MARAUDER

Real Name: Unrevealed

Class: Extraterrestrial technology-user

Occupation: Professional criminal

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile throughout space

First Appearance: Action Comics I #378 (July, 1969)

Powers: The Marauder traveled in a spaceship with an energi-flow teleportation system. He wore a power-helmet that could shoot bursts of energy and had an Indoctrinator that could brainwash subjects.

History: (Action Comics I #378) - Marauder was an extraterrestrial criminal, who, after being defeated by Superman, was sent to a prison asteroid for nine star-cycles. Upon release he sought revenge, but needed a subject to enact it. While his ship orbited Earth Marauder spotted another space vessel approaching the planet and captured it’s occupant with his ship’s teleportation system. The alien Rol-Nac was traveling to Earth seeking Superman as well, but not with bad intent, and refused to aid the Marauder. Marauder used his Indoctrinator to brainwash Rol-Nac into believing he was Satan, the incarnation of evil, equipping him with fantastic weaponry and telling him to force Superman to serve him. Marauder reasoned that breaking Superman and turning him evil would be a far more satisfying revenge than killing the hero. Superman constructed a space station in orbit, saving on the tremendous costs to rocket the building materials into space, and advancing the space program by a decade. As soon as he completed construction a bolt of energy destroyed the space station, and Superman was confronted by “Satan.” Satan threatened to destroy Superman unless he agreed to become evil and work with him. Superman refused, and they clashed until Superman made a tactical retreat, flying to his Fortress of Solitude. Satan followed close behind, and transported Superman to a hellish cave, telling him he planned to use Superman to lead an army that would conquer the world, creating a satanic empire. “Superman” collapsed and fell to pieces, turning out to be a Superman Robot that the hero sent to distract Satan so he could get a jump on the villain. Satan turned his trident on Superman, blasting him with energy, but he couldn’t bring himself to finish off Superman, breaking the Marauder’s programming. Rol-Nac revealed that he was a friend of Superman’s parents Jor-El and Lara, and Superman’s godfather. Ever since he’d learned that Krypton had been destroyed he’d been searching for his godson.

Comments: Created by Jim Shooter & Curt Swan.