly through time manipulation; all held together in perfect synergy by Hope Summers and her interactive mutation.

Initially, their capabilities topped out at 1,000 mutant resurrections a week, or 200 per day. Furthermore, extensive testing has shown that the Five do not operate under duress, fatigue, or even massive exertion. The more mutants they resurrect, the stronger they become and the easier the process becomes. The experience has been described by the Five as incredibly blissful (but not in a narcotized manner). Originally, the mutant resurrection process took around 48 hours, but the process is shorter.

Additionally, these five mutants appear to have become an inseparable family unit and are almost never apart from one another, their symbiotic process appears to have extended beyond the union of their powers and to the mutants themselves. Some of this could be psychological, as on Krakoa, they are universally revered as cultural paragons.