DECAY
Real Name: Yoshiro Hachiman
Identity/Class: Human/"Host"; magically empowered
Occupation: Efficiency expert
Group Membership: Exemplars
formerly: Stark-Fujikawa Inc.
Affiliations: Valtorr (power source);
presumably Oshtur;
see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Oshtur from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot
Enemies: Avengers (Captain America/Steve Rogers, Firestar/Angelica Jones, Giant Man/Hank Pym, Hercules, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Justice/Vance Astrovik, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Thor/Odinson, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams), Avengers Unity Squad (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Brother Voodoo/Jericho Drumm, Captain America/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Vision), Juggernaut (Cain Marko), J. Vernon Mann, Nova (Richard Rider), Professor X, Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "The Hatchman"
Base of Operations: Japan, Stark-Fujikawa Inc. headquarters
First Appearance: Iron Man III#22 (November, 1999)
Powers/Abilities: Yoshiro has a passion for efficiency and elegance and a great love of art. As Decay, he has a "touch of death" which causes all organic objects he touches to die.
History:
BTS - Born in Japan. Not well liked in his workplace, where he is believed to enjoy firing people.
(Iron
Man III#22) - Goes to Platform#5, fifteen kilometers off the coast of
Tahiti, to see if it is working efficiently. Suddenly hears "the call"
and jumps into the ocean, swimming down to the Temple of Valtorr, where he finds the Verdant Vial of Valtorr.
BTS - Yoshiro was turned into Decay, returns to the platform, and kills all onboard.
(Iron Man III#22) - Seen on the platform, surrounded by bodies, saying "The call has gone forth... Now only a few left to be chosen" Later comes to take Carnivore with him.
(Peter Parker Spider-Man II#11) - Revealed to be present in the basement of the Daily Bugle, along with the rest of the Exemplars. Fights Spider-Man. Later, when Spider-Man returns with Dr. Mann, Iron Man and Thor, fights them.
(Juggernaut: Eight Day) - Awaits the completion of the "God Machine", along with the rest of the Exemplars. Argues with Carnivore. When Juggernaut turns against the Exemplars, Decay tries to destroy him, but is knocked down. When the Exemplars lose, he vanished along with the rest.
(Avengers III#23) - Along with Conquest and Stonecutter, discovers Carnivore in the Himalayas, and brings him with them for the ultimate revenge on Juggernaut.
(Avengers III#24) - Destroys the "garden" created by Tempest in the stone plaza created by Stonecutter. Later, along with the rest of the Exemplars, appears before the Avengers and kidnaps Juggernaut.
(Avengers III#25) - Decay prepares for the execution of Juggernaut and the massive battle to follow, along with the other Exemplars, at the stone plaza. Suddenly, the stone plaza is attacked by the Avengers, Spider-Man and Nova. Decay fights Spider-Man, Giant-Man, Quicksilver and the Wasp, and later Thor and Hercules. In the end, Decay and the other Exemplars are successful in defeating all the superheroes except for Captain America, and is defeated himself when Captain America managed to persuade Bedlam to turn against her partners; Decay vanished.
SECRET WAR HAPPENED
(Black Knight III#2) - The Exemplars returned and were stopped by the Avengers Unity Squad. They were all shocked when Black Knight apparently slew Carnivore with the Ebony Blade.
Comments: Created by Kurt Busiek, Roger Stern and Sean Chen
According to Kurt Busiek the costumes for all the Exemplars (except for Juggernaut) were designed by Jos&eacte; Ladrönn. Thanks to Minor Irritant for the information.
Black Knight III addition by Markus Raymond.
Profile by: The Beetle
CLARIFICATIONS:
Decay of the Exemplars has no known connection to...
images: (without ads)
Avengers III#24, p17, pan1 (main image)
#25, p9, pan3 (head shot)
Iron Man III#22, p7, pan3 (Temple of Valtorr)
p7, pan6 (Vial of Valtorr)
Appearances:
Iron Man III#22 (November, 1999) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern
(writers), Sean Chen (pencils), Rob Hunter, Rags Morales, Nelson &
Eric Cannon (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#11 (November, 1999) - Howard Mackie
(writer), John Romita Jr (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Ralph Macchio
(editor)
Juggernaut: Eight Day (November, 1999) - Joe Casey (writer), Terry
Shoemaker (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Avengers III#23 (December, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#24 (January, 2000) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez
(pencils), Al Vey & Dick Giordano (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#25 (February, 2000) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Black Knight III#2 (February, 2016) - Frank Tieri (writer), Luca Pizzari & Kev Walker (artist), Wil Moss (editor)
First Posted: 01/23/2003
Last updated:01/12/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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