MARAUDERS
Membership: Cootie Tremble (leader), Billy, "marauder #3", "marauder #4", several unidentified non-powered marauders
formerly Oscar Stamp
Purpose: Servants of Apocalypse, former kidnappers of society's rejects
Aliases: None
Affiliations: Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur), Nathaniel Essex
Enemies: Society's rejects among them Daniel and Martha, X-Men (Cyclops/Scott Summers, Jean Grey)
Base of Operations: Apocalypse' alien stronghold beneath the streets of London, Great Britain
formerly London's sewers, Great Britain
First Appearance: The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (June, 1996)
History:
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (fb) - BTS) - Cootie Tremble led a group of six men calling themselves the Marauders, who would sweep the streets of London in search of the freaks and misshapen. They would trap them in the London town sewers.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Marauders captured a young boy named Daniel who didn't speak a word since his parents were killed. The Marauders also captured a woman named Martha with claw-like hands.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1) <1859> - While sitting in a pub in London, Cootie Tremble noticed the famous scientist Nathaniel Essex drinking his sorrows away after being shunned from the Royal Society. Realizing Essex might be interested in their endeavors he introduced himself, explaining he could show Essex some kind of circus with creatures beyond his imagination. Essex, his curiosity piqued, decided to follow Tremble to London's sewers. Along with the full complement of Marauders, Tremble showed Essex the huge cage where they kept the misshapen. Essex inspected the prisoners and concluded they were not merely freaks but nature's failed experiments. Satisfied with what he saw, Essex tried to leave but was attacked by the Marauders who wanted to strip the famous scientist of his money. Essex threw his money up in the air and asked them to join his cause. These freaks were exactly what Essex needed to further his experiments and therefore hired the Marauders to supply him with the necessary test subjects.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1) - Two weeks later, the Marauders arrived at Milbury House with several of their prisoners for Essex to experiment on.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1) - Later that night Tremble, Billy and two other Marauders roamed the streets of London looking for additional "freaks" when they came across the ancient mutant Apocalypse recently risen from his restorative slumber. Thinking Essex would pay handsomely for this one, the Marauders prepared to attack the mutant but were shocked when Apocalypse easily decapitated Billy. Nonetheless, Apocalypse recognized the Marauders' strength and commanded them to serve him. Enraged by the death of his friend, Tremble tried to shoot Apocalypse but was unable to harm the ancient mutant who wished to know why Essex would be interested in him. Tremble still refused to take orders from anyone, which led to Apocalypse killing another one of the Marauders causing Tremble to pledge his obedience to the mutant after all.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2 - (fb) - BTS) - Apocalypse rushed to enhance and mutate the four men (including the beheaded Billy) using Celestial technology, turning them into apocalyptic warriors.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#4 - (fb) - BTS) - However, due to Apocalypse's hasty work, the mutation made the Marauders' bodies unstable. Their mutation would slowly kill them.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2) - The four Marauders (Oscar Stamp being one of them) left guarding the prison of freaks in the sewers of London were shocked when the cage was suddenly destroyed. Witnessing what appeared to be a blind man shooting bright red rays (in reality, the time tossed X-Man Cyclops, sent back by the Askani with his wife Jean to stop Sinister). The two other Marauders were about to shoot Cyclops when they were overrun by their captives who seized the opportunity to escape. In the end Oscar decided to aid Cyclops and Jean Grey.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2 - BTS) - From this point on, the only Marauders shown were those in service of Apocalypse.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2) - While the Marauders' new master, Apocalypse, met with Nathaniel Essex they noticed the arrival of Cyclops, Jean Grey and Oscar who were determined to stop Apocalypse. Before the X-Men could intervene the Marauders attacked them from behind. With the help from Apocalypse they easily defeated Cyclops and Jean. While Apocalypse got a hold of Cyclops, Jean Grey was left for Essex to find.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3) - Former leader of the Marauders, Cootie Tremble noticed Oscar Stamp watching the fight from the sidelines and decided to go after him.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3) - Once Apocalypse had left with Cyclops, Tremble revealed his presence to Oscar. Maddened by the pain his sudden mutation was causing him, Tremble wanted to rip the treacherous Oscar's head from his body. But before the Marauder could act, he was rescued by Jean Grey while Essex looked on. Realizing he was no match for Grey, Tremble fled the scene unaware Grey and Oscar followed him back to Apocalypse's alien stronghold beneath the streets of London. Back in Apocalypse's base the other Marauders had been torturing Cyclops, trying to find out who he was and what he was doing in London. Having located Cyclops, Grey used her telekinetic abilities to send the Marauders flying. However, Jean was also captured before they could escape with Cyclops.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3 - BTS) - In an effort to help his friends, Oscar persuaded the former prisoners of the Marauders to help him.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3) - Oscar and the freaks entered Apocalypse's base and began tearing up the joint, even fighting the Marauders. With Apocalypse's base in defense mode Cyclops and Jean Grey managed to break free, they immediately realized the Marauders had vanished.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#4 - BTS) - All Marauders except for their former leader Cootie Tremble, died a horrible death when their bodies could not handle the sudden mutation.
(The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#4) - While Cyclops, Jean, Oscar and Danny tried to escape from Apocalypse's base and the sewers they were attacked by Cootie Tremble. Jean used her telekinetic powers to push Cootie aside. She sensed his psychic aura was screaming out in agony and confusion. Upset she couldn't save him, Jean tried to ease his pain but was unable to maintain psychic control because Cootie's braincells were mutating by the second. Mister Sinister was watching the scene from the shadows and decided to step in. Using his newfound powers (Sinister had agreed to serve Apocalypse and was mutated), he snapped Cootie's neck, killing him. Sinister revealed it was the most simple and robust way of easing the man's suffering. Sinister went on to say Apocalypse's transmutation of the Marauders had been so crude and hideously unscientific it was a travesty of his dream for a new species.
Comments: Created by Peter Milligan (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks).
Chronologically speaking, this was the first ever team of Marauders. They would serve as inspiration for Sinister to gather other teams over the centuries.
In an overly cute nod to convenient continuity and foreshadowing, Oscar Stamp went on to adopt Daniel as his son before immigrating to the United States of America where he legally changed their name to Summers, thereby creating the Summers family line.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Marauders should not be confused with
Cootie Tremble was the Marauders' leader. After striking a deal with Nathaniel Essex he and his men agreed to provide the geneticist with society's rejects and freaks to experiment on. When Tremble and his men encountered Apocalypse they failed to capture the ancient mutant who subsequently forced the Marauders to serve him. Apocalypse enhanced and mutated the four men with advanced alien technology. After his transformation, Tremble followed Apocalypse loyally, unaware En Sabah Nur had rushed the mutation process, wich would result in all of the Marauders' bodies growing increasingly unstable. In the end, Tremble's misery was cut short by Mister Sinister who snapped his neck.
--The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1-4
Billy was part of Cootie Tremble's Marauders group when they first encountered Apocalypse. To show his might, En Sabah Nur tore off Billy's head. This was not the end for him, once the Marauders pledged their obedience to the mutant, Apocalypse reattached Billy's head, and went on to mutate the four men using advanced alien technology. After his transformation Billy resembled more of a Cro-Magnon wielding a club. Due to Apocalypse's sloppy work Billy's genetic make up became unstable, leading to his inevitable death.
Note: In The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3 one of the other Marauders called him Reggie, perhaps it was a nickname.
--The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1-3
This Marauder was part of the group of Marauders who encountered Apocalypse. Once the Marauders had pledged their obedience to the mutant Apocalypse. they were enhanced and mutated using advanced alien technology. After his transformation he followed Apocalypse's orders. But because of Apocalypse's hasty work the Marauders' bodies all had become unstable which finally caused their inevitable death.
Note: It was unclear what kind of powers he had, presumably enhanced strength, speed and endurance.
--The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1-3
This Marauder was part of the group of Marauders who encountered Apocalypse. Once the Marauders had pledged their obedience to the mutant Apocalypse they were enhanced and mutated using advanced alien technology. After his transformation he followed Apocalypse's orders. But because of Apocalypse's hasty work the Marauders' bodies all had become unstable which finally caused their inevitable death.
Note: His face had been replaced with some kind of metal-like plate. His arms somewhat resembled the branches of a tree, these would presumably be razor-sharp.
--The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1-2, [Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3]
images: (without ads)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p9, pan2 (main image)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p11, pan1 (revealing their name)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p17, pan2 (seeing Apocalypse)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2, p20, pan1 (mutated Marauders)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#4, p11, pan1 (Cootie Tremble's death)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p9, pan6 (Cootie Tremble)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3, p3, pan2 (Cootie Tremble, mutated)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p17, pan2 (Billy)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2, p22, pan2 (Billy, mutated)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1, p17, pan4 (Marauder#3)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3, p14, pan5 (Marauder#3, mutated)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2, p22, pan2 (Marauder#4, shadow)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2, p20, pan1 (Marauder#4, mutated)
Appearances:
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#1 (June, 1996) - Peter Milligan (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#2 (July, 1996) - Peter Milligan (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Klaus Janson, Shawn Martinbrough (inkers), Mark Powers (editor)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#3 (August, 1996) - Peter Milligan (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Shawn Martinbrough, Tommy Lee Edwards (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix#4 (September, 1996) - Peter Milligan (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Shawn Martinbrough (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
Last updated: 04/01/17.
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