D.O.A.
(Department of Occult Armaments)
Membership: Malpractice (Josef Pohlmann) (current leader), Atua-Thaugul, Bestial, Blackout, Chimera, the Confessor, Julia Crane, Morgan Cur, Gargoyle Brothers, the Ghast, the Ghoul, the Harkspur Brood, Host, the Hound, I'xx'll'tk, Urgoth Krall, Philomena Kensington, Dr. Emil Kreagan, Lord Quietus, Master Mayhem, Ogre, Rotwrap (Ayla Ranefer), Sorrowful Maiden, Venomm (Horatio Walters), Wildpride (Kyllian Boddicker), Witchfire (Ananym), Wraithwitch, Yith, others;
formerly Lt. Gregory
Belial (leader), Dennis Bronskon, Crossbones (Brock Rumlow), Edgar, Daimon Hellstrom, Innards (Rupert Helona), Madame
Jasmine (Jasmine Gaboj), Master Pandemonium (Martin Preston),
George Moorek, Pyre (Alizon Baunacha), Sin (Sinthea Shmidt), many unidentified HYDRA agents
Purpose: Terrorism
Affiliations: Baron Strucker (Wolfgang von Strucker), Gregory Belmont, Deathwings, Devourers, Final Sleeper, Rene Giscard, Suze
Harlow (pawn), HYDRA, Minions of Cthorr, N'Garai, Taker of Heads, Undying Ones, various unidentified demons;
formerly Monsters of Evil (Gragoa, Lord Tiki, Skunk Ape, Sphinx, Worm)
Enemies: Aragorn, Avengers (Black
Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Dr. Stephen
Strange, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Fist/Daniel Rand, Iron Man/Tony
Stark, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Mockingbird, Red Hulk/Thaddeus Ross,
She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Spider-Man/Peter Parker,
Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew, Wolverine/James Howlett), Bloodstorm,
Dennis Bronskon, Luke Cage, Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Thing), Jeb
Harlow, Iron Man 2.0 (James Rhodes), Katy Kiernan, Mach-V (Abe Jenkins), Madame Jasmine, Mania (Andrea Benton), Monsters of Evil (Gragoa, Lord Tiki, Skunk Ape, Sphinx, Worm), George Moorek, Namor, Nightstalkers (Blade, Frank Drake,
Hannibal King), Project: PEGASUS, Raft guards, Songbird, Storm, Tolor, US Army (especially Major Walter Patton), Valkyrie (Brunnhilde), Venom (Eugene Thompson), John Walker, Winter Soldier (James Barnes);
formerly Daimon Hellstrom
Base of Operations: Mansion in Bronx, New York, New York City & the Dunwich Catacombs;
formerly DOA HQ outside Charleston, South Carolina;
formerly Hydra base near Boston, Massachusetts
First Appearance: Nightstalkers#2 (December, 1992)
History:
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (fb) - BTS) - Some agents of the Thule Society ended up in Hydra's Department of Occult Armaments.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) ) - D.O.A. created super-agents by supernatural means. The results of these rituals were Rotwrap, Innards, Malpractice and Pyre.
(Nightstalkers#2 (fb) - BTS) - Bronskon, Jasmine and Moorek were empowered and armed by D.O.A. to take down the Nightstalkers, but the trio had other plans in mind.
(Nightstalkers#2) - Strucker met with his lieutenants including Gregory Belial. After their meeting he went with Belial to his department. Belial told Strucker about D.O.A.'s plan to create vampire stormtroopers from Hannibal King's DNA and although Strucker was impressed by D.O.A.'s work he warned Belial not to disappoint him. During Strucker's walk through D.O.A.'s lab, agents worked on religious artifacts and resurrection rituals. There was also a presentation on "Resurrection and Decomposition" announced for the burial rituals team.
Belial bailed out Jasmine, Bronskon and Moorek after they were handed over to the police by the Nightstalkers (read their own profile). He went with them to a Chinese restaurant and was angered by fortune cookies because he knew about the roots of aleuromancy (divining the future through patterns in flour). The restaurant was closed and Belial explained to his former allies that D.O.A.'s main operatives were with him and they couldn't await to meet Jasmine, Moorek and Bronskon. He told them that they wouldn't get a deal, but they would still tell him everything they had learned about the Nightstalkers before they were killed by Innards, Malpractrice, Pyre and Rotwrap.
(Nightstalkers#3) - Major Walter Patton and his team had just left Newbury College when the driver was suddenly attacked by Malpractice's hand. Patton hit the breaks and helped his soldier, who was unconscious already. Belial, Innards, Malpractice, Pyre and Rotwrap appeared in front of their car when it stopped. One lieutenant ran away while Patton and another soldier went into a fight with the supernatural terrorists. Pyre was shot, but reappeared behind the soldier to burn him alive. Malpractice's hand went after the runaway and caught him. Patton kicked Rotwrap in the face, but her bugs were all over him and Patton got bitten and lost consciousness. The driver was up again and took a gun, but before he could even leave the car he was threatened with stomach acid by Innards, who then dragged him with his intestines around the soldier's neck to the others. Malpractice put machines into the necks of the four soldiers which turned them into his puppets. Meanwhile Belial used astragalomancy (divination by the casting of bone, wood and stone) to predict the outcome for their upcoming fight with the Nightstalkers.
The Nightstalkers, who were after Patton because he talked at a college about creating vampire soldiers, soon found a message at Patton's room which led them to the Franklin Park Zoo. Malpractice and Belial watched their arrival and how the Nightstalkers found the talking puppets. Patton and his soldiers, who were already dead, dropped to the ground before them when they realized that it was a trap. The next second the Nightstalkers were attacked by Malpractice, Innards, Pyre and Rotwrap. Drake tried to take out Malpractice, but Innards knocked him out after disorienting King with a shot of adrenaline from Innards heart. Blade attacked Rotwrap and squashed many bugs. King was attacked by Pyre, who burnt him when he tried to mist away. King was still burning when Belial ran a wooden stick through his heart.
(Nightstalkers#4) - King regained consciousness while King still had a stake in his heart. Innards knocked out King again with his intestines. Blade was still not down and Rotwrap begged for mercy before Pyre arrived to knock him out with a burning fist. She helped Rotwrap up and they joined the rest of the team. Malpractice's jaws rolled away with King and Belial ordered Innards to take Blade and Drake out. Innards used stomach acid to finish them, but Drake blocked it with the Exorcist gun. Innards thought he was successful and left.
Drake and Blade were soon after their enemies again and Drake managed to shoot Pyre with the Exorcist gun. She survived, but Belial had enough of the fight and decided to meet their chopper on higher ground where the Nightstalkers couldn't reach them. His team stole a hot air balloon, but Blade and Drake followed them in another one. On board of Belial's balloon they discussed what they would do with King, but Innards saw that Blade and Drake were following them. When Blade jumped onto Belial's balloon, Innard climbed up and attacked him, but Blade took a rope, pushed it into Innards body and kicked him while Innards tried to hold onto it. Innards slipped down the road because it was slick with his insides and dropped down to the city. Blade now cut a hole into the balloon and Malpractice sent up his limbs to finish him, but Blade cracked Malpractice's remote control with his knife and the monster was attacked by his own limbs. Meanwhile Drake flew his balloon around Belial's balloon and shot Pyre again with the Exorcist gun. She began to burn and couldn't cremate anymore until the whole balloon had caught fire. Belial stumbled backwards and accidentally loosened the stake in King's heart. King removed it and Belial was shocked. Rotwrap attacked Blade again and burnt him with the poison of a spider and a scorpion. King knocked her out, took Blade and jumped off the burning balloon. It crashed into a building and then dropped into a river with Belial and his team.
Belial and all his super-agents survived and returned to Strucker, who was very disappointed in them and put on his new Satan's Claw to punish them.
(Nightstalkers#8) - Belial used ceromancy (divination through the shapes of melted wax quick cooled in water) to find a way to create his vampire stormtrooper.
(Nightstalkers#9) - Belial used icthyomancy (divined the way to a corpse fallen under the bite of the undead) and was joined by his main operatives when he was finished. Now he knew where they would find vampire DNA and he predicted easy success for them.
(Midnight Sons Unlimited#2/3 - BTS) - The D.O.A. hired voodoo priest Rene Giscard to dispose of Blade, but Giscard and henchman, including the Loa/human hybrid Taker of Heads, failed and were slain by Blade.
(Nightstalkers#11) - Belial landed with his main operatives at a graveyard south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Together they searched for a vampire victim. Belial used alectryomancy to find the way to the right grave, but he and his team were opposed by Jeb Harlow, who tried to protect his daughter, who was Belial's target. Jeb shot Belial's raven Edgar. Belial was protected by his Kevlar and ordered his team to kill the old man. Rotwrap and Innards attacked Jeb with bugs and stomach acid until the old man fell blinded to the ground. Meanwhile Malpractice dug up Suze Harlow's coffin. Belial's team took the coffin to their plane and left.
(Nightstalkers#16) - A Dreadnought was sent by D.O.A. to steal Frank Drake's Exorcist gun. The Nightstalkers failed to stop the Dreadnought and not only lost the gun, but also their HQ which burnt to the ground. The Dreadnought brought the Exorcist gun to D.O.A. and watched together with Belial and his scientists the birth of Bloodstorm, who immediately turned against his creators due to Varnae's psychic control over him. The Dreadnought was destroyed first while Belial and his allies tried to shoot the vampire. They couldn't stop him and Belial was killed by Bloodstorm. The other scientists watched Belial's death while Bloodstorm was given the order to kill them all.
(Nightstalkers#17) - D.O.A.'s laboratory was destroyed and everyone in it was dead. Bloodstorm used Belial's corpse to catch some bullets from other HYDRA agents then took the Exorcist gun to kill them as well. Afterwards D.O.A.'s creation left the building. A short time later Salomé arrived in D.O.A.'s lab to feast on the misery caused by Bloodstorm and to follow Bloodstorm's track.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (fb) - BTS) - With the DOA nearly destroyed the remaining agents joined forces with more Thule Society agents and sought a new leader.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (fb) ) - Wraithwitch, posing as the co-pilot, and an unidentified DOA agent freed Sin during her prison transport to a classified destination. They slew the guards on the helicopter and Wraithwitch summoned a Deathwing that destroyed the other helicopters. They then delivered Sin to the DOA.....unharmed and according to the unidentified agent also beautiful.
(Fear Itself#7/2) - Led by Malpractice some DOA agents attempted to calm a raging Sin and inject her with a substance that would return her lucidity. Malpractice calmed her without the injection and talked to her about what she remembered about the source of her former power as one of the Worthy and how it could still aid them in their plans.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#1) - Crossbones met with Gregory Belmont at the Myriad Gallery ship to buy data on the whereabouts of the Worthy's hammers. Crossbones blew up the ship afterward and met with Sin, Malpractice and Wraithwitch on the docks. He handed over the USB stick with the data to Sin.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#2) - Crossbones traveled to Paris, France to locate Mokk's hammer. After killing a soldier Crossbones used a magical DOA device, that could sense the hammer, and went down into the subway system where locals had formed a cult that worshipped the hammer. Crossbones slew the cult and claimed the hammer.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - One of Host's spiders hid in Valkyrie's bag while she and the Secret Avengers fought Nosferatu vampires in Transylvania.
Meanwhile in South Carolina Sin overlooked Wraithwitch and other DOA members preparing a teleportation ritual that brought Crossbones, with Mokk's hammer, back from Paris. Crossbones handed over the hammer and was offered a bucket by a DOA agent, in case he needed to hurl, which maddened Crossbones, who broke the poor guy's nose. Sin and Crossbones followed the agents with Mokk's hammer to a lab where scientist connected the hammer to a device. The energies released by the hammer began to power the Final Sleeper, who emitted enough fear to strike down the scientists. Sin and Crossbones stayed unaffected.
In Transylvania Valkyrie took her bag and flew away on her horse Aragorn. She was watched from afar by Host, Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#4) - Sin (using the same device as Crossbones in Paris), Crossbones and some DOA agents located the giant shark that had eaten Nerkkod's hammer somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. After slaying the shark Crossbones ripped the hammer from the shark's belly. Namor assaulted the DOA agents, but before he could go after Sin and Crossbones, the former used a mystic trinket to summon the insatiable Devourers, giant sea creatures that feasted on all living beings. Sin and Crossbones fled with Nerkkod's hammer while Namor began to fight the Devourers.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#5) - Wraithwitch teleported with Crossbones, Innard, Rotwrap and DOA soldiers to the Raft where they were fought off by Mach-IV, Songbird, Luke Cage and some guards. Luke Cage wielded Skirn's hammer against Crossbones, who wore the Gauntlet of Shuma-Gorath, and easily knocked out Cage. Crossbones took the hammer while Innards chocked Cage with his intestines and Wraithwitch attempted to absorb Cage's form, but her tongue failed to go through his unbreakable skin. Crossbones was shot in the shoulder by Raft warden John Walker, but he and the other DOA members still manage to escape through Wraithwitch's portal. Mach-IV shot rockets through the portal. Back at the DOA's base in South Carolina Sin looked at the mauscripts that explained what she could do with the hammers. When Crossbones and his team arrived the rockets had hit Wraithwitch, Innards and Rotwrap, but the fire was put out with an extinguisher. Crossbones handed over the hammer to Sin, who kissed him. The hammer's energies were soon to be added to the Final Sleeper, which Sin hoped would destroy the world.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#6) - Sin led the DOA (including Crossbones, Host, Innards, Malpractice, Wraithwitch and various unidentified operatives) in an attack on Project: PEGASUS. Wraithwitch and some operatives activated a device that caused a meltdown of the mystic energies Project: PEGASUS had been tapping into. The mystic meltdown opened portals to various demonic dimensions, releasing N'Garai, Undying Ones, Minions of Cthorr and other demons at Project: PEGASUS. The Avengers (Captain America, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mockingbird & Spider-Woman) and Daimon Hellstrom came by to protect Greithoth's hammer, which had been stored at Project: PEGASUS, when the demons attacked. They were defendeding the base when suddenly Wraithwitch teleported in with Sin, Host, Innards and Malpractice. Hellstrom was impressed by the tactic and fended off Host's insect swarm. Spider-Woman and Hawkeye fought Wraithwitch, Iron Man fought Innards, Dr. Strange fought Malpractice and Sin went after Captain America. Meanwhile Crossbones sneaked to Greithoth's hammer, killing a N'Garai and a PEGASUS scientist on the way. Taking the scientist's ID card Crossbones opened the door to the chamber containing the hammer and found himself face-to-face with Wolverine.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#7) - The fight at Project: PEGASUS between the Avengers & Hellstrom on one side and the DOA and demons on the other continued. Dr. Strange overpowered Malpractice and traveled with his astral form to find the reason behind the mystic meltdown while Mockingbird protected his body against Malpractice. At the chamber containing Greithoth's hammer Crossbones battled Wolverine ferociously. Dr. Strange found the device causing the mystic meltdown nearby Project: PEGASUS and told new arrival Valkyrie about it. Valkyrie destroyed the machine, ending the demon invasion inside Project: PEGASUS. With the demons gone the Avengers quickly overpowered Sin and her operatives. Meanwhile at the hammer's chamber Hellstorm took the hammer, burnt Wolverine with hellfire and healed up Crossbones (also with hellfire....good and bad at the same time....practical). Crossbones and Hellstorm left the chamber together and joined Sin and the rest of the team. Hellstorm shot the Avengers with hellfire before Wraithwitch opened a portal to South Carolina to bring her allies and Greithoth's hammer to safety. Though unsure at first Hellstorm assured Sin that he wanted to work with her because aiding the DOA would get him closer to his goals than aiding the Avengers.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8) - Sin and Crossbones showed Hellstorm around at the DOA HQ. He was impressed by Sin's collection of Asgardian grimoires. Sin, Crossbones and Hellstorm then went into a nearby room where all new operatives had gathered. Crossbones made it clear to Hellstorm that the Son of Satan was just another soldier working for the DOA.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Hellstorm read some of the Asgardian text and planned to tell Sin about his findings, but she got angry and told Crossbones to teach him a lesson. Hellstorm knew her curiosity would protect him and indeed, only seconds later, she told Crossbones to let Hellstorm go. Hellstorm then told Sin about a hidden code that referred the Valkyrior, who could imprison the Serpent's weapons within their souls and banish the weapons upon dying. Sin immeadiately ordered Crossbones to get Skadi's hammer.
Host led the DOA to his spider, which had left Valkyrie's bag, and was now hiding inside the dwarf Tolor's home. The DOA (Crossbones, Hellstorm, Innards, Malpractice, Rotwrap, Wraithwitch and unidentified agents) caught Valkyrie's horse Aragorn and Crossbones then blew up Tolor's house with a grenade launcher. Valkyrie, Captain America, Dr. Strange and Tolor were still inside.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - Before the DOA attacked the heroes directly Valkyrie told Dr. Strange to teleport himself and Captain America to safety. Valkyrie took Captain America's shield and her sword Dragonfang to fight the DOA and slew several agents including Innards and Malpractice. While Valkyrie fought Hellstorm Crossbones shot another grenade at her and though she blocked it with Cap's shield she was knocked out by the explosion. Crossbones, Hellstorm, Host and Wraithwitch took the hammers of Angrir, Kuurth, Nul and Skadi, which Valkyrie had collected. Valkyrie threw Cap's shield in Hellstorm's face before Wraithwitch teleported the surviving DOA members home. Valkyrie tortured Innards, who had just barely survived the battle with her, to learn the whereabouts of the DOA.
Back in South Carolina Crossbones and Hellstorm delivered the hammers and reportered that Malpractice and Innards were among the men they had lost against Valkyrie. Sin watched as the remaining hammers got connected to the Final Sleeper while Crossbones began to think if Sin's wish to destroy Earth served him well. Hellstorm liked the plan because he was well suited to rule a Hell on Earth. Valkyrie, the Avengers and other heroes arrived at the DOA's base and the battle between heroes and the DOA began. Crossbones ordered to sound the alarm, then entered the Final Sleeper's chamber, which finally rose, controlled by Sin's mind.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#11) - Huge battle between Valkyrie and her forces against the DOA and the Final Sleeper in South Carolina. The Final Sleeper opened a portal to the nearby populated area in Charleston, followed several DOA agents including the Gargoyle Brothers, Wraithwitch and Hellstorm. Other agents including Ogre continued the battle at the DOA HQ. Inside the HQ Dr. Strange overpowered his former disciple Wildpride and found an unlikely ally--Crossbones, who handed over the Asgardian texts to Strange. While the heroes battled the Final Sleeper and DOA in Charleston, the Sleeper released a fear wave that affected everyone present and then apparently slew Valkyrie.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#12) - Heroes and villains were affected by the Final Sleeper's fear wave. Crossbones carried Sin's body to safety while Dr. Strange determined that he needed the Valkyrior to stop the Final Sleeper. Strange brought Brunnhilde back from the dead and she led the Valkyrior into battle with the Final Sleeper. The heroes continued their battle against the DOA while Valkyrie cut off the Final Sleeper's weapon hand severing its connection to the hammers. The weakened Final Sleeper was then destroyed by Valkyrie and the Valkyrior took the hammers back to Asgard. Sin's spirit returned to her body and she escaped with Crossbones to the Dunwich Catacombs were Hellstorm and Wraithwitch reassembled the DOA, including even more new members.
(Venom II#25 (fb) - BTS) - After Venom, Red Hulk, X-23 and Ghost Rider (Alejandra) where marked as heirs of Hell by Mephisto, Hellstrom decided to join the DOA to gain, as one of Hell's other possible heirs, allies for the future Hell-on-Earth.
(Venom II#23) - Following a lead from reporter Katy Kiernan Venom (Thompson) assaulted a DOA base in the Bronx. After taking down many of their hooded operatives Venom freed one of their test subjects, who was possessed by a demon. He bowed to Venom (in a previous storyline Venom was marked by Mephisto as a possible heir to Hell) and left the test subject after Venom asked the demon to do so. Hellstrom arrived on the scene and was overpowered by Venom. Hellstrom explained the Possession Engines, which the DOA would use to create an army of demon-possessed warriors. He also explained that all test subjects were DOA agents and volunteered to become possessed. The fight between Hellstrom and Venom continued. Ultimately Thompson lost control over the symbiote and turned into a ravenous monster.
(Venom II#24) - Hellstrom and robed DOA agents were assaulted by an out-of-control Venom. Hellstrom offered possessed subjects to Venom to satiate his hunger, but Thompson regained control over the symbiote and fled the DOA base.
Hellstrom and some DOA agents later went to the Bronx Zoo under supervision of one of Sin's agents. When an agent of Sin asked Hellstrom to show results after his recent setbacks due to Venom destroyed the Possession Engines, Hellstrom threatened him and sent him back to report to Sin, whom Hellstrom called a crazy witch. Venom had infiltrated Hellstrom's operation and attacked Hellstrom and the DOA agents, but Hellstrom summoned the Monsters of Evil, a horde of demon-possessed monsters to aid him against Venom.
(Venom II#25) - Hellstrom watched Venom fight the Monsters of Evil, but Venom took command of the the Monsters, who turned on Hellstrom. Venom delivered Hellstrom to the Raft.
(Venom II#27.1 - BTS) - While imprisoned at the Raft Hellstrom betrayed former DOA members, the Harkspur Brood, to Venom, who took their Athol, Massachusetts base apart, sending many of their devil-worshipping members to prison.
(Venom II#40 (fb) - BTS) - Master Mayhe, a disciple of Master Pandemonium, and member of the Entropy Cell joined the DOA.
(Venom II#40) - Crossbones accompanied by Master Mayhem, the Gargoyle Brothers and DOA ground troops watched Mania with mystic binoculars sitting on a roof. He saw the Devil's Mark on her and ordered to hunt and kill her.
(Venom II#41) - Crossbones led the DOA in an assault on Mania and Venom in Lord Ogre's hideout. Master Mayhem opened a portal to Hell releasing a horde of demons against Venom and Mania. Venom closed Master Mayhem's portal by shoving a bomb through. When Mania ordered the demons to get off of her she was surprised that they were actually listening to her. She quickly took advantage of the situation and sent the demons against the DOA, including the demons' former ally Master Mayhem. Crossbones and his men had a hard time holding the demons off while Venom and Mania escaped.
(Venom II#42) - The DOA caught up with Venom and Mania in a casino in Atlantic City where the heroes tried making a deal with Mephisto. While Venom fought Crossbones, Mania took care of DOA's foot soldiers and the Gargoyle Brothers. Crossbones grew mad with Master Mayhem, who was just standing around doing nothing. Mephisto was disappointed in Master Mayhem as well because he was working against him and brutally used Mayhem's portal to pull through the Monsters of Evil. Following Mania's orders the Monsters slew the Gargoyle Brothers and DOA's foot soldiers. Crossbones and Mayhem escaped by teleportation, but not before Crossbones told Venom and Mania that his employers would never stop hunting for Mania's Devil's Mark.
SECRET WARS HAPPENED
(A Year of Marvels - July Infinite Comics#1) - Malpractice became leader of the D.O.A. and had Hydra agents steal objects belonging to James Barnes from a storage unit to lure Barnes to them. The plan worked and the D.O.A. caught Barnes at the De Veers Military Hospital, which the D.O.A. was using as a base, but Barnes overcame Malpractice's attempt to enslave him by using the stolen objects and infusing them with occult energies to bind Barnes. Barnes broke Malpractice's neck (he returned from worse) before leaving D.O.A.'s base with his possessions.
Comments: Created by D.G. Chichester (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks).
In issue #2 a warning was heard in D.O.A.'s lab not to look in the light when opening Arks of the Covenant. This is a reference to the first Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I'm not sure, but I think the message that led the Nightstalkers to Franklin Park Zoo was planted by D.O.A., although it could be that Patton was meeting somebody at the zoo before after his speech at Newbury College.
Belial wasn't given a first name until he was dead and tossed around by Bloodstorm in Nightstalkers#17. Poor guy!
Belial's raven Edgar is a play on Edgar Allen Poe and his poem "The Raven". After Edgar's death Belial even said that the raven was "nevermore" which was the only thing the raven in Poe's poem ever said.
In Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 the DOA has been erroneously referred to as the Department of Occult Affairs by one of their agents.
Real names for Innards, Malpractice, Pyre and Rotwrap, full names for Major Patton, Madame Jasmine, Bronskon and Moorek were all revealed in the DOA's profile in the Fear Itself: The Fearless TPB. There were also a couple of new characters from Fear Itself: The Fearless first identified in this profile....watch out for their return in the pages of Venom and other titles by Cullen Bunn.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
D.O.A. has no known connections to
Belial has no known connection to:
Edgar has no known connection to:
Host has no known connections to:
Innards & Malpractice have no known connection to:
Pyre has no known connection to:
Rotwrap has no known connection to:
Wraithwitch has no known connection to:
Belial was a born to become a leader for a supernatural terrorist team. He was taught everything about alectryomancy, aleuromancy, astragalomancy, ceromancy, icthyomancy and other similar rituals since childhood and now used his knowledge as a loyal agent of HYDRA to their advantage. He often worked on field operations and his dream was to create vampire stormtroopers for HYDRA.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) - BTS) - At the age of 5 Belial used ceromancy for the first time. The candle he used was made from the fat of a seven year old child who he had lured from his mother on a playground.
(Nightstalkers#2 (fb) - BTS) - Belial had Bronskon, Jasmine and Moorek turned into field agents, but they betrayed HYDRA to follow their own schemes.
(Nightstalkers#2) - Belial was praised by Strucker for the work of the Department of Occult Armaments. A short time later Belial bailed out the traitors after they were defeated by the Nightstalkers. He had them killed by his main operatives in a Chinese restaurant.
(Nightstalkers#3-4) - In an attempt to get vampire DNA from Hannibal King he lured the Nightstalkers into a trap set up by himself and his team. He staked King, but in the end the Nightstalkers escaped in mid-air and Belial was punished for his failure by Baron Strucker.
(Nightstalkers#8) - Belial searched with ceromancy for a new DNA donor for his vampire stormtrooper.
(Nightstalkers#9) - Belial found a corpse bitten by a vampire with icthyomancy and assembled his team to get it.
(Nightstalkers#11) - Belial took his raven Edgar and his team to a graveyard south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Belial's raven was shot by Jeb Harlow, but in the end the old man was defeated and the body Belial's team came for was theirs.
(Nightstalkers#16) - Belial overlooked the birth of his first vampire stormtrooper Bloodstorm, who turned against his creators and killed Belial.
(Nightstalkers#17) - Belial's corpse was used as a shield by Bloodstorm.
--Nightstalkers#2 (Nightstalkers#8 (fb) - BTS, 2-4, 8-9, 11, 16-17
He was a raven Belial used for alectryomancy. The seeds Edgar didn't eat pointed the way to Belial's target, the remains of one slain by a vampire. Edgar was shot by Jeb Harlow while doing his job.
--Nightstalkers#11
He was host to a horde of insects, spiders, scorpions and snakes. He could control them telepathically and release them as a swarm in a powerful attack.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - Host sent out a spider in Transylvania to hide inside Valkyrie's bag. He then watched her alongside fellow DOA operatives Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap how she left on Aaragorn.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#4 - BTS) - Host's spider left Valkyrie's bag and took up residence in the dwarf Tolor's house.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#6) - Host joined the DOA's attack on Project: PEGASUS. He was teleported in by Wraithwitch and immediately went after Hellstorm with his insect swarm. Hellstorm burnt them with a single blast of hellfire.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Host followed his spider's signal to Tolor's house joined by several DOA agents including Crossbones, Hellstorm, Innards, Malpractice, Rotwrap and their teleporter Wraithwitch. Tolor's home was blown up by Crossbones with a grenade.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - Host collected his spider and joined Crossbones, Hellstorm and Wraithwitch in stealing the hammers of Angrir, Kuurth, Nul and Skadi from Tolor's home while the other DOA agents were defeated by Valkyrie. Wraithwitch teleported Host, holding Kuurth's hammer, and the other survivors back to South Carolina.
--Fear Itself: The Fearless#3 (Fear Itself: The Fearless#3, 4-BTS, 6, 9-10
Innards (Rupert Helona) could remove and use any of his inner organs to attack his enemies. Attacks he normally used including stomach acid from his stomach, intestines used as whips or to strangle somebody and a shot of adrenaline from his heart.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) ) - The man, who would become Innards, was murdered and then resurrected in a voodoo ceremony that also granted him the ability to remove and manipulate his internal organs.
(Nightstalkers#2) - Innards joined the other main operatives in the execution of Jasmine, Moorek and Bronskon.
(Nightstalkers#3-4) - He was part of the team that failed in capturing Hannibal King. He survived a fall from a hot air balloon and returned to their base where he was punished by Strucker alongside the others for their failure.
(Nightstalkers#9) - Belial found a body bitten by a vampire and taught Innards what icthyomancy was when the agent arrived with a new uniform.
(Nightstalkers#11) - Innards was part of the team that stole Suze Harlow's body from her grave. He worked together with Rotwrap to take out their only opposition Jeb Harlow.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - Host, Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap watched Valkyrie leave Transylvania on Aragorn with Host's spider hidden inside her bag.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#5) - Crossbones, Innards, Rotwrap and Wraithwitch assaulted the Raft and stole Skirn's hammer from Luke Cage. Innards choked Cage with his intestines during the battle and carried the unconscious Rotwrap to safety. When Wraithwitch teleported the team back to South Carolina a rocket shot by Mach-IV followed them through the portal and hit them during transfer. DOA agents put out the fire on Innards, Wraithwitch and Rotwrap with an extinguisher.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#6) - Innards joined the DOA's attack on Project: PEGASUS. After Wraithwitch teleported the team into the facility Innards used stomach acid against Iron Man.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#7) - Innards escaped from Project: PEGASUS when Wraithwitch teleported them back to South Carolina.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Innards and Rotwrap helped catch Aragorn after arriving nearby the dwarf Tolor's house. They then joined the others and watched Crossbones blow up Tolor's house with a grenade.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - Innards joined the battle against Valkyrie, who easily cut through his organs with Dragonfang. He was left behind by the Crossbones, Hellstorm, Host and Wraithwitch, who presumed he had died during the battle. Valkyrie tortured Innards to learn the whereabouts of the DOA.
--Nightstalkers#2 (Nightstalkers#8 (fb), 2-4, 9, 11, Fear Itself: The Fearless#3, 5-7, 9-10
Although the nature of Malpractice (Josef Pohlmann)'s power was supernatural it seemed like his body was changed into its seemingly artificial state by technological means. He possessed many additional body parts changed or given to him by the creatures he sold his body parts. He could use these body parts by remote control. Among those seen in action were eyes, arms, jaws and backbones. He possibly possessed more of those body parts.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) ) - The man now known as Malpractice sold off parts of himself to beings, whose names were normally only whispered about for the secrets of performing medical atrocities on others.
(Nightstalkers#2) - Malpractice was part of the team that killed the traitors Bronskon, Jasmine and Moorek.
(Nightstalkers#3-4) - He participated in the failed attempt to capture Hannibal King and was punished by Baron Strucker.
(Nightstalkers#9) - After Belial had found a corpse bitten by a vampire, Malpractice joined him in a new uniform.
(Nightstalkers#11) - Malpractice was part of the team that stole Suze Harlow's body from her grave.
(Fear Itself#7/2) - Led by Malpractice some DOA agents attempted to calm a raging Sin and inject her with a substance that would return her lucidity. Malpractice calmed her without the injection and talked to her about what she remembered about the source of her former power as one of the Worthy and how it could still aid them in their plans.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#1) - Malpractice accompanied Sin and Wraithwitch to the Myriad Gallery ship where they picked up Crossbones with a USB chip full of data on the whereabouts of the Worthy's hammers.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - Host, Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap watched Valkyrie leave Transylvania on Aragorn with Host's spider hidden inside her bag.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#6) - Malpractice joined the DOA's attack on Project: PEGASUS. After Wraithwitch teleported the team into the facility Malpractice used mind-controlled artificial arms against Dr. Strange.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#7) - Dr. Strange knocked aside Malpractice with mystic blasts and left his body in his astral form while Mockingbird kept protecting Strange's body against Malpractice. He escaped from Project: PEGASUS when Wraithwitch teleported the DOA back to South Carolina.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Malpractice joined other DOA agents including Crossbones, Hellstorm, Host, Innards, Rotwrap and their teleporter Wraithwitch near Tolor's house, which was blown up by Crossbones with a grenade.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - Malpractice joined the battle against Valkyrie, who stabbed him through the chest with Dragonfang.
SECRET WARS HAPPENED
(A Year of Marvels - July Infinite Comics#1) - Malpractice became leader of the D.O.A. and planned to enslave James Barnes. He had had Hydra agents steal objects belonging to Barnes from a storage unit Malpractice had under surveillance. The plan worked and Barnes got caught at the D.O.A.'s base at the De Veers Military Hospital. Malpractice had Barnes chained to a monolotith surrounded by the stolen items and explained how Barnes would be enslaved through them after the items were infused with occult energies. To Malpractice's surprise though Barnes broke his chains and resisted the enslavement, breaking Malpractice's neck (he returned from worse) before leaving the base with his possessions.
--Nightstalkers#2 (Nightstalkers#8 (fb), 2-4, 9, 11, Fear Itself#7/2, Fear Itself: The Fearless#1, 3, 6-7, 9-10, A Year of Marvels - July Infinite Comics#1
Pyre (Alizon Baunacha) could flame on and cremate on command. This allowed her to turn from her human form into ash and back within seconds. When she was held onto somebody she could burn him alive by using her power to cremate herself. This power also made her immune to bullets and other conventional weapons as she could survive them by turning into ash.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) ) - The woman, who would become Pyre, offered everything from sexual servitude to her soul and screamed for freedom when she was burnt. What she got was the power to cremate on command and share her suffering with others.
(Nightstalkers#2) - She participated in the killing of Bronskon, Moorek and Jasmine.
(Nightstalkers#3-4) - Pyre was part of Belial's team that failed to capture Hannibal King. She saved Rotwrap from Blade and survived two shots by the Exorcist gun. She was punished like the others by Baron Strucker.
(Nightstalkers#9) - With a new uniform she joined Belial and the other main operatives when Belial had found the location of a corpse bitten by a vampire.
(Nightstalkers#11) - She was part of the team that successfully stole the body of Suze Harlow from her grave.
--Nightstalkers#2 (Nightstalkers#8 (fb), 2-4, 9, 11
Many kinds of insects nest in Rotwrap (Ayla Ranefer)'s folds and she controlled them. It is possible that the first species to nest in her folds, the one from Egypt, gave her the ability to control other insects. Among the insects Rotwrap used were different kinds of bugs, mantis, scorpions, spiders, bees and many other insects. Most of the insects were poisonous and some even deadly. Rotwrap could also use her folds like whips to strangle others.
(Nightstalkers#8 (fb) ) - She became Rotwrap when her body was buried in Egyptian sands until her putrefying flesh tempted an unnatural species of insects to nest in her folds.
(Nightstalkers#2) - Rotwrap was part of the team that killed the traitorous Jasmine and her allies.
(Nightstalkers#3-4) - As part of Belial's team she was punished by Baron Strucker after they had failed to capture Hannibal King. During their encounter with the Nightstalkers her bugs proofed to be not enough for Blade and she had to be saved by Pyre.
(Nightstalkers#9) - She got a new uniform and joined Belial when he had found a corpse bitten by a vampire.
(Nightstalkers#11) - Rotwrap took out Jeb Harlow with Innards help when their team successfully stole Suze Harlow's body from her grave.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - Host, Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap watched Valkyrie leave Transylvania on Aragorn with Host's spider hidden inside her bag.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#5) - Crossbones, Innards, Rotwrap and Wraithwitch assaulted the Raft and stole Skirn's hammer from Luke Cage. Songbird knocked out Rotwrap with a sonic construct. She was carried to safety by Innards. When Wraithwitch teleported the team back to South Carolina a rocket shot by Mach-IV followed them through the portal and hit them during transfer. DOA agents put out the fire on Innards, Wraithwitch and Rotwrap with an extinguisher.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Innards and Rotwrap helped catch Aragorn after arriving nearby the dwarf Tolor's house. They then joined the others and watched Crossbones blow up Tolor's house with a grenade.
--Nightstalkers#2 (Nightstalkers#8 (fb), 2-4, 9, 11, Fear Itself: The Fearless#3, 5, 9
Wraithwitch is a female Wraith. She possesses vast mystical powers including the summoning of Deathwings and teleportation. She can use her tongue to drill a hole into a victim's head to absorb their memory and copy their victim's form.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (fb) ) - Wraithwitch took the identity of the co-pilot of Sin's prison transport and freed Sin alongside an unidentified DOA agent after slaying the pilot and summoning a Deathwing to destroy helicopters accompanying the prison transport.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#1) - She teleported Sin and Malpractice to the Myriad Gallery ship where they picked up Crossbones with a USB chip full of data on the whereabouts of the Worthy's hammers.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#3) - She and fellow DOA agents prepared a ritual to teleport Crossbones back from Paris to South Carolina with Mokk's hammer. The long-range teleportation succeeded.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#5) - She teleported Crossbones, Innards and Rotwrap to the Raft where they fought guards, Songbird, Mach-IV and Luke Cage over Skirn's hammer. Wraithwitch slew a guard with her tongue, but failed to get through Cage's unbreakable skin while attempting the same on him. She teleported her team back to South Carolina after Crossbones acquired the hammer. A rocket shot into the portal by Mach-IV hit Wraithwitch, Innards and Rotwrap during teleportation. DOA agents put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. Wraithwitch and the others survived.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#6) - Wraithwitch and a couple of DOA operatives set up a machine that could cause a meltdown of the mystic energies Project: PEGASUS had tapped into to rip holes into various demonic dimensions and flood the facility with demons. Soon after the device was activated and Project: PEGASUS was overrun by demons Wraithwitch teleported herself Sin, Host, Innards, Malpractice and secretly Crossbones, who went after Greithoth's hammer on his own, inside the facility. There she battled Hawkeye and Spider-Woman.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#7) - She failed to hit Spider-Woman with a psychic blast and was then shot by Hawkeye with several arrows. Wraithwitch teleported the DOA, including their new ally Hellstorm and Greithoth's hammer, back to South Carolina after the machine that opened portals to demon dimensions had been destroyed by Valkyrie.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Wraithwitch teleported DOA agents including Crossbones, Host, Hellstorm, Innards, Malpractice and Rotwrap to the dwarf Tolor's house and watched Crossbones blow up the building with a grenade.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - Host, Crossbones and Wraithwitch picked up the hammers stored at Tolor's house while the other DOA agents fought Valkyrie. Wraithwitch opened a portal to South Carolina and returned with the hammers the seemingly only surviving DOA members from this mission (Crossbones, Hellstorm and Host).
When all the hammers powered up the Final Sleeper Sin's spirit took control over it, impressing Wraithwitch and Hellstorm.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#11) - When the Final Sleeper opened a portal to the nearby city Charleston, South Carolina Wraithwitch was among the DOA agents following the Sleeper. She was present when the Final Sleeper unleashed its fear wave.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#12) - Wraithwitch did not avert her eyes from the blinding fear unleashed by the Final Sleeper. When the fear wave was broken by Valkyrie when she cut off the Final Sleeper's connection to the hammers Hellstorm teleported himself and Wraithwitch to safety. They reunited with Sin and Crossbones at the Dunwich Catacombs where Hellstorm and Wraithwitch had already assembled new DOA recruits.
--Fear Itself: The Fearless#1 (Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (fb), 1, 3, 5-7, 9-12
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8) - Various mystic figures (see image) joined the DOA and gathered at the DOA's HQ near Charleston, South Carolina.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#9) - Some members of the Harkspur Brood joined DOA soldiers and other operatives nearby the dwarf Tolor's house and watched Crossbones blow up the house with a grenade.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#10) - New recruits including Blackout, the Gargoyle Brothers, the Hound, Master Pandemonium, Ogre, Sorrowful Maiden and Witchfire joined the battle against the Avengers and other heroes at the DOA's HQ.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#11) - New recruits including Bestial, the Gargoyle Brothers, Dr. Emil Kreagan, Lord Quietus, Ogre and Venomm joined the battle against the Avengers and other heroes at the DOA's HQ. When the Final Sleeper opened a portal to Charleston the Gargoyle Brothers were among the operatives joining the Sleeper. Wildpride was overpowered by Dr. Strange inside the HQ. Iron Man 2.0 knocked out the Gargoyle Brothers in Charleston. Kreagan was knocked out by Ms. Marvel.
(Fear Itself: The Fearless#12) - Ogre was among the operatives fighting Captain America in Charleston while Master Pandemonium was affected by the Final Sleeper's fear wave.
--Fear Itself: The Fearless#8 (Fear Itself: The Fearless#8-12
images: (without ads)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#12, p20, pan1 (logo)
Nightstalkers#2, p14, pan1 (Hydra logo)
Nightstalkers#2, p22 (main team)
Nightstalkers#9, p12, pan2 (red uniforms)
Nightstalkers#11, p20, pan2 (alternate uniforms)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#3, p20, pan1 (Rotwrap, Malpractice, Innards & Host)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#12, p20, pan2 (more new recruits)
Nightstalkers#3, p6 (Lt. Gregory Belial)
Nightstalkers#11, p21, pan4 (Edgar)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#10, p3, pan4 (Host)
Nightstalkers#4, p2, pan3 (Innards)
Nightstalkers#3, p18 (Malpractice)
Nightstalkers#3, p6 (Pyre)
Nightstalkers#4, p16, pan4-5 (Rotwrap)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#7, p19, pan1 (Wraithwitch)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#8, p13, pan2 (new recruits)
Appearances:
Nightstalkers#2 (December, 1992) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Nightstalkers#3-4 (January-February, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer),
Ron Garney (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Nightstalkers#8 (June, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Ron Garney
(pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Nightstalkers#9 (July, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Mark Pacella
(pencils), Don Heck (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Midnight Sons Unlimited#2/3 (July, 1993) - Cary Cohn (writer), Kevin
Kobasic (pencils), Brian Carvin (inks), Hildy Mesnik (editor)
Nightstalkers#11 (September, 1993) - D.C. Chichester (writer), Kirk Van
Wormer (pencils), Bill Anderson (inks), Hildy Mesnik & Bobbie Chase
(editors)
Nightstalkers#16 (February, 1994) - Frank Lovece (writer), Bill Wylie
(pencils), Frank Turner (inks), Chris Cooper & Bobbie Chase
(editors)
Nightstalkers#17 (March, 1994) - Frank Lovece (writer), Ed Murr
(pencils), Frank Turner (inks), Chris Cooper & Bobbie Chase
(editors)
Fear Itself#7/2 (December, 2011) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Andy Lanning (inks), Alejandro Arbona (editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#1 (December, 2011) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Alejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#2-3 (January, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#4-5 (February, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#6-7 (March, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#8-9 (April, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#10-11 (May, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt
Fraction & Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley
(pencils), Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona
(editor)
Fear Itself: The Fearless#12 (June, 2012) - Cullen Bunn, Matt Fraction
& Chris Yost (writers), Paul Pelletier & Mark Bagley (pencils),
Danny Miki & Andy Lanning (inks), Axejandro Arbona (editor)
Venom II#23-24 (October-November, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Tony
Silas (pencils), Nelson Decastro (inks), Tom Brennan (editor)
Venom II#25 (November, 2011) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Tony Silas
(pencils), Nelson Decastro, Walden Wong & Rick Ketcham (inks), Tom
Brennan (editor)
Venom II#27.1 (January, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Marco Checchetto (artist), Tom Brennan (editor)
Venom II#40-41 (November, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Jorge Coelho (artist), Sana Amanat (editor)
Venom II#42 (December, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Jorge Coelho (artist), Sana Amanat (editor)
A Year of Marvels - July Infinite Comics#1 (June, 2016) - Chuck Wendig (writer), Juanan Ramirez (artist), Alanna Smith (editor)
First Posted: 11/17/2006
Last updated: 05/26/2014
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
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