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PROWLPATE P. PRANK

Real Name: Professor Prowlpate P. Prank

Identity/Class: Normal human (late 1940s era)

Occupation: Scientist (with criminal record)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Powerhouse Pepper

Known Relatives: Mrs. Prank, (wife, first name unrevealed), mother-in-law (name unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York, USA

First Appearance: Powerhouse Pepper#5/2 (November, 1948)

Powers/Abilities: Prof. Prowlpate Prank is an eccentric but genius scientist/chemist, inventor and discoverer. He has little ambition (except bullying) with his discoveries and inventions, intending to use them for mischief and mayhem. His notable inventions include an itch-ray projector and a small, handheld, reducing gas gun, He has a personal city laboratory and is fearful of his domineering wife.

Height: Variable; 5'4" usual height (by approximation)
Weight: Variable
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black (balding)

History:

(Powerhouse Pepper#5/2 (fb) - BTS) - The mischievous Prof. Prowlpate Prank developed or discovered a wide variety of chemical concoctions. These included an itch-ray projector and a reducing gas gun (plus the edible antidote to the gas). He also developed many other oddities he kept in his lab, such as Gopher Grease, Voodoo Goo, Slaughter Water and Insanity-Producing Salve (the latter he intended to use on his mother-in-law). He served time in prison (presumably for small misdemeanors relating to his inventions).

   One day, out of mischief (or spite), he hooked up the food freezer coils to his mother-in-law's mattress, partially freezing her. This angered Prowlpate's wife and she stormed off to his lab to confront him.

(Powerhouse Pepper#5/2) - From his upper-story lab, Prowlpate used his camera-like itch-ray projector, which caused intense itching for anyone caught in its beam. Passing beneath, Powerhouse Pepper was also affected, but Prowlpate clumsily dropped the projector and duplicitously offered a reward if the simple Pepper brought the "camera" upstairs. Prowlpate used the ray on Pepper again, but Pepper was able to punch it away. Prowlpate whipped out his reducing gas gun and quickly shrank down Pepper to about 1" high, then dropped him into an empty test tube as a prison. While Prowlpate was distracted finalizing a large, reducing gas capsule to drop on more people, the enduringly strong Pepper broke free and was able to smash the gas capsule; this caused Prowlpate to shrink to a similar height as Pepper. Both rushed to the last dose of antidote, but Pepper grabbed it first and returned to his usual height, just as Mrs. Prank stormed in, demanding to see her husband. Seeing him tiny and encouraged by Pepper, Mrs. Prank used the itch-ray projector on Prowlpate until he renounced his scientific pursuits. Pepper left the scientist in torment.

Comments: Created by Basil Wolverton.

The reducing gas may be linked to Pym particles, especially given that the reducing gas could make the victim shrink and "disappear"--sound like a one-way trip to the Microverse?

This profile was completed 1/23/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Prof. Prowlpate Prank has no known connections to:


images: (without ads)
Powerhouse Pepper#5/2, p3, pan6 (main image with reducing gas gun)
   p2, pan8 (headshot with itch-ray projector)


Appearances:
Powerhouse Pepper#5/2 (November, 1948) - Basil Wolverton (writer, pencils, inks), Stane Lee(?) (editor)


First posted: 09/19/2021
Last updated: 09/18/2021

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!
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