THE LOONIES
Membership: Billy Bird, Guns Gummy, The Ham, Rochester, Rooster Cockburn, Southpaw, Tailgunner, Tweedie
Purpose: Capture Excalibur and kill them after some mental torture
Affiliations: Arcade (creator)
Enemies: Excalibur (Captain Britain, Meggan, Nightcrawler, Phoenix (Rachel Summers), Shadowcat, Lockheed, Widget), Rochester, Merry Maladies
Base of Operations: Murderworld in Britain
First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (early November, 1989)
HISTORY: The Loonies were built by Arcade at an unknown time. He sent them out to capture Excalibur when he was in Crossmoor Prison.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4) - The Loonies teleported themselves into the HQ of Excalibur through the computer of Shadowcat, who alarmed the team shortly before they arrived. The Loonies were able to defeat Excalibur and put them into carrot confinement containers for the transport.
(BTS) - The Loonies returned to Murderworld with Excalibur and threw Shadowcat into her personal part of Murderworld.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#32/1) - The Loonies seemed confused and Guns Gummy explained the plan again. Tailgunner tried to open the carrot confinement containers with a detonator but it didn't work. Guns Gummy shot with his carrot-gun at the containers which caused an explosion. Blackened, the Loonies stood around while Excalibur fell into their personal parts of Murderworld.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#33/1) - The Loonies had their fun listening to Captain Britain who sat in a chair and walked around in an illusion.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#34/1) - The Loonies were informed that the original plans weren't changed and that someone is messing around with Murderworld. They wanted to find out who it was.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#35/1-36/1 - BTS) - The Loonies searched for the person who was messing around with their plans.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#37/1) - Suddenly the illusion of Captain Britain became real and the Loonies were surrounded by it. Shadowcat screwed around with the programming and the Loonies finally went down to sleep.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#38/1) - The Loonies awoke and followed Excalibur into the Emerald City. They crashed through a window and tried to attack Excalibur while a hologram of their master Arcade laughed. Shadowcat sent her own creations against the Loonies. The Loonies were now fighting the Merry Maladies and couldn't stop Excalibur from fleeing in a hot air balloon.
COMMENTS: Created by Michael Higgins and Erik Larsen.
This storyline was packed with spoofs of famous TV characters and the Loonies were just the tip of the iceberg. More spoofs of this storyline are here. The list is not complete because I don't know some of the originals characters.
CLARIFICATIONS: The Loonies should not be confused with:
Guns Gummy should not be confused with:
The Ham should not be confused with:
Southpaw should not be confused with:
Tailgunner should not be confused with:
Rooster Cockburn should not be confused with:
Billy Bird should not be confused with:
Rochester should not be confused with:
Tweedie should not be confused with:
Guns Gummy
This robot was the leader of the Loonies. His weapons were carrot-guns shooting rays that made people elastic and defenseless. He defeated Captain Britain with his guns at the first fight with Excalibur. He always had to explain the plans again and again to the other Loonies. He blackened all when he caused an explosion as he opened the carrot confinement containers with his carrot-guns. He was later contacted by Arcade because someone was messing around with their plans. He passed out like the other Loonies after he suddenly found himself in Captain Britain's illusion. He was among the Loonies, when they got beaten up by Shadowcats Merry Maladies.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
The Ham
The robot seemed to be able to morph others into pigs with his stuttering (or he was just able to turn others powers against them). At the first fight with Excalibur he turned Meggan from a wolf into a pig and the shock let her pass out. He didn't have a clue what their plan was and got burned by the explosion caused by Guns Gummy. He later passed out in the illusion of Captain Britain and got beaten up by the Merry Maladies when the Loonies tried to attack Excalibur again.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
Southpaw
The robot was able to use his moustache like a hand and had a gun that shot a fluid which turned people solid. At the first fight with Excalibur he nearly lost his gun to Shadowcat but she wasn't counting on his beard. Southpaw fired the gun at Shadowcat and the fluid turned her into a statue. He got burned by the explosion caused by Guns, passed out in the illusion of Captain Britain and got beaten up by the Merry Maladies like the others.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
Tailgunner
The robot was extremely fast and threw stuff like hammers at his opponents. At the first fight with Excalibur Tailgunner teased Lockheed to follow him and threw a hammer against Widget. He finished them with a toy train. Tailgunner failed to open the carrot confinement containers with a detonator which brought up Guns Gummy who blackened all by causing an explosion. Later Tailgunner passed out in the illusion of Captain Britain and got beaten up by the Merry Maladies.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
Rooster Cockburn
This robot was able to mentally command his opponents. He mentally commanded Phoenix to create her greatest fear in her mind and she passed out. Later he went through the same stuff as the other Loonies.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
Billy Bird
This robot was able to slice his opponents with his razor-sharp feathers (they were probably poisoned too). He was the most clueless in the team and lisped. He defeated Nightcrawler who tried to teleport away but was too dazed from the cuts of Billy Bird to avoid the final slash. Later he went through the same stuff as the other Loonies.
Marvel Comics Presents I#31/4 (32/1-34/1, 37/1-38/1
Rochester
This robot was a giant lisping cat and should've killed Shadowcat. Even though her powers were disabled by ear rings she disrupted the systems of Rochester when she touched him. Rochester got angry with her, but Shadowcat was too fast and ripped some cables out of his back. Rochester passed out and Shadowcat reprogrammed him. Later Rochester crashed with Shadowcat, Meggan and Nightcrawler into the part of Murderworld where Phoenix was. Rochester ate Tweedie and saved Excalibur from the explosion.
Marvel Comics Presents I#32/1 (36/1
Tweedie
This robot was able to age people very fast. After Phoenix defeated an illusion of Dark Phoenix Tweedie arrived and began to use its powers against her. Rochester broke through the wall with some members of Excalibur and Tweedie was eaten by him. Rochester exploded and Tweedie was destroyed within him.
Marvel Comics Presents I#36/1
Appearances:
Marvel Comics Presents I#31-38 (November-December, 1989) - Michael Higgins (writer), Erik Larsen (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
First Posted: 01/14/2004
Last updated: 01/14/2004
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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