(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Chainsaw became the leader of the Praetorians, a white supremacist group funded by the Secret Empire.
CHAINSAW
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human conventional technology/weapon user
Occupation: Agent of Anubis; former white supremacist group leader
Group Membership: Legion of the Unliving (Black Spectre/Carson Knowles, Master Sniper, Midnight/Jeff Wilde, Plasma/Leila O'Toole, Taurus/Cornelius van Lunt); formerly Praetorians (Mr. Ellister, Delbert, several hundred unidentified members)
Affiliations: Jackal Knight (Randall Spector), Secret Empire
Enemies: Marlene Alraune, Howard Angstrom, Mrs. Angstrom, Scotty Angstrom, Bucky (later Julia Winter), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Jean Paul "Frenchie" DuChamp, Hydra, Khonshu, Moon Knight (Marc Spector), Khalil Nasser, Nomad (Jack Monroe), Bo Ollsen, Pit-Viper, Punisher (Frank Castle), Scarlet Scarab (Layla El-Faouly), Silvermane (Silvio Manfredi)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile throughout the US;
formerly an abandoned container yard at Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, New York City;
formerly an abandoned warehouse at the Hudson River in New York City
First Appearance: Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 (January, 1991)
Powers/Abilities: Chainsaw was a regular human being with a very muscular build. He wore a variety of masks with hair attached to them. His main weapon was a chainsaw, which had to be replaced a few times (at least one of them was equipped with Adamantium blades, though he possibly lost this chainsaw and wasn't given another one because of the prize attached to Adamantium). In addition he used shotguns, pistols, gas grenades (presumably filled with poison gas), hunting knives and the highly powerful gun only referred to as Joe Blitz.
He was an inspiring leader and an extremely violent racist without qualms about killing, specifically non-whites.
His means of transportation was a chopper bike.
Height: 6'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 220 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Unrevealed (see comments)
History:
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Chainsaw became the leader of the Praetorians, a white supremacist group funded by the Secret Empire.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22) - Chainsaw rode into the Maze on his motorbike holding his chainsaw in hands and then slaughtered under the cheers of the Praetorians a male college student they had abducted from his father's corner fruit stand.
Chainsaw addressed the Praetorians at their secret meeting and told them they would soon march in sunlight in a pure America. He explained they had to start their cleansing of America with New York City and how he would reveal his plan to do so after some entertainment in the Maze. Moon Knight saw Bo Ollsen next to Chainsaw. DuChamp, who had infiltrated the Praetorians, and Moon Knight then watched Chainsaw introduce Marlene Alraune, who had been caught earlier outside, as his prey that night. He pushed her into the Maze and gave her a headstart when Moon Knight suddenly jumped through the skylight to come to her aid.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#23) - Chainsaw began to hunt Marlene through the Maze on his motorcycle while swinging his chainsaw in his right hand. Moon Knight dropped through the skylight to come to her aid while Praetorians threw garbage at him for interfering in their entertainment. Realizing he and Marlene couldn't outrun Chainsaw Moon Knight jumped at him with his truncheon in nunchucks mode. Chainsaw dropped his chainsaw and fell off his bike when Moon Knight hit him in the face. He pulled a pistol on Moon Knight, but when he got kicked in the face again Chainsaw decided to retreat. After throwing a gas grenade (emitting green smoke) Chainsaw got back on his bike and was going for the exit through a garage door, but upon arriving there he was shot three times by mercenary Bo Ollsen, who had infiltrated the Praetorians in a wider scheme to take revenge on the Secret Empire. With Chainsaw seemingly dead Moon Knight, Marlene and Frenchie escaped from the Praetorians with Ollsen.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#152/154 (fb) - BTS) - Chainsaw's body was gone when the police arrived. The three bullets were removed by unknown parties and his life was saved (presumably by the Secret Empire). He also got a new chainsaw with an Adamantium blade (presumably provided to him by the Secret Empire).
(Punisher War Journal I#45 - BTS) - Number Three of the Secret Empire's leaders the Circle of Ten sent Chainsaw and the Praetorians after the Punisher in Las Vegas after the previous strike team had failed to kill the Punisher and his allies.
(Punisher War Journal I#45) - Chainsaw welcomed all the Praetorians from across the country that came to Las Vegas for their big gathering in the desert. He called it the biggest gathering ever and promised them they would get what they deserve and take their position at the top (other crime leaders were having a big meeting in Las Vegas at the time to split up the Kingpin's territory, including the Praetorians' bosses of the Secret Empire) During his speech Chainsaw received an order from the Secret Empire's Circle of Ten to kill the Punisher, who was staying at a motel on 161. Chainsaw wasn't too happy that their party was interrupted by the Secret Empire, but obliged because now they would continue their party at the motel with blood and guts included. When asked what they should do with the baby Bucky, whom some Praetorians had stolen from the hands of the mad Bushwacker earlier, he decided to take the baby with them.
Chainsaw and the Praetorians arrived at the Mojave Motor Lodge outside Las Vegas. With Bucky in a baby seat strapped to the front of his motorcycle Chainsaw called out the Punisher.
(Nomad II#5/Punisher War Journal I#46) - The Praetorians shot up the Punisher's motel room until Chainsaw asked them to cease fire. He used his big gun Joe Blitz to blow up the room and was pretty sure he had killed the Punisher, but when the Praetorians checked out the room they were surprised by the Punisher and Pit-Viper, who ran out guns blazing. The Punisher was surprised to see Chainsaw because he had heard he was dead and was shocked to see a baby strapped to the front of his bike. The Punisher ducked Chainsaw's first attack, then shot his chainsaw causing the chain to come off and hit Chainsaw in the face. Punisher then used a telescope stick with a hook at the end to steal the baby off the bike and cut his sign into Chainsaw's chest at the same time (the latter is only seen in Nomad). Chainsaw decided to retreat with the Praetorians.
(Punisher War Journal I#46 - BTS) - Number Three promised Agent Zero, the Secret Empire's undercover agent within Hydra, to send Chainsaw and the Praetorians to attack Hydra and assassinate the Secret Empire's Number Four and Number Eight, who were apparently meeting with Hydra without authorization.
(Punisher War Journal I#47 (fb) - BTS) - Chainsaw picked up a new chainsaw at the hardware store and as then on his way on his motorbike to go after the Punisher again.
(Punisher War Journal I#47) - Chainsaw led the Praetorians on their motorcycles in support of the Secret Empire in another attack on the Punisher, Nomad and Pit-Viper, but Daredevil forced the pilot controlling the Secret Empire's helicopter to land it and it accidentally came down on top of the Praetorians. The resulting explosion took out Chainsaw and the Praetorians before they could reach their targets.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#152) - Accompanied by three other Praetorians Chainsaw broke cut through the apartment door of Howard Angstrom on 106 Barton Avenue in Grant City, Staten Island. Angstrom served as a member of the jury in a trial against three Praetorians. Chainsaw blackmailed Howard to somehow convince the rest of the jury into a not guilty verdict for the Praetorians. As an insurance Chainsaw abducted Howard's child Scotty.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#153 - BTS) - Howard Angstrom described the man, who had abducted his son Scotty, to Moon Knight as a masked man with a chainsaw.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#154) - When Moon Knight tried to save Scotty Angstrom from the container yard base of the Praetorians he swung in on his truncheon's line, which was cut by Chainsaw after Moon Knight kicked some Praetorians off their motorbikes. Chainsaw revealed that he had survived their last encounter and showed the scars from the operation. He also revealed that he got a new chainsaw with Adamantium blades and immediately showed Moon Knight how powerful it was by easily cutting through the chain of Moon Knight's nunchucks. Moon Knight hardly managed to avoid getting hit by the chainsaw before hitting Chainsaw with a two-hit combo. A Crescent Dart to the knee and a kick to the head drove Chainsaw over the edge. Flailing wildly around with his chainsaw to kill Moon Knight, Chainsaw accidentally cut through one of the poles holding up the containers. The container complex collapsed burying Chainsaw and the Praetorians beneath it while Moon Knight escaped with the kidnapped Scotty Angstrom.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#1 (fb) - BTS) - Chainsaw was among the past victims of Moon Knight that was raised from the dead by Anubis' sorcery.
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#1) - In Duat Anubis' agent Jackal Knight (Randall Spector) introduced the Legion of the Unliving, including Chainsaw, to the soul of Osiris' host from Earth Khalil Nasser. They were going to kill Moon Knight before he could return Nasser's soul to his dying body on Earth.
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#2) - In a warehouse in Duat the Legion of the Unliving, including Chainsaw, attacked Moon Knight and Scarlet Scarab after they found the captured souls of children, whose hearts had been removed. Moon Knight realized that the hearts of the children were sold to criminals by the Jackals to trick the Scales of Justice and keep them save from being eaten by Ammut as punishment. As part of their plan Scarlet Scarab fled during the fight while Moon Knight got captured and finally came face to face with the Jackal Knight, who turned out to be his own brother.
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#3) - While Midnight tortured Moon Knight, Chainsaw and the other members of the Legion played cards and made plans for their future after they finally returned to the land of the living. Chainsaw hit on Plasma, but she was not interested at all. Scarlet Scarab freed Moon Knight and they took out the Legion together and then freed Nasser. Jackal Knight tried to stop them, but Nasser used the power of Osiris to crash Jackal Knight's ship. Jackal Knight teleported away with the Legion before Ammut attacked the vessel. Moon Knight distracted Ammut to give Scarlet Scarab the chance to escape with Nasser.
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#4) - Jackal Knight and the Legion of the Unliving were among the many souls that tried to stop Scarlet Scarab from reuniting Nasser's soul with his body. They hunted her with their flying ships through Duat and caught up to her at the moment she delivered the host of Osiris (Nasser) to Thoth and Shesmu. Chainsaw and the other members of the Legion watched as the Jackal Knight absorbed Osiris' powers from Nasser when the boy's body was dying on Earth.
(Moon Knight: City of the Dead#5) - While the souls of the unliving began to invade Earth, Moon Knight (three versions of him), Khonshu and Scarlet Scarab fought their way through Jackal Knight's Legion of the Unliving to get the soul of Osiris' host to the Gates of Osiris. The Legion were defeated, but Jackal Knight was still in their way. While Moon Knight fought Jackal Knight, Nasser sacrificed himself to free Osiris, who quickly ended Jackal Knight's scheme.
Comments: Created by Chuck Dixon, Sal Velluto & Chris Ivy.
Chainsaw's appearance was clearly modeled after Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Leatherface though there is also a bit of Buzzsaw from Running Man in him...unfortunately Chainsaw never got the chance to became one with his chainsaw.
To make something clear: the hair is part of the mask. I know he was seen with full hair in Nomad II#5, but he also had red eyes in that issue and the events were simultaneously depicted in Punisher War Journal I#46 where he sported a look more akin to his original appearance. Nomad II#5 was purely artistic license!
The Marvel Comics Presents storyline was originally placed after the Moon Knight story because Chainsaw's survival after the events in Marc Spector: Moon Knight#23 were still in question at the beginning of the story. The storyline actually serves as a nice explanation how Chainsaw could turn up again in Punisher War Journal. The story probably took place around the time Frenchie was crippled by an explosion caused by Moon Knight's brother Randall Spector in Marc Spector: Moon Knight#35 (February, 1992) because Marlene served as Moon Knight's pilot in the story.
....and then came Moon Knight: City of the Dead and it made it pretty clear that Chainsaw died under the shipping containers in Marvel Comics Presents I#154. Even though it makes more sense that the MCP story came chronologically before the Dead Man's Hand storyline it seems like it is no the case. I want to disagree, but there is not much arguing against a published comic.
The spelling of the Praetorians changed between Pretorians and Praetorians. Pretorians was the original spelling in dialogue, but their business card clearly said Praetorians so I will go with that.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Chainsaw should not be confused with:
The Praetorians should not be confused with:
Chainsaw's gun with a big poom (better than boom) that was handed to him by one of the biker trash Praetorians when he asked for one of the big guns. Chainsaw fired with the fully loaded gun three times at the Punisher's motel room and blew it up with the explosive rounds.
Note: I am pretty sure this gun was provided to Chainsaw by the Secret Empire.
--Punisher War Journal I#46
The Praetorians included a wide variety of white supremacist scumbags across society though the largest portion were bikers, trailer park trash and your run-of-the-mill Neo-Nazi skinheads. Most of them were armed with guns.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 (fb) - BTS) - The Praetorians where a New York based white supremacist group funded by the Secret Empire. Their leader was the masked Chainsaw.
(Punisher War Journal I#45 (fb) - BTS) - Cells of their group started popping up all over the United States.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 - BTS) - While searching for information on the computers at Empire Mall, the Secret Empire's abandoned base in Manhattan, concerning Midnight's whereabouts Moon Knight instead learned about white supremacy group known as the Praetorians and how Bo Ollsen, a former mercenary he had been working with, was working with them.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22) - The Praetorians watched their leader Chainsaw murder a male college student they had abducted from his father's corner fruit stand in an arena. They cheered for him.
Several Praetorians attended the talk show Manhattan Beat as part of the audience to cheer on anti-immigration speaker Mr. Ellister, secretly a member of their group. When another audience member got up to go after Ellister, a fight broke out between the white supremacists and the rest of the audience. DuChamp, claiming to be a concerned citizen, got Ellister out of harm's way. Outside on the street Ellister invited DuChamp to join the Praetorians and gave him a business card with the address where they met after midnight.
While DuChamp infiltrated the Praetorians, Moon Knight and Marlene observed the abandoned warehouse at the river the Praetorians were meeting in. Marlene got caught by Praetorians outside while Moon Knight got into a fight with Praetorians on the roof. When Chainsaw, surrounded by uniformed guards, addressed the Praetorians about making America pure again by starting with the filthy and immoral New York City, he promised to reveal his plan for cleaning Manhattan after some entertainment in the Maze. He introduced his prey Marlene Alraune, who had been caught earlier and gave her a headstart. A shocked Moon Knight jumped through the skylight to come to her aid.
(Marc Spector: Moon Knight#23) - The Praetorians cheered for their leader while he hunted Marlene through the Maze. When Moon Knight dropped through the skylight to come to her aid, he disarmed some of them and took them out with kicks before swinging down into the Maze. Praetorians through garbage at Moon Knight for interfering with their entertainment. Frenchie, who was undercover among their ranks, pulled in guns on the Praetorians and started to fight them. A Praetorian entered the Maze with his gun, but Marlene was able to knock him out with a kick and take his gun to open fire on other armed Praetorians from the audience. The Praetorians came after Frenchie, Marlene and Moon Knight, but they escaped the Maze through a garage door after Bo Ollsen shot Chainsaw and then took their van to get away from the Praetorians.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#154 (fb) - BTS) - The Praetorians built a new base inside a container yard. Many containers were held up with wooden poles to create space.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#152) - Three members of the Praetorians were put on trial. The Secret Empire provided them with the best lawyers they could find. Marc Spector and Marlene Alraune attended the public trial and watched the Praetorians disrespect and threaten the judge. The judge ordered the three culprits to be put in manacles and cuffs before the closing arguments. Other Praetorians attending the trial were evicted by the judge, who asked the jury to ignore any comments made by them. The judge called it a day, but Marlene and Marc ran into the three attending Praetorians outside the courtroom. After some rude comments Marlene stepped on the biggest Praetorians' foot with her heel.
The three Praetorians, who attended the trial, later joined Chainsaw when he broke into the home of jury member Howard Angstrom. They took apart the Angstroms' apartment while Chainsaw abducted Howard's son Scotty and blackmailed him into convincing the rest of the jury to go for a not guilty verdict.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#152 - BTS) - Crawley overheard an arms dealer at Spanish Ricky's talk about the Praetorians trial and how they did not have to be afraid to go to prison. He informed Moon Knight.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#152) - Moon Knight attacked a few Praetorians to find out how they were planning to influence the trial, but they wouldn't talk to him.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#153) - While Moon Knight fought one Praetorian another ran outside to call his boss on a payphone and inform him that Moon Knight somehow knew about their attempt to influence the trial. Without getting any more information from the beaten Praetorians Moon Knight returned to his Mooncopter where Marlene informed him about the call. They found out that jury member Howard Angstrom was blackmailed by the Praetorians. Moon Knight took out two Praetorians, who were trying to attack Angstrom for telling on them. Angstrom then revealed to Moon Knight that his son had been abducted by a masked man with a chainsaw. Moon Knight asked Angstrom to hold up the jury's verdict until his son Scotty was safe. Back in the Mooncopter Marlene informed Moon Knight that she had pinpointed the location of the number called by the Praetorian earlier. They soon arrived at Belle's 2A at Sheepshead Bay.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#154) - Moon Knight watched Praetorians enter the container yard with their motorcycles and was surprised when, upon entering, how much space they had under the containers. Moon Knight attacked the drugged up Praetorians on their motorcycles and wondered if the Secret Empire knew they were financing the party life of the Praetorians. When he attempted to get to Scotty Angstrom his line was cut by Chainsaw, who revealed himself to be the original. After a Crescent Dart to the knee and a kick to the head Chainsaw lost it and wildly flailed around with his chainsaw, cutting through a pole by accident causing the container complex to collapse. The Praetorians and their leader were buried beneath the containers while Moon Knight escaped with Scotty. When Howard was informed that his son was safe he called the jury to take another vote (presumably guilty to get the three accused Praetorians behind bard).
(Punisher War Journal I#45 (fb) - BTS) - For unknown reasons members of the Praetorians took the infant Bucky from Bushwacker.
(Punisher War Journal I#45) - Praetorians from all over the country met in the desert outside Las Vegas for the biggest gathering of the group ever. Chainsaw welcomed them and promised they would get what they deserved and take their position at the top (other crime leaders were having a big meeting in Las Vegas at the time to split up the Kingpin's territory, including the Praetorians' bosses of the Secret Empire). After Chainsaw received an order from the Secret Empire's Circle of Ten to kill the Punisher he told the Praetorians they would move their party to the Mojave Motor Lodge where the Punisher stayed. On Chainsaw's order the Praetorians took the infant Bucky with them. When the Praetorians arrived on their numerous vehicles at the lodge Chainsaw called the Punisher out.
Chainsaw and the Praetorians arrived at the Mojave Motor Lodge outside Las Vegas. With Bucky strapped to the front of his motorcycle Chainsaw called out the Punisher.
(Nomad II#5/Punisher War Journal I#46) - The Praetorians shot up the Punisher's motel room until Chainsaw asked them to cease fire, then blew up the room with his big gun Joe Blitz. He sent in Praetorians to make sure the Punisher was dead, but they were shot by the surviving Punisher and Pit-Viper. While they ran at the Praetorians guns blazing, two Praetorians got into a fight with the cyborg Silvermane, who believed they had been sent to kill him. The Praetorians retreated on Chainsaw's order after the Punisher took the infant Bucky from Chainsaw and hit him in the face.
(Punisher War Journal I#46 - BTS) - Number Three sent the Praetorians to attack Hydra and assassinate the Secret Empire's Number Four and Number Eight, who were apparently meeting with Hydra without authorization.
(Punisher War Journal I#47) - Chainsaw led the Praetorians on their motorcycles in support of the Secret Empire in another attack on the Punisher, Nomad and Pit-Viper, but Daredevil forced the pilot controlling the Secret Empire's helicopter to land it and it accidentally came down on top of the Praetorians. The resulting explosion took out Chainsaw and the Praetorians before they could reach their targets.
--Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22 (Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22-23, Marvel Comics Presents I#152-154, Punisher War Journal I#45, Nomad II#5, Punisher War Journal I#46-47
images (without ads)
Punisher War Journal I#45, p16, pan2 (main)
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22, p20, pan2 (head shot, white mask)
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22, p7, pan4 (on motorcycle, white mask)
Punisher War Journal I#45, p17, pan1 (brown mask)
Nomad II#5, p2, right panel (red eyes, artistic license)
Marvel Comics Presents I#154, p13, pan4 (with Adamantium blade chainsaw)
Punisher War Journal I#46, p2, pan2 (Joe Blitz)
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22, p16, pan4 (Praetorians business card)
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22, p20, pan1 (big meeting, including security)
Marvel Comics Presents I#154, p12, pan1 (flag)
Appearances:
Marc Spector: Moon Knight#22-23 (January-February, 1991) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Sal Velluto (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#45 (August, 1992) - Chuck Dixon (writer), John Hebert (pencils), Fred Fredricks (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Nomad II#5 (September, 1992) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Pat Olliffe (pencils), Mark McKenna (inks), Glenn Herdling (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#46-47 (September-October, 1992) - Chuck Dixon (writer), John Hebert (pencils), Fred Fredricks (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#152 (April, 1994) - Chuck Dixon (writer), J.J. Birch (artist), Richard Ashford (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#153-154 (May, 1994) - Chuck Dixon (writer), J.J. Birch (artist), Richard Ashford (editor)
Moon Knight: City of the Dead#1-2 (September-October, 2023) - David Pepose (writer), Marcelo Ferreira (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Moon Knight: City of the Dead#3 (November, 2023) - David Pepose (writer), Sean Damien Hill (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Moon Knight: City of the Dead#4-5 (December, 2023 - January, 2024) - David Pepose (writer), Marcelo Ferreira (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 10/25/2018
Last updated: 05/15/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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