Riot Squad (comics)

Riot Squad
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Incredible Hulk #345 (July 1988)
Created by	Peter David Todd McFarlane Jeff Purves
In-story information
Member(s)	Hotshot Jailbait Ogress Omnibus Redeemer Rock Soul Man

Riot Squad is the name of a supervillain team in Marvel Comics. They are often depicted as enemies of Hulk.

Publication history

The Riot Squad first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #345 and was created by Peter David, Todd McFarlane, and Jeff Purves.

Fictional team history

When Leader detonated a gamma bomb in Middletown, Arizona, only a few of its population near 5,000 survived where they were all mutated into gamma monsters. Some of the survivors consisting of Hotshot, Jailbait, Ogress, Omnibus, and Soul Man came together with Rock and Redeemer to form the Riot Squad. They became the protectors of Leader's base Freehold and protected it at the time when Leader had a terminal illness. They first clashed with Hulk when Leader would provide him the information on where Betty Ross is in exchange that Hulk kills Madman.

The Riot Squad later worked with the U-Foes to distract Hulk and the Pantheon at the time when Leader was meeting with Agamemnon Hulk and the Pantheon's fight with the U-Foes and the Riot Squad are broken up when Agamemnon reaches an agreement with Leader.

The Riot Squad later fought the forces of HYDRA when they invade Leader's base. They did not fare well against them and the battle resulted in the death of Soul Man (who was in the middle of resurrecting Marlo Chandler). With the Leader also seemingly dead, his position was taken over by Omnibus. Not being content with the Freeholders' peaceful existence and apparently possessed by the Leader's surviving consciousness and mind control powers, Omnibus manipulated Major Matt Talbot and others in the U.S. government in his own power-seeking plans. Omnibus' compatriots learned that he was responsible for the worldwide bombings in the name of the fictitious terrorists of the "Alliance."

The Riot Squad worked with the Avengers to shut down Omnibus' remaining bombs. The rest of Riot Squad judged Omnibus guilty and sentenced him to death. The members of Riot Squad left Omnibus in the arctic to die where he was attacked by a polar bear.

Members

• Rock - When Nick Fury shut down the Hulkbusters, the Leader offered him, Sam LaRoquette, and his former team-mate Craig Saunders Jr. (Redeemer) to help him to defeat the Hulk. Leader changed him into a stone-exoskeleton wearing machine of destruction.
• Redeemer - Craig Saunders Jr. , after being recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D as an advisor alongside Sam LaRoquette, where they were manipulated by the enhanced Leader into becoming his brainwashed pawn along with LaRoquette becoming Rock and Redeemer.
• Hotshot - Louis Lembert is a high school athlete and the boyfriend of Jessie Harrison who was mutated by the gamma bomb where he sported green skin and hair. He can project energy bolts from his hands.
• Jailbait - Jessie Harrison is the girlfriend of Louis Lembert who was mutated by the gamma bomb where she sported green skin. She can create energy cages around what she sees.
• Ogress - Diana Davids is a lawyer who was mutated by the gamma bomb where it gave her green skin, a large muscular physique, and excessive body hair. She possesses superhuman strength and invulnerability.
• Omnibus - Burt Horowitz is a traveling encyclopedia salesman who was mutated by the gamma bomb where he gained green skin and a tall head. He possesses superhuman intelligence.
• Soul Man - Jason McCall is a priest who was mutated by the gamma bomb where he gained green skin. Before the gamma bomb went off, Jason was going to confess that he had embezzled some funds from the church that he worked at. His transformation made him a near-omnipotent being who can resurrect the dead.

External links

• Riot Squad at Marvel Wiki
• Riot Squad at Comic Vine