...sambungan

Collosus As the world inched irrevocably closer to the precipice of genetic war, Piotr Rasputin stood his ground. The powerhouse of the X-Men, he used his mutant powers to protect those who had come to hate and fear his kind. But the cold, organic steel into which the Russian-born Colossus could transform masked an artistic heart -- a heart of such courage and strength that he sacrificed his life to cure the lethal Legacy Virus! Real name: Piotr (Peter) Nikolaievitch Rasputin Occupation: Former adventurer, farmer Group affiliation: Formerly the X-Men, the Acolytes and Excalibur Base of operations: Formerly the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, Westchester County, New York First appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975) Height: 6'6" (normal), 7'5" (armored) Weight: 250 lbs. (normal), 500 lbs. (armored) Eye color: Blue (normal), silver (armored) Hair color: Black Powers: Colossus was a mutant with the ability to convert his body tissue into an organic, steel-like substance -- granting him superhuman strength and a high degree of resistance to injury. The composition of this material was unknown, but it appeared to be analogous to osmium and carbon steel. Weapons: None History: Piotr Rasputin was born on the Ust-Ordynski Collective near Lake Baikal in Siberia. His mutant abilities emerged during adolescence, but the kind-hearted youngster was content simply to use his incredible strength and durability to aid his fellow farmers. Soon, however, the reality of a world on the brink of genetic war would intrude on the simple life to which he had grown accustomed. Professor Charles Xavier -- telepathic, telekinetic founder of the masked, mutant X-Men -- contacted Piotr when the sentient island called Krakoa captured his original students. Reluctantly, Piotr agreed to help Xavier's other new recruits. After the battle was won, Piotr remained in the United States with the X-Men. Hated and feared for his strange and frightening powers, Colossus and his teammates stood in opposition to those who would use their genetic gifts to subjugate humanity. Although half a world away, Piotr's family remained close to his heart and ever present in his thoughts. Despite his best efforts to keep them from danger, his actions often placed them in harm's way -- as when the woman known only as Miss Locke kidnapped many of the X-Men's loved ones to coerce the team into rescuing her employer, the eccentric assassin called Arcade. Among her hostages was Piotr's younger sister, Illyana. The X-Men freed their friends and relatives, and Illyana remained with her brother at Xavier's Westchester mansion. The X-Men proved to be dangerous company. Following one of the team's extra-dimensional adventures, Illyana was held captive for a number of years in the demon-filled realm known as Limbo. During that span, mere moments elapsed on Earth. As a consequence of her captivity, Illyana matured into the adolescent sorceress called Magik. After she reverted to her true age and lost her mystical abilities, Colossus thought it would be safer for her away from the X-Men. But her latent mutation made her a target, even back on the Siberian collective. Illyana's parents were slain by the Soul Skinner, who possessed the ability to strip his victims of their memories. The mad mutant hoped to evolve Illyana genetically, to the point where she would be able to access her powers. With the help of the X-Men, Piotr saved his sister. When Illyana became the first victim of the mutant plague known as the Legacy Virus, Colossus began to rethink his belief in Xavier's dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. The philosophical gulf between Piotr and the X-Men grew so wide that Colossus joined the Acolytes, disciples of Magneto -- genetic terrorist, would-be world conqueror and self-anointed Master of Magnetism. Piotr's ideological sojourn was short-lived. Following the destruction of Avalon, the asteroid haven Magneto had created to separate himself and his followers from humanity, Colossus returned to Earth. Piotr set out in search of former teammate Kitty Pryde, the phase-shifting Shadowcat, with whom he shared a special kinship. When Colossus found his dear Katya kissing her then-boyfriend, he nearly beat the other man to death in a fit of jealous rage. Excalibur, England's premier super-team, took responsibility for Colossus as part of his rehabilitation. He came to accept his role and remained until the group's dissolution, whereupon he returned to the X-Men with Kitty and the mutant teleporter known as Nightcrawler. Following the death of renowned geneticist Moira MacTaggart, the blue-furred X-Man known as the Beast managed to extrapolate on her work to create a cure to the lethal Legacy Virus. However, he was unable to deduce a means of administering the antidote without emulating the manner in which the plague first was discharged: through the death of an infected mutant. The serum would cause the host's powers to flare -- spreading the cure into Earth's atmosphere, but claiming a final victim in the process. Having stood by, powerless, as his sister succumbed to the dreaded disease, Colossus came to a decision that would rock the X-Men. Without revealing his plan, he strode into the Beast's laboratory and injected himself with the formula. Piotr Rasputin, the stalwart X-Man known as Colossus, sacrificed his life to eradicate the Legacy Virus and deliver countless other mutants from death's doorstep.

Deadpol Shrouded in stolen identities and clandestine secrets, the Merc-With-A-Mouth is a man of mystery. Hero? Villain? Sociopath? Deadpool makes his own rules and plays nobody's game! Real name: Unknown; often goes by the alias Wade Wilson Occupation: Merc-With-A-Mouth Group affiliation: None Base of operations: Mobile First appearance: New Mutants #98 (1990) Height: 6'2" Weight: 210 lbs. Eye color: Brown Hair color: None Powers: Artificially engineered, Deadpool's superhuman healing factor allows him to survive seemingly fatal wounds and regenerate missing appendages. Weapons: A master marksman and swordsman, Deadpool wields various blades and guns. He also relies on a teleportation device to deliver him from danger. History: The foul-mouthed mercenary now known as Deadpool was once little more than medical waste, written off as a miscarriage of science and technology by the directors of the Canadian government's enigmatic Weapon X project. Were its name known outside certain highly specialized circles, the black-ops initiative would have boasted a distinguished -- if blood-spattered -- track record. Previously, it's technicians had spawned a number of noteworthy scions -- including the feral Wolverine, maverick mutant adventurer, and the savage Sabretooth, psychotic murder machine. And they had looked forward to an uninterrupted string of successes. Enter Wade Wilson. Diagnosed with cancer, the gun-for-hire left the woman he loved and accepted an unorthodox offer of salvation. Playing upon his hope for a cure, the Weapon X scientists attempted to recreate Wolverine's genetically endowed healing factor through artificial means. Although successful, the Byzantine procedure left Wilson's epidermis and face a horridly callused mess. Considered a failure, he was consigned to a prison laboratory for program rejects. Unable at first to accept his mangled appearance, Wilson slipped into the darkest pit of his soul. He killed several guards and escaped -- dubbing himself "Deadpool," after the facility. Some time later, he re-emerged as one of the world's foremost mercenaries-for-hire. After cementing his reputation as a solider of fortune and quasi-super hero, Deadpool signed on the dotted line for the terrorist known as Tolliver. His target: the time-tossed mutant freedom fighter called Cable. Deadpool learned that his former lover -- Vanessa Carlyle, the shapeshifter named Copycat -- was posing as Cable's girlfriend and teammate, the probability-altering Domino. Wilson launched repeated offensives against Cable and his mutant strike team, X-Force -- culminating with a battle in which TTolliver was killed and Vanessa seriously wounded. Deadpool showed mercy on his former flame, diverting a portion of his powers to heal her injuries. Escaping custody in a metal asylum, Deadpool gained the attention of the interdimensional firm of Landau, Luckman & Lake. LL&L believed Deadpool to be the Mithras, one who would usher in a new golden age for the inhabitants of Earth. But the prophecy was a sham: The being destined to bring this era to life actually would transform the planet's inhabitants into mindless, grinning boobs. Deadpool averted disaster, but internal politics within LL&L brought an end to their relationship. His optimism again shattered, Wilson returned to his status as a killer-for-hire.

Domino Feeling lucky? Domino may have a subtle mutant power, but that doesn't make her any less dangerous! Capable of unconsciously altering probability fields in her favor, she is a highly lethal femme fatale! Real name: Unknown; often goes by the alias Beatrice Occupation: Mercenary, adventurer Group affiliation: None; formerly X-Force and the Six Pack Base of operations: Mobile First appearance: New Mutants #98 (as a disguise of the shapeshifter Copycat, 1991), X-Force #8 (in the flesh, 1992) Height: 5'8" Weight: 120 lbs. Eye color: Blue Hair color: Black Powers: Domino is a mutant with psionic control over luck-altering probability fields, stacking the odds in her favor. Weapons: An experienced military operative, Domino augments her superhuman abilities with various conventional firearms. History: Little has been revealed about the early life of the mysterious mutant now called Domino. However, her long and distinguished career as a covert operative has been documented to a certain extent. She has acted both as an agent of various organizations and governments, and as a freelance mercenary. In one of her earliest recorded exploits, Domino was assigned to guard the genius prodigy named Milo Thurman from terrorists seeking to exploit his unique ability to predict world events and shifts in the balance of power between governments. During the course of this assignment, Domino and Thurman fell in love. It was Thurman who coined her nickname and subsequent codename, in reference to her white skin and the black dot surrounding her left eye. Thurman also called her Beatrice -- after a character in his favorite book, Dante's Inferno -- and she continues to employ that alias today in her plainclothes identity. The couple's relationship ended abruptly when the subversive organization known as A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) raided the government facility where Thurman was sequestered, forcing him into deep cover. Thurman's superiors told him Domino was dead, but her demise had been greatly exaggerated. She re-emerged years later and joined the Six Pack, a mercenary outfit led by the time-tossed mutant freedom fighter called Cable. Amid energy bursts and bullets, the two adventurers began a long and intimate friendship. Domino returned to life as a freelance operative after the Six Pack was decimated during an attack on one of the hidden bases maintained by the mutant madman called Stryfe, Cable's clone. From the ashes of the Six Pack rose the strike team called X-Force -- for which Cable recruited several young, disenfranchised mutant heroes. He enlisted Domino's aid, and she took part in several missions. But all was not as it appeared: The real Domino had been kidnapped months earlier. The man responsible -- Tolliver, a revenge-seeking terrorist -- had hired the mutant shapeshifter named Vanessa Carlyle, a.k.a. Copycat, to infiltrate X-Force. The team soon discovered Copycat's treachery, but not before she managed to cause the destruction of its base. Cable freed Domino and asked her to round up the members of X-Force while he returned to deal Tolliver. In her bid to locate the missing mutants, Domino teamed with her former partners from the Six Pack. Subsequently, she joined X-Force as co-leader. Domino's career came full circle when Thurman was taken hostage by cyborgs Donald Pierce and Lady Deathstrike, who intended to siphon his uncanny instincts and knowledge of world trends. Learning of the abduction, Domino tracked Thurman to Pierce's base in Canada. She defeated Pierce and Deathstrike, but was unable to save Thurman from the fatal effects of Pierce's information-transfer process. Pierce downloaded a portion of Thurman's strategic brilliance into his memory banks, but to what extent is unknown. Domino parted ways with X-Force, but later sought the team's help to take down the mutant assassin Marcus Tsung -- capable of killing on sight, through act of will alone. Tsung had attempted to murder Domino, but she recovered thanks to the bio-organic alien organism attached to her body at the time. X-Force managed to defeat Tsung, albeit barely, and Domino remained with the squad as field controller until her teammates appeared to die in a cataclysmic battle.

Gambit Always an outsider, Remy LeBeau was shunned as a youth because of his strange, burning-red eyes. Eventually, he realized he was a mutant -- gifted with the ability to charge inanimate objects with explosively released biokinetic energy. A reformed thief and charming scoundrel, the ragin' Cajun always has a card up his sleeve! Real name: Remy LeBeau Occupation: Adventurer, reformed thief Group affiliation: X-Men, Thieves Guild of New Orleans Base of operations: Mobile First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #266 (1990) Height: 6'1" Weight: 175 lbs. Eye color: Burning red Hair color: Brown Powers: Through physical contact, Gambit can convert an object's potential energy into kinetic energy. Weapons: In Gambit's hands, even the most benign implement becomes an exploding projectile. However, he most often relies on kinetically charged playing cards. History: Orphaned at birth, Remy LeBeau spent his early years fending for himself on the hard, cold streets of New Orleans. He survived by picking pockets -- teaching himself the tricks of the ttrade through trial and error, and eking out a modest living. However, he had yet to learn an important lesson: restraint. Remy unknowingly tried to pick the pocket of Jean-Luc LeBeau, head of the legendary Thieves Guild of New Orleans. Jean-Luc took the boy under his wing, adopting him. In time, Remy mastered the ways of the guild -- as well as those of its chief rival, the New Orleans Assassins Guild. To seal a peace pact between the organizations, Gambit married Bella Donna Boudreaux, granddaughter of the assassins' patriarch. But Bella Donna's brother, Julien, objected to the arranged union and challenged Gambit to a duel. Severely wounding his opponent, Remy was forced to flee New Orleans to prevent war between the guilds. Gambit wandered the world and plied his skills as a master thief, aided by his mutant ability to charge objects with explosive energy. During this period, he worked as an operative for the master geneticist known as Mr. Sinister. Unable to control his burgeoning talents, Gambit submitted to an operation whereby Sinister siphoned off a considerable portion of his power. In return, Gambit helped Sinister assemble a team of super-powered assassins -- unaware his benefactor would dispatch the Marauders to annihilate the Morlocks, an underground community of mutant outcasts. Ignorant of the true motive behind Sinister's machinations, Gambit even led the Marauders into the Morlock tunnels. The outlaw team of mutant adventurers known as the X-Men were able to help some of the Morlocks to safety, and a considerable number managed to escape the Marauders on their own -- but the majority perished. Severing his ties to Sinister, Gambit partnered with the X-Men's weather witch, Storm, who had turned to thievery after being transformed into an amnesiac child. When Storm regained her memories and true age, she sponsored Gambit's admission to the X-Men. Although technically married, he became enamored of his teammate Rogue, blessed and cursed with the ability to absorb other mutants' thoughts and abilities through skin-on-skin contact. The feeling was mutual, but thetwo soulmates were condemned never to touch. After sharing a forbidden kiss, Rogue learned Gambit's dark secret: his complicity in the so-called "Mutant Massacre." At Rogue's request, the X-Men left Remy to fend for himself in the frozen wasteland of Antarctica. Eventually, Gambit rejoined the team and reconciled with Rogue.