RAYMOND SIKORSKI

Real Name: Raymond Sikorski

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Recruiter for Roxxon Blackridge;
former National Security advisor, liaison to the Avengers

Group Membership: Roxxon Blackridge, Commission on Superhuman Activities, National Security Council

Affiliations: Avengers, Guardsman (Michael O'Brien), Henry Peter Gyrich, Maria Hill, Jack Kooning, Project: PEGASUS, Sepulchre

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Avengers I#235 (September, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Raymond Sikorski is an ordinary human, but is gifted at politics, particularly in areas of "red tape."

Height: 5'1"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Gray (originally brown; balding); possible hairpiece

History: (Avengers I#235) - Sikorski, a man unused to super-heroes who found even their existence hard to believe, was forced to call upon the Avengers for assistance after it was discovered that the Plantman had helped the Wizard escape prison with a plant duplicate. Because the Plantman had attempted to kidnap the President, Sikorski was brought in, and turned to the Avengers for help. The Avengers wound up finding the Wizard, and he was returned to prison.

(Avengers I#237) - The Avengers contacted Sikorski to ask for clearance to make Spider-Man a trainee member of the Avengers. Sikorski flat-out refused their request, pointing to the Pentagon's belief that Spider-Man was a security risk.

(Avengers I#243) - Sikorski joined Henry Peter Gyrich on a visit to Avengers Mansion to meet with the Vision, who was acting as the Avengers' chairman. Desiring to establish greater control over the Avengers' actions, and to free up their abilities at a governmental level, the Vision used subtle mind-control upon both men so that Gyrich would resign as the Avengers' security liaison and name Sikorski as his successor.

(Avengers Annual#13) - Sikorski attended a meeting with the Vision and Captain America over the devices created by Bruce Banner which were kept at his Northwind Observatory. In order to ensure security at the site until the equipment had been examined by the government, Sikorski allowed a team of the Avengers to remain on site.

(Avengers I#255) - Sikorski attended a meeting at the Pentagon in which General Peabody raged over the revelation that the Vision had taken control of the nation's computers. Peabody demanded that swift retaliatory action be taken against the Avengers, but Sikorski refused to repeat Gyrich's mistakes, believing that the Avengers would have an explanation. However, the Vision confessed to his actions, and stepped down as chairman.

(Avengers I#258, Amazing Spider-Man I#270) - The Avengers returned from a mission to the Savage Land to find Sikorski and two FBI agents interrogating Jarvis, while other men dismantled the mansion's equipment. Sikorski explained to the Avengers that because of the Vision's earlier actions, their priority clearance had been suspended. Sikorski apologized to the Avengers for what he had done, but observed that at least he had not shut them down altogether, as many of his colleagues had wanted. The Avengers then set out to deal with Firelord, who had been battling Spider-Man in New York while they were away. The Avengers brought Firelord back to the mansion, where Sikorski was concerned that he might be a security risk, but Hercules demonstrated that he could keep him in line.

(Vision and the Scarlet Witch II#1) - Sikorski joined in Gyrich's investigation of the Vision at Project: PEGASUS, but disapproved of Gyrich's treatment of the Avenger. When the Scarlet Witch demanded that the Vision be released, and Sikorski heard the Vision describe his humanity, Sikorski became convinced that the Vision was human and allowed him to leave, saying he would take responsibility for doing so.

(Avengers I#263) - Sikorski was mortified when the Avengers informed him that they had made the Sub-Mariner a member of their team, but the Wasp observed that as their security clearance had been revoked, the government no longer had any say over whom they inducted into their ranks, and assured him that the Sub-Mariner would work out as a member.

(Vision and the Scarlet Witch II#7) - Sikorski accompanied the Vision as he examined the Toad's synthezoid replica of Mastermind kept at Project: PEGASUS. When the synthezoid attempted to free the Toad, Sikorski joined Vision and the Guardsman in pursuing it, but it managed to save the Toad.

(Avengers Annual#15) - Sikorski joined Gyrich and Dr. Valerie Cooper in a hearing at the Vault over allegations Quicksilver had made against the Avengers which portrayed them as treasoners. Sikorski attempted to stand up for the Avengers, but Gyrich and Cooper had them incarcerated at the Vault. The team was ultimately released when Quicksilver's testimony proved to be false.

(Avengers I#278 (BTS)) - Sikorski contacted the Wasp to let her know that he was still unable to fully restore the team's security clearance.

(Captain America I#344) - Sikorski responded to an alert from the Avengers that Washington's water supply had been contaminated by the Viper's snake venom, and informed Douglas Rockwell of the Commission on Superhuman Activities, which Sikorski was also a member of. Rockwell informed him that the new Captain America and Battlestar would deal with the matter, rather than the Avengers. Later, Sikorski joined the Commission in confronting D-Man, Diamondback and Nomad, who had all been taken captive by Walker and Hoskins.

(Captain America I#345) - Sikorski observed as Steve Rogers turned himself over to the Commission, only to be thrown into prison.

(Captain America I#346) - Sikorski joined Dr. Cooper and Rockwell in interrogating D-Man, but he refused to give up any information on Steve Rogers to them.

(Captain America I#347-348, 350) - Sikorski joined with other members of the Commission in being increasingly alarmed at John Walker's actions as Captain America, and repeatedly attempted to have him removed, only to be blocked by the President, and by Commissioner Rockwell. Sikorski was also with Dr. Cooper when the body of Douglas Rockwell was taken away after he was killed by the Red Skull. Ultimately, the Commission attempted to have Rogers reclaim the identity, only for him to refuse, until Walker convinced Rogers that he was the man best suited to the job.

(Captain America I#351) - Sikorski joined the Commission for a press conference in which John Walker returned the identity of Captain America to Steve Rogers, and witnessed Walker's apparent death after being slain by a man disguised as a Watchdog.

(Captain America I#354) - Sikorski joined the Commission to a summons at the Special Powers Compound where they were introduced to the U.S. Agent, whom General Haywerth revealed to be John Walker. They observed as Walker fought and soundly defeated a Guardsman dressed in the armor of Iron Monger.

(Captain America I#355) - Sikorski contacted Captain America on behalf of the Commission on Superhuman Activities to inform him that John Walker was alive, that the Commission was assigning him to the West Coast Avengers, and that the government wanted to buy the right to the design of the costume Cap had worn while he was "The Captain", and allow Walker to wear it as the U.S. Agent.

(West Coast Avengers II#44) - Sikorski was contacted by the west coast branch of the Avengers, and revealed to them that he had assisted in the inter-government project to dismantle and reprogram the Vision (see Vigilance). He also informed them that the U.S. Agent would be their new team leader.

(Soviet Super Soldiers#1) - Sikorski attempted to aid Captain America in retaining Darkstar, Vanguard, and Ursa Major in America after they had applied for asylum, but they were ultimately forced to return them to Russian custody.

(Punisher: No Escape) - Sikorski joined the Commission in appointing the U.S. Agent to apprehend the Punisher, but he wound up siding with the Punisher against the Maggia, and disobeyed his orders.

(Avengers I#326) - Sikorski oversaw the arrival of Illarion Ramskov, a Russian man exposed to radiation at Chernobyl who required a bone marrow transplant. When Ramskov, in a delirious state, melted through the floor of the hospital, Sikorski contacted the Avengers to help return him. He briefed the Avengers on Ramskov as they arrived on location.

(Avengers I#327) - While the other Avengers fought Ramskov, Sikorski informed Captain America that the Avengers' charter had been canceled by the President as part of their country's arms limitation treaty with Russia. Captain America was outraged, but had to deal with the crisis at hand caused by Ramskov.

(Thunderbolts I#21 (fb)) - Sikorski joined the Commission in meeting with Hawkeye when he sought their approval to reform the Thunderbolts into heroes. They refused his request, and threatened to charge him as an accessory after the facts to their crimes.

(Thunderbolts II#112) - Sikorski gave an interview on TV about the problems caused by unregistered superhumans and that the government couldn't allow them to simply ignore law.

(Thunderbolts II#113) - By phone, Jillian Woods (Shadowoman, Sepulchre) was contacted by Sikorski of Roxxon Blackridge (Roxxon's private security division). He wanted her to work as security for them at some middle-eastern holdings, and arranged to meet her in Phoenix on the following day.

(Thunderbolts II#115) - Following her inadvertent involvement in a battle between the Thunderbolts and the American Eagle and Steel Spider, Sepulchre crashed through the window into the legal office where Sikorski and as associate waited. She accepted their job offer, asking to leave the country as soon as possible.

(Iron Man IV#23) - The Commission, with Sikorski as commissioner, held a hearing on the strange death of Graviton with Iron Man coming under fire from Norman Osborn over the recent deaths of two Initiative members, Gadget and Paragon. Later, in a closed-room session, Secretary of Defense Jack Kooning and SHIELD commander Maria Hill confronted the CSA with evidence that Iron Man was experiencing mental instability. The CSA had Doc Samson relieve Iron Man of duty for the time being.

Comments: Created by Roger Stern, Bob Budiansky and Joe Sinnott.

Sikorski's name has often been misspelled as "Sikorsky."

Sikorski's betrayal of the Vision in WCA II#44 rings hollow, given that he had been convinced of the Vision's humanity back when the government already had him in custody. Gyrich would have been a more believeable government official to conspire in the Vision's dismantling because...well, it's Gyrich, innit?

Poor Sikorski...Stern intended for him to be a more helpful liaison for the Avengers, as opposed to all the trouble Gyrich had given the team over the years. Well, he was certainly an improvement over Gyrich, but he still gave the team quite a bit of grief. It's discouraging to think that the most cooperative liaison the Avengers have ever had is the one who forced them to accept Triathlon...

Ray is currently working for Roxxon Blackridge. If this means he has quit his job with the Commission and the NSA is unknown.

A 1987 promo card for the Hawkeye Solo Avengers series lists Sikorski as National Security Council Director (on the back of the card, which is an Avengers membership card mockup).
--Marcelo Cury

Profile by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Raymond Sikorski should not be confused with:

• Sikorsky, the Chr'ylite medic to the Starjammers, @ Uncanny X-Men#156