KNICKKNACK
Real Name: Nick Grossman
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Juggler, criminal
Group Membership: Death-Throws (Bombshell, Oddball (Orville Bock), Ringleader, Tenpin, Throwdown)
Affiliations: AIM, Batroc the Leaper,
Bobcat,
Brothers
Grimm, Bullet Biker,
Doctor Sax, Hydra, Johnny Guitar, Mad Dog,
RAID, Ramrod, Razor-Fist
(Douglas Scott), Steinmetz, Sumo;
formerly Crossfire (William Cross), Oddball (Elton Healy)
Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Falcon (Sam Wilson), Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Loki, Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse), Sabra, Shang-Chi, Trick Shot, Union Jack (Joey Chapman)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Place of Birth: Secaucus, New Jersey
Base of Operations: Unrevealed
First Appearance: Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#3 (February, 1986)
Powers/Abilities: An expert juggler who specializes in juggling objects of dissimilar sizes and weights, Knickknack is accustomed to handling sharp blades, chainsaws, bombs, and other deadly objects, and hurling them with expert precision.
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
History:
(Captain America I#317 (fb) - BTS) - A team of evil jugglers decided to form, seeking profit through criminal acts. Oddball continued wielding his arsenal of deadly balls; Bombshell focused on juggling lit bombs and explosive devices; Knickknack took to juggling blades, chainsaws, and bricks; Tenpin, Oddball's brother, juggled burning bowling pins; and Ringleader, the leader of the group, juggled razor sharp rings. Calling themselves the Death-Throws, the deadly jugglers started taking contracts out for various kills and assignments. Oddball heard from Crossfire that he would pay the team handsomely if they rescued him from the police before the trial.
(Captain America I#317) - The Death-Throws waited for Crossfire, who was being escorted into the courthouse by the police. They threw gas bombs at the crowd and hit the cops with tossed weapons, Knickknack wielding a pipe. As the crowd choked, the jugglers donned gas masks and gave one to Crossfire, easily escaping with him and blowing up a cop car on their way out. When they arrived back at their warehouse headquarters, the Death-Throws realized that Crossfire couldn't pay them Furious, they made Crossfire stand in the middle of them as they juggled and tossed deadly devices at each other, which would have killed him if he moved. They decided to use him as bait for Hawkeye, who they figured they could auction off to the Avengers. The Death-Throws set traps at an abandoned railroad station and sent a message to Hawkeye through Captain America's hotline. Hawkeye soon entered with Captain America's shield and they nearly trapped him under a steel mesh net, but Captain America entered and fired flare arrows, lighting the room up and giving Hawkeye time to escape. The Death-Throws attacked, throwing their various weapons. Bombshell was taken down by an arrow from Hawkeye while Captain America charged Tenpin, knocking him out. Knickknack caught Captain America's shield and they tossed it around, then he severed Hawkeye's bow with a thrown blade as Captain America punched out Ringleader. The last standing juggler, Knickknack hit Hawkeye with the shield, then tried to escape, but Mockingbird arrived and stopped him. Oddball, who'd been trapped under adhesives, confessed their crimes to Hawkeye.
(Avengers Spotlight#25 (fb) - BTS) - Crossfire hired several villains, including Bobcat, the Brothers Grimm, the Bullet Biker, Mad Dog, Razor-Fist, and the Death-Throws, offering a bounty if they brought him the severed arm of Hawkeye.
(Avengers Spotlight#23) - Hawkeye, wounded and running from other opponents, was attacked by the Death-Throws, who surrounded him, each juggling their deadly arsenal. Oddball hit Hawkeye in the ribs with a ball just before the hero climbed quickly up a telephone pole to escape. He shot an arrow at one of Bombshell's bombs and escaped in the subsequent explosion.
(Avengers Spotlight#24) - Hawkeye was joined by Trickshot, who fired an arrow and narrowly saved Hawkeye from one of Knickknack's thrown cleavers. Knickknack was shocked when Trickshot fired several arrows that grazed his clothing and pinned him to the wall. The Death-Throws soon joined Crossfire and the others in surrounding Hawkeye in the sewer.
(Avengers Spotlight#25) - Crossfire ordered Hawkeye's arm severed. As the villains moved in, Mockingbird and Trickshot joined Hawkeye, and they fought the villains off, disarming the Death-Throws with their arrows and staves while Hawkeye kept dodging their tossed weapons. In minutes, all the villains were defeated.
(Captain America I#411) - Knickknack traveled to the AIM Weapons Expo on Boca Caliente. Later, he watched, alongside dozens of other criminals, a bout between "Crossbones" and Mad Dog, Ramrod and Sumo.
(Captain America I#412-414) - The fight continued against Razor-Fist (Douglas Scott) and Batroc the Leaper before Captain America was exposed. The villains rushed to attack, but were fought off by Captain America and his allies, Falcon, Shang-Chi, and Diamondback (Rachel Leighton).
(Avengers: The Initiative#27 (fb)) - Knickknack and Ringleader were approached by Dr. Sax and Johnny Guitar, who wanted to join the team, but they were turned down as they didn't juggle.
(Thunderbolts I#53) - Knickknack was seen imprisoned in Seagate's super-villain cell block.
(Wolverine III#26 (fb) - BTS) - Knickknack was reportedly among the criminals killed by Hydra and resurrected as assassins. He was never seen with the group, most of whom have returned to active duty.
(Union Jack II#1) - RAID hired the Death-Throws (Bombshell, Knickknack, a new Oddball, Ringleader, Tenpin), who were now being led by Crossfire, to engage in terrorist attacks on London.
(Union Jack II#2) - While attacking the Tower Bridge, the Death-Throws were hit by Sabra, who quickly nailed Tenpin. Sabra stayed out of Crossfire's mind control range, though he nearly grazed her with a bullet. Knickknack and Ringleader were prepared to attack her, but Union Jack drove a flying car into them, knocking them into the river. Bombshell, back to using lit bombs, hit Union Jack with an exploding bomb, but he jumped on the flying Sabra's back. They easily defeated Oddball and Crossfire with punches, then convinced Bombshell to surrender her back of bombs.
(Dark Reign Files) - Quasimodo researched the Death-Thorws including Knickknack for Norman Osborn.
(Dark Reign: The Hood#1) - Knickknack joined Hood's army and hung out at one of Hood's hideouts to party.
(Loki: Agent of Asgard#8) - Knickknack joined the Death-Throws, led by Ringleader, in a heist at the Big Top Casino in Las Vegas. They were thwarted by Loki when he hit a knockout gas ball tossed by Oddball back at them, leaving the Death-Throws behind unconscious for the authorities to pick up.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Avengers Inc.#3) - Knickknack was present when the Death-Throws learned of Oddball's death and heard Ringleader tell the others that they had to investigate the murder themselves. Knickknack wasn't sure if they made good detectives, but Bombshell had an idea and suggested to take a trip to the Jarvis Lounge, the HQ of Avengers Inc., after seeing an article on Whirlwind (actually the villain was under control of Ultron Mark Twelve) and Janet Van Dyne catching a killer at Avengers Mansion.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary, and Dennis Janke.
Thanks to G Morrow for adding Thunderbolts I#53.
Knickknack received an entry with the Death-Throws in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#3.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Knickknack
has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel
Universe Deluxe Edition#3, p45, pan4
Captain America I#317, p11, pan5 (head shot)
Appearances:
Captain America I#317 (May, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer),
Paul Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike Carlin (editor)
Avengers Spotlight#23-24 (October-November, 1989) - Howard
Mackie (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Don Heck (inker), Mark Gruenwald
(editor)
Avengers Spotlight#25 (December, 1989) - Howard Mackie
(writer), Allen Milgrom (penciler), Tom Morgan (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Captain America I#411-413 (January-March, 1993) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mike Rockwitz
(editor)
Captain America I#414 (April, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer),
Rik Levins, MC Wyman (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Thunderbolts I#53 (August, 2001) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zircher (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Wolverine III#26 (May, 2005) - Mark Millar (writer), John Romita, JR (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Jennifer Lee (editor)
Union Jack II#1-2 (November-December, 2006) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Mike Perkins (penciler), Andrew Hennessy (inker), Andy Schmidt
(editor)
Dark Reign Files (February, 2009) - Michael Hoskin & various others (writer), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Dark Reign: The Hood#1 (July, 2009) - Jeff Parker (writer), Kyle Hotz (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#27 (October, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer), Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Jeannine Schaefer (editor)
Loki: Agent of Asgard#8 (January, 2015) - Al Ewing (writer), Lee Garbett (artist), Wil Moss (editor)
Avengers Inc.#3 (January, 2024) - Al Ewing (writer), Leonard Kirk (pencils/inks), Belardino Brabo (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 05/26/2008
Last updated: 03/02/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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