View source for Scourge of the Underworld

{{short description|Fictional comic book characters}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox comics character<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image= [[Image:Scourge of the Underworld.jpg|200px]]
| caption= The Scourge as depicted in ''[[Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe]]''.
| character_name= Scourge of the Underworld
| real_name= Various
| publisher= [[Marvel Comics]]
| debut= ''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #194 (May 1985)
| creators= [[Mark Gruenwald]] (writer) <br /> [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] (artist)
| alliances=
| aliases=
| powers= Master of disguise <br />Exploding armor-piercing bullets
}}
'''The Scourge of the Underworld''' is the name of a series of fictional characters appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]].

Writer/editor [[Mark Gruenwald]] originally created the Scourge in 1985 as a plot device intended to thin the criminal population of the Marvel Universe, in particular eliminating those [[supervillain]] characters he deemed to be too minor, redundant, or ill-conceived.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |date=2017 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1465455505 |page=220}}</ref> Numerous other characters have used the name, often with differing motives and loyalties.

==Fictional character biography==
The Scourge is originally depicted as an unnamed vigilante dedicated to killing criminals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=September 20, 2014 |title=Knowledge Waits: Every Supervillain Death by the Original Scourge of the Underworld! |url=https://www.cbr.com/knowledge-waits-every-supervillain-death-by-the-original-scourge-of-the-underworld/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Harth |first=David |date=September 10, 2023 |title=Why A Villain Who Kills Villains Is Perfect For ''Avengers, Inc.'' |url=https://www.cbr.com/avengers-inc-scourge-marvel-comics-info-guide/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Faraci |first=Derek |date=September 15, 2017 |title=10 Amazing (And 5 Terrible) Marvel Characters We’ll Never See In The MCU |url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-best-worst-characters-never-in-mcu-movies/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |language=en}}</ref> His killing spree reaches its apex in ''[[Captain America]]'' #319, where he kills eighteen criminals at an underworld meeting held to devise a way of countering him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webber |first=Tim |date=March 30, 2024 |title=Welcome to the Bar with No Name, the Marvel Universe's Hangout for Villains |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/bar-with-no-name-explained-villain-hangout |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Marvel.com}}</ref> When Captain America captures the Scourge, he claims to be the brother of the [[Enforcer (comics)|Enforcer]], whom Scourge killed because his criminal activities shamed their father. He claims that this crime led to him creating the Scourge persona with help from a private investigator only identified as Domino, who provides him detailed information on supervillains. Immediately after making this confession, the Scourge is murdered by an unseen assailant.<ref>''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #320 (April 1986)</ref>

Following this story, several imposter Scourges are introduced. The Scourge's creator, [[Mark Gruenwald]], explained that while he wanted to resolve the mystery of the Scourge sooner rather than later, he feared that if he brought the Scourge back too soon he would run out of low-tier villains for him to kill and would have to either start killing off mid-tier villains or create new villains for the sole purpose of being victims of the Scourge.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=James |last=Van Hise |title=With Armor and Shield |magazine=[[Comics Feature]] |issue=51 |date=January 1987 |publisher=Movieland Publishing |page=31}}</ref>

In 1993, Gruenwald wrote a four-part ''[[U.S. Agent]]'' miniseries to resolve the mysteries involving the Scourge of the Underworld. The series revealed that the various Scourges belong to an organization that [[Angel (Thomas Halloway)|Thomas Halloway]] established following his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matadeen |first=Renaldo |date=October 19, 2019 |title=Marvel Just Brought Back Captain America's Deadliest Foe From the 1980s |url=https://www.cbr.com/captain-america-scourge-of-the-underworld-return/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |language=en}}</ref>

Various characters have assumed the Scourge mantle since the original's death, including [[Nuke (Marvel Comics)|Frank Simpson]],<ref>''[[Thunderbolts (comic book)|Thunderbolts]]'' #133 (August 2009)</ref><ref>''Thunderbolts'' #136 (November 2009)</ref> [[Paladin (comics)|Paladin]],<ref>''Villains for Hire'' #4 (May 2012)</ref> and a brainwashed [[Jack Monroe (character)|Jack Monroe]] and [[Demolition Man (character)|Dennis Dunphy]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>''Thunderbolts'' #49 (April 2001)</ref><ref>''Captain America'' (vol. 6) #12 (July 2012)</ref><ref name=":1" />

==Villains killed by the Scourge==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
! Name !! First appearance !! Last appearance 
|-
| [[Enforcer (comics)|Enforcer]] || ''[[Ghost Rider (comic book)|Ghost Rider]]'' #22 (February 1977) || ''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #194 (May 1985) 
|-
| [[Miracle Man]] || ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #3 (March 1962) || ''[[Thing (comics)|Thing]]'' #24 (June 1985) 
|-
| [[Hate-Monger]] || ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #279 (June 1985) || ''[[Secret Wars II]]'' #2 (August 1985) 
|-
| [[Megatak]] || ''[[Thor (comic book)|Thor]]'' #328 (February 1983) || ''[[Thor (comic book)|Thor]]'' #358 (August 1985) 
|-
|[[Melter]]
|''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' #47 (November 1963)
|''[[Avengers (comic book)|Avengers]]'' #263 (January 1986)
|-
| [[Lascivious (comics)|Titania]] || ''[[Marvel Two-in-One]]'' #54 (August 1979) || ''[[Thing (comics)|Thing]]'' #33 (March 1986) 
|-
| [[Basilisk (comics)|Basilisk]] || ''[[Marvel Team-Up#Marvel Team-Up|Marvel Team-Up]]'' #16 (December 1973) || ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #289 (April 1986) 
|-
| [[Human Fly (character)|Human Fly]] || ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]] [[annual publication|Annual]]'' #10 (January 1976) || ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #276 (May 1986) 
|-
| [[Death Adder (character)|Death Adder]]|| ''[[Marvel Two-in-One]]'' #64 (June 1980) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #318 (June 1986) 
|-
| [[Blue Streak (comics)|Blue Streak]] || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #217 (January 1978) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #318 (June 1986) 
|-
| [[Wraith (Brian DeWolff)|Wraith]] (Brian DeWolff) || ''[[Marvel Team-Up#Marvel Team-Up|Marvel Team-Up]]'' #48 (August 1976) || ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #278 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Red Skull#Albert Malik|Red Skull]] (Albert Malik) || ''Captain America Comics'' #61 (March 1947) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #347 (November 1988) 
|-
| An unnamed member of the [[Watchdogs (Marvel Comics)|Watchdogs]] || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #351 (March 1989) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #351 (March 1989) 
|-
| [[Black Abbott (comics)|Black Abbott]] || ''[[Marvel Team-Up]]'' #147 (November 1984) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #394 (November 1991) 
|-
| Wrench (Kurt Klemmer) || ''[[Omega the Unknown]]'' #6 (January 1977) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #394 (November 1991) 
|-
| [[Hammer and Anvil (comics)|Hammer and Anvil]] || ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|Incredible Hulk]]'' #182 (December 1974) || ''[[Marvel Fanfare]]'' #29 (November 1986) 
|-
| <span class="anchor" id="Blowtorch Brand">Blowtorch Brand</span> || ''[[The Defenders (comic book)|Defenders]]'' #135 (September 1984) || ''[[U.S. Agent]]'' #2 (May 1993) 
|-
| [[Jaguar (Marvel Comics)|Jaguar]] || ''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' #120 (April 1975) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Mirage (Marvel Comics)|Mirage]] || ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #156 (May 1976) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| Hellrazor || ''[[Marvel Team-Up#Marvel Team-Up|Marvel Team-Up]]'' #87 (November 1979) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| Shellshock || ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four Annual]]'' #5 (November 1967) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Bird-Man]] || ''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' #157 || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Cyclone (Marvel Comics)#André Gerard|Cyclone]] || ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #143 (April 1975) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Ringer (comics)|Ringer]] || ''[[The Defenders (comic book)|Defenders]]'' #51 (September 1977) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Turner D. Century]] || ''[[Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)|Spider-Woman]]'' #33 (December 1980) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Grappler (comics)|Grappler]] || ''[[She-Hulk]]'' #18 (July 1981) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Cheetah (Marvel Comics)|Cheetah]] || ''[[Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)|Captain Marvel]]'' #48 (January 1977) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Vamp (comics)|Vamp]] || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #217 (January 1978) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Commander Kraken]] || ''[[Namor|Sub-Mariner]]'' #27 (July 1970) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Letha (character)|Letha]]|| ''[[Marvel Two-in-One]]'' #54 (August 1979) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| Steeplejack || ''[[Ms. Marvel]]'' #14 (February 1978) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Mind-Wave]] || ''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' #133 (May 1976) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Rapier (comics)|Rapier]] || ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man|The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual]]'' #2 (August 1980) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Firebrand (Marvel Comics)#Gary Gilbert|Firebrand]]|| ''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #27 (July 1970) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|-
| [[Hijacker (comics)|Hijacker]] || ''[[Tales to Astonish]]'' #40 (February 1963) || ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #319 (July 1986) 
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Scourge_of_the_Underworld Scourge of the Underworld] at Marvel.com
* {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix2/scourgevictims.htm|Victims of Scourge of the Underworld}}

{{Avengers}}
{{Captain America characters}}
{{Fantastic Four}}
{{Spider-Man characters}}
{{John Byrne}}
[[Category:Characters created by John Byrne (comics)]]
[[Category:Characters created by Mark Gruenwald]]
[[Category:Comic book terrorist organizations]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1985]]
[[Category:Fictional assassins in comics]]
[[Category:Fictional mass murderers]]
[[Category:Fictional serial killers]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics male supervillains]]
[[Category:Vigilante characters in comics]]