SOUL SKINNER
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human mutant
Occupation: Psychic tormentor
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Omega Red (unwilling ally)
Enemies: Darkstar, Alexi Garnoff, Colonel Vazhin, Omega Red, the X-Men (Cyclops, Psylocke, Iceman, Jubilee, Colossus, Wolverine)
Known Relatives: Unnamed wife (deceased); Oskana (daughter, deceased)
Aliases: "The Skinner of Souls"
Base of Operations: Neftelensk, Russia.
First Appearance: X-Men II#17 (February, 1993)
Powers: >The Soul Skinner was a superhuman mutant with great psychic powers. He possessed the ability to enter the minds of others and bring forth their greatest anguish, despair and regrets. He fed off of these emotions, leaving his victims mindless husks. He could also apparently control his "skinned" subjects, as he did with Omega Red. He could also cast illusons and make things appear invisible. His monstrous form is most likely a psychic manifestation of himself, similar to the Shadow King. The Soul Skinner's powers did not work on children.
History: (X-Men II#19(fb))- The future Soul Skinner used his powers in an attempt to save his dying daughter's life. This failed, and his daughter died anyway. He then discovered that his wife had been a Flagwatch, a government agent assigned to keep an eye on him, for the past 14 years. Furious over this betrayal and the fact that she didn't use her government connections to attempt to save her daughter's life, the Soul Skinner again utilized his psychic ability to slay her.
BTS - The Soul Skinner used his powers to erase the minds of the entire population of Neftelensk, with the exception of the children, who were sequestered in a barn outside town.
(X-Men II#17)- Darkstar and Alexi Garnoff investigated the "erasing" of the town's population. They too fell prey to the Soul Skinner and were mind-wiped. Simultaneously, the X-Men were visiting Colossus' family in Siberia. The Russian government took note of this, but made plans to send Omega Red into Neftelensk to investigate. After Omega Red was reported missing for 48 hours, Colonel Vazhin travelled to Siberia to enlist the X-Men's aid.
(X-Men II#18)- On the psychic plane, the Soul Skinner confronted and defeated Omega Red, turning him into his pawn. The X-Men were drafted by Vazhin to investigate the town of Neftelensk and discovered its inhabitants' mindless state. They were attacked by the controlled Omega Red, who defeated them all except Colossus and Colonel Vazhin. The Soul Skinner entered Cyclops' mind, and experiencing Cyclops' losing of his son and its similarity to his own situation, was forced out in pain. The Russian government decided to accelerate Illyana Rasputin's growth so that her mutant ability, teleportation, couuld be used to send the Soul Skinner into another dimension. The process might end up killing her, however. In procurring her, they killed her and Colossus' parents.
(X-Men II#19)- The Soul Skinner psychically tortured the X-Men with their greatest fears/regrets; Wolverine was attacked by a Mariko/Silver Fox amalgam, Jubilee saw her parents and Psylocke was shown in bed with Cyclops! He then sent Omega Red after Colossus and Vazhin. The government agents arrived with Illyana in the accelerator and Colossus confronted them. The Soul Skinner showed up and revealed that Colossus' parents were killed by them. This in turn resulted in Colossus attacking Vazhin, who didn't know of this development. The Soul Skinner attacked the X-Man psychically, only to break off the attack due to his own guilt. He then turned on the accelerator so Illyana would be able send him to another plane. Colossus recovered, and had Psylocke link the children of the village with the Soul Skinner. Their innocence caused the Skinner to shut his mind off. His body was then killed by a bullet fired by Colonel Vazhin.
Comments: Created by Fabian Nicieza and Andy Kubert.
The "Soul Skinning" was apparently not permanent, as Darkstar, Omega Red and the X-Men all recovered. The Soul Skinner must have mind-wiped his wife to a much greater degree for it to cause her physical death.
This storyline was the beginning of the end for Colossus. He lost his parents, which led to Illyana getting taken to the X-Mansion, where she died from the Legacy Virus. Ultimately Colossus sacrificed his own life so that the virus would be cured.
Personally, I think the "resurrection", madness and death of Mikhail
was "the beginning of the end" which occured a few months before after
which Peter was forced to tell his parents and little sister what
happened.
I'm not sure, but I think he was only called the Soul Skinner on the
covers...the Skinner of Souls is what he was referred to in the comic
itself.--Jordan Brodie
Judging from her OHOTMU Master Edition file, Nicieza had originally planned to kill Illyana in the climax of the Soul Skinner story, but changed his mind, and gave her the Legacy Virus instead. How thoughtful...-Prime Ed-ternal
by The Squid
Clarifications: The Soul Skinner should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Other appearances:
X-Men II#18-19 (March-April, 1993) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Andy Kubert (pencils), Mark Pennington, Dan Panosian, Bob Wiacek (#19) & Al Williamson (#19) (inks), Bob Harras (editor)
Last updated: 08/01/02
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