Marcus Daniels was born in Flushing, Queens, New York City. He was working as a laboratory assistant to Dr. Abner Croit, a physicist hoping to build a device capable of tapping into energies from other dimensions. Croit always looked down on Daniels' inferior knowledge, making him feel useless. Daniels always wondered what it would be like to harness the energy they were researching, to be powerful. After an accident bathed him in the extra-dimensional energy of the Darkforce, he had the chance to find out. Calling himself Blackout, his body was now flushed with power, becoming a surface of control of the Darkforce dimension. However, despite his powers threatening to go out of control, he escaped from Croit's attempts to cure him and fled.
Blackout returned to the laboratories, however, as he needed the stabilizer device to control his energies. But he also returned to find revenge on Croit— Blackout's sanity began to suffer as well. He believed Croit was researching energies from "Black Stars" and that his body now generated such energy. He further believed that Croit was defrauding the government with his research and had bribed a judge to frame him for stealing his secrets. Instead of an accident causing his powers, Daniels thought Dr. Croit willfully subjected him to an experiment in exchange for dropping charges against him.
Nova encountered Blackout on his way to exact revenge, and Blackout easily defeated the young hero. Before Nova could catch up with him, Blackout returned to the labs, killing Croit and his new assistant by letting them “merge with the color spectrum” (actually, by shunting them to the Darkforce dimension). Following another skirmish with Nova, Blackout himself vanished into this dimension when he fell back onto the stabilizer during the battle, destroying it.[2]
The stabilizer somehow ended up at Project Pegasus, the government energy research laboratory. An attack by the Lava Men and the presence of Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) managed to activate the device, which transported Blackout back to Earth. Still suffering from the delusion that Croit was still alive and out to harm him, he tried to escape. Blackout was coerced by another Project captive, Moonstone, into freeing herself and other superhuman criminals Electro and Rhino in order to gain revenge on their captors. The villains were confronted by the Avengers, but Blackout and Moonstone escaped to the Darkforce Dimension by nearly causing the nuclear core of the complex to melt down as a distraction.
Moonstone, a former psychiatrist, treated Blackout in order to learn his true origin, but he remained in an irrational state. When the Avengers tracked them down, Blackout opened up another aperture into the Darkforce dimension in attempting to escape them, sucking himself and Moonstone inside.[3] Moonstone helped Blackout navigate through the dimension, eventually arriving on the surface of the Moon. She hoped to find another stone similar to that which gave her powers, but they encountered the Inhumans and their ally, Dazzler, who defeated the villains and returned them to Project: Pegasus on Earth.[4]
Moonstone next appeared recruited by Baron Helmut Zemo to form his version of the Masters of Evil, and she brought Blackout in tow. By this time, Blackout's mental condition was so unstable that at times he sank into a nearly catatonic state, only responsive to Moonstone's manipulative commands. Zemo, however, with the help of the Fixer had created a device to mentally force Blackout to obey his commands. Blackout was instrumental in Zemo's takeover of the Avengers' headquarters by sending the entire mansion into the Darkforce dimension in one of the team's darkest hours. Doctor Druid, used his psychic ability to break through Zemo and Moonstone's manipulations, restoring some of Blackout's mental faculties. With relative sanity restored, Blackout resisted Zemo's mental commands, the strain of which made Blackout collapse from a massive cerebral hemorrhage.[5][6]
Blackout's body was remanded into the custody of the Commission on Superhuman Activities.[volume&issueneeded] Years later, his body was taken by Baron Zemo, manipulated like a puppet on strings to serve as a member of his team as he confronted the new Thunderbolts over the life of their member Photon. During the battle between the two teams, Zemo revealed Blackout was merely a shell in which he kept the Smuggler trapped. This had the desired effect of turning his brother, Atlas against his team, and Zemo gained the upper hand. He also used Blackout's access to the Darkforce dimension in severing Photon's physical form.[volume&issueneeded]
A person who looks like the original Blackout appears as part of the Hood's alliance with super-powered heroes.[7] He was later seen during the Siege of Asgard as part of the Hood crime syndicate.[8]
During the "Opening Salvo" part of the "Secret Empire" storyline, Blackout in the alias of "Bob Hofstedder" is later seen living as a married family man until he is found by Baron Zemo, who persuades him to join the Army of Evil.[9] Blackout helps Baron Zemo trap some of the heroes in Manhattan by surrounding it in Darkforce shadows in order to further HYDRA's plot.[10] After the Tony Stark A.I. and Hawkeye infiltrated Hydra's prison that is run by Crossbones and Sin, Maria Hill located "Bob" and shoots him in the head enough to drop the Darkforce dome around Manhattan.[11]
During the "Damnation" storyline, Blackout is revived when Doctor Strange uses his magic to restore Las Vegas.[12]
Blackout appears with Hood's gang in their fight against Iron Man, Victor von Doom, a rebooted War Machine, and a battalion of Doombots.[13]
At the start of the "Blood Hunt" storyline, Blackout briefly appears as one of the Darkforce users that "exploded" and became portals to the Darkforce Dimension, blocking out the Sun enough to cause a vampire invasion.[14]
Powers and abilities
The first Blackout was exposed to cosmic radiation, giving him the power to tap into the Darkforce, a source of infinite dark energy, and to manipulate it in various ways. He could project Darkforce as concussive energy with tremendous force. Blackout could mentally open portals to and from the Darkforce dimension. He could create and control simple, solid geometric shapes from Darkforce, such as discs, cubes, spheres, cylinders, and planes. These objects absorbed energy directed against them, and would remain solid as long as he exerted conscious control over them. He could psionically levitate Darkforce objects, and could fly by riding on them. Blackout was mentally unstable due to his time spent in the Darkforce Dimension, and sometimes entered a nearly catatonic state. His control over Darkforce was dependent on his mental clarity, and would weaken when he was fatigued. Training with Moonstone allowed him to maintain his Darkforce constructs for a considerably longer period of time. Blackout wore a costume with circuitry that helped him confine the Darkforce within his body. The costume was designed by Dr. Abner Croit. Blackout had a master's degree in physics, especially in the study of radiation.
In other media
Television
Marcus Daniels appears in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Patrick Brennan.[15] This version worked as a laboratory assistant before he was exposed to Darkforce energy, gaining the ability to absorb all forms of energy. He was subsequently captured by Phil Coulson and incarcerated in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility called the "Fridge". In the episode "Providence", Hydra takes over the Fridge and frees the inmates.[16] In the following episode, "The Only Light in the Darkness" Daniels pursues Audrey Nathan, whom he considered his personal light, but is confronted by Coulson and his team, who overload him with spotlights modified to produce gamma radiation and cause him to explode.[17]
The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6, with the lineup continually changing over the years.
Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A former Nazi officer, he is one of the leaders of the Hydra terrorist organization, and the archenemy of Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. He has also come into conflict with the Avengers, and the interests of the United States, and is thus a fugitive. He has been physically augmented to be nearly ageless. While Strucker has been seemingly killed in the past, he returned to plague the world with schemes of world domination and genocide, time and time again.
The Thunderbolts are an antihero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team consists mostly of reformed supervillains. Created by Kurt Busiek, the team first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449.
The Fixer is the name of two characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Roscoe Sweeney and Paul Norbert Ebersol.
Graviton is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Sal Buscema, he first appeared in The Avengers #158, dated April 1977. Over the years, he has mainly opposed the Avengers in their various incarnations.
A.I.M. is a fictional criminal organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Strange Tales #146. A.I.M. is primarily depicted as a think tank of brilliant scientists dedicated to world domination through technological means.
Hydra is a fictional terrorist organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Its name alludes to the mythical Lernaean Hydra, as does its motto: "If a head is cut off, two more shall take its place," proclaiming the group's resilience and growing strength in the face of resistance. Originally a Nazi organization led by the Red Skull during World War II, Hydra is taken over and turned into a neo-fascist international crime syndicate by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. Hydra agents often wear distinctive green garb featuring a serpent motif. Hydra's plans for world domination are regularly foiled by Marvel Universe superheroes and the intelligence organization S.H.I.E.L.D.
Songbird, formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally a supervillain, she possesses supersonic sound abilities that can cause a variety of effects.
Dr. Karla Sofen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Captain America #192, created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Frank Robbins.
Erik Josten, also known as Power Man, Smuggler, Goliath and Atlas, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been a prominent member of both the Masters of Evil and the Thunderbolts.
Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers. The character first appeared in Captain America and the Falcon #208, and was created by writer/artist Jack Kirby. When he was first introduced, Zola was a Nazi scientist experimenting with genetic engineering during World War II. His skills as a geneticist drew the attention of the Red Skull, who recruited him into Hydra to aid their efforts to create super soldiers. One of his experiments led to the brain of Adolf Hitler being copied into a being later known as Hate-Monger. Later in life, Zola transferred his own mind into a sophisticated robot body which protected it by storing it in its chest and displaying a digital image of Zola's face on its chest plate. This robot body allowed Zola to survive until modern times, as whenever it is destroyed, Zola could simply upload his consciousness into a new body.
Smuggler is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Helmut Zemo is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Roy Thomas, Tony Isabella and Sal Buscema, the character first appeared in Captain America #168. Helmut Zemo is the son of Baron Heinrich Zemo and the thirteenth Baron Zemo in his family lineage. He is a recurring adversary of the Avengers, especially the superhero Steve Rogers / Captain America. The character has also been known as Citizen V at various points in his history.
Heinrich Zemo is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first made a cameo appearance in The Avengers #4, before officially being introduced in The Avengers #6. He was retroactively added into the history of Captain America upon the superhero's reintroduction in the Silver Age of Comics two issues prior. Baron Zemo is a Nazi scientist and the founder and original leader of the Masters of Evil, and is commonly depicted as one of the greatest enemies of Captain America and the Avengers. He is the twelfth Baron Zemo in his family lineage, and his legacy is continued by his son, Helmut Zemo.
Madame Hydra is the name of several different fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a name given to a top female operative of HYDRA.
Quasar is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are noted for having worn the Quantum Bands, advanced ancient alien technology that grants the wearer manipulation of quantum energy.
Sleeper is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first Sleeper is the name of a series of five destructive robots created by the Red Skull. The second Sleeper is a Symbiote.
"Secret Empire" is a 2017 Marvel Comics crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a 10-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Nick Spencer and illustrated by Rod Reis, Daniel Acuña, Steve McNiven, and Andrea Sorrentino, and numerous tie-in books. The storyline addresses the aftermath of the storyline "Avengers: Standoff!" and the ongoing series Captain America: Steve Rogers, in which Captain America has been revealed to be acting as a sleeper agent and covertly setting the stage to establish the terrorist organization Hydra as the main world power. The entire crossover received mixed reviews.
↑ Cheylov, Milan (director); Brent Fletcher (writer) (April 15, 2014). "Providence". Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1. Episode 18. ABC.
↑ Misiano, Vincent (director); Monica Owusu-Breen (writer) (April 22, 2014). "The Only Light in the Darkness". Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1. Episode 19. ABC.
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