Vengeance (comics)

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caption=Vengeance on the cover to "Ghost Rider" (vol. 2) #46 (Feb, 1994). Pencils by Ron Garney, inks by Christopher Ivy.
character_name=Vengeance
real_name=Michael Badilino
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut=
creators=
alliances= NYPD Midnight Sons
partners=Venom
aliases=Ghost Rider
powers= Superhuman strength
Immune to most Non Magical Attack
Invulnerability to heat and flame
Ability to project regular and ethereal flame
Ability to travel between interdimensional realms and along any surface
Wields magical chain
Rides flaming motorcycle
"Penance Stare"
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"Vengeance" is the name of a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He is a former supervillain turned superhero in the Marvel Universe.

Fictional character biography

When Zarathos' hellfire (the source of the mystical flames that encompass the bones of both Vengeance and Ghost Rider) caused serious psychological damage to a police officer named Badilino, he went on to kill his wife, daughter and himself, leaving only his young son, Michael Badilino, alive. With his sister's death, Michael inherited both quarters of the "Medallion of Power" that had been entrusted to his family millennia ago by the Blood. During his twenties, Badilino joined a special task force in the army but left to join the New York City police force, after the "death" of Anton Hellgate. Eventually, Badilino was promoted to lieutenant.

When Daniel Ketch became the new Ghost Rider, Michael Badilino believed him to be the same demon that had destroyed his family. He led a task force to destroy Ghost Rider, but failed repeatedly to do so. In frustration, he turned to Mephisto, trading his soul in exchange for the power to destroy the Ghost Rider. Mephisto made the deal, but unknown to Badilino the power was the dormant portion of the shard of Medallion of Power that was bound to Badilino and only awakened by Mephisto's actions.

In his superhuman form, Badilino was called Vengeance, and originally attempted to kill Ghost Rider, believing him to be Zarathos. Around this time he became involved in a demonic attack on the Quentin Carnival, a battle that left many innocent people dead.

ide of Good

Eventually, Vengeance was won over to the side of good when Ghost Rider was proven not to be the demon Zarathos, the one truly responsible for Badilino's hatred. This is spurred on when three demonic entities, children of the demi-goddess Lilith, attack Badilino's police precinct. Frozen with indecision, Badilino sees a young boy in danger of being killed by Blackout. He transforms and saves the child. As part of a plan to combat the forces of Lilith (and in retreating, protect the innocent), Vengeance then teams up with the Nightstalkers, both Ghost Riders, Victoria Montesi and other heroes.

Vengeance would also take on the role of the Ghost Rider and even semi-seriously referred to himself by the name when confronted by Spider-Man. This is shortly after the apparent death of Ghost Rider in battle with Zarathos and his acolytes, The Fallen.

=Venom=

Vengeance became involved with Venom during the latter's involvement with a group of underground homeless in California. Several of the homeless people had been taken hostage by a group of mercenaries called 'Stalkers'. The mercs had merged with ancient alien technology and were soon overcome by the alien's desires to hunt for sport. In order to save the lives of two hostages (the others were released to facilitate the sport), Vengeance and Venom were forced through a technologically-created portal; it was set to a random spot on Earth.

The two ended up in a South American jungle. Vengeance summons his mystical bike but since the two were so far away from where they had been, it would take some time. The two cooperated, using tricks and teamwork to destroy all but one of the aliens. An unlucky group of drug smugglers were caught in a literal crossfire and were seemingly killed, not that Venom or Vengeance actually cared. The bike finally arrived and the two headed back to America to rescue the hostages, who had been temporarily freed by other means, only to get into more trouble.

Further Events

Upon the return of Ghost Rider, Vengeance left New York and re-joined a special governmental task force. One of their first missions was stop a group of terrorists and rescue their hostages. When they found the hostages, Badilino was shocked to discover they had already been murdered prior to their arrival. Badilino transforms into Vengeance and went insane, setting out to kill anyone who had done but the smallest of sins. Vengeance's actions were brought to the attention of Ghost Rider and Blaze and they immediately set out to show Vengeance the error of his ways or destroy him. Badilino however, realizing that his alter ego Vengeance was out of control, killed himself, along with the villain Hellgate, by triggering a massive explosion through his hellfire.

Badilino's death meant that he was damned to Hell for all eternity, where his punishment was eternal stinging by scorpions. Vengeance was discovered by Daniel Ketch, and Naomi Kale in Hell, while they were on a mission. After being freed by Dan and Naomi, Vengeance reappeared in the last four issues of Ghost Rider Vol. 2, involved in Blackheart's plans to kill Noble Kale. Vengeance aided the Ghost Rider in the ensuing battle, and Blackheart was destroyed. Noble Kale asked Vengeance to aid him in governing Hell. Vengeance's current status is unknown.

Powers and appearance

Being a Spirit of Vengeance, he possesses the exact same powers as Ghost Rider. He was characterised by his skull being deep purple, and multiple spikes protruding from his skeleton. He can detach some of these and use them as weapons. Vengeance has a slightly different appearance in the ]

Vengeance's powers come from a shard of the "Medallion of Power" that has been bound to him since his birth. It is a common misconception that Badilino possesses half of the medallion (two parts of the existing four, both his own and the one originally belonging to his sister). In replies to reader letters in one of the issues of the second volume of Ghost Rider, it was explained that Vengeance only possesses a single part of the artifact (i.e. one fourth).

In other media

Video games

* Vengeance appears as an alternate outfit for Ghost Rider in "". "Vengeance" is also the name of Ghost Rider´s Xtreme attack.
* Vengeance appears as a boss in the Ghost Rider video game (based on the 2007 film) voiced by Steven Blum. He becomes a playable character once the game is beaten on "easy" mode. [cite web |url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/code/929131.html |title=Ghost Rider cheats |accessdate=2007-02-28 | publisher = GameFAQs]

Toys

* A Vengeance action figure was created in the Ghost Rider movie line based on this game appearance, though he didn't actually appear in the movie, other than this Hellcycle. [cite web |url=http://www.hasbro.com/default.cfm?page=ps_results&product_id=18693 |title=Ghost Rider Vengeance Figure |accessdate=2007-02-28]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/area51/chamber/5057/vengeance.htm Insania 1998 Vengeance Profile]
* [http://www.symbiote.fr/venom-nights01.php Vengeance and Venom in Nights of Vengeance]