POWDERKEG
Real Name: Frank Skorina
Identity/Class: Human (source of powers unrevealed)
Occupation: Criminal
Group Membership: None; formerly Masters of Evil (Absorbing Man/Carl Creel, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Gargantua/Edward Cobert, Jackhammer/Matthew Banham, Oddball/Elton Healey, Puff Adder/Gordon Fraley, Shocker/Herman Schultz, Titania/Mary MacPherran, Yellowjacket/Rita DeMara)
Affiliations: Aero (Lei Ling), Black Cat (Felicia Hardy), Bookie, Dragon Man, Eightball (Jeff Hagees), Human Torch (John Storm), Melinda May, Mentallo (Marvin Flumm), Kristina Ramos, Rhino (Alexei Sytsevich), Kevin Schumer, Shan-K'ang, Ace Spencer, Storm (Ororo Munroe), Threadneedle, Venom (Eddie Brock), Vermin (Edward Whelan), Vision (Aarkus), Warbird
Enemies: Avengers (Captain America/Steve Rogers, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters), Avengers Academy (Finesse/Jeanne Foucault, Hazmat/Jennifer Takeda, Justice/Vance Astrovik, Mettle/Ken Mack, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Reptil/Humberto Lopez, Speedball/Robbie Baldwin, Striker/Brandon Sharpe, Tigra/Greer Nelson, Veil/Maddy Berry, Wasp/Hank Pym), Avengers West Coast (Doctor Pym/Hank Pym, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Vision, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Andre Blau, Cheryl Blau, Thomas Blau, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Deathlok (Michael Collins), Freedom Force (Avalanche/Dominic Petros, Blob/Fred Dukes, Crimson Commando/Frank Bohannan, Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Super Sabre/Martin Fletcher), Guardians of the Galaxy (Charlie-27, Major Victory/Vance Astrovik, Nikki/Nikki Gold, Starhawk/Stakar Ogord, Talon) of Earth-691, Edwin Jarvis, Kaaragga, Rune of Ultraverse, Hiram Sheckerberg, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Thing (Ben Grimm), Yancy Street Gang
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: (As Powderkeg) Captain Marvel II#1 (November, 1989); (real name revealed) Deathlok II#12 (June, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Powderkeg sweats nitroglycerin, which he can use to set off powerful explosions, generally delivered through his fists. Seemingly super-strong and durable, Powderkeg is immune to his own explosions. Some of his enemies have thrown Powderkeg's sweat at other villains, causing more explosions. The full extent of his powers, and their origins, are unrevealed.
Height: 8'1"
Weight: 568 lbs.
Eyes: Red
Hair: Brown
History:
(Captain Marvel II#1 (fb) - BTS) - The villain known as Powderkeg
developed super-powers of invulnerability, super-strength, and the
ability to sweat nitroglycerin, with which he could set off powerful
explosions. He was hired by Kristina Ramos to retrieve a specific crate
on a boat in New Orleans.
(Captain Marvel II#1) - Powderkeg attacked the boat with armed men and went looking for the crate while the men killed the ship's crew. Captain Marvel confronted Powderkeg, initially burying him in a ton of wheat (which had been stored on the ship). He exploded his way free, then tried to find the crate even as the ship was sinking. Captain Marvel defeated Powderkeg with a series of energy punches, pulled him through the water, then delivered him to the authorities.
(Avengers: Death Trap - The Vault#1) - In the Vault, during a massive breakout, Venom took a leadership role and sent Mentallo, Vermin, and Powderkeg to search for invaders. Powderkeg blasted a hole in the wall and they found Iron Man and Doctor Pym on the other side. Mentallo downed Iron Man with a mental blast, then Powderkeg used his explosive fists to defeat Pym. They then used the downed heroes as hostages to hold the Avengers and Freedom Force back, but the heroes later triumphed, returning most of the villains to their cells.
(Deathlok II#12 (fb) - BTS) - Powderkeg attempted to kidnap Symkarian ambassador Andre Blau, his wife Cheryl, and their baby Thomas, but it turned into a hostage situation when the police surrounded them.
(Deathlok II#12) - Deathlok attacked Powderkeg (his name revealed as Frank Skorina), who threatened Thomas' life before punching Deathlok through the wall. Powderkeg was calling the police to demand a car to escape when Deathlok renewed his attack, tossing Powderkeg through the window and to the ground four stories below. Skorina then surrendered to the police.
(Guardians of the Galaxy I#28) - Doctor Octopus assembled a group of disconnected villains, including Powderkeg, and proposed that they raid Avengers Mansion for weapons while the heroes were distracted with the destruction of the Baxter Building. At the Mansion, they were attacked by the time-travelling Guardians of the Galaxy, and Powderkeg hit Starhawk, who weirdly disappeared right afterwards. When Powderkeg tried to attack Major Victory, Talon threw Oddball into Powderkeg instead.
(Rune/Silver Surfer#1) - When Rune possessed Thor and landed on Earth, he bit Powderkeg with the intent to kill him, but he was disgusted by Powderkeg's blood.
(Fantastic Four III#56 (fb) - BTS) - Powderkeg began extorting small business owners in New York City, including Hiram Sheckerberg, to keep money in his pockets.
(Fantastic Four III#56) - While collecting cash from Sheckerberg, Powderkeg ended up battling the Thing, who soon defeated him after the Yancy Street Gang threw dust and water in his face to distract him. Powderkeg was left tied up in a light post for the police to pick up.
(She-Hulk I#5 (fb) - BTS) - Shrunken down to the size of a mouse, Powderkeg was imprisoned in the Big House.
(She-Hulk I#5) - Powderkeg and many other tiny criminals escaped the Big House.
(She-Hulk I#6) - The escaped criminals snuck away in a briefcase and soon emerged at the law offices of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, and Holliway. There, Powderkeg, still at tiny size, attacked She-Hulk alongside Dragon Man, Rhino, and Eightball, and She-Hulk easily knocked them out. She then flung Powderkeg's sweat at Rhino to defeat him.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#562) - At the Bar With No Name, Powderkeg placed bets with the Bookie on a Spider-Man vs. Basher fight that was being broadcast online. A fight nearly broke out when the fight wasn't how they hoped. Spider-Man then showed up at the Bar.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#563) - Spider-Man knocked Powderkeg's head against Ramrod's, defeating him. Powderkeg and the others soon answered Spider-Man's questions about the Bookie.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#600) - Powderkeg was among the villains beat up by Spider-Man and Daredevil at the Bar With No Name.
(Avengers Academy#4) - Imprisoned at the Raft, Powderkeg broke out, explosively punching through the wall, but he was swiftly defeated by the visiting Avengers Academy.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Marvels II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Powderkeg committed a robbery in Myanmar, then fled to Siancong.
(Marvels II#2) - Aero attacked Powderkeg in the city of Thoat Nhin, diverting his sweat with winds. Then a massive explosion happened.
(Marvels II#7 (fb) - BTS) - Melinda May convinced Powderkeg to work with her in a mission in Siancong in order to avoid a jail sentence.
(Marvels II#7) - Powderkeg and May investigated spaces in Siancong.
(Marvels II#8) - Powerkeg and May blasted open a wall and freed several captive heroes, including Captain America, Black Cat, Kevin Schumer, Warbird, Human Torch, Storm, Aero, and Vision (Aarkus). When Captain America personally thanked Powderkeg, he was inspired.
(Marvels II#9) - Powderkeg joined the heroes in fighting the shadow monsters created by Lady Lotus.
(Marvels II#10) - Powderkeg went with the heroes through a door and into another dimension, where he used his explosive sweat to fight zombie elephants. The group was guided through the wasteland by Ace Spencer to an odd comic book shop where Threadneedle waited.
(Marvels II#11) - Powderkeg and the others learned of the entity Shan-K'ang and her war with the Kaaragga, then both entities pursued them back, trying to pass back through to Earth.
(Marvels II#12) - Powderkeg helped clean up the mess in Shan-K'ang, which ended when Threadneedle intervened. Powderkeg was taken back to jail by Melinda May.
Comments: Created by Dwayne McDuffie, Mark Bright, Stan Drake, and Frank Bolle.
Powderkeg received a profile in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#8 (October, 2006) and All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Premiere HC#9 (September, 2009).
Thanks to Markus Raymond for the additional images (main & She-Hulk).
This profile was completed 9/30/2020, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Powderkeg has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
All-New Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Premiere HC#9, Powderkeg profile
(main, original source Fantastic Four III#56, p14, pan3)
Avengers Academy#4, p17, pan3 (head shot)
Captain Marvel II#1, p14, pan4 (first appearance)
She-Hulk I#6, p16, pan5 (with Eightball)
Appearances:
Captain Marvel II#1 (November, 1989) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Mark
Bright (penciler), Stan Drake, Frank Bolle (inkers), Mark Gruenwald
(editor)
Avengers: Death Trap - The Vault#1 (September, 1991) - Danny Fingeroth
(writer), Ron Lim (penciler), Jim Sanders, Fred Fredericks (inkers),
Kelly Corvese (editor)
Deathlok II#12 (June, 1992) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Denys Cowan (penciler), Mike Manley (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy I#28 (September, 1992) - Jim Valentino
(writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Steve Montano (inker), Craig Anderson
(editor)
Rune/Silver Surfer#1 (April, 1995) - Chris Ulm, Dan Danko (writer/editor), Henry Flint (penciler), Mark McKenna (inker)
Fantastic Four III#56 (August, 2002) - Karl Kesel (writer), Stuart
Immonen (penciler), Scott Koblish (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
She-Hulk I#5-6 (September-October, 2004) - Dan Slott (writer), Juan
Bobillo (penciler), Marcelo Sosa (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#562 (August, 2008) - Bob Gale (writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Andy Lanning (inker), Tom Brennan (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#563 (August, 2008) - Bob Gale (writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Marlo Alquiza (inker), Tom Brennan (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#600 (September, 2009) - Dan Slott (writer), John
Romita Jr (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Thomas Brennan (editor)
Avengers Academy#4 (November, 2010) - Christos Gage (writer), Mike
McKone (penciler), Rick Ketcham, Cam Smith (inkers), Bill Rosemann
(editor)
Marvels II#2 (July, 2021) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Yildiray Cinar (artist), Martin Biro (editor)
Marvels II#7-12 (February-August, 2022) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Yildiray Cinar (artist), Martin Biro (editor)
First Posted: 09/20/2021
Last updated: 07/30/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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