Agent X (Jim Burley) - Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He was created by Mark Gruenwald, Bill Mantlo, Steven Grant, and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes: Contest of Champions #1 (June 1982). He also appeared in issue #3 of the series (August 1982).

The character subsequently appeared in The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2 #279 (January 1983), Rom #65 (April 1985), and Captain America #389-391 (August–September 1991), #393 (October 1991); he died in Captain America #442 (August 1995).

Franz Mittelstaedt was born in Backnang, Germany. He was inspecting an electrical power plant when a stray bolt of lightning struck a faulty generator and bathed him in electricity. When he emerged from his coma weeks later, he found that he could summon lightning at will to wield as a weapon. He decided to use his powers in the name of democracy.

Later he was teleported away by the Grandmaster, along with hundreds of other heroes of Earth, so that the Grandmaster and Death could choose champions from among them. Blitzkrieg was chosen for the Grandmaster's team, fighting alongside fellow heroes Captain America, the aboriganal Talisman III, Darkstar, Captain Britain, Wolverine, Defensor, Sasquatch, Daredevil, Peregrine, She-Hulk, and the Thing. When the Grandmaster's team won the contest, the heroes were returned to Earth.

Blitzkrieger later joined the German superhero team Schutz Heiliggruppe, along with Hauptmann Deutschland and Zeitgeist. The team intended to arrest the Red Skull for his World War II war crimes, assaulting Arnim Zola's castle and fighting and defeating the Skeleton Crew.

Blitzkrieg later traveled to Buenos Aires to investigate the deaths of a number of South American superheroes, including his former ally Defensor. Blitzkrieg was confronted by his teammate Zeitgeist, who turned out to be the serial killer Everyman. Everyman killed Blitzkrieg, adding him to his long list of murdered superheroes, but Blitzkrieg was later avenged by Hauptmann Deutschland, now known as Vormund, who killed Everyman.

Blitzkrieger possessed the ability to summon lightning mentally, at up to 15,000,000 volts. He can manipulate all forms of electrical energy, using them to allow him to fly, create electrical energy shields and cages, and electrical tornadoes. He is also immune to electricity, and can sense electrical transmissions and track them to their source.

Blitzkrieg received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #2.