Sniper (comics)

Sniper (Rich von Burian) is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Carl Potts and Jim Lee, the character made his first appearance in The Punisher War Journal Vol. 1, #4 (March 1989). He is an enemy of the Punisher.

Publication history

Sniper debuted in a two-part storyline consisting of The Punisher War Journal Vol. 1, #4 and #5, and reappeared in issues #10 and #21; the latter set-up the character's final appearance in the miniseries Wolverine and The Punisher: Damaging Evidence Vol. 1, #1-3.

Sniper received a profile in Marvel Encyclopedia #5.

Another villainous assassin called Sniper previously appeared in the Captain America segment of Tales of Suspense #96.^[1]

Fictional character biography

While touring in the Vietnam War, Rich von Burian served in the same unit as Frank Castle, the future Punisher. After one firefight, Rich discovered that their commanding officer, Ray Schoonover, was smuggling cocaine out of the country in body bags. Rich kept this a secret, and after the war he became an enforcer for Schoonover. When Schoonover entered the running for the United States Senate, he sent Rich, who had taken on the codename Sniper, after the surviving members of their unit, in the off-chance that any of them were aware of his war crimes. The deaths drew the attention of the Punisher, who Sniper would have killed had the Punisher not driven him off with his Battle Van. The Punisher subsequently forced Schoonover to confess his crimes and commit suicide, and in a later battle he overpowered Sniper, who escaped by taking a hostage.^[2][3]

Sniper resurfaced in West Germany, where he stole a valuable attack helicopter from a military exercise. The Punisher and Microchip defeated Sniper, who, while fleeing, crashed near the Berlin Wall. Sniper survived the crash, but was disfigured by it.^[4] Later, Sniper was hired onto the Kingpin's roster of assassins by the Arranger.^[5]

When the Punisher attacked one of the Kingpin's drug operations, Sniper ambushed him, but the Punisher escaped. Afterward, the Kingpin ordered Sniper to act as backup for Damage, who had been instructed to eliminate the Punisher after framing him for a series of murders. Agitated over the prospect of Damage robbing him of the honor of killing the Punisher, Sniper abandoned him when he was attacked by Wolverine, and tracked the Punisher down to a cemetery. After opening fire on a funeral, Sniper took a woman and a child hostage, and tried to force the Punisher to choose which one of them he should shoot. The Punisher instead got close enough to stab Sniper, who bled to death in an open grave.^[6][7][8]

Skills and abilities

A former member of the United States Marine Corps, Sniper was an expert marksman, excelled at armed and unarmed combat, and was a skilled pilot and computer hacker. His main weapons were a rifle, and a push dagger.

Other versions

Earth X

Sniper is a denizen of the Realm of the Dead, appearing alongside other deceased Punisher foes such as Jigsaw, Bushwacker, the Kingpin, and the Jackal.^[9]

In other media

Sniper appears under the name Gosnell in Season 2 of Daredevil, in which he was portrayed by Nicholas Tucci. As in the comics, the character was a member of Frank Castle's military unit who became an enforcer for the corrupt Colonel Schoonover.

References

External links

• Sniper at Comicvine
• Sniper at the Comic Book DB
• Rich von Burian at Marvel Wikia
• Sniper at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe