Blockbuster (Man-Brute)

For other uses, see Blockbuster (disambiguation).

Blockbuster is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Blockbuster
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Captain America #121 (Jan 1970)[1]
Created by	Stan Lee and Gene Colan
In-story information
Alter ego	Bart Dietzel
Species	Human Mutate
Notable aliases	Man-Brute
Abilities	super-strength

Publication history

The Man-Brute first appeared in Captain America #121 (January 1970), and was created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan.

The character subsequently appears as Blockbuster in Omega the Unknown #7 (March 1977), and #9 (July 1977), in which he is killed.

Fictional character biography

The man originally known as the Man-Brute was an ex-convict whose strength was boosted by a factor of twelve by Professor Silas X. Cragg. Cragg had been an enemy of Captain America ever since World War II and had developed a Super Soldier Serum variant which he used to empower the Man-Brute. Cragg sent the Man-Brute to attack Captain America at a charity event, but when the Man-Brute encountered his own estranged son he became upset thinking what he had turned into. Man-Brute attacked Cragg, who was electrocuted as he backed inadvertently into a high voltage machine.^[2]

He changed his name to Blockbuster, and sought to gain wealth for his son Robert, to give him a better life and keep him from becoming a criminal like himself. Blockbuster robbed a bank, and came into conflict with the NYPD and then Omega the Unknown. Omega felt empathy for Blockbuster and his son, and let the man escape with the money. Blockbuster then robbed a diamond store, and the owner made an offer of a thousand dollar reward to which Omega responded. After struggling with Omega a few times, Blockbuster was incinerated by the second Foolkiller.^[3]

Powers and abilities

Blockbuster possessed superhuman strength, durability, endurance, etc. He was an experienced street fighter, although he did not demonstrate any advanced fighting skills.