Slipknot (comics)
| Slipknot | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Drawn by Joe Staton in Millennium #4. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Fury of Firestorm #28 (1984) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Christopher Weiss |
| Team affiliations | Suicide Squad Kobra 2000 Committee |
| Abilities | Mastery of Ropes, Assassin Training |
Slipknot is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. His first appearance is in Fury of Firestorm #28.
Fictional character biography
Slipknot's real name is Christopher Weiss. He works for a chemical company in the Southern United States, where he develops his formula for the durable ropes he would later use.
Weiss is sent by the 2000 Committee, under the command of Henry Hewitt, to kill Firestorm. The villain Multiplex kidnaps Lorraine Reilly, AKA Firehawk. Firestorm defeats Slipknot and rescues Lorraine.
Slipknot would later join with other villains, such as Multiplex, who all attack Firestorm. This leaves Slipknot in police custody.
Suicide Squad
Slipknot comes under the attention of the Suicide Squad. They are a varied team, all serving the government for their own reasons. Many members are criminals, who are promised a reduced sentence if they survive their missions.
Slipknot is taken along when the threat of the Manhunters arises on earth during the Millennium crisis. A stronghold of Manhunter robots is discovered deep in American swamplands not far from the Suicide Squad's own base located in the Belle Reve prison. Slipknot and the Squad, including members such as Bronze Tiger, Rick Flagg, and Captain Boomerang are sent in to escort the "Baby Huey" (a car-bomb laced with an experimental high yield explosive) on a search and destroy mission. Slipknot discusses the 'arm band bombs' with Captain Boomerang. These deterrent devices are placed on the less trustworthy members and are set to explode if the person goes too far out of range. Captain Boomerang states that he believes the bombs are fake. This is enough for Slipknot. When he discovers his talent for strangling is useless against robots he makes a run for it into the swamp. The device begins beeping and flashing an alarm but Slipknot ignores the warning and once he gets out of range, his right arm is blown off. Boomerang, who had not been sure of the bomb's reality himself, thinks 'better you than me'. Following the success of the mission, in which the Manhunter base is destroyed and the Squad's medic Karin Grace is sacrificed, Slipknot is found, weakened and bleeding but still alive, by Duchess (Lashina in disguise).[1]
Identity Crisis
Slipknot is later in prison in the Identity Crisis series, having taken up the Kobra religion, and the practice of hissing while he talks.[2] He is labeled as the initial suspect of making the attempt on Jean Loring, after Superman finds out that the knots used on the rope were the ones which used to be Slipknot's trademark (a fact remarked by Oracle). Green Arrow, then, decided to check it for himself, bringing Wonder Woman along, seeing as her Lasso of Truth would enable him to confess if he was really the perpetrator, but as it turns out, he knew nothing of the schemes of the mysterious criminal (which was later found to be Jean Loring herself).
Infinite Crisis
During Infinite Crisis, it is revealed that Slipknot was captured by OMACs, who have scheduled him and dozens of other supervillains for execution. He escapes when Robin defeats the OMACs, but is quickly captured again and put into U.S. Army custody.
One Year Later
Slipknot is on the cover of Checkmate v2 #20, but does not appear in the comic's interior.
He appears again in the 2009 mini-series Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink fighting the new Tattooed Man, Mark Richards, in league with fellow mercenary Cannon. His right arm, missing from his ill-fated mission with the Suicide Squad, was replaced with a bionic appendage, but the replacement limb was badly damaged while fighting the Tattooed Man. In retaliation, Slipknot killed Richards' son.[3] In order to gain the Tattooed Man's loyalty to the new villainous version of the Titans, Deathstroke captures Slipknot for the Tattooed man to kill. [4] The Tattooed Man is able to kill Slipknot after a brutal fight by beheading him with a wire.[5]
Powers and abilities
Mastery of ropes, assassin training, use of unbreakable ropes.
Other versions
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, Slipknot is imprisoned in military Doom prison. During the prison break, a corrections officer Amazo breaks Slipknot's arm.[6]
Similar Villains
Most well-known among counterparts with a similar niche are Green Arrow foe Roper and Hawkman villain Lasso.
In other media
Film
- Slipknot will makes his live action debut in the upcoming film Suicide Squad portrayed by Adam Beach.[7]
References
- ^ Ostrander, John (w), McDonnell, Luke (p), Lewis, Bob (i). "The Final Price" Suicide Squad, no. 9 (January, 1988). DC Comics.
- ^ Identity Crisis #4 (November 2004)
- ^ Titans: Villains For Hire Special (May 2010)
- ^ Titans (vol. 2) #30 (December 2010)
- ^ Titans (vol. 2) #31 (January 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2 (July 2011)
- ^ Woods, John (April 9, 2015). "Adam Beach to play DC Comics villian Slipknot in new film". Winnipeg Free Press.