Reavers (comics)

Publication history

The Reavers first appeared in the comic title Uncanny X-Men #229 (May 1988) and were created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri.

Fictional group history

Looters

The original group of cyborgs calling themselves the Reavers operated out of an underground complex beneath the fictional ghost town of Cooterman's Creek in North Central Australia. They act as a commando-style team of thieves, with apparently dozens of members. Their base is equipped with advanced computers and a sub-basement tunnel system. The Reavers coerce the mutant Gateway to teleport them around the world to conduct their robberies. Informed of the Reavers' existence by Roma, the X-Men defeat the Reavers in battle and expel them from their base, which they take for their own use. The X-Men destroy some of the Reavers and force most of the rest to enter the Siege Perilous to meet unrevealed fates. Only Pretty Boy, Skullbuster, and Bonebreaker escape.

Donald Pierce's Reavers

The Reavers are reassembled under the leadership of Donald Pierce, who reorganizes the team as an assassination squadron to undertake para-military style commando operations, dedicated to taking vengeance on the X-Men in particular and eliminating mutants in general. Pierce combines the three survivors of the original Reavers with Lady Deathstrike and the three former Hellfire Club mercenaries Cole, Angelo Macon, and Reese.

While the X-Men are away from their Australian base, the Reavers retake the ghost town and wait for the team to come back. However, on their return, the X-Men escape the Reavers through the Siege Perilous. Only Wolverine, who is on a leave of absence in Madripoor, remains. Once he returns, they capture, torture, and crucify him. Wolverine escapes the Reavers with the aid of Jubilee. The Reavers then attack the Muir Island Mutant Research Center, theorizing that it is Wolverine's most likely destination. During the assault on Muir Island, Skullbuster is rendered inoperative by sniper fire from Forge. Donald Pierce rescues a gravely wounded pilot named Cylla Markham, who agrees to be converted into a cyborg.

Around this time, Bonebreaker, Reese, and Pretty Boy are dispatched to a New York warehouse after Microchip, an associate of the Punisher, in a self-confessed mistake, infiltrates their computer system. The temporary absence of Gateway gives Punisher and Microchip enough time to evacuate and set up resistance. The warehouse is destroyed, but the two escape through the sewer. The Reavers face off against the Punisher again. In the firefight, the Reavers kill Microchip's cousin. The Punisher sets off auto-destruct charges, which cause heavy damage to the three Reavers, particularly Bonebreaker, whose cybernetic lower body is demolished. The Reavers retreat.

The Reavers then successfully attack the White Queen's company, Frost Technotics. They capture Rogue, who has returned from inside the Siege Perilous, although Rogue is then rescued by a recreation of Ms. Marvel. Donald Pierce transforms Cylla Markham into the new Skullbuster (although she usually goes by her real name). Lady Deathstrike later seeks Wolverine in Madripoor and Vancouver. Pierce creates an android named Elsie-Dee and a robotic clone of Wolverine named Albert to kill Wolverine. The attempt fails when Elsie-Dee rebels against her programming.

Upstarts and humans

As part of the Upstarts' game, Trevor Fitzroy dispatches Sentinels to the Reavers' Australian hideout to kill Pierce and anyone else they find there. In the ensuing battle, only Pierce, Lady Deathstrike and Cylla escape the massacre, Pierce seemingly only making it as far as the Hellfire Club before he is "killed". Cylla later resurfaces, allying herself with Bloodscream in an attempt to murder Wolverine. However, Bloodscream betrays her and sucks the life from her, killing her.

Most of the Reavers survive their supposed deaths. They later return to battle the X-Treme X-Men on behalf of the Shadow King.

Donald Pierce puts together a new group of Reavers, composed of young anti-mutant humans (with the exception of Joshua Foley, who at the time was unaware that he was a mutant). They are defeated by Karma, Foley, and a handful of young mutants. The group later breaks Pierce out of prison, but with Foley as bait, they are lured into an ambush and captured.

Messiah Complex

The Reavers appear in the "Messiah Complex" storyline under the leadership of Lady Deathstrike. Deployed as an elite commando unit designed to eliminate organized mutant resistance, the Reavers confront Cable in Alberta, Canada before being attacked by the new X-Force.

In the ensuing battle, Deathstrike and the Reavers are killed by Wolverine's strike team, but not before killing the mutant Caliban and injuring Cable.

Indoctrination and ascent

Pierce and his Reavers are placed in the custody of the Office of National Emergency under the direct supervision of General Callahan. Callahan uses the Reavers as a personal scavenger crew in exchange for receiving augmentations and bionic enhancements tethered to an in-built safeguard to enforce their obedience.

Havok works with the Reavers to free their boss and fellow mutants in exchange for the missing puzzle piece he possesses on his person for one final assault on their shared enemy's headquarters. Pretty Boy and Bonebreaker take control of Callahan's Sentinels and turn them on the X-Men. Pierce and his cohorts abscond with their latest modifications and head to the Xavier Institute to kill more mutants. The X-Men battle the Reavers into submission, capturing them and Havok.

Operating in Madripoor

During the "Iron Man 2020" storyline, Donald Pierce and the Reavers are shown to have established a company called Reavers Universal Robotics in Madripoor. Albert arrives in Madripoor to confront Pierce and is confronted by Bonebreaker and the Reavers. After Albert subdues the Reavers, Pierce states that he sold Elsie-Dee's parts to three gangs. The Reavers and the gangs take action against Albert, vowing that he will not make it out of Madripoor alive.

Known members

First Team

• Bonebreaker
• Skullbuster
• Pretty Boy
• Various unnamed other members (deceased or reincarnated)

Second Team

• Donald Pierce (leader)
• Lady Deathstrike
• Wade Cole (deceased)
• Angelo Macon (deceased)
• Murray Reese (deceased)
• Bonebreaker (arrested)
• Skullbuster
• Skullbuster (Cylla Markham)
• Pretty Boy (arrested)

Third Team

• Donald Pierce (leader)
• Elixir (quit)
• Duncan
• Various unnamed other members

Fourth Team

• Lady Deathstrike (leader)
• Various unnamed other members (all presumed deceased)

Fifth Team

• Donald Pierce (leader)
• Pretty Boy
• Skullbuster (Cylla)
• Bonebreaker
• Lady Deathstrike (defected)

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

An alternate universe iteration of the Reavers from Earth-295 appear in Age of Apocalypse. This version of the group are human traitors who serve Apocalypse and were enhanced with his techno-organic virus, which allow them to merge with organic and mechanical materials.

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe iteration of the Reavers from Earth-1610 appear in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. This version of the group is led by Deadpool and are formerly human gladiators who became cyborgs to hunt mutants on live television for Genoshan politician Mojo Adams.

In other media

Television

• The Reavers appear in the X-Men: The Animated Series two-part episode "Out of the Past", consisting of Lady Deathstrike, Bonebreaker, Pretty Boy, Murray Reese, Skullbuster, and Wade Cole. Additionally, Donald Pierce appears in the four-part episode "The Dark Phoenix" as a member of the Inner Circle Club.
• The Reavers appear in Wolverine and the X-Men, with vocal effects provided by Charlie Adler in the episode "X-Calibre" and Steve Blum in "Hunting Grounds". This version of the group serves Mojo and consists of Spiral, Murray Reese, Wade Cole, Angelo Macon, and series-original character Ricochet, among other unidentified members.

Film

The Reavers appear in Logan, consisting of Donald Pierce, Bonebreaker, Pretty Boy, Angelo Macon, Danny Rhodes, and Mohawk. This version of the group are Alkali-Transigen's enhanced security force who serve the corporation's head, Zander Rice.

Video games

• The Reavers appear in X-Men as Magneto's soldiers.
• The Reavers appear in The Punisher, with Bonebreaker as a stage boss and several Pretty Boy cyborgs appearing in different stages.
• The Reavers appear in Strider Hiryu's ending in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
• The Reavers appear in Marvel Heroes, with Lady Deathstrike and Bonebreaker as prominent members and Dr. Reaversteins, Mighty Max, Reaver Berserkers, Reaver Blitzkriegs, Reaver Hellhounds, Reaver Maniacs, Reaver Psychotics, and Reaver Savages as foot soldiers.
• The Reavers will appear in Marvel's Wolverine.

References

References

1. ''[[Marvel Presents]]'' #9 (February 1977)
2. (2019). "The Marvel Encyclopedia". DK Publishing.
3. ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'' #229 (May 1988)
4. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #247-249 (August - October 1989)
5. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #251 (November 1989)
6. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #252-255 (November - December 1989)
7. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #261 (May 1990)
8. ''[[Punisher]]'' (vol. 2) #33 (May 1990)
9. ''Punisher'' (vol. 2) #34 (June 1990)
10. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #262 (June 1990)
11. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #269 (October 1990)
12. ''[[Wolverine (comic book). Wolverine]]'' (vol. 2) #35-39 (January - May 1991)
13. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #281-282 (October - November 1991)
14. ''Wolverine'' (vol. 2) #77-78 (January - February 1994)
15. ''[[X-Treme X-Men]]'' Annual (February 2002)
16. ''[[The New Mutants (comic book). The New Mutants]]'' (vol. 2) #5 (November 2003)
17. ''The New Mutants'' (vol. 2) #6 (December 2003)
18. ''The New Mutants'' (vol. 2) #13 (August 2004)
19. George, Richard. "13 Days of X-Men: Messiah Complex - Day Nine".
20. ''[[New X-Men (2004 series). New X-Men]]'' (vol. 2) #44-46 (January - March 2008)
21. ''Uncanny X-Men'' #504 (January 2009)
22. ''[[Astonishing X-Men]]'' (vol. 4) #13 (September 2018)
23. ''Astonishing X-Men'' (vol. 4) #16 (December 2018)
24. ''Astonishing X-Men'' (vol. 4) #17 (January 2019)
25. ''2020 iWolverine'' #1 (September 2020)
26. ''Weapon X'' #1-4 (March - June 1995)
27. ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' #92 (May 2006)
28. Armitage, Hugh. (October 19, 2016). "Logan and the X-Men: who are the Reavers and what do they want with Wolverine?". [[Digital Spy]].
29. Couch, Aaron. (October 18, 2016). "'Logan' Photo Confirms Appearance of Classic X-Men Villains". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
30. (24 September 2025). "Sony's PS5 Exclusive Wolverine Game Finally Gets Gameplay Reveal at State of Play 2025".