Skinner (comics)
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Skinner is a fictional villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Howard Mackie and Adam Kubert.
Publication history
Skinner first appeared in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance issue three, in 1992 and in other series such as Nightstalker and Morbius, the Living Vampire, as part of the "Siege of Darkness" storyline. He later appeared in the limited series Over the Edge
Fictional character biography
Skinner initially had a violent life, but he tried to abandon this and settled down with a wife, who bore him children. However, his wife Pilgrim and the supervillain Blackout went to his home in an attempt to get him to return to his life of crime. Skinner than embarked on a quest to kill Ghost Rider and Blaze. He encountered them in a diner, and threatened to kill the people inside until Blaze bargained with Skinner that if he fled, Skinner could chase him. Blaze could have fled but instead he waited for Skinner, and the two fought. Here Skinner told Blaze that he had kill his own family so he could be committed to his mother, and so that they could not work for her. Skinner did slay his family so they would escape the attentions of Lilith.[volume & issue needed]
In battle, Blaze repeatedly shot Skinner with his shotgun, until Skinner was only a skeleton. He survived, however, but Ghost Rider arrived and killed him with hellfire. After they left, however, Skinner regenerated.[volume & issue needed]
After this Skinner sought out new humans in order to steal their flesh so that he may appear human again. He decided he would wear his mothers flesh for revenge. He later attempted to kill Blaze and Ghost Rider again, this time by running then over with a stolen truck. A battle then followed, which Blaze would have lost had it not been to intervention from Lilith and Centurious appeared and abducted Blaze and Skinner, leaving Ghost Rider.[volume & issue needed]
Skinner later escaped, only to be captured again, this time by the government, who planned to use him in a research and containment center called the Black Hole. Skinner was operated on so that they could discovered what his flesh was made out of, and the center's supervisor, Spook, was cruel to Skinner and taunted him over the death of his family. Ghost Rider was later imprisoned in the center, which allowed Skinner to escape as well. Skinner then started a prison break, which caused Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers to come and try to keep the situation under control. During the riot Skinner attacked Ghost Rider. Ghost rider used his penance stare on Skinner, which did weakened Skinner and made Ghost Rider feel the pain of Skinner's victims.[volume & issue needed]
After escaping the Black Hole, Skinner, who pleased by the news of his mother's death, ended his feud with Blaze and Ghost Rider, and no longer pursued then for revenge. He was later captured and imprisoned in the Vault. After its destruction by the U-Foes, however, Skinner escaped and set out on a quest to kill those who he feels are responsible for the death of his family.[volume & issue needed]
Powers and abilities
Skinner is a member of the Lilin species of demons, and as a result he possesses all the abilities which the Lilin possess. He also has superhuman strength, the ability for spikes to appear on his skin which can cut through steel. He can also wear the skin of human victims in order to look like them. He believed to be immortal and invulnerable, demonstrated by how Ghost Rider's Penance Stare failed to have the effect on him it usually has on people.
In other media
A Skinner action figure has been released.