SALAMANDER K'RUEL

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Warrior, Insurrectionist

Group Membership: Killmonger's Legions

Affiliations: Agent of Erik Killmonger and his Legions (Baron Macabre, Death Regiments, Kazibe, King Cadaver, Lord Karnaj, Malice, Sombre, Tanzika, Tayete, Venomm--and presumably Madam Slay,); ally of M'Halak

Enemies: Black Panther (T'Challa), Wakandan Government

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: N'Jadaka Village, Wakanda

First Appearance: Jungle Action II#15 (May, 1975)

Powers/Abilities: K'Ruel is covered with bumps and razor sharp, needle-like quills. He is also a skilled archer and used specially designed arrows containing nitroglycerine tips which explode on impact.

History: Like most of Killmonger's agents, Salamander K'Ruel obtained his powers from the energies of the Resurrection Altar.

(Jungle Action II#15) - After the Black Panther and his allies routed N'Jadaka Village, Killmonger sent Salamander K'Ruel to punish him. K'Ruell ambushed the Panther in Serpent Valley. The Panther narrowly dodged K'Ruel's first arrow and feigned injury, enabling him to get the drop on K'Ruel's partner, M'Halak. K'Ruel loosed another arrow, which the Panther also dodged. However, when T'Challa unwittingly grappled with K'Ruell, he was punctured by hundreds of quills and passed out from the pain. Rather than finish off the Panther, K'Ruell bound him to two cacti and left him for two pteradons to feed on. However, T'Challa managed to mount one of the pteradons and forced it to lead him back to K'Ruell. Salamander fired an arrow right through the approaching pteradon's head, but T'Challa used the momentum of his flight to enhance the force of his kick. He then polished off the stunned Salamander by cracking his bow over his head. T'Challa returned to the Wakandan palace with K'Ruell before passing out.

(Jungle Action II#17) - Salamander K'Ruel was trapped under rubble when Killmonger ran a group of dinosaurs through the palace, shattering it. The rest of Killmonger's legions left him behind.

Comments: Created by Don McGregor and Billy Graham.

I had ol' Salamander listed in my notes for Jungle Action II#17, but I couldn't find him. Bob Almond, Inker Extraordinaire, and fellow obscure character buff, was kind enough to point out him on page 15, panel 5. Thanks Bob!

-Alternate future versions of many of Killmonger's former allies, including Salamander K'Ruel, were seen in the "Once and Future King" timeline (Earth-11236), @ Black Panther III#36 and 37.

• Twenty-five years in the future, Killmonger and his allies joined forces with Achebe and T'Charra, the renegade son of T'Challa. Even after T'Charra slew Killmonger, his former allies continued with the plan, now working for T'Charra. K'Ruel, along with several others, were thrown out of a window and knocked out during a short struggle with Luke Cage (Power Man) and the Falcon (Sam Wilson).
  Everett Ross referred to K'Ruell and his cronies as: Individuals in desperate need of both a DICTIONARY and a TAILOR.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• Kruell, Victor Krueller, an old agent of the Kingpin, @ Daredevil I#338
• Crule, one of the External/Highlord-deal-guys, @ X-Force#10,12
• Cruella DeVille, the villainess from 101 Dalmations
• "Cruella" Cortese, one of the mob princesses involved with Pirannha Jones, @ Terror INC#6, 7
• Neut, one of the characters from the Crossing @ Avengers I#391
  This is the guy who's supposed to have killed Gilgamesh, the Forgotten One!!!

Appearances:
Jungle Action II#15 (May, 1975) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Jungle Action II#17 (September, 1975) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (artist), Len Wein (editor)
Black Panther III#36-37 (December, 2001 - January, 2002) - Christopher Priest (writer), Sal Velluto (pencils), Bob Almond (inks), Mike Marts (editor)

First Posted: 09/01/2002
Last updated: 09/01/2002

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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