ARMBRUSTERARMBRUSTER
Real Name: Armbruster (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Possible S.H.I.E.L.D. agent
Group Membership: Possibly S.H.I.E.L.D.
Affiliations: Deathlok (Jack Truman), Nick Fury;
established friendly relationships with members of Los Angeles' criminal element, including Ernesto
Enemies: Ringmaster (Maynard Tiboldt) indirectly;
working undercover, he opposed Los Angeles' criminal element
Known Relatives: John D. "Jack" Armbruster (uncle, deceased)
Aliases: "Curly" (alias by which he was known in the criminal underworld)
Base of Operations: (At least formerly) Los Angeles, California
First Appearance: Deathlok III#8 (2000)
Powers/Abilities: Armbruster is highly skilled
at infiltrating and gaining the confidence of criminal organization to
the extent that he can bring in undercover agents without blowing his
own cover.
He could also pose as a homeless man to act independently of his cover identity.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'2" - 6'5"; he looked to be about the same height as Truman, who was 6'4")
Weight: (Unrevealed (approximately 210-240 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown 
History:
(Deathlok III#8 (fb) - BTS) -
Armbruster spent months working his way deep in the Los Angeles
criminal underworld, making friends and gaining trust to facilitate
other agents going undercover.
(Deathlok III#8 (fb) - BTS) -
As presidential candidate Martin Thraller, the Ringmaster (Maynard
Tiboldt) mesmerized and manipulated S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury into
adopting the identity of Doyle and taking control of a Los Angeles/Long
Beach criminal organization. Doyle's identity was unknown to the
public, and Fury was just known to have gone missing. 
Dum-Dum Dugan recruited Deathlok (S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jack Truman) to help locate/recover Fury, and Truman tracked Fury to a criminal front company in Los Angeles. Accessing classified information, Truman tracked tracers in Fury's spinal fluid and located him in Los Angeles.
Truman made contact with Armbruster and arranged to meet him at a subway(?) train station.
(Deathlok III#8) - Wearing a
coat and hat and carrying an apparent bottle of liquor in a paper bag,
Armbruster approached the waiting Truman (appearing like a normal,
non-cyborg human), sat back to back, and made contact. Confirming
himself to be Armbruster (as well as noting that he had an uncle in the
old Hulkbuster program when Truman asked why the name seemed familiar),
he asked about a scent of motor oil (coming from Truman). Bypassing the
query, Truman explained that his target was running in Armbruster's
circles within a known criminal front company and that he needed to get
in there.
Sighing, Armbruster explained that this wasn't going to be easy, as there was a new player in the game, Doyle, about whom no one had heard of previously and who was moving up the ranks like no one Armbruster had ever seen; he continued that Doyle had taken control of a Long Beach gang like it was a military coup. Unconcerned with the leader, Truman just asked for Armbruster's help in getting closer to that world. Stating that it went with his gig, Armbruster agreed to get it done, outlining and plan and considering that it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.
Armbruster then started to ask
about rumors he had heard about Truman, but Truman told him not to
believe everything he heard.
(Deathlok III#8 (fb) - BTS) - Armbruster spent the next week dropping Truman's alias, "Deck Schiffler," to the local criminal element and spreading the word that Schiffler -- who had a rap sheet a mile long back in Milwaukee and was a fence by trade, although he'd done a little bruising and persuading on the side -- would be hitting town and was looking for work.
A week later, Armbruster arranged for "Schiffler" to meet up with "Doyle."
(Deathlok III#8) - Both keeping "in-character," Armbruster accompanied Truman to the meeting, and Truman's own internal jammers prevented the security systems from recognizing him as anything other than a normal human. They then met with Ernesto, who greeted Armbruster as Curly, and "Curly" assured Ernesto that "Schiffler" was good muscle. Discussing how expansion was needed with the new boss, Ernesto brought them to a room where "Doyle" was discussing a new plan to hijack merchandise. Seeing and hearing Doyle for the first time, Armbruster (and Truman) realized that Doyle actually was Fury.
(Deathlok III#9 - BTS) -
Armbruster was presumably by Truman's side as "Doyle" addressed his men
and then dismissed them with plans to outline their next caper at their
next meeting.
(Deathlok III#9 (fb)) - Deathlok restored Fury to his mind and extricated him from the situation.
Comments: Created by Joe Casey and Leonardo DeManco.
It is unrevealed whether Truman learned of Armbruster on his own or was supplied his name upon learning Fury's location, but I think the former. I also don't know if Armbruster was S.H.I.E.L.D. or not...
I'm not certain which guy is Armbruster in the shadowy images of them in their suits. There's a very distant one where Armbruster is speaking, but the two suits are almost identical. My guy feeling is that its Truman in the foreground, as he has a shaved head, but then I'd also have thought that Armbruster, the one with the connections, would have taken the lead...
Interesting character with ties to Marvel history...I'd like to see him again.
This profile was completed 3/21/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Armbruster should be distinguished from:
Deathlok III#8, pg. 16, panel 3 (homeless garb, knees up);
panel 5 (profile);
pg. 17, panel 3 (face);
pg. 19, panel 2 (full, shadowed, in suit, with Truman)
Appearances:
Deathlok III#8 (2000) - Joe Casey (writer), Leonardo DeManco (artist), Frank Dunkerly (assistant editor), Ruben Diaz (editor)
First posted: 09/27/2021
Last updated: 09/26/2021
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.!