SCARLET SPIDERS

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Real Name: Michael Ian Van Patrick
Aliases: MVP (or M.V.P.), Scarlet Spider, KIA, Die Ubermensch
Identity: Secret
Occupation: Former Student
Citizenship: American Citizen, with no known criminal record.
Place of Birth: Liberty, Kentucky
Known Relatives: Brian Van Patrick (Father); Abraham Erskine (Great-Grandfather)
Group Affiliation: Avengers: Initiative, Counter Force, New Warriors
First Appearance: Avengers: Initiative #1
History: Born within the United States, Michael Van Patrick was regarded an extremely talented athlete – even in his youth – winning an assortment of achievements and awards. His talent for sports also earned him a variety of college scholarships – which he finally accepted in Liberty, Kentucky.

During the time he was attending College, it had been leaked by the press that Michael Van Patrick was the grandson of none other than Dr. Abraham Erskine – who had been responsible for developing the Super Soldier Serum that had turned Steve Rogers into the symbolic Captain America – enhancing all of his physical attributes to something far beyond normal human level.

With his death, Dr. Erskine left an assortment of papers that covered years of endless research and findings that the government had not seen fit to classify to his grandson, Brian Van Patrick, father of Michael Van Patrick. Michael’s father had studied the findings, especially with his work on growing, preparing and serving the most wholesome and beneficial nutritional foods, mixed with isometric exercises he developed. This combination allowed Michael Van Patrick achieve optimal levels of human fitness.

Despite numerous tests revealing that Michael Van Patrick had no form of foreign chemical substances in his body that altered his being in any way; all of his scholarships were taken away from him and he was kicked out of the College he had been in.

When this news reached Vance Astrovik, better known as Justice, about the scandal – Justice took it upon himself to head to Liberty, Kentucky and speak with Michael about possibly joining the Avengers: Initiative. It didn’t take much for Michael to agree to become a trainee with the Avengers: Initiative.

Upon joining the Avengers: Initiative, Michael adopted the name of MVP (his initials, but undoubtedly a reference to “Most Valuable Player” as well). During a misfortunate accident, MVP had tackled Cloud 9 when she froze up during a time where Armory’s cannon was firing out of control and struck MVP in the head while he was trying to save Cloud 9. MVP crumbled to the floor, dead, but Cloud 9 had been saved. In his brief life, MVP proved himself to be a hero.

But his life would not end there.

Henry Peter Gyrich told everyone that the incident had not happened and that MVP had not died in the accident. Everyone had been puzzled as to what Henry Gyrich was getting at when he hauled away MVP’s body and handed it over to Baron von Blitzschlag for an autopsy. Baron von Blitzschlag discovered that MVP’s genes were “perfect.”

Baron von Blitzschlag confirmed that Michael Van Patrick’s body had no influences whatsoever of the Super Soldier Serum.

A clone was made and replaced Michael, and sent back to his parents’ home to prevent them from learning of his death with the excuse that he had failed out of the Avengers: Initiative due to a lack of powers. However, the clone begins to realize that the memories are not his own and that they had been “programmed” inside of him – but he comes to grips with it and accepts to keep the secret and never tell his “family” the truth.

Both Justice and Cloud 9 fly to the home of Brian Van Patrick to inform him of his son’s death – but are surprised to be greeted by Michael at the door. Unknowing of the cloning process they were about to ask how he was alive – when they are suddenly called away to assist with the battle against the Hulk. Upon returning again, the home is found to be boarded up and abandoned.

Three more clones were made of Michael Van Patrick’s body – with added genetic material from Baron Von Blitzschlage, were programmed with not only MVP’s skills and abilities – but also those of Spider-Man. The three clones take on the names of Michael, Van and Patrick – which each of them donning the Iron Spider Stark Armor that had been developed originally for Spider-Man during the early stages of Civil War.

During a battle against three criminals wearing the Vulturions flying exosuits, they encounter an angry Spider-Man. The presence of Spider-Man next to the Scarlet Spiders raises the question whether or not Peter Parker ever really was “Spider-Man” as he had revealed himself to be during the events of Civil War.

When yet another clone of MVP appears under the name of KIA, who loses control – the three Scarlet Spiders unmask themselves and reveal themselves to also be clones of Michael Van Patrick. However, this does nothing to sooth or calm the unstable KIA, who then beheads one of the clones (Van, unfortunately does not survive the beheading). Patrick and Michael go on to be Scarlet Spiders after KIA’s defeat.

With KIA’s defeat, they track down the original MVP clone and his father – where they join Justice’s team known as Counter Force. When Norman Osborn took over the Avengers: Initiative, Counter Force is made out to be wanted criminals.

Counter Force eventually runs into Donyell Taylor, who has adopted the new guise of Night Thrasher – and make an attempt to stop him. However, when a fight breaks out between Counter Force and the New Warriors – it’s Night Thrasher who stops the fight and explains that he’s just trying to figure out if his brother Dwayne really died in the Stamford Explosion that claimed over six hundred lives. Justice agrees to help Donyell and takes them to the SHIELD Helicarrier – which they find to be under attack by Skrulls. With the combined forces of Counter Force and the New Warriors, the Skrulls are driven back, and Donyell learns the truth about his brother.

Counter Force appears again when Ragnarok, the clone of Thor that had killed Giant Man during Civil War, is triggered again.

Height: 5’6
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Powers: None

Accessories: All three Scarlet Spiders wore a redesigned version of Tony Stark’s Iron Spider Armor, which had previously been worn by Spider-Man early on during Civil War. The suits have already been shown to show four mechanical spider-arms in each suit, which is one more than the original suit had; it also has been revealed to have cloaking devices, short ranged GPS microwave communication systems, mechanical web-shooters, the ability to change appearance to other versions of the Spider-Man costume as well as street clothes. It’s to be noted that these suits have had their StarkTech removed since during the Skrull Invasion all StarkTech equipment had been rendered useless.

Note: While Michael Van Patrick (or Michael, Van and Patrick) have no “Super Human” powers to speak of – Dr. Baron Von Blitzschlag confirms that MVP is a “perfect human specimen” down to the cellular level. This perfection is both mental and physical abilities being the highest possible standard for a human being to achieve without super human abilities; much in the same way that Captain America is regarded, with the exception that MVP’s body comes from a revolutionary diet and ultimate isometric exercise, rather than a Super Soldier Serum.