AQUEDUCT
Real Name: Peter Van Zante
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Criminal;
former soldier
Group Membership: Force of Nature (Firebrand, Firewall, Sunstreak, Skybreaker, Terraformer);
formerly Thunderbolts Army Omega Squad (Killer
Shrike, "Snake" Marston, Ox, Slyde), Masters of Evil (Bison, Blackwing,
Boomerang, Cardinal, Constrictor, Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer),
Cyclone
(Pierre Fresson), Dragonfly (Veronica Dultry),
Eel (Edward Lavell),
Flying Tiger,
Icemaster, Joystick,
Klaw, Lodestone,
Man-Ape,
Man-Killer, Quicksand, Scorcher,
Shatterfist,
Shockwave, Slyde,
Sunstroke,
Supercharger,
Tiger Shark),
Hammer's Hammers (Beetle/Abner Jenkins, Blizzard/Donald Gill, Constrictor/Frank Payne, Death-Shield/Timothy Karlskin, Discus/Timothy Stuart, Leap-Frog/Vincent Patilio, Man-Killer/Katrina van Horne, Melter/Bruno Horgan, Porcupine/Roger Gocking, Spymaster, Stiletto/Thomas Stuart, Taskmaster/Tony Masters, Whiplash/Mark Scarlotti)
Affiliations: Avengers (Ares, Hawkeye (Bullseye), Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn), Ms. Marvel (Karla Sofen), Sentry (Robert Reynolds), Spider-Man (Mac Gargan), Wolverine (Daken)), Beetle (Abe Jenkins), Blizzard (Gregor Shapanka), Brother Grimm, Constrictor, Crossbones, Discus, Dr. Doom, Enforcer, Firebrand (Gary Gilbert), Freedom Force (Challenger, Cloud-9, Equinox, Think Tank), Gargantua, Griffin, Justin Hammer, Sheik Hurani, Leap-Frog (Vincent Patilio), Ray Mantis, Melter, Mole, Moondark, Norman Osborn, Porcupine (Alex Gentry), Project: Earth (Madeline Baldwin, Omar Barrenos, Li Muan Ho, Michael Shauneghan, Sasha Yamir), Razor-Fist, Scorcher, Shadow Initiative (Badd Axe, Ringer, Warbow), Stiletto, Wizard (Bentley Wittman), Yesal
Enemies: Arabian Knight (Abdul Qamar), Asgardians, Avengers Resistance (Debrii, Gauntlet (Joseph Green), Justice (Vance Astrovik), Night Thrasher (Donyell Taylor), Rage, Scarlet Spider, Slapstick, Tigra, Ultragirl), Francis Barnum, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Falcon, Fantastic Four (Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura), Thing), Fred, Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze), Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry), Hydro-Man, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mr. Marek, New Warriors (Chord, Firestar, Marvel Boy (Vance Astrovik), Namorita, Nova (Rich Rider), Rage, Silhouette, Speedball), Peoples' Armed Front (Araq Mezdbadah), Percy, Shang-Chi, Scythia (Hippolyta), Thunderbolts (Atlas (Erik Josten), Charcoal, Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Jolt, Songbird), Trans-Sabal army (General Halladah)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Water Wizard
Base of Operations: Variable
First Appearance: Ghost Rider II#23 (April, 1977)
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Powers/Abilities: Aqueduct can psionically control liquids within five hundred feet of him. By stacking water molecules, he can form water into different forms, such as giant hands or humanoid shapes, and will these forms to attack others and follow other commands. He can propel himself forward on jets of water, or fire water in heavy bursts at others. Aqueduct can drain the water from living beings as well, causing death by dehydration in others. After thirty minutes of steady use, he can experience mental fatigue. If Aqueduct is knocked unconscious, his water constructs dissipate. For a time, Aqueduct’s control over his powers was mystically enhanced by the mystic Moondark, but this enhancement was short-lived. Aqueduct can not convert water into ice or steam.
History:
(Ghost Rider II#23 - BTS) - An American soldier wounded in a Viet Nam conflict by a rocket, Peter was picked up by the military and transported to the medical ship by helicopter in a massive typhoon. The doctors couldn’t perform a normal surgery due to the weather, and decided to stimulate Peter’s cells with an experimental ray, hoping to keep him alive until they could operate. However, a lightning strike fused the ray’s circuits and a full charge hit Peter, stabilizing him. Peter soon discovered that he could control water with a wave of his hand, but he kept his talent secret for years until an acquaintance, Mole, convinced him to use his talents to become a costumed villain. He developed a costume and called himself Water Wizard.
(Ghost Rider II#23) - For his first criminal act, Water Wizard, who was slightly nervous, used a watery giant procured from a fire hydrant to steal bonds and negotiable securities from a local storefront, run by Mr. Marek. He created tentacles from the sprinkler system to hold the store’s patrons while he escaped. When two policemen, including Fred, tried to stop him, the watery giant knocked them aside, then melted away while Water Wizard drove off. Growing more confident, Water Wizard counted his stolen goods with Mole, and the two were interrupted by the Enforcer, who offered Water Wizard one million dollars to kill Ghost Rider.
(Ghost Rider II#24 (fb) - BTS) - Water Wizard used his powers to recover a disintegrator ring that Enforcer had lost in the San Diego harbor.
(Ghost Rider II#23) - Water Wizard traveled to Ghost Rider’s workplace, the Stuntmaster TV show set at the studios of Charles Delazny (Water Wizard was tipped off about this by Enforcer), and caused a waterfall to sprout hands and topple Johnny Blaze from his bike. Blaze quickly changed into Ghost Rider and went riding from the building, where Water Wizard hit Ghost Rider with a mass of water, then formed a giant watery axe. Ghost Rider, held in a watery hand, used his hellfire to escape, then Water Wizard fled to a nearby pool and formed a tidal wave to hit Ghost Rider. Water Wizard was then hit with hellfire, causing him to feel his soul on fire and flee.
(Ghost Rider II#24) - Enforcer picked up Water Wizard, who was still reeling from the hellfire blast. Enforcer had his stooge Galton tie up Blaze, and they threw him over a cliff, thinking him dead. Enforcer then took Water Wizard back to his headquarters, where he lorded over his powers and threatened to kill a scientist just before Ghost Rider, still alive, attacked again. Despite Enforcer’s orders, Water Wizard made a run for it until regaining his confidence. He created a watery monster and had it attack Ghost Rider, who soon dissolved it with hellfire. He dissolved a few other watery monsters, then attacked Water Wizard directly, knocking him out with a series of punches.
(Iron Man I#126) - Justin Hammer hired Water Wizard alongside Beetle, Blizzard, Constrictor, Discus, Leapfrog, Melter, Porcupine, and Stiletto to act as his lieutenants. He called on them to attack Iron Man when the hero arrived.
(Iron Man I#127) - When Iron Man tore through the ranks of Hammer's minions, Water Wizard ignored Hammer's orders and fled, making a "surf-scooter" out of water to ride away on.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14) - Water Wizard committed crimes for the next few months, eventually tiring of the Mole taking a share of the profits. He struck out on his own, leaving the Mole behind. He chose to relocate to Chicago when law enforcement closed in on him.
(Ghost Rider II#59 (fb) - BTS) - Discouraged from his losses, Water Wizard hid out in Chicago for a time.
(Ghost Rider II#59) - When Water Wizard saw Ghost Rider ride by, he confidently attacked the hero with a watery snake from a fire hydrant. Ghost Rider, however, blasted the snake with hellfire and knocked Water Wizard aside into a puddle, simply riding away. Questioning his goals and self-worth, Water Wizard was washing his face in a barrel when a vision of the sorcerer Moondark appeared to him in the barrel and explained that he too was an enemy of Ghost Rider’s and sought revenge. Moondark renewed Water Wizard’s costume, strengthened his powers, and told him to attack Ghost Rider at midnight for victory. At ten p.m., however, Water Wizard erupted a water main and attacked Ghost Rider with a watery monster, but Ghost Rider dissipated this monster as well, leaving Water Wizard to run off. Moondark chastised Water Wizard for his failure to follow instructions, and reminded him to stick to the plan. At midnight, Water Wizard formed a massive watery monster in Lake Michigan, and attacked Ghost Rider again. Due to Moondark’s spells, the monster was immune to hellfire and had a thicker consistency. Water Wizard may have triumphed, but Moondark revealed himself to Ghost Rider too quickly and was sent running away by a blast of hellfire. The monster then became susceptible to hellfire again and Water Wizard lost control of the monster, who attacked Water Wizard, leaving Ghost Rider to save him. Ghost Rider then hit Water Wizard with a mighty burst of hellfire that left him screaming madly as Ghost Rider rode away.
(Ghost Rider II#61 (fb) - BTS) - Water Wizard was found by the authorities, screaming and incoherent, and was placed into the Rosedale Sanitarium.
(Ghost Rider
II#61) - Days later, Ghost Rider, seeking Water Wizard’s aid, burst through the
wall and kidnapped Water Wizard, who was incredibly frightened. Ghost Rider took
Water Wizard to a small town in Indiana that was suffering from a draught. Ghost
Rider turned back into Johnny Blaze, and Water Wizard demanded answers. Blaze
convinced Water Wizard to use his powers to aid the poor citizens of the town,
then gathered the citizens around them. Unexpectedly, the Middle Eastern Sheik
Hurani and his aids, including Yesal, arrived to kidnap Water Wizard. Ghost
Rider attacked the foreigners and Water Wizard, wanting to go with Hurani rather
than return to the hospital, restored water to the town and created a water
monster to distract Ghost Rider while he rode away with Hurani and his men.
(Ghost Rider II#62) - Water Wizard, at Hurani's bidding, used his powers to create monsters from oil and destroyed refineries. Though pleased with his new employment, Water Wizard and Hurani were soon defeated by the heroic teaming of Ghost Rider and Arabian Knight.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14) - While being extradited back to the United States, Water Wizard was liberated by Justin Hammer. He chose to lay low for a while, hiding out from others who sought him out.
(Captain America I#320 (fb)) - While sitting at the Bar with No Name, Water Wizard was made aware of the threat of Scourge by Gary Gilbert, the villain known as Firebrand, who invited Water Wizard to attend a meeting that would address what to do about Scourge. On the way to the meeting, Water Wizard got a flat tire, and so arrived three hours late. When he got there, he saw over a dozen villains murdered in the bar, killed by Scourge. Fearing for his life, Water Wizard called Captain America’s hotline for help.
(Captain America I#320) - Captain America came to meet Water Wizard, who, to prove that the hero was authentic, attacked him with a giant watery hand. Convinced the hero was actually Captain America, Water Wizard took him to the Bar and showed him the victims. Captain America agreed to protect Water Wizard, placing him somewhere Scourge wouldn’t find him.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14) - After Scourge was apprehended, Captain America turned Water Wizard to the police to stand trial for his crimes.
(Fantastic Four I#336) - Unconsciously responding to Dr. Doom’s Aggression Enhancer, Water Wizard attacked the Fantastic Four (Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura), Thing) at the same time as Hydro-Man, but the two villains chose to battle each other instead.
(Avengers Annual#19/5) - Water Wizard tried attacking the Avengers (Captain America, Falcon, Quasar, Sersi, She-Hulk) at the Avengers Mansion construction site, but he was knocked into a pile of wet cement by construction workers Francis and Percy.
(Venom: Lethal Protector II#5 (fb)) - Water Wizard joined a group called Hammer's Hammers in defending Justin Hammer on a remote Caribbean island. The team fought Venom, who swiftly defeated them.
(New Warriors I#8 (fb) - BTS) - A group of eco-activists willing to use crime to support their causes recruited four super-powered criminals representing the four elements and honed them into the Force of Nature. Water Wizard changed his name to Aqueduct and worked alongside Terraformer, Skybreaker, and Firewall in aiding Project: Earth in various causes. They moved to the Amazons of Brazil, and framed the Brazilian government for the kidnapping of Madeline Baldwin, who was really one of the Project’s members.
(New Warriors I#7) - Protecting a Project Earth plot in the Brazilian rain forest, Force of Nature questioned and killed a man to discover the identities of arriving Americans, the New Warriors.
(New Warriors I#8) - At the orders of Project: Earth, Force of Nature apprehended the members of the New Warriors (Andrew Chord, Firestar, Marvel Boy (Vance Astrovik), Namorita, nova, Speedball) in the Amazon, and the members of Project: Earth (Omar Barrenos, Li Muan Ho, Sasha Yamir, Michael Shauneghann, and Madeline Naylor Baldwin) convinced the young heroes to aid them in their cause.
(New Warriors I#9) - Force of Nature was sent against the rain forest contractors, and they focused on doing as much damage as possible. The New Warriors attacked, rescuing the contractors and taking down the Force. Aqueduct tried downing Namorita with a blast of water, not realizing that water made her stronger. She easily defeated him, and the Force of Nature were delivered to the authorities.
(New Warriors I#29 (fb) - BTS) - The Force of Nature, with new member Firebrand replacing Firewall, entered war-torn Trans-Sabal to stop the environmental havoc there, including massive oil well fires ravaging the country. They spent several weeks in conflict with the Trans-Sabal army, led by General Halladah who piloted Mandroid armor, and the Peoples’ Armed Front, led by Araq Mezdbadah, trying to protect the interests of the environment. Each member of the Force of Nature ended up adopting a darker persona, using their powers in new deadly ways. Aqueduct died his hair black with red streaks to reflect this change.
(New Warriors
I#29 (fb)) - Project: Earth asked the New Warriors (Firestar, Namorita, Nova,
Rage, Silhouette, Speedball) to intervene in a civil war in Trans-Sabal to pull
out the Force of Nature. The Warriors arrived as a battle between the Army and
the Front was coming to a head. Aqueduct shut down Halladah’s armor, shorting it
out by manipulating the water in the Mandroid’s system, but was then caught
under the fallen bulk of the armor. Halladah and Mezdbadah prepared to face off
in a final struggle, and Aqueduct grew determined to stop it, hoping to end the
struggle.
(New Warriors I#30 (fb)) - Aqueduct, by firing a burst of water, intentionally dehydrated Halladah, killing the general. The Force of Nature continued the fight in the country’s capitol, alongside the New Warriors, until the young heroes chose to leave the country.
(Captain America I#411-414) - Alongside dozens of villains, Aqueduct attended the AIM Weapons Expo at Boca Caliente. He watched Crossbones fight other villains in an arena style tournament. When Crossbones was revealed to be Captain America in disguise, the villains stormed the arena, eager to attack. Falcon helped Captain America escape. Shang-Chi also joined in the brief battle.
(Thunderbolts I#24 (fb) - BTS) - Aqueduct joined Crimson Cowl’s new Masters of Evil team, their headquarters in Mount Charteris, near Burton Canyon, Colorado.
(Thunderbolts I#24) - Aqueduct joined Crimson Cowl’s new Masters of Evil team, their headquarters in Mount Charteris, near Burton Canyon, Colorado. Crimson Cowl led the Masters in blackmailing the world, demanding large sums of money in order to stop their weather machine from ravaging the world.
(Thunderbolts I#25 (fb) - BTS) - Crimson Cowl had her operatives place weather modulators in key cities around the world.
(Thunderbolts I#24) - Crimson Cowl led the Masters in blackmailing the world, demanding large sums of money in order to stop their weather machine from ravaging the world.
(Thunderbolts I#25) - As they continued with their weather plot, Moonstone (Karla Sofen) of the Thunderbolts appeared wanting to join up, and Crimson Cowl had her locked up. When the Thunderbolts (Atlas (Erik Josten), Charcoal, Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Jolt, Songbird) attacked, initially dressed like some of the Masters team, the Masters attacked as a large force, Aqueduct focusing his powers on Atlas then getting knocked down by Songbird. The villains were swiftly defeated and arrested.
(Thunderbolts II#107) - Aqueduct was recruited to join the Thunderbolts army alongside several other villains, united to fight against humans powered by the Universal Wellspring. As part of the Omega Squad alongside Killer Shrike, Snake Marston, Ox, and Slyde, Aqueduct channeled water against the powered humans in Sydney, Australia, but the team was quickly overcome. The Thunderbolts later achieved victory.
(Avengers: The Initiative#26) - Under Norman Osborn's regime, the Force of Nature, with new appointed member Sunstreak, joined up with the Initiative and were assigned to protect the state of Oregon.
(Avengers: The Initiative#28 (fb) - BTS) - As the Force of Nature settled in, Sunstreak found herself pleased with her new employment, getting a retirement plan and even buying a house.
(Avengers: The Initiative#28) - When the Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry) in Nevada succeeded from the Initiative, Osborn sent in the Force of Nature to straighten them up. Under Sunstreak's leadership, they attacked the heroes on a rooftop. Sunstreak scattered the heroes with a fiery burst, Aqueduct hit Telemetry with a watery blast, Terraformer tried ensnaring Nonstop in his roots, and Skybreaker scattered the news helicopter with bursts of wind.
(Avengers: The Initiative#32/Siege#1) - The Force of Nature were sent by Osborn, alongside other villainous Initiative recruits and the Dark Avengers, to invade Asgard, which hanged suspended over Broxton, Oklahoma. In the intense battle that followed, Terraformer was slashed in half by an Asgardian sword.
(Iron Man: Early Warnings#1) - Aqueduct was hired by billionaire Ray Mantis to steal a water generator from Stark Industries to control New York's water supply. He was stopped by Iron Man.
SECRET WARS III HAPPEND
(Scarlet Witch III#2) - Aqueduct was in the Bar With No Name when Scythia attacked.
Comments: Created by Gerry Conway, Jim Shooter, Don Heck, and Don Newton.
Thanks to Sebastian Andrivet for providing color images for the sub-profiles.
Water Wizard/Aqueduct received entries in OHotMU Deluxe Edition#12, Master Edition and All-New OHotMU Update#4. Main image scan by MarvellousLuke.
Aqueduct is seen on the cover of Avengers: The Initiative#1.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Aqueduct
has no known connections to
MR. MAREK
(Ghost Rider II#23) - Manager of a California store, Mr. Marek refused to open a safe for the criminal Water Wizard, who had a large watery giant open the safe for him. Water Wizard used Marek’s briefcase to carry away the stolen bonds and negotiable securities.
--Ghost Rider II#23
FRED
(Ghost Rider II#23) - Fred and his partner tried to stop Water Wizard from escaping the scene of a robbery, but they were knocked aside by a watery giant that soon dissolved into nothing.
--Ghost Rider II#23
MOLE
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14/Ghost Rider II#23 (fb) - BTS) - Mole is called Jerry “the Mole” Moulinski. The Mole saw Van Zante using his powers and was amazed at his lack of direction. The Mole quickly convinced Van Zante to design a costume for himself and use his powers for self-gain.
(Ghost Rider II#23) - After Water Wizard robbed his first store, he and Mole counted the total earnings, then Enforcer entered, hiring Water Wizard to kill Ghost Rider for one million dollars.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14) - Water Wizard ended his partnership with Mole because he took a percentage of their earnings even though Water Wizard had to take all the risks.
--Ghost Rider II#23 (Ghost Rider II#23 (fb) - BTS, 23, Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#14
images: (without ads)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update#4, Aqueduct profile (main)
Ghost Rider II#59, p15, pan6 (as Water Wizard)
New Warriors I#29, cover (controlling oil)
Ghost Rider II#23, p6, pan3 (Mr. Marek)
p7, pan3 (Fred)
p9, pan4 (Mole)
Appearances:
Ghost Rider II#23 (April, 1977) - Gerry Conway, Jim Shooter (writers),
Don Heck (penciler), Don Newton (inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Ghost Rider II#24 (June, 1977) - Jim Shooter (writer), Don Heck (penciler), Dan Green (inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Iron Man I#126-127 (September-October, 1979) - David Micheline
(writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Bob Layton (penciler/inker), Roger
Stern (editor)
Ghost Rider II#59 (August, 1981) - Michael Fleisher (writer), Jack
Sparling (penciler), Don Perlin (inker), David A. Kraft (editor)
Ghost Rider II#61 (October, 1981) - Michael Fleisher (writer), Alan
Kupperberg (penciler), Sal Trapani (inker), Dave Kraft (editor)
Ghost Rider II#62 (November, 1981) - Michael Fleisher (writer), Jack
Sparling (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), David Kraft (editor)
Captain America I#320 (August, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul
Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike Carlin (editor)
Fantastic Four I#336 (January, 1990) - Walter Simonson (writer), Ron
Lim (penciler), Mike DeCarlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers Annual#19 (1990) - Gary Barnum (writer), Steve Buccelato (penciler), Mickey Ritter (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
New Warriors I#7-9 (January-March, 1991) - Fabian Nicieza (writer),
Mark Bagley (penciler), Larry Mahlstedt (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
New Warriors I#29 (November, 1992) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Darick
Robertson (penciler), Larry Mahlstedt, Brian Garvey (inkers), Rob Tokar
(editor)
New Warriors I#30 (December, 1992) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Darick
Robertson (penciler), Larry Mahlstedt (inker), Rob Tokar (editor)
Captain America I#411-414 (January-April, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald
(writer), Rik Levins (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mike Rockwitz
(editor)
New Warriors I#36 (June, 1993) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), E. Craig
Brasfield (penciler), Jeff Albrecht (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Thunderbolts I#24-25 (March-April, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Mark
Bagley (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts II#107 (December, 2006) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Tom
Grummett (penciler), Gary Erskine (inker), Molly Lazer (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#26 (September, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer),
Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Jeannine Schaefer
(editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#28 (November, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer),
Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#32 (March, 2010) - Christos Gage (writer),
Mahmud Asrar (penciler), Rebecca Buchman (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Siege#1 (March, 2010) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Olivier Coipel (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Iron Man: Early Warnings#1 (March, 2014) - David Liss (writer), Kev Sharpe (penciler), Walden Wong (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Venom: Lethal Protector II#5 (July, 2022) - David Michelinie (writer), Ivan Fiorelli (artist), Devin Lewis (editor)
Scarlet Witch III#2 (April, 2023) - Steve Orlando (writer), Sara Pichelli (penciler), Elisabetta D’Amico (inker), Alanna Smith (editor)
First Posted: 06/10/2007
Last updated: 11/18/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
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