REKRAB
REKRAB
Real Name: Unrevealed (Rekrab seems more likely as surname than a first name, but it could also be an alias...)
Identity/Class: Human possible magic-user (occult expert, at least)
Occupation: Owner of Rekrab's Arcanum
Group Membership: None known
Affiliations: Boneyard, Luke Cage (Carl Lucas), Alexis Primo, Silver Sable (Silver Sablinova), Terror (Shreck)
Enemies: Indirectly Roger Barbatos, Beelzeboul, Culex, Hellfire (Mikal Drakonmegas), hellfire serpent, Priapus, Sabaist; unidentified homunculus/imp/demon
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Rekrab's Arcanum, Westminster, London
First Appearance: Terror Inc.#1 (July, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Rekrab has extensive knowledge of arcane/occult/mystic history, beings, talismans, etc.
He owns Rekrab's Arcanum, in which he keeps an extensive library of
mystic tomes and articles on occult items, events, and beings.
He possesses a number of mystic talismans, notably including at least one LeMarchand Puzzle Box.
Within his Arcanum, he also holds at least a couple mystic beings, such as a homunculus/imp/demon and (what would appear to be based on only the tail that coudl be seen) a miniature stegasaurus.
Based on the fact that the homunculus apparently obeyed his will, Rekrab apparently had some degree of mystic and/or telepathic power.
He wore eyeglasses, at least for reading. The fact that he took them off when speaking to Terror may indicate that he is purely nearsighted.
Height: Unrevealed (he
is almost uniformly shown in a seated position; when he is standing,
Terror is seated; in the one panel in which they both appeara to be
standing, he seems to be a little shorter than Terror, but Terror's
size can change as he changes his legs, etc.; perhaps anywhere from
5'5" to 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (he sometimes looks more elderly and lean, but I would think anywhere from 150-190 lbs. depending on height)
Eyes: Dark, apparently brown
Hair: Gray (receding hairline; beard)
History:
(Terror Inc.#1 (fb) - BTS) - Rekrab operated Rekrab's Arcanum, an occult artifacts emporium, rarely leaving the facility. He had a long association with the mercenary Terror (Schreck), leading to an antagonistic familarity. He was more disturbed by Terror's mercenary work than his monstrous appearance and/or the horrific way he used pieces of other people's bodies to gain their abilities and memories.
(Terror Inc.#11 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Rekrab somehow obtained a homunculus, which he kept locked in a cage with the keys just out of reach, just "to torture the little imp." He also apparently obtained some sort of miniature stegasaurus, which he also kept caged.
(Terror Inc.#1) - When Terror again visited his emporium, Rekrab discussed how he would have paid to see Terror forced to cover up "that thing you call a face" while traveling commercially, knowing how it was an afront to Terror's vanity (I'm not quite sure what trip he is referring to; perhaps traveling to England). Noting Rekrab's "malevolent glee" at his personal habits, Terror asked Rekrab when was the last time he had been out of "this firetrap you optomistically call an emporium."
As Terror picked up a LeMarchand Puzzle Box, Rekrab told him to put it down as he didn't know where it had been. Terror asked that he didn't know where the box had been, but Rekrab clarified that he was talking about Terror's newest hand. Getting to the point, Terror showed Rekrab a sigil, the mark of the demon Beelzeboul, and asked what he knew of dissolving an agreement with the demon.
Rekrab asked if this was legitimate work or more of that mercenary "horror for hire" slumming, leading Terror to ask if he didn't know the answer, and Rekrab noted that what he didn't know would shiver even Terror's timbers and that Terror was wasting his talent and tradition. Terror interrupted, telling him that time is what was wasting.
As Rekrab
opened an occult text, he noted that Terror had traveled all this way
just to visit and make nasty, and he asked if Terror couldn't have
found fingers that knew how to dial a fax. When Terror replied that he
preferred the personal touch, Rekrab asked if he had ever considered
licensing himself to Hallmark. Locating the mark of Beelzeboul in the
text, Rekrab advised him that Beelzeboul was not a devil known for
coming topside except to do business, and that short of conjuring
Beelzeboul himself and pledging infernal allegiance, Terror was not
going to be able to dissolve one of his previously existing
agreements. 
However, Rekrab then considered Mikal Drakonmegas -- pausing to snatch the puzzle box out of Terror's hands after the mercenary picked it back up -- and revealed that he was Beelzeboul's son and the half-brother of Daimon Hellstrom. Rekrab suggested that if Terror could bring Drakonmegas into his birthright, perhaps via the hellfire serpent into which Hellstrom had transferred his darksoul, Terror could use Drakonmegas as a key to Beelzeboul's realm and catch the demon off guard.
(Terror Inc.#11) - When Terror visited Rekrab with questions about Vatsayana's Tryst, Rekrab advised him not to expect much in the way of romance from this particular tryst, as he had over two volumes worth of murders committed over the item. Noting that he kept the key to his homunculus' cage just out of reach to torture it, Rekrab told Terror that he may find himself sympathizing with the imp, as the last reported sighting of the Tryst was seven years ago in the hands of man named Bo Ting, at an outpost village just south of the Artic Circle.
When
Terror stated that he anticipated better productivity than Rekrab's pet
demon, Rekrab noted that at least the demon was staying warm...
(Terror Inc.#12) - Rekrab accompanied Boneyard, Luke Cage, Alexis Primo, and Silver Sable aboard Terror's plane to Barcelona, Spain, where the heroes planned to oppose Priapus' plot to assemble and gain the full power of the Carnal Serpent.
En route, as Terror decided on the size of an arm to use for the mission, Rekrab advised him to worry less about the line of his suit and more about what the Carnal Serpent might turn out to be. While reviewing some partial damaged page/parchment, he shared that legend had it that God (Yahweh) had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah over.
Mocking Rekrab's doomsaying, Terror noted that they wouldn't be needing to bring salt to the table.
(Terror
Inc.#13) - When Terror visited his Arcanum again, Rekrab noted that
London had missed him, although there were also those who yearned for
the days of Jack the Ripper. Terror noted that Rekrab's homunculus was
on the loose, but Rekrab assured him that the imp knew its place.
Rekrab continued that he wasn't sure Terror knew his own place, as he
was entering dangerous waters for the sake of his former lover. 
Terror, in return, accused Rekrab of hypocrisy, noting how Rekrab urged him to cast off mercenary work in favor of his arcane past, but when he took a tentative step forward in that arena, Rekrab reacted negatively. Rekrab countered that that was because it was only a half-step, which could too easily be misconstrued as weakness. Telling Terror to do what he wanted, Rekrab advised him that rather than digging up others' graves, this time, he might be digging his own. Nonetheless, Rekrab gave Terror a card for Borderline Investigations Services (run by Blade/Eric Brooks, Frank Drake, and Hannibal King).
Comments: Created by D.G. Chichester and Jorge Zaffino.
Rekrab is obviously Barker spelled backwards and an homage to Clive Barker, as well the presence of LeMarchand
Puzzle Box, which was featured in Clive Barker's Hellraiser. Time is
tight to get this done for the event, so there will likely be some
sub-profiles or supplementary profiles -- Rekrab's Arcanum, the
Homunculus/imp, the Puzzle Boxes, etc. -- in the future. The box was
also seen in #11 and #13.
I don't think Rekrab's emporium's location is spelled out, but
Elizabeth Tower (which holds the bell Big Ben and its associated clock)
is shown in both #1 and #11 just before showing the emporium's
interior, so presumably that is framing intended to place it in
Westminster, London.
It is confirmed as London, at least, in Terror Inc.#13
In #1, Rekrab looks more elderly and lean, in #12, a little less so; in
#13 he had thicker hair, looked a little younger, and his beard is
trimimed to be more of a mustache/goatee combo; in #11, he has brown
hair, has a very full beard; wears darker glasses (like sunglasses,
inside), and appears younger and stockier.
Artistic license could certainly explain that, although #11 and #13 had
the same art team. Maybe they made a mistaken in #11 and tried to be
more in line with his original appearance in #13.
Or, maybe Rekrab's mystic nature allows or causes him to change
appearances somewhat under various circumstances, times of day, etc.
This profile was completed 7/18/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Rekrab should be distinguished from:
Appearances:
Terror Inc.#1 (July, 1992) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Jorge Zaffino (artist), Marcus McLaurin (editor)
Terror Inc.#11 (May, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Richard Pace (penciler), Temujin (inker), Marcus McLaurin (editor)
Terror
Inc.#12 (June, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Kirk van Wormer
(penciler), Temujin, Bud LaRosa, & Steve George (inkers), Marcus
McLaurin (editor)
Terror Inc.#13 (July, 1993) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Richard Pace (penciler), Temujin (inker), Marcus McLaurin (editor)
First posted: 09/16/2021
Last updated: 09/15/2021
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!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!