Red Skull
Red Skull is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Johann Shmidt was a male human who was born in the early part of the 20th century. There were multiple varying accounts about his origins that had been said over the years.
The true account was that he was born in 1914 with his mother having died during the child birth. (Red Skull v1 #1) It was said that his father blamed the infant for the death of his wife where he tried to drown the baby but was stopped by the attending doctor. After failing to kill his son, the man took his own life and his child came to be a ward of the state. (Captain America v1 #350) He grew up at the Munich Home for Wayward Boys during the Weimar Republic in one of the greatest depressions in Germany history. Around this time, there was great social strife as Adolf Hitler arose to power at the head of the Nazi Party. On November 1923, Shmidt was 9 years old when he was regularly disciplined and suffered brutal punishment at the hands of the orphanage's headmaster. During this time, his only friend was a boy named Dieter Lehmann with Johann helping protect a stray puppy he had found from a dog catcher with the headmaster allowing the boys to keep the pet. One day, Johann went outside to attend a march that was being made by the Nazi Party that was being held by the city hall. (Red Skull v1 #1)
Officially, Shmidt met Hitler while working as a bellhop in a hotel. This occurred during his late teens, around the same time that the Nazi Party gained power in Germany. Shmidt wound up serving Hitler's rooms at the hotel. By chance, Shmidt was present by bringing refreshments when the Führer was furiously scolding an officer for letting a spy escape, during which Hitler declared that he could create a better National Socialist out of the bellhop. Looking closely at the youth and sensing his dark inner nature, Hitler decided to act on his words and recruited Shmidt. (Captain America v1 #298) In reality, Shmidt actually engineered his meeting with the Führer with himself disguised as a bellhop, tricking his fellow orphan Dieter into trying to kill Hitler and then taking this opportunity to save Hitler's life. (Red Skull: Incarnate v1 #5) Dissatisfied with the standard drill instruction his subordinates used to train Shmidt, Hitler took over personally, training Shmidt as his right-hand man after Heinrich Himmler. Upon completion, Hitler gave Shmidt a unique uniform with a grotesque red skull mask, and he emerged as the Red Skull for the first time. His role was the embodiment of Nazi intimidation, while Hitler could remain the popular leader of Germany. To that end, the Red Skull was appointed head of Nazi terrorist activities with an additional large role in external espionage and sabotage. He succeeded, wreaking havoc throughout Europe in the early stages of World War II. (Captain America v1 #298) In Europe during the war, the Red Skull took personal command of many military actions and personally supervised the takeovers and lootings of many cities and towns. The Red Skull also organized a Wolf Pack of U-Boats which preyed upon shipping across the world, often under the Red Skull's personal command. (Tales of Suspense v1 #66) In the Far East, Strucker joined a subversive organization that came to be known as HYDRA, severed his ties with the Red Skull, became head of HYDRA and made it into a major threat to world peace. (Captain Savage and His Leatherneck Raiders v1 #4)
The propaganda effect of the Red Skull was so great that the United States government decided to counter it by creating their own equivalent using the one recipient of the lost Project Rebirth: Steve Rogers, as the superhero/counterintelligence agent, Captain America. (Captain America v1 #298) The Skull undertook a wide variety of missions for Hitler, most of which involved the Skull's specialty, the spreading of terror. In the early 1940s, before the United States entered World War II, the Red Skull was particularly involved with subversive activities in the United States. The United States government created the costumed persona of Captain America so that there would be a costumed counterpart to the Red Skull. (Captain America Comics v1 #1) It was in the United States, before America officially entered World War II, that the Red Skull had his first conflicts with Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, the man who became his principal and perennial nemesis. (Captain America Comics v1 #7)
Around 1942, he came to suspect that Nazi Germany could potentially lose World War II and had Arnim Zola create a clone of himself that was to activate in the future if ever the Red Skull was slain. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #2) As World War II raged on, Hitler vowed that if he could not conquer the world, he would destroy it. To achieve this end, the Red Skull proposed the construction of five gigantic war machines, to be called the Sleepers, which would be hidden in various locations while they generated and stored the power they would need, and then be released at a future date, "Der Tag" ("The Day" in German), to destroy the Earth if the Allies won the war. (Tales of Suspense v1 #72)
The Red Skull sent a number of his subordinates who became known as the Exiles, and a large contingent of loyal German soldiers and their wives to a secret island base ("Exile Island"), where they would organize an army for use in the future. (Captain America v1 #102)
In 1944, agents of his were dispatched to Tibet to find a mystical weapon for use by Nazi Germany. They discovered the Amulet of Agamotto that was in the care of the Ancient One. The powerful master of the mystical arts were betrayed by his disciple Baron Mordo allowing the Nazi's to drug him and his servant Hamir allowing the pair to be captured. They were brought to the Red Skull to harness the power when this moment was interrupted by the arrival of Captain America and Bucky. At that point, the Red Skull was transported into the Dark Dimension by Dormammu who sought the Amulet of Agamotto. (Captain America - Nick Fury The Otherworld War v1 #1)
Now that the German defeat was becoming a reality, the Red Skull was more determined than ever to obtain vengeance for his numerous personal defeats by Captain America and Bucky. The Red Skull assigned Baron Heinrich Zemo to go to England, and, under the cover of stealing an experimental Allied drone plane, to capture or kill Captain America and Bucky. (Tales of Suspense v1 #80)
Finally, Captain America tracked the Red Skull down to his hidden bunker. The Red Skull was about to hurl an armed hand grenade at his nemesis when Captain America threw his shield at him. The grenade exploded, but the Red Skull was not killed, due to his body armor. He was, however, seriously hurt and partially buried in debris. Thinking he was dying, the Red Skull defiantly told Captain America that the Sleepers would avenge the Nazis' defeat. Then, suddenly, an Allied attack on Berlin began. An Allied plane dropped a huge blockbuster bomb on the bunker, causing a cave-in that Captain America barely escaped. (Tales of Suspense v1 #72) Captain America was picked up by the Allies and returned to England only to fall into Zemo's trap, which led to Bucky's supposed death and Captain America's falling into suspended animation for decades. Support pillars that crisscrossed over the Red Skull when the bunker caved in saved him from being struck by tons of rubble when the bomb hit. The cave-in also released an experimental gas from canisters in the bunker which put the Red Skull into suspended animation, during which time his wounds slowly healed. (Tales of Suspense v1 #79)
Modern
Several years ago, Schmitt was reborn in a clone body that was created by Arnim Zola in his laboratory in the Swiss Alps. His mind came to be placed in a copy of Steve Rogers and thus possessed the Super-Soldier Formula within this form making him a physical equal to Captain America. In this form, he decided to embark in a change of strategy where he abandoned his mask and adopted a more subtle approach by manipulating events from the background as an American businessman. At some point, he managed to secretly employ the services of Douglas Rockwell who served as his agent on the Commission on Superhuman Activities. (Captain America v1 #350) The Red Skull has the Commission remove Steve Rogers from the position of Captain America and replace him with jingoist John Walker. Although Walker attempts to live up to his predecessor's ideals, the Red Skull arranges for the murders of Walker's parents, driving him insane and into a downward spiral of murder as part of his plan to blacken the name of Captain America. (Captain America v1 #345) He had his agents headed by the Scourge being sent to the federal prison holding Albert Malik in Algeria. An attack was made seemingly to release him but in reality the operatives were sent to murder Malik thus disposing of the fake Communist Red Skull. (Captain America v1 #346)
The Red Skull then killed his chief pawn in the Commission right in front of Captain America. About to be exposed, the Red Skull tries to manipulate Walker into killing Rogers. When Rogers defeats Walker, the Red Skull appears to gloat at what he had done to Rogers, Walker, and the reputation of Captain America. However, Rogers remains openly dubious of his claims to be his dead archenemy. The Red Skull tries to kill Rogers with a cigarette holding a lethal dose of the dust of death which was the Red Skull's favorite poison, but Walker hits him from behind with his shield. The Red Skull inhales the dust of death and his face takes on the appearance of a living red skull; his head loses its hair and its skin shrivels, clinging tightly to his skull, and taking on a red discoloration. (Captain America v1 #350)
After this, the Red Skull masterminds a conflict between the United States and Symkaria. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #325)
Within his new clone body, Schmidt was younger and a form that had the Supersoldier-Serum. At the time, Castle Zola was in the midst of an attack by a team of assassins looking to eliminate him. This saw the defences activating and Arnim Zola dispatching Doughboy to deal with the intruders. Despite their numbers, the team were all defeated but instead of being killed they were taken alive for interrogation. This allowed Schmidt to personally interrogating the captives where he demanded to know who was their employer. They told him that their employer was the Red Skull with this angering Schmidt who started killing those assassins that gave him this answer. Zola came to warn him that they only had one survivor left with Schmidt revealing that he was the true Red Skull and that the other person was an imposter. The lone survivor though was not afraid and claimed he could defeat Schmidt if he was free with the Red Skull decided to give him his wish. He wanted to test his clone body against a worthy opponent where the mercenary showed impressive strength. However, he was defeated but his ability caught the Red Skull's notice who offered the man a place as his right hand enforcer. The man accepted as he always wanted to work for the Red Skull with Schmidt giving him the name Crossbones and sent him to undergo further training. (Captain America v1 #383)
He later fashioned the identity of Dell Rusk where he spent years infiltrating the U.S. government and implementing his rise to power. By this point, he had abandoned the idea of a Fourth Reich and believed that America itself could be moulded through fear and control to be the perfect nation. He then used A.I.M. brainwashing technology along with financial support and other heavy handed means to secure his position where he as Rusk rose to the position o Secretary of Defence. (Avengers v3 #69)
The Red Skull was assassinated by the mysterious Winter Soldier, under orders from the renegade former Soviet general Aleksander Lukin wanting to possess the new Cosmic Cube the Red Skull had manufactured. (Captain America v5 #1)
All of this has apparently been to elevate his puppet politician, Gordon Wright, elevated in the public's eye with being credited as 'resolving' the situations, as well as surviving a staged attack by the Serpent Squad. Once elected, Wright will lead the country directly into a police state secretly controlled by the Red Skull. The Red Skull also plans to transfer his consciousness into Sharon's unborn child, apparently sired by Steve Rogers himself and potentially having inherited his Project: Rebirth enhancements. (Captain America v5 #36)
Both schemes fail because of the impatience and incompetence of the Red Skull's daughter—her near-fatal attack on Sharon causes her to lose the baby, and she intentionally botches her pseudo-assassination of Wright by attempting to kill him for real. As Faustus has surreptitiously tampered with Sharon's programming, she is able to rebel, and before escaping shoots Lukin to death. This is not the end of the Red Skull, since Zola had seconds earlier transferred his mind to one of the spare robotic bodies, but after having his current form damaged by the impostor Captain America, he is unable to return to the Red Skull, essentially trapping him in his current robotic form for the time being. (Captain America v5 #42)
Red Onslaught
In a fortified bunker, a new clone of the Red Skull awakened from his 70 year slumber and awoke to continue his plans for the world. He went through media reports and came to determine that dying Mutant race were the greatest danger to mankind which needed to be eliminated. Thus, he embarked on a plan to exterminate the Mutant race leading to him creating his S-Men and also stealing the deceased of Professor X to remove his brain which was the fused to his own making him among the world's most powerful telepaths. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #2) Seeing how mutants nearly destroyed the world convinced him that they were the threat. He searched the world and recruited exceptional individuals, forming a group of S-Men to combat the mutant menace. He also stole the brain of Professor X in order to gain his telepathic powers, reasoning that it would be best to use it than waste his time trying to gather relics and arcane objects which would only reveal his hand. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #1) Using Professor X's telepathy, the Red Skull provokes ordinary citizens of New York into a mass assault against even potential mutants, even managing to take control of Thor. However, his telepathy is still erratic, with the Red Skull being unable to completely control Captain America and an attack against him by Wolverine cutting off his right hand and disrupting his powers long enough for Rogue and the Scarlet Witch to break free. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #3) The team ultimately force the Red Skull to retreat after Rogue manages to temporarily disrupt his powers, Havok mockingly comparing the Red Skull to the jock who beats up gay kids to conceal his own homosexuality. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #4)
Magneto finds out that the Red Skull has turned Genosha into a concentration camp for mutants and still has Professor X's brain inside him. Magneto attacks the Red Skull, but is quickly stopped by the S-Men. (Magneto v3 #9) The Red Skull mind-tortures Magneto with visions of those closest to the mutant suffering while being unable to do anything to stop it. After being freed by the Scarlet Witch, Rogue and Havok, he bites down on a vial beneath his skin of Mutant Growth Hormone, giving himself enough power to fight. (Magneto v3 #10) When the Scarlet Witch, Rogue and Havok want to leave the island and alert the rest of the Avengers and the X-Men of what the Red Skull is doing, Magneto wants to stay and fight. Before they can do anything, the Red Skull appeared at the scene. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #24) The Red Skull and the S-Men confronted the escapees, but after using Mutant Growth Hormone to enhance his powers, Magneto managed to wipe out all members of the S-Men, before killing the Red Skull without the use of his mutant gifts, offering him a 'pure' death. However, Erik had merely unleashed a more powerful persona of the Red Skull which was now the Red Onslaught. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #25)
The Red Onslaught started telepathically spreading hate across the world, as Magneto and the Avengers Unity Division tried to stop him. The Avengers came to help after locating the Skull following the discovery he was the source of the World War Hate, who were shortly after joined by the X-Men and other allies. However, the Red Onslaught deployed two Adamantium Stark Sentinels which had been created by Iron Man under the influence of the Skull's telepathy, with their creation having been wiped from his memories by the villain. (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1 #1) The Sentinels managed to turn the odds in favor of the Red Onslaught, as they managed to capture almost every hero in the scene. The cavalry arrived in the form of a group of super villains Magneto had assembled after temporarily abandoning the fight, because the Stark Sentinels had been made to fight using the known weaknesses of heroes, not villains. (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1 #2) The Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom managed to cast a spell to invert the axis of Skull's brain, to make a fragment of Charles Xavier still present in it take control of the Skull's body and stop the Red Onslaught. The inversion spell was a success, and the Red Skull was knocked unconscious and reversed from his Red Onslaught form. Before he could wake up to reveal whether Charles Xavier was now in control or not, as the X-Men wanted, the Avengers decided to be cautious and take the Red Skull prisoner to the Stark Tower. (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1 #3) The inverted Avengers planned on killing the Red Skull to prevent any opportunity of reinverting them from happening. After the seemingly disappearance of the Red Skull from Stark Tower, the inverted Avengers took prisoners every hero who was or had been an Avenger, as they were suspects of freeing the Skull. (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1 #4)
Overview
Personality and attributes
According to one account, he was originally a nameless orphan who grew up on the streets until taken in by Hitler who gave him the persona of the Red Skull. (Tales of Suspense v1 #66) In German, he was known as der Rote Schadel (Translation: The Red Skull). (Adventures of Captain America v1 #3) When he infiltrated the U.S. government, he took on the identity of Dell Rusk that was an anagram of the Red Skull. (Avengers v3 #68)
From a young age, he felt only envy, jealousy and hatred for all mankind. It was these traits that drew the attention of Adolf Hitler when he encountered the young boy that became the Red Skull. The young man was an inspiration to the Fuehrer who wanted to mould him into becoming his greatest achievement and the perfect Nazi. Thus, he came to serve as the right hand of Hitler and told that he would never fell in his assignments. It was then that he underwent training but Adolf Hitler did not want a mere stormtrooper but wanted the man to be evil personified. It was this chain of events that led to the fashioning of his Red Skull persona where he was only answerable to Hitler himself. Thus, he was given power to match the hatred he felt for the world. (Tales of Suspense v1 #66)
The Red Skull believed in the use of fear to motivate others. (Tales of Suspense v1 #66)
Later on, the Red Skull came to develop a new agenda as he saw that what worked in wartime Germany was inappropriate in decadent America. As such, he changed his strategy and the means he came to operate in the world. Red Skull as such changed from being a foreign agitator and instead appeared as a handsome American businessman. He later saw America as a land of opportunity where he set up base in what he considered the most influential, most affluent and most decadent nation on the planet. By this point, he noted that he had become an American Dreamer where he determined that it was the realisation of one's personal ambitions by whatever means necessary. For him, he reasoned that his dream was the denial of everyone else achieving their own dreams. To this end, he looked to enslave every American citizen and destroy America itself in the process. (Captain America v1 #350)
Though others had claimed the mantle of Captain America, he refused to call anyone else but Steve Rogers by that name. (Captain America v1 #350)
His father was said to had been a drunken lout who tormented his wife for their entire married life. She later came to die in childbirth with the man enraged that the woman had escaped his abuse. In his madness, he looked to kill his son but was stopped by the attending doctor where afterwards he came to take his own life leaving his child a ward of the state. It was said that similar to his mother that he had been a victim of the predation of others and like his father he came to despise life and the lowly lot in it. (Captain America v1 #350)
Powers and abilities
He had a reputation for his fighting prowess to which the Red Skull claimed that he could not be taken down easily. The Red Skull from a young age was taken in by Hitler himself who personally oversaw his harsh brutal training. He was a skilled and deadly marksman where he was able to shoot the button's of a person's uniform. (Tales of Suspense v1 #66)
At one point, he was cloned in a new body that was based on that of Captain America with the Super-Soldier Formula present in this form. This gave him not only the appearance of Steve Rogers but all his superhuman traits such as his strength, speed, reflexes and endurance. As a result, he was said to be a physical equal to his age old foe. (Captain America v1 #350)
A deadly weapon in his arsenal was the Dust of Death that when exposed to others caused their skin to tighten around the victims face and shrivel whilst it taking a red discolouration with all hair falling out leaving the person's resultant corpse resembling a red skull. (Captain America v1 #184) He could coat it on a cigarette whose fumes were able to deform his target though had to inhale and hold his breath to ensure he did not succumb to the dust himself. (Captain America v1 #350)
The clone of the Red Skull once dissected the dead body of Charles Xavier and removed his brain which he fused with his own giving him the Mutant's powerful telepathic abilities. This allowed him to not only communicate with telepathy but also control the minds of others. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #2)
After being killed by Magneto, his powers evolved allowing him to manifest the form of Onslaught thus gaining all the abilities of that powerful psionic entity. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #25)
At one time, he had a castle in Berchtesgaden which was where he and the Fuehrer conspired to rule mankind. (Captain America v1 #119) He also maintained an old ramshackle manor known as Skull-House. (Captain America v1 #293)
During World War II, he made use of Das Vernichtungs-Kommandos (Translation: Killing-Squad) that were a team of superpowered operatives sent on key assignments. (Adventures of Captain America v1 #1) He once formed a secretive criminal cabal known as the New World Order. (Incredible Hulk v1 #404) Another team that followed him were the S-Men that were a band of super-powered humans who sought the extermination of all Mutants. (Uncanny Avengers v1 #2)
Notes
- The Red Skull was created by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby and France Herron where he made his first appearance in Captain America Comics v1 #7 (October, 1941).
- Artist Jack Kirby commented in an interview on Earth Watch WBAI radio, "As for the Red Skull, I was growing up. It was a period when I was growing up and I finally asked myself why am I making this Red Skull so evil. Why is he such a bad guy. And I felt there was a story behind that, behind the Red Skull, and I began to think of him as a person."
- Writer Greg Pak in an interview on CBR commented on his story about the Red Skull, ""I think there's an emotional truth to how the character comes about. Some horrific things happened to him early on, and at the same time his home country, Germany, one of the most civilized and cultured nations in Europe became horrific and barbaric. So we're seeing the rise of fascism and Nazism in Germany through this boy's story, and that's a huge opportunity."
Alternate Versions
- In Super-Soldier: Man of War v1 #1 (1997), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the Amalgam Comics reality that was designated as Earth-9602 in the Multiverse. This version was a merger between Marvel Comics Red Skull and DC Comics Lex Luthor where this incarnation was known as the Green Skull. In the 1940s, Lex Luthor was a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist who resided in Metropolis. He was married to Lois Lane, a war correspondent he met at a charity ball. Widely considered to be a model citizen and contributor to society, Luthor was also personal friends with high-ranking political figures such as Winston Churchill and president Franklin Roosevelt. Only Super-Soldier, a World War II-era superhero created by the U.S. Government, saw through his facade and knew that Luthor was actually a corrupt war profiteer who was aiding the Nazi Party in an effort to prolong the war.
- In Earth X Sketchbook v1 #1 (1998), an alternate version of the character named the Skull appeared in the Earth X reality that was designated as Earth-9997 in the Multiverse. This incarnation was Benjamin Beckley who was born the son of Comet Man where the child became part of his reality's Celestial plan for propagation on the planet Earth. According to Uatu the Watcher, one of the many genetic manipulations would be for one individual to have the ability to control all members of it's race. This was a fail safe put into place by the Celestials so that the manipulated race would be easier to control.
- In Captain America v5 #10 (2005), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the House of M reality that was designated as Earth-58163 in the Multiverse. During the end of World War II in Europe, the Red Skull was killed at the hands of his nemesis Captain America.
- In Wolverine v3 #66 (2008), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the Wastelands reality that was designated as Earth-807128 in the Multiverse. This version was responsible for organising a supervillain uprising that saw the murder of various superheroes on the planet. This led to all the villains dividing the territories amongst themselves as the Red Skull declared himself the President of Amerika who ruled his domain in a time set 50 years in the future where he lived in the Nazi-redecorated White House. By this point, the Red Skull had taken to wearing Captain America's old bloodstained uniform and collecting gruesome trophies from fallen heroes such as the remains of Spider-Man’s costume and an arm that belong to The Thing.
- In What If? House of M v1 #1 (2008), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in a What If reality that was designated as Earth-9021 in the Multiverse.
- In Ultimate Comics Avengers v1 #1 (2009), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the Ultimate Marvel reality that was designated as Earth-1610 in the Multiverse.
- In Red Skull v2 #1 (2015), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared on the Battleworld designated as Earth-15513 in the Multiverse. After arriving on Battleworld, Skull led an unsuccessful rebellion against Battleworld's creator and ruler God-Emperor Doom and was banished to the Deadlands. It was assumed that he perished, but rumors started to spread that he was alive. Doom then ordered his right-hand Sheriff Strange to organize a group of criminals to enter the Deadlands and find proof of Skull's death.
- In Heroes Reborn v2 #1 (2021), an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the new Heroes Reborn reality that was designated Earth-21798 in the Multiverse. This version came to bond with the Venom Symbiote creating the Black Skull who became a prominent villain in the Heroes Reborn reality. He came to escape that Earth and was recruited into the Multiversal Masters of Doom.
In other media
Television
- In The Marvel Super Heroes, the Red Skull appeared in the 1960s animated television series 'Captain America' segments where he was voiced by actor Paul Kligman.
- In Spider-Man, the Red Skull appeared in the 1981 animated television series where he was voiced by actor Peter Cullen.
- In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, the Red Skull appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced once again by actor Peter Cullen.
- In Spider-Man, the Red Skull appeared in the setting of 1990s animated television series where he was initially voiced by actor David Warner and subsequently by actor Earl Boen. This version manipulated John "The Cat" Hardesky in a failed attempt at recreating Captain America's super-soldier serum before getting trapped in suspended animation with the latter in the 1940s. In the present, the Red Skull is freed twice, the first time by his son Rheinholt Schmidt and the second by the Beyonder, only to be re-trapped by Spider-Man and Doctor Doom respectively.
- In X-Men, the Red Skull was briefly seen in a flashback in the 1990s animated television series episode "Old Soldiers" where he was voiced by actor Cedric Smith.
- In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Red Skull appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Steven Blum. During World War II, the Red Skull uses HYDRA's resources to abduct and take control of Nordic mythological beasts. While Captain America and Bucky Barnes thwart him, the Red Skull indirectly causes the former's suspended animation and the latter's demise while making his escape. In the present, he quietly returns as Dell Rusk, the Secretary of Defense and the leader of Code Red, consisting of the Falcon, Doc Samson, the Red Hulk, and the Winter Soldier. He releases a biological weapon in New York and frames the Avengers for it, sending Code Red to apprehend them. Winter Soldier captures Captain America and presents him to the Red Skull, but Captain America is able to defeat his old enemy and publicly expose him. The Red Skull is remanded to the Avengers' Hydro Base until his Sleepers break him out. He combines the Sleepers into a giant robot to attack Washington D.C. before Captain America and the Winter Soldier work together to defeat the Red Skull and destroy his Sleepers.
- In Avengers Assemble, the Red Skull appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where he voiced by actor Liam O'Brien.
- In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., the Red Skull appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series in the episode "Days of Future Smash: Year of the Hydra" where he was voiced by actor Liam O'Brien.
- In Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, the Red Skull appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Motomu Kiyokawa.
- In Marvel Future Avengers, the Red Skull appeared in the setting of the anime television series where he was voiced again by Japanese actor Motomu Kiyokawa and by English actor Liam O'Brien in the dub.
Films
- In Captain America, an alternate version of the Red Skull appeared in the setting of the 1990 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Scott Paulin. This version was Tadzio de Santis who was a boy genius whose family was killed by Axis soldiers that tested the Super-Soldier Serum on him leaving him deformed and evil. He came to be an Italian officer but abandoned that life and instead became a Mafioso.
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Red Skull made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
- In Captain America: The First Avenger, the Red Skull appeared as an antagonist in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Hugo Weaving. This version was the head of HYDRA, which originally served as the Nazis' deep-science division. Schmidt ordered Dr. Abraham Erskine to use an experimental formula on him, which physically enhanced but permanently disfigured him. As a result, Adolf Hitler nicknamed Schmidt the 'Red Skull' and exiled him.
- In Avengers: Infinity War, the Red Skull made an appearance in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Ross Marquand. It was shown that the Tesseract had transported him to the planet Vormir where the Soul Stone resided with the Skull being transformed into a ghostly guide of that Infinity Stone. He had made multiple attempts at acquiring its power but failed and instead being a guardian of the stone where he came to be referred to as the Stonekeeper.
Video games
- In Marvel Heroes, the Red Skull appeared as antagonist in the setting of the MMORPG video game. The story mode setting adapted the AXIS storyline with the Red Skull acquiring the brain of Charles Xavier and merging it with his own to give him powerful telepathic abilities which he used to wage a genocidal war against Mutants. At the height of the conflict, he was able to unlock the darker nature in Xavier to become the Red Onslaught but was defeated though not before unleashing a telepathic attack that inverted the personalities of various individuals.
- In Captain America: Super Soldier, the Red Skull appeared in the setting of the 2011 MCU tie-in video game where he was voiced by actor Keith Ferguson.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, the Red Skull appeared in the setting of the Facebook video game. This version in his guise as Dell Rusk appeared as the leader of the Dark Avengers.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, the Red Skull appeared as a playable character and in the story mode within the setting of the iOS video game.
- In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, the Red Skull appeared in the setting of the Switch video game where he was again voiced by actor Liam O'Brien.
- In Marvel: Future Revolution, the Red Skull appeared as a boss level antagonist in the setting of the mobile video game. During the story, a version of him was show as being native to the reality known as Hydramerica that was a world where Hydra ruled the world.
Appearances
- Captain America Comics v1: (1941)
- Captain America v1:
- Tales of Suspense v1:
- Adventures of Captain America v1':
- Avengers v3:
- Red Skull v1:
- Uncanny Avengers v1:
- Captain America:
External Links
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