MECHANIC

Real Name: Reiss (first name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human (military)

Occupation: arms dealer
    former marine

Affiliations: former head of Reiss Armorers;
    ally and weapons supplier for the Punisher

Enemies: Jackal (Miles Warren)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York;
    formerly Viet Nam (or just Southeast Asia)

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#129 (February, 1974)

Powers/Abilities: None. The Mechanic was presumably trained in various forms of armed and unarmed combat in the Marines. He was confined to a wheelchair and had a claw-type prosthesis on his right hand, limiting his physical and offensive capabilities somewhat.

    He had a special genius for devising weapons and explosives. He remained able to obtain and distribute various forms of weaponry, schematics, etc.

History:
(Marvel Super-Action#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Mechanic served as Frank Castle's ordinance man during his military career in Southeast Asia. A claymore (landmine) in the Quang Tri province nearly killed him, and did cost him both legs and his right hand.

(Marvel Super-Action#1 (fb) - BTS) - After the death of his family, Frank Castle looked up the Mechanic in a Maryland veterans home, where'd spent his time since the war. Using his talents for Castle made him feel alive again.

(Marvel Super-Action#1 (fb)) - The Mechanics assisted Castle in infiltrating the Maggia retreat being used by Bruno Costa and his aids. Castle used a bomb supplied by Reiss to blow up the retreat's oil well as a diversion to get into the facility.

 

(Amazing Spider-Man I#129) - Castle had the Mechanic evaluate his weaponry prior to his mission against Spider-Man, which had been commissioned by the Jackal. Later, Castle returned to Reiss to obtain a new wire gun, but found him dead. The Punisher initially blamed Spider-Man, but the slash marks on his back clearly incriminated the Jackal.
    Castle had previously terminated his arrangement with the Jackal and even punched him across the room, earning his enmity.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru.

It's fairly ironic that the Jackal killed the Mechanic who was the Punisher's ally. In Punisher: Year One, it was retconned that Miles Warren--a biochemist--was called in from his Empire State University position to treat the wounded Frank Castle after he had been shot by Costa's men. Yes...that's who to call--someone not trained in medicine!!!

Viet Nam war characters in the Marvel Universe.

    The Mechanic was Castle's first weapons supplier. The invasion of Costa's retreat was War Journal entry#10. I don't think the Punisher listed a War Journal entry in Amazing Spider-Man I#129, but it was probably around #300, as the name story in Marvel Super-Action#1 was entry#374.
    Following the Mechanic, the Punisher used Roger Wong, and then went on to Microchip.

Chuck Dixon did a What If in which the Punisher killed Spider-Man. Reiss was in that What If....but was not physically challenged at all! Apparently Dixon had not seen the Marvel Super-Action#1 story--Per Degaton
Or that reality actually diverged earlier than initially thought.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

The Jackal, Miles Warren, has no known connection to:

 

First Posted: 08/13/2003
Last updated: 02/19/2015

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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