This is from the Mavel website:
Herman Schultz is a career criminal who, after several prison terms for robbery, built a battle suit that sent out shock waves to quickly open safes as well as give him a significant advantage over the New York police. During his first outing as the self-styled "Shocker" he ran into and defeated Spider-Man (Peter Parker), who became Schultz's nemesis.
Schultz was usually involved in theft or extortion; a typical day in the life of the Shocker would find him knocking over armored cars or trying to hawk items he previously stole. On one particularly ambitious day, the Shocker held New York City for ransom when he blacked out portions of the city to spell out his criminal moniker, then threatened to black out the entire city unless he was paid 1 million dollars. On another he terrified a stockbroker into playing the market, for substantial monetary gain.
The Shocker has been a member of the Masters Of Evil and has fought Spider-Man many times. He has proved to be one of Spider-Man's more difficult opponents. The Shocker, being very masterful in his equipment, makes changes accordingly to defeat his enemies.
The Shocker has severe confidence problems but came back to his original cocky, arrogant self, recently. He once had Spider-Man completely at his mercy but let him go. The Shocker's brief period of shakey confidence appears to be a thing of the past.
Abilities
The Shocker is a gifted, and apparently self-taught, engineer who built his battle suit from scratch in a prison workshop.
Weapons
The vibro-shock units, once only built into a sheath that Schultz wore over his hands but currently built into his entire uniform, use high-pressure air blasts to cause powerful vibrations.
Paraphernalia
The heavily-cushioned battle-suit is made to absorb the potentially-lethal vibrations generated by the Shocker's vibro-shock units. It can shake off Spider-Man's webbing.
Despite Herman being an intelligent and gifted inventor and using his abilities for legitimate purposes, he dropped out of high school and decided to use his powers for evil, becoming a successful thief. However, despite these claims of brilliance he was arrested and it was in prison that he developed the gauntlets that he would become famous for. He then broke out of prison and took the name The Shocker.
The first time he fought Spider-Man he defeated him, however, this was a one-off and in the return battle he was beaten and sent back to prison. This would mean that Shocker would become ever-present in Spider-Man's rogues gallery, often teaming up with other villains to form the Sinister Six or Masters of Evil. Shocker teamed up with Doctor Octopus to raid the Avengers Mansion when they were busy fighting in the Infinity War. He later fought alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy, when shapeshifting aliens that had copied other heroes started to attack. After the alien assault, Doc Ock ordered him to attack the guardians, but he protested this as they saved their lives and did not want to hurt them, prompting Shocker to chase away his former ally. During his solo battle, Schultz often has the upper hand against Spider-Man, only to be thwarted by outside interferences such as Dominic Fortune and the Scourge.
When the Friends of Humanity hired both Schultz and Trapster to assassinate Gwen Stacy's cousin, Paul Stacy, Trapster had him and Spider-Man be stuck together and was about to be killed by Shocker when the assassination was called off before having a chance to kill them. During the Identity Crisis, he later met up with Trapster, but now Schultz is now hired by Norman Osborn to eliminate him because of his involvment on frmaing Spider-Man for murder. When he was about to kill Trapster, Shocker was knocked out by Spider-Man dressed as Dusk.
Recently, Schultz was show in Civil War as part of a new Sinister Six before being defeated by Captain America and his team of Avengers. He was again shown once again with Hydro-Man and Boomerang, this time fighting Spider-Man, Komodo and War Machine, but not until being apprehended by the Scarlet Spiders. The Shocker makes an appearance when he is hired by the Golem to take out a subway train full of jurors. Spider-Man was there to stop him but a shock hit the subway, creating a cave-in. Spider-Man punched Shocker into unconsciousness to use his vibro-smashers to destroy the blockade of rubble. He later escape by firing a shock through the streets above when he was secured by Spider-Man.
As of recently during the Dark Reign, Shocker was nearly captured by Force and a team of NYPD after making a money deal in Newark. He and Force clash there powers together and is then aided by the Hood and his gang against the NYPD. However he is stunned into a coma by White Fang's sonic beam.
More recently, he has been shown incarcerated in The Raft prison, and is being considered a heavy favorite for membership in the new Thunderbolts "B-team
Wikipedia:
Herman Schultz was born in New York City. He was a high school dropout who had brilliant talents as both an inventor and an engineer. Instead of using such talents to gain legitimate employment, he became a successful burglar and (according to him in later stories) the world's best safe-cracker. After finally being caught and incarcerated for his crimes, he developed a pair of gauntlets designed to shoot air blasts, vibrating at high frequency.
Schultz uses his gauntlets to escape from prison and becomes the supervillain known as "The Shocker". He defeats Spider-Man in their first confrontation (Spider-Man was at a disadvantage due to having an arm joint dislocation from his earlier battle with the Lizard[1]) but was later beaten and sent back to prison by Spider-Man (who pinned Schultz's thumbs away from the gauntlets' triggers with his webbing).[2]
The Shocker later stole an ancient stone tablet that had been earlier stolen by the Kingpin.[3] Likely Schultz's most ambitious solo exploit was his attempt to hold New York City for ransom by blacking out various electrical grids to spell out his name, and extort one million dollars from the city.[4] He then made one million dollars by harassing a stock broker.[5] The Shocker later joined Egghead's Masters of Evil (with Radioactive Man, Tiger Shark, Moonstone, and the Beetle) to incriminate Dr. Henry Pym, who was then on trial for treason. The Masters battled the Avengers in this encounter.[6] The Shocker was later hired by the Nazi war criminal Baron Von Lundt to kill Dominic Fortune, and built the vibro-shock units into his entire uniform to do so.[7] The Shocker was hired by the Chameleon and Hammerhead to induce Electro to join their organization.[8] The Shocker later attempted to steal thousands of charity dollars at the celebrity fund raiser for the New York City Library.[9] He's captured by Spider-Man and sent to prison. He later escapes with the help of fellow inmate Boomerang. By this time, he's developed severe confidence issues and has become terrified that the Scourge of the Underworld is going to kill him. A tipping point occurs when Spider-Man apprehends him and seems to not take him seriously. An enraged Shocker defeats Spider-Man and is about to finish him off when a Scourge imposter intervenes, causing Shocker to flee.[10] When he next appeared his confidence issues are gone. He aims to hunt down Scourge himself and kill him first.[11]
The Shocker has proven to be a constant presence among Spider-Man's gallery of enemies. He often works as a member of a team (including Hobgoblin's Sinister Seven, Norman Osborn's Sinister Twelve, Doctor Octopus's most recent Sinister Six, and the Masters of Evil) or in partnership with at least one other villain. Previous alliances include Boomerang, The Beetle, Rhino, Leila Davis, Hydro-Man, and Speed Demon (all of which made up the Sinister Syndicate), and Trapster, Constrictor and Jack O'Lantern. He also teamed up with a large group of villains during the Acts of Vengeance, when he helped them unsuccessfully attack the Fantastic Four.[12]
During one of his team-ups with Doctor Octopus, he participated in a raid on Avengers Mansion, hoping to help conquer it as the heroes were distracted by the events of the Infinity War. Shocker was forced to fight alongside the heroes called the Guardians of the Galaxy when alien doubles of both sides attacked. After the doubles stopped coming, Octopus tried to order Shocker and the others to continue fighting the heroes but instead, they turned on him. They did not wish to harm the people who had helped save their lives. Shocker helped chase Octopus out of the building.[13]
Somehow the Shocker acquired actual superhuman vibration powers. As he becomes more powerful he realizes that the new powers will eventually kill him. He seeks a vibrational harness to cure himself and is aided by Night Thrasher and Spider-Man.[14]
The Shocker has had Spider-Man on the ropes on several occasions, with timely interventions often saving Spider-Man. Individuals thwarting Shocker's victories over Spider-Man include security guards, Dominic Fortune, and even a Scourge of the Underworld impostor. The Shocker has also let Spider-Man go on a few occasions, the first being when he found Spider-Man incapacitated with a bout of vertigo on the outside of a tall building. He doesn't kill Spider-Man, thinking it an unworthy end, but doesn't help him either.[15]
The Shocker found another moment of victory over Spider-Man when he teamed up with the Trapster. Sent by the Friends of Humanity to assassinate Paul Stacy, the duo managed to glue Stacy and Spider-Man together and corner them, only to be called off their assignment moments before finishing them off.[16]
Shocker would later turn on the Trapster at the bequest of Norman Osborn (who sought to have the Trapster eliminated as a potential witness against his recent attempt to frame Spider-Man for murder). Preparing to kill the resigned Trapster in an alley, he was attacked and rendered unconscious at the last minute by Spider-Man (then disguised under the alias of Dusk).[17]
Shocker has a run-in with Iron Man on a subway car in NYC.[18]
Shocker is hired by the Golem, along with Constrictor and Jack O'Lantern, to protect a diamond delivery. He battles the Hood.[19]
Shocker was terminated as a freelance agent by Hammer Industries and captured by Spider-Man while trying to rob a federal bank alongside Hydro-Man. He accidentally evaporates his water-based ally with a misplaced vibration.[20]
He allied himself with Speed Demon of the New Thunderbolts in order to break into a particularly well-guarded safe. Though the police arrived at his hide-out in quick pursuit, he was saved by Speed Demon, who dashed in and stole both the loot and Shocker's weapons, removing all traces of evidence (and, unfortunately for Shocker, also keeping the money to fund the Thunderbolts' further activities).[21]
Shocker plays a small role in the "Secret War" crossover event.[22]
A new version of the Sinister Six, with the Shocker as a member, bands together during the Civil War but were stopped by Captain America and his Secret Avengers.[23]
In The Punisher War Journal #4, he was among the group of villains that the Punisher attempts to kill at the wake of the recently deceased Stilt-Man. He survives the poisoning and fire-bombing. He later appears in She-Hulk #17 and later again in Avengers: The Initiative #3, in which he was shown to have partially reformed the Sinister Syndicate alongside Hydro-Man and Boomerang. This group attempts to rob Baily's Auction House but are interrupted by Spider-Man and then Initiative members War Machine and Komodo. The latter are there to neutralize Spider-Man. The trio escapes, only to be found and attacked by government operatives called 'Scarlet Spiders'.
In his first Brand New Day appearance, he is shown to have been hired by a mobster to take out a subway train wagon full of jurors. After a brief battle with Spider-Man, he is knocked unconscious while Spider-Man uses his gauntlets to destroy rubble blocking the path. Although he seems cooperative at first, as soon as he is secured by Spider-Man, he activates a powerful shock in his gauntlets through his belt, causing the main exit to collapse and allowing him to escape.[24] On their way to collect money from bets on superhero fights, Shocker and Boomerang discover the dead body of "the Bookie". [25]
Shocker later appeared as a member of Hood's crime syndicate.[26]
During the "Origin of the Species" storyline, Shocker is invited by Doctor Octopus to join his supervillain team where he exchange for securing some specific items for him. He and Tombstone went after Menace's infant in the restaurant shop, until Spider-Man interfered.[27] After he passes out from his fight, the police arrive but Shocker is carried away by Tombstone, who escapes.[28] When Spider-Man goes on a rampage against the villains after the infant was stolen from him by the Chameleon, he attacks Shocker in his hideout and threatens Shocker to tell him everything about the villains' whereabouts. Shocker tells Spider-Man that Chameleon has the baby at the Kravinoff Mansion.[29]
Shocker was then seen in the Raft due to a popular online vote at Marvel.com[30] and was selected to join the Thunderbolts's new Beta team called the Underbolts where it was revealed that MACH-V has put his name on the list of likely candidates.[31]
The Shocker wears a pair of gauntlets he designed with vibro-shock units known as "vibro-smashers" that, when activated by a pump-action thumb trigger, can project a concentrated blast of compressed air that vibrates at an intense frequency. This creates a series of rapid-succession high-pressure air blasts that result in a series of powerful impacts. This allows the Shocker to both effectively throw long range vibrational punches from a distance, creating destructive vibrations that can crumble solid concrete and cause extensive damage to the human body and its internal organs, as well as throw shock waves which vibrate the structure of something in order to weaken or destroy it. A lesser known ability of the gaunlets allows Shocker to make incredible leaps, by directing the air blasts toward the ground in front of him. Holding the thumb triggers down for an extended period of time increases the intensity, speed, and even spread of the air blasts.
The feedback from the Shocker's gauntlets is extremely intense (the initial test almost killed him). To guard himself from this, Schultz developed a protective costume consisting largely of yellow quilt patches designed to absorb the shock. The costume is made of foam-lined synthetic fabric which absorbs all vibrations and establishes a vibrational shield which deflects normal blows and allows him to slip from any grasp. The costume's appearance has been the source of ridicule on the part of Spider-Man and other characters. How fellow villain the Looter was able to once wield one of the gauntlets without wearing a protective costume and suffering injury is unclear, though his super strength and durability were presumably a factor. Despite having no superhuman abilities, Schultz's vibrating suit and gauntlets enable him to trade blows with Spider-Man.
Around the year 2000 (real time), Schultz began upgrading the abilities of his costume and weapons. His suit now contains a number of built-in shock units, which throw up a protective vibrational field when triggered by accompanying motion detectors. Besides deflecting most physical blows, this makes it difficult, if not impossible for someone to physically assault or grasp him by surprise. This power upgrade was accompanied by a much bulkier and more protective looking costume (as designed by artist John Romita, Jr.).
He also recently allowed Hammer Industries to drastically upgrade the power of his gauntlets. However, not trusting to share the whole of his secrets (and thus become what he perceives as expendable), he refused Hammer's technicians access to his actual costume, which (at least at the time) likely wasn't providing him with thorough protection from the feedback of the upgraded gauntlets (Schultz cited nosebleeds as a risk he was willing to take).
Shocker has since appeared repeatedly in his original costume and minus the redesigned super-gauntlets provided to him by Hammer Industries. Whether or not this means he has found a way to retain his upgraded abilities in his old costume or whether he no longer uses them remains in question.
[edit] Motivations
While most Spider-Man villains usually shift from their original goals to a vendetta against Spider-Man, the Shocker is still concerned largely with making a living and protecting his reputation. As such, the character is usually portrayed as behaving in a more professional manner than the majority of his maniacal peers.
Shocker has a notably rational personality among Spider-Man's enemies. He has often been shown to recognize his own limitations amongst a universe of super-powered individuals. He was once stricken with chronic anxiety and paranoia (in the Deadly Foes of Spider-Man series) stemming from his fears about being targeted by anti-heroes Scourge and the Punisher (surprisingly, he has survived encounters with both). While partnered with the Trapster, he mentions that he engages in psychotherapy.
In recent stories ("Venomous" and "Senseless Violence"), Shocker has revealed that he is extremely frustrated with his place in life, not wanting to be known as a punching bag for superheroes like Spider-Man. He unsuccessfully attempts to purchase the Venom symbiote at auction in order to gain some respect. When temporarily partnered with Hydro-Man, he rebukes Morrie's suggestion that they go kill Spider-Man, being far more interested in more financially lucrative ventures and trying to rebuild a professional reputation.
i still respect him infact he my favorite villain but the biggest problem is that he gets own alot just like rhino i wish marvel would make shocker more of a badass villain with good writing and not treat him into a pushover joke in my opinion.
I totally agree. He is actually my favorite Marvel villain and 2nd favorite Marvel character, Spidey being my first. Probably the main reason why I like him though is his costume. Spider-Man makes fun of it a lot, but I think it looks cool. While it does look like a quilt, I think more of a net when I see it. Like a yellow and red costume with netting over the yellow parts. If his costume was totally different, I would think totally different of him. It's kind of the same with Spider-Man. I'm pretty sure Spidey would still be my favorite superhero, even still my favorite fictional character if his costume was different. But that's one of the things that still attracts my attention to Spidey. Like say his costume was all black like the symbiote, I wouldn't like him as much. But his normal costume is just so awesome, that I like him even more. And that's the same way I feel about Shocker.
Does anyone know Spider-Man 2099? In his future, the word "shock" is a cuss-word.
So, if he ever fought the Shocker...
__________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."-Abraham Lincoln
"We thought that by making your world more violent, we would make it more 'realistic,' more 'adult.' God help us if that's what it means."-Grant Morrison to Animal Man, Animal Man
Quite fond of the shocker myself, actually. I once stumbled upon an -epic- fanfiction storyline in which Shocker got tired of getting his ass kicked and being sent to prison; which led him to try his hand at being a hero. Definately one of the most under-used and under-appreciated characters in comics. He definately deserves his own series.
Really enjoyed the Marcos Martin 2-parter Shocker story from a couple or few years back. And Stegman's Shocker looking really good in The Superior Spider-Man images.
Then, there is Polarity and Transistor by Chris Myers in which Shocker eventually joins the Avengers after doing the hero thing during a zombie apocalypse.
What about the fact of how intelligent he is?
He was able to create his suit in Prison which I think is equal to Tony Stark creating the first Iron Man suit.
He's way to smart to be working for other Super Villains.
If he's not used as a plot device then it's a punching bag.
Along with Kingpin he's one of the few Spider Man enemies that is aware of his limits, doesn't have a gigantic ego.
__________________ "Never stop fighting till the fight is done."
Elliot Ness from the Terrific Action Crime Drama Mob Movie The Untouchables
KMC Community Forums
Sep 3rd, 2011 03:10 PM
i wish marvel would make shocker more of a badass villain with good writing and not treat him into a pushover joke in my opinion.
