Perun (comics)

Perun is a Marvel Comics character based on the mythical deity in Slavic mythology, with control over thunder and lightning similar to that of the Norse god Thor.

Publication history
Perun first appeared in Captain America #352-353 (April-May 1989), and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Kieron Dwyer.

The character subsequently appears in Avengers #319-324 (July-October 1990), Incredible Hulk #393 (May 1992), Soviet Super-Soldiers #1 (November 1992), Quasar #54-55 (January-February 1994), Starblast #2-3 (February-March 1994), Quasar #56-57 (March-April 1994), and Starblast #4 (April 1994).

Perun appeared as part of the "Supreme Soviets" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #7, and in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #2 (2007).

Fictional character biography
In the mainstream Marvel Comics universe, Perun is the name of a fictional Russian superhero who was once a member of 'The People's Protectorate' alongside Fantasma, The Red Guardian, Vostok and Crimson Dynamo.

He wears a helmet and red cloak similar to those of Thor. He had long hair and a beard, with a great deal of body hair. He uses a large axe, and later a hammer and sickle, which he uses to focus and direct his electrical powers. Perun is an avatar of the Slavic god Perun inhabiting the body of Valeri Sovloyev.

When the Supreme Soviets attack the Soviet Super Soldiers Perun is disguised as Thor due to Fantasia's magic. Nearly killing Ursa Major with his lightning.

Perun and his team are featured in Avengers, working with the Canadian team Alpha Flight and the American team Avengers.

Perun and his team come into conflict with the Hulk and the Pantheon over the kidnapping of Igor, a Russian spy. The Hulk believes Igor to have been responsible for his, the Hulk's, creation. Ivan is put through a re-creation of the incident, which causes great distress. The Hulk easily defeats Perun and takes his weapons, using them to temporarily entrap Vostok. The confrontation ends in a stalemate, for Ivan had gone mad with guilt and nobody was sure what to do.

When a group of aliens calling themselves Starblasters tries to push the moon away from Earth, Quasar assembles a group with some of the most powerful heroes of the world, recruiting Perun, Carol Danvers, Black Bolt, Hyperion, Ikaris, Darkstar, Vanguard and Monica Rambeau.

Ultimate Perun
In the Ultimate Marvel Comics universe, Perun is a member of The Liberators, described simply as a "Soviet Thor." His Ultimate universe appearance is vastly different from his mainstream appearance; he is clean-shaven and has no visible head hair. His powers are seemingly derived from a force-belt similar to that of Ultimate Thor. Like his mainstream Marvel counterpart, he carries a hammer and sickle (the later of which was dropped by Gregory Stark for loss of Soviet symbolism, but decided to keep the hammer to be Fury's own Thor).

Alongside the other members of The Liberators, Perun attacked and rapidly subdues the forces of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the weakened Ultimates. Strategic locales all across the United States are taken. The Liberators kill thousands of soldiers and citizens alike. Perun personally incapacitates Quicksilver with a lightning strike.

In Ultimates 2 # 11, Perun and the Crimson Dynamo attack Air Force One capturing U.S. President George W. Bush. The plane and the passengers are brought back to the White House in Washington D.C. This is where most of Perun's teammates are killed in battle. He is seen in issue #13, wandering the streets, trying to find someone to surrender to.

In a revealed cover for the new Ultimate Comics: Avengers #1, Perun can be seen on the cover. Despite their invasion failing, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Nick Fury, and Dr. Gregory Stark decided to give Perun a second chance, instead of him being executed in his home country. Perun was spared a chance for Avengers operation, but is later killed by a vampiric Nerd Hulk in Ultimate Avengers 3. His hammer is later used by Captain America in a last-ditch effort to save the Triskelion and it's inhabitants, using the hammer to teleport it to Iran. With all the vampires dead thanks to sunlight, Cap then beheads the Hulk clone in retribution.