Wrecking Crew (comics): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Fictional comic book supervillains}}

{{Infobox comics organization <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->

|imagesize=

|name= Wrecking Crew

|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]

|creators=[[Len Wein]]<br>[[Sal Buscema]]

|base=

The '''Wrecking Crew''' is a team of four <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[supervillain]]s—the [[Wrecker (comics)|Wrecker]], [[Bulldozer (character)|Bulldozer]], [[Piledriver (character)|Piledriver]] and [[Thunderball (character)|Thunderball]]—appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. While not featured on the cover, the Wrecking Crew's first appearance is in ''[[The Defenders (comic book)|The Defenders]]'' #17 (Nov 1974).<ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=417}}</ref>

 

 

==Fictional team history==

 

Over the years the Wrecking Crew have followed a very familiar cycle—escape from prison, fight (and subsequently lose to) superheroes, and be returned to prison. The Wrecking Crew have battled the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]], the [[Fantastic Four]], [[Captain America]], [[Iron Fist (character)|Iron Fist]], the [[Runaways (comics)|Runaways]], [[Spider-Man]], [[Namor|Namor the Sub-Mariner]], [[Doctor Strange]], [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]], [[Alpha Flight]], the [[She-Hulk]] and the [[X-Men]], but their main foe is [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]. When the Wrecking Crew first battle Thor, they are confident that it will be a quick victory. Thor, however, infuriated by the fact that one of the Wrecker's offensives has killed an innocent bystander, defeats them all in moments and critically injures the Wrecker.<ref>''Thor'' #304. Marvel Comics.</ref> Thunderball escapes and, several weeks later, recovers the Wrecker's crowbar, going on to form his own gang before being defeated by Spider-Man.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #248. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew is later chosen by the being known as the [[Beyonder]] to participate in the [[Secret Wars]] against a team of select superheroes.<ref>''Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars'' #1–12. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew's most notorious act was to participate in the near-fatal beating of the hero [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]] during a siege of [[Avengers Mansion]] by the fourth incarnation of [[Masters of Evil]] led by [[Helmut Zemo|Baron Helmut Zemo]]. With Thor's assistance, Hercules eventually confronts the Wrecking Crew and defeats them, restoring his confidence in himself.<ref>''Thor'' #418. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew were briefly joined by Piledriver's son Excavator who helped them in their fight against the [[Runaways (comics)|Runaways]].<ref>''Runaways'' vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew was imprisoned in the Raft when [[Electro (Marvel Comics)|Electro]] freed the inmates in the ''[[The New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]]''.<ref>''The New Avengers'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the ''[[Civil War (comic book)|Civil War]]'' crossover event, the Wrecking Crew is forced to join the [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]] Army or face additional jail time.<ref>''Civil War'' #1–7. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew later escape to Canada to avoid the Superhuman Registration Act. The Wrecking Crew's most despicable act was murdering nearly everyone inside a Canadian bar all because of an "annoying" cell phone ringtone. They then join forces with the mythical [[Great Beasts]] and battle the superhero team [[Omega Flight]].<ref>''Omega Flight'' #1–5. Marvel Comics.</ref> After being defeated by Omega Flight, they are imprisoned in a jail in Manitoba, but manage to escape<ref>''Marvel Comics Presents'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> and return to the United States, where they are recruited to join the [[Hood (comics)|Hood]]'s crime syndicate.<ref>''The New Avengers'' #32–37. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Wrecking Crew were later hired by [[Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)|Jigsaw]] to kill the [[Punisher]] during Jigsaw's revenge plot against him. However, before the Wrecker can deliver the final blow, he is defeated by the [[Rhino (character)|Rhino]], who owed the Punisher a favor after he spared the Rhino's life. During the "[[Secret Invasion]]" storyline, the Wrecking Crew are among the many supervillains who rejoined the Hood's crime syndicate and attacked an invading [[Skrull]] force.<ref>''The New Avengers'' #46. Marvel Comics.</ref>

 

 

==Membership==

 

===Former members===

* '''Demolisher''' (real name unknown) - A female mercenary who filled in for Thunderball as a member of the Wrecking Crew when they were working on a job for Mayor Wilson Fisk.

 

==Other versions==

 

 

==In other media==

===Television===

 

===Video games===

 

==References==

{{She-Hulk}}

{{Spider-Man characters}}

 

[[Category:Marvel Comics supervillain teams]]

[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1974]]

[[Category:Characters created by Len Wein]]

[[Category:Characters created by Sal Buscema]]