For some time now, a mysterious figure has been taking out the lamest villains in the Marvel Universe. Once a kill was complete, the disguised assassin proclaims "justice is served!" before slinking away as though he or she was never there. The Serpent Society's Death Adder was is last kill, but now he's going for his biggest body count yet...
The aim of the Scourge of the Underworld as a character was a plot to device that would wipe out some of the sillier and underused villains of the Marvel Universe. Though the mass slaughter of villains was one of a series of events that would have a seriously detrimental effect on Captain America, eventually leading to Steve Rogers quitting as Cap...
Everyone killed by the Scourge is listed here, from those he started bumping off from the beginning up to and including those who buy it at the Bar With No Name:
- Captain America #318-319
- Amazing Spider-Man #278
- Captain America 320
Captain America moves his belongings into Avengers Mansion, then hits the road in his Cap-branded van to rediscover America, starting in Ohio. Gary Gilbert, formerly known as the super-villain Firebrand, plans an all-villains meeting at the Bar With No Name to figure a way to end the threat of the murderous Scourge of the Underworld. On his way to the meeting, Blue Streak has a run-in with Cap before he's shot dead by the Scourge...
Cap defeats Blacklash and learns the villains are running scared from the Scourge. As he begins his investigation, the Serpent Society start one of their own when they retrieve Death Adder's body. Diamondback checks out the Foolkiller to see if he might be responsible just as Cap does and she tries to flirt her way into forming a partnership with him. Meanwhile, the villains all meet in Ohio at the Bar With No Name only for the barman to gun them all down. The Scourge has now claimed Firebrand, Bird-Man, Cheetah, Commander Kraken, Cyclone, Grappler, Hellrazor, Hijacker, Jaguar, Letha, Mind-Wave, Mirage, Rapier, Ringer, Shellshock, Steeplejack, Turner D Century and Vamp. Justice is served!Captain America #319
Amazing Spider-Man #278
Learning Flash Thompson has been unmasked as the Hobgoblin, the Scourge heads to the New York police station where he's being held, disguising himself as a cop to get past their security. J Jonah Jameson sends Peter Parker to interview his old 'buddy' Flash for the Daily Bugle, but soon has to don his Spider-Man costume to protect him from the Scourge who is forced to escape to avoid capture. As he leaves, the Wraith arrives and is looking for revenge on the NYPD for the death of his sister, Jean DeWolff. Scourge takes the opportunity to gun the Wraith down instead. But how can the Scourge be in Ohio and New York at the same time?Captain America #320
Captain America is alerted to the scene of the slaughter in the Bar With No Name by the Water Wizard, who just missed the meeting because his car broke down. Elsewhere, the Scourge tries to kill Diamondback but she gets away without even realising it. Cap tries to flush the Scourge out by disguising himself as one of his victims, Mirage, and claiming to have survived the attack. Scourge is alerted to the whereabouts of 'Mirage' and tries to kill him, only to discover he's Captain America. Unable to shoot Cap, the Scourge is defeated and explains his origins. His brother was the Enforcer, the very first Scourge victim, who had brought shame on his family. With the Enforcer dead, he decided to carry on his mission. Another Scourge shows up and kills the first. So was his story true? And who is the Scourge's informant, Domino? Looks like this mystery will go unsolved for now...
Avengers #273-277 (1986-1987)
Avengers Mansion is destroyed by the Masters of Evil; Baron Zemo destroys Captain America's personal belongings to get to the captured Cap during UNDER SIEGE.Flash Thompson is cleared of the claims that he was the Hobgoblin during THE HOBGOBLIN REVEALED.
Captain America #332 (1987)
Pushed to the brink and under pressure from the United States Government, Steve Rogers quits as Captain America.
Amazing Spider-Man #294 (1987)
Despite avoiding the Scourge, Kraven the Hunter goes on to shoot himself during KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT.
Captain America #347 (1988)
A third Scourge appears, killing the Communist Red Skull.
Captain America #350-351 (1989)
The third Scourge is revealed to be working for the real Red Skull; the second Scourge returns, killing a member of the Watchdogs.
Captain America #358-362 (1989)
The second Scourge and his organisation are investigated by the USAgent; the second Scourge is murdered by a fourth Scourge.
Captain America #394 (1991)
The third Scourge claims to have killed Black Abbott, Lionfang and Wrench; this Scourge is killed by the Red Skull for failing to execute Gamecock, Shocker and Steel Wind.
USAgent #1-4 (1993)
Domino returns; a fifth Scourge fails to kill Matador; another Scourge kills Blowtorch Brand; USAgent finally discovers the mystery behind the Scourge operation, including the involvement of Vagabond (the fifth Scourge), Caprice (the sixth) and Bloodstain (the seventh); the Scourge organisation was started by Thomas Halloway (the Angel of World War II) who appears to die in the final battle.
Lethal Foes of Spider-Man #3-4 (1993)
Ringer is revealed to have survived the massacre at the Bar With No Name and rescued by AIM who have given him the new identity Strikeback.
Captain America #425-427 (1994)
The Cheetah, Basilisk, Blue Streak, Mirage and Death Adder also apparently survive the Bar With No Name incident until they're revealed to be disguises used by Dead Ringer.
Deadpool #6 (1997)
Vamp/Animus is revealed to have survived somehow during WHOMSOEVER FIGHTS MONSTERS.
Deadpool #0 (1998)
Vamp/Animus, Turner D Century and Mirage appear as proto-husks created by Arnim Zola (possibly explaining Vamp's return, though this story may not be in-continuity).
Thunderbolts #34-35 (2000)
An eighth Scourge first appears, though this one is much more extravagant looking that the previous versions.
Thunderbolts #49 (2001)
The eighth Scourge is unmasked as Jack Monroe (formerly Nomad).
Civil War: Battle Damage Report #1 (2007)
Although the version of the Phone Ranger's death at the hands of the Scourge that we saw took place outside of continuity, it's revealed that the Scourge did try to kill Earth-616's Phone Ranger but he survived when the bullet deflected off his helmet during CIVIL WAR.
Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 (2009)
A new Melter appears during DARK REIGN.
Thunderbolts #133 (2009)
A ninth Scourge first appears as a member of Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts during DARK REIGN.
Dark Reign: Made Men #1 (2009)
A new Enforcer appears, apparently related to the original, during DARK REIGN.
Punisher #5-6 (2009)
The Hood uses the powers given to him by Dormammu to resurrect Scourge victims Miracle Man, Megatak, Human Fly, Basilisk, Titania (as Lascivious), Death Adder, Blue Streak, Firebrand, Cyclone, Hijacker, Letha, Mind-Wave, Mirage, Turner D Century and Wraith during DARK REIGN.
Incredible Hercules #129-131 (2009)
When Hercules travels to the Underworld, he encounters the original Scourge who tries to kill Pluto.
Thunderbolts #136 (2009)
The ninth Scourge is revealed to be Nuke (Frank Simpson) during DARK REIGN.
Captain America #11-12 (2012)
A tenth Scourge is revealed to be Dennis Dunphy (formerly D-Man).
Superior Spider-Man #25 (2014)
Roderick Kingsley (the original Hobgoblin) sells the Steeplejack and Ringer identities to new bad guys.
Punisher #224 (2018)
An eleventh Scourge is killed by the Punisher.
Punisher #13 (2019)
A twelfth Scourge is killed by the Punisher.
Captain America #15-19 (2019-2020)
A thirteenth Scourge (Anthony Diaz) is opposed by Captain America and commits suicide rather than face imprisonment.
Captain America Epic Collection vol.13: Justice is Served
Captain America: Scourge of the Underworld
Both include...
Amazing Spider-Man #278
Captain America #318-320
Amazing Spider-Man #278
Captain America #318-320
You missed several titles here. Ff4 and The Thing had appearances by the Scourge
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shano - those appearances are covered in Scourge's Kill List (see the link under Recommended Reading). The deaths of the minor villains in the build-up to this were secondary plot points in those titles, rather than being part of the 'big reveal' storyline above.
DeleteFeel free to take a peep at Scourge's Kill List for the complete body count!