The Raft (comics)
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- For the Stephen King novel of the same name see The Raft (short story)
The Raft is a fictional prison facility for super-human criminals (predominantly supervillains) in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch, it first appeared in Alias #26 as the "Maximum-Maximum Security" facility of the Ryker's Island Maximum Security Penitentiary, a fictionalised version of New York's Riker's Island.
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[edit] Use in the New Avengers origin story
In New Avengers #1, the Raft was used as a staging ground for a large-scale prison break. Electro is hired by an unknown sponsor to drain the generators powering the facility, thus shutting down the security system and freeing the superpowered inmates. A battle ensues, with heroes Spider-Woman, Captain America, Spider-Man, The Sentry, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Man defending themselves against the likes of Mr. Hyde, Hydro-Man, and Purple Man, among others.
Due to the events on The Raft, forty two inmates escape. Captain America and Iron Man form the New Avengers from the heroes present at the breakout, (save for Daredevil who, due to personal reasons, does not wish to join) in order to recapture these fugitives. Thus, the Raft serves as a catalyst for the formation of the New Avengers team, and the jumping point for an on-going series of stories to be depicted in the New Avengers comic book series.
A number of prisoners seen in the Raft are characters who had undergone numerous changes in appearances[1] or characterization (such as Silver Samurai); however, in New Avengers they are portrayed as having reverted to their earlier appearances and behaviors. The reason for this mass reversion is not explained.
[edit] Security features
As revealed in New Avengers #1, The Raft is on an island separate from Ryker's Island. The Raft has eight underwater levels of cells. Each cell is surrounded by thick steel and lined with adamantium. The cells have no windows, instead each cell door has a video camera monitoring the inmate it houses. The video surveillance is two-way, allowing for the inmates to see who is looking at them. The inmates' powers are neutralized and they are allowed no human contact.
All civilian visitors, superpowered or not, must have a superpowered S.H.I.E.L.D. agent escorting them, and the facility is manned by 67 highly trained, armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
[edit] Current inmates
| Character | Alter ego | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Current Inmates | ||
| Answer | Aaron Nicholson | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Toxin; First appeared in Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2 #91; not to be confused with former SHIELD agent, David Ferrari who took the name in Captain America v3, #42 |
| Armadillo | Antonio Rodriguez | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout and joined the UCWF but was later recaptured by the New Warriors; first appeared in Captain America #308 |
| Cold War | First appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #2 | |
| Controller | Basil Sandhurst | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout and was recaptured by the Avengers; First appeared in Iron Man #12 |
| Crossfire | William Cross Prisoner #V22503 (Raft number) |
Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers; First appeared in Marvel Two-In-One #52 |
| Crusader | Arthur Charles Blackwood | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Dr. Strange; First appeared in Thor #330 |
| Cutthroat | Daniel Leighton | Tried to escape during Spider-Man: Breakout but was captured during the chaos. Has been transferred to The Vault; Brother of Diamondback, thought to have been killed by Crossbones in Captain America vol. 1 #408 but later appeared incarcerated. First appeared in Marvel Team-Up #89 |
| Equinox | Terrance "Terry" Sorenson | Upon his release, became a member of Vil-Anon. First appeared in Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 |
| Flambè | Member of Hell's Belles; Depowered due to the effects of M-Day; First appeared in X-Factor vol. 1 #80 | |
| Glowworm | William Blake | mutated by Super-Soldier variant, murdered series of African-Americans sparking race riots until the record of him being a white man was revealed to be false, and he was actually an African American; First appeared in Power Man/Iron Fist #123; there is also a Morlock mutant known as Glowworm but was killed by the High Evolutionary |
| Grey Gargoyle | Paul Pierre Duval | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Fantastic Four and was transferred to The Vault. First appeared in Journey into Mystery #107 |
| Hydro-Man | Morris Bench | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Fantastic Four and was transferred to the Vault. Has also been incarcerated in the Big House. First appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #211 |
| Ironclad | Michael Steel | Member of the U-Foes; Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. First appeared in Incredible Hulk v2, #254. not to be confused with the Ultraverse's Ironclad |
| King Cobra | Klaus Voorhees | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Toxin; former leader of the Serpent Society; first appeared in Captain America #367 |
| Kogar | First appeared in Master of Kung Fu #62 | |
| Lullaby | Felicity Hopkins Cross | Possibly depowered after M-Day; first appeared in Sleepwalker #9 |
| Mandrill | Jerome Beechman | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. Has served time in Seagate as well; Unknown whether Mandrill was depowered after M-Day. First appeared in Shanna the She-Devil #4 |
| Manticore | Brand Corporation agent; was defeated by Hawkeye and Ghost Rider before being incarcerated. First appeared in Ghost Rider v2, #27 | |
| Mister Fear | Alan Fagan | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Spider-Man; nephew of the second Mr. Fear/Prof. Lawrence "Larry" Cranston; father of Shock; of face cut off by other inmates for her, swore vengeance from the hospital bed. First appeared in Marvel Team-Up #92 |
| Mr. Hyde | Calvin Zabo | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Young Avengers; former member of the Masters of Evil; first appeared in Journey into Mystery #99 |
| Mr. Rasputin | Formerly known as Mr. Plotnick; First appeared in Strange Tales #145 | |
| Printout Man | Defeated by Spider-Man; First appearance: Hostess Cup Cakes advertisement (1977) | |
| Psiphon | First appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #147 | |
| Purple Man | Zebidiah Killgrave | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Jewel. Escaped again and started manipulating the Thunderbolts before they turned him in. First appeared in Daredevil #4 |
| Razor-Fist | Douglas Scott | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Toxin. Has served time in Rykers Island; First appeared in Master of Kung Fu #105 |
| Razorhead | mutant possibly depowered by M-Day; was seemingly killed by Arnie Lundberg in X-Statix #5 but was actually imprisoned. First appeared in X-Statix #5 | |
| Serpentino | First appeared in a Magic Snake Ad in Marvel Team-Up #126 | |
| Tiger Shark | Todd Arliss | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the New Warriors. Former member of two incarnations of the Masters of Evil. First appeared in Sub-Mariner #5 |
| Vampiro | First appeared in Nova v3, #5 | |
| Vapor | Ann Darnell | Member of the U-Foes; Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. First appeared in Incredible Hulk v2, #254 |
| Vector | Simon Utrecht Prisoner #V224 (Raft number) |
Leader of the U-Foes; Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. First appeared in Incredible Hulk v2, #254 |
| Vermin | Edward Whelan | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by Nightcrawler; First appeared in Captain America #272 |
| Wrecker | Dirk Garthwaite | Member of the Wrecking Crew and the Lethal Legion; Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. First appeared in Thor #148 |
| X-Ray | James Darnell | Member of the U-Foes and brother of Vapor; Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was recaptured by the Avengers. First appeared in Incredible Hulk v2, #254 |
| Escapees (still at large) |
||
| Aryan | Transferred to The Cage prison; leader of the Skulls, idolized the Red Skull. First appeared in Wolverine v2, #164 | |
| Barbarus | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout; member of the Savage Land Mutates. First appeared in X-Men #62 | |
| Baron Blood | Kenneth Crichton | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout. First appeared in Union Jack #2. The son of Spitfire, nephew of Union Jack |
| Daniel Axum | Daniel "Danny" Brougton (birth name) Daniel Axum (deed poll) |
imprisoned for 3 years after defeated by Spider-Man, retired from crime. First appeared in Thunderbolts #76 |
| Blackout | Marcus Daneils | Member of the Lilin, escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout. First appeared in Ghost Rider v3, #2 |
| Blood Brothers | Twin aliens from Roclite; former agents of Thanos, sent to Earth during Maximum Security then transferred to the Raft; escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout. One later killed by Drax the Destroyer. First appeared in Iron Man #55 | |
| Brothers Grimm | Nathan Dolly Percy Grimes Barton Grimes |
Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout; formerly of Night Shift. First appeared in Iron Man #187 |
| Bulldozer | Henry Camp | member of the Wrecking Crew; escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout. First appeared in Defenders #17 |
| Bushwhacker | Carl Burbank | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout. First appeared in Daredevil vol. 1 #248 |
| Carnage | Cletus Kasady | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout and was confronted by Sentry. Was flown into space, separated from his symbiote and left to die. Considered incapacitated. |
| Centurius | Noah Black | Mad scientist, Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Chemistro | Calvin Carr | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Constrictor | Frank Payne | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout but was apprehended by Spider-Man and Moon Knight. His charged were overturned and he is now entering high society thanks to Hercules. |
| Corruptor | Jackson Day | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Count Nefaria | Luchino Nefaria | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Crossbones | Brock Rumlow | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Deathwatch | "Stephen Lords" | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Dr. Demonicus | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout | |
| Electro | Maxwell Dillon | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Foolkiller | Kurt Gerhart | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Graviton | Franklin Hall | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Griffin | Johnathan "Johnny" Horton | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Jigsaw | William "Billy The Beaut" Russo | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Living Laser | Arthur Parks | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Mentallo | Marvin Flumm | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Molecule Man | Owen Reese | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Nitro | Robert Hunter | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout Currently a "guest" of Atlantis. |
| Piledriver | Brian Phillip Calusky | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Radioactive Man | Dr. Chen Lu | Escaped during Spider-Man: BreakoutLater returned to China.The Radioactive Man joined the New Thunderbolts.REFORMED |
| Rampage | Stuart Clarke | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Sauron | Karl Lykos | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Scarecrow | Ebenezer Laughton | Escaped during Spider-Man: BreakoutJoined the Chameleon along with several other villains in attacking Spider-Man after he revealed his true identity.Currently a member of the Thunderbolts "hero-hunters".(As seen in Civil War #4) |
| Shockwave | Lancaster Sneed | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout.Captured when he attempted to leave the country |
| Sidewinder | Seth Voelker | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout.Paroled.Appeared on a talkshow discussing the New Thunderbolts.Voelker has given up crime.But two men-one deceased,have used duplicates of the Sidewinder costume.The third Sidewinder is a current member of the reorganized Serpent Society.They were defeated by Captain America and the Diamondback LMD and are presumed in custody. |
| Slug | Ulysses S. Lugman | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Thunderball | Dr. Elliot Franklin | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Tombstone | Lonnie Thompson Lincoln | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Typhoid Mary | Mary Walker | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Vector | Simon Utrecht | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout |
| Zzzax | Escaped during Spider-Man: Breakout | |
[edit] See also
List of correctional facilities in comics
[edit] Bibliography
- Alias #26
- New Avengers #1-4
- New Thunderbolts #7(flashback)
- Spider-Man: Breakout #1-5
