RINGLEADER
Real Name: Charles Last
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Juggler, criminal
Group Membership: Death-Throws (Bombshell, Knickknack, Oddball (Orville Bock), Tenpin, Throwdown)
Affiliations: AIM, Batroc the Leaper,
Bobcat,
Brothers
Grimm, Bullet Biker,
Doctor Sax, 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, Sabra, Shang-Chi, Trick Shot, Union Jack (Joey Chapman)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
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, Ringleader is accustomed to handling razor sharp rings and other deadly objects, and hurling them with expert precision.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 220 lbs.
Hair: Blue
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. 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. Captain America easily punched out Ringleader. The Death-Throws were soon taken to the police.
(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) - 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) - Ringleader 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).
(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.
(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.
(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. n convinced Bombshell to surrender her back of bombs.
(Dark Reign Files) - Quasimodo researched the Death-Throws including Ringleader for Norman Osborn.
(Loki: Agent of Asgard#8) - Ringleader led the Death-Throw 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
(Devil's Reign: Moon Knight#1) - The Death-Throws were imprisoned at the Myrmidon private prison. They stayed together, but had no interest to let 8-Ball join them at their table.
(Avengers Inc.#4 (fb) - BTS) - Oddball called Ringleader and apologized for missing the meeting because Moon Knight was tailing him. Moments later Oddball was seemingly killed while he was still on the phone with Ringleader.
(Avengers Inc.#3) - When the Death-Throws learned of Oddball's death, Ringleader told everyone that they had to investigate the murder themselves. Knickknack didn't believe they would make 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.
(Avengers Inc.#4) - Ringleader went to the Jarvis Lounge and confronted Whirlwind, who owed the Death-Throws for never paying his membership dues after their lawyers got him an early release. He demanded from Whirlwind (actually "Victor Shade" aka. Ultron Mark Twelve possessing Whirlwind's body) to solve the murder of Oddball with Janet Van Dyne.
(Avengers Inc.#4 - BTS) - Ringleader told them that he believed Moon Knight was responsible for Oddball's murder.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary, and Dennis Janke.
Ringleader received an entry with the Death-Throws in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#3.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Ringleader
has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#3, p44, pan8 (main)
Captain America I#317, p11, pan4 (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)
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)
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)
Devil's Reign: Moon Knight#1 (May, 2022) - Jed MacKay (writer), Federico Sabbatini (artist), Martin Biro (editor)
Avengers Inc.#3 (January, 2024) - Al Ewing (writer), Leonard Kirk (pencils/inks), Belardino Brabo (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers Inc.#4 (February, 2024) - Al Ewing (writer), Leonard Kirk (Artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 05/27/2008
Last updated: 03/02/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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