ARNIE MILSAP

Real Name: "Arnie" Milsap (first name presumably Arnold)

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Unrevealed (unemployed at the time of this story);
    formerly an unspecified job at a furniture factory

Group Membership: None, although he was interested in joining the Friends of Humanity or Liberty's Torch

Affiliations: Frank Johnson, approximately 18 other allies 

Enemies: Dracula, Storm (Ororo Munroe), Walter;
    mutants and other minorities in general;
    Belasco plagued his town with flooding rain

Known Relatives: Unidentified sons;
    Estelle (presumed ex-wife);
    unidentified father;
    unidentified grandfather

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: A trailer (mobile home) in Natchez, Mississippi

First AppearanceX-Men: Soul Killer (1999)

Powers/Abilities

    He figured that "real Americans" needed to act to preserve their way of life before mutants and other minorities could erode it.

    He was an experienced hunter, and he also kept a .357 magnum in his car.

Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed (but he was described as burly)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History
(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Arnie hunted ducks and deer for most of his life. 

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Arnie had at least two sons by Estelle, but they eventually divorced. He paid child support, which "drained him dry..."

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - ...especially after the furniture factory laid him off.

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Arnie regularly read the pamphlets from the reactionary Liberty's Torch group and watched the cable access show Call to Arms.

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Arnie learned the word "collusion."

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Renting his trailer and considering his possessions "crap," Arnie didn't bother to check on it during a thunderstorm.

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six) - While enjoying beer with his best friend, Frank Johnson, at the Dewdrop Inn during a thunderstorm (caused by the demon-sorcerer Belasco), Arnie said he didn't care if his trailer washed away. When Frank teased him about not checking on his kids, Arnie felt a twinge of guilt, but then noted that since Estelle had wanted custody so bady, she could make sure they were OK...and she could get help from her boyfriend, Walter, whom Estelle had repeatedly described as "so considerate, so conscientious, and so good with the boys."

    When he saw news reports of the mutant Rogue (actually the magically-transformed vampire Carla Spelvin) slaughtering locals, he thought that she would be hot if she were truly human. He then announced that if he thought he would run into her, he would be out in the rain in a second. Bringing out their next round, the bartender expressed his doubt, but Arnie then shared how "serving the community" was a family tradition, as his father and grandfather were both in the Ku Klux Klan, and that he was planning on joining Liberty's Torch or the Friends of Humanity.

    When Frank suggested he should leave a tough customer like Rogue to the government, Arnie argued that the government was in collusion with the mutants and "all the other minorities"; he was satisfied to work his newly learned word into the conversation. As he advised Frank to read his pamplets or watch Call to Arms as "real Americans" needed to wake up, he glimpsed and recognized the mutant Storm (who had temporarily lost her powers and memories at the hands of another magically-transformed vampire, Helen Purvis, who had possessed the real Rogue) as she wandered outside in the rain. Feeling God was calling his bluff, he became emboldened as he realized that she seemed confused and frightened. Telling Frank she had to be the cause of the storm and flood, Arnie argued how they would be heroes if they took her out (and he further considered how impressed Estelle would be, and that businesses would be eager to employ a hero like him).

    Frank remained cautious, but Arnie convinced him it was their patriotic duty. Frank did convince Arnie that she might regain her powers, and so he prepared to gather his friends. He had Frank stay there and use the Inn's phone to call their friends while he took Frank's cell phone, went out and followed Storm, reporting back every few minutes.

    Feeling important, bold, decisive, and lucky for the first time in awhile, Arnie headed out the door. 

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Ten - BTS) - Three of Arnie's buddies, two with shotguns, rushed out into the rain after Storm. She dodged what would have otherwise been fatal shots and then fled, but she almost ran into two others -- a pudgy man in a gleaming black slicker with a sawed off shotgun, and the other, younger, with shaved head, wearing a Friends of Humanity t-shirt and carrying a sledgehammer -- as she rounded the corner of a Circle K. The first man flinched backward, but the hammer-carrier charged her. She instinctually generated a freezing wind that knocked him back and took the fight out of him, but she was unable to repeat the feat. She then dropped low, avoiding a gunshot, kicked out the man's ankle and sending his head flying into cinderblock as he fell; though he tried to rally, she kicked and apparently broke his jaw, incapacitating him. Spinning around, Ororo found the skinhead on his knees, whimering and shuddering, no longer a threat. Realizing her first three attackers must be charging up after her, she ran off again. 

    When another band of men appeared in the murk ahead of her, amidst the gunshots, she heard one of them yell "mutant!" Partially recalling her nature, she tried to lift herself into the air with a wind, but soon collapsed, landing awkwardly and hurting her ankle.

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Ten) - The lameness slowed her down so that eventually the approximately 20 pursuers cornered her in front of an elementary school. When she shouted that she had done nothing to them, Arnie spoke up, accusing her of causing the torrential rains -- trying to drown homo sapiens like rats -- and for the attacks on the people by "Rogue." Recalling elements of the past, she argued that she had come their to stop the rain, but Arnie informed her that they knew "you muties wanna wipe out every real human being in the world." Encouraging his boys to clean up the gene pool, he lifted his .357 and encouraged them to all shoot together. Arnie's countdown was delayed by one of their number (possibly Frank?, he was skinny, wore a nylon windbreaker, and carried only a camcorder, but no gun) who wanted to film the killing for Hard Copy. 

    Ororo desperately fired lightning to stop them, but missed everyone and only caused a distraction. She tried to flee through their numbers, but was clubbed from behind and knocked into the ground. Refusing to hold her up to get the best footage, Arnie aimed his gun and prepared to finish her off; however, they were all interrupted by the arrival of Dracula, who came their in opposition of Belasco, and who now sought to protect and again seduce Storm. Mistaking Dracula for another mutant, Arnie warned that they were going to have to kill him, too. 

    Dracula gave them one chance to flee in deference to Storm's wishes to spare them, although he told them he hoped they would stand their ground so he could slaughter them. Spitting an obscenity, Arnie fired his weapon, leading his hesitant friends to do the same, until one by one, they exhausted their ammunition without any injury to Dracula despite numerous direct impacts. As Dracula strode forward, someone screamed and the hunters turned and fled. Dracula pounded on Arnie and hoisted him into the air. Rightly considering Arnie the leader, he planned to allow him to briefly precede his followers into death. 

    As Dracula crushed his throat, Arnie futilely beat at Dracula with his pistol and his face turned red and his eyes bulged until Ororo asked Dracula to release him as he had believed she had attacked their people. Indulging Storm, Dracula let Arnie go; as the would-be mutant killer lay shaking and wheezing, with slices in his neck from Dracula's claws, Dracula told him, "Go, and don't ever let me see your face again." When Arnie didn't spring into motion immediately, Dracula gave him a brutal kick in the ribs to punctuate his point.

    Sobbing, Arnie dragged himself to his feet, and staggered away.

Comments: Created by Richard Lee Byers and Leonard Manco.

    Arnie is on pg. 84-89 and 149-155. Frank is confirmed as being on pg.84-89...he's presumably at leat on pg. 152-155, but he is not clearly identified.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Arnie Milsap
should be distinguished from:

Frank Johnson has no known connection to:

Frank Johnson

    A resident of Natchez, Mississippi, Frank smoked (Camel cigarettes, specifically)

He was described as wiry, which usually means lean
His eyes were described as narrow and "almost copper-colored" (reddish-brown)
He has a receding hairline

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six) - During the torrential rainstorm caused by Belasco, Frank had some beer with Arnie Milsap. He teased Arnie about not checking on his trailer or his kids; however, when he advised Arnie that "Rogue" (actually the magically mutated vampire Carla Spelvin) was dangerous and could be better handled by the government, Arnie argued that the government was in collusion with the mutants and other minorities. Frank humored Arnie's advice to review his Liberty's Torch pamphlets or watch Call to Arms, but when Arnie spotted a confused and frightened Storm (Ororo Munroe) and urged taking her out, Frank was initially reluctant.

    Frank worried that they would get in trouble with the law, but Arnie assured him that they would be heroes for saving everyone from the flood.

    Arnie further urged Frank that it was their patriotic duty, and that they could gather a large group of friends to take her down, even if she was regaining her powers. 

    Arnie had Frank stay there and use the Inn's phone to call their friends while he took Frank's cell phone, went out and followed Storm, reporting back every few minutes.

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Ten - BTS) - Frank was presumably amongst the 18-or-so others who joined Arnie in pursuing, cornering, and preparing to kill Storm until being driven off by Dracula.

--X-Men: Soul Killer

Estelle

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - Presumably married to Arnie and having at least two sons with him, Estelle was eventually divorced from him, and she insisted on child custody with Arnie paying child support. At some point, she started dating Walter, whom she considered "so considerate, so conscientious, and so good with the boys."

    When the Belasco-generated storm occurred, Arnie neglected his kids and former wife, figuring Walter could risk his life for them. 

    When he spied the powerless and frightened Storm, Arnie considered how impressed Estelle would be with him if he took Storm out.

--X-Men: Soul Killer

unidentified children

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - At least 2-3 boys were the children of Arnie Milsap and Estelle, who eventually divorced. Estelle gained child custody, with Arnie paying child support.

    At some point, Estelle started dating Walter, whom she considered "so considerate, so conscientious, and so good with the boys."

    When the Belasco-generated storm occurred, Arnie neglected his kids and former wife, figuring Walter could risk his life for them. 

--X-Men: Soul Killer
Walter

(X-Men: Soul Killer: Chapter Six (fb) - BTS) - At some point, he started dating Estelle (ex-wife of Arnie Milsap), and she considered him "so considerate, so conscientious, and so good with the boys."

    Arnie considered him a mealy-mouthed little wuss of an electronic salesman.

    When the Belasco-generated storm occurred, Arnie neglected his kids and former wife, figuring Walter could risk his life for them. 

--X-Men: Soul Killer

images: (without ads)
There ain't none!


Appearances:
X-Men: Soul Killer (1999) - Richard Lee Byers (writer), Leonard Manco (art), Keith R.A. Candido (editor)


Last updated: 02/26/15

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters