STALKERS

Membership: Briggs, Kass, Raiden, Trent

Purpose: Hunting worthy prey (like Venom and Vengeance); former mercenary gun runners

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Sean Knight, San Francisco Underground City residents (Elizabeth, Jason, others), Beck Underwood, Vengeance (Michael Badilino), Venom (Eddie Brock)

Known Relatives: None

Base of Operations: An alien spacecraft inside Storm Mountain somewhere in Colorado, United States

First Appearance: Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1 (August, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: The Stalkers were a group of armed mercenaries, who sold guns. Over time they transformed into techno-organic beings after establishing a connection to an extraterrestrial race upon picking up weapons from their spacecraft.

History:
(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Stalkers were a group of mercenary gun runners. They were infiltrated by A.T.F. undercover agent Sean Knight.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - When the A.T.F. and another agency hunted them down in Colorado the Stalkers, including undercover agent Knight, fled through a tunnel into Storm Mountain where they found an alien spacecraft. They concentrated on the weaponry lying around in the spacecraft and picked them up when a silent voice asked them to. They began to mutate, but Knight blew his cover when he resisted the call. Trent ordered the others to kill him, but Knight escaped through the tunnel.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Stalkers hunted him through the US.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1 - BTS) - They finally found him in San Francisco when he was nearly caught by Badilino and then taken away by Venom.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1) - The Stalkers followed Venom to the underground city where he had taken Michael Badilino and Sean Knight. Briggs threw an explosive to level a whole building to get the attention of Venom and his allies. Trent demanded they hand over Knight within 30 seconds or else Briggs would blow up another building. Knight surrendered, but before Trent could kill him, Venom tossed a door at him. Venom then attacked the Stalkers and took away the bomb from Briggs. A blast by Trent, a tackle by Raiden and a blast from a gun created by Briggs, which fired a combination of high frequency and fire, took Venom down. Kass used his pure strength against him before Trent was ready to kill him with his spear. At that moment Badilino, transformed into Vengeance, came to his aid and attacked Raiden and Kass with Hellfire. A bomb from Briggs took him down temporarily, but Venom was back on his feet and grabbed Briggs and Trent from behind. Trent hit Venom with an electrical blast, which only angered Venom. Venom and Vengeance then took down the Stalkers, but to their surprise the Stalkers started to mutate in mid-air and became techno-organic beings, who sought to make Venom and Vengeance their prey for a big hunt. Trent opened a portal and kidnapped everyone in sight to force Venom and Vengeance to follow them, except for Knight, who knew how to lead Venom and Vengeance to the Stalkers.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - Inside Storm Mountain in Colorado's Rocky Mountains the Stalkers, connected to the alien spacecraft mutated further into techno-organic beings until their bodies were completely replaced by the techno-organic beings that planned to hunt the entire human race. They interrupted their transformation when Trent spotted a spider-like surveillance device signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. They were unaware that their hostages were fleeing from them at the same time.

   While Knight brought the hostages to safety Venom and Vengeance were searching for the Stalkers, who attacked them by surprise by hiding in the walls. After a brutal fight Venom and Vengeance seemed to have won.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 - BTS) - Meanwhile Trent and Briggs caught Beck and Elizabeth.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - Trent knocked Venom and Vengeance out with a single blast from his energy lance and told them that they had now proven to be worthy prey. He warned them not to attack him because he had captured Beck and Elizabeth and had fastened explosive collars around their neck. He had allowed the other hostages to leave, but would keep Beck and Elizabeth as insurance because he knew they meant a lot to Venom. Trent opened a portal and pushed Venom and Vengeance through, telling them that it would bring them to a random place on Earth where the Stalkers would hunt them.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - Somewhere in a South American rainforest Kass and Raiden found Venom and seemingly took him out with an energy blast to the chest. Venom disappeared after falling down a waterfall. Kass was disappointed and just wanted to collect the trophy. Nearby Briggs and Trent were searching for Vengeance, but only found Michael Badilino behind a tree. They left because he was not the being they sought, unaware Badilino was. Moments later Badilino transformed into Vengeance. Kass and Raiden flew down the waterfall. Kass searched for Venom's corpse, but Venom was not dead and after attacking him from behind, ripped off Kass' head, killing him. The other Stalkers found Kass' corpse and absorbed him, adding his power to their own. Kass and Raiden flew away while Briggs was only seconds later attacked and blown up with Hellfire by Vengeance.

   While searching for a way to escape the rainforest Venom and Vengeance were found again by Raiden, but they became all targets for local drug traffickers. Venom and Vengeance worked together against Raiden until Vengeance managed to blow him up with Hellfire. Meanwhile Trent found Briggs and absorbed him. He eventually found the small airfield and the plane Venom and Vengeance tried to use to escape. Venom confronted Trent, who used fire to weaken Venom, but Vengeance nailed Trent to the plane and blew it up, seemingly destroying Trent along with it. Vengeance's mystic motorbike finally arrived and Venom and Vengeance drove back to the US. After they were gone Trent rose from the burning plane wreck.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#4) - A short time after Venom and Vengeance had blown up the alien spacecraft in Storm Mountain Trent arrived there. He searched for any remains of the spacecraft and absorbed them to become the last being of the techno-organic race of hunters he now belonged to. Arriving in San Francisco Trent blew a hole in the park above the underground city. Calling himself the Stalker he attacked Venom and Vengeance, but they survived his first attack. Vengeance suggested to Venom to take the fight to the park above to avoid harming any of the underground city residents. It was too early for anyone to be in the park so the battle between the powerful Stalker against Venom and Vengeance could take place without endangering anyone. After a brutal fight Venom picked up Stalker's energy lance and stabbed him in the chest with it. Stalker tried to convince Venom not to destroy him because it would mean the destruction of an entire race. Stalker apparently also knew of others of Venom's kind and suggested they should team up to find them because they were not so different after all. Suddenly Trent's head came forth and begged Venom to kill him. Venom pressed the button on the energy lance and blew up the Stalker.

Comments: Created by Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils) & Al Milgrom (inks).

There are a few extraterrestrial techno-organic races around in the Marvel Universe like the Technarchy (i.e. Magus and the New Mutant Warlock), their offspring the Phalanx, the Inciters or the "Giger". It is possible a connection to one of them exists or maybe they were the last of their/its kind as stated in the story.

But I am not even sure that the spacecraft wasn't the alien itself. There were numerous instances of sentient spacecrafts in the Marvel Universe like the "Impossible Spaceship", the Clam, the "Flying Saucer", the "Martian Flying Saucer" or even Star-Lord's original Ship. While some of them were the alien lifeform themselves others actually were created by other species like the "Howling Vessel".

Maybe there is a connection to the Black Fleet formerly led by Skeletron. They had declared war on all organics and would've at least had some interest in the species from this mini-series.

The actual name of the alien species like everything else about them is a complete mystery. Until the end Trent used his human name and even when nothing was left of him the being rather referred to itself as Stalker, derived from the name of Trent's team, than to actually use its species name. There is the slight possibility that they were actually called Stalkers, but that would've been a bit too much of a coincident IMHO. This series was presented to you by the Mackie Mystery Theater.

The whole modus operandi as hunters and some of the scenes in #3 (rainforest, waterfall, cloaked Venom instead of the alien) were clearly inspired by the movie Predator (1987).

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Stalkers have no known connections to:

Briggs

Briggs was a member of the Stalkers and seemed a bit too much into weapons.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - When the Stalkers found the alien spacecraft inside Storm Mountain he was the first to show interest in the weapons on board. He put on a belt that allowed him to pull out whatever weapon was necessary at the moment.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1) - Along with the other Stalkers Briggs attacked the underground city in San Francisco. He blew up a building with a bomb and Trent threatened Briggs would do it again if Venom didn't hand over Knight to the Stalkers. Venom attacked Briggs and took the bomb away from him. He tossed it on a roof and it only caused a very small explosion. Trent explained that it was a miscalculation because they were still learning to use their new weapons. In need of a weapon against Venom Briggs' belt created a gun that fired a combination of high frequency and intense heat. It worked well against Venom. Vengeance came to his aid, but Briggs tossed a bomb at him that got stuck in Vengeance's chest and blew up. Venom, back on his feet, grabbed Briggs and Trent by the neck from behind and after an electrical shock from Trent's lance angered him, slashed him and Briggs open. Moments later Briggs and the others continued transforming into techno-organic beings in mid-air. Now more powerful than before the Stalkers abducted many residents from the underground city to force Venom and Vengeance to follow them and become their prey. They left Knight behind because he knew how to find the Stalkers and could bring Venom and Vengeance to them.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - In Storm Mountain Briggs and the rest of the Stalkers were connected to the spacecraft's circuitry, which slowly transformed them into complete techno-organic beings. They interrupted their transformation when Trent noticed a surveillance device, signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. The Stalkers hid inside a wall and attacked Venom and Vengeance from behind. Briggs and Trent caught Beck and Elizabeth again. Briggs presumably created the explosive collars fastened around the women's necks to force Venom and Vengeance to follow the Stalkers' orders. Briggs guarded them while Trent explained the situation and eventually sent the vigilantes through a portal to a random location on Earth.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - Somewhere in the South American rainforest Briggs and Trent were searching for Vengeance, but only found Michael Badilino. Unaware he was Vengeance's alter ego they left to continue their search. A bit later the Stalkers found their fallen member Kass. They absorbed him to add his powers to their own. Raiden and Trent flew off while Briggs stayed behind only to fall victim to Vengeance, who blew him up with Hellfire. Trent later found Briggs' corpse and absorbed it.

--Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1-3

Kass

Kass was a member of the Stalkers and was the powerhouse of the group.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - When the Stalkers found the alien spacecraft inside Storm Mountain he picked up part of an exoskeleton that enhanced his strength.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1) - Along with the other Stalkers Kass attacked the underground city in San Francisco. Kass took a kick to the face by Venom, but later pummeled him when he was on the ground. When Vengeance came to Venom's aid he burned Kass and Raiden with Hellfire, but they quickly got up again only to fall victim to Vengeance again. Moments later Kass and the others continued transforming into techno-organic beings in mid-air. Now more powerful than before the Stalkers abducted many residents from the underground city to force Venom and Vengeance to follow them and become their prey. They left Knight behind because he knew how to find the Stalkers and could bring Venom and Vengeance to them.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - In Storm Mountain Kass and the rest of the Stalkers were connected to the spacecraft's circuitry, which slowly transformed them into complete techno-organic beings. They interrupted their transformation when Trent noticed a surveillance device, signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. The Stalkers hid inside a wall and attacked Venom and Vengeance from behind. Kass and Raiden fought Venom and Vengeance until Trent and Briggs presented Beck and Elizabeth as their prisoners with explosive collars around their necks, forcing Venom and Vengeance to follow along with the Stalkers' plans. Trent sent them through a portal to a random location on Earth.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - Somewhere in the South American rainforest Kass and Raiden found and attacked Venom. Kass was disappointed when Venom dropped after a single shot. He sought to collect his trophy, but Venom, who had fallen down a waterfall, was not actually dead and attacked Kass from behind. Venom ripped off Kass' head, then dragged him to land. His corpse was found by the other Stalkers, who absorbed his body to add his powers to their own.

--Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1-3

Raiden

Raiden was a member of the Stalkers.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - When the Stalkers found the alien spacecraft inside Storm Mountain he picked up several blades and a bladed gauntlet.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1) - Along with the other Stalkers Raiden attacked the underground city in San Francisco. He was knocked down by the door Venom tossed at Trent. Shortly after started Venom's downfall against the Stalkers with a flying tackle. When Vengeance came to Venom's aid Raiden was burned by him with Hellfire. Raiden quickly got on his feet again only to be taken down again by Vengeance. Moments later Raiden and the others continued transforming into techno-organic beings in mid-air. Now more powerful than before the Stalkers abducted many residents from the underground city to force Venom and Vengeance to follow them and become their prey. They left Knight behind because he knew how to find the Stalkers and could bring Venom and Vengeance to them.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - In Storm Mountain Raiden and the rest of the Stalkers were connected to the spacecraft's circuitry, which slowly transformed them into complete techno-organic beings. They interrupted their transformation when Trent noticed a surveillance device, signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. The Stalkers hid inside a wall and attacked Venom and Vengeance from behind. Kass and Raiden fought Venom and Vengeance until Trent and Briggs presented Beck and Elizabeth as their prisoners with explosive collars around their necks, forcing Venom and Vengeance to follow along with the Stalkers' plans. Trent sent them through a portal to a random location on Earth.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - Somewhere in the South American rainforest Kass and Raiden found and attacked Venom. Kass was disappointed when Venom dropped after a single shot. Raiden flew off while Kass sought to collect his trophy. He later absorbed Kass' to add his powers to their own when the Stalkers found it. He found Venom and Vengeance surveying a small airfield and attacked them only to be shot at by a group of drug traffickers. Venom and Vengeance then worked together against him. Raiden was destroyed when Vengeance blew him up with Hellfire.

--Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1-3

Trent

Trent was the leader of the Stalkers.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - When the Stalkers found the alien spacecraft inside Storm Mountain Trent picked up an energy lance.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1) - Trent led the attack on the underground city in San Francisco. Trent threatened Briggs would blow up another building if Venom didn't hand over Knight to the Stalkers. When Knight surrendered Trent tried to shoot him with his energy lance, but Venom tossed a door at him to save Knight. Venom then took Briggs' bomb and tossed it on a roof, resulting in a small explosion. Trent explained that it was a miscalculation because they were still learning to use their new weapons. A short time later Trent shot Venom in the back and was going to kill him after the other Stalkers took him down, but Vengeance came to Venom's aid before Trent could kill him. Back on his feet Venom grabbed Trent and Briggs by the neck. An electrical blast from Trent's lance only angered Venom, who slashed Trent and Briggs open. Moments later Briggs and the others continued transforming into techno-organic beings in mid-air. Now more powerful than before the Stalkers abducted many residents from the underground city to force Venom and Vengeance to follow them and become their prey. They left Knight behind because he knew how to find the Stalkers and could bring Venom and Vengeance to them.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - In Storm Mountain Trent and the rest of the Stalkers were connected to the spacecraft's circuitry, which slowly transformed them into complete techno-organic beings. They interrupted their transformation when Trent noticed a surveillance device, signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. The Stalkers hid inside a wall and attacked Venom and Vengeance from behind. Briggs and Trent caught Beck and Elizabeth again and presented them with explosive collars around their necks to Venom and Vengeance, who were now forced to follow the Stalkers' orders. Trent explained the situation and eventually sent the vigilantes through a portal to a random location on Earth.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - Somewhere in the South American rainforest Briggs and Trent were searching for Vengeance, but only found Michael Badilino. Unaware he was Vengeance's alter ego they left to continue their search. A bit later the Stalkers found their fallen member Kass. They absorbed him to add his powers to their own. Raiden and Trent flew off to search for Venom and Vengeance. Trent later found Briggs' corpse and absorbed it. A short time later he found Venom and Vengeance in a plane on a nearby airfield. Venom attacked him, but Trent forced Venom into the fire. Vengeance then hit Trent with Hellfire, nailed him to the plane and then blew it up. Venom and Vengeance took off on Vengeance's motorbike. Only moments after they were gone Trent rose from the burning plane wreck and concluded that the hunt continues.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#4) - A short time after Venom and Vengeance had blown up the alien spacecraft in Storm Mountain Trent arrived there. He searched for any remains of the spacecraft and absorbed them to become the last being of the techno-organic race of hunters he now belonged to. Arriving in San Francisco Trent blew a hole in the park above the underground city. Calling himself the Stalker he attacked Venom and Vengeance, but they survived his first attack. Vengeance suggested to Venom to take the fight to the park above to avoid harming any of the underground city residents. It was too early for anyone to be in the park so the battle between the powerful Stalker against Venom and Vengeance could take place without endangering anyone. After a brutal fight Venom picked up Stalker's energy lance and stabbed him in the chest with it. Stalker tried to convince Venom not to destroy him because it would mean the destruction of an entire race. Stalker apparently also knew of others of Venom's kind and suggested they should team up to find them because they were not so different after all. Suddenly Trent's head came forth and begged Venom to kill him. Venom pressed the button on the energy lance and blew up the Stalker.

--Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1-4

alien spacecraft

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) ) - It is unknown how long the spacecraft had been buried in Storm Mountain, Colorado, but over time its circuitry remodeled the caves around it turning everything into techno-organic extensions of itself. It was found by the Stalkers when they fled from the A.T.F. and another agency. Inside the spacecraft the Stalkers were influenced by voices in their heads to pick up the weapons lying around on the spacecraft's floor. Upon doing that the circuitry from the weapons connected to their bodies and started their transformation into the techno-organic beings the spacecraft or its owners belonged to (see comments).

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (fb) - BTS) - Knight, who had infiltrated the Stalkers as an undercover agent, fled from the mountain and informed his superiors about everything that had happened. When his superiors sent in a team to investigate they couldn't find the spacecraft. Knight suspected it used a cloaking device.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2) - The Stalkers returned to Storm Mountain and the alien spacecraft. They hovered in the air while the spacecraft connected itself to them to continue their transformation. The Stalkers interrupted the transformation when Trent spotted a spider-like surveillance device, signaling an early arrival of their prey Venom and Vengeance. Kass and Raiden fought Venom and Vengeance nearby the spacecraft.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3) - When Sean Knight tried to flee with Beck Underwood and Elizabeth from the spacecraft in Storm Mountain they were caught by the circuitry, which connected itself to them to start their transformation into techno-organic beings.

(Venom: Nights of Vengeance#4) - Knight, Beck and Elizabeth came to the agreement that the only way out for them was to commit suicide. Knight was going to drop a grenade before he was too far gone and kill them all before they could be turned into techno-organic beings, but Venom arrived in the nick of time to catch the grenade. His attempts to free them from the circuitry by hand proved to be futile as it only hurt his three captured allies. Knight told him that the circuitry had not yet penetrated their skin as it was slower due to the fact that it seemed to be a less sophisticated life form as the one that infected the Stalkers. Because it seemed to be connected to the spacecraft he suggested to Venom and Vengeance to destroy its brain inside the ship. Venom and Vengeance tore the circuitry inside the spacecraft to pieces starting a chain reaction that blew up the spacecraft piece by piece. The circuitries just fell off of their allies' bodies. Venom picked up Beck and Elizabeth while Vengeance picked up Knight and they all fled from the mountain. From outside they witnessed the whole mountaintop exploding without a sound, marking the destruction of the alien spacecraft.

   A short time later Trent, the last surviving member and leader of the Stalkers, arrived at Storm Mountain. He searched for any remains of the spacecraft and absorbed it into his form to become the Stalker, last survivor of this techno-organic race. Trent, now calling himself the Stalker, was in the end destroyed by Venom and Vengeance.

--Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2 (2 (fb), 2-4

images: (without ads)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p11, pan2 (main)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p21, pan4 (next stage)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2, p7, pan2 (further transformation)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p15, pan2 (Briggs, human)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3, p12, pan6 (Briggs, final form)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p15, pan2 (Kass, human)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3, p8, pan3 (Kass, final form)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p19, pan2 (Raiden, human)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3, p14, pan3 (Raiden, final form)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1, p17, pan5 (Trent, human)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#3, p12, pan1 (Trent, transformed)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#4, pan12, pan3 (silhouette, the Stalker)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#4, pan12, pan4 (Trent, final form, the Stalker)
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#2, p11, pan3 (alien spacecraft)

Appearances:
Venom: Nights of Vengeance#1-4 (August-November, 1994) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)

First Posted: 06/04/2020
Last updated: 06/04/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Groups