Crossbones (character)

Crossbones(Brock Rumlow) is asupervillainappearing inAmericancomic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.Created byMark GruenwaldandKieron Dwyer,the character first made acameo appearanceinCaptain America#359 (October 1989), before he was fully introduced later that month in issue #360 and his name was revealed in issue #362 (November 1989).

Crossbones
Art by Greg Tocchini
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Cameo:Captain America#359 (October 1989) Full appearance:Captain America#360 (October 1989) Named:Captain America#362 (November 1989)
Created by	Mark Gruenwald(writer) Kieron Dwyer(artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Brock Rumlow
Team affiliations	Thunderbolts Hydra Skeleton Crew Assassins Guild
Partnerships	Red Skull Sin
Notable aliases	Bingo Brock Frag Mr. Bones
Abilities	Skilled military tactician Expert hand-to-hand combatant, martial artist and marksman Enhanced strength, stamina, durability, and reflexes

In his comic book appearances, Crossbones is depicted as amercenarywho is often employed by other villains such as theRed SkullandHydra.He serves as one of the most enduring adversaries ofCaptain America,and even played a part in hisassassinationin the aftermath of the superheroCivil War.A black-and-white skull mask and an insignia on his chest symbolic of his namesake serve as Crossbones' visual motif.

Crossbones has been adapted in various media incarnations, having been portrayed in live-action byFrank Grilloin theMarvel Cinematic UniversefilmsCaptain America: The Winter Soldier(2014),Captain America: Civil War(2016) andAvengers: Endgame(2019). Grillo has also voiced alternate versions of the character in theDisney+animated seriesWhat If...?.

Fictional character biography

Young Brock Rumlow led the Savage Crims gang onNew York City'sLower East Side.After he brutalized fifteen-year-oldRachel Leighton,two of her brothers assaulted Rumlow and he killed them. Rumlow fled, entering theTaskmaster's school for criminals, and within three years he became an instructor there under the nameBingo Brock.

As a mercenary, Rumlow enlisted with Albert Malik, thecommunistRed Skull,inAlgeria,serving him asFraguntil he was sent to invadeArnim Zola'sSwitzerlandchateau. Ultimately the only team member to survive the assault, Rumlow met and impressed Johann Shmidt, the original Nazi Red Skull, who accepted Brock’s services and codenamed him "Crossbones".

The true Red Skull sent Crossbones to observeBaron Helmut Zemo's progress acquiring theBloodstonefragments and to obtain them.He stowed aboardCaptain America's flagship, and entered Zemo's ship to steal the Bloodstone fragments. He overpoweredDiamondback,and shot a crossbow bolt that coupled withCaptain America's shield.Crossbones was forced to shatter the Bloodstone fragments when the alien entity known as the Hellfire Helix used it to take control ofBaron Heinrich Zemo's body; the destruction of the Bloodstone discorporated the Hellfire Helix.Knowing that his employer would be infuriated by the Bloodstone's loss, Crossbones kidnapped Diamondback toMadripooras bait for Captain America. He challenged Captain America to retrieve Diamondback, but the Captain defeated him, although Diamondback escaped, and the Red Skull ordered Crossbones to desist and return to headquarters.The Red Skull then ordered him to retrieve theControllerafter the Controller's breakout from theVault.With theMachinesmith,Crossbones investigated the Red Skull's disappearance.

Crossbones assembled theSkeleton Crewfrom the Red Skull's henchmen and led them on a search for the Red Skull, who had been missing since Magneto imprisoned him in an underground bunker.They battled theBlack Queenand herHellfire Clubmercenaries.Crossbones enlisted the aid of psychic Tristam Micawber to locate the Red Skull. Upon finding his employer, Crossbones took the Red Skull to Skullhouse for convalescence.

He next attendedAIM's weapons exposition.He battledDaredevilduring a failed assassination attempt against theKingpin.He battledBullseyeduring Bullseye's failed assassination attempt against the Red Skull.He battled Captain America again and was defeated.He later recounts how he met the Red Skull.The Red Skull assigned him to discover who killed the Red Skull's spare clone bodies.Alongside the Skeleton Crew, he battled the Schutzheilligruppe in an attempt to rescue the Red Skull but was captured.He was rescued from the Schutzheilligruppe's custody by Arnim Zola's fake Avengers.Crossbones was eventually fired for questioning the Red Skull's decision to ally himself with theViper.

Desperate to regain his position as leader of the Skeleton Crew, Crossbones kidnapped Diamondback, imprisoning in an abandoned subway station and forced into a brutal regime of combat training.Crossbones believed that he had brainwashed Diamondback into betraying Captain America, but Diamondback was actually laying a trap for Crossbones.Diamondback stole samples of Captain America's blood from the Avengers' mansion, then accompanied Crossbones to the Red Skull's mountain fortress.The two were captured and imprisoned, and the Red Skull rehired Crossbones on a temporary basis.He was later attacked byCutthroat,the Skeleton Crew's new leader, who feared that Crossbones will try to take back his position as the Red Skull's right-hand man.Crossbones killed Cutthroat, never realizing that Cutthroat was actually Diamondback's older brother.Crossbones later stabbed Diamondback during Diamondback's escape attempt, only to later save with a blood transfusion to use as bait.He was critically wounded by flying shrapnel during an assault on the fortress by Captain America and theFalcon,and imprisoned.

Imprisoned in the Raft whenElectrobreaks the inmates out, Crossbones was seen fighting Captain America andSpider-Man.Spider-Man kicked Crossbones in the face, knocking him out.

After he escaped from prison, Crossbones became a mercenary and assassin for a number of organizations, until he was rehired by the Red Skull who was later apparently assassinated by the Winter Soldier.Crossbones and his new lover,Synthia Schmidt(the Red Skull's daughter), began huntingAleksander Lukin,the Winter Soldier's commander.They plotted to crash a stolen World War II era plane into the new Kronas Headquarters in London, only to have their plane destroyed by the Red Skull'sSleeperrobot.While they escape the destruction of the plane, they found Agent 13, and are about to killSharon Carter,only to be stopped by the Red Skull's appearance.They begin working with Red Skull/Lukin whose minds both share Lukin's body.

Following the "Civil War"storyline, Captain America's Anti-Registration heroes surrendered toIron Man's Pro-Registration heroes.While being led from Federal Courthouse, Captain America was shot in the shoulder by Crossbones taking the Red Skull's orders.Crossbones tries to escape in a helicopter but was tracked by the Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The Winter Soldier then beat Crossbones into unconsciousness, while Crossbones simply laughed. Falcon then turned Crossbones over toS.H.I.E.L.D.custody.

InFallen Son: The Death of Captain America,Wolverine,along with Daredevil andDoctor Strange,broke into S.H.I.E.L.D. to interrogate Crossbones and threatened to kill him. Crossbones revealed no knowledge of his hiring by the Red Skull. Wolverine left him a bloody mess on the floor after being convinced by Daredevil to spare his life.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark arranged forProfessor Xto scan Crossbones' mind for information, but Professor X found thatsomeonehad erased several parts of his memory to prevent such a scan.Sin and a new incarnation of theSerpent Squadhave broken Crossbones free of S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.They then capture the Winter Soldier when confronting Lukin to find out a relationship with the Red Skull.

When Sin and the Serpent Squad attacked the Senate Building,Bucky Barnesarrived as the new Captain America. After battling and injuring many of the Squad, Crossbones attacked Barnes. After a brutal fight in which Crossbones launched Barnes out of the building. Bucky was saved by theNatalia Romanova's intervention, and Bucky shot Crossbones several times in the chest. The gravely wounded Crossbones was then taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody once again.

At the start of the "Heroic Age"event, Crossbones has become a member of the new Thunderbolts team formed in the aftermath of Siege.Government agents, working withLuke Cage,add Crossbones to the team knowing that he cannot be reformed, hoping that his extreme methods will alienate the other Thunderbolt members and push them towards rehabilitation.During the team's first mission, Crossbones was exposed to corruptedTerrigen Mists;during the events of Shadowland, Crossbones manifested the ability to fire a powerful, piercing beam of energy from his face, theorizing that this ability originates from his exposure to the Terrigen mists. He uses this ability to murder a police officer.Fearing that the Thunderbolts are close to being disbanded following Cage's decision to leave, Crossbones attempted to escape alongsideGhostandJuggernaut.During the attempt, Crossbones used his new ability to fight the unsuspecting Steve Rogers. Crossbones was defeated and discharged from the Thunderbolts, after Ghost revealed his murder of the police officer.Crossbones is shown incarcerated in a padded cell wearing a straitjacket, apparently no longer able to use his energy beam.

During the "Fear Itself"storyline, Crossbones was constantly harassed while he was behind bars, because he was both a former Thunderbolt member and a Neo-Nazi. Shortly after when he was being beaten up by more thugs, Juggernaut unintentionally causes a break out in the prison facility called the Raft. Man Mountain Mario (the cousin ofMan Mountain Marko) helps defend Crossbones from the thugs. While the two of them were trying to escape, Mario told Crossbones about his grandma who helps criminals leave the border. Crossbones manages to escape and returns the favor by killing Mario to help with his escape.He confronts some of the formerAvengers Initiativemembers in New Jersey after he escapes the Raft. He fightsGravity,Frog-Man,Geiger,Scarlet Spiders,andFirestar.When he's surrounded, he tosses a grenade at Gravity but Geiger catches it and is seriously injured, creating an easy distraction for him to escape.

During the "Ends of the Earth"storyline, Crossbones was seen in one ofDoctor Octopus' facilities.Sabrafights past some Octobots until Crossbones shoots Sabra.

Crossbones later appears as a member ofHydrawho are planning to spread poisonous blood extracted from an Inhuman boy named Lucas. He fights Sam Wilson as the new Captain America on Bagalia. Just as he was about to kill Wilson, he is defeated byMisty Knightwho was undercover at that moment.He is later defeated by Wilson when he attacks a Hydra base located on Florida.

During the "Avengers: Standoff!"storyline, Crossbones was an inmate of Pleasant Hill, a gated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D. When Steve Rogers was at the Pleasant Hill Bowling Alley trying to reason with Kobik, Crossbones attacks Rogers. Before Crossbones can kill Rogers, Kobik's powers de-age Rogers back to physical prime, which allows the Captain to defeat Crossbones.In the aftermath of the events at Pleasant Hill, Crossbones founds a new version of Hydra with the Red Skull and Sin.

During the "Secret Empire"storyline, Crossbones appears as a member of theArmy of Eviland took part in the attack on Manhattan in retaliation for what happened at Pleasant Hill.Crossbones and Sin are shown to be in charge of a super-prison that was established by Hydra. Their super-prison was raided by the Underground in their mission to free their captive friends.

During the "Devil's Reign"storyline, Crossbones appears as a member ofWilson Fisk's Thunderbolts.

Powers and abilities

An expert combatant trained in warfare, Crossbones is an accomplished military tactician, and is thus able to formulate strategies on the battlefield. He also has extensive training in martial arts, street-fighting, marksmanship, and various forms of hand-to-hand combat. He once served as a student at theTaskmaster's school for criminals before becoming an instructor there himself.Physically, Crossbones is tall and well built, but moves with an athletic grace uncommon for a man of his bulk. In addition, he is proficient in the use of various weapons, such as guns, bows, and throwing knives. One of Crossbones' primary weapons are spring-loaded stiletto blades housed in his gauntlets. He also has experience with torture and brainwashing, having effectively "reprogrammed" Sin,and nearly so withDiamondback.

As a member of the Thunderbolts, Crossbones was exposed to corrupted Terrigen Mists during a mission,and shortly after manifested the ability to generate a circle of energy in front of his face which could fire energy beams capable of piercing and burning his targets.The ability developed to the point where flames engulfed the entirety of his head while still allowing him to fire focused energy beams,though these flames could seemingly be doused in water. While his power is active, Crossbones does not appear to be entirely impervious to the flames he generates. After the flames died following his first usage, his mask appeared to have been burnt away and his face was heavily scarred.

Other versions

Heroes Reborn

An alternate universe variant of Crossbones from a pocket dimension created byFranklin Richardsappears inHeroes Rebornas an enforcer for theRed SkullandMaster Man's World Party.

House of M

An alternate universe variant of Crossbones from Earth-58163 appears inHouse of Mas a member of theHood'sMasters of Evil.

Marvel 2099

In the unifiedMarvel 2099reality of Earth-2099, Brock Rumlow has been long dead. He was somehow reanimated as a cyborg zombie with EMP immunity where he served the2099 version of the Cabal.

Old Man Logan

An alternate universe variant of Crossbones from Earth-21923 appears inOld Man Logan.

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe variant of Crossbones from Earth-1610 appears in theUltimate Marveluniverse. This version is a teenager and member of the Serpent Skulls gang.

In other media

Television

• Crossbones appears inAvengers Assemble,voiced byFred Tatasciore.
• Crossbones appears inUltimate Spider-Man,voiced again by Fred Tatasciore.
• Crossbones appears inSpider-Man,voiced again by Fred Tatasciore.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel Disk Wars: The Avengers,voiced by Masato Obara in the Japanese version and byWally Wingertin the English dub.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel Future Avengers,voiced again by Masato Obara in the Japanese version and again by Fred Tatasciore in the English dub.
• Crossbones appears inLego Marvel Avengers: Loki in Training,voiced byGiles Panton.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

See also:Brock Rumlow (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Frank Grilloas Brock Rumlow / Crossbones inCaptain America: Civil War(2016)

Frank Grilloportrays Brock Rumlow / Crossbones in theMarvel Cinematic Universe(MCU).

• The character is introduced inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier(2014).
• Rumlow returns as Crossbones inCaptain America: Civil War(2016).
• An alternate timeline version of Rumlow appears inAvengers: Endgame(2019).
• Alternate timeline versions of Rumlow appear in theDisney+animated seriesWhat If...?.

Video games

• Crossbones appears as aBossinCaptain America and the Avengers.
• Crossbones appears as aplayable characterinLego Marvel's Avengers,voiced by Darren O'Hare.Additionally, the MCU incarnation of Brock Rumlow is also playable, initially in his STRIKE uniform before his Crossbones design was added later viaDLC.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel Avengers Academy.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel Heroes.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel Contest of Champions.
• Crossbones appears as a playable character inMarvel Strike Force.
• Crossbones appears as a playable character inMarvel: Future Fight.
• Crossbones appears as a Boss inMarvel's Avengersvia the "War for Wakanda" DLC, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore.
• Crossbones appears inMarvel's Midnight Suns,voiced byRick D. Wasserman.

External links

• Crossbonesat Marvel
• CrossbonesonMarvel Database,aMarvel Comicswiki