JAKETCH
Real Name: Jaketch
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Skrull)
Occupation: Apprentice Executioner for the Skrull Jury and
High Judicator
Group Membership: High Court of the Skrull Empire
Affiliations: (loose) Hagar the High Judicator, Jury of Six
Enemies: Emperor Dorrek VII, (secretly) Hagar, Fantastic
Four (Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, the
Thing)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: High Court of the Skrull Empire on the Skrull
Homeworld
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#206 (May, 1979)
Powers/Abilities: Jaketch had the strength and power of a normal
Skrull who engaged in regular physical exercise. He had good targeting
skills when firing handguns. As Apprentice Executioner for the High
Court, he had two guns that initially paralyzed the victims, then
boosted their metabolism so that the victims would age at an intensely
increased rate (for example, adult humans would die of old age within
three days of being shot). He utilized a face mask that covered his
eyes, so that he shot at heat signatures and not on visual
identification. He was ambitious and overconfident, and saw killing as
a means for
promotion.
History:
(Fantastic Four I#206) - Captured by the Skrull Emperor
Dorrek VII's forces in a skirmish with Xandar, the Fantastic Four
(actually
only Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Girl and the Thing) were held in
power-restraining devices and paraded before the High Court, the
supreme judicial center of the Skrull Empire. With his guns crossing
his chest, Jaketch stood guard over the prisoners while Hagar the High
Judicator aggressively vilified them in what was a show trial before a
packed arena. The Jury of Six were also jeering the three members of
the Fantastic Four.
With
his restraints
removed, Mr.
Fantastic approached the Jury, pleaded for understanding and sought to
have the Skrull Empire leave the decimated world of Xandar alone.
However, the High Judicator ordered Jaketch to execute Mr. Fantastic
and he was gunned down from behind. The Invisible Girl then rushed to
her husband's side while the Thing leapt at Hagar. The High Judicator
cringed in fear as he demanded that Jaketch protect him, who fired
again and shot the Thing in the back. As he fired at the Thing, Jaketch
dreamt of becoming Lord Executioner, and then ordering Hagar's
execution. The Invisible Girl then cried out in defiance, turning
invisible and seeking retribution, but was still shot by Jaketch, who
fired not on sight but by heat pattern. He then stood triumphant in the
arena.
(Fantastic Four I#206 - BTS) - The
bodies of the three Fantastic Four members were dragged back to a
holding cell.
(Fantastic Four I#206) - The
Fantastic Four later awoke from the paralyzing effect of Jaketch's guns
and were told of the weapons' debilitating effects.
(Skrulls! (fb) - BTS) - Emperor
Dorrek VII had
Jaketch's thoughts monitored and planned to have him killed, as Dorrek
found Jaketch to be too ambitious, but the Emperor was killed by his
wife.
(Skrulls!) - Much later, the
Skrull
Chancellor Kal'Du filed a report for Queen Veranke that
Jaketch
might still be alive. The Chancellor also stated that Jaketch could be
a good figurehead for the Skrull resurgence, but was nevertheless
concerned about the Executioner's brash nature.
John (Jack)
Ketch (died 1686) was a sadistic executioner employed by King
Charles II. From this man, "Jack Ketch" has also come to refer to a
hangman (including in the traditional Punch and Judy) and is a
proverbial name for death.
And here I'd always thought the
name was a play on "jock itch."
--Ignorant Snood.
Profile
by
Grendel
Prime.
Clarifications:
Jaketch has no known connections
to:
- Any other "Jaketch"
character.
images:
Fantastic Four
I#206, cover (main)
p3 (head shot)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#206 (May, 1979) -
Marv Wolfman (writer), Keith Pollard (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks),
Marv Wolfman (editor)
Skrulls! (2008) - Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Gabriel Schechter, John
Rhett Thomas, Stuart Vandal, Jeph York (writers), John Rhett Thomas
(editor)
Last updated: 08/16/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me
know.
Non-Marvel
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