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Blockbuster

Blockbuster

Blockbuster is the super-strong member of the Marauders who has died in battle, yet has returned thanks to Mr. Sinister's cloning techniques.

Name:
Blockbuster
Publisher:
Real name:
Michael Baer
Aliases:
  • Michael Baer
Birth date:
None
Gender:
Male
Powers:
  • Berserker Strength
  • Invulnerability
  • Stamina
  • Super Strength
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Origin

Blockbuster is a member of the Marauders, a team of superhuman assassins brought together by the mutant thief Gambit when he was in the employ of the enigmatic Mister Sinister.

Creation

Blockbuster was created by Louise Jones Simonson and Walter Simonson in 1986 and first appeared in X-Factor # 10.

Major Story Arcs

Mutants Massacre

Blockbuster Vs Thor
Blockbuster Vs Thor

Blockbuster first appeared in comics when, on Sinister's orders, the Marauders massacre the underground community of mutants known as the Morlocks. In the course of the massacre, the Marauders, including Blockbuster, clash with various superhuman champions, including the mutant adventurers known as the X-Men. The Norse god Thor is summoned to the Morlock Tunnels by his ally, the frog Puddleglup, happens upon Blockbuster following his torture of the mutant Archangel. Thor kills Blockbuster to avenge the innocent Morlocks he has slain. Thor then burns his remains, along with those of the slaughtered Morlocks. 
 
Sinister however uses his technology to clone the Marauders. Blockbuster and other previously-slain Marauders return during the demonic invasion of Manhattan referred to as the Inferno. Blockbuster is among the Marauders set by Sinister to defend his orphanage/laboratory headquarters. Blockbuster is slain by the mutant Havok, who had, along with most of the X-Men, been tainted by the demonic invasion, becoming more bestial and aggressive.

Though the X-Men discovered and deactivated many of Sinister's Clone Vaults after the events of the crossover saga X-Cutioner's Song, Blockbuster returned with the other original Marauders, when they attacked the X-Mansion.

Messiah Complex

Blockbuster's body is seen later being "eaten" by Predator X after he and the rest of the Marauders arrive at an Alaskan town. The Marauder's goal had been to find a mutant baby, a current rarity; they had also encountered the Purifiers, another group searching for the child. It is unknown if Sinister's cloning samples survived after M-Day, and whether he will be cloned again

Astonishing X-Men

More recently, Blockbuster was seen, again cloned, when fighting some of the X-Men. He was quickly dealed with and killed once more.


Powers

Blockbuster possessed various superhuman physical attributes as a result of natural mutation and, possibly, from augmentation from Mr. Sinister. Blockbuster possessed great superhuman strength, the exact limits of which were never defined. However, Blockbuster was sufficiently strong enough to lift at least 70 tons. Blockbuster's advanced musculature generated considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of ordinary humans. He could physically exert himself at peak capacity for about 24 hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood began to impair him. Blockbuster's bodily tissues were much harder and more resistant to physical injury than those of a normal human. He could withstand great impact forces, powerful energy blasts, exposure to extremes of temperature and pressure, and falls from great heights without being injured.

In the Media

X-Men The Animated Series

X-Men Animated Series
X-Men Animated Series

He appears in the episode Sanctuary, as he relocates to Magneto's mutant haven, Asteroid M. He is also shown as a member of Magneto's army in the episode, Graduation Day.

Wolverine And The X-Men

Wolverine and the X-Men
Wolverine and the X-Men

He appears in the episode Excessive Force as a member of Sinister's Marauders. As Archangel abduct both Jean and Scott, the X-Men have fought the Marauders including Blockbuster. He have fought Wolverine and defeated him with the conjunction of his co-members' powers.

Issues

November 1986

December 1986

January 1989

April 1989

November 1990

June 1991

July 1991

July 1992

October 1992

November 1995

March 1996

October 1997

August 2007

September 2007

November 2007

December 2007

March 2009

April 2009

August 2009

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

Volumes

1966

1981

1986

1989

1990

1992

1995

2004

2007

2008

2009

2010

2014

2016

2018

2019

2020

2024

Died in issues

Friends

Enemies

Teams

Enemy teams