DEVASTATOR
Real Name: Kirkov Petrova
Identity/Class: Human technology user (Russian)
Occupation: Spy
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Gremlin (Kondrati Topolov), Gregori Konski
Enemies: Colonel Jack D. Armbruster, Harold Conrad, Hulk (Dr. Bruce Banner), General Thaddeus Ross
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Captain Peter Kirkman
Base of Operations: Hulkbuster Base, New Mexico;
formerly Russia
First Appearance: (in shadows) Incredible Hulk II#184 (February, 1975); (fully seen) Incredible Hulk II#186 (April, 1975)
Powers/Abilities: Petrova was a Russian spy with years of training for his sole mission to destroy the Hulkbuster Base. Among those stills learned was to speak in a perfect American accent as to hide his origin. As the Devastator he received a suit which gained its power through a continuous power broadcast, emitted through a Russian satellite to the suit's gauntlets. The Devastator could then release this power with Earth-shattering force, powerful enough to destroy a jet fighter with a single blow. Bootjets allowed the Devastator a form of flight while still being able to use his gauntlets mid-flight. Since the power broadcasted to the suit was so immense, Petrova started to glow. With the destruction of the suit's gauntlets the Devastator was no longer able to project the power causing the power to kill Petrova.
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
History:
(Incredible Hulk II#186 (fb) - BTS) - Kirov Petrova was a Russian spy who spend years training for the sole mission of destroying the Hulkbuster Base for his Russian masters.
(Incredible Hulk II#188 (fb) - BTS) - The Gremlin (Topolov) designed the powerful Devastator armor intended for Petrova to use fulfill his mission.
(Incredible Hulk II#186 (fb) - BTS) - Deemed worthy, Petrova was send to infiltrate the Hulkbuster Base in New Mexico. Posing as Captain Peter Kirkman, Petrova used an old forgotten storeroom as his secret base where he would smuggle Russian technology into the Hulkbuster Base for several months.
(Incredible Hulk II#184) - Petrova assassinated scientist Harold Conrad when he learned that Glenn Talbot had been replaced by a double, another Russian spy, Gregori Kronski. Petrova shot the scientist with three bullets after which he stuffed the man into a storage locker.
(Incredible Hulk II#185 - BTS) - Unbeknownst to Petrova, Colonel Jack D. Armbruster discovered Conrad's lifeless body after which he accessed Conrad's computer and learned Talbot had been replaced by a double with an organic bomb planted inside his body. Armbruster then sacrificed himself to save the life of the United States President, who was visiting the Hulkbuster Base.
(Incredible Hulk II#186) - Disguised as Captain
Kirkman, Petrova joined General "Thunderbolt" Ross as they checked on
the recently captured Hulk. Hulk was kept in a large tank filled with
fluid kept at more than 250 degrees below zero, keeping the green giant
paralyzed. Petrova then escorted Ross to another building where he
waited outside as Ross spoke to his daughter who was struck with grief
believing Talbot to be dead. After his visit, Ross thanked Captain
Kirkman for waiting and ordered him to find out how the autopsies were
going on Talbot and Armbruster.
Petrova, however, quickly returned to his hidden base as he
believed the time had come to destroy the Hulkbuster Base to keep the
truth about Talbot's true identity a secret.
(Incredible Hulk II#186) - Having put on his costume,
the Devastator began his rampage. Using his gauntlets to transmit
powerful blasts turning concrete buildings to rubble. However, after
two minutes he was already attacked by two jet fighters but easily
destroyed them. The Devastator's ongoing assault also caused the tank
where the Hulk had been kept paralyzed to shatter after which the green
giant quickly reached the surface.
Seeing the Hulk, the Devastator believed killing the green
giant was a welcome bonus to the work he was ordered to do and opposes
the Hulk with his powerful blasts. The Hulk, however, quickly gained
the upper hand and managed to get close enough to crush the
Devastator's gauntlets. With his gauntlet's destroyed the Devastator
had no possibility to release the power that was transmitted to him
which resulted in his imminent death, turning his body to dust.
(Incredible Hulk II#188 - BTS) - After the Devastator's death the satellite was left in space where S.H.I.E.L.D. found it. They successfully learned of the Gremlin's involvement and planned to use the satellite to broadcast a beam of near-nuclear energy to destroy his base. After rescuing the real Glenn Talbot from the Gremlin's base they activated the satellite, leveling his base.
Comments: Created by Len Wein and Herb Trimpe.
Although a minor villain, the Devastator was actually successful in his mission as he totally destroyed the Hulkbuster Base.
Devastator's shared a profile with his successor in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition#4 (March, 1991), however, no image was used. Both Devastator's also shared a handbook profile in the Iron Manual Mark 3 (April, 2010)
This profile was completed 7/17/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Devastator has no known connections to
Harold Conrad was a scientist working at the
isolated New Mexican military complex known as Hulkbuster Base,
specifically the Systems Analysis Research Center.
Suspecting something was wrong with Major Glenn Talbot, Colonel Jack D.
Armbruster ordered Conrad to run several cellular tests. Realizing he
had to work through the night, Conrad called to inform his wife Alma
who was less than pleased at the idea and told him not to bother coming
home. Stressed, Conrad resumed his research and as such discovered
Talbot had been replaced by a double, in reality Russian spy, Gregori
Kronski. However, another Russian infiltrator Kirkov Petrova had kept
an eye on Conrad and assassinated him to keep his discovery a secret.
--Incredible Hulk II#184
Alma was Harold Conrad's wife. Learning he had to work through the night she told him not to bother coming home, unaware he would be assassinated that same night.
--Incredible Hulk II#184 - BTS
Kirkov Petrova used a small and musty storeroom as his secret base. The storeroom was part of the New Mexican Hulkbuster Base, although the room had gone unused since the base's construction. The storeroom could be entered through an air shaft which was hidden in the shrubbery along the building's edge which lead to the myriad tunnels that undercut the sub-strata of the complex.
--Incredible Hulk II#186
A Russian satellite in stationary orbit far above the Earth, the satellite itself apparently undetectable by normal means. It's sole purpose was to receive continuous power broadcast from a hidden Russian base and transmit the power to the special receptors built into the Devastator's gauntlets. After the Devastator's death the satellite was left in space where S.H.I.E.L.D. found it. They successfully learned of the Gremlin's involvement and planned to use the satellite to broadcast a beam of near-nuclear energy to destroy his base.
--Incredible Hulk II#186, 188
images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#186, p6, pan1 (main image)
Incredible Hulk II#186, p2, pan1 (disguise)
Incredible Hulk II#184, p5, pan5&6 (assassinating Conrad)
Incredible Hulk II#186, p15, pan2 (fighting the Hulk)
Incredible Hulk II#184, p4, pan4 (Harold Conrad)
Incredible Hulk II#186, p7, pan1 (secret base / storage room)
Incredible Hulk II#188, p6, pan3 (satellite)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#184 (February, 1975) - Len Wein (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils, inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#186 (April, 1975) - Len Wein (writer, editor), Herb Trimpe (pencils, inks)
Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition#4 (March, 1991) - Len
Kaminski, Jamie Tost, Mark Gruenwald, Glenn Herdling (writers), Mark
Gruenwald (editor)
Iron Manual Mark 3 (April, 2010) - Michael Hoskin, Anthony Flamini,
Peter Sanderson, Ronald Byrd, Mark O'English, Kevin Garcia, Gabriel
Shechter, Rob London, Markus Raymond, Mike O'Sullivan (writers), Jeff
Youngquist, Jeff Christiansen (editors)
First Posted: 09/24/2021
Last Updated: 09/23/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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