CARVER

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human; possibly mystically enhanced (see comments)

Occupation: Servant of Centurious, "surgeon" (or rather butcher), torturer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Blackout (Lilin), Centurious, Deathwatch, Demons of Styge, Lilith, unidentified monkey, Witch Woman (see comments);
formerly Steel Wind (Ruriko Tsumura);
presumed spare parts providers Hag, Steel Vengeance (Sadae Tsumura), Troll

Enemies: John Blaze, Barbara Ketch, Steel Wind (Ruriko Tsumura)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Somewhere in the sewers of New York City, New York;
   formerly a crypt in Cypress Hills Cemetery, New York City

First Appearance: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9 (April, 1993)

Powers/Abilities: Carver could apparently resurrect the dead and mystically bind them to Centurious by grafting tissue collected from other bodies onto them. He used a large variety of blades to cut into his victims and "operate" on them. He liked to use whatever he cut out as spare parts.

Though he feared Hellfire he seemingly wasn't hurt by it.

Height: Unrevealed (6'1"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (250 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Unrevealed

History:
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9) - Carver, with his loyal monkey on his shoulder, watched his master Centurious destroy Steel Vengeance for losing control over the Stygian Demons and for trying to kill John Blaze and Ghost Rider when she was supposed to capture them alive. He then gave the remains of Steel Vengeance to Carver, who was thankful because he could always use some spare parts. The captured Hag, Troll and Deathwatch were also turned over to Carver, which he gladly did.

(Ghost Rider III#42 (fb) - BTS) - While working on Hag, Troll and Deathwatch for Centurious, Carver tossed aside the chain they were bound with, unaware it belonged to Ghost Rider.

   Carver prepared Deathwatch to serve Centurious.

(Ghost Rider III#41) - Centurious heard the song of Lilith and teleported away while Steel Wind, Carver and the Demons of Styge watched on.

(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14) - Carver was threatingly standing next to Barbara Ketch while Centurious interrogated her about anything she knew about Ghost Rider, the Blood and the Medallion of Power. Barabara insisted that she didn't know anything useful, but neither Lilith nor Centurious believed her. Centurious ordered Carver to help Barbara remember what she knew by threatening her with a large knife.

(Ghost Rider III#42) - Lilith and Centurious watched Carver search for a piece of the Medallion of Power within the captured John Blaze by cutting into him. After Centurious removed a link of Ghost Rider's chain from Blackout it reunited with the pieces that Carver had tossed aside. Carver apologized for not knowing of the chain's importance. Centurious ordered him to remain silent and continue his search for the Medallion of Power piece hidden in Blaze's body. The more he cut into him, the more of the Hellfire within Blaze was released.

   Carver kept cutting until the Hellfire coursing through Blaze's body was completely out of control. Carver was thrown back and he didn't know what to do. Centurious insisted Carver returned to his task and retrieve the piece of the Medallion of Power from Blaze's body. Carver kept failing because the Hellfire kept pushing him away. Centurious ordered him to get back to work and then asked if Deathwatch was ready to serve him. Carver confirmed that he was and was ordered to bring him to Centurious.

   Centurious fled his stronghold because it had been compromised by Ghost Rider's attack. He left behind Deathwatch to battle him while Carver, Lilith, Steel Wind and the Demons of Styge accompanied Centurious to Cypress Hills Cemetery where Centurious planned to use Ghost Rider's own chain to rip the Medallion of Power pieces from the bodies of Ghost Rider and John Blaze.

(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#23) - After Centurious nearly died when Zarathos emerged from his body, Carver, the Demons of Styge and Witch Woman fled into the sewers of New York City where Centurious slowly recuperated from his wound by siphoning the life force from people brought to him by the Demons of Styge. After another morsel Carver asked Centurious if he was okay, which he was, but he still required more nourishment to regain his full power. Witch Woman predicted the arrival of John Blaze, who was soon caught by the Demons of Styge along with Steel Wind, who sought vengeance against Centurious as well. During the battle between Centurious' forces against Blaze and Steel Wind, Carver was coming to the aid of his master, but before he could stab Steel Wind in the back he was shot by Blaze with the Hellfire shotgun. Blaze considered it payback for being cut open by Carver with knives.

Comments: Created by Howard Mackie (writer), Adam Kubert, Bill Reinhold & Klaus Janson.

Whatever abilities Carver actually had were probably the result of something Centurious did to him. Some people online believe that Carver was a Lilin and the Appendix did so as well for many years, but outside of working along with Lilith while Centurious was associated with her, he showed no loyalty to her like almost all of her other children. He also remained on Earth while the other Lilin were sucked to the Shadowside. Does this rule him out completely as a Lilin? No, but it makes it a lot more unlikely. He also seemed pretty human in all his appearances. Sadistic and monstrous in his behavior, but human.

The elderly Witch Woman associated with Centurious is apparently not Witch Woman (Linda Littletrees), but you never know.

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Carver should not be confused with:

unidentified monkey

The origin of this mysterious monkey are shrouded in even more mystery. For some reason half of the monkey's body and its tail were covered in metallic armor and it wore a metal face mask as well. It seemed intelligent enough to hold knives, but it remains unclear if the monkey was a mere pet or actually the partner of Carver.

(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9) - The monkey silently sat on Carver's shoulder while Carver and witnessed the undoing of Steel Vengeance. The monkey laid his hand on Carver's head when he approached the captured trio of Deathwatch, Hag and Troll.

(Ghost Rider III#41) - The monkey sat on Carver's massive neck.

(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14) - The monkey sat on Carver's soldier while he approached Barbara Ketch to torture her. The monkey reached for Barbara.

(Ghost Rider III#42) - The monkey held a knife while holding on to Carver's back. He kind of mimicked Carver's movements while Carver cut into John Blaze. He then moved back to Carver's shoulder.

   When Carver was thrown back by the Hellfire released from John Blaze's body, the monkey managed to hold on to Carver by wrapping its hands around his massive biceps and then around his neck.

   The monkey was thrown off when Carver was once again violently hurled out of the room by John Blaze's Hellfire.

   The monkey was back on Carver's shoulder when Centurious and his allies left the crypt.

(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#23) - The monkey sat on Carver's arm and was nowhere to be seen when Ghost Rider and Steel Wind later attacked.

--Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9 (Ghost Rider III#41, Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14, Ghost Rider III#42, Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#23

images (without ads)
Ghost Rider III#42, p15, pan1 (main)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9, p2-3, pan4 (head shot, with monkey)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9, p2-3, pan3 (back view, with monkey on shoulder)
Ghost Rider III#42, p6, pan3 (monkey head shot)
Ghost Rider III#42, p4, pan1 (cutting into John Blaze, with monkey on back)

Appearances:
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#9 (April, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Adam Kubert (pencils), Bill Reinhold & Klaus Janson (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider III#41 (September, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14 (September, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Mike Manley (pencils), Tom Palmer, Jeff Albrecht & Ralph Cabrera (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider III#42 (October, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#23 (June, 1994) - Howard Mackie (writer), Henry Martinez (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)

First Posted: 11/05/2021
Last updated: 11/05/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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