BURNER
Real Name: Byron Calley
Identity/Class: Human mutant
Occupation: Mercenary-for-hire;
formerly mutant rights activist
Group Membership: None;
formerly Mutant Force (Lifter, Peeper, Shocker, Slither), Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the Resistants
Affiliations: Baron Strucker, Cloud, Harridan, Leviathan, Mad Dog, Magneto, Minister Blood, Power Broker, Professor Power, Red Skull (Shmidt), Scourge III, Secret Empire, Seraph, Sin, S.W.O.R.D., Taskmaster, Watchdog Prime, Arnim Zola
Enemies: Battlestar, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain America (John Walker), a Chlorite, Code: Blue, Dead Ringer, Defenders (Angel, Beast, Gargoyle, Hellcat, Iceman, Nighthawk, Son of Satan, Valkyrie/Brunnhilde, Wasp, Yellowjacket), Freedom Force (Avalanche, Blob, Crimson Commando, Destiny, Mystique, Pyro, Spiral, Super-Sabre), Guardian (James Hudson), Mandrill, Manta, Mister One and Mister Two, New Warriors (Aegis, Bolt, Namorita, Nova, Speedball, Turbo), a Sentinel, S.H.I.E.L.D., Super-Patriot (Mike Farrell), Joshua and Beatrice Walker, Wolverine (James "Logan" Howlett)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Crucible
Base of Operations: Unrevealed (possibly Krakoa);
formerly Resistant headquarters in Death Valley, California;
formerly Secret Empire headquarters in upstate New York;
formerly Magneto's New York base
First Appearance: Captain America Annual#4 (1977)
Powers/Abilities: Burner is a mutant with the ability to cause combustion in objects psionically and can pyrokinetically project flames from his hands. He is immune to the flames he creates.
Height: 5'10''
Weight:
175 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White
History:
(Captain America Annual#4 (fb)) - Calley was recruited, alongside four other mutant men (Lifter, Peeper, Shocker, Slither), to serve in Magneto's new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
(Captain America Annual#4) - Wanting to exploit a tiny spaceship he had found, Magneto sent the Brotherhood to apprehend the diminutive Mister One, who controlled the large Mister Two. The villains attacked One and Two, and Captain America, in a park. During the battle, Calley surrounded the three heroes with flames, then used the combustion to knock them off balance. When SHIELD arrived, the Brotherhood fled back to headquarters, and Magneto captured Mister One. The Brotherhood was shocked to learn the plot involved the tiny spaceship. When Captain America and Mister Two attacked, Calley set Mister Two on fire. Calley ignored a warning from Peeper, and was knocked unconscious by Captain America. When Mister One exploded the tiny spaceship, the villains were forced to flee.
(Defenders I#78) - The five mutants, abandoned by Magneto, were hired by the Mandrill and given the team name of the Mutant Force, a name they kept in the following years. They attacked a Coloradan Air-Force base with an army of female warriors (under the control of the Mandrill). When the Defenders (Hellcat, Valkyrie, Wasp, Yellowjacket) attacked, Calley focused his powers on the tanks of the surrounding military until he was zapped by the Wasp. When things got out of hand, Calley, Lifter, and Peeper were able to escape with a pile of gold and an unconscious Yellowjacket, leaving Shocker and Slither behind.
(Defenders I#79) - The three villains battled the Defenders alongside the women warriors again and rescued their teammates. During the battle, Calley used his flames to pursue the Wasp. After capturing Valkyrie, Hellcat, and the Wasp, they returned to the base, where Mandrill put the women under his control and put Valkyrie in charge of the Mutant Force. The mutants caroused with the controlled women, and Calley danced with one. After the Wasp escaped, the Mandrill ordered his forces to attack the Air Force again.
(Defenders I#80) - In their battle with the army, Calley tried to fry the Wasp with his flames, but missed. All the surviving soldiers were rounded up in one building and held under an electrical field created by the Shocker. Nighthawk attacked, and Calley and Shocker tried to stop him, but soon the field was shorted out and the Mutant Force was quickly defeated.
(Defenders I#83) - The Mutant Force, still in custody, was brought before a special United States Intelligence Services branch. They agreed to become special government operatives in exchange for full presidential pardons.
(Defenders I#87 (fb)) - After the Hulk invaded a baseball stadium, the Mutant Force was sent in with the army to stop him, and the stadium was evacuated. During the battle, Calley tried to catch the Hulk in an inferno, but the Hulk clapped his hands together and put out the flames. Calley kept firing at the Hulk, and tried to remove all the oxygen in the air around the Hulk so the Hulk would pass out, but the Hulk leapt away. Valkyrie and Hellcat attacked, and Valkyrie repelled Calley's flames with her sword. When Valkyrie knocked a structure down on the mutants, the Hulk escaped.
(Defenders I#87) - The Mutant Force was called to testify against the Defenders in what they thought was a government inquisition (but was actually the alien Tribunal). Lifter testified about their recent battle with the Defenders.
(Captain America I#346 (fb)) - When the government lost its funding for the Mutant Force program, they were cut loose (coincidentally, another Brotherhood of Evil Mutants team would later take their place as Freedom Force).
(Defenders I#125 (fb)) - No longer working for the government, the Mutant Force (minus Peeper) was recruited by the Secret Empire alongside several other operatives. Mad Dog was put in charge of the Mutant Force.
(Defenders I#125) - Mad Dog and the Mutant Force were sent in to attack the Defenders at the wedding of Hellcat and the Son of Satan in Greentown, Ohio. During the battle, Gargoyle's bio-mystic blasts exploded against Calley's flames, knocking Calley out. The villains were quickly defeated.
((New) Defenders I#126) - The villains were held in SHIELD null-fields for questioning. Professor Power arranged for their release while Leviathan created a distraction.
((New) Defenders I#128) - Equipped with special strength-sapping devices, Calley fought alongside the other Secret Empire operatives (Mad Dog, Mutant Force, Leviathan, Seraph, and Harridan) against the Defenders, who were quickly captured.
((New) Defenders I#129) - Mad Dog and the Mutant Force fought off the attacking Defenders while the Secret Empire launched a satellite that would start a world war.
(New) Defenders I#130) - The satellite exploded, and the Defenders quickly defeated the villains.
(Captain America I#426 (fb)) - The Red Skull offered to finance the Mutant Force members to form a pro-mutant terrorist group. The team (minus Slither) reoutfitted as the Resistants, and changed their codenames. Calley changed his to Crucible.
(Captain America I#343) - Calley, Lifter (as Meteorite), Peeper (as Occult), and Shocker (as Paralyzer), in their new Resistant costumes, flew on a rock toward a helicopter where Quill, a mutant, had been captured by Captain America (John Walker) and Battlestar. Calley blasted a hole in the side of the helicopter, then set Battlestar on fire. The team rescued Quill; their purpose was a public statement against the Mutant Registration Act.
(Captain America I#346) - Calley, Meteorite, Quill, and Mist Mistress (another Resistant) moved to rescue Mentallo (who they believed to be a mutant) from a Vault transport van. Calley blasted a hole in the van with his flames. Mentallo (now going by Think-Tank) returned to the Resistant headquarters in Death Valley, California, with the villains. Another Resistant mission, this time with more members, moved to rescue Quicksilver before realizing it was a trap set by Freedom Force. As the two teams battled, Captain America attacked (Walker). During the battle, Calley almost fell to his death, but was rescued by Meteorite. During the battle, Occult was severely electrocuted and Meteorite was gunned down. The Mutant Force was decisively beaten.
(Captain America I#368) - While the Resistants picketed in front of the White House, Magneto (actually one of Machinesmith's robots) appeared and opened fire on them. Captain America (Rogers) dismantled the robot.
(Captain America I#394) - Calley attended a meeting before the Red Skull alongside several other operatives financed by the Red Skull. He watched as the Scourge was killed for failing in his assignment, then reported on Resistant activity.
Captain America I#426) - Calley (Crucible), with Peeper (Occult) and Lifter (Meteorite), flew in on a flying rock to attack the Mutant Liberation Front, but noticed Captain America and the Night-Flyer (Super-Patriot and the Dead-Ringer in disguise) trying to rob an armored car. They switched their plans and 'attacked the heroes.' Calley and Occult fired on the heroes, knocking them to the ground. After a short battle, Dead-Ringer, in the guise of Death-Adder, knocked Calley unconscious. After all three of the Resistants were defeated, Code: Blue arrived and arrested them, who were framed for the armored car robbery.
(New Warriors II#6) - Back together as the Mutant Force, the villains attacked an armored truck for money. The New Warriors noticed and attacked. An invisible Namorita dodged Burner's blasts, then punched him out, leading Burner to believe that one of the Warriors was a telekinetic. All the villains were quickly defeated.
(JLA/Avengers#4) - Nagan was one of the many villains used by Krona to guard his base from the JLA and Avengers.
(X-Men: Watchers on the Walls: Chapter 14: Exposure (Northern): In British Columbia, Manta pursued a Chlorite alongside a Sentinel, Wolverine, and Guardian. Seeking to catalogue all mutants, they battled and defeated Mutant Force (Burner, Lifter, Peeper, Slither).
(Dark Reign: The Hood#1) - Burner joined Hood's army and hung out at one of Hood's safe houses.
(S.W.O.R.D. II#3 - BTS) - When Earth came under attack by Knull, Symbiote God of the Void, he formed a symbiote shell around it. Looking for a way to destroy the symbiote-shield both Lifter and Burner volunteered their help to S.W.O.R.D. (the mutant space program). S.W.O.R.D. send Manifold to meet Prince Djagyar of the Zn'rx in an effort to use the Zn'rx War of Succession (also known as Snarkwar) to their advantage. As such Manifold offered the Zn'rx Lifter and Burner as weapons in exchange for their help in destroying the symbiote shell that surrounded Earth. Manifold mentioned that the mutants actually hoped for a fatal end saving them a lot of bother. Djagyar, however, refused the offer as Knull's quest was actually beneficial to him.
Comments: Created by Jack Kirby.
Over the years Burner has received very little attention or character development. He has almost a Three-Musketeers-look with his long hair and moustache. Several flame-powered characters (from the Human Torch to Pyro) became hugely popular, but he just never caught on, it seems.
Burner received profiles as part of the Mutant Force in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#9 (1986) and as part of the Brotherhood of Mutants in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z#2 (2008). Burner's real name came from his OHOTMU appearance.
Profile by Chadman
CLARIFICATIONS:
Burner/Crucible has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#9, p20, pan2 (main image)
Captain America Annual#4, p16, pan4 (first appearance)
Defenders I#87, p26, pan4 (fighting the Hulk)
Captain America I#426, p15, pan1 (as Crucible)
New Warriors II#6, p1, pan1 (facing the New Warriors)
Appearances:
Captain America Annual#4 (1977) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), John Verpoorten & John Tartaglione (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Defenders I#78 (December, 1979) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#79 (January, 1980) - Ed Hannigan (writer, pencils), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#80 (February, 1980) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#83 (May, 1980) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Don Perlin (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#87 (September, 1980) - Ed Hannigan (writer), Don Perlin (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#125 (November, 1983) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Defenders I#126 (December, 1983) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin & Alan Kupperberg (pencils), Kim DeMulder & Paul Becton (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Defenders I#128 (February, 1984) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Alan Kupperberg (pencils), Mike Mignola (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Defenders I#129 (March, 1984) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Defenders I#130 (April, 1984) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Captain America I#343 (July, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Kieron Dwyer (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#346 (October, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Kieron
Dwyer (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#368 (March, 1990) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#394 (November, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik
Levins (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#426 (April, 1994) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Dave
Hoover (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
New Warriors II#6 (March, 2000) - Jay Faerber (writer), Jason Armstrong (pencils), Walden Wong (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
JLA/Avengers#4 (February, 2004) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Perez (artist), Tom Brevoort & Dan Raspler (editors)
X-Men: Watchers on the Walls (May, 2006) - Christopher L. Bennett (writer)
Dark Reign: The Hood#1 (July, 2009) - Jeff Parker (writer), Kyle Hotz (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
S.W.O.R.D. II#3 (February, 2021) - Al Ewing (writer), Valerio Schiti, Ray-Anthony Height, Bernard Chang, Nico Leon (pencils, inks), Annalise Bissa, Jordan D. White (editors)
First Posted: 09/28/2005
Last Updated: 02/07/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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