Slaymaster

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Slaymaster is a fictional comic book character from Marvel Comics's Captain Britain series. His first appearance was in Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #243, (October 5, 1977) a weekly Marvel UK title which featured a mix of reprint and original material.

He was created by Jim Lawrence, Larry Lieber, and Ron Wilson but the character was later adapted by Alan Moore and Alan Davis in The Daredevils #3.

[edit] Character history

Slaymaster first encounters Captain Britain (Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain, #243-247) while carrying out an assassination, managing to defeat the Captain.

Captain Britain next (The Daredevils #3-5) battles Slaymaster after encountering him while in the process of killing the members of STRIKE's (a British version of S.H.I.E.L.D.) Psi-Division. The pair battle on the streets of London and although Captain Britain is more powerful than him, Slaymaster manages to use his skills to almost beat Captain Britain. It is only when the pair take their battle to the Forbidden Planet comic shop, that the Captain manages to beat Slaymaster after he is temporarily blinded by comic books telekinetically thrown by Betsy Braddock.

The next encounter takes place in Captain Britain Monthly #1-3. In these issues Slaymaster has been hired by Vixen (British villain and old enemy of Captain Britain) to bring Captain Britain to her. Slaymaster manages to capture the Captain and in the course of the story steals his costume which is thought to be the source of Captain Britain's powers. Captain Britain is still able to control the suit and telekinetically rams Slaymster into a wall, knocking him out.

Their final meeting is in Captain Britain Monthly, #13. In this story, Betsy Braddock had assumed the mantle of Captain Britain while her brother was elsewhere. Her taking up the role was in fact a trap set by Vixen.

Wearing a Viven supplied version of Captain Britain's costume Slaymaster confronts Captain Britain and defeats Betsy Braddock by gouging out her eyes. Betsy manages a telepathic summons to her brother who flies to rescue her and confront Slaymaster. Slaymaster soon discovers that the costume that Captain Britain wears is, in fact, little more than a regulatory device- his powers are intact without it. In a fit of rage he defeats Slaymaster and kills him, crushing his head with a boulder.

[edit] Background

Not much info is given about Slaymaster's personal history. He was a Muslim and could not drink alcohol. Other than his fantastic powers, he seems to be a regular soldier of fortune, hiring out his services to the highest bidder. Slaymaster is cunning and manipulative- to capture Capatin Britain he dressed as the hukka smoking caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland to fool the Crazy Gang into helping him.

[edit] Abilities

Slaymaster was a master hand-to-hand combatant and a world class assassin. At various times he is depicted as having more than normal balance and reflexes. His preferred weapons were long throwing knives that he wielded to great effect. He could shower assailants with a deadly barrage of these knives and even managed to drop Captain Britain on occasion with them.