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Reaper (Gunther Strauss)
Encyclopedia
The Reaper, the alias of Gunther Strauss, is a supervillain in the fiction
al shared
universe
of Marvel Comics
, and an enemy of Captain America
and Bucky
. He first appeared in Captain America Comics #22 (Jan 1943), and his origin and first appearance were reprinted in full in The Invaders
vol. 1 #10 (November, 1976).
, was ordered by Adolf Hitler
to cause a popular uprising in the United States. Acting as "the Reaper", Strauss traveled to Manhattan
and claimed to be a religious prophet
who had received an oracular vision. He promised to reveal the contents of this vision at a rally in Madison Square Garden
, to which a huge crowd of both the faithful and simple curiosity-seekers gathered. The Reaper exhorted the crowd to abandon morality and to attack the trappings of society, to tear down the legal system and, ultimately, the federal government itself.
After the rally, the Reaper continued his ranting speeches in New York City, and more and more people were swayed by his demagoguery. There was a surge in popular unrest in the city, rioting broke out, and a few people even attempted to attack federal buildings. Captain America
and Bucky
intervened, but were told by the Reaper that he was legally untouchable, as he had broken no laws, his free speech being protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
. Turning the tables, the Reaper actually filed a police complaint against them, for breaking and entering
, which caused the police to issue a warrant for their arrest.
Regardless, Captain America
appeared at the Reaper's next rally, to publicly challenge the ideas he was putting forth. The Reaper exhorted the frenzied crowd to attack Captain America, and a large portion of it moved to do so. In the scuffle, Captain America was knocked unconscious by the Reaper, who then personally led the crowd to attack New York City Hall
. While this was happening, Bucky
had acquired documentation that definitively proved the Reaper was an agent provocateur
working for the Nazis, and not an American citizen. Bucky and a revived Captain America pursued the Reaper into the New York City Subway
, where he was disarmed by Captain America. The Reaper attempted to flee into a subway tunnel, but fell on the electrified third rail
and was killed.
, which he can use as a weapon. He also has a number of agents of the Nazi Party at his disposal.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al shared
Shared universe
A shared universe is a fictional universe to which more than one writer contributes. Work set in a shared universe share characters and other elements with varying degrees of consistency. Shared universes are contrasted with collaborative writing, in which multiple authors work on a single story....
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, and an enemy of Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and Bucky
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
. He first appeared in Captain America Comics #22 (Jan 1943), and his origin and first appearance were reprinted in full in The Invaders
Invaders (comics)
The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the . The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 . A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol...
vol. 1 #10 (November, 1976).
Fictional character biography
Gunther Strauss, a Nazi agentNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, was ordered by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
to cause a popular uprising in the United States. Acting as "the Reaper", Strauss traveled to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and claimed to be a religious prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
who had received an oracular vision. He promised to reveal the contents of this vision at a rally in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, to which a huge crowd of both the faithful and simple curiosity-seekers gathered. The Reaper exhorted the crowd to abandon morality and to attack the trappings of society, to tear down the legal system and, ultimately, the federal government itself.
After the rally, the Reaper continued his ranting speeches in New York City, and more and more people were swayed by his demagoguery. There was a surge in popular unrest in the city, rioting broke out, and a few people even attempted to attack federal buildings. Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and Bucky
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
intervened, but were told by the Reaper that he was legally untouchable, as he had broken no laws, his free speech being protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
. Turning the tables, the Reaper actually filed a police complaint against them, for breaking and entering
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, which caused the police to issue a warrant for their arrest.
Regardless, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
appeared at the Reaper's next rally, to publicly challenge the ideas he was putting forth. The Reaper exhorted the frenzied crowd to attack Captain America, and a large portion of it moved to do so. In the scuffle, Captain America was knocked unconscious by the Reaper, who then personally led the crowd to attack New York City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
. While this was happening, Bucky
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
had acquired documentation that definitively proved the Reaper was an agent provocateur
Agent provocateur
Traditionally, an agent provocateur is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act...
working for the Nazis, and not an American citizen. Bucky and a revived Captain America pursued the Reaper into the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, where he was disarmed by Captain America. The Reaper attempted to flee into a subway tunnel, but fell on the electrified third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
and was killed.
Powers and abilities
The Reaper does not appear to possess superhuman powers. He is, however, an experienced orator and demagogue, capable of whipping an audience of listeners into a frenzy. He carries a large, ordinary scytheScythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
, which he can use as a weapon. He also has a number of agents of the Nazi Party at his disposal.