Power Broker
Encyclopedia
Power Broker is the name of two characters in Marvel Comics
.
Power Broker, Inc. is a fictional criminal corporation in the Marvel Universe
which provides individuals with superhuman
physical abilities for a price. The organization first appeared in The Thing
#35, in May 1986, and was created by Mike Carlin and Paul Neary
.
. He became a professional criminal, and an executive with the criminal organization known as the Corporation
.
As a member of the Corporation, Jackson attempted to take control of Machine Man
. With Eugene Stivak, Moonstone
, and the Vamp
, he later battled Captain America
, Marvel Man, the Falcon
, and the Hulk
. Jackson kidnapped Trish Starr, and battled the Hulk and Machine Man again.
Dr. Karl Malus
, a mad scientist
who had experimented on various superhuman individuals, went to work for the Power Broker Corporation founded by Curtiss Jackson, using technology to augment the strength of paying customers to superhuman levels. The strength augmenting process was tremendously risky, with half the subjects dying or becoming severely deformed, but this information was kept a closely guarded secret. Power Broker and Malus also used highly addictive drugs on their subjects, telling them that the chemical was necessary to stabilize their powers, but in fact it only served to keep the subjects working for-- and paying --the Power Broker. Many wrestlers of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
, which is only open to those with super-strength, were revealed to have used the Power Broker's services, and wound up indebted to them. Power Broker was also responsible for the strength augmentation of the U.S. Agent
and Battlestar
.
The Power Broker offered to give Sharon Ventura superhuman strength. She was reportedly sexually abused while drugged. She broke free before Malus could administer the addictive drug, so the Power Broker sent the Grapplers
to kill her. The Power Broker later kidnapped Demolition-Man
, and battled Captain America and the Shroud
when they came to rescue him.
When Power Broker, Inc. was attacked by the vigilante known as the Scourge of the Underworld
, Curtiss Jackson exposed himself to his own augmentation device in an attempt to gain the super-strength necessary for his self-defense. The process went awry, leaving him so grotesquely muscle-bound that he could not move. Jackson was revealed to be a patient at Los Angeles County Hospital. Malus decided to take advantage of this situation by sending Vagabond
, who knew Jackson (having previously approached him about gaining super-strength herself), to obtain a copy of his fingerprint
s so that Malus could access all of Jackson's personal accounts and vaults. He used an explosive wristband to force Vagabond's cooperation, but she managed to knock Malus out, destroy the fingerprint mold, place the band on his wrist, and inject him with the drug he had planned to use on her.
The Power Broker had Malus' legs broken for his betrayal, then promptly re-hired him to try to cure Jackson's condition. Malus captured and experimented on several augmented individuals, including Battlestar
to perfect the de-augmentation process, which drew the involvement of the U.S. Agent
. Jackson appeared, revealed to be using an exo-skeleton to move. Together, Battlestar and the Agent defeated Jackson and freed the captured wrestlers, and forced Malus to restore their strength. The U.S. Agent then destroyed Malus' equipment and records, leaving Jackson in an over-augmented state.
Power Broker has been responsible for providing augmented henchmen to various criminal organizations, such as the Sweatshop and the Power Tools.
The Power Broker was later revealed as one of the Red Skull's division chiefs.
Later, Jackson resurfaced following the Maximum Security event, when Earth was made into an intergalactic penal colony. His extra-muscular bulk had been shed in-between appearances, leaving him looking normal once again. Seeing an opportunity to recruit many of the exotic prisoners being dumped by the Kree
and other alien races, Jackson raced to an area his computers determined would have a large amount of arrivals. Unfortunately for Jackson, the aliens were less than pleased at having been dumped on Earth, and attacked him. Playing dead, Jackson came upon a parasitic organism (Jackson calls it an alien, but U.S. Agent believed it to be an escaped SHIELD experiment to control the alien criminals) who had lost its host. In exchange for becoming its host, Jackson would be granted the use of the parasite's spawn to infect and control others. In his plan to take over the world, Jackson smuggled the parasite spawns to a HYDRA
base and a rebel Atlantean
group. These operations were broken up by S.T.A.R.S. and their main agent, U.S. Agent
, leading the group to take down the Power Broker once again.
.
invented a powerful steel alloy exo-skeleton with tongue controls and flight capabilities to enable the Power Broker to move. Jackson has managed to de-augment himself and no longer uses the exo-skeleton. Jackson was briefly the host to a parasitic organism. This allowed him to mind-control anyone infected with the organism's spawn. Jackson has a college degree in business administration, and is a highly skilled administrator and planner.
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...
.
Power Broker, Inc. is a fictional criminal corporation in the Marvel 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...
which provides individuals with superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
physical abilities for a price. The organization first appeared in The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
#35, in May 1986, and was created by Mike Carlin and Paul Neary
Paul Neary
Paul Neary is a British comic book artist, writer and editor.His first work was for Warren Publishing in the 1970s before working with Dez Skinn at Marvel UK as well as work for 2000 AD...
.
Power Broker I
Curtiss Jackson was born in Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. He became a professional criminal, and an executive with the criminal organization known as the Corporation
Corporation (comics)
-Publication history:The Corporation first appeared in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #23-24 , and was created by Bill Mantlo and Gil Kane....
.
As a member of the Corporation, Jackson attempted to take control of Machine Man
Machine Man
Machine Man is a fictional character, an android superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character was created by Jack Kirby for 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 , a comic written and drawn by Kirby featuring concepts based on the eponymous Stanley Kubrick film and Arthur C. Clarke novel...
. With Eugene Stivak, Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
, and the Vamp
Vamp (comics)
Vamp is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Using her absorbo-belt, the Vamp joined the S.H.I.E.L.D. Super-Agent program along with Blue Streak, Texas Twister, and Marvel Man. The Vamp had an additional alter-ego: the Animus, a huge-headed pink-skinned...
, he later battled Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Marvel Man, the Falcon
Falcon (comics)
The Falcon is a fictional comic book superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics.Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, and introduced in Captain America #117 , the character is mainstream comics' first African-American superhero...
, and the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
. Jackson kidnapped Trish Starr, and battled the Hulk and Machine Man again.
Dr. Karl Malus
Karl Malus
Dr. Karl Malus is a fictional mad scientist and criminal in the Marvel Universe, created by Michael Fleisher, Steve Leialoha and Jim Mooney. He first appeared in Spider-Woman # 30, in September 1980.-Fictional character biography:...
, a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
who had experimented on various superhuman individuals, went to work for the Power Broker Corporation founded by Curtiss Jackson, using technology to augment the strength of paying customers to superhuman levels. The strength augmenting process was tremendously risky, with half the subjects dying or becoming severely deformed, but this information was kept a closely guarded secret. Power Broker and Malus also used highly addictive drugs on their subjects, telling them that the chemical was necessary to stabilize their powers, but in fact it only served to keep the subjects working for-- and paying --the Power Broker. Many wrestlers of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
The Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation is a fictional organization in the Marvel Comics Universe. It is an association for professional wrestlers who possess superhuman strength, endurance and resistance to injury.- Overview :...
, which is only open to those with super-strength, were revealed to have used the Power Broker's services, and wound up indebted to them. Power Broker was also responsible for the strength augmentation of the U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America vol...
and Battlestar
Battlestar (comics)
Battlestar , who was also the fifth Bucky, is a fictional character, who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America #323 ....
.
The Power Broker offered to give Sharon Ventura superhuman strength. She was reportedly sexually abused while drugged. She broke free before Malus could administer the addictive drug, so the Power Broker sent the Grapplers
Grapplers (comics)
The Grapplers are a fictional organization in the Marvel Comics universe. It was a loosely-organized band of female wrestlers, most of whom gained superhuman strength after their first published appearances, through the group known as Power Broker, Inc....
to kill her. The Power Broker later kidnapped Demolition-Man
Demolition Man (comics)
Demolition Man , also known as D-Man, is a fictional character in the .-Publication history:Dennis Dunphy first appeared in The Thing #28 , written by Mike Carlin and illustrated by Ron Wilson...
, and battled Captain America and the Shroud
Shroud (comics)
Shroud is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Super-Villain Team-Up #5, , and was created by Steve Englehart and Herb Trimpe.-Conception:...
when they came to rescue him.
When Power Broker, Inc. was attacked by the vigilante known as the Scourge of the Underworld
Scourge of the Underworld
The Scourge of the Underworld is the name of a series of fictional characters that have appeared in various series set in the Marvel Comics universe....
, Curtiss Jackson exposed himself to his own augmentation device in an attempt to gain the super-strength necessary for his self-defense. The process went awry, leaving him so grotesquely muscle-bound that he could not move. Jackson was revealed to be a patient at Los Angeles County Hospital. Malus decided to take advantage of this situation by sending Vagabond
Vagabond (comics)
Vagabond, the alter ego of Priscilla Lyons, is a superhero that has appeared in different books published by Marvel Comics. She has primarily appeared in series associated in some way with Captain America.-Fictional character biography:...
, who knew Jackson (having previously approached him about gaining super-strength herself), to obtain a copy of his fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s so that Malus could access all of Jackson's personal accounts and vaults. He used an explosive wristband to force Vagabond's cooperation, but she managed to knock Malus out, destroy the fingerprint mold, place the band on his wrist, and inject him with the drug he had planned to use on her.
The Power Broker had Malus' legs broken for his betrayal, then promptly re-hired him to try to cure Jackson's condition. Malus captured and experimented on several augmented individuals, including Battlestar
Battlestar (comics)
Battlestar , who was also the fifth Bucky, is a fictional character, who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America #323 ....
to perfect the de-augmentation process, which drew the involvement of the U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America vol...
. Jackson appeared, revealed to be using an exo-skeleton to move. Together, Battlestar and the Agent defeated Jackson and freed the captured wrestlers, and forced Malus to restore their strength. The U.S. Agent then destroyed Malus' equipment and records, leaving Jackson in an over-augmented state.
Power Broker has been responsible for providing augmented henchmen to various criminal organizations, such as the Sweatshop and the Power Tools.
The Power Broker was later revealed as one of the Red Skull's division chiefs.
Later, Jackson resurfaced following the Maximum Security event, when Earth was made into an intergalactic penal colony. His extra-muscular bulk had been shed in-between appearances, leaving him looking normal once again. Seeing an opportunity to recruit many of the exotic prisoners being dumped by the Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
and other alien races, Jackson raced to an area his computers determined would have a large amount of arrivals. Unfortunately for Jackson, the aliens were less than pleased at having been dumped on Earth, and attacked him. Playing dead, Jackson came upon a parasitic organism (Jackson calls it an alien, but U.S. Agent believed it to be an escaped SHIELD experiment to control the alien criminals) who had lost its host. In exchange for becoming its host, Jackson would be granted the use of the parasite's spawn to infect and control others. In his plan to take over the world, Jackson smuggled the parasite spawns to a HYDRA
HYDRA
HYDRA is a fictional terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.Despite the name's capitalization per Marvel's official spelling, the name is not an acronym but rather a reference to the mythical Lernaean Hydra...
base and a rebel Atlantean
Atlantis (Marvel Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the Marvel Universe. It is based on the mythical island of Atlantis first mentioned in Plato's initial dialogue the Timaeus, written circa 360 BC. In the Marvel Universe, Atlantis was a small continent with many human settlements...
group. These operations were broken up by S.T.A.R.S. and their main agent, U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America vol...
, leading the group to take down the Power Broker once again.
Successor
A new Power Broker has appeared in Avengers: The Initiative Annual #1. Very little is known about him, other than he wears a battle suit, and can project bolts of energy from his hands. This new Power Broker has apparently taken over Power Broker, Inc.; he was responsible for giving Paul Brokeridge super-strength to wrestle in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, a move that led to Paul attaining the championship and later being crippled by a stronger wrestler. He was also responsible for giving Paul's brother Roger super-powers; Roger later became the superhero HardballHardball (comics)
Hardball is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by writer Dan Slott and artist Stefano Caselli, and first appeared in Avengers: The Initiative #1 ....
.
Powers and abilities
The Curtiss Jackson version of Power Broker was an ordinary man until he exposed himself to his own chemical and radiation strength augmentation process. This granted him superhuman strength and durability, but left him with a grotesquely overdeveloped muscular physique which renders him unable to move without artificial aids. Dr. Karl MalusKarl Malus
Dr. Karl Malus is a fictional mad scientist and criminal in the Marvel Universe, created by Michael Fleisher, Steve Leialoha and Jim Mooney. He first appeared in Spider-Woman # 30, in September 1980.-Fictional character biography:...
invented a powerful steel alloy exo-skeleton with tongue controls and flight capabilities to enable the Power Broker to move. Jackson has managed to de-augment himself and no longer uses the exo-skeleton. Jackson was briefly the host to a parasitic organism. This allowed him to mind-control anyone infected with the organism's spawn. Jackson has a college degree in business administration, and is a highly skilled administrator and planner.