History:
KARL KOODAMORE
Real Name: Karl Koodamore
Identity/Class: Human (World
War II Era)
Occupation: Murderer for hire
Group Membership: Murder Unlimited
Affiliations: Cross-Face Durok, Henderson, Pete, Sparks
Enemies: Black Widow (Claire Voyant), John Marriman, Satan
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: An unidentified US city
First Appearance: U.S.A. Comics I#5 (Summer, 1942)
Powers/Abilities: Karl Koodamore had a ruthless nature; Satan claimed Koodamore's villainy was second only to his own.
Height: Unrevealed
(approximately 5'10")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 170 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blond
History:
(U.S.A. Comics I#5/2) - Karl Koodamore set up the business "Murder Unlimited" and accepted money in exchange for eliminating people. On one occasion, he was hired by Henderson to kill the actor John Marriman, whom he accused of winning his wife's love.
Karl assigned two his men, Pete and Sparks, with arranging Marriman's death. As Marriman was going to be performing a swordfight on the stage, Karl told Sparks to go backstage and rig up a wire under Marriman's cloak. Karl assigned Pete to assume the guise of Marriman's opponent in the duel and equipped him with a foil containing an electrically charged tip; all Pete would have to do was strike Marriman with the foil's tip and he would be electrocuted.
That night, Karl went with Henderson to see the play and were joined by Sparks after he'd sabotaged Marriman's costume. During the play, Pete came on stage for Marriman's duel and struck him with the foil, electrocuting him. The moment this happened, the supernatural avenger the Black Widow appeared and touched Pete, killing him. Karl realized what he was seeing wasn't part of the play and ordered Sparks to shoot her. Sparks fired his gun at the Black Widow but the bullets had no effect and she killed Sparks while Karl fled the theatre.
Karl returned to his office and summoned Cross-Face Durok, telling him to get ready as he expected the Black Widow would soon appear. No sooner had he said this than the Black Widow burst through the window. Cross-Face Durok fired three bullets at the Black Widow with no effect and committed suicide rather than be killed by her. Karl fled his office in his car but the Black Widow suddenly appeared on the road ahead of him. Karl decided to try and run her over; however either "through the hand of fate.. or the criminal's own misculculation," Karl instead went over a cliff with his car, drowning, his soul fated to be claimed by the Black Widow's master Satan.
Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Ernie Hart.
Murder Unlimited is a reference to Murder, Incorporated, the real-life murder for hire organization (who also happen to exist on Earth-616).
This profile was completed on 11/24/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Karl Koodamore should not be confused with:
Cross-Face Durok was an Asian member of Karl's Murder Unlimited. When the Black Widow came in pursuit of Karl, he asked Cross-Face Durok to defend him in his office. When the Black Widow burst into the office, Durok fired his gun at her three times but had no effect. Rather than be killed by the Black Widow's touch, Durok used his gun to kill himself.
--U.S.A. Comics I#5/2
Henderson was a client of Murder Unlimited. Henderson believed actor John Marriman had won his wife's love, so hired Karl Koodamore to arrange Marriman's death. Henderson watched in the theatre's crowd with Karl as Marriman was slain, but the Black Widow immediately went after Murder Unlimited to exterminate them for their crimes.
--U.S.A. Comics I#5/2
John Marriman was an actor who had won the love of Henderson's wife. Henderson hired Murder Unlimited to execute him. Marriman was supposed to portray a figure on the stage who engaged in a sword duel with Death himself. Karl's agent Sparks hid a wire under Marriman's cloak and Pete took the place of the actor playing Death. When the time came for the play's swordfight, Pete struck Marriman with an electrically-charged foil that hit the wire under his cloak, electrocuting Marriman to death. He was avenged by the Black Widow.
--U.S.A. Comics I#5/2
Pete was a member of Karl's Murder Unlimited. When Murder Unlimited was hired to kill actor John Marriman, Pete took the place of an actor who was supposed to portray Death in a swordfight with Marriman. Pete wielded a foil that had an electrically-charged tip and because Sparks had placed a wire under Marriman's costume, when Pete's foil tip struck Marriman, Marriman was electrocuted. Moments after Marriman's death, the Black Widow appeared and she struck Pete in the head, killing him instantly with her touch and claiming his soul for Satan.
--U.S.A. Comics I#5/2
Sparks was a member of Karl's Murder Unlimited. When Murder Unlimited were hired to kill actor John Marriman, Karl had Sparks sabotage Marriman's costume by placing a wire under his cloak. Pete then impersonated the actor who was supposed to engage Marriman in a swordfight and when the fight occurred on stage, Pete used a foil with an electrically-charged tip to electrocute Marriman. Sparks saw Marriman's death from the audience, where he was nearby Karl and their client Henderson. When the Black Widow appeared to avenge Marriman and slew Pete with her touch, Karl told Sparks to defend him. Sparks drew his gun and fired at the Black Widow but it had no effect and she claimed Sparks' soul for Satan, killing him with supernatural energy from her hands.
--U.S.A. Comics I#5/2
images: (without ads)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 3, panel 2 (main)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 2, panel 6 (face)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 4, panel 7 (Durok)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 4, panel 2 (Henderson)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 3, panel 7 (Marriman)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 3, panel 4 (Pete)
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2, page 3, panel 1 (Sparks)
Appearances:
U.S.A. Comics I#5/2 (Summer, 1942) - unidentified writer, Ernie Hart
(artist), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 09/05/2026
Last updated:
11/24/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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