Reaper (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Reaper is the name of several fictional characters in the pages of Marvel Comics
, most notably the Reaper whose real name is Pantu Hurageb, a mutant
in the X-Force
comic book series. He has been a villain in the main Marvel Universe
but a hero in the Ultraverse
.
terrorist in the Mutant Liberation Front
(MLF), and routinely fought the X-Men
and X-Force
. During X-Force's first mission against the MLF, Shatterstar
fought Reaper and cut off one of his hands. His hand was replaced by a cybernetic prosthesis
. In an attempt to flee from X-Factor
, the MLF's teleporter Zero opened a portal for Reaper and his teammates to escape through, but when Havok attacked Zero, Zero was forced to close the portal while Reaper was still in it, causing him to lose a leg as well. The leg was also replaced with a prosthetic.
When the MLF was arrested during the X-Cutioner's Song
, Reaper and three of his teammates were transferred to a special prison. They were freed by Reignfire
and made part of his new MLF. During an attempt to kidnap Henry Peter Gyrich
, Reaper faced Shatterstar again and lost his other hand. He was thought to have been killed in the fight, but he survived.
An attempt to recruit Siena Blaze
for the MLF resulted in Siena's powers somehow transporting Reaper and Siena to the Ultraverse
.
There he joined the Exiles
along with other Marvel Universe
refugees Juggernaut
and Siena Blaze
. Reaper bargains with the alien race known as the Tradesmen for a new upgraded version of his scythe
, but the Tradesman was murdered during the deal. The Tradesmen returned to demand a life in exchange for the Tradesman they lost and Reaper turned his scythe on Juggernaut, sending him back to the Marvel Universe. The Tradesmen accepted and left, but Reaper's teammates were less than happy with Reaper's actions. Reaper started to like life in the Ultraverse and slowly became a reluctant hero. He becomes intimate with the athletic 'Velvet Fist'. This new grouping disbands later.
Eventually Reaper returned to the Marvel Universe, and was one of the mutants incarcerated by Weapon X
at Neverland, their mutant death camp. Reaper was offered to work for Weapon X and he accepted. Reaper and former MLF teammate Wildside
would pose as mutant terrorists and attack civilians to increase the anti-mutant sentiment, thus reducing public backlash against the unlawful arrests committed by Weapon X. Cable
's Underground
captured the two and during a telepathic
interrogation
Cable accidentally damaged Reaper's brain, leaving him in a coma.
However, he was still alive and in New Avengers #18 he was confirmed to be depowered by the events of M-Day
, in which the Scarlet Witch
erased the mutant genome
from over 90% of the world's mutant population. Recently, in Son of M #6, Quicksilver
, who had gained the power to give depowered mutants their powers back, found Reaper begging on the streets. Reaper was the very first mutant to regain his powers and now has the Weapon X implanted scythe at his control. Reaper then joins the group called X-Cell
. During battle, Abyss
flung him and Fatale
into the Brimstone Dimension and followed them. What happened to them is unknown but apparently they are all trapped in the Brimstone Dimension.
s to channel his powers into the bodies of anyone cut by the blades. Reaper had two cybernetic hands and a cybernetic leg. None of these artificial limbs seemed to have any superhuman abilities. While in the Ultraverse
, Reaper was actually able to injure Juggernaut by simply slashing him with his upgraded scythe.
The status of Marvel characters' Ultraverse appearances in canon
is unclear. The stories are never referenced within Marvel Comics, but a recent Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
did mention events in the Ultraverse.
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...
, most notably the Reaper whose real name is Pantu Hurageb, a mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
in the X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
comic book series. He has been a villain in the main 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...
but a hero in the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
.
Fictional character biography
Reaper is a mutantMutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
terrorist in the Mutant Liberation Front
Mutant Liberation Front
The Mutant Liberation Front, or MLF, is a Marvel Comics supervillain group, primarily enemies of X-Force. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld, the original MLF first fully appeared in The New Mutants #87 ....
(MLF), and routinely fought the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
. During X-Force's first mission against the MLF, Shatterstar
Shatterstar
Shatterstar is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the .-Publication history:Shatterstar first appeared in The New Mutants vol. 1 #99 , and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. Since his debut Shatterstar has mainly appeared in the original X-Force title, with some issues...
fought Reaper and cut off one of his hands. His hand was replaced by a cybernetic prosthesis
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
. In an attempt to flee from 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...
, the MLF's teleporter Zero opened a portal for Reaper and his teammates to escape through, but when Havok attacked Zero, Zero was forced to close the portal while Reaper was still in it, causing him to lose a leg as well. The leg was also replaced with a prosthetic.
When the MLF was arrested during the X-Cutioner's Song
X-Cutioner's Song
"X-Cutioner's Song" is a crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics' in twelve parts from the November 1992 to early 1993. It involved the Uncanny X-Men, X-Men , X-Factor, and X-Force....
, Reaper and three of his teammates were transferred to a special prison. They were freed by Reignfire
Reignfire
Reignfire is a fictional character and villain created by Marvel Comics for their series X-Force. His original creators were Fabian Nicieza and Matt Broome, who had completely different plans for the villain than what evolved....
and made part of his new MLF. During an attempt to kidnap Henry Peter Gyrich
Henry Peter Gyrich
Henry Peter Gyrich is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers Vol. 1 #165 and was created by Jim Shooter and George Pérez.-Fictional character biography:...
, Reaper faced Shatterstar again and lost his other hand. He was thought to have been killed in the fight, but he survived.
An attempt to recruit Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze is a mutant in Marvel Comics's X-Men comics series. Introduced as a villain in the Marvel Universe, she later became a hero during her brief period in the Ultraverse. Following a long absence, the character returned in X-Force, vol...
for the MLF resulted in Siena's powers somehow transporting Reaper and Siena to the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
.
There he joined the Exiles
Exiles (Malibu Comics)
Exiles was the name of two American comic book series, both of which were published by Malibu Comics.-Exiles :The first Exiles comic was written by Steve Gerber and illustrated by Paul Pelletier, with plot contributions from Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich and Chris Ulm Exiles was the name of two American...
along with other 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...
refugees Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
and Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze
Siena Blaze is a mutant in Marvel Comics's X-Men comics series. Introduced as a villain in the Marvel Universe, she later became a hero during her brief period in the Ultraverse. Following a long absence, the character returned in X-Force, vol...
. Reaper bargains with the alien race known as the Tradesmen for a new upgraded version of his scythe
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
, but the Tradesman was murdered during the deal. The Tradesmen returned to demand a life in exchange for the Tradesman they lost and Reaper turned his scythe on Juggernaut, sending him back to the Marvel Universe. The Tradesmen accepted and left, but Reaper's teammates were less than happy with Reaper's actions. Reaper started to like life in the Ultraverse and slowly became a reluctant hero. He becomes intimate with the athletic 'Velvet Fist'. This new grouping disbands later.
Eventually Reaper returned to the Marvel Universe, and was one of the mutants incarcerated by Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
at Neverland, their mutant death camp. Reaper was offered to work for Weapon X and he accepted. Reaper and former MLF teammate Wildside
Wildside (comics)
Wildside is a fictional mutant villain and sadist in the Marvel Comics universe. He was first introduced as a member of the Mutant Liberation Front in the comic title New Mutants, when Rob Liefeld took over as the penciller of that series...
would pose as mutant terrorists and attack civilians to increase the anti-mutant sentiment, thus reducing public backlash against the unlawful arrests committed by Weapon X. Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
's Underground
Underground (comics)
The Underground was a short-lived team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. They appeared in the comic-series Weapon X.-Fictional team biography:...
captured the two and during a telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
interrogation
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
Cable accidentally damaged Reaper's brain, leaving him in a coma.
However, he was still alive and in New Avengers #18 he was confirmed to be depowered by the events of M-Day
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, in which the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
erased the mutant genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
from over 90% of the world's mutant population. Recently, in Son of M #6, Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, who had gained the power to give depowered mutants their powers back, found Reaper begging on the streets. Reaper was the very first mutant to regain his powers and now has the Weapon X implanted scythe at his control. Reaper then joins the group called X-Cell
X-Cell
X-Cell is a terrorist organization in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional team biography:Made up of ex-mutants, the group targets government authorities in an attempt to regain their lost powers after the Decimation event, which de-powered over 90% of the world's mutant population and which they...
. During battle, Abyss
Abyss (comics)
Abyss is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. An alternate universe's counterpart of the character first appeared in X-Men Alpha, and the heroic Marvel Universe version of the character first appeared in Cable vol...
flung him and Fatale
Fatale (comics)
Fatale is a fictional character who first appears in the Marvel Comics universe. She is an assassin, usually working for Dark Beast. She first appeared in X-Factor vol. 1 #112, but in X-Men vol...
into the Brimstone Dimension and followed them. What happened to them is unknown but apparently they are all trapped in the Brimstone Dimension.
Powers and abilities
Reaper possessed the ability to generate a neurosynaptic energy field, which could slows down physical movements of living beings to the point of paralysis (he was even able to use it to battle Quicksilver), or even disrupt their nervous systems. Reaper used specially designed scytheScythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
s to channel his powers into the bodies of anyone cut by the blades. Reaper had two cybernetic hands and a cybernetic leg. None of these artificial limbs seemed to have any superhuman abilities. While in the Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
, Reaper was actually able to injure Juggernaut by simply slashing him with his upgraded scythe.
After Weapon-X
However, when he entered the Weapon X Program, he received upgrades to his mutant abilities and/or appearance like all new operatives. For Reaper, it was finally having organic limbs again, but these limbs also contained the added ability of being able to morph into a scythe-like blade for him to conduct his power through.The status of Marvel characters' Ultraverse appearances in canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
is unclear. The stories are never referenced within Marvel Comics, but a recent Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
did mention events in the Ultraverse.
Other Marvel Comics characters named Reaper
- Reaper (Gunther Strauss)Reaper (Gunther Strauss)The Reaper, the alias of Gunther Strauss, is a supervillain in the fictional shared universe of Marvel Comics, and an enemy of Captain America and Bucky. He first appeared in Captain America Comics #22 , and his origin and first appearance were reprinted in full in The Invaders vol...
. Nazi agent. Killed by Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain 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...
during World War II. - Reaper, a demon-worshiping villain who came into conflict with Morbius, the Living VampireMorbius, the Living VampireMorbius, 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...
. - Reaper, a member of the Mutant Liberation FrontMutant Liberation FrontThe Mutant Liberation Front, or MLF, is a Marvel Comics supervillain group, primarily enemies of X-Force. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld, the original MLF first fully appeared in The New Mutants #87 ....
on an alternate earth (Earth-21993). - Reaper, a demonic villain who clashed with the vampire-hunter BladeBlade (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...
. - Reaper, an ex-policeman named Louis Dawson who clashed with Power ManPower ManPower Man, in comics, may refer to:* Luke Cage, a Marvel Comics superhero, who adopted the name Power Man for a time* Erik Josten, a Marvel supervillain later known as Smuggler, Goliath and Atlas...
and Iron Fist. - Reaper of Demon Fire, a villain appearing in the pages of Vampire TalesVampire TalesVampire Tales was a black-and-white horror-comics magazine series published by Curtis Magazines in the 1970s, featuring vampires as both protagonists and antagonists....
. - Reaper of Souls, an occult superhero who more typically goes by the name Devil-Slayer.
- Reverend Reaper, a villain who clashed with the first Phantom RiderPhantom RiderThe Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in comic books in the Marvel Comics universe...
. - Reaper 2099, a villain from Ghost Rider 2099Ghost Rider 2099Ghost Rider 2099 is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics, under the Marvel 2099 imprint, from 1994 to 1996.The series is set in the year 2099, in a dystopian possible future of the Marvel Universe, and features Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane, a hacker who was killed but resurrected as...
. - Grim Reaper (comics)Grim Reaper (comics)Grim Reaper is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in The Avengers #52 May , by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.-Fictional character biography:...
, an Avengers foe
Television
- Reaper appeared in the X-Men episode "Secrets Not Long Buried". He is one of the many residents of the mutant-dominated community of Skull Mesa. In "Graduation Day," he was among the mutants seen in Magneto's army.
External links
- Reaper at Marvel.com
- Uncannyxmen.net entry on Mutant Liberation Front