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Digger (Marvel Comics)

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Not to be confused with Digger (webcomic).

Digger is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

The Roderick Krupp version of Digger first appeared as a story narrator/host in the horror anthology series Tower of Shadows #1 (September 1969), in the story "At the Stroke of Midnight" by writer-artist Jim Steranko.

Publication history

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Originally designed as one of the hosts of Tower of Shadows and its sister title, Chamber of Darkness, both beginning in 1969, the Roderick Krupp version of Digger played a role similar to that of Tales from the Crypt's The Crypt Keeper of the 1950s EC Comics and later HBO television series.[1] Providing a panel or two of introductory material leading into and usually closing the story itself, Digger appeared sporadically through the nine-issue run of Tower of Shadows and the eight-issue run of Chamber of Darkness. Digger was worked into Marvel's main shared universe, the Marvel Universe in 1987, returning with other lesser-known characters in Captain America #329 (May 1987). He appeared with these other characters as a member of the team the Night Shift, supervillain antagonists who were then primarily used in the series Avengers West Coast during the 1990s. Digger appeared as part of the "Night Shift" entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #5. After a long period in which the character had no appearances, a new version of Digger appeared in 2008. Returning to his roots, he was used as the narrator for Dead of Night featuring the Man-Thing, a four-issue miniseries published by Marvel as a part of its mature content MAX imprint. In this series, Digger tells his version of the Man-Thing's origin, as well as three other semi-connected tales starring the Man-Thing and other characters related to that protagonist. The Digger sequences in the miniseries were painted by artist Nick Percival. In 2009, the Marvel Universe version of Digger appeared in Marvel Zombies 4. This series also featured the character's death and resurrection.

The Gamma Mutate incarnation of Digger first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #51 and was created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr.[2]

Fictional character biography

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Roderick Krupp

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Digger
First page from Dead of Night Featuring the Man-Thing #3
Art by Nick Percival
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceTower of Shadows #1 (September 1969)
In-story information
Alter egoRoderick Krupp
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsNight Shift
AbilitiesSuperhuman strength

Roderick Krupp is a serial killer who buries his victims alive while telling them macabre stories, and becomes known as Digger for his modus operandi. While living in a decrepit Los Angeles, California mansion known as the Tower of Shadows, he is contacted by the vigilante the Shroud and joins the supervillain team Night Shift.[3]

Digger is later exposed to a virus from the Marvel Zombies universe and transformed into a zombie.[4][5] Dormammu assumes control of the Night Shift and uses them to fight the Midnight Sons. Jennifer Kale, Black Talon, and Zombie contain the virus within the latter's body, causing the Night Shift to stop attacking them.[6][7]

During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Digger becomes an ally of the Superior Octopus.[8][9][10][11]

Gamma mutate

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Digger
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAmazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #51 (May 2003)
Created byJ. Michael Straczynski
John Romita Jr.
In-story information
Alter egoFreddie Carnevale, Santo Castellani, Jimmy "Little Man" Desanti, Louis Fredone, Tony Mascapone, George Sims, and their chief lieutenants
SpeciesComposite gamma mutate
Team affiliationsSinister Syndicate
AbilitiesSuperhuman strength
Enhanced durability
Super-speed
Enhanced agility

The second Digger is the amalgamation of thirteen gangsters who were killed by crime boss Morris Forelli in 1957 during a meeting. He buries their bodies in the desert, where they are exposed to gamma radiation from a test bomb and resurrected as a composite gamma mutate.[2][12]

Spider-Man kills Digger, but they later resurrect via the Green Door and become a minion of Rose.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

Powers and abilities

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Both incarnations of Digger possess superhuman physical abilities. The gamma mutate incarnation of the character can additionally resurrect via the Green Door and possesses the combined memories and skills of their components.[2]

Other versions

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The Roderick Krupp incarnation of Digger is the narrator of Dead of Night Featuring the Man-Thing, a four-issue miniseries starring an alternate universe variant of Man-Thing.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Janson, Tim Mania Comics: "Comic Review: Dead of Night Featuring Man-Thing #1 Archived 2008-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c Allan, Scoot (July 31, 2020). "Spider-Man's 25 Strongest Villains, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  3. ^ Captain America #329
  4. ^ Marvel Zombies 4 #2
  5. ^ Marvel Zombies 4 #3
  6. ^ Marvel Zombies 4 #4 (2009)
  7. ^ Moon Knight vol. 6 #6. Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ Superior Octopus #1. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ The Superior Spider-Man Vol. 2 #1-4. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^ The Superior Spider-Man Vol. 2 #11. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ The Superior Spider-Man Vol. 2 #12. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #51-54. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #1. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #40. Marvel Comics.
  15. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #41. Marvel Comics.
  16. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #42. Marvel Comics.
  17. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #43. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #44. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ "Book Review: Dead of Night (Featuring Manthing) - Issues #1-4". horrornews.net. Horror News. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
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