Reverend REAPER

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human (Old West era)

Occupation: Apparent priest; would-be conqueror

Group Membership: Led a gang of rannies

Affiliations: His gang

Enemies: Phantom Rider (Carter Slade), Lincoln Slade

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Bison Bend, Colorado Old West era

First Appearance: Western Gunfighters II#6 (September, 1971)

Powers/Abilities: He was skilled with a pistol, and he had a small, similarly armed, gang.

History:
(Western Gunfighters II#6 (fb) - BTS) - The man known only as Reverend Reaper wanted to own a town. He chose Bison Bend as a nice place to blend in, and set up his operations. Posing as a priest, Reaper joined the town and soon  thereafter, Reaper and his men began to abduct the town leaders and other prominent folk. He planned that when the others were out of the way, the people would soon turn to him for leadership.

(Western Gunfighters II#6) - Bison Bend's protector, the Phantom Rider, figured that--along with his own secret identity, Carter Slade--Reaper was the last important man left in town. The Phantom Rider watched over Reaper, and sure enough, a group came and took him to an old, seemingly abandoned mine. The Rider followed them back to their lair, where he learned that Reaper was, in fact, the ringleader of the outfit. The Rider confronted the Reaper and his men, and he was soon joined by U.S. Marshall Lincoln Slade, his own brother. Frustrated that two men were taking apart his gang so easily, Reaper kicked out one of the mine's support beams, hoping to bury them. However, the entire shaft collapsed. The Phantom Rider leapt to push his brother out of the way, and Lincoln Slade was the sole survivor of the mine collapse.

Comments: Created by Len Wein and Dick Ayers.

Lincoln Slade came to Bison Bend on the trail of "Zachary Grimm--an owlhoot with a list of charges against him as long as the Mississippi...Nobody has the slightest idea what Grimm looks like." Was the Reaper Zachary Grimm? I think so, but I don't think it was ever confirmed.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• REAPER of World War II (                        ) - @ 1941, enemy of Captain America and Bucky
      --(g) Captain America Comics#22; Invaders I#10

• REAPER  (                                               ) - Demon-Fire, appeared as a withered cowboy *D* (app)--Vampire Tales#7(8d)

• Reaper (Louis Dawson) - ex-cop, son died while he was fighting terrorists--Power Man/Iron Fist#109

• REAPER (Pantu Hugareb or Hugares) - mutant, Mutant Liberation Front(s), Exiles-Strike, transported to Ultraverse--New Mutants I#86, 87

• REAPER (                               ) - ancient demon, raised by Saracen and the Ancient in order to slay Blade--Blade:Vampire Hunter#2

• REAPER 2099 - Archfiends--Ghost Rider 2099#18, 19

Appearances:
Western Gunfighters II#6 (September, 1971) - Len Wein (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)

Last updated: 11/28/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Back to Characters