Villains With Potential-The Gladiator

The readers have spoken! Melvin Potter, AKA the Gladiator (not to be confused with just plain Gladiator) was the hands down favorite of the first 'Villains with Potential' poll. And you can see why, what with the buzz-saw arms and the latent psychosis and whatnot.

Oh, and there's a new VwP poll up, so after you've given this one a read, be sure to go vote.

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The Gladiator is that strangest of beasts, the reformed super-villain. Or semi-reformed, considering that he's back in jail and suffering from dementia. But prior to that, he was reformed and running a costume shop. I'll let that sink in, shall I?

As far as Melvin Potter goes, I think his story is done. While Potter has the pathos to carry a story, he's simply not an effective villain these days. He has no reason to be the Gladiator, nor even the desire.

But someone else might. Gladiatorial contests have existed as long as civilization itself...something about watching two individuals trying to kill each other really gets a crowd excited. And some crowds are richer than others.

Not long ago in the various Spider-Man books there was a group of high-stakes gamblers called the Great Game. These 'Gamers' used a number of super-villains (including Joystick, Polestar and El Toro Negro) as pawns in a massive, sadistic, occasionally gladiatorial contest of international proportions. Now, the Game has since dropped out of the MU meta-storyline, but it would be easy enough to bring back. Perhaps even with a mixture of old and new backers.

And one of these backers has decided to sponsor an all new Gladiator. One who thirsts to test himself against super-powered opponents of all stripes and calibers. Villain or hero, it doesn't matter to the Gladiator...all that he (or she!) desires is the fight. And the stronger, the more deadly the opponent the better that fight.

With the resources of the Great Game behind him, the new Gladiator could pop up anywhere, in any book, with any target. He could infiltrate Utopia, looking to test his might against Colossus or Wolverine. He could challenge Captain America on live television or stalk one of Spider-Man's enemies, waiting for the webslinger to show up. He could hunt down the Wrecking Crew or the Absorbing Man or the Black Tarantula.

But in the back of his head, there's one fight they'll never give him. They'll dangle it just out of reach, the eternal prize, the never-earned reward for a warrior who wants to be the best...the chance to fight the first Gladiator. Melvin Potter, the man who beat the (Dare)Devil. And maybe, just maybe, the new Gladiator will grow tired of the game and go looking for this last, best fight on his own...and what happens then is anyone's guess.