Wraith (Brian DeWolff)

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Wraith
Brian DeWolff (Earth-616) from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition Vol 1 30 0001.jpg
Wraith as depicted in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #30 (March 1993). Art by Keith Pollard (penciler), Josef Rubinstein (inker), and Andrew Yanchus (colorist).
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Marvel Team-Up #48 (August 1976)
Created by Bill Mantlo
Sal Buscema
In-story information
Alter egoBrian DeWolff
Species Human
Team affiliations New York City Police Department (formerly)
PartnershipsPhillip DeWolff
AbilitiesTelepathy
Illusion generation
Mental bolts
Mind control
Skilled combatant
Carries a smoke gun

Wraith (Brian DeWolff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Contents

Publication history

Wraith first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #48 (August 1976), and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema.

Fictional character biography

Brian DeWolff is a former patrolman for the New York Police Department (NYPD) who was shot by criminals and rendered catatonic. His father Philip uses experimental technology to heal him, creating a mental link between the two and giving Brian psychic powers. Under Phillip's control, Brian becomes the vigilante Wraith, killing both criminals and civilians. He battles his sister Jean DeWolff, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange until being defeated by Spider-Man and Iron Man. [1]

After Philip's crimes are exposed, Brian regains free will and is found innocent while Philip is imprisoned. Subsequently, Wraith becomes a superhero and ally to Spider-Man. [2] [3] [4]

After the Sin-Eater kills Jean DeWolff, Wraith is driven mad with grief and seeks vengeance on the NYPD, only to be killed by Morbius. [5] [6]

The Wraith is later among the villains resurrected by the Hood using Dormammu's power to eliminate the Punisher. [7] However, he is killed by the Punisher while scouting the city. [8]

Powers and abilities

Wraith possesses a variety of psionic powers as an effect of energy from advanced technology procured by Phillip DeWolff. The Wraith had the psionic ability to control the mind of one other person at a time. He had the ability to cast illusions indiscernible from reality in the minds of one or more people simultaneously, thereby making reality appear to change or making himself seem invisible. He also had the psionic ability to induce mental pain in others equivalent to the physical pain which would be caused by what they were perceiving without causing physical injury, the telepathic ability to read minds, and the psionic ability to affect Spider-Man's mind in such a way as to shield himself from detection by the latter's "spider-sense." He also carried a smoke pistol of unknown origin. Brian De Wolff has received police training in armed and unarmed combat.

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Wraith is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, typically in stories featuring the superhero Spider-Man. She was created as a replacement for Jean DeWolff, a police detective and member of Spider-Man's supporting cast who was killed off during the 1980s. Yuri was introduced as a captain in the New York Police Department (NYPD) who would occasionally work alongside Spider-Man to combat crime, although her disillusion with the justice system eventually prompts her to lead a double life as the vigilante Wraith. Sporting a costume in imitation of Spider-Man and utilizing a variety of tools, some of them taken from supervillains, Wraith would wage war on New York's criminals and, even though her methods are sometimes too brutal for Spider-Man's liking, the two have resumed their old partnership several times.

References

  1. Marvel Team-Up #48–50
  2. Marvel Team-Up #51
  3. Iron Man #105–108
  4. Marvel Team-Up #72
  5. Amazing Spider-Man #278
  6. Morbius #18–19
  7. Punisher vol. 7 #5
  8. Punisher vol. 7 #7