KEHL
Real Name: Kehl
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Taurian)
Occupation: Pirate, agent of Nebula
Group Membership: Possibly formerly Nebula's Crew (Gunthar, Levan, Skunge)
Affiliations: Nebula;
an unidentified pair of Froma (possibly Edam and Gouda)
the Beyonder might be considered something of an ally for helping
Nebula and her allies to escape capture at the hands of the Avengers
Enemies: Beyonder, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Intergalactic Council, Punisher (Frank Castle), Starfox (Eros);
indirectly Avengers (Black Knight/Dane Whitman, Captain America/Steve
Rogers), Firelord (Pyraeus Kril), Skrull armada, General Zedrao
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
Alphabet City, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A, Earth;
presumably some unspecified Intergalactic Council-associated prison;
at least formerly somewhere outside the Andromeda galaxy;
formerly Sanctuary II (originally seven light hours from Earth, and
then in a Skrull sector of the Andromeda galaxy);
formerly an unidentified starship, mobile throughout space
First Appearance: Avengers I#255 (May, 1985)
Powers/Abilities: As a Taurian, Kehl possesses vast superhuman strength (lifting perhaps 50-100 tons) and durability, enabling him to tolerate being smashed through metal bulkheads or being exposed to powerful electrical and/or other energy blasts. He can presumably survive for at least short periods in the cold vaccum of space.
His mind is vulnerable to psionic, empathic, or emotional assault.
He has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, and three toes on each foot.
Height: Unrevealed (perhaps 8' tall)
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 500 - 1000 lbs.)
Eyes: Apparently white with pupil (no visible iris)
Hair: None
History:
(Avengers I#255 - BTS) - Alongside Gunthar, Levan, and Skunge, Kehl docked on Sanctuary II, the former ship of Thanos, left adrift seven light hours from Earth following his being turned to stone in a confrontation with Adam Warlock some time before.
(Avengers I#255) - After Gunthar encountered Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), he called to Kehl for aid, and Kehl soon smashed his fist down to the ground near her feet, demanding she let go of his friend. When the surprised Monica exclaimed, "Omigod," Kehl assured her that he was no god but a Taurian and that mountains trembled at his approach. As Kehl approached, Monica turned herself into electricity and sent a powerful electrical blast into him. Briefly stunned, Kehl charged at Monica when Gunthar urged that she had turned solid again, but Monica fired a blast that smashed Kehl through a bulkhead.
When Kehl smashed his way back in, angrily noting that she had made him look foolish in front of his little buddy and swearing on the remains of his homeworld that she would pay for that, his teammate Gunthar the Rigellian instead forced Kehl to his knees with a mind-thrust. Kehl swiftly agreed to Gunthar's instruction that he cease this wasteful expenditure of energy and asked Gunthar to please turn off his mind-thrust.
After Levan explained that they had been wandering space and that his teammates had just been overly cautious due to the ship having been Thanos'. At Levan's prodding, Kehl asked Monica's forgiveness.
Kehl remained silent as Levan and Gunthar told Monica how they had come there seeking repairs for their ship's damaged navigational computers. Suspicious, Monica nonetheless agreed to try to help them while she watched them closely.
Kehl stood by as Gunthar accessed Sanctuary II's navigational station, after which he warped the ship into hyperspace, preventing Monica from turning into energy and leaving her vulnerable. Levan then informed her that they had warped to the Andromeda galaxy, and that even her power would require a few million years to try to return to Earth.
(Avengers I#256 - BTS) - On Sanctuary II, Captain Marvel attempted to regain control of her powers and resisted the pirates’ attempts at swaying her to their side.
(Avengers I#257) - Kehl and Skunge taunted Captain Marvel, unaware she had regained her powers; Kehl noted that while it wouldn't be a challenge to punish her, it would still be fun. They then delivered her to Levan, and Nebula arrived soon after, swiftly forcing Monica to reveal she had regained her abilities (while Kehl was off-panel when Nebula arrived, as Skunge was still present, I see no reason to doubt that Kehl was there, too).
(Avengers I#258 - BTS) - On Sanctuary II, Nebula sent Captain Marvel to scout a planetoid guarded by a Skrull armada, after which Nebula sent an anti-matter missile after her, intending Marvel’s death as well as the Skrulls’. Monica used the Skrulls’ communications systems to send the Avengers a message, just before Nebula’s missile destroyed the planetoid and the armada.
(Avengers I#259 (fb) - BTS) - Captain Marvel deflected Nebula’s anti-matter torpedo and the Skrulls lay waste to their star-base to fool Nebula before warping away.
(Avengers I#259 - BTS) - After Captain Marvel allied with Skrull General Zedrao to stop Nebula’s empire-conquering threat, the Avengers arrived, following her message.
Aboard Sanctuary II, Nebula prepared for war against the Skrull armada.
(Avengers I#260 - BTS) - When Zedrao and Captain Marvel sent a message ordering Nebula's surrender, she had Levan prepare all hands for immediate assault on the Skrull armada.
(Avengers I#260) - As Nebula's forced battled the Skrull armada and the Avengers, Nebula summoned Gunthar and Kehl to her side, as she had some important work for them.
After Captain Marvel disabled Sanctuary II's defense shields, Nebula had Kehl carry cannisters into a starship upon which she planned to flee. However, Starfox located her, and he used his pleasure power to cause Kehl to burst into laughter and drop the cannisters. Kehl was still laughing when Gunthar dropped Starfox with a mind-thrust blast, when Nebula suggested they let Kehl give Starfox a surprise as well, and when the Beyonder arrived and -- acting on poorly understand comment from Firelord -- transported Nebula, Kehl, and Gunthar out of the Andromeda galaxy.
(Maximum Security#1 (fb) - BTS) - During the events of Maximum Security, the Intergalactic Council resolved to occupy humanity -- in order to minimize humanity's interference with intergalactic affairs -- by sending numerous extraterrestrial criminals to Earth while quarantining Earth's solar system by an impervious barrier of energy generated by a million "watchtowers" at the fringes of their system.
(Maximum Security#1) - Alongside Gunthar, Levan, and Skunge, as well as a pair of Froma, Kehl engaged the Punisher (Frank Castle) in Alphabet City, Manhattan, New York.
Comments: Created by Roger Stern, John Buscema, and Tom Palmer.
Gunthar showed up with Nebula again in Avengers I#317, but I don't think Kehl (nor Levan nor Skunge) has been shown to be working with Nebula since their banishment out of the Andromeda galaxy; however, all four of them were together during the events of Maximum Security
Not that Kehl cares, but seven light hours from Earth would be 4,687,200,000 miles (186,00 miles/second x 60 seconds/minute x 60 minutes/hour x 7 hours).
This profile was completed 7/03/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Kehl should be distinguished from:
Avengers I#255, pg. 12, panel 2 (full/main);
panel 6 (rearview);
pg. 13, panel 1 (blasted away by Captain Marvel);
panel 5 (face during mind-thrust);
#257, pg. 9, panel 3 (with Captain Marvel & Skunge);
#260, pg. 21, panel 5 (face-profile);
pg. 22, panel 1 (transported away by Beyonder);
Maximum
Security#1, pg. 12, panel 2 (vs. Punisher)
Appearances:
Avengers I#255-258 (May-August, 1985) - Roger
Stern (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker),
Howard Mackie (assistant editor), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#259-260 (September-October, 1985) - Roger
Stern (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker),
Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Maximum
Security#1 (December, 2000) - Kurt Busiek (writer) Jerry Ordway
(penciler), Al Vey, Will Blyberg, Paul Ryan, Chris Ivy (inkers), Marc
Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First posted: 09/24/2021
Last updated: 09/23/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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