The Avenger

Richard Henry Benson was an American businessman, soldier of fortune, vigilante, and counter-terrorist of the 20th century. Under the guise of the Avenger, Benson fought all manner of crime alongside his allies in his organisation, Justice, Inc..
==Biography ==
===Early Life===
In his teenaged years, Benson had narrowly avoided death in Australia attempted to kill him with a hatchet. His near-death experience led to him practicing his axe-throwing. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
==Weapons and Abilities ==
===Inherent Abilities===
*Malleable Features: After the traumatic event of losing his wife and daughter, Benson awoke in the hospital to discover that the flesh of his face could be molded like putty, and used to disguise himself as other people. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.) He later lost this ability.
*Intelligence: Benson was well-versed in the sciences; particularly in the field of aerodynamics.The Encyclopedia of Superheroes - Jeff Rovin - Facts on File Publications - Published 1985 - Page 15 - Retrieved 2 August 2021
*Strength: Benson's sinews and and muscles were packed with a level of strength beyond scientific explanation. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
===Armaments===
*Ike: A hollow-handled, perfectly balanced throwing dagger. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
*Mike: A .22 caliber revolver with high-velocity shells. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
===Assets===
*Wealth: Benson was a very wealthy man, having made his fortune around in the world in various endeavours. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
===Skills===
*Mastery of Disguise: Using greasepaint, wigs, contact lenses, and other equipment, as well as his malleable features, the Avenger was able to blend into any situation.
*Axe Throwing: A near-death experience in his teens led Benson to practice wielding and throwing an axe; he was proficient enough at doing so to split a knot from thirty feet away, or to throw a hatchet at a running man in a way that he would be knocked unconscious by the handle. (PROSE: Justice, Inc.)
===Technology===
*Airship: A flying fortress capable of worldwide travel and flying high in the stratosphere.
==Notes ==
* The Avenger was created by American author Paul Ernst, under the house name "Kenneth Robeson".A Chronology for the Avenger - Rick Lai - Retrieved 19 June 2023
* The Avenger, Doc Savage, and the Shadow first met in the Dynamite Entertainment crossover comics miniseries, "Justice, Inc", published in 2014.Justice Inc Pulls Together The Shadow, Doc Savage And The Avenger - Dan Wickline - 19 April 2014 - Bleeding Cool - Retrieved 1 August 2021
*Benson's only recurring nemesis was Baron Ulrich Blau-Montag, who was introduced in Ron Goulart's story "The Iron Skull".THE AVENGER new adventures by Ron Goulart - Dochermes - 19 June 2014 - LiveJournal - Retrieved 2 August 2021 Blau-Montag would later return in the Moonstone Books novel "Hunt the Avenger".Review of HUNT THE AVENGER - Anthony R. Cardno - 12 December 2019 - Retrieved 2 August 2021
*American author Jeff Rovin felt that the Avenger's bitterness and sole superpower made him a more engaging character than Doc Savage.The Encyclopedia of Superheroes - Jeff Rovin - Facts on File Publications - Published 1985 - Page 16 - Retrieved 2 August 2021
==Appearances==
*The Avenger
**Justice, Inc. (first appearance)
==Links==
*The Avenger on Wikipedia
==References==
Category:Humans
Category:Heroes
Category:Murderers
Category:Vigilantes
Category:Criminals
Category:Widowers
Category:Pilots
Category:Engineers
Category:Marksmen
Category:Trick shots
Category:Adventurers
Category:Justice, Inc
Category:Masters of disguise
Category:Vilomahed characters
Category:New York City characters
Category:New York characters
Category:American characters
Category:Literary characters
Category:Creator: Paul Ernst
Category: 1939 debut