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Blackout (comics)
Encyclopedia
Blackout is the name of two fictional character
s, both supervillain
s, in the Marvel Comics
universe
.
, New York City. He was working as a laboratory assistant to Dr. Abner Croit, a physicist hoping to build a device capable of tapping into energies from other dimensions. Croit always looked down on Daniels’ inferior knowledge, making him feel useless. Daniels always wondered what it would be like to harness the energy they were researching, to be powerful. After an accident bathed him in the extra-dimensional energy of the Darkforce
, he had the chance to find out. Calling himself Blackout, his body was now flushed with power, becoming a surface of control of the Darkforce dimension. However, despite his powers threatening to go out of control, he escaped from Croft's attempts to cure him and fled.
Blackout returned to the laboratories, however, as he needed the stabilizer device to control his energies. But he also returned to find revenge on Croit— Blackout's sanity began to suffer as well. He believed Croit was researching energies from "Black Stars" and that his body now generated such energy. He further believed that Croit was defrauding the government with his research and had bribed a judge to frame him for stealing his secrets. Instead of an accident causing his powers, Daniels thought Dr. Croit willfully subjected him to an experiment in exchange for dropping charges against him.
Nova
encountered Blackout on his way to exact revenge, and Blackout easily defeated the young hero. Before Nova could catch up with him, Blackout returned to the labs, killing Croit and his new assistant by letting them “merge with the color spectrum” (actually, by shunting them to the Darkforce dimension.) Following another skirmish with Nova, Blackout himself vanished into this dimension when he fell back onto the stabilizer during the battle, destroying it.
The stabilizer somehow ended up at Project Pegasus
, the government energy research laboratory. An attack by the Lava Men and the presence of Captain Marvel
(Monica Rambeau) managed to activate the device, which transported Blackout back to Earth. Still suffering from the delusion that Croit was still alive and out to harm him, he tried to escape. Blackout was coerced by another Project captive, Moonstone
, into freeing herself and other superhuman criminals Electro and the Rhino
in order to gain revenge on their captors. The villains were confronted by the Avengers, but Blackout and Moonstone escaped to the Darkforce Dimension by nearly causing the nuclear core of the complex to meltdown as a distraction.
Moonstone, a former psychiatrist, treated Blackout in order to learn his true origin, but he remained in an irrational state. When the Avengers tracked them down, Blackout opened up another aperture into the Darkforce dimension in attempting to escape them, sucking himself and Moonstone inside. Moonstone helped Blackout navigate through the dimension, eventually arriving on the surface of the moon. She hoped to find another stone similar to that which gave her powers, but they encountered the Inhumans and their ally, Dazzler
, who defeated the villains and returned them to Project: Pegasus on Earth.
Moonstone next appeared recruited by Baron Zemo to form his version of the Masters of Evil
, and she brought Blackout in tow. By this time, Blackout's mental condition was so unstable that at times he sank into a nearly catatonic state, only responsive to Moonstone's manipulative commands. Zemo, however, with the help of the Fixer
had created a device to mentally force Blackout to obey his commands. Blackout was instrumental in Zemo's takeover of the Avengers
' headquarters
by sending the entire mansion into the Darkforce dimension in one of the team’s darkest hours. Doctor Druid
, used his psychic ability to break through Zemo and Moonstone’s manipulations, restoring some of Blackout’s mental faculties. With relative sanity, Blackout resisted Zemo's mental commands, the strain of which made Blackout collapse from a massive cerebral hemorrhage.
Blackout's body was remanded into the custody of the Commission on Superhuman Activities. Years later, his body was taken by Baron Zemo, manipulated like a puppet on strings to serve as a member of his team as he confronted the new Thunderbolts
over the life of their member Photon
. During the battle between the two teams, Zemo revealed Blackout was merely a shell in which he kept the Smuggler trapped. This had the desired effect of turning his brother, Atlas against his team, and Zemo gained the upper hand. He also used Blackout’s access to the Darkforce dimension in severing Photon’s physical form.
A person who look likes the original Blackout appears as part of the Hood
's alliance with super-powered heroes. He was later seen during the Siege
of Asgard
as part of the Hood crime syndicate.
, a source of infinite dark energy, and to manipulate it in various ways. He could project Darkforce as concussive energy with tremendous force. Blackout could mentally open portals to and from the Darkforce dimension. He could create and control simple, solid geometric shapes from Darkforce, such as discs, cubes, spheres, cylinders, and planes. These objects absorbed energy directed against them, and would remain solid as long as he exerted conscious control over them. He could psionically levitate Darkforce objects, and could fly by riding on them.
Blackout was mentally unstable due to his time spent in the Darkforce Dimension, and sometimes entered a nearly catatonic state. His control over Darkforce was dependent on his mental clarity, and would weaken when he was fatigued. Training with Moonstone
allowed him to maintain his Darkforce constructs for a considerably longer period of time.
Blackout wore a costume with circuitry that helped him confine the Darkforce within his body. The costume was designed by Dr. Abner Croit.
Blackout had a master's degree in physics, especially in the study of radiation.
#2 (1990). He has the ability to automatically generate a light-dampening field which negates all visible light in a significant area. His albino-esque complexion and extreme physical sensitivity to sunlight and light in general are likely accounts for this power-manifestation, and its vampiric similarities apparently led him to have his teeth and fingernails replaced with mechanically-enhanced metal ones.
Blackout was initially employed by the demonic crime lord Deathwatch
as an enforcer and assassin. Deathwatch ordered Blackout to search for bio-toxin canisters stolen by a youth gang named the Cypress Hill Jokers under their leader Paulie Stratton. Blackout murdered detective Frank Loretti and his family as well as Ralph D'Amato's parents before battling the Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch
) for the first time. Deathwatch and Blackout then attacked the NYPD's 75th Precinct police station, murdered several police officers, stole the bio-toxin canisters, and abducted Paulie and the Cypress Hill Jokers. Subsequently, Blackout battled the Kingpin
's men as well as Ghost Rider again. Blackout was disfigured in the battle when he was scorched by hellfire by trying to bite through Ghost Rider's jacket. This caused him to become Ghost Rider's sworn arch-enemy. Blackout learned Ghost Rider's identity as Dan Ketch, and murdered his comatose sister Barbara Ketch in revenge. Blackout then kills Ketch's acquaintances, newspaper vendor Theodore Larsen and Father Michael McDonald.
Blackout continued to stalk Ghost Rider. He encountered HEART, and menaced some Morlock
children, murdering the Morlock Pixie
(not to be confused with the X-Men character of the same name, Pixie
). The Morlocks had been in conflict over a plan to change babies into mutated forms. Ghost Rider's incorrect belief it was Blackout behind the vanishing of babies brings the attention of the real Blackout. Though the children are rescued safely, with the assistance of X-Factor
, Blackout manages to kill Pixie and escape after battling Ghost Rider again.
Blackout murdered several sewer workers, then battled Ghost Rider, John Blaze
and HEART again; during this battle, his face is further disfigured by Blaze's gun, and Blackout was finally captured by the police. He was freed from prison by the Firm, then abducted Ketch's mother and friends, seemingly murdering Dan Ketch by tearing his throat out while he is in human form. Only supernatural intervention from other sources allows Dan to recover. In the meantime, Ghost Rider is still able to fight. Around this time, Blackout went on a murderous rampage through Central Park
, leading to a hostage situation with the police. With Mr. Stern, Blackout is captured by Ghost Rider and sealed in a mausoleum
.
With Mr. Stern, Blackout escaped the mausoleum. Blackout experienced a vision of Lilith, the demon-goddess, who claimed she was his grandmother. Blackout joined forces with Lilith and the Lilin, and would team up with many super-powered offspring of Lilith, all doing her will. Blackout, Creed, and Pilgrim abducted John Blaze's son, then battled Blaze and Ghost Rider. Alongside Lilth and the Lilin, Blackout battled Ghost Rider, John Blaze, Dr. Michael Morbius
, the Nightstalkers
, and the Darkhold Redeemers
in Greenland
. Blade
impaled Blackout through the eye, killing him. Blackout was later reborn along with the rest of his fallen brethren, thanks to Lilith. He has a fresh new face but it is burned in battle with Ghost Rider.
During one of his many times working with Lilith, he re-inspires the police officer Badilino into becoming Vengeance
again. Wracked with doubt after learning his demonic mission means little, Badilino is frozen with indecision as Lilith's forces, Blackout, Dark Legion and Meatmarket attack his precinct. Seeing Blackout threaten to consume a small child, Badilino transforms and literally leaps into action. The child is saved. Blackout takes an opportunity minutes later to attack Dan Ketch's friend Stacy Dolan. She is saved by Ghost Rider. Blackout and the Lilin are distracted by the arrival of Doctor Strange
and other Midnight Sons
, who are their primary objective. A spell, cast as the Sons retreat from overwhelming forces, protects the citizens in the precinct from being seen by Lilin.
After being defeated by the Midnight Sons
, Blackout had his face deformities repaired and went back to work as a hired assassin, also eliminating a few personal grudges along the way. He becomes romantically obsessed with Wei, a female reporter who has figured out Ghost Rider's secret identity. His murderous torment of Wei causes her to snap and commit suicide live on camera. He is captured by Ghost Rider and chained over the World Trade Center
where he is thought to have burned to death. Much later, Blackout was seen among the escaping villains in the prison breakout in New Avengers #1, and his sudden lack-of-death is later explained in the New Avengers: Most Wanted Files, where it is revealed he was arrested before burning to death.
Blackout was hired by the Hood
to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act. He helped them fight the New Avengers but was taken down by Doctor Strange.
In Secret Invasion
, he is one among many supervillains who rejoined the Hood's crime syndicate and attacked an invading Skrull
force.
Blackout is later seen aiding Danny Ketch
's attack and killing Caretaker
before facing off against Ghost Rider
.
He joins with the Hood's gang in an attack on the New Avengers, who were expecting the Dark Avengers
instead.
He was recruited by Zadikiel to assemble a "task-force" of Ghost Rider foes in order to hunt down and destroy both the Ketch & Blaze Ghost Riders. Later, he attacked the church filled with the gun armed nuns, alongside Orb
, Deacon
and the new Vengeance
. He cloaks the place in darkness threatening and mocking the nuns but is stopped by being shot with bullets that were covered in holy water. Blackout runs away screaming in pain into the night.
Blackout was seen during the Siege
of Asgard
as part of the Hood crime syndicate.
During the Fear Itself
storyline, Blackout and Deathwatch
assist Sin (in the form of Skadi) in attacking Dayton, Ohio. Since Johnny Blaze is no longer Ghost Rider, a man named Adam performs a ritual in a pyramid in Nicaragua in which one of his followers, a woman named Alejandra, becomes the new female Ghost Rider who is able to defeat Deathwatch and Blackout II.
He is a highly experienced hand-to-hand combatant, a superior acrobat, and wrestler.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s, both supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s, in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Marcus Daniels
Fictional character biography
Marcus Daniels was born in Flushing, QueensFlushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, New York City. He was working as a laboratory assistant to Dr. Abner Croit, a physicist hoping to build a device capable of tapping into energies from other dimensions. Croit always looked down on Daniels’ inferior knowledge, making him feel useless. Daniels always wondered what it would be like to harness the energy they were researching, to be powerful. After an accident bathed him in the extra-dimensional energy of the Darkforce
Darkforce
-Description:It is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are attuned to it. There are slight yet inconclusive hints that it may be a corruptive influence of some kind and perhaps even sentient...
, he had the chance to find out. Calling himself Blackout, his body was now flushed with power, becoming a surface of control of the Darkforce dimension. However, despite his powers threatening to go out of control, he escaped from Croft's attempts to cure him and fled.
Blackout returned to the laboratories, however, as he needed the stabilizer device to control his energies. But he also returned to find revenge on Croit— Blackout's sanity began to suffer as well. He believed Croit was researching energies from "Black Stars" and that his body now generated such energy. He further believed that Croit was defrauding the government with his research and had bribed a judge to frame him for stealing his secrets. Instead of an accident causing his powers, Daniels thought Dr. Croit willfully subjected him to an experiment in exchange for dropping charges against him.
Nova
Nova (comics)
Nova is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Upon becoming a member of the galaxy's Nova Corps , the youth gained enhanced strength, flight, injury resistance, and a specialized uniform with life support.In May 2011, Nova placed 98th on IGN's Top 100 Comic...
encountered Blackout on his way to exact revenge, and Blackout easily defeated the young hero. Before Nova could catch up with him, Blackout returned to the labs, killing Croit and his new assistant by letting them “merge with the color spectrum” (actually, by shunting them to the Darkforce dimension.) Following another skirmish with Nova, Blackout himself vanished into this dimension when he fell back onto the stabilizer during the battle, destroying it.
The stabilizer somehow ended up at Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus is a fictional scientific base in the Marvel Comics universe which has been the location of a variety of stories for superheroes and supervillains, most notably in the title Marvel Two-in-One...
, the government energy research laboratory. An attack by the Lava Men and the presence of Captain Marvel
Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe. Initially known as Captain Marvel, the character became a leader of the Avengers...
(Monica Rambeau) managed to activate the device, which transported Blackout back to Earth. Still suffering from the delusion that Croit was still alive and out to harm him, he tried to escape. Blackout was coerced by another Project captive, Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
, into freeing herself and other superhuman criminals Electro and the Rhino
Rhino (comics)
The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
in order to gain revenge on their captors. The villains were confronted by the Avengers, but Blackout and Moonstone escaped to the Darkforce Dimension by nearly causing the nuclear core of the complex to meltdown as a distraction.
Moonstone, a former psychiatrist, treated Blackout in order to learn his true origin, but he remained in an irrational state. When the Avengers tracked them down, Blackout opened up another aperture into the Darkforce dimension in attempting to escape them, sucking himself and Moonstone inside. Moonstone helped Blackout navigate through the dimension, eventually arriving on the surface of the moon. She hoped to find another stone similar to that which gave her powers, but they encountered the Inhumans and their ally, Dazzler
Dazzler
Dazzler is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #130 ....
, who defeated the villains and returned them to Project: Pegasus on Earth.
Moonstone next appeared recruited by Baron Zemo to form his version of the Masters of Evil
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a name for a number of fictional supervillain teams that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 , with the lineup continually changing over the years....
, and she brought Blackout in tow. By this time, Blackout's mental condition was so unstable that at times he sank into a nearly catatonic state, only responsive to Moonstone's manipulative commands. Zemo, however, with the help of the Fixer
Fixer (comics)
The Fixer is a name used by two fictional characters, both of are which were introduced as villains in the Marvel Comics universe.-Roscoe Sweeney:...
had created a device to mentally force Blackout to obey his commands. Blackout was instrumental in Zemo's takeover of the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
' headquarters
Avengers Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, Avengers Mansion has traditionally been the base of the Avengers. The enormous, city block-sized building is located at 890 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City.-Creative origin:...
by sending the entire mansion into the Darkforce dimension in one of the team’s darkest hours. Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid, also known as Doctor Droom and Druid, is a fictional character, a supernatural monster-hunter in the Marvel Comics universe....
, used his psychic ability to break through Zemo and Moonstone’s manipulations, restoring some of Blackout’s mental faculties. With relative sanity, Blackout resisted Zemo's mental commands, the strain of which made Blackout collapse from a massive cerebral hemorrhage.
Blackout's body was remanded into the custody of the Commission on Superhuman Activities. Years later, his body was taken by Baron Zemo, manipulated like a puppet on strings to serve as a member of his team as he confronted the new Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
over the life of their member Photon
Genis-Vell
Genis-Vell, also known as Legacy, Captain Marvel, and Photon, is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He is depicted as the son of Mar-Vell of the extraterrestrial Kree Empire, who was the first character to be known as Captain Marvel in the Marvel Universe...
. During the battle between the two teams, Zemo revealed Blackout was merely a shell in which he kept the Smuggler trapped. This had the desired effect of turning his brother, Atlas against his team, and Zemo gained the upper hand. He also used Blackout’s access to the Darkforce dimension in severing Photon’s physical form.
A person who look likes the original Blackout appears as part of the Hood
Hood (comics)
The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
's alliance with super-powered heroes. He was later seen during the Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
as part of the Hood crime syndicate.
Powers and abilities
Blackout was exposed to cosmic radiation, giving him the power to tap into the DarkforceDarkforce
-Description:It is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are attuned to it. There are slight yet inconclusive hints that it may be a corruptive influence of some kind and perhaps even sentient...
, a source of infinite dark energy, and to manipulate it in various ways. He could project Darkforce as concussive energy with tremendous force. Blackout could mentally open portals to and from the Darkforce dimension. He could create and control simple, solid geometric shapes from Darkforce, such as discs, cubes, spheres, cylinders, and planes. These objects absorbed energy directed against them, and would remain solid as long as he exerted conscious control over them. He could psionically levitate Darkforce objects, and could fly by riding on them.
Blackout was mentally unstable due to his time spent in the Darkforce Dimension, and sometimes entered a nearly catatonic state. His control over Darkforce was dependent on his mental clarity, and would weaken when he was fatigued. Training with Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
allowed him to maintain his Darkforce constructs for a considerably longer period of time.
Blackout wore a costume with circuitry that helped him confine the Darkforce within his body. The costume was designed by Dr. Abner Croit.
Blackout had a master's degree in physics, especially in the study of radiation.
Half-demon
Fictional character biography
The second Blackout was a darkness-generating superhuman and professional criminal who first appeared in Ghost RiderGhost Rider (Daniel Ketch)
Ghost Rider is a comic book character, a supernatural superhero in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. He is the third Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and Johnny Blaze, the first supernatural Ghost Rider.-Publication...
#2 (1990). He has the ability to automatically generate a light-dampening field which negates all visible light in a significant area. His albino-esque complexion and extreme physical sensitivity to sunlight and light in general are likely accounts for this power-manifestation, and its vampiric similarities apparently led him to have his teeth and fingernails replaced with mechanically-enhanced metal ones.
Blackout was initially employed by the demonic crime lord Deathwatch
Deathwatch (comics)
Deathwatch is a fictional character. He is a demonic supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most notably as an enemy of Ghost Rider.-Fictional character biography:...
as an enforcer and assassin. Deathwatch ordered Blackout to search for bio-toxin canisters stolen by a youth gang named the Cypress Hill Jokers under their leader Paulie Stratton. Blackout murdered detective Frank Loretti and his family as well as Ralph D'Amato's parents before battling the Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch
Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch)
Ghost Rider is a comic book character, a supernatural superhero in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. He is the third Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and Johnny Blaze, the first supernatural Ghost Rider.-Publication...
) for the first time. Deathwatch and Blackout then attacked the NYPD's 75th Precinct police station, murdered several police officers, stole the bio-toxin canisters, and abducted Paulie and the Cypress Hill Jokers. Subsequently, Blackout battled the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
's men as well as Ghost Rider again. Blackout was disfigured in the battle when he was scorched by hellfire by trying to bite through Ghost Rider's jacket. This caused him to become Ghost Rider's sworn arch-enemy. Blackout learned Ghost Rider's identity as Dan Ketch, and murdered his comatose sister Barbara Ketch in revenge. Blackout then kills Ketch's acquaintances, newspaper vendor Theodore Larsen and Father Michael McDonald.
Blackout continued to stalk Ghost Rider. He encountered HEART, and menaced some Morlock
Morlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
children, murdering the Morlock Pixie
Pixie (Morlock)
Pixie is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in Ghost Rider III #8 .-Fictional character biography:...
(not to be confused with the X-Men character of the same name, Pixie
Pixie (comics)
Pixie is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe. Her mutation grants her pixie-like eyes, colorful wings that allow her to fly, and "pixie dust" which causes hallucinations...
). The Morlocks had been in conflict over a plan to change babies into mutated forms. Ghost Rider's incorrect belief it was Blackout behind the vanishing of babies brings the attention of the real Blackout. Though the children are rescued safely, with the assistance of X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
, Blackout manages to kill Pixie and escape after battling Ghost Rider again.
Blackout murdered several sewer workers, then battled Ghost Rider, John Blaze
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
and HEART again; during this battle, his face is further disfigured by Blaze's gun, and Blackout was finally captured by the police. He was freed from prison by the Firm, then abducted Ketch's mother and friends, seemingly murdering Dan Ketch by tearing his throat out while he is in human form. Only supernatural intervention from other sources allows Dan to recover. In the meantime, Ghost Rider is still able to fight. Around this time, Blackout went on a murderous rampage through Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, leading to a hostage situation with the police. With Mr. Stern, Blackout is captured by Ghost Rider and sealed in a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
.
With Mr. Stern, Blackout escaped the mausoleum. Blackout experienced a vision of Lilith, the demon-goddess, who claimed she was his grandmother. Blackout joined forces with Lilith and the Lilin, and would team up with many super-powered offspring of Lilith, all doing her will. Blackout, Creed, and Pilgrim abducted John Blaze's son, then battled Blaze and Ghost Rider. Alongside Lilth and the Lilin, Blackout battled Ghost Rider, John Blaze, Dr. Michael Morbius
Morbius, the Living Vampire
Morbius, the Living Vampire, is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane, the character, a living human suffering from vampiric abilities resulting from scientific rather than supernatural means, first appeared as...
, the Nightstalkers
Nightstalkers (comics)
The Nightstalkers is a fictional trio of preexisting characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A team of occult experts, they reluctantly banded together to fight supernatural threats....
, and the Darkhold Redeemers
Darkhold
The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is a fictional book in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Darkhold was co-created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. The Darkhold was first mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3 but first shown in Marvel Spotlight #4...
in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
impaled Blackout through the eye, killing him. Blackout was later reborn along with the rest of his fallen brethren, thanks to Lilith. He has a fresh new face but it is burned in battle with Ghost Rider.
During one of his many times working with Lilith, he re-inspires the police officer Badilino into becoming Vengeance
Vengeance (comics)
Vengeance is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Ghost Rider. Lt. Michael Badilino was the first known person to be host, now the entity is attached to Deputy Kowalski. Since his debut he has taken on the role of...
again. Wracked with doubt after learning his demonic mission means little, Badilino is frozen with indecision as Lilith's forces, Blackout, Dark Legion and Meatmarket attack his precinct. Seeing Blackout threaten to consume a small child, Badilino transforms and literally leaps into action. The child is saved. Blackout takes an opportunity minutes later to attack Dan Ketch's friend Stacy Dolan. She is saved by Ghost Rider. Blackout and the Lilin are distracted by the arrival of Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
and other Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
, who are their primary objective. A spell, cast as the Sons retreat from overwhelming forces, protects the citizens in the precinct from being seen by Lilin.
After being defeated by the Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
, Blackout had his face deformities repaired and went back to work as a hired assassin, also eliminating a few personal grudges along the way. He becomes romantically obsessed with Wei, a female reporter who has figured out Ghost Rider's secret identity. His murderous torment of Wei causes her to snap and commit suicide live on camera. He is captured by Ghost Rider and chained over the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
where he is thought to have burned to death. Much later, Blackout was seen among the escaping villains in the prison breakout in New Avengers #1, and his sudden lack-of-death is later explained in the New Avengers: Most Wanted Files, where it is revealed he was arrested before burning to death.
Blackout was hired by the Hood
Hood (comics)
The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act. He helped them fight the New Avengers but was taken down by Doctor Strange.
In Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
, he is one among many supervillains who rejoined the Hood's crime syndicate and attacked an invading Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
force.
Blackout is later seen aiding Danny Ketch
Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch)
Ghost Rider is a comic book character, a supernatural superhero in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. He is the third Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and Johnny Blaze, the first supernatural Ghost Rider.-Publication...
's attack and killing Caretaker
Caretaker (comics)
Caretaker is a fictional Marvel Comics character. There have been two incarnations of the character, The first version appeared in Ghost Rider vol. 2 #28 in the Rise of the Midnight Sons storyline. After this version died his granddaughter assumed the role. She debuted in Ghost Rider vol...
before facing off against Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
.
He joins with the Hood's gang in an attack on the New Avengers, who were expecting the Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
instead.
He was recruited by Zadikiel to assemble a "task-force" of Ghost Rider foes in order to hunt down and destroy both the Ketch & Blaze Ghost Riders. Later, he attacked the church filled with the gun armed nuns, alongside Orb
Orb (comics)
The Orb is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain, primarily an adversary of Ghost Rider. Created by writer Len Wein, penciller Ross Andru, and inker Don Perlin, he first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #15 ....
, Deacon
Deacon (comics)
The Deacon is a fictional Marvel Comics character. He is a zealot who believes he is doing the work of God. He has been blessed with powers and weapons from Heaven...
and the new Vengeance
Vengeance (comics)
Vengeance is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Ghost Rider. Lt. Michael Badilino was the first known person to be host, now the entity is attached to Deputy Kowalski. Since his debut he has taken on the role of...
. He cloaks the place in darkness threatening and mocking the nuns but is stopped by being shot with bullets that were covered in holy water. Blackout runs away screaming in pain into the night.
Blackout was seen during the Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
as part of the Hood crime syndicate.
During the Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
storyline, Blackout and Deathwatch
Deathwatch (comics)
Deathwatch is a fictional character. He is a demonic supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most notably as an enemy of Ghost Rider.-Fictional character biography:...
assist Sin (in the form of Skadi) in attacking Dayton, Ohio. Since Johnny Blaze is no longer Ghost Rider, a man named Adam performs a ritual in a pyramid in Nicaragua in which one of his followers, a woman named Alejandra, becomes the new female Ghost Rider who is able to defeat Deathwatch and Blackout II.
Powers and abilities
Blackout is apparently descended from both human and demonic ancestors, and his hybrid physiology gives him a number of superhuman abilities. His strength, speed, stamina, durability, and reflexes are superhuman. He can see in near darkness, and he has the psionic ability to extinguish both natural and artificial light sources in his immediate vicinity. His skin is highly sensitive to light. His teeth (and allegedly jaws) have been mechanically-enhanced to give him vampire-like fangs, which he usually employs to tear out the throats of his victims and enemies.He is a highly experienced hand-to-hand combatant, a superior acrobat, and wrestler.
Film
- Johnny WhitworthJohnny WhitworthJohnny Whitworth is an American actor.His early years were spent in his birth place of Charleston, South Carolina, with his mother. When he grew older, he moved to Dallas, Texas with his father . At age 15/16 in 1991, he won the 1st Young and Modern Man Contest...
has confirmed he will play Blackout in Ghost Rider: Spirit of VengeanceGhost Rider: Spirit of VengeanceGhost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is an upcoming 3D superhero film based on the Marvel Comics antihero Ghost Rider, scheduled to be released in theaters on February 17, 2012. The film is a loose sequel to the 2007 film Ghost Rider. It will be directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Nicolas...
. As stated by Whitworth he plays "the villain who, at the beginning, up until like page 70, is human, [...] I'm not a very nice guy. I'm bad. I get turned into, for those who read 'Ghost Rider', the character Blackout. I get turned into him by the devil to complete my job. That gives me the fortitude to fight Ghost Rider and the supernatural abilities to compete on some level with that guy." The film creators have confirmed that the character will not follow the MarvelMarvel-In business:*Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company**Marvel Animation, an animation production company**Marvel Comics, a comic book publisher**Marvel Productions, a television and film studio subsidiary...
mythology of the character and admitted that they based his characterization on the look of the character alone.
Video games
- The Marcus Daniels Blackout appears in the Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy MetalIron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy MetalIron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal is the title of a video game published by Acclaim Entertainment and developed by Real Sports and Realtime Associates for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Game Boy, Game Gear, and DOS in 1996...
video game as a bossBoss (video games)A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
. - The second Blackout appears in the Ghost RiderGhost Rider (video game)Ghost Rider is a third-person game based around the movie of the same name. The game's storyline is a sequel to the movie, and was penned by Marvel writers Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. Players can play as Ghost Rider both on foot, or on the Hellcycle. The villains are both from the movie and...
video game (based on the 2007 film of the same nameGhost Rider (film)Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
) voiced by Lex LangLex LangWalter Alexis "Lex" Lang is a two-time Emmy Award–winning American voice actor, producer and entrepreneur. He is the cofounder of The Love Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization which creates educational materials for children on the importance of recycling, world water awareness, and the...
. In the game, he steals a modified jet ski and uses it to escape a lab while being chased by Ghost Rider.
External links
- Blackout I at Marvel.com