Scavenger (Man-Thing foe)

SCAVENGER

Real Name: Robert Nicolle

Identity/Class: Human mutant(?), further mutated by magic

Occupation: pawn of Thog

Affiliations: agent of Thog, and unwittingly of Nox

Enemies: Man-Thing, Richard Rory; Elsbeth Duhl, Millicent Godfrey, Colleen Sanders (known victims);

Known Relatives: Danielle (sister)

Aliases: Plunderer...Pillager...Ravisher...Spoiler (names he considered)

Base of Operations: Atlanta, Georgia; former resident of unnamed mental institution

First Appearance: Man-Thing I#19 (July, 1975)

Powers: The Scavenger has no sense of touch, and cannot feel pain. He has tremendous recuperative powers, enabling him to complete recover from otherwise disfiguring injuries. He possessed some measure of superhuman strength, most likely enhanced human, and he could fly.
From Thog, he gained the power to drain the life energy and emotions from others on contact, leaving them an empty skeleton. While draining a victim, he temporarily regained the sense of touch, and felt great pleasure. He preferred to use his powers on women, and drain their powers with a kiss.
The emotions Robert drained from his victims were transmitted to his sister Danielle.

History: (ManTh21(fb))-Robert Nicolle was born without the sense of touch. He was initially thought to be clumsy because he couldn't feel something he was supposed to be holding. One day they found him holding his hand over a flaming stove, showing no pain as he cooked his own hand. They brought him to specialists, who identified his lack of sensation, but could do nothing about it.
When he went to college, his good looks made him popular with the women, but he couldn't feel a kiss or a caress, nor could he respond to them, and so he was soon alone again. He attempted to disfigure himself, to ruin his good looks, but his regernative powers always healed things back to normal. Eventually he was caught attempting to commit suicide, and was soon locked up in a padded cell.

(ManTh22(fb))-Robert's sister, Danielle, had unknowingly entered into a pact with the demon Thog. She revealed her brother's problems to Thog's agents, who decided to involve Robert in their plans. Thog, or his agents, came to Robert in his cell, and granted him the power to gain sensation as he drained the life force from others.

(ManTh19-21)-The Scavenger went on a rampage, sucking the life and emotions from his victims, and loving every minute of it. One of his attempts was thwarted by the Man-Thing, and he only left his victim insane, rather than dead. The Scavenger tracked down the Man-Thing to a hotel and attacked him. When he saw how futile his attacks were, he knew fear...and you know how that goes. Robert ended up with a big hand print burned into his face. It seems he wanted to destroy himself, but was still afraid to have another cause his death. Still, he was only stunned, and once he regained his senses, he flew away.
He next abducted Elsbeth Duhl, the wife of Roland, another pawn of Thog, and told her his origins before draining her life, and then cuddling up with her skeleton for a night's sleep.
The Scavenger was not seen again, and the effects of Thog's defeat and the destruction of the Nightmare Boxes had upon him are unknown.

Clarifications: This Scavenger has no known connections to:
Scavenger, aka Monster Android and Super Android, the robot created by the Mad Thinker and mutated in hte Negative Zone, @ Fantastic Four Annual#6
Scavenger 8162, of Dragon's Claws, @ Dragon's Claws#1
Scavengers, @ Dark Angel#11

Comments: Created by Steve Gerber and Jim Mooney.

The Nightmare Box and Thog profiles (pending) should explain the rest of this somewhat, but remember...it is Gerber, after all.

In his initial appearance, he ranted about his mommy and teachers and drill instructor and television and magazines...how they lied to him and tried to keep him down. I'm not sure where that fits into his history or if he just read it in the book of crazy.

So where's the Scavenger now?

Elsbeth Duhl was the wife of Roland Duhl, who was a pawn of Thog in his plot involving the Nightmare Boxes. Eventually she got fed with Roland's increasing craziness and left him. The Scavenger swooped down and claimed her, saying she had been promised to him by Thog. After telling her his origins, he drained her life, killling her.-- Man-Thing#21

Millicent Godfrey was a waitress at the King Donut shop. The Scavenger flew into her store and sucked the life out of her after he had failed to complete the transaction with Colleen.--Man-Thing#19

Colleen Sanders had just walked out on her husband, Paul, and two sons, Mark and Chris. The Scavenger leapt on top of her car, tore open the roof, and forced her to crash. His assault on her was stopped by the Man-Thing before it could kill her. The Scavenger fled, but even so, Colleen was left in incoherent, babbling wreck.--Man-Thing#19

Last updated: 12/19/01

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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