VORMUND

Real Name: Markus Ettlinger

Identity/Class: Human (German), mutate

Occupation: Special operative of the German government

Group Membership: Schutz Heiligruppe

Affiliations: Captain America, Derek Freeman

Enemies: Everyman, Red Skull, Skeleton Crew, Arnim Zola

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Hauptmann Deutschland, Captain Germany, Guardian

Base of Operations: Germany

First Appearance: (unnamed) Captain America I#387 (July, 1991); (as Hauptmann Deutschland) Captain America I#389 (August, 1991); (as Vormund) Captain America I#442 (August, 1995)

Powers/Abilities: Vormund possesses the ability to absorb kinetic energy and redirect that energy at an opponent. By aiming this energy at an opponent's heart, he can kill them. Under normal circumstances, he uses this energy to provide himself with greater endurance in a battle, increase his speed and strength, and to repel attacks.

On one mission, Vormund wore a vest containing a variety of weapons, including a metal net encased in a ball, ball bearings coated in oil, and a cable gun.

History: (Captain America I#387/2 (fb, BTS))- Hauptmann Deutschland led the Schutz Heiligruppe on a raid of Arnim Zola's castle in Switzerland, destroying all of the clone bodies he had kept for the Red Skull

(Captain America I#387/2)- Hauptmann Deutschland attended the Red Skull's Masque Club at the Smith Building, disguised as a party-goer. He was present just after the Red Skull learned that Zola's clones had been destroyed.

(Captain America I#388/2)- Hauptmann Deutschland masqueraded as one of the Taskmaster's pupils provided to the Red Skull garbed as Captain America for his workout sessions. The four actual students were slain in battle with the Red Skull, but when the Skull engaged Hauptmann Deutschland, his teammate Zeitgeist teleported them both away.

(Captain America I#389/2)- Hauptmann Deutschland, now garbed in his costume, confronted the captured Red Skull aboard the Schutz Heiligruppe's craft as they sped towards Germany. He informed the Red Skull that they intended to place him on trial for war crimes in Germany, then met with Blitzkrieger, who had determined that the Red Skull had a homing device which was bringing his Skeleton Crew to their location. Hauptmann Deutschland had hoped this would be the case, as he intended to put the Skeleton Crew on trial as well!

(Captain America I#390/2)- The Skeleton Crew invaded the facility outside of Berlin where the Schutz Heiligruppe were holding the Red Skull, but were met in battle by the team. Mother Night and Crossbones both shot Hauptmann Deutschland in the chest, but he used his power to repel the bullets and arrows. Hauptmann Deutschland was almost defeated by Crossbones, but Blitzkrieger defeated Crossbones for him.

(Captain America I#391/2)- Hauptmann Deutschland continued to keep watch over the captured Skeleton Crew while they prepared to hold their war crimes trials. He also informed the Red Skull that the chair they had him bound to doubled as an electric chair.

(Captain America I#393)- Just as the trial began, Machinesmith set himself and his teammates free. The Red Skull then claimed that he was not the original Red Skull, taunting Hauptmann Deutschland for having no proof that he was now in a cloned body. Before the Schutz Heiligruppe could recapture the Skeleton Crew, three of Arnim Zola's bioplastoids disguised as Iron Man, Thor and Captain America of the Avengers burst in, and bluffed the Germans into releasing them into their custody. Hauptmann Deutschland suspected something was amiss, and determined that he would look into it.

Hauptmann Deutschland later contacted Captain America to see if the Red Skull had returned to America safely. When Captain America did not recognize him, he realized he had been tricked.

Hauptmann Deutschland immediately set out for America, and at the Smith Building, ran into the real Captain America. Assuming he was dealing with a fake, he attacked him, manging to hold his own. Finally, he set after the Red Skull to make sure that he didn't escape, but when he broke into his office, he found the Red Skull dead, seemingly slain by Scourge.

(Captain America I#394)- Hauptmann Deutschland investigated the "Red Skull's" body, but did not realize it was a fake made from one of Zola's bioplastoids. As Derek Freeman of the FBI had the body taken away, Hauptmann Deutschland asked that they release the body to his custody when they were done.

(Captain America I#442)- Now named Vormund, he participated in the Schutz Heiligruppe's investigation of several mysterious deaths among superhumans in South America, with Blitzkrieger himself being taken as a victim. Vormund later joined Zeitgeist in investigating a party held by Thomas Halloway at his manor, honoring several heroes of the 40's. Zeitgeist pointed to Halloway as a suspect, although Vormund had become suspicious of his ally. Upon their arrival, Zeitgeist created a hologram of Vormund claiming that he would kill all of the heroes gathered there. Captain America set after the real Vormund, but Vormund was merely confused by the attack. Just then, Zeitgeist attempted to stab Captain America from behind, but Captain America shrunk his foil with Pym particles. The other old heroes gathered assumed that Vormund had slain Captain America and set after him as he was forced to flee. He finally caught up to Zeitgeist, and used his powers to redirect the force of his foil's thrust back at his heart, killing him to avenge Blitzkrieger.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Dan Panosian, Larry Alexander and Bud La Rosa.

The equipment in Hauptmann Deutschland's battle vest is similiar to what Captain America himself would carry in his battle vest during "Fighting Chance."

Hauptmann Deutschland's name became a problem in Germany. Read more about it in the Schutz Heiligruppe profile.
--Markus Raymond

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Vormund should not be confused with:

• Guardian, James MacDonald Hudson, leader of Alpha Flight, @ Alpha Flight I#2
• Guardian of Earth-X, James MacDonald Hudson, member of Alpha Flight, @ Earth X #10
• Guardian, manifestation of Bruce Banner's ego, @ Incredible Hulk II#308
• Guardian, Heather McNeil Hudson, wife of James Hudson, @ Alpha Flight I#90
• Guardian, clone of Peter Parker, servant of Jackal, @ Web of Spider-Man #122
• Guardian, duplicate of James Hudson, destroyed by AIM, @ Alpha Flight II#1
• Hauptmann, first of Dr. Doom's scientists, @ Fantastic Four I#85
• Hauptmann, second of Dr. Doom's scientists, @ Fantastic Four I#196
• Hauptmann Englande, alternate Captain Britain, @ Excalibur I#9
• Iron Hand Hauptmann, of the Exiles, @ Captain America I#102
• Vorms, the Star-Stalkers' race, @ Avengers I#123

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