Enforcer (comics)

Enforcer is the name of two fictional characters in Marvel Comics.

Publication history

The first Enforcer first appeared in Ghost Rider #22-24 (February–June 1977), and was created by Gerry Conway, Don Glut, and Don Heck. The character subsequently appeared in Spider-Woman #19 (October 1979), #27-29 (June–August 1980), Ghost Rider #58 (July 1981), and Spider-Woman #50 (June 1983). He was killed by the Scourge of the Underworld in Iron Man #194 (May 1985). The Enforcer received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #17.

Fictional character biography

Enforcer I

Charles L. Delazny, Jr. was born in San Jose, California. He is a criminal mercenary and son of Charles L. Delazny Jr. who owned Delazny studios. Beginning a criminal career, he employed an elderly scientist named Dr. Ignatz Goldman who designed Charles' costume. Charles then took on the costumed identity of the Enforcer.^[1]

To obtain a disintegrator ray generator, Enforcer hired Gladiator to steal if from Eel I (who was in possession of the device. Enforcer managed to encounter Eel in the alley and claim the device as Gladiator kills Eel. Enforcer brought the device to Dr. Goldman to be miniaturized.^[2]

Dr. Goldman presented the disintegrator ray device in the form of a medallion. Enforcer arrived at the Belaire mansion to confront the "boss" of the criminal organization that gained control of Delazny studios. He then announced that he is taking over the organization. When the boss of the criminal organization threatened the Enforcer, he ended up disintegrated. The boss' henchmen then swore allegiance to Enforce afterwards. Dr. Goldman then miniaturized it further into a ring. As Enforcer and his henchmen head to San Diego Naval Yards, they were followed by Ghost Rider. When Enforcer and his men arrived at San Diego Naval Yards. During Enforcer's fight with the shore patrol, he is attacked by Ghost Rider. The two battled until they both fell into the water. Enforcer escaped, but his ring had fallen off into the water during the fight.^[3]

Enforcer approached Water Wizard and offered him a million dollars if he can eliminate Ghost Rider. Water Wizard used his powers to create 1,000 liquid beings to help recover Enforcer's ring from the bottom of San Diego Harbor. Enforcer later had Water Wizard ambush Ghost Rider which ended with Ghost Rider being knocked out and turning back into Johnny Blaze.^[4]

Enforcer then had the unconscious Johnny Blaze strapped to a motorcycle and sent it off the cliff. Before it reached the cliff, Johnny regained consciousness and turned into Ghost Rider as the motorcycle went off the cliff. Returning to his underwater base with Water Wizard, Enforcer revealed that he planned to use Delazny's money to build a criminal empire. Enforcer then decided that Dr. Goldman has served his purpose. As he was about to disintegrate Dr. Goldman, Ghost Rider showed up and defeated Enforcer and Water Wizard. Ghost Rider contacted the authorities and told them where to find the villains.^[5]

Enforcer managed to recover before the authorities arrived. In his civilian form, Enforcer made the authorities believe that Carson Collier Jr. was the Enforcer causing Carson to be arrested for Enforcer's crimes. Charles Delazny Sr. soon figured out that his own son was the Enforcer.^[1]

While gathering info on Ghost Rider, Doctor Druid visited Charles Delazny Jr. and used his powers to probe his mind. He learned that his son was the Enforcer.^[6]

The Committee later hired Enforcer and gave him a modified automated pistol to replace his dintegrator ring. His first assignment was to "silence" writer Buck Cowan (who was about to expose the Committee's activities to the cops).^[1]

Enforcer manages to kill Buck Cowan and then kills his former employer.^[7]

The Committee informs Enforcer that Buck Cowan's friend was Jack Russell and the fact that Jack is also Werewolf by Night.^[8] Enforcer confronted Jack Russell at Cowan's apartment and ended up causing him to transform. After Jack transformed, Enforcer hit him with silver nitrate pellets and his "tingler."^[8][9]

Upon leaning out the window, Enforcer is grabbed by Spider-Woman and pulled out the wind. During his fight with Spider-Woman and Werewolf by Night, he manages to hit them with his "tingler." Spider-Woman managed to recover from the "tingler" and used her venom blast to take out Enforcer. The police arrived and took him into custody.^[8]

While in police custody, Enforcer attempted to confuse the police by claiming that he is Carson Collier Jr. His deception was not exposed until Enforcer made his escape.^[1]

While "Carson Collier" is serving time in California State Prison, he received a private visit from newspaper tychoon Rupert M. Dockery. When the meeting ended badly, "Collier" discovered that Rupert left his cane behind. He discovered that the cane had a hidden blade. He and four inmates use it to overpower the guards and make their escape. Enforcer then planned revenge against Spider-Woman and make enough money by stealing the only bronze representation of Anasi the Spider from the Los Angeles Museum of Anthropology and Folk Art. As the Enforcer participated, Spider-Woman showed up but was blinded by the Enforcer's new black-out darts. Enforcer then captured her and put her in a cage at his hideout. Spider-Woman managed to regain her sight and free herself. She was about to take Enforcer and his henchmen by surprise when her criminology parter Scotty McDowall showed up. Scotty ended up shot by the Enforcer.^[10]

Spider-Woman was enraged at this act and attacked Enforcer and his henchmen. Enforcer revealed that he had shot Scotty with his psycho-chemical incendiary darts whoch would cause Scotty to burst into flames if he is not kept in a cold environment. Enforcer then offered to give Spider-Woman the antidote if she helps her steal $1,000,000. Spider-Woman had to agree with Enforcer on that and helped him steal a jewel-encrusted statue of a Hindu God from the Hollywood Bowl. The next evening, they robbed from a tychoon named J.R. Van De Kalb of his priceless stamp collection at Christie's Auction House. Enforcer ended up trapped in a steel net and required Spider-Woman's help to get free.^[11]

The next plot of the Enforcer was to have Spider-Woman participate in a mid-air robbery of 747 flying from New York to Los Angeles. Enforcer managed to blind a gem courier with his black-out darts and stole a briefcase of gems when Spider-Man showed up. Spider-Woman delayed Spider-Man long enough for the Enforcer to escape. When Spider-Man found the hideout and knocked out the gang members, Enforcer was about to shoot him with some nitro-darts until he was hit by Spider-Woman's venom blasts before the police arrive. When being arrested by the cops, Enforcer revealed to Spider-Woman that he never had nay antidotes for his darts^[12]

Spider-Woman disguised herself as Enforcer and confronted Rupert M. Dockery about his recent activities. The terrified Rupert quickly admitted that he let the Enforcer steal his walking stick as it contained a tiny radio transmitter inside. Rupert mentioned how he used the radio transmitter to listen to the Enforcer's crimes and even learned that Spider-Woman isn't Enforcer's accomplice. LAPD Captain Walsh showed up with a tape-recorded confession and forces Rupert to show up in court to help clear Spider-Woman of the supposed crime that she helped Enforcer commit.^[13]

The Enforcer was arrested again but was soon at large again. The police were undetermined if Enforcer was actually Carson Collier yet.^[1]

Enforcer was later hired by some gamblers to fix the rematch between Johnny Blaze and Flagg Fargo. Enforcer met with Flagg Fargo and threatened to kill him if he didn't take a dive. During the racing, Enforcer shot Flagg Fargo causing him to crash into some cars. While everyone was distracted, Enforcer went to the stadium box office and robbed it of $3000,000 of ticket receipts. Enforcer shot two guards with his tranquilizer darts and escaped in his souped-up car. He was then pursued by Ghost Rider. Enforcer fired a missile from his car's bomb bay to destroy the bridge and cut off Ghost Rider's pursuit, but Ghost Rider took the long way around. Finding himself racing against Ghost Rider on a narrow road high above the lake, Enforcer drove his car off the precipice and into the lake. By the time he emerged from the lake, Ghost Rider was gone.^[14]

Enforcer was among the deviants from Los Angeles who were captured by Locksmith and imprisoned in Locksmith's private prison. Enforcer's guns were confiscated and he was outfitted with a large lock that barely allowed him any movement. He was still locked up by the time Locksmith had captured Spider-Woman. When Spider-Woman freed herself and defeated Locksmith and Tick-Tock, she notified the authorities who arrested Enforcer and those that Locksmith and Tick-Tock had captured.^[15]

Enforcer was later hired by Madame Masque (on behalf of Obadiah Stane) to kill a criminal called Termite. The Enforcer was shot and killed by the Scourge of the Underworld disguised as a bag lady.^[16] Madame Masque later informed Obadiah on what happened to Enforcer during his mission to kill Termite.^[17]

When Captain America caught Scourge of the Underworld, he claimed to be Enforcer's younger brother and that he had to kill him in retaliation for the shame Enforcer brought upon his family. He also stated that Enforcer caused the heartbreak their father had felt on learning Enforcer's true identity.^[18]

Enforcer II

A new Enforcer is one of a collection of supervillains featured in Frank Tieri's project for Marvel, Dark Reign: Made Men. This Enforcer is Mike Nero, the nephew of the original Enforcer. Following the death of his uncle, Mike Nero became the new Enforcer and learned how to deal with supernatural threats where he started to develop a reputation by killing werewolves, zombies, a vampire, and a Maggia crime lord. Enforcer then stole an Aztec exhibit from a museum. He was then apprehended by the Wrecking Crew who hauled him to the Hood (who also sought out the money he owed to a loan shark named Nicky Bats). The Wrecking Crew surrounded Enforcer in one of Hood's hideouts as Hood inspected Enforcer's stash of mystical artifacts and offered Enforcer a role in his criminal organization as its supernatural expert. Enforcer triggered an amulet disguising a creature that fed off demonic energies, which then clasped onto Hood's face. Enforcer used his magic bullets on the Wrecking Crew and escapes through a glass window, declaring that he was just getting started. After Enforcer's escape, Hood swore his revenge on Enforcer.^[19]

Powers and equipment

The first Enforcer wore body armor with a silver-nitrate covered vest for protection from werewolves. He carried two .45 caliber guns with which he used normal ammunition, silver bullets, tranquilizer pellets, pyrogranulate capsules, and a "tingler" that changes the victim's metabolism, causing the victim to burst into flame by post-hypnotic command. He also wore a disintegrator amulet, later in the form of a ring.

References

External links

• Enforcer I at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Enforcer II at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe