THE ASSASSIN

Real Name: Frank Scalise

Identity/Class: Normal human (late 1920s or early 1930s)

Occupation: Professional killer

Affiliations: Worked for Mr.Big

Enemies: Captain Doyle; Detective Nolan; Night Raven

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The City, possibly New York or Chicago, circa the 1930s.

First Appearance: Hulk Comic#7/6 (April 18th 1979)

Powers/Abilities: The Assassin was a highly skilled marksman, extremely accurate knife thrower, and deadly hand-to-hand fighter. He was also athletic and very agile, and capable of creating extremely convincing false face masks.

History: (Hulk Comic#7/6) - In a secret shooting-alley deep under the city, gang-leader Mr.Big watched as a gunman fired at a target shaped like the vigilante Night Raven, striking it three times between the eyes with three rapid shots. The audition over, an impressed Mr.Big nevertheless pointed out that the true test would not be against a dummy, but the real thing. The shooter assured him "The Assassin never fails!"

Later that night two thugs mugged an elderly drunk, only for Night Raven to intervene. Having soundly beaten the crooks, he handed the old man his wallet back, warning him not to carry so much money about. Reaching inside his jacket, the mugging victim replied that the money wasn't much, merely a down payment. As he drew a pistol, he added that he would get the rest once he killed his rescuer...and pulled off his mask to reveal that he was the Assassin in disguise.

(Hulk Comic#8/6) - The Assassin had the drop on his target, but at the crucial moment, police Detective Nolan chanced across the scene. He called out, distracting the Assassin for just a second, and Night Raven took the opportunity to stun his assailant with a well-placed blow. Momentarily stunned, the killer recovered a few seconds later to see Nolan trying to arrest Night Raven. The Assassin cocked his gun, intending to shoot the vigilante in the back, but the masked man heard the noise and dived to one side as the shot was fired. The bullet struck Nolan in the shoulder, and the detective passed out. Night Raven kicked the pistol from the Assassin's hand, and the hitman in turn punched the crime-fighter in the face, then used a nearby fire-escape to swing feet first into Night Raven, knocking the vigilante off his feet. Perhaps deciding the odds were temporarily unfavourable, the Assassin then fled up the fire escape. Night Raven pursued, using his grapple gun to climb swiftly after his opponent, but the athletic killer leapt to an adjacent fire escape, then drew a knife and skillfully threw it, severing the vigilante's line and causing him to plummet to the pavement far below.

(Hulk Comic#9/6) - Spotting that his target had managed to survive the fall by hooking a line over a large wooden jib jutting out from the building, the Assassin jumped down onto the jib to confront Night Raven again.

(Hulk Comic#10/6) - Night Raven threw his trenchcoat over the Assassin's head, temporarily blinding him, then swept the hitman's legs out from under him. Falling from the jib, the Assassin managed to grab the edge of the beam, and used his momentum to swing right round under it, coming back up to deliver a resounding kick to the vigilante's back. Knocked off his perch, Night Raven fell rapidly groundwards again. The masked man grabbed at a sign attached to the building, and swung round, smashing through a window into the speakeasy within, ironically one owned by Mr.Big himself. Fighting his way out and taking Mr.Big hostage en route, Night Raven was tackled from behind by the Assassin as he exited the building.

(Hulk Comic#11/6) - The Assassin had Night Raven in a deadly choke hold, but the vigilante threw his assailant over his shoulder. The Assassin grabbed a nearby plank of wood with nails imbedded in it and swung it at his foe. Night Raven ducked under the attack, delivered a solid blow to his enemy's jaw, and then struck the Assassin across the forehead with the palm of his hand, burning his Raven brand into the killer's face. Inside the speakeasy the recently arrived police pursued some of Mr.Big's fleeing gunmen. Hearing a noise from a door behind them, the cops turned and fired in unison...and the Assassin staggered out, mortally wounded by the volley. He collapsed at the feet of Captain Doyle, who noted the brand and a note pinned to the dead man's chest - the calling cards of Night Raven.

Comments: Created by Steve Parkhouse and David Lloyd.

Assassin received a real name in Night Raven's profile in OHotMU A-Z HC#8.

Profile by Loki

CLARIFICATIONS: The Assassin has no known connection to and should not be confused with

Last updated: 12/05/03

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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