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History

Simon Maddicks, a military man turned mercenary was selected by the Roxxon Oil Company to be a special agent in covert operations. Sent to the Mutagenics Laboratory of Roxxon's subsidiary Brand Corporation, Maddicks underwent extensive conditioning to increase his strength and endurance, and surgery to implant a miniature anti-gravity generator in the base of his spine. Given a special battlesuit with electrical offensive weaponry, Maddicks was assigned the code name Killer Shrike. For his first mission, he was sent to infiltrate the subversive organization called the Conspiracy, which Roxxon learned about through major purchases of technology from the Brand Corporation.[citation needed]

For his initiation, the Conspiracy sent Killer Shrike to capture the monster called Goram. Instead, he found himself engaged in battle with the adventurer Ulysses Bloodstone and was defeated. Injured by the short-circuiting of his electrical weaponry, the Shrike was taken to a New York City hospital by Bloodstone's agents. There he lay comatose for several weeks. Upon awakening he had temporary amnesia, but was soon contacted by one of the Brand scientists, Dr. Stephen Weems, who operated upon him. Weems, calling himself the Modular Man, had been the victim of a microwave experiment that backfired, and sought the Shrike's help to acquire more power. In return, Weems promised to disclose to the Shrike knowledge of his past. In battle with Spider-Man and the Beast, Weems was killed before he could uphold his end of the bargain.[2] The Shrike escaped and was soon contacted by agents of the Brand Corporation. They helped restore his memory, and assigned him to undercover work as bodyguard to Brand president James Melvin.[1] With Brand's public dissolution, Killer Shrike became a free agent.[3]

Killer Shrike was kidnapped by Locksmith, who was embarking on a plan to capture superhuman beings and keep them imprisoned so that regular humans could be free to strive and achieve without being overshadowed. Other prisoners included Shroud, Tigra, Werewolf by Night, Poltergeist, Angar the Screamer, Daddy Longlegs, Dansen Macabre, Hangman, Needle, Nekra, Gypsy Moth, Tatterdemalion, Enforcer, and Flying Tiger. When Locksmith captured Spider-Woman, she defeated Locksmith and freed the prisoners she trusted. Killer Shrike (and the other criminal prisoners) were turned over to the police.[4]

Killer Shrike began robbing banks, as criminal organizations would not hire him because they felt he attracted super-heroes. When Spider-Man showed up at Maddicks's apartment building, Shrike assumed Spider-Man was after him, and they fought. Spider-Man eventually knocked Shrike unconscious and left him behind, as Spider-Man was at the building on a time-sensitive mission that had nothing to do with Shrike.[3]

Shrike tried to get upgraded by the Tinkerer, but when Shrike threatened him with his upgraded weapons to avoid paying, the Tinkerer helped Spider-Man to catch the Shrike thanks to a special failsafe Mason includes in his products for such situations, which left Shrike immobilized.[5] He briefly worked for Air Command as a member of their Air Force mercenary group.[6] Shrike was later caught by the Avengers and detained by S.H.I.E.L.D.. After leading them to a location, Shrike was electrocuted but survived. Discoveries of passports and other schematics in the building led to Nick Fury conducting a 'secret war' in Latveria.[7]

Sometime later, he joined the Shadow Council's Masters of Evil.[8]

Attributes

Power Grid[10]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Experienced Fighter:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Medium Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Bulletproof:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Superhuman:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Superhuman (800 lbs-25 ton):Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Normal

Powers

  • Superhuman Strength: Simon originally had superhuman strength that allowed him to lift up to 1 ton but has recently displayed far greater strength, being able to throw a truck with ease.[9]
  • Superhuman Reflexes: Simon has reflexes 1.5 faster than those of an Olympic athlete.[9]
  • Superhuman Stamina: Simon has twice the stamina of a normal human.[9]
  • Gravitational Flight: Simon can fly by means of a surgically-implanted anti-gravity generator located at the base of his spine. This generator, activated by neural link, emits a steady stream of anti-gravitons (theoretical particles that are of the opposite charge to gravitons), and enables him to fly. Killer Shrike can attain speeds up to about 120 miles per hour and can support up to 550 pounds (including his own weight) while in flight, although this diminishes his speed and endurance.

Abilities

Killer Shrike has had extensive training in hand-to-hand combat and a number of Oriental martial arts such as kung fu. He is also proficient at the use of hand weapons such as knives and guns.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Bodysuit: Killer Shrike wears a head-to-toe body suit made of insulated steel alloy mesh.
    • Superhuman Durability: The bodysuit is capable of protecting him from flight turbulence and small caliber firearms.[9]

Weapons

  • Wrist Talons: His major weapons system is the twin power-blasters worn on each wrist. Each bracelet has two curved titanium talons, capable of slashing flesh, wood, cinder block, and light metals.
    • Energy Projection: The bracelets can discharge a high-frequency lightning-like bolt of electricity with a maximum charge of 50,000 volts individually, or 120,000 volts combined.[9] His maximum range of normal bolts is about 35 feet, or about 50 feet for double-handed bolts.

Notes

Killer Shrike was accidentally drawn in place of his Air Command comrade Oriole in New Warriors #54.

See Also

Links and References

References

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