(Daredevil I#272) - Chuck was told by his employer, Skip Ash, to track down possible hitmen. Chuck recommended Shotgun.
--Daredevil I#272
SKIP ASH
Real Name: Skip Ash
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Factory farm owner, drug runner, entrepreneur
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Chuck, Harry, Jack, Shotgun (J.R. Walker)
Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Inhumans (Gorgon, Karnak, Lockjaw), Number Nine, Ultron-13
Known Relatives: Brandy Ash (daughter)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: A secret laboratory under his factory farm in Upstate New York
First Appearance: Daredevil I#267 (June, 1989)
Powers/Abilities: Skip Ash is a well-connected businessman with government contracts. He has employed scientists to genetically modify women at a cellular level, using Inhuman technology, as well as modifying farm animals for wider consumption by the public. Skip has access to planes, massive weapons, and greater technology, though he lacks much skill himself.
Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
History:
(Daredevil I#267 (fb) - BTS) - Skip Ash named his daughter Brandy after his favorite drink. He opened a chicken farm and named it after her, Brandy's Gently Killed Chicken Farm.
(Daredevil I#274 (fb) - BTS) - Growing up, Brandy became interested in liberal causes. Skip encouraged her to participate in peace marches, civil disobedience, and even guerilla protests while he built his company with illegal money.
(Daredevil I#271 (fb) - BTS) - Skip Ash built his empire on running cocaine for drug dealers. When Brandy found out how he made his money, she fled from him, but she soon discovered that she couldn't live without his money, so she began taking money from him and using it on her own projects.
(Daredevil I#274 (fb) - BTS) - Without Skip realizing it, Brandy began building a case against her father, copying papers and invoices and recording phone calls. She realized he was laundering government money in his farm, providing cover for government agents between illegal assignments, doing illegal research, and running drugs.
(Fantastic Four Unlimited#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Inhumans Genetics Council contacted a highly secretive genetics project on Earth, where Skip Ash was developing his perfect women, and they asked for intel. The project desired an infant Inhuman in return, but the ship crash-landed and the child wasn't found.
(Daredevil I#271 (fb) - BTS) - Skip made a fortune at his factory farm, cruelly treating chickens (overcrowding cages, removing beaks, ignoring cannibalistic tendencies) and pigs (overcrowding cages, ignoring broken legs, high infant death rates, high disease) and seeking to genetically modify them for mass production. He commissioned scientists with altering the pigs to make them fatter and legless, and to make chickens have larger wings, to increase profits. In addition, he wanted to genetically engineer the perfect wife, and he had his scientists begin experimenting on young women.
(Daredevil I#267) - When Skip Ash crashed his plane full of cocaine in a frozen field, Matt Murdock leapt off a train and pulled him free of the wreckage before he exploded. Skip panicked and punched Matt before realizing he was a blind man, and Skip was pleased Matt couldn't see the cocaine. Realizing a blind man could be an asset, he gave Matt Brandy's number and an invitation to come and work as a handy man on the farm. He invited him to meet there in a few weeks.
(Daredevil I#274 (fb) - BTS) - Brandy found a shipment in the barn from Attilan, and she wondered if Skip was doing something with Inhuman genetics.
(Daredevil I#271) - Harry, an analyst, gave Skip a lecture on factory farms and profits, and Skip impatiently heard the numbers and analyses. When Brandy called Skip asking for money, he agreed to give it to her, but only after cajoling her for the request. Skip checked in with his scientists, seeing the first oversized-winged chicken was finished. He checked on Number Nine and lusted after her, wanting to wake her up even after the scientists warned that she had an independent streak in addition to the genetic coding that would make her the perfect beautiful and compliant wife, great in the bedroom and the kitchen.
(Daredevil I#272 (fb) - BTS) - Skip heard about an explosion on his factory farm, releasing many of the animals. A second explosion had destroyed his lab, and Skip was furious, realizing Number Nine was missing.
(Daredevil I#272) - Skip went to his lab, where scientists like Jack were trying to restore order. Skip demanded that the people behind the explosion be found as negative publicity began to roll in. Skip had Chuck look up assassins, and he ended up hiring Shotgun, ordering the mercenary be given new weaponry.
(Daredevil I#273 (fb) - BTS) - Shotgun returned having failed, and he reported that Nine was being protected by Daredevil and staying with Brandy Ash. The government stepped in, concerned about illegal experiments being out there and worried about their connections to Ash being exposed.
(Daredevil I#273) - Skip saw Shotgun equipped with even more high-powered weaponry, including a one-man tank. Annoyed, Skip stayed silent while Shotgun went on with the mission; Shotgun was soon defeated despite the extra weapons.
(Daredevil I#274) - Skip grabbed a gun and went after Nine and Brandy on his own. He used his key to enter Brandy's home and immediately attacked Daredevil with a baseball bat, but the hero hit him with a series of punches. Skip drew a gun and shot Nine by accident. Brandy begged Daredevil not to hit her father anymore. Daredevil threatened to use Brandy's intel to take Skip down, and he seemed genuinely hurt that Brandy would try to destroy his company; Daredevil encouraged the two of them to find common ground and learn from each other's different political viewpoints. Just then, Lockjaw, Karnak, and Gorgon arrived from Attilan.
(Daredevil I#275) - Lockjaw departed, leaving Karnak and Gorgon to discuss the Inhuman genetic research that had been stolen, but they determined it was a legitimate product exchange. Skip reported to his superiors that Nine had been destroyed, and he offered his databases to help Gorgon and Karnak find the missing child, Ahura. Karnak and Gorgon were preparing to leave when Ultron-13 attacked, and they helped Daredevil fight back.
(Daredevil I#276) - Brandy and Skip found Karnak, Gorgon, and Daredevil unconscious, and the heroes immediately resumed fighting Ultron-13 to save Nine. They soon shattered Ultron-13 and saved Nine.
(Daredevil I#278) - Skip and the others bid farewell to Gorgon and Karnak, who were on to look for their leader's son. Nine, Brandy, and Daredevil went after them.
Comments: Created by Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Al Williamson (inker).
Skip Ash's name was first revealed in Daredevil I#271 (October, 1989).
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Skip Ash should not be confused with:
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(Daredevil I#272) - Chuck was told by his employer, Skip Ash, to track down possible hitmen. Chuck recommended Shotgun. --Daredevil I#272 |
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(Daredevil I#271) - Harry presented a long report on the costs and benefits of factory farm produce for Skip Ash, who owned a farm where he treated chickens and pigs cruelly. --Daredevil I#271 |
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(Daredevil I#272) - Jack and other scientists sought to restore order to the factory farm of Skip Ash after an explosion freed the animals and destroyed research. --Daredevil I#272 |
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images: (without ads)
Daredevil I#274, p4, pan1 (main, looking in mirror)
Daredevil I#271, p14, pan2 (face)
Daredevil I#272, p9, pan4 (Chuck)
Daredevil I#271, p2, pan3 (Harry)
Daredevil I#272, p8, pan2 (Jack)
Appearances:
Daredevil I#267 (June, 2989) - Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#271-276 (October, 1989-January, 1990) - Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#278 (March, 1990) - Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr. (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Fantastic Four Unlimited I#2 (June, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencier), Steve Montano (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
First Posted: 05/09/2019
Last updated: 05/09/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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