This article is about Marvel Comics superhero. For the Marvel antagonist of Thor, see Destroyer (Thor); for the Marvel cosmic character, see Drax the Destroyer This article may contain original research or unverified claims. ... An antagonist is a fictional character or group of characters, or, sometimes an institution of a story who represents the opposition against which the hero(es) or protagonist(s) must contend. ... Thor (often called The Mighty Thor) is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... This article is about Marvel Comics antagonist. ... The Ancient and Medieval cosmos as depicted in Peter Apians Cosmographia (Antwerp, 1539). ... Drax the Destroyer is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

The Destroyer (Kevin "Keen" Marlow) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, who first appeared in the 1940s during what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books. He is significant as well as one of the earliest creations of industry legend Stan Lee. As comics historian and former Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas notes: "Stan's most popular superhero creation before the Fantastic Four was the Destroyer, debuting in Mystic Comics #6 (Oct. 1941)".^[1] The artist co-creator is unknown; the story penciler-inker was Jack Binder, the cover-artist Alex Schomburg.^[2] Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to the date or issue of a characters first appearance. ... Stan Lee at the 1973 San Diego comic con Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, New York, New York) is an American writer, editor, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics, and memoirist, who — with several artist co-creators, especially Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko — introduced complex, naturalistic... A fictional character is any person who appears in a work of fiction. ... This article may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... It has been suggested that Earth-616 be merged into this article or section. ... In comic books, the term first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... Superman, the catalyst of the Golden Age, from Superman #14, January-February 1942. ... Stan Lee at the 1973 San Diego comic con Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, New York, New York) is an American writer, editor, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics, and memoirist, who — with several artist co-creators, especially Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko — introduced complex, naturalistic... Roy Thomas (born November 22, 1940, Missouri, United States) is a comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lees first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. ... The Fantastic Four is Marvel Comics flagship comic book superhero team, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuting in The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. ... Mystic has been used as the title of four comic-book series. ... In producing a comic book, the penciller (or penciler) draws the comic based on the script created by the writer. ... The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book, or graphic novel. ... Alex Schomburg (born 1905, Puerto Rico; died 1998) was a prolific American commercial and comic book artist and painter whose career lasted over 70 years. ...

One of the World War II-era heroes of Marvel's the Golden Age predecessor, Timely Comics, the Destroyer was less popular than the company's stars, the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. Yet the Destroyer's sleekly dark costume with a skull motif, his skintight blue mask that made him appear inhuman, and his occasional cover appearances together worked to make the character more memorable than many others of his era, and he was the company's most-published character outside the three stars and the Angel. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States France Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Charles de Gaulle Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hirohito Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Timely Comics is the 1940s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ... The Human Torch is a Marvel Comics-owned superhero. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character, featured in Marvel Comics. ... Captain America is also the name of a song by Jimmy Buffet. ... The Angel is a Golden Age of Comics superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by writer-artist Paul Gustavson in Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. ...

Publication history

The Destroyer appeared as the cover feature on the last half of the 10-issue run of the anthology Mystic Comics. He went to star in issues of nearly every Timely superhero anthology, although only one Golden Age story has been reprinted in modern times. ANThology is the first major label album by Alien Ant Farm. ...

Artists associated with the feature include pencilers Al Gabrielle and Mike Sekowsky, and inkers Vince Alascia and Allen Bellman. Comic-book giant Jack Kirby, inked by either Syd Shores or Joe Simon (sources differ), contributed the Destroyer cover of Mystic Comics #7 (Dec. 1941).^[3] An artist is someone who employs creative talent to produce works of art. ... The cover of Brave and the Bold #28, 1960, featuring the first appearance of the Justice League and art by Mike Sekowsky. ... Vince Alascia a. ... Jack Kirby (August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books. ... Syd Shores (born 1916, died March 6, 1973) is an American comic book artist known for his work on Captain America in both during the 1940s Golden Age of comic books and the 1960s Silver Age. ... Joe Simon (born 1915) was a comic book author and cartoonist who created or co-created many memorable characters in the Golden Age. ...

Fictional character biography

Golden Age

The character's origin, highly similar to that of Captain America, posits American journalist Keen Marlow being captured for spying while reporting behind-the-lines in Nazi Germany. While imprisoned in a concentration camp — that specific phrase being used, though before its association with the Holocaust — Marlow is given a super-soldier serum by fellow prisoner Professor Eric Schmitt, an anti-Nazi German scientist. Responding to the chemical (minus the "Vita-Rays" also used on Cap), Marlow becomes a prime human specimen who escapes, dons a costume, and adopts a fearsome identity with which he fights the Nazis on their own turf. He was occasionally abetted by an Allied agent with the, in retrospect, rather unfortunate name of Florence von Banger. Antagonists included the Scar, Herr Sin and Von Maus. Captain America is also the name of a song by Jimmy Buffet. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Spy and secret agent redirect here; for alternate use, see Spy (disambiguation) and Secret agent (disambiguation). ... National Socialism redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ... Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust The Holocaust was Nazi Germanys systematic genocide (ethnic cleansing) of various ethnic, religious, national, and secular groups during World War II. Early elements include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program established by Hitler that killed some 200,000 people. ... The physicist Albert Einstein is probably the most famous scientist of our time. ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ...

Modern-day

In 1970s retcon appearances, the same origin is recounted except for the reporter's identity. Now he is Brian Falsworth, brother of Spitfire (a member of the World War II superhero group The Invaders) and son of Montgomery, Lord Falsworth, who had been the World War I hero Union Jack. "Keen Marlow" was explained as simply a fictitious name. Brian Falsworth gave up the Destroyer identity in order to become the new Union Jack, while his friend and lover Roger Aubrey (initially introduced as Dyna-Mite and member of Crusaders^[4]) became the new Destroyer. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Spitfire (Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe, and a former member of the Invaders. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States France Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Charles de Gaulle Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hirohito Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... The modern Union Jack. ... The modern Union Jack. ... Destroyer (real name Roger Aubrey) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... The Crusaders is the name used by two teams of superheroes, one group appearing in DC Comics and the other in Marvel Comics, at around the same time as part of an informal crossover. ...

This Destroyer has made present-day guest appearances in such titles as Thunderbolts and Citizen V & the V-Battalion, where he was the leader of the titular V Battalion before eventually stepping down in favour of the original Human Torch. After the Torch's death, Aubrey reassumed command of the V-Battalion. The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. ... Citizen V (the V pronounced as Vee, not Five), is the codename of several fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. ... The Human Torch is a Marvel Comics-owned superhero. ...

Drax the Destroyer

Another Marvel Character, Drax the Destroyer, originally appearing in Iron Man#55, in February of 1973, had both a name and a costume almost identical to the golden age Destroyer. Drax the Destroyer is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Other media

In the 1990s television program Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Keen Marlow was introduced as the Destroyer, an old colleague of Captain America, now past his prime with his powers fading. He appeared as one of the "Six Forgotten Warriors" in the story arc of the same name. He was also a friend of Peter (Spider-Man) Parker's Uncle Ben. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

Bibliography of appearances

Golden Age

• Mystic Comics #6-10 (Oct. 1941 - Aug. 1942)
• All Winners Comics #2-12 (Fall 1941 - Winter 1944)
• USA Comics #6, 8-14, #16-17 (Dec. 1942, May 1943 - Fall 1944, Summer-Fall 1945)
• Amazing Comics #1 (Fall 1944), becomes Complete Comics #2 (Winter 1944)
• Mystic Comics Vol. 2 #1-4 (Oct. 1944 - March 1945)
• Daring Comics Vol. 2 #11-12 (Summer-Fall 1945)
• Kid Komics #4-6, 9-10 (Spring-Fall 1944, Spring-Summer 1946)
• All Select Comics #6, 10 (March 1945, Summer 1946)

Modern-day

• The Invaders #18-19, 26, 34
• Midnight Sons Unlimited #5
• Thunderbolts #40, 41, 45-51
• Citizen V & the V-Battalion Vol. 1 #1-3, Vol. 2 #1-4.

The Midnight Sons was a short-lived team of supernatural heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Golden Age reprints

• "The Beachhead Blitz" (from All Winners Comics #12)

Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (Dec. 1967) [and]

The Golden Age of Marvel Comics (1997) ISBN 0-7851-0564-6

 Note: Marvel Super-Heroes lists Don Rico as artist; The Golden Age of Marvel Comics lists Mike Sekowsky Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics: Marvel Super-Heroes #22 (Sept. ... Donato Francisco Rico II (1912-1985) was an American comic book writer and artist for Marvel Comics predecdessors, Timely and Atlas, and a paperback novelist. ...

Footnotes

References

• A Guide To Marvel's Golden Age Characters: Destroyer
• The Heroes of Timely Comics: The Destroyer
• International Hero: The Destroyer
• Gay League Profile