RED SKRULLRED SKRULL
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Skrull) - see comments
Occupation: Currently representative of the Skrull Empire; otherwise unrevealed
Group Membership: Skrull Empire
Affiliations: Other Skrull and other Fantastic Four villains in attendance
Enemies: Fantastic Four
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Possibly Andromeda/M-31 Galaxy
First Appearance: Fantastic Four Roast#1 (May, 1982)
Powers/Abilities: The Red Skrull presumably possessed the standard powers and abilities of his race.
This most notably included the ability to alter his size and shape in order to adopt the appearance of other beings or objects.
Aside from his unusual skin tone he displayed typical Skrull physical
features, such as a reptilian-humanoid form, large pointed ears, and a
furrowed chin.
Height: Impossible to determine as he is only seen seated and
from the shoulders up. Typical Skrull height ranges from 4'6" to 6'4"
(presumably variable
Weight: Dependent on height (possibly variable to some extent)
Eyes: Red
Hair: None
History: (Fantastic Four Roast#1 - BTS) - A
celebratory roast was thrown at New York's prestigious Plaza Hotel to
commemorate the anniversary of the Fantastic Four's fateful rocket
trip. Individuals from across the superhero community showed up to pay
tribute to the Fantastic Four and convey their appreciation. Even some
of the FF's most notorious villains were invited -- on condition that they
only abuse the FF verbally that evening.
(Fantastic Four Roast#1) - The Red Skrull and another Skrull attended
as representatives of the alien race with whom the FF had tangled so
frequently. The Red Skrull sat at one table, while the other Skrull and
the Miracle Man were seated at an adjoining table. As the Sandman
introduced the various villains in attendance, the Miracle Man remarked
on the Red Skrull's unusual skin color and inquired as to his identity.
The other Skrull, thinking the answer was obvious, nevertheless
answered the Miracle Man's question.
(Fantastic Four Roast#1 -
BTS) - The Red Skrull and his companion presumably remained to listen to
the other testimonials and to enjoy the meal, which included a main
course of chicken (That's rock Cornish hen!). It is unrevealed whether
the Skrulls participated in the mid-banquet scuffle caused by
mind-altered postal worker Willy Lumpkin. It is also unclear whether
they were injured in the inhuman aftermath of a really bad pun told by
one FF member who "things" he's a comedian.
Comments: Created by Fred Hembeck, Jim Shooter, John Byrne, and Joe Rubinstein
(penciler and inker credits courtesy of the Grand Comics Database)
Fantastic Four Roast was released in celebration of the Fantastic Four's twentieth year of continuous publication.
In the introduction, Fred Hembeck advised the reader not to take the story's continuity too seriously,
as previously-established canon was often sacrificed for the sake of a cheap joke.
The Marvel Chronology Project eventually assigned this story to
Reality-77640, the reality in which most of Fred Hembeck's stories take
place.
However, I don't think any designation has been provided in any official format--Snood
Even if the story as published occurred in an alternate reality, it is
entirely possible that a similar event, perhaps
without some of the more ridiculous elements, occured in Reality-616 as
well.
Elsa Bloodstone remarked in a blog posting (published in Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone (and the Monster Hunters))
that she swore she read somewhere that Fin Fang Foom once dated Millie the Model, an event which happened at the roast—
although Millie the Model's handbook entry dismisses that account as "ludicrous".
The Skrulls'
handbook entry ends with a list of prominent alternate reality Skrulls,
in which the Red Skrull is stated to be "of unrevealed origin". However
that same handbook entry includes a Red Skrull in the "Known Members"
section, which otherwise only consists of Reality-616 Skrulls.
Several questions remain unanswered. Did the two Skrulls at
the roast personally have prior interactions with the Fantastic Four,
or were they simply there to represent the Skrull Empire?
Why were the Skrulls not seated at the same table? And most
importantly, why WAS the Red Skrull's skin red? Was it a birth defect?
Was he in the process of changing his appearance and got "stuck"? Was
it just a bad case of sunburn? (Tarnax-burn?)
The Red Skrull received a brief appendix entry in Marvel Encyclopedia Vol. 6: Fantastic Four.
Pretty good for a character who has thus far appeared in a grand total of one panel.
Profile by Zuckyd1.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Red Skrull should be distinguished from:
| --Fantastic Four Roast#1 |
Appearances:
Fantastic Four Roast#1 (May, 1982) - Fred Hembeck (story, layouts), Jim Shooter (plot assist, editor), Almost Everybody (art)
First posted: 03/03/2023
Last updated: 03/03/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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