Gladiators (Earth-616)

Gladiators
Name	Gladiators
Members
Leader(s)	Alexander Flynn, Shadow King (possessing Karma)
Current Member(s)	Horns, Howlers (Bouncer, Barker, Byter), Ivich, Lexi, Max Rocker, Ray, Shockman, Snaketongue
Former Member(s)	Axe, Dazzler, Hugo Longride, Magma, Sunspot
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Secret
Enemies	Beast; New Mutants
Origin and Status
Reality	Earth-616
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Ann Nocenti, Don Perlin
First	Beauty and the Beast #1 (August, 1984)
First	Beauty and the Beast #1 (August, 1984)

History

The Gladiators were created by Hugo Longride to stage fights in gladiatorial games in an arena known as the Underground Mutant Theatre located in Hollywood, California.

Hugo Longride also hired a talent scout named Alexander Flynn to find mutant to join the Gladiators. Flynn brought in several powerful mutants to the arena including Dazzler and the Beast. Eventually, Hugo and Flynn came into conflict over the management of the troupe and many of the Gladiators, who were being controlled by Flynn's own mutant powers, killed Hugo in the arena in front of hundreds of spectators.

Now fully in control of the Gladiators, Flynn wanted to use them as his personal army to invade and conquer the small European nation of Latveria, which was ruled over by his supposed father, Doctor Doom. However, Flynn was defeated before he could set his plan into motion and lost control of the troupe to one of the Gladiators, Max Rocker.

A short time later the powerful telepath known as the Shadow King had taken control over another mutant named Karma and together they took over the running of the Gladiators and the Underground Mutant Theatre. Also, the Shadow King was masquerading as Alexander Flynn during this time period.

Eventually, the Shadow King was defeated by a combined force of the New Mutants, Shadowcat, Rachel Summers, and Dazzler.

The subsequent fate of the troupe has yet to be recorded.

Notes

• The Los Angeles Underground Mutant Theatre of which the Gladiators are the star draw is probably either a competitor or predecessor to the network of superhuman fight arenas Storm encountered many years later.

See Also

• 9 appearance(s) of Gladiators (Earth-616)
• 2 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Gladiators (Earth-616)
• 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Gladiators (Earth-616)
• 2 image(s) of Gladiators (Earth-616)
• 20 member(s) of Gladiators (Earth-616)

Links and References

Rayeye's Ocean X (NL)