RINGER
Real Name: Keith Kraft
Identity/Class: Human, technology user
Occupation: Professional criminal
formerly: waiter
Group Membership: Masters of Evil;
formerly Shadow Initiative (Badd Axe, Batwing, Barracuda, Bengal, Blackwing, Butterball, Firearms, Johnny Guitar, Komodo, Riot, Slaughter Boy, Stronghold, Warbow), Hammer Industries
Affiliations: Barrier,
Blacklash, Brother Grimm, Coachwhip, Force of Nature (Aqueduct, Skybreaker, Sunstreak, Terraformer), Freedom Force (Challenger, Cloud-9, Equinox, Think Tank), Griffin, Justin Hammer, Killer Shrike, Razor-Fist, Scorcher, Tinkerer
AIM Weapons
Expo
Enemies: Avengers Resistance (Debrii, Gauntlet (Joseph Green), Justice (Vance Astrovik), Night Thrasher (Donyell Taylor), Rage, Scarlet Spider, Slapstick, Tigra, Ultragirl), Boomerang, Captain America, Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry), Moon Knight, Pantheon (Achilles, Ulysses), Punisher (Frank Castle), Secret Avengers (Black Ant, Black Widow/Natasha Romanova, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde, Venom/Eugene "Flash" Thompson), Secret Avengers (Black Widow, Phil Coulson, Nick Fury Jr., Hawkeye, Mockingbird), She-Hulk, John Steele, Taskmaster, Thunderbolt, U-Foes (Ironclad, Vapor, Vector, X-Ray)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Ringo"
Place of Birth: Dixon, California
Base of Operations: Bagalia;
formerly Los Angeles, California
Education: Dixon High School graduate
First Appearance: Marc Spector: Moon Knight#10 (January, 1990)
Powers/Abilities: The Ringer wears a battlesuit which can fire a variety of rings which can wrap around and incapacitate his opponents. His rings can also explode, create ice, and form a ladder, lasso or whip. He flies an anti-gravity platform for transportation.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History: (Marc Spector: Moon Knight#10) - During the events of "Acts of Vengeance", Ringer met up with Killer Shrike and suggested that they join their forces in chasing after super-heroes. Although Killer Shrike considered his abilities to be inferior, he agreed. As they set out, they encountered Coachwhip, who also joined their hunting party. She nicknamed Ringer "Ringo," much to his chagrin.
When the trio noticed Moon Knight, they launched into an attack. Moon Knight managed to crash Ringer's hovercraft, knocking him unconscious. When he awoke, Ringer tried to help Killer Shrike against Moon Knight, but accidentally tangled Killer Shrike in his rings instead. Ringer fled the scene, minus his comrades.
(Incredible Hulk Annual#17/4) - Ringer was employed alongside Barrier and Blacklash by Justin Hammer to help convince a teenager named Luis into becoming the costumed criminal Thunderbolt. Hammer sent the four men to break into Edwards Air Force Base to steal plans for an experimental plane, but Achilles and Ulysses of the Pantheon appeared to warn Luis that Hammer couldn't be trusted. Ringer was struck down by Ulysses, but his stray rings wrapped around Thunderbolt's legs, but Thunderbolt was still able to defeat Blacklash. Achilles set Ringer aside for the authorities.
(Marvel: Year in Review '92) - The Ringer served drinks at the Bar With No Name in Springdale, Connecticut, and overhearing Peter Sanderson wonder if the Jester performing stand-up was the one who fought Daredevil, explained that the Jester was a second-generation villain like he who inherited the costume. He also informed him that the audience was waiting for the next act, Dansen Macabre and her Exotic Dance Troupe. He fled the bar when someone in management dressed up as Scourge to chase them all out so that they could close the bar for the evening.
(Captain America I#411-413) - The Ringer was one of the many dozens of villains who visited the AIM Island Weapons Expo. While there, he witnessed Captain America's battle against Mad Dog, Ramrod, General Wo, and Razor-Fist while disguised as Crossbones. After Batroc revealed to the audience that he was Captain America and offered $50,000 to whoever beat him, Ringer joined the melee. Upon realizing he was truly facing Captain America, he held back, asking someone else to go first. Bereft of his weapons, the Ringer was easily beaten by Captain America.
(Sensational She-Hulk#59) - The Ringer attended the
Trapster's lawsuit against the Tinkerer to testify on the Tinkerer's
behalf. When the super-villains on either side of the case turned on
each other, Ringer fought with Boomerang and Whirlwind. When She-Hulk
intervened, she played off of the similarities between Ringer's and
Boomerang's gimmick weapons to make them squabble with each other, then
knocked out both of them at once.
(Punisher War Journal II#4) - Ringer attended the wake for Stilt-Man, who had been killed by the Punisher. Along with the other villains in attendance, Ringer was secretly poisoned by Punisher, who was in attendance in disguise as the bartender. Though the poison was not enough to kill any of the attendees, it slowed them down enough so they couldn't escape as the Punisher blew up the bar the wake was being held in as he walked away.
(Avengers: The Initiative#26) - With a large influx of Initiative recruits under Norman Osborn's regime, the ranks of the Shadow Initiative were bolstered by members of Heavy Mettle (Barracuda, Blackwing, Riot, Stronghold, Warbow), the Larcenous Three (Badd Axe, Firearms), Butterball, Ringer, and Slaughter Boy, who joined Batwing, Bengal, and Komodo. Butterball oddly sought the Ringer's autograph.
(Avengers: The Initiative#27) - The Shadow Initiative, after a brief period of training, stormed the Negative Zone gates and started fighting for 42. Among their enemies were Blastaar's alien hordes and inmates, such as Hardball, Arthur Nagan, Condor, and Dragon Man. Slaughter Boy, Blackwing, and Johnny Guitar were the first killed. Firearms soon panicked and was killed at the gate trying to escape. Bengal and Komodo used Butterball to get them in close. The Shadow Initiative moved in until Dragon Man attacked, but that turned to their favor when he began defending the injured Komodo. The tables turned when Hardball began aiding the Initiative, then Taskmaster, Constrictor, Penance, Living Laser, and Scorcher came in to take care of the rest. The survivors of the Initiative began understanding their true place in the Initiative now.
(Avengers: The Initiative#28) - When the Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry) succeeded from the Initiative, Osborn sent the Force of Nature (Aqueduct, Skybreaker, Sunstreak, Terraformer), the U-Foes (Ironclad, Vapor, Vector, X-Ray), Freedom Force (Challenger, Cloud-9, Equinox, Think Tank), members of the Shadow Initiative (Badd Axe, Ringer (Keith Kraft), Warbow), and other trainees (Brother Grimm, Griffin, Scorcher, Razor-Fist) to attack them. They briefly battled the Avengers Resistance (Debrii, Gauntlet (Joseph Green), Justice (Vance Astrovik), Night Thrasher (Donyell Taylor), Rage, Scarlet Spider, Slapstick, Tigra, Ultragirl). Prodigy and Night Thrasher were captured, but the others escaped.
(Avengers: The Initiative#29) - The Avengers Resistance (Gauntlet, Justice, Rage, Scarlet Spider, Slapstick, Tigra, Ultragirl) attacked Camp HAMMER in an attempt to free the captive Night Thrasher. They fought off HAMMER agents, Scorcher, Ringer, Quicksand, and Badd Axe before Taskmaster and Penance arrived to stop them. During the fight, Scarlet Spider kicked Ringer in the jaw.
(Avengers: The Initiative#30) - The Hood stood with Taskmaster, Black Mamba, Quicksand, Ringer, and Scorcher when the Avengers Resistance invaded their camp, but they soon escaped with Penance's help. Penance then returned to his room, telling the others not to bother him.
(Avengers: The Initiative#31) - During Osborn's visit to Camp HAMMER, Ringer stood on display to showcase the group's discipline.
(Avengers: The Initiative#33) - Ringer was among the villains defending Camp HAMMER when the Avengers Resistance attacked it.
(Avengers: The Initiative#34) - The Hood enhanced the powers of his villains with his Norn Stones, allowing Badd Axe to hold his own against Ultragirl (narrowly missing slicing her stomach with his axe) and Ringer to bind Justice (despite his telekinesis). Soon, Penance, Batwing, Bengal, and Butterball joined the fight, and Rage attacked Badd Axe while Bengal fought Ringer. When Hood departed with his army, he purposefully left the lesser known soldiers behind, horrifying Badd Axe, who was soon defeated by Butterball (who took his axe) and Tigra.
(Avengers: The Initiative#35) - Without his magic-enhanced powers Ringer apparently fled from the battle at Camp HAMMER.
(Secret Avengers I#29) - Ringer joined the Masters of Evil alongside hundreds of members in Bagalia. They attacked John Steele on behalf of Max Fury; Steele later died.
(Secret Avengers I#30 - BTS) - The Masters of Evil were taken over by the Abyss, who sought to spread them to the outside world.
(Secret Avengers I#31 - BTS) - The Abyss-possessed villains moved to Bagalia's borders as the Secret Avengers tried to stop them.
(Secret Avengers I#32 - BTS) - The Abyss was vanquished and the Avengers let the villains go free, having no authority in Bagalia.
(Secret Avengers II#2) - Ringer was among the villains of Bagalia who battled the Secret Avengers, who sought to free Taskmaster.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#1/2) - Ringer hung out at the Bar With No Name in NYC with rookie villains playing pool.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#6) - Ringer was present at the Bar With No Name at the funeral service for Francine. He talked to 8-Ball and Killer Shrike how cops these days didn't even know what to do with them anymore with all super-prisons gone.
Ringer took an offer from Black Cat to join her gang after she prevented Parker Industries from creating a new super-villain prison. He and other villains met her at the Slide-A-Way, a secret gambling parlor.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#8) - Silk caught Ringer stealing a case of diamonds in the Diamond District.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#16/2 (fb) - BTS) - Sport busted Ringer out of prison and he bought new equipment from Tinkerer, owing them both money as a result.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#16/1) - At the Slide-A-Way an unconscious Ringer was dragged to the back room on Black Cat's orders after returning from his failed heist.
(Amazing Spider-Man III#16/2) - Black Cat punished Ringer for shortchanging her on her weekly cut. Ringer tried to explain that he owed money to Spot and Tinkerer, which was the reason why he couldn't give Black Cat more. He played possum and when he attacked Black Cat, Melter and Killer Shrike got beaten up by Black Cat badly, who ordered Killer Shrike and Melter to make an example of Ringer.
Comments: Created by Chuck Dixon, Sal Velluto and Keith Williams.
A Ringer was seen in JLA/Avengers#4, but since the characters in this story were pulled forward from different times it could've been another Ringer.
His real name was revealed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z#9.
by Prime Eternal
Update by Chadman: Secret Avengers.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Ringer should not be confused with:
Images taken from:
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#10, page 12, panel 2
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#10, page 25, panel 3
First Posted: 10/24/2004
Last updated: 06/01/2016
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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