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TheEel is an alias used by two fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The first character to take up the identity was Leopold Stryke who first appeared inStrange Tales #112 (October 1963) created byStan Lee andDick Ayers,[1] while his successor, Edward Lavell, first appeared inPower Man and Iron Fist #92 (April 1983). Both Eels were at one point members of theSerpent Squad even though the character they portray was not actually based on a snake, but on a fish that resembled a snake. Neither Eel has ever been featured as a regular character in any of Marvel's ongoing or limited series.
The original Eel, Leopold Stryke, wore a suit that could generate an electrical charge like anelectric eel and was coated with a slippery substance. He was often depicted as a henchman, normally teaming up with other criminals such asPlantman,Porcupine,Scarecrow andUnicorn. He later became a founding member of theSerpent Squad along with his brother Jordan, the originalViper. He even worked forMadame Hydra, unaware that she had killed his brother. Stryke was killed by theGladiator during a heist.
The second Eel, Edward Lavell, started out as a foe ofPower Man andIron Fist, but later became a general henchman like the original Eel working for Justine Hammer'sMasters of Evil and theMaggia. At one point Lavall appeared to have been killed, but later appeared as part of the latest incarnation of the Serpent Squad led bySin, the daughter of theRed Skull. Subsequently, Eel became part of "Serpent Solutions", the next incarnation of theSerpent Society.
The original Eel first appeared inStrange Tales #112 (September 1963), and was created byStan Lee andSteve Ditko. The character subsequently appears inStrange Tales #117 (February 1964),Daredevil #6 (February 1965),Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965),X-Men #22-23 (July–August 1966),Captain America #158-159 (February–March 1973), #163 (July 1973), #180-181 (December 1974-January 1975),Defenders #36-38 (June–August 1976), andGhost Rider #21 (December 1976), in which he died. The character appeared posthumously inAlpha Flight Special Edition #1 (June 1992),Untold Tales of Spider-Man #11 (July 1996), andMarvel: Heroes and Legends #1 (October 1996). The original Eel received an entry in theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #17, and in theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #2.
The second Eel first appeared inPower Man and Iron Fist #92 (April 1983) and was created byKurt Busiek andDenys Cowan.
| Eel I | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Strange Tales #112 (Sept 1963)[2] |
| Created by | Stan Lee Steve Ditko |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Leopold Stryke |
| Team affiliations | Maggia Serpent Squad Emissaries of Evil Fellowship of Fear |
| Abilities | Wears electrified lubricated costume Use of various weapons |
Leopold Stryke was the first criminal known as theEel. In Stryke's first appearances, he battled theHuman Torch when he stole a nuclear device.[3] Stryke was also a teammate ofPlantman, the originalPorcupine, theScarecrow and the originalUnicorn when they worked as henchmen forCount Nefaria. He was dispatched to battle the original team ofX-Men.[4] He then served as a henchman of the originalMister Fear, along withOx, as part of the Fellowship of Fear.[5]
Leopold and his brother Jordan, who was the originalViper, were later members of the originalSerpent Squad. This first lineup battledCaptain America.[6] Leopold also aided the Serpent Squad in a plot to raise the continent ofLemuria. They battled the originalNomad andNamor the Sub-Mariner.[7] WhenMadame Hydra reorganized the second Serpent Squad, Leopold remained unaware that she had murdered his brother and taken his alias.
Leopold Stryke is fatally mutilated in Las Vegas by theGladiator, who was sent to acquire a disintegrator ray that Eel had in his possession.[8]
| Eel II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Power Man and Iron Fist #92 (April 1983)[2] |
| Created by | Kurt Busiek Denys Cowan |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Edward Lavell |
| Team affiliations | Serpent Squad Maggia Thunderbolts Masters of Evil Enforcers New Enforcers Serpent Society |
| Partnerships | Nightshade |
| Abilities | Wears electrified and lubricated costume |
Edward Lavell is first seen attempting to breakHammerhead out of prison. He battlesPower Man andIron Fist.[9] Later working withNightshade, Eel is defeated again by Iron Fist and reformed criminalsDiscus andStiletto.[10]
Eel is seen working with the criminals Blitz and theVanisher.[11] The trio is defeated by Spider-Man. Lavell also aids a group of villains attacking the Fantastic Four.[12]
In hopes of gaining revenge against the criminalMister Hyde, Eel arranged a murder of a woman he had befriended, framing Hyde. Lavell also secretly impersonated"Snake" Marston, joining his team, theEnforcers, and led them in throwing offDaredevil’s attempts to find the true killer. Ultimately, Eel sucker-punched Daredevil and gloated of his plans, but the Enforcers overheard and turned on him. Eel was taken into court to clear Hyde’s name and was remanded to custody.[13]
Lavell was a member ofCrimson Cowl'sMasters of Evil, and is defeated by the Thunderbolts.[14] After the Masters of Evil are apprehended, he was seen among theMaggia leaders assembled by theGrim Reaper who tried to claim leadership of the scattered, fractious families on behalf ofCount Nefaria. He was captured when the Avengers invaded the meeting place.[15] Eel once worked againstHammerhead, transporting the Lifeline Tablet on behalf ofCaesar Cicero, although Hammerhead soon recovered the Tablet for his own purposes.[16]
Lavell was next seen participating in the Bloodsport tournament atMadripoor. There, he put on a poor showing. He is defeated by the Toad, who seemingly crushes Lavell using his extremely long and powerful tongue.[17]
Lavell apparently survives the fight and is briefly seen as a client for the law firm Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway. He is discussing action to be taken against Power Man and refers to an 'Eel-Mobile'.[18]
Lavell plays a small role in the "Secret War" crossover event.[19]
During theCivil War storyline, Eel is apprehended by theThunderbolts to serve in the so-called Thunderbolt Army.[20]
Following the disbanding of the Thunderbolt Army, Eel was among the villains atStilt-Man's funeral at theBar with No Name. ThePunisher attacks, poisoning the bar's drinks before blowing up the bar.[21]
Lavell turned up as a member of a new Serpent Squad led bySin, the daughter of theRed Skull. He participates in several murderous missions, including one intended to damage the Asian stock markets.[22] He breaksCrossbones out of jail and later attacked the White House, but he was stopped bythe new Captain America.[23]
During theOriginal Sin storyline, Eel is relaxing in his lounge alongside his goons when he receives an unexpected visit from theBlack Cat. Eel taunts her with the fallout from her capture by theSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Spider-Man's body) and then attacks her. The Black Cat retaliates revealing her companion,Electro, who attacks Eel's goons while the Black Cat taunts Eel saying that she will take everything from him.Mister Negative andPhil Urich (who is now leading the remnants of the Goblin Underground as the self-proclaimed Goblin King) are waiting for Eel in order to divide the criminal underground after Norman Osborn's downfall, but they are stunned by seeing Eel crashing into the place when the Black Cat comes into view.[24]
InAll-New, All-Different Marvel, Eel appears as a member of the Viper'sSerpent Society under its new name of Serpent Solutions.[25]
Leopold Stryke designed the original Eel costume, which consisted of electrically superconducting fabric sandwiched in between body insulation and a layer of near-frictionless synthetic fabric. The Eel costume featured small devices capable of generating large and small bursts of electricity. It could fire electrical bolts (initially only through his suit's chest protector) and give off bright glows, as well as set up an electric current in the costume that would shock anyone touching it. The costume was coated with a greasy silicon substance (which was sometimes asbestos grease) that made it slippery. The costume could operate underwater. The battle suit also projects an electrical field which allows him to sense his surroundings, even in total darkness. Eel used various weapons, including a specially designed helicopter, an Aqua-Attractor gun, and an Eel-Cannon.
