BLACKOUT

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Real Name: Marcus “Mark” Daniels
Aliases: Bob Hofstedder
Identity: Public
Occupation: Former Research Assistant, Criminal
Citizenship: U.S. Citizen with a known criminal record
Place of Birth: Flushing, Queens, New York, New York
Known Relatives: Unknown
Group Affiliation: Masters of Evil, Thunderbolts, Army of Evil
First Appearance: Nova (Volume 1) #19
History:  Marcus had a Masters of Science Degree for Physics and was an assistant to Dr. Abner Croit who was experimenting with something called “Black Star Rays.”

Marcus had learned that Dr. Croit was defrauding the government and yet Dr. Croit had turned it around and claimed that Marcus had stolen his secrets, for which Marcus was going to be put in prison for 15 years. But the judges – who apparently had been bought off by Dr. Croit – reduced the sentence to one month, on one condition – if Marcus agreed to allow Dr. Croit to use him as a part of his experiment. Marcus felt he had no other choice but to agree.

Dr. Croit bombarded Marcus’ body with these “black star rays” which turned out to be connected to the Darkforce Dimension. Dr. Croit was forced to create a uniform that prevented Marcus’ entire body from being consumed by the Darkforce. Marcus felt that Dr. Croit had hoped to use Marcus’ new found power for his own needs; however, Marcus eventually escaped Dr. Croit and began his life as a criminal, committing robberies with his new found powers. But as he used his powers, he could feel them becoming unstable so he returned to Dr. Croit’s office attempting to steal the stabilizer when Dr. Croit confronted him. Marcus threw Dr. Croit into the Darkforce dimension, presumably killing Dr. Croit and his assistant.

With the stabilizer in hand, Marcus sought to channel his energy and become even more powerful, so that he could bring back Dr. Croit (whom he still believed to be alive) and publicly shame him. This caught the attention of Nova, who attempted to stop Marcus. Marcus tapped into his powers – creating solid “shadow walls” and even reached into the chilling cold of the Darkforce itself and encased Nova in ice. He also managed to charge Nova’s body with the black light energy which caused his atoms to go wild; but Nova refused to give up, knocking Marcus back and onto the stabilizer which absorbed Marcus’ atoms and he vanished.

However, Marcus would eventually escape the Darkforce dimension and captured to be taken to Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. to study his power. However, he was able to break free, as well as several others – who were then pursued by the Avengers. Marcus and Moonstone used his dimension powers to make their escape – where they eventually appeared on the moon – but they were stopped there by the Inhumans and the mutant, Dazzler.

Baron Helmut Zemo would eventually come for Marcus – and convinced him to join the Masters of Evil. However, by this time; from the voyages into the Darkforce dimension, Marcus’ mental stability was severely damaged and Moonstone, a practiced therapist was able to manipulate Marcus by gaining command over him, giving him simple commands. The Masters of Evil not only defeated most of the Avengers, they critically wounded Hercules and did so much damage. However, as the Avengers were gaining the advantage, Zemo commanded Marcus to shove the Avengers Mansion with the Avengers into the Darkforce dimension; but Doctor Druid was able to telepathically create a link to Marcus’ mind and informed him that Zemo was exploiting him. Marcus tried to resist – and successfully did so – but at the cost of his life – as he had a cerebral hemorrhage.

However, Marcus would not find peace, as Zemo returned many years later and used a Kree Life Stone to restore Marcus’ life – but by this point, Marcus’ mental stability was so far gone; but Zemo was able to manipulate Marcus and used his power to destroy Genis-Vell, sending portions of his body into different directions in the Darkforce dimension.

He would go on to join The Hood’s gang and battle the Avengers; and lose. He would later join Lightmaster’s version of the Masters of Evil to fight the Superior Six, and lose. He was eventually caught by S.H.I.E.L.D. and sent to Pleasant Hill, a prison made up from the Cosmic Cube fragments where he was mentally brainwashed to be “model American citizens” and adopted the name Bob Hofstedder. Zemo would find him, yet again, and manipulate him to cover Manhattan in the Darkforce energy; which forced Maria Hill to track him down. She could clearly see he was mentally unstable, claiming that someone had come for his wife and child. Marie Hill put a bullet in the back of Marcus’ head, killing him, which lifted the Darkforce dome from Manhattan.

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180 lbs
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown

Powers: Marcus was able to manipulate the Darkforce energy in numerous ways. He was able to use it as concussive energy blasts with tremendous force. He also used it to create floating discs, cubes that he could imprison people within, and walls made of the Darkforce energy. The limits of his manipulation of the Darkforce are unknown; but he was shown to have incredible power; once encasing all of Manhattan beneath the Darkforce. He was also able to manipulate the cold that came from the Darkforce to directly freeze people. He was able to transport (and teleport) through the Darkforce; though typically at cost to his own sanity.