CRIME-BUSTER

Real Name: Eugene P. Mason

Identity/Class: Human, technology user

Occupation: Crimefighter for hire, vigilante

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Beast, Blue Shield, Captain America, Jean DeWolff, Iceman, Namorita, Phone Ranger, Rafael Scarfe, Siryn, Thing

Enemies: Black Tigers, Firefly, Iron Fist, Lethal Legion, Power Man (Luke Cage)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: An apartment over an adult bookstore in Manhattan, New York

First Appearance: Power Man and Iron Fist#105 (May, 1984)

Powers/Abilities: Crime-Buster wielded a pair of guns which could release special non-lethal weapons such as fire extinguishing foam and nets.

History: (Power Man and Iron Fist#105 (fb)) - Eugene Mason was a criminal who wound up in Seagate Penitentiary at one point, and encountered Luke Cage there. Mason amused himself by insulting Cage. Some time later, Mason escaped while on a work detail, and eventually came to Pottersville, New York. He wound up renting an apartment which had been owned by Frank Moore, the Crime-Buster, and discovered a spare suit and arsenal he had left behind prior to his death on Xandar. Mason took custody of the suit, modified it, and became the new Crime-Buster. He was inspired by Cage's success as the hero-for-hire Power Man to become a mercenary himself, using a brown wig to disguise his hair color.

(Power Man and Iron Fist#105) - Crime-Buster intruded upon Power Man and Iron Fist as they were in the process of apprehending Firefly, and captured the criminal himself, much to the other two's displeasure. Crime-Buster happily claimed the reward from the police.

On his next case, Crime-Buster was hired by a child named Jimmy to help him against a schoolyard bully. Crime-Buster agreed to, for $50. He found the bully, Ace Robinson, and shattered both his kneecaps. In the days that followed, Crime-Buster continued to earn his reputation by evicting tenants, and killing at least 3 men in the line of duty.

When the terrorist Black Tigers threatened to destroy Madison Square Garden with a bomb, Crime-Buster, Iron Fist and Power Man were all hired by the city to stop them, with a $5,000 bonus for the one who disarmed the bomb. Crime-Buster outfought the Black Tigers he encountered and reached the bomb first, but saw that there were only 15 seconds left. Panicking, he fled the building. Power Man wound up tearing the bomb apart, saving the Garden, and Crime-Buster was publicly disgraced.

As Power Man, Iron Fist and their friends went out for a celebratory dinner, Mason watched them from a distance, and swore to himself that he'd get back at them one day.

(Marvel Age Annual#1) - When a new incarnation of the Lethal Legion attacked Captain America at the offices of Marvel Comics, Crime-Buster joined with other heroes including Namorita, the Phone Ranger, the Beast, Ant-Man, Iceman, the Thing, the Blue Shield and Siryn in battling the army of villains, and engaged in personal combat with Batroc.

Comments: Created by Kurt Busiek, Richard Howell and Andy Mushynsky.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Crime-Buster should not be confused with:

• Crime-Buster, Frank Moore, the man whose weapons he took, @ Nova I#13

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