DESERT SWORD
Membership: None (team is defunct);
Formerly Aminedi (deceased), Arabian Knight (Abdul Qamar, deceased), Black Raazer, Sirocco (field leader), Veil (deceased)
Purpose: Following orders from the Iraqi government
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Arcade, Freedom Force (Avalanche/Dominikos Petrakis, Blob/Fred Dukes, Crimson Commando/Frank Bohannan, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Super Sabre/Martin Fletcher), Reinhold Kurtzmann, Puck (Eugene Judd)
Base of Operations: Mobile through Iraq, Kuwait and possibly Trans-Sabal
First Appearance: New Mutants Annual#7 (August, 1991)
History:
(New Mutants Annual#7/2 (fb) - BTS) - After Iraq occupied Kuwait (see comments) the Iraqi regime created their own team of super powered mercenaries calling them Desert Sword.
(Hulk Annual#20/3 (fb) - BTS) - The same regime even blackmailed the famous Arabian hero the Arabian Knight (Abdul Qamar) into joining their ranks, by holding his wives and children hostage. The Knight agreed, but was secretly a double agent for the Pantheon, hoping to infiltrate Desert Sword. The people who were held hostages by the regime had actually been other Pantheon agents.
(New Mutants Annual#7/2 (fb) - BTS) - When the Iraqi army learned that the German physicist Reinhold Kurtzmann was hiding in Kuwait, Desert Storm was ordered to retrieve him.
(New Mutants Annual#7/2) - The American government team Freedom Force was under orders to retrieve Kurtzmann from Kuwait as well. Unbeknownst to them, Desert Sword had already captured the man and decided to kill Freedom Force as well. Before even revealing their full membership, Desert Sword managed to behead aging superspeedster Super Sabre, slice off one of Crimson Commando's hands and gravely injured Avalanche. Facing the surviving Freedom Force members, Desert Sword asked if the scientist was worth dying for.
(Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2) - Desert Sword was caught off guard by the Blob who pulled off a surprise attack and lunged at Desert Sword, aided by Pyro and Avalanche. The three former villains managed to get the scientist and escape. Baffled, team leader Sirocco ordered Desert Sword to regroup. Then, the Arabian Knight was commanded to pursue the scientist along with Veil and Raazer, while he and Aminedi would try to destroy the others. Not willing to kill needlessly, the Knight lied when asked if he spotted Freedom Force. Raazer sensed his lie and threatened the Knight once again that his family would be killed if he didn't cooperate. The Knight gave in and revealed the Americans' whereabouts. While Raazer and Veil fought the Blob and Pyro, the Arabian Knight used his enchanted sash to retrieve Kurtzmann, but was powerless when Pyro resorted to a last ditch attempt to keep Kurtzmann's secrets out of Iraqi hands by killing the man with a fireblast. Sirocco and Aminedi led the Crimson Commando and Avalanche towards a field full of land mines, critically injuring both. Sirocco was amazed how these Americans were still alive.
(X-Factor Annual#6/2) - Outnumbered, surviving Freedom Force members Pyro and Blob tried to outwit Desert Sword. Pyro burned Veil to death, while Raazer and the Arabian Knight stabbed the Blob with their weapons. However, Blob's mutant powers made him invulnerable to their assault. Pulling the golden scimitar and Raazer's sword out of his body, the Blob attacked and returned the favor, leaving the Knight critically wounded. Blob and Pyro took off, just as Raazer recovered and ordered a medical support team for the Knight. While Sirocco and Aminedi watched Avalanche and the Crimson Commando die, they were surprised when Avalanche used all he had left to trap both in a rock tomb. When they finally broke free the two had made way towards a U.S. rescue team who decided to desert Pyro and Blob who were caught by the combined forces of Sirocco, Aminedi, Raazer and the Iraqi regime.
(Incredible Hulk Annual#20/3 (fb) - BTS) - While recovering from his injuries, the Arabian Knight had left Desert Sword to rejoin the Pantheon as a field operative.
(X-Men Annual II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Held as prisoners, the Blob and Pyro were forced to serve as bodyguards to the Iraqi military commander until their freedom was ultimately secured by the Toad, who was seeking recruits for a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
(X-Men Annual II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Xavier's School reviewed the most recent reports of the Legacy Virus, Moira stated the newest casualty was Iraqi military agent Aminedi.
With only Sirocco and Black Raazer remaining active, the future of Desert Sword was uncertain.
Comments: Created by Fabian Nicieza & Kirk Jarvinin.
Gulf War, topical...
Published in 1991, the first arc started January 14,
11:22 pm; the second January 14, 12:21 am (presumably they meant
January 15, or that the first part started January 13...); and the
third January 14, 2:17 am (ditto...). The month, day, and time may be
accurate, but the story occurred within the sliding timescale, and
cannot have occurred more than 4-5 years before current stories...or
10-11 years after the start of the modern age in Fantastic Four I#1.
--Snood
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Desert Sword has no known connections to
Aminedi has no known connections to
Sirocco has no known connections to
Veil has no known connections to
Aminedi was a mutant who was named after the "cutting
wind" of the desert. He could move at blinding super-speeds, appearing
as a blur thus earning the nickname "the Invisible One". By passing an
opponent while running, his touch acted like a powerful razor, slicing
through even the Blob's impenetrable hide. He also appeared able to
levitate and fly for short distances, but this may have been due in
part to his power.
The details behind the origin and history of Aminedi including his recruitment into Desert Sword remain unrevealed.
(New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2) - Aminedi was dispatched, alongside the other members of Desert Sword, to abduct a scientist from Kuwait during Iraq's forceful occupation of the nation. They fought the United States' Freedom Force and, rather than let Desert Sword take the scientist, Pyro killed him instead. Desert Sword defeated Freedom Force, forcing them to retreat. Aminedi seemed very loyal to field leader Sirocco and was key in capturing the Blob and Pyro.
(X-Men Annual II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Xavier's School reviewed the most recent reports of the Legacy Virus, Moira stated the newest casualty was Iraqi military agent Aminedi.
--New Mutants Annual#7/2 (New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2, X-Men Annual II#2 (fb) - BTS
Sirocco was a mutant who was capable of generating
winds and manipulate air for various effects, such as creating damaging
air blasts and a tornado-like whirlwind that enabled him to fly.
The details behind the origin and history of Sirocco including his
recruitment into Desert Sword remain unrevealed. He was field leader of
the team.
(New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2) - Sirocco was dispatched, alongside the other members of Desert Sword, to abduct a scientist from Kuwait during Iraq's forceful occupation of the nation. They fought the United States' Freedom Force and, notable Sirocco seemed to enjoy leading Americans Avalanche and Crimson Commando into a field of concealed land mines. Setting of an explosion he was even more impressed they actually survived and was key in capturing the Blob and Pyro.
--New Mutants Annual#7/2 (New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2
Veil was a mutant who was capable of generating a
thick green mist, which had the effect of obscuring the area as she saw
fit. She seemed able to alter the density of the mist, or otherwise
cause it to choke victims and allow her to ride on a column of mist to
fly.
The details behind the origin and history of Veil including her recruitment into Desert Sword remain unrevealed.
(New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2) - Veil was dispatched, alongside the other members of Desert Sword, to abduct a scientist from Kuwait during Iraq's forceful occupation of the nation. They fought the United States' Freedom Force and, rather than let Desert Sword take the scientist, Pyro killed him instead. Desert Sword defeated Freedom Force, forcing them to retreat, but not before Pyro fired one of his fire creatures towards Veil taking her by surprise. Surrounded by the smoke with her outfit catching fire she cried out for help but was killed by Pyro dealing a last fire blast directly in her face.
--New Mutants Annual#7/2 (New Mutants Annual#7/2, Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2, X-Factor Annual#6/2
images: (without ads)
New Mutants Annual#7, p45, pan1 (main image)
Uncanny X-Men Annual#15, p44, pan1 (Aminedi)
X-Factor Annual#6, p48, pan2 (Sirocco)
X-Factor Annual#6, p47, pan2 (Veil)
Appearances:
New Mutants Annual#7/2 (August, 1991) - Fabian Nicieza(writer), Kirk
Jarvinin(pencils), Joe Rubinstein(inks), Robert Harras, Suzanne
Gaffney(editors)
Uncanny X-Men Annual#15/2 (August, 1991) - Fabian Nicieza(writer),
Jerry DeCaire(pencils), Joe Rubinstein(inks), Bob Harras(editor)
X-Factor Annual#6/2 (August, 1991) - Fabian Nicieza(writer), Steven Butler(pencils), Joe Rubinstein(inks), Bob Harras(editor)
First Posted: 09/07/2013
Last updated: 11/13/2013
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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