NIGHT MASK

Real Name: Richard Reinhart

Identity/Class: Alternate Earth (Earth-1136) human

Occupation: Adventurer

Group Membership: None; formerly Protectors (Air Man/Drake Stevens, Amazing Man/John Aman, Arc/Brandee Douglas, Aura/Morgan DuBay, Eternal Man/Zardi, Ferret/Cal Denton, Gravestone, Man of War/Clay Carter, Mighty Man/Scott Pearson, Witch/Andrea Nastrova)

Affiliations: Marcia Beckworth, Daedra, President Brian O'Brien, Philip Reinhart

Enemies: Senator John Fraley, Doc Homage, Heckle, Jeckle, Mister Monday, Night-Plague, Steel Army

Known Relatives: Philip Reinhart (Night Mask, father), Erika Blaine (mother)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Wherever his spirit moved on to;
   formerly the realm of the dead;
   formerly U.S.S. Jefferson in the Washington Navy Yard on the Anacostia River

First Appearance: Protectors#1 (September, 1992)

Powers/Abilities: Richard possessed no supranormal abilities, but was a moderately skilled athlete. He could throw a punch, but was not much of a fighter though he was not lacking in courage and determination.

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 173 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

History:
(Protectors Handbook#1) - Richard is the son of Philip Reinhart, the former Nightmask, and Erika Blaine. His parents divorced after a brief and volatile marriage and Richard became the subject of a highly publicized custody battle at the age of 3.

   Richard grew up with his mother and had a strained relationship with his father. He attended several universities without earning a degree and then spent years drifting around Europe.

(Protectors#1 (fb) - BTS) - Richard went behind the back of his father and applied for membership with the supranormal team put together by the president. He wanted to the part of the Protectors as the new Night Mask and President Brian O'Brien approved him.

(Protectors#1) - Richard introduced himself to the rest of the team on the U.S.S. Jefferson as the new Night Mask and was immediately recognized by his father, who in charge of the team behind the scenes, and wasn't pleased with what his son was doing even though Richard claimed that he was just trying to uphold the family tradition. Philip tried to reason with Richard because he had no superhuman abilities, but begrudgingly accepted it because Richard had already been approved to be part of the team by President O'Brien. Air Man was sure that Richard would do fine and promised Philip that they would all keep an eye on him.

(Protectors#2) - Night Mask traveled to a suburban home north of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. to offer supranormal Morgan DuBay a spot on the Protectors. She agreed to join and was present along with Night Mask when the Protectors team was first revealed to the general public.

(Protectors#3) - In his first outing with the Protectors against members of Mr. Monday's Steel Army in Washington D.C., Night Mask nearly broke his hand when he punched one of the armored terrorists. The Steel Army soldier mocked him and swatted him away like a fly. Night Mask hit a parked car and quickly realized that he could've been killed that very moment, but Ferret took down his opponent before he could bring any further harm to Night Mask.

(Protectors#3 - BTS) - Following the mission Ferret approached Philip Reinhart to tell him that Richard got nearly killed that day because he had no powers and in his opinion was too inexperienced to be part of the team. Ferret asked Philip to ask his son to quit, but Philip was not willing to do it because it was Richard's decision and he was old enough to live with it.

(Protectors#3) - Night Mask was present watching an interview with Senator John Fraley, who opposed the existence of the Protectors, and Rhonda Jo Geiger. A fight nearly broke out between his teammates Ferret and Amazing Man. He was later shocked when Mighty Man was clearly not okay with the Witch joining the team.

(Protectors#4) - Richard visited his father in Truman Memorial Hospital and ran into Marcia Beckworth, who was in the limousine with his father when it was blown up by Mr. Monday. He was surprised that she was already on her feet again, but she urged him to be more concerned for his father, whose injuries were far worse. According to the doctors Philip would never walk again, but Philip was not willing to accept that and told Richard not to feel sorry for him because he was going to be back on his feet soon. Philip was sure that he and Marcia were attacked due to their connection to the Protectors.

   Marcia and Night Mask returned to the U.S.S. Jefferson right on time for the team's debriefing that day following a mission that had the rest of team fighting against the Steel Army again.

   That night Ferret confronted Night Mask about not being good enough to be with the Protectors. He challenged Night Mask to prove him wrong and gave him a severe beating and even though he was pulling his punches, Night Mask went down. Ferret urged Night Mask to just quit, but Night Mask denied his wish. Marcia stepped in to call out Ferret for attacking a teammate and then tried to make sure that Night Mask was alright. His admitted that his pride, jaw and ribs were bruised, but he was still not willing to quit because being a Protector was so important to him because he was still trying to measure up to his father and show that he was worthy to be his son. Marcia leaned in to help him up and Night Mask misinterpreted the situation and kissed her. The situation turned awkward and Marcia suggested that they should just never talk about this again. Marcia went back inside the U.S.S. Jefferson while Night Mask decided to just stay outside a bit longer.

(Protectors#5) - Field leader Man of War gathered the Protectors on the U.S.S. Jefferson to tell them a few things before they all went on patrol. He informed them that they were still experiencing problems with their communications equipment and to make sure they stayed in regular radio contact with each other while on patrol. On his way out Night Mask ran into Marcia, whom he apologized to for the kiss the night before. He was pretty sure Marcia already had a partner, but she admitted that she had no time for a relationship at the moment due to her work with the Protectors. Night Mask promised her that he would focus o proving himself his father and the team.

   While on patrol Night Mask stayed in radio contact with Air Man. He was on a rooftop on Canal Street when he saw an explosion not far away. He headed towards the explosion and saw Steel Army soldiers trying to break into the Post Office. He tried to contact Amazing Man because he knew he couldn't take on Steel Army soldiers by himself, but the radio connection was broken again. He failed to contact Man of War as well and finally decided to go down by himself, armed with a steel pipe. He took down one of the soldiers while the other two ran away because they were afraid more of the Protectors were on their way. Night Mask went after them, hoping they would lead him to their hideout. Night Mask followed them into a dark building and the door closed behind him because it was a trap set up by Mr. Monday, who had been expecting him. Mr. Monday showed him that they were filmed at the moment by several cameras that broadcasted them life right that moment to every local broadcast. Man of War and Marcia watched Night Mask try his best to fight Mr. Monday, but a steel pipe was not enough to take down the terrorist. Mr. Monday hit Night Mask with a kinetic energy blast that hit Night Mask like a shot from a rifle. The bleeding Night Mask tried to escape, but knocking over a few crates on Mr. Monday did nothing. Mr. Monday hit Night Mask with another energy blast, but Night Mask didn't stop fighting back. Mr. Monday punched Night Mask in the face and hit him with another energy blast while Night Mask tried crawling away. Leaned to a wall Night Mask begged Mr. Monday to just end it already and was killed after apologizing to his father one final time. A short time later Air Man, Ferret and Amazing Man found Night Mask's bloodied corpse. "MONDAY RULES" was written on the wall behind him in Night Mask's blood.

(Protectors#6) - Air Man flew Night Mask to a hospital and told the others to inform Night Mask's father of what had happened. Amazing Man leveled the whole building in retaliation for Night Mask's murder. For two days the Protectors were not seen in public after Night Mask's death. At a meeting Man of War made it clear that their first order of business was to get Richard the funeral he deserved and lure Mr. Monday out at the same time.

   The Protectors were seemingly joined by the president at the funeral of their teammate. Mr. Monday and the Steel Army attacked and Mr. Monday followed the president into Night Mask's crypt only to realize too late that it was a trap and the president was actually the shapeshifting Mighty Man, who defeated Mr. Monday, while the Steel Army where defeated by the rest of the Protectors. After the battle Man of War explained to the press that it was unfortunate but necessary to spring this trap for Mr. Monday at Night Mask's funeral. Afterward they finally laid Night Mask to rest in his crypt.

(Protectors#7 - BTS) - Marcia Beckworth visited Richard's tomb to mourn him. She believed that everybody else had already moved on, but Airman assured her that they did not and invited her to a meeting of the Protectors that evening. After Airman had left, the sorcerer known as the Eye approached Marcia and offered her his help to gain her full potential.

(Man of War#1 - BTS) - After his son's death, the still grieving Philip Reinhart sent Man of War to Cuba to recruit Lift (Leonard Cook) for the Protectors.

(Gravestone#1) - Gravestone encountered Night Mask's ghost in the afterlife and offered to return him to the land of the living, but Richard declined the offer because he didn't want to face his father after failing so miserably as a hero. Night Mask just wanted to be left alone and only asked Gravestone to give Marcia a message if he got back to the living, but then decided against giving him the message.

(Man of War#4) - Doc Homage sent his zombie operatives Heckle and Jeckle to steal the corps of Night Mask from his grave and then planned to revive him and turn him into a supranormal slave. He was quite disappointed when he learned that Night Mask was just a normal human and had no supranormal abilities. Homage blackmailed Dr. Stone to drug Man of War, whom Homage and his zombie slaves then took to Homage's lab where Homage planned to transfer Night Mask's brain into Man of War's supranormal body so that he could finally have a supranormal slave. Man of War tried to break free and caused a fire to break out, which threatened to destroy Night Mask's corpse. Homage sent Heckle and Jeckle to put out the fire, but Arrow came to Man of War's aid and ruined Homage's plan by killing him. Arrow escaped the scene after he and Man of War took out Heckle and Jeckle while Man of War returned into the fire to retrieve Night Mask's body, but he failed to do so.

   Firefighters were later unable to retrieve Night Mask's body either because it was gone.

(Man of War#5 - BTS) - Man of War informed Philip Reinhart that his son had been resurrected by Doc Homage as a zombie slave and was missing. Man of War went to the late Dr. Stone's office to find more information on Doc Homage, but was interrupted by a vampire.

(Gravestone#3) - Night Mask's ghost found Gravestone trapped in the realm of the dead once again after he died fighting beings infected by the Night-Plague. Night Mask and Daedra helped Gravestone escape the other dead that sought to keep Gravestone there. Night Mask's ghost pulled Gravestone back to Earth where Night Mask revealed that the Night-Plague was somehow connected to Gravestone. Night Mask's ghost then moved on to another realm.

Comments: Created by Alan Grant, John Wagner & Michael McMahon.

   Richard was the second generation Night Mask after his father Philip, who was based on Centaur's Golden Age hero Masked Marvel.

   The issue Night Mask died in had a "bullet hole" that went through the whole issue. You can see it in the picture that shows his dead body. 90s comics and their gimmicks!

   Night Mask's tomb was seen a few more times. One important appearance was in Protectors#7.

   On Earth-1136 superhumans were called supranormals.