Pranky

The World's Most Dangerous Scout

Name:

Pranky

Publisher:

Image

Real name:

Philip Peabody

Aliases:

Birth date:

None

Gender:

Male

Powers:

Magic
Shape Shifter

First issue:

Ghost Machine #1

See at ComicVine

Origin

In the real world, Pranky was named Pip Peabody. Pip's dad was a WWII veteran, and his mom was a Japanese-American, who died during US interment. Pip's dad was taken prisoner by the Japanese, who cut off his arm with a pocketknife. When he returned home, he was angry and bitter and would often snap at Pip for appearing Japanese. After one beating, Pip tried to call the police, but they only saw his father as a war hero pushed to his limits by a "bratty kid." They suggested he joined the boy scouts and learn some discipline. Unfortunately, Pip had the worst results. He hadn't earned a single badge due to a lazy scoutmaster and a bully fellow scout. Pip got as bitter as his dad and, in 1955, took vengeance on his scout troop with a serious of fatal pranks. This got the attention of the Scorekeeper of Hyde Street, who made Pip an offer he couldn't refuse to become a resident and help Scorekeeper damn people passing through.

Creation

Pranky first appeared in Ghost Machine #1 in a story by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

Major Story Arcs

Devour

For more information see: It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1

When Lily leaves the Heath Store, she is approached by Pranky. He tries to sell her Scout Cookies, but she refuses because she has made the decision to stick to her diet. After she walks away it is revealed that Pranky's cookies are covered in worms and maggots.

The Wolfboy

Pranky was one of the less artful residents of Hyde Street. He made sure his deliveries never had a chance to ask for forgiveness. This put him at odds with Mr. X-Ray. X-Ray was artful in his ability to damn people passing through Hyde Street. It took time and required a total lack of regret. This gave Pranky the Boy Scout the chance to swoop in and steal his deliveries to the Scorekeeper. It kept X-Ray stuck at around 2100 deliveries when he was desperate to earn his 10 thousand and leave. He demanded Pranky follow the unwritten rules of "dibs," but Pranky saw Scorekeeper awarding him credit for the deliveries as permission.

Around Christmas, The Scorekeeper finally got involved and told Pranky to start playing nice. Pranky didn't really listen though. He just made things worse. He trapped Glee Goodbody in her store, and he started to hunt The Matinee Monster. To give himself an edge with the Monster, he stole a rubber werewolf mask from Mr. X-Ray's novelties, but the mask was cursed. It turned him into a real wolf boy, and he was unable to take it off.

He returned to X-Ray's store when he couldn't get the mask off and return to his human form. X-Ray saw an opportunity. For his help, if X-Ray got the mask off, Pranky would agree to not get involved with his deliveries anymore. When X-Ray couldn't get the mask off, he brought Pranky to Doctor Ego. Ego could not remove because it was no longer a mask, so he tried using X-Ray's x-ray specs to emotionally unlock the connection. It caused Pranky to have visions of his mother being placed in an American internment camp during WWII.

The Butcher of Hyde Street

Pranky's vision was interrupted by The Butcher of Hyde Street. He showed up and killed the soldiers torturing Pranky's mother before she as ripped from the vision. The Butcher promised to help Pranky reunite with her if Pranky helped The Butcher escape. No longer feeling like a monster, the wolfman mask finally released Pranky, who then violently escaped from Doctor Ego's office.