DOVECOTE
Classification: Terrestrial Mountaintop Citadel
Creator: Unrevealed
User/Possessors: Diatrymas and the Elite
Guard, Guards, Hawk Riders,
executives,
Steven Tuval,
Widowmaker;
Snowfall
(prisoner)
First Appearances: Captain America I#238 (October, 1979)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: Dovecote is located at the "top of the world" (actual location not revealed, I might guess the Swiss Alps, or Himalayas...) on the top of an ice covered mountain. The mountain is lined on all sides by a sheer cliff that is virtually impossible to climb. Powerful freezing winds further inhibit climbing, and make an aerial landing next to impossible.
Hawk-Riders, armed guards who ride atop giant mutated hawks, provide further defense, attacking anyone who nears the top of the mountain or begins to approach the perimeter. The men wear insulated suits with goggles, and carry laser pistols.
An unknown number of regular guards, acting on foot, or using a hovercraft, are based across the entire plateau on which the citadel rests.
The perimeter of the citadel is surrounded by unmarked land mines in a random pattern. Within the field is based the Elite Guard, who ride Diatrymas, immense ratites, or ostrich sized birds. The Diatrymas can run at 50mph and can shred a man with a single swipe of their claws. The Elite Guard is armed with laser pistols.
The gate to Dovecote is several foot thick oak, and the walls are rock and mortar. The gate is defended by Widowmaker, a master warrior with 30 years of combat training (see individual entry).
The top portion of the cliff and the entire plateau is visible by cameras and monitor screens with the central control room. There one of the executives, or another, such as Tuval, can manipulate the internal traps, such as trap doors. The interior of the citadel is staffed with a number of regular guards as well. While Tuval was at Dovecote, he could also project illusions into the mind of the intruder, either leading them into a trap or occupying them until the guards can subdue them.
History:
(Captain America I#238 (fb) - BTS) - Dovecote was
created to be the ultimate safe house. Its creators and even the
people who run it are largely unrevealed. The group is known to
have megalomaniacal goals.
(Captain America I#238 (fb)) - The extra-dimensional telepath, Steven Tuval, learned of and came to be allied with them under unknown circumstances. With their assistance, Tuval abducted the young mutant telepath known as Snowfall to help them accomplish their goals.
(Captain America I#238-239) - Snowfall managed to contact Captain America who came to rescue her. With her aid, he successful survived and overcame both the defenses of Dovecote and Tuval. Tuval fled from Captain America, and the rest of the group, their secret location exposed and routed, fled as well. Upon the realization that the base had been compromised, it was destroyed by a self-destruct program.
Comments: Created by Peter Gillis and Fred Kida.
Dovecote's Hawk-Riders aren't Captain America's the first or last encounter with men riding giant birds: Birdmen of Pa-Pi-Ru Gua (Captain America Comics#28; July 1943, Captain America 3rd story) and the Kamekeri Warriors (Avengers III#28/443; May 2000). The cover of that Avengers' issue is a homage to the cover of Conan The Barbarian#75 (June, 1977) and has the Hawk-Riders of Harakat (see Kulan Gath's profile).
--Gammatotem
images:
Captain America I#238, p9, pan5 (main)
Captain America I#238, p3, pan1 (Hawk-Riders)
Captain America I#238, p9, pan2 (guards)
Captain America I#238, p13, pan5 (on giant birds)
Appearances:
Captain America I#238-239 (October-November, 1979) - Peter Gillis (writer), Fred Kida (pencils), Don Perlin (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
First Posted: 09/04/2001
Last Updated: 08/11/2018
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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