# Scourge of the Underworld

The Scourge of the Underworld is the name of a series of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Writer/editor Mark Gruenwald originally created the Scourge in 1985 as a plot device intended to thin the criminal population of the Marvel Universe, in particular eliminating those supervillain characters he deemed to be too minor, redundant, or ill-conceived. Numerous other characters have used the name, often with differing motives and loyalties.

## Fictional character biography

The Scourge is originally depicted as an unnamed vigilante dedicated to killing criminals. His killing spree reaches its apex in Captain America #319, where he kills eighteen criminals at an underworld meeting held to devise a way of countering him. When Captain America captures the Scourge, he claims to be the brother of the Enforcer, whom Scourge killed because his criminal activities shamed their father. He claims that this crime led to him creating the Scourge persona with help from a private investigator only identified as Domino, who provides him detailed information on supervillains. Immediately after making this confession, the Scourge is murdered by an unseen assailant.
Following this story, a series of imposter Scourges are introduced. The Scourge's creator, Mark Gruenwald, explained that while he wanted to resolve the mystery of the Scourge sooner rather than later, he feared that if he brought the Scourge back too soon he would run out of low-tier villains for him to kill and would have to either start killing off mid-tier villains or create new villains for the sole purpose of being victims of the Scourge.
In 1993, Gruenwald wrote a four-part U.S. Agent miniseries to resolve the mysteries involving the Scourge of the Underworld. The series revealed that the various Scourges belong to an organization that Thomas Halloway established following his retirement.
Various characters have assumed the Scourge mantle since the original's death, including Frank Simpson, Paladin, and a brainwashed Jack Monroe and Dennis Dunphy.

## Villains killed by the Scourge

| Name | First appearance | Last appearance |
| Enforcer | Ghost Rider #22 (February 1977) | Iron Man #194 (May 1985) |
| Miracle Man | Fantastic Four #3 (March 1962) | Thing #24 (June 1985) |
| Hate-Monger (Android) | Fantastic Four #279 (June 1985) | Secret Wars II #2 (August 1985) |
| Megatak | Thor #328 (February 1983) | Thor #358 (August 1985) |
| Melter | Tales of Suspense #47 (November 1963) | Avengers #263 (January 1986) |
| Titania | Marvel Two-in-One #54 (August 1979) | Thing #33 (March 1986) |
| Basilisk (Basil Elks) | Marvel Team-Up #16 (December 1973) | Fantastic Four #289 (April 1986) |
| Human Fly (Richard Deacon) | The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #10 (January 1976) | The Amazing Spider-Man #276 (May 1986) |
| Death Adder | Marvel Two-in-One #64 (June 1980) | Captain America #318 (June 1986) |
| Blue Streak (Don Thompson) | Captain America #217 (January 1978) | Captain America #318 (June 1986) |
| Wraith (Brian DeWolff) | Marvel Team-Up #48 (August 1976) | The Amazing Spider-Man #278 (July 1986) |
| Red Skull (Albert Malik) | Captain America Comics #61 (March 1947) | Captain America #347 (November 1988) |
| An unnamed member of the Watchdogs | Captain America #351 (March 1989) | Captain America #351 (March 1989) |
| Minions of the Power Broker | Captain America #358 (September 1989) | Captain America #358 (September 1989) |
| Black Abbott | Marvel Team-Up #147 (November 1984) | Captain America #394 (November 1991) |
| Wrench (Kurt Klemmer) | Omega the Unknown #6 (January 1977) | Captain America #394 (November 1991) |
| Hammer and Anvil | Incredible Hulk #182 (December 1974) | Marvel Fanfare #29 (November 1986) |
| Blowtorch Brand | Defenders #135 (September 1984) | U.S. Agent #2 (May 1993) |
| Jaguar | Daredevil #120 (April 1975) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Mirage | The Amazing Spider-Man #156 (May 1976) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Hellrazor | Marvel Team-Up #87 (November 1979) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Shellshock | Fantastic Four Annual #5 (November 1967) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Bird-Man | Daredevil #157 | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Cyclone (André Gerard) | The Amazing Spider-Man #143 (April 1975) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Ringer (Anthony Davis) | Defenders #51 (September 1977) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Turner D. Century | Spider-Woman #33 (December 1980) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Grappler | She-Hulk #18 (July 1981) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Cheetah | Captain Marvel #48 (January 1977) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Vamp | Captain America #217 (January 1978) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Commander Kraken | Sub-Mariner #27 (July 1970) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Letha | Marvel Two-in-One #54 (August 1979) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Steeplejack | Ms. Marvel #14 (February 1978) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Mind-Wave | Daredevil #133 (May 1976) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Rapier | The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #2 (August 1980) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Firebrand (Gary Gilbert) | Iron Man #27 (July 1970) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |
| Hijacker | Tales to Astonish #40 (February 1963) | Captain America #319 (July 1986) |

## Reception

In 2014, WhatCulture ranked Scourge of the Underworld 7th in their "7 Unused Spider-Man Villains Who'd Be Great In The Marvel Cinematic Universe" list.