Slayers Elite (Third World Army; Moon Knight/Marc Spector foes)

SLAYERS ELITE

Membership: Jou-Jouka, Kareesh-Bek, Sumaro

Purpose:

Aliases:

Affiliations:

Nimrod Strange (later Arsenal)

Third World Army (see comments)

Enemies: Moon Knight (Marc Spector)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly an unidentified island base

First Appearance: Moon Knight I#18 (April, 1982)

History:
(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - With the exception of the Master Sniper, the Slayers Elite were the three best assassins in Nimrod Strange's Third World Army.

(Moon Knight I#18) - Despite the objections of his bodyguards (Assigi, Sheena, & Yumi; see eventual comments in the Third World Army profile), Nimrod Strange insisted that since they must remain by his side at his island base; and due to the crucial nature of the mission and the death of the Master Sniper at Marc Spector's hands , it must be the Slayers Elite who traveled to Jerusalem on a mission in which to locate and eliminate Spector.

Nimrod Strange then summoned in the Slayers, smiling as each confirmed their skills and most-recent developments. Reviewing their mission and the importance that the Third World Army's planned simultaneous attacks were not jeopardized by Spector or anyone else, Strange then reviewed the planned attack on Jerusalem, which might draw out Spector for them.

(Moon Knight I#18 - BTS) - Members of the Third World Army slaughtered those gathering at synagogue to celebrate the Sabbath.

(Moon Knight I#18) - As Moon Knight and DuChamp defeated the Army members, the Slayers Elite kidnapped Spector's girlfriend, Marlene Alraune (who was grabbed by Sumaro), and Anna Abramov (widow of Spector's ally, Benjamin, slain by the Master Sniper), who was confronted at gunpoint by Jou-Jouka.

(Moon Knight I#18 - BTS) - Spector was distraught to find Marlene and Anna missing upon his return, and he initially feared the message was written in blood, until a taste confirmed it to be red paint.

Moon Knight rescued them, apparently killing the Master Slayers in succession in the process.

(Moon Knight I#19) - Later, at the compound behind Strange's personal barracks, Strange noted the recent loss of both the Master Sniper and the Slayers Elite, that they needed someone colorful to take their place...someone who was more than a normal man...someone from whom men could draw inspiration. Donning the weaponry of the Master Sniper, Jou-Jouka, Kareesh-Bek, Sumaro, and Chu-Lin as part of his new costume, he introduced himself as Arsenal and ran a gauntlet to demonstrate his proficiency and power, killing several human-like targets with the above weapons and finally destroying a tank with a powerful grenade.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Steve Mitchell.

It didn't look certain that the Master Sniper was dead when the EMTs (or the Swiss version) carried him away strapped to a stretcher, but he could have been...or perhaps he died from his injuries thereafter...or someone in the Mossad slew him? Or maybe Nimrod Strange was mistaken.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Slayers Elite have no known connections to:

Jou-Jouka

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Not including the Master Sniper, Jou-Jouka was one of the top three assassins in Nimrod Strange's Third World Army and, as such, served in his Slayers Elite.

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Having formerly preferred the Magnum as a handgun, Jou-Jouka abandoned them, instead refining his skills for accuracy, rather than brute force.

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Following the apparent death of the Master Sniper at the hands of Marc Spector, Nimrod Strange summoned his Slayers Elite for discussion of a mission to Jerusalem to locate and eliminate Marc Spector.

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Strange's bodyguards (Assigi, Sheena, & Yumi; see eventual comments in the Third World Army profile) asked why they weren't being sent to Jerusalem on this mission, but he stressed that they must remain by his side at his island base at all times; further the critical nature demanded his very best assassins, which, with the loss of the Master Sniper, meant the Slayers Elite.

(Moon Knight I#18) - Alongside his bodyguards, Nimrod Strange then summoned in the Slayers. He noted to Jou-Jouka that he had abandoned his magnums, and Jou-Jouka happily explained his reasons.

Reviewing their ultimate mission -- simultaneous coordinated strikes on more than two dozen locations worldwide, which was to launch chaos that would bring the world's governments to their knees -- and the importance that these not jeopardized by Spector or anyone else, Strange then reviewed the planned attack on Jerusalem, which might draw out Spector for them.

(Moon Knight I#18 - BTS) - Members of the Third World Army slaughtered those gathering at synagogue to celebrate the Sabbath.

(Moon Knight I#18 - BTS) -

but Moon Knight rescued them, apparently killing the Master Slayers in succession in the process.

--Moon Knight I#18

Kareesh-Bek

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Not including the Master Sniper, Kareesh-Bek was one of the top three assassins in Nimrod Strange's Third World Army and, as such, served in his Slayers Elite.

(Moon Knight I#18) - Alongside his bodyguards, Nimrod Strange then summoned in the Slayers. He asked Kareesh-Bek if his glass knives were as sharp as ever, and Kareesh-Bek confirmed this while adding that they were still filled with an acid solution that burned through solid steel upon contact with air.

--Moon Knight I#18

Sumaro

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Not including the Master Sniper, Sumaro was one of the top three assassins in Nimrod Strange's Third World Army and, as such, served in his Slayers Elite.

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Known for his ability to kill a man in less than six seconds with his bare hands, Sumaro trimmed this time to five seconds. Additionally, to avoid boredom as killing was so easy for him, he learned the art of the garrote.

(Moon Knight I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Alongside his bodyguards, Nimrod Strange then summoned in the Slayers. He asked Sumaro about his speed in killing a man, and Sumaro noted his improved rate as well as his recent learning to use a garrote.

--Moon Knight I#18

images: (without ads)
Moon Knight I#18, pg. 3 (main image)

Appearances:
Moon Knight I#18 (April, 1982) - Doug Moench (writer), Bill Sienkiewicz (penciler), Steve Mitchell (inker), Denny O'Neil (editor)

Last updated: 03/22/15.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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