BACKLASH

Real Name: Marc Slayton

Class: Extraterrestrial (Kherubim) / human hybrid

Occupation: Superhero, former knight, black op

Group Affiliation: Wildcore, formerly Team Zero, Team One, Team 7, Stormwatch

Known Relatives: Aries (son), Lord S'ylton, Jodi Slayton (Backlash, daughter), unnamed mother (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: IOH headquarters, Earth-50

First Appearance: Stormwatch I (Image) #3 (July, 1993)

Powers: Like all Kherubim Backlash was extremely long-lived and possessed superhuman strength and durability. Backlash could project psionic whips from his wrists.

History: Marc Slayton was the son of Kherubim Lord S'ylton, ruler of Atlantis and a human. S'ylton died defending Atlantis against the alien D'rahn, but couldn't stop Atlantis from sinking. His advisor Ferrian spirited Marc away and raised him. Marc spent the next millennia as an adventurer, eventually serving the government group Team Zero.

(Deathblow (Image) #10-12) - John Lynch contacted CyberJack, pleading to get backup for Deathblow, who was in battle with the Black Angel. Lynch knew that there were numerous government grudges against Deathblow, but the stakes were too high to take that into consideration, because the Antichrist Black Angel was prepared to open up the gates of Hell and bring about judgment day. CyberJack contacted Backlash, Grifter and Dane, who agreed to aid Deathblow. Dane, Grifter and Backlash agreed to go after the Four Horsemen while Deathblow and Mary drove to the WTC to confront the Black Angel. The Horsemen continued their slaughter across the city, and each person they killed became possessed by one of the Black Angel’s demons, adding to the destruction and chaos. War was on the 4 Line causing people to become bloodthirsty and kill each other. Grifter attacked him, but soon had a whole subway car of people against him. Backlash was on the burning Brooklyn Bridge when he confronted Famine. Dane found Central Park full of diseased corpses when he rran into Pestilence. Mary and Deathblow fought their way through the WTC only to be met by Death, who Deathblow recognized was using Joseph Conrad as a host. Death drained Sister Mary’s life energy, but Detahblow stabbed him with the Sword of Heaven, and finished the Horseman off by shattering his sigil with the sword. Conrad thanked Deathblow as his soul was set free. Lt. O’Brien and Special Agent Fox tried to arrest Deathblow, still suspecting him of being Herod, but Lynch called them to rescind all warrants against Deathblow, telling them that I.O. Travis Trickle, now dead, was the real Herod. O’Brien and Fox offered to join Deathblow in his battle against the Black Angel, and he accepted. Deathblow said it was time for their final stand, and they’d either save the world or die in a blaze of glory. Deathblow radioed Dane, Grifter and Backlash, telling them of the Horsemen’s weakness, and they defeated their opponents by breaking their sigils. Deathblow and company, joined by Imam Faisal of the Order, stormed the top of the WTC. Black Angel was draining Christopher’s life, and the gates of Hell began to open in the sky. Black Angel’s demons tore apart Fox and O’Brien, but when he saw Deathblow wielded the broken Sword of Heaven he was distracted long enough for Faisal to grab Christopher away from him. Black Angel killed Faisal, but Deathblow managed to wound him with the sword. The Angel conjured an image of Gaby, and she told Deathblow that if he put down the sword, she’d come back to life. Deathblow was ready to give in to the BlackAngel when Grifter, Dane and Backlash joined the battle, each of them being incinerated by the Angel’s touch. Dane told Deathblow to die like a man before he passed on, and as Deathblow saw Mary cradling Christopher, he knew the power of love, his love for Gaby and his friends, could restore the sword. With his herat pure he stabbed the Angel with the unbroken Sword of Heaven, destroying the angel and causing the gates of Hell to close. Christopher used the sword’s Heavenly power to turn back time and undo most of the damage the Black Angel and Four Horsemen had caused, and Dane, Deathblow and Backlash were restored to life.

Comments: Created by Jim Lee & Brett Booth.

Backlash was originally published by Wildstorm Comics, an imprint of Image Comics, which DC acquired the rights to in January, 1999.

Backlash's appearance in Deathblow (Image) #10-12 was reprinted in Essential Deathblow.