POWER TOOLS

Membership: Buzz-Saw, Drill, Handsaw, Jackhammer, Pick Axe, Triphammer, Vice

Purpose: Bodyguards, agents of Dr. Karl Malus

Affiliations: Dr. Karl Malus, Jim Jay McMayhew, Power Broker, Power Broker Inc.
The AIM Weapon Expo

Enemies: Battlestar (Lemar Hoskins), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Demolition Dunphy (Dennis Dunphy), Dollar Bill, Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Madcap, Ethan Thurm, U.S. Agent (John Walker)

Base of Operations: Mobile with Dr. Karl Malus
Formerly, a laboratory beneath the Scuzz Club, New York

First Appearance: Avengers Spotlight#29 (February, 1990)

History:
(Avengers Spotlight#29 (fb)) - The Power Tools, four people enhanced with bionic by Dr. Karl Malus, were sent to capture the insane superhuman Madcap so that he could be experimented on, and were equipped with special glasses so that they could avoid Madcap's powers. They managed to lure Madcap to their van and drag him inside, but were taped by Madcap's friend Dollar Bill as they did so.

(Avengers Spotlight#29) - Hawkeye was sent on the Power Tools' trail by Dollar Bill, and found them in Malus' laboratory beneath the Scuzz Club. Malus ordered the Power Tools to kill Hawkeye, but he was able to free Madcap, and exposed Malus as the Power Tools' backer. Annoyed at the Power Tools, Malus set his laboratory to self-destruct. Malus, the Power Tools, Madcap, and Hawkeye all escaped, but the Power Tools were abandoned.

(Captain America I#373/2 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Malus later recruited a new team of Power Tools, employing the experienced superhuman Jackhammer, alongside two new augmented agents. The new Power Tools were sent to collect previous clients of Power Broker Inc., so that Malus could perform tests upon them.

(Captain America I#373/2-374/2) - The Power Tools went to retrieve Ethan Thurm, who had been investigating their actions, and found him meeting with Battlestar, one of their intended targets. Although Battlestar was able to hold his own against them in battle, Jackhammer managed to capture Thurm, and threatened him in order to make Battlestar surrender. They then brought him to Malus.

(Captain America I#376/2-378/2) - When Battlestar attempted to break-out of Malus' facility by threatening his life he was again confronted by the Power Tools, but the U.S. Agent appeared, and engaged the Power Tools in battle, managing to defeat them all.

(Captain America I#411-413) - Jackhammer and Drill both attended the AIM Weapons Expo, and observed as Crossbones (actually Captain America in disguise) fought various opponents in an exhibition. When Captain America's deception was revealed, both villains joined in the all-out assault upon Captain America, but he defeated them.

(Captain America: Sam Wilson I#15) - The Power Tools (Buzz-Saw, Drill, Jackhammer) aided UCWF president Jim Jay McMayhew to steal charity money at a one night only special wrestling event to flee to Belize before the I.R.S. began their investigations on him. They were stopped before they could leave the arena with the bags of money by Demolition Dunphy and Battlestar.

Comments: First team created by Howard Mackie, James Brock and Roy Richardson; second team created by Mark Gruenwald, Mark Bagley and Dan Panosian.

Profile by Prime Eternal. Update by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Handsaw should not be confused with:

Pick Axe should not be confused with:

  • Pick Axis - of the Nature Defense League--Wolverine II#58

Triphammer should not be confused with:

  • Tripodal Observation Module - aka the "Murder Module"--Incredible Hulk II#123
  • Triple-Iron - former agent of Harold Meachum--Marvel Premiere#17
  • Triple Evil - evil expelled from the Trion--Avengers III#42
  • Triple Threat Killer - Charles Boroughs--Daredevil I#371
  • Triple X - brief assembly of mutant heroes--X-Force Annual 1999
  • Triplicator of Earth-2075 - copies anyone it strikes--Speed Carter#4
  • Triplikill - Eddie Rice, three mutants in one--X-Men: Missing Mutant Mystery

Vice should not be confused with:

  • Vice - of the Grip--Marvel Comics Presents I#41
  • Vice - of the Psi-Ops--X-Man#37
  • Vice Agent - enemy of Daredevil--Daredevil I#351
  • Vice Versa - Geraldine Rumlow, of the Clinic's headhunters--DP7#2

Buzz-Saw

Buzz-Saw was an unnamed member of the later team of Power Tools. He received superhuman strength from the Power Broker process, and also had two electronic buzz-saws attaches to each of his wrists. He joined the Power Tools in collecting test subjects for Dr. Malus.

Years later he aided UCWF president in an attempt to steal charity money, but was stopped by Demolition Dunphy and Battlestar.

--Captain America I#373/2, 374/2, 376/2, 377/2, Captain America: Sam Wilson I#15



















Drill

Drill was a member of the later team of Power Tools, and received strength augmentation from the Power Broker process. He also had electronic drills attached to each of his wrists which could quickly drill holes through substances. He joined the Power Tools in collecting test subjects for Dr. Malus, and later joined Jackhammer on AIM Island, where he fought Captain America.

Years later he aided UCWF president in an attempt to steal charity money, but was stopped by Demolition Dunphy and Battlestar.

--Captain America I#373/2, 374/2, 376/2, 377/2, 411, 413, Captain America: Sam Wilson I#15














Handsaw

Handsaw was the only female member of the original Power Tools. She possessed a bionic left hand which could transform into a saw. She was briefly blissed-out by Madcap's powers, turning her against her fellow Power Tools.

--Avengers Spotlight#29) 29 (fb), 29



















Pick Axe

Pick Axe was one of the original Power Tools. He possessed a bionic left hand which could transform into a pick axe.

--Avengers Spotlight#29) 29 (fb), 29
















Triphammer

Triphammer was one of the original Power Tools. He possessed a bionic left hand which could transform into a mallet.

--Avengers Spotlight#29) 29 (fb), 29













Vice

Vice was one of the original Power Tools. He possessed a bionic right hand which could transform into a vice. His vice hand possessed superhuman grappling abilities, granting him a powerful grip.

--Avengers Spotlight#29) 29 (fb), 29













images:
Captain America I#374, p18 (main)
Captain America I#374, p21, pan4 (Buzz-Saw)
Captain America I#374, p19, pan1 (Drill)
Avengers Spotlight#29, p8, pan3 (Handsaw)
Avengers Spotlight#29, p7, pan1 (Pick Axe)
Avengers Spotlight#29, p4, pan4 (Triphammer)
Avengers Spotlight#29, p7, pan1 (Vice)

Appearances:
Avengers Spotlight#29 (February, 1990) - Howard Mackie (plot/script), James Brock (plot/pencils), Roy Richardson (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Captain America I#373 (July, 1990) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#374 (August, 1990) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#376-378 (early September - early October, 1990) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#411-413 (January-March, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Captain America: Sam Wilson I#15 (January, 2017) - Nick Spencer (writer), Angel Unzueta (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 09/06/2004
Last updated: 08/03/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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