Michael Berengetti was the owner of the Coliseum Casino in Las Vegas and one of the most powerful men in the city, reputed for his integrity, courage and style. He hired Joe Fixit (the Incredible Hulk) as an enforcer for his casino and became a father figure for him. Berengetti famously preferred to refer to the city as "Las Vegas" instead of just "Vegas", and corrected anyone who misspoke to him.
Although Berengetti was not involved in criminal activities, he did know about organized crime in Las Vegas and took measures to protect himself and his city from it by making under-the-table deals with the police and hiring personal security. Berengetti met the Hulk in Yucca Flats, at a point when the Hulk was believed dead; the Hulk was also smarter and smaller (thou still huge) than his famous green form, and also grey-skinned, so he used an alias, "Mr. Fixit", to continue the charade. Berengetti discovered that Fixit was really the Hulk, but told him nothing, and instead hired him as security for his casino, offering him food, shelter and luxuries in exchange for "Fixit" beating people at Berengetti's command. The Hulk was initially wary as he had been betrayed in the past, but Berengetti swore to never fail him, and also gave him a first name, "Joe", after the gorilla in the movie Mighty Joe Young. As Joe Fixit working for Berengetti, the Hulk had a life he came to love, and developed a friendship with Berengetti he'd value for many years. Mr. Fixit helped Berengetti against organized crime enemies like the Maggia and the Kingpin, but Fixit became erratic, disappearing without warning for days and attracting superpowered enemies. Eventually, Berengetti fired Fixit, even if it broke his heart to do so.
Berengetti was later murdered by rival businessman Sam Striker, who would be arrested thanks to Fixit's help. The Coliseum and his other assets were inherited by his widow, Mrs. Suzi Berengetti.
Michael Francis Xavier Berengetti[1] was a businessman based in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his youth, Berengetti showed spunk as he gained more power and prestige. He had to face lawbreakers and scoundrels, whom he managed to defeat without being dragged down to their level and resorting to lethal methods; Berengetti also made sure to do business in style.[2] At some point in his early career, Berengetti dealt with a businessman known as The Don. The Don did an unspecified favor for Berengetti, after which they maintained a cordial professional and personal relationship.[8]
Berengetti's personal home
Eventually, Berengetti became the owner of the Coliseum Casino in Las Vegas, in addition to being "the biggest guy in town", a successful businessman respected, admired[2] and envied by his competitors.[3] His casino included games such as slot machines[2] and roulette,[6] as well as hotel rooms, a restaurant, live shows[2] with top-notch artists,[9] and areas for corporate and social meetings.[10] Setting the tone of the locale, some of the decoration was reminiscent of the Roman Empire, some employees of the Casino were dressed as Roman legionaries,[6] the cocktail waitresses dressed as Vestal Virgins,[9] and there were even chariot races that clients could bet on.[10] Berengetti lived in a large house some distance from the casino[7] but spent a lot of time in his personal office in the penthouse of the Coliseum. Being a hands-on manager, Berengetti frequented the casino, interacting with customers to personally resolve problems that might arise. He also knew many of his employees by name.[2] Berengetti had a steady romance with a woman named Suzi, who often accompanied him at the casino[2] and at his home.[1]
Berengetti and several of his associates helped the young musician Brian Newman start his career, introducing him to people who could give him prestige and opportunities, and giving him a contract that they considered satisfactory. Newman became a successful musician for over six years, making a lot of money for himself, and even more money for Berengetti and his other employers. However, Newman was dissatisfied with music that he composed and played exclusively for commission, and eventually decided to withdraw from the public eye.[11]
Berengetti had security guards, and could take care of trouble himself too
Crime was no stranger to the vice-based business backdrop of Las Vegas.[12] Berengetti and the other casino owners maintained a balance with the metropolitan police so that the situation was acceptable for all involved parties.[2] Still, the casino owners needed, in addition to suppliers and creditors,[7] always strong security to face any problems that could arise.[3][12] Berengetti had well trained, armed, elegant guards who followed his instructions and were sure to expel troublemakers,[13] even challenging superhumans if necessary.[14] With this situation, Berengetti thrived[7] and achieved an extraordinary reputation[2] for his reliability.[15]
Mr. Fixit[]
After a year in which the Coliseum had several "major structural mishaps", Berengetti was forced to close it to rebuild it.[9] During that time, Michael Berengetti encountered a gigantic gray-skinned man who seemed to have walked out of a zone of war on Yucca Flat.[6] This person was the Incredible Hulk (Bruce Banner). The world at large believed that the Hulk had died in an explosion[16] in Middletown, Arizona,[17][18][19][9] but the Hulk had actually been transported to the planet K'ai,[4][17][16][18][19] whose inhabitants faked the Hulk's death[4] and returned him to Earth. later with a return spell[17][20][19][21] and an additional spell that allowed him to maintain the Hulk form for months without returning to his human appearance as Bruce Banner.[17][16][18][19][21] A failure in the return spell caused the Hulk to appear in Yucca Flat,[20] which led to this first encounter with Berengetti.[20][2] Recognizing the potential of a legbreaker like him,[12] Berengetti took this stranger to the Coliseum and offered him a job[6] as an enforcer[16][18][19][21][22] at the casino[17][16][18][19][21] in exchange for an excellent salary and the best accommodation, food, women and suits[2][6] (obviously tailored[23] since he was 6'6" and weighed 900 pounds);[24] and, presciently, he also had a private elevator installed that gave access to his suite from the basement to the roof, although the Hulk doubted he would need it.[4] Berengetti promised to help his new employee, and never betray him,[6][7] an oath that was not reciprocated.[7] Berengetti also made his research and concluded that his new enforcer was really the Hulk thou, understanding that the Hulk wanted to hide his identity, did not tell him that he knew.[25]
According to the press, the United States government investigated Berengetti after the year-long problems at his casino, apparently without finding any irregularities. For the spectacular reopening,[9] the unusual new employee also attracted public interest.[9][26] The Hulk chose to keep his identity a secret, adopting the alias "Joe Fixit",[17][16][18][19][21][22] usually called "Mr. Fixit"; Berengetti chose his first name when he nicknamed him Joe after the character in the 1949 film Mighty Joe Young, which Berengetti liked.[6] "Fixit" explained the unusual shade of gray of his skin by claiming to have an unspecified skin condition that made him sensitive to sunlight,[18][19][21] which the public assumed was argyriosis.[26] Journalist J. David Guntley of Marvel Year-In-Review contacted Berengetti to suggest that Mr. Fixit was actually the Hulk; and Berengetti claimed that Fixit was clearly smarter than the Hulk and of a different color, as well as suggesting that the Hulk, being especially stupid, would have been a terrible worker.[9] Other groups such as Damage Control, whose services Berengetti used,[13] also suspected that Fixit was really the Hulk.[27]
For three months,[2] Fixit worked successfully for Berengetti on the night shift, beating up super-powered criminals and other wrongdoers,[12] although the exact details of Berengetti's deal with Fixit were not known to the general public.[26] One person Fixit arrested was William "Coyote" Cash, a paroled convict who intended to use a Magnetic Particle Displacer to swindle money from the casino by cheating, but Fixit decided the guy was too suspicious and wanted to make sure he wasn't taking Berengetti's money illegally.[17] Two mutant miscreants, Discordia and Tantrum, attempted to cause chaos for chaos' sake at the Coliseum during the UCLA Law Reunion; Berengetti summoned Fixit to stop them, and he did so accompanied by She-Hulk, who was attending the meeting, although not without causing some damage to the building.[10] Although Fixit was rarely seen in action, whenever Berengetti said his name, he inspired fear-based respect in anyone in hearing range.[2] Berengetti was sure to not alert Fixit for issues that could be resolved by other employees or the police,[2] nor did he allow his activities to be related to any type of crime.[8] It is true, however, that Berengetti taught the Hulk to intimidate people with methods such as breaking a victim's finger and reminding him that there were many other fingers,[28] and to discreetly pick pockets by pretending to stumble and making sure the pickpocket's face and encounter were not memorable (Fixit was too bulky to do this, so possibly Berengetti taught him this trick so Fixit could recognize it).[29] Not only did Berengetti value the work of his new employee,[8] but he developed personal affection for him, and they became close friends.[5] Fixit especially appreciated that Berengetti took care of Fixit and kept an eye on him if he needed anything; Bruce Banner's father had never done so, and therefore Fixit considered Berengetti the father figure that neither Banner nor the Hulk had ever had.[30][31]
Maggia, first attempt: Tony Gold[]
The organized crime syndicate Maggia, which already controlled some casinos in Las Vegas, decided to expand its activities in the city aspiring to complete control over it,[32] for which they sent the Maggioso and drug trafficker Anthony "Tony" Gold. Gold, seeing that Berengetti was the most powerful man in his turf, wanted to convince Berengetti to willingly collaborate with Maggia and pay protection money, hoping that this success would lead the other businessmen into submission. When Berengetti left his office to personally resolve a situation at his casino with a scandalous client, an agent of Gold's, Harry, took advantage of the distraction to enter Berengetti's office and met with him, making an offer without mentioning Maggia. Berengetti knew of Gold's illegal dealings and, disgusted by them, quickly rejected Harry and recommended Gold leave town; this message disappointed Gold and made him decide to take more drastic measures. After that, Berengetti met with Suzi, who reproached him for taking risks in the skirmish when he had security guards. At Suzi's urging, Berengetti agreed to set up a date between Mr. Fixit and Suzi's friend, Marlo Chandler,[2] a statuesque[33][18][19][21] physical instructor.[34]
Gold had his men force Berengetti to visit him at a burned-out casino that Maggia had purchased to use as their base of operations, where Gold and dozens of armed thugs were waiting for him. Maggia therefore redirected Berengetti's limousine driven by Stephen, his personal chauffeur. Realizing that there were problems before they arrived, Berengetti decided that they were not trying to kill them, because otherwise they would have already shot; and, since Suzi was in the vehicle, he did not want to risk starting a chase. However, Berengetti notified Mr. Fixit, who broke up his date with Chandler immediately. Once in the ruined building, Gold introduced himself to Berengetti to, once again, try to convince him to share his fortune with Maggia. Berengetti, unimpressed by Gold or his men, criticized the attempt and even punched Gold's stomach, knowing that Gold's guards would immediately seize him and beat him in response,- after which they drew their guns. Then Fixit spectacularly burst into the building, smashing ceilings and floors, and stood between the criminals and Berengetti. The Maggiosi opened fire, only to see their projectiles ricochet off Fixit's armored skin and wound their own ranks. Fixit fought and defeated the thugs while Gold tried to escape and hide. Before following Gold, Fixit made sure Berengetti was okay, and then caught the would-be crimelord easily. Berengetti asked Fixit not to kill Gold, simply so as not to spoil the night; he settled for humiliating Gold and making it clear that he was no match for Berengetti,[2] insisting that Gold should be leaving Las Vegas.[6]
The next day, Berengetti, still injured and bruised, went to see Fixit to make sure Fixit's mood improved.[6] However, Gold had not given up and instead hired the supervillain Absorbing Man to get revenge on Berengetti and Fixit.[2][6] Before the Absorbing Man arrived at the Coliseum, Gold telephoned Berengetti to give him another chance to surrender, which of course Berengetti rejected. Then the Absorbing Man tried to destroy the public area of the casino. Standard security guards tried to stop him, but failed. Berengetti called Fixit and, while Fixit arrived, attempted to stop the Absorbing Man himself with threats. The Absorbing Man was about to attack Berengetti when Fixit got in the way and they started fighting. Fixit took the fight outside, defeating the Absorbing Man at the Hoover Dam.[6] Gold's repeated failures caused his Maggia superiors to decide to assassinate Gold and deal with Berengetti personally, although Gold was attempting to prepare a new plan against Berengetti and had been told he would not get interference from them.[35]
Fixit's presence, meanwhile, helped increase Berengetti's power and expanded his businesses[1] while other casino owners suffered problems: Criminals and troublemakers, knowing that they could not prosper in the Coliseum because of Fixit's presence, frequented other casinos. Ralph Taylor of Comet Casino and seven other Las Vegas casino owners met in a clique and decided to demand that Berengetti share his profits with them, or they would get rid of Fixit with a military attack. When Berengetti did not give in, they sent several armed men to attack Fixit's suite. Fixit threw them to the casino pool and scared them away, but not before they destroyed his room. Understanding what had happened, Berengetti visited Fixit with Suzi, promising him a new room. Fixit wanted to pursue the men who had attacked him, but Berengetti subtly offered him an alternative: Instead, Fixit could take his date, Chandler, to the Comet Casino. As Berengetti had predicted, Fixit became enraged during his visit to the Comet and caused several damage there. Taylor and the rest of the casino owners decided to abandon that plan, stop giving Berengetti problems and resolve their difficulties individually.[3]
Maggia, second attempt: The Persuaders[]
Fixit disappeared for a week[1] after teaming up with Spider-Man, who was visiting Las Vegas, to stop hostile cyborgs who had attacked the Coliseum.[33][35] Neither Berengetti nor the rest of Fixit's associates in Las Vegas like Suzi or Chandler, knew where Fixit was,[4] but they assumed he would return: at the Coliseum, a telephone operator wrote down messages to give to him when he returned.[20] After several adventures,[36][37] Fixit was returned to the Nevada desert[38] and ran to his room in the Coliseum, where he entered discreetly using the elevator that Berengetti had installed for him[4] - but then, for the first time since his meeting with Berengetti, Mr. Fixit became Bruce Banner.[1][12]
Berengetti lost a tooth during Maggia's second attack
Meanwhile, Maggia attempted a new attack against Berengetti. They coerced companies associated with the Coliseum (suppliers, financiers, travel agents) to stop doing business with Berengetti under penalty of being attacked by Maggia. As for Fixit, armed men broke into his suite to kill him, but they did not find him because Banner, smaller than Fixit, was able to hide. Simultaneously, they caused an explosion in Berengetti's parked limousine, killing his driver, and a few moments later,[1] at Berengetti's house:[7] Berengetti and Suzi had been in the building but came out when they saw the car explosion, so they were narrowly saved; still the shock wave of the explosion caused them minor damage. Berengetti and Suzi went to the police station to testify, but Berengetti refused to cooperate when the police started talking about Maggia, and rejected police protection, although he decided not to go to the casino for the moment. Suzi proposed that they stay with her friend Chandler, and he accepted, both ignoring that Banner was sleeping in an adjoining room. A group of three armed Maggia thugs followed them there, with the explicit purpose of assassinating Berengetti as a message to other businessmen who resisted Maggia. Fortunately, Banner woke up and transformed into Fixit in time to stop the hitmen. However, Berengetti berated Fixit for his unreliability.[7] Fixit felt enormous pent-up rage, partly at Banner's return,[7][12] and yelled at Berengetti, although he failed to intimidate him. Finally, Fixit took the hitmen away, leaving Chandler's home[1] while Berengetti and Suzi left for a cheap hotel outside the city, so as not to use their credit cards because they feared that Maggia would track their movements. Fixit had asked Berengetti to save Fixit's tailored suits.[7]
Against Suzi's advice, Berengetti returned to his Casino, where his employee Jake informed him of the situation, and told him that he had been presumed dead. Berengetti visited Fixit's destroyed suite, and there Lieutenant Eileen Barnes, of the Metropolitan Police, spoke to him to subtly ask for his help. Neither Barnes nor Berengetti wanted Maggia in Las Vegas, so she told him that Maggia had organized a mandatory meeting for Berengetti's peers at the Royal Grand Hotel and Casino that same night, and that if Fixit could stop them there, the police would simply look the other way. Berengetti admitted that he and Fixit had argued, but decided to go himself to stop Maggia:[7] Berengetti was resisting Maggia.[32]
Michael Berengetti confronts the Maggia
At the Royal Grand, the Maggiosi had cowed the other casino owners and convinced them to accept usury terms in exchange for continuing to operate. Berengetti entered when the meeting had already started, and appealed for the unity of his colleagues, since Maggia couldn't do anything if all of them refused at once - but the other casino owners were too scared to join Berengetti. The Maggia leader mocked Berengetti and offered to let him leave alive since he had no influence. But another uninvited man then burst in: Mr. Fixit insisted that if Berengetti wanted Maggia to leave, Maggia would leave. The Maggiosi revealed a new surprise:[7] A dozen superhuman agents called Persuaders, created by Maggia's genetic engineering and strength enhancement division.[7][32] Fixit began to fight against the Persuaders, urging all non-superhumans to leave the room. The Maggia leader, again with sarcasm, bet 100 against 1 that Fixit would die in that fight, and Berengetti accepted the bet, putting the Coliseum and all its assets on the table to cover bets against Fixit, so as to show his confidence in him. Maggia accepted the bets, and the other casino owners joined in the gambling, while Fixit began defeating the Persuaders one by one; even the police started betting. Seeing that Fixit was recovering the advantage, the then-desperate Maggia leader tried to lower his odds from 100 to 1 to only 5 to 1, and even close the bets; but Berengetti made it clear that there was no stopping gambling in Las Vegas. There was a time when it seemed that the last Persuader had defeated Fixit, so the players asked Berengetti for their bets,[7] but Fixit proved to be the winner,[7][32] as did his boss and friend Berengetti. The Maggioso understood that his days were numbered because he had lost to Berengetti, while Berengetti took part of his winnings and went to dinner with Fixit.[7]
The gang war in Las Vegas, rumors of Berengetti's Maggia connections, and the mysterious superpowered enforcer working for him, attracted the attention of the Avengers West Coast, who decided to investigate further. Berengetti found out about it and sent Fixit to solve the situation before it became a problem. Berengetti provided Fixit with submachine guns powerful enough to shoot down a Quinjet in flight. Fixit convinced the Avengers that the situation in Las Vegas was under control - his control -[23] although Banner's presence was complicating Fixit's personal life and making him more irrational.[7][12] Despite this, Fixit collaborated with the authorities to arrest dangerous criminals who committed robberies in or near the Coliseum, or who endangered Berengetti's safety.[26]
Kingpin[]
The Kingpin of Crime decided to take advantage of the situation[26] to add Las Vegas to his own criminal empire.[39] His plan was to convince Berengetti that he could only keep Maggia out of Las Vegas if he allied with Kingpin; and then Kingpin would take over Berengetti's casino. Upon meeting with Berengetti in his office, however, Berengetti told Kingpin that Maggia was no longer a problem, so the Kingpin had lost leverage over him. Kingpin attempted to demonstrate his own power by smashing Berengetti's desk with his naked fist, and Fixit then demanded that Kingpin pay for the damages. Kingpin's bodyguard shot Fixit, who proved invulnerable, after which he threatened to shoot Berengetti. Spider-Man (who had decided to delay his trip back to New York after seeing Kingpin in Las Vegas)[note 1] infiltrated Berengetti's office and helped stop Kingpin and his thug, with Berengetti calmly watching. Fixit defeated Kingpin in personal combat and humiliated him before Berengetti into acknowledging that the meeting was over. When Kingpin left, however, all Berengetti, Fixit, and Spider-Man knew he would return, so Berengetti rewarded Spider-Man with a room and everything he wanted for as long as he decided to stay, insisting that they were in his city and things would be done as he said.[26] Spider-Man accepted, using the alias J. Jonah Jameson during his stay.[39]
Realizing that he had to get rid of Fixit to continue with his plans, Kingpin obtained a neurotoxin that would allow him to control Fixit. Kingpin met Fixit at a roulette wheel at the Coliseum, offering to hire him for double what Berengetti was paying him; feeling insulted, Fixit emptied a glass in Kingpin's face. Kingping then threw the toxin into Fixit's face and ordered him to destroy the casino and kill Berengetti; Fixit ran towards Berengetti, but Spider-Man saved the businessman using his web. Although Berengetti was reluctant to leave his business, Spider-Man convinced him that being there was dangerous as long as Fixit could not be controlled.[39] Given the situation, Berengetti left the city[14] while Spider-Man tried to solve the problem. As soon as Spider-Man discovered about the toxin,[40] he figured out how to stop it from affecting Fixit; and when Fixit recovered from his effects, Berengetti was called in to put him in check with a plan that included having Fixit take Spider-Man to his office as a supposedly unconscious prisoner.[14]
Mr. Berengetti with his enforcer and friend Mr. Fixit
Without hesitation, Kingpin occupied Berengetti's office and summoned five of Las Vegas' top casino owners to tell them that Berengetti had stepped aside, leaving Kingpin in charge of the Coliseum, and that the others had to pay Kingpin protection money against supervillains who came to cause trouble, specifically Electro and Rhino; the others knew that Kingpin had turned Fixit against Berengetti and that the villains were working for the Kingpin, and in fact Kingpin didn't even hide this last fact as he had the villains form around him like guards. Fixit entered the office, pretending to be Kingpin's slave and carrying the body of an apparently-defeated Spider-Man; that convinced the other businessmen to accept the Kingpin's conditions. Kingpin ordered Electro to unmask Spider-Man and, to his surprise, Spider-Man had painted his face with the same drawing as his mask. That gave him the initiative to knock out Electro, and then Berengetti entered his own office. Kingpin ordered Fixit to attack Berengetti, but Fixit instead sided with his friend, and Berengetti demanded that Kingpin leave. Kingpin attempted to use the toxin against Fixit again, only to find that it had no effect. A fight then began, and soon continued outside the small office. During it, Berengetti helped Spider-Man by giving him a lighter that Spider-Man used to put Electro in trouble.[14]
Count Nefaria, another leader of the Maggia, had assembled his own team of supervillains to get rid of Kingpin and his agents. They entered the Coliseum in time to join a three-way fight between Nefaria's, Kingpin's, and Berengetti's forces.[14] The Coliseum's security guards, armed with submachine guns, offered to join the fight, telling Berengetti they would not harm any client; but then Electro caused a blackout, and Berengetti didn't give them permission to join the battle.[13]
Ultimately, Kingpin decided that the operation had no guarantee of success and left Las Vegas in his limousine. When all the villains were defeated, Berengetti appeared with a flashlight and a phone, called Damage Control to make repairs, and agreed to give Fixit and Spider-Man the rest of the day off.[13]
Madripoor, Bone Marrow Management, and the Ralfzz[]
Berengetti learned that his former business partner,[8] the Don,[41] by then a powerful businessman based in Tahoe, was having difficulties with one of his current associates in Asia and offered to send Mr. Fixit to help him. The Don, without suggesting any involvement in illegal business, sent Mr. Fixit to find out if Nguyen Ngoc Coy, co-crimelord of Madripoor, was capable of fulfilling the conditions of their agreements.[8] Coy believed that the enforcer sent to Madripoor was to help him eliminate his rival, Tyger Tiger, but Coy's enemy, Patch, manipulated the situation so that Fixit destroyed Coy's illegal assets in Madripoor.[41] Patch had discovered that Berengetti and Fixit were not involved in illegal activities, and recognized Fixit as the the Hulk;[8] when Patch revealed to Fixit that Coy and the Don had lied to him to try to get him to help them in their crimes, Fixit was furious with Coy, threatening him for trying to tarnish Berengetti's good name. After that, Fixit returned to the United States, with the idea of "talking" to the Don about his scam attempt before returning to Las Vegas.[41]
Berengetti discovered that Suzi liked Brian Newman's music and, since Berengetti had sponsored Newman's race, he decided to surprise her by having Newman give a concert in the main room of the Coliseum for Suzi's birthday. Newman was then associated with the record label Bone Marrow Entertainment, which also owed Berengetti $109,000 plus delay-related interest. Berengetti sent Fixit to the Bone Marrow offices, and Fixit easily convinced Mr. Gruska to pay him. Gruska, however, proved unable to get Newman to abandon his self-imposed exile to give the concert and, just as Newman did not return Gruska's messages, Gruska fled to Europe for three months so as not to return Berengetti's calls. Berengetti sent Fixit to Santa Monica to meet with Newman and try to intimidate him into playing the Coliseum. Newman turned out to be a tougher man than Gruska, impressing Fixit with his attitude, and when Newman played the symphony he was composing, he convinced Fixit that Newman's work was worthwhile. Fixit called Berengetti and told him that Newman could only play for Berengetti when he finished his symphony, and that he should hire Wayne Newton for the birthday party. Berengetti was disappointed, but accepted.[11]
Berengetti next made an "investment research trip", in his words, visiting a military base in Nevada and meeting with a Dr. West, who had designed and developed experimental fortified rocket springs for ground warfare. An astronomer at the base's observatory, Dr. M.A. Forrest, called West during his meeting with Berengetti about an emergency: Forrest had detected a huge meteoroid approaching Earth on a collision course, and no missile could intercept it in time. West's machine might work, but they needed a person with legs strong enough to cover that distance. Berengetti politely convinced West that Fixit could do that job; and only because of Berengetti's extraordinary reliability did West accept. At Berengetti's request, Fixit volunteered, although he chose not to use a weapon the scientists provided him; once again, Berengetti insisted that it should all be left in his hands. Fixit took off in the Nevada desert, destroyed the meteoroid, and then established contact with the alien species Ralfzz who had altered the meteoroid's path, not knowing that Earth was inhabited. The Ralffs returned Fixit to the Nevada desert in a spaceship, where he was reunited with Berengetti and West.[15]
The New Fantastic Four[]
Noticing a rise of random crimes performed by the homeless Las Vegas community, going from muggings to random murders, Mr. Fixit summoned three of his superhero friends, Spider-Man, the Ghost Rider and Wolverine (previously known as Patch),[42] whom he had recently collaborated,[note 2] to Las Vegas, deciding to solve the matter at a city level before it escalated even more.[43]
Berengetti is eager to help Chandler, yet he also minds his manners
While Fixit and his associates investigated, an angry mob, victims of demonic possession, attacked the Coliseum, threatening its patrons with ad-hoc weapons and brutality. Berengetti personally joined his security guards and shot a man who was threatening Marlo Chandler, Fixit's girlfriend, with a bat; he disarmed him without wounding him - because he missed the shot. Berengetti then shot at the ceiling to scare away the attackers. He approached Chandler, whom she recognized as Suzi's friend and Fixit's girlfriend, and saw another woman, Chandler's roommate Mona, tending to her wounds. Berengetti politely introduced himself, and Mona wanted to explain what had happened, but Berengetti insisted that Chandler must be taken to the hospital first. Mona said that the streets were impassable, so Berengetti summoned Fixit with his cane to take Chandler. While Fixit was en route, Berengetti coordinated his security guards, asking them to shoot only to wound, but the next wave of madmen carried Uzis and were out for blood. Fortunately, Fixit arrived in time to drive them away. Berengetti prioritized Chandler's safety and had Fixit carry her and Mona to the hospital, while Berengetti led his guards to organize a defense.[44] Afterwards, Fixit and his associates battled a city-wide "hellquake", and prevailed, defeating the demon responsible.[44][45]
Maggia, third attempt: Nick Cloot[]
Ever since Fixit turned into Banner with the sunrise, he tried to minimize Banner's influence by sedating him during the daytime,[8] but Banner managed to mess up Fixit's life, spoiling Fixit's relationship with Chandler and making Fixit more unstable,[12] even if Banner admitted that Berengetti had become a good influence to prevent Fixit from being a menace. After Fixit had wreaked havoc on Maggia's plans,[46] the Maggiosi asked for help from a demonic creature, Nick Cloot, whose attempts at manipulation further agitated Fixit's mind.[22][47] Simultaneously, Glorian, a naïve reality-bending apprentice,[22][32][46] traveled to Las Vegas to try to give Fixit a illusion of his desires, but in his state Fixit was unwelcoming,[22][46] going so far as to hit Glorian in public before Chandler and Mona; Mona distrusted Fixit because of his work as a hitman for Berengetti, and Mona's influence on Chandler made Fixit's relationship with Chandler even more difficult.[47]
Cloot then tricked Glorian into betting his soul that he could turn Fixit into a good man in just 24 hours.[47][32] Glorian visited Berengetti in his office, stating that he worked for the Maggia and was worried that Fixit was becoming more and more unstable and may harm Berengetti and the city. Berengetti dismissed the warning and Glorian, but shortly afterwards he had a nightmare, induced by Cloot, in which Fixit lost his temper over a trifle and threatened Berengetti.[34] This was part of Cloot's plan, in which Glorian and he frightened Fixit's friends and associates[25][22] to separate Fixit from the life he loved, leading him down a path of perdition:[25] Fearing Fixit, Berengetti refused to speak to him at one point, and Chandler behaved similarly.[34] With that distrust, no one could offer friendship or guidance to Fixit in a time of need, which Glorian hoped to take advantage of to turn Fixit into a good person.[48]
Cloot turned the condemned soul of criminal Dennis Malloy into the monster Ghoul,[34] whom he convinced to attack Fixit as part of his plan. Fixit and the Ghoul fought in various locations in Las Vegas,[48] ending up in the Coliseum kitchen,[48][22] while Berengetti was informed that Fixit was eating ridiculously large amounts of food. Berengetti joined Fixit against the Ghoul, shooting the Ghoul repeatedly. The bullets failed to hurt the Ghoul, but distracted him, allowing Fixit to regain the initiative.[48] Fixit impaled and locked the Ghoul in the meat freezer, defeating him.[48][22] Fixit explained to Berengetti how to extract the Ghoul, and Berengetti then fired him,[48] much to Fixit's surprise and anger.[25] Berengetti accused Fixit of attracting too much trouble[25][12][18][19][21] including super-powered enemies, and also of disappearing for days without warning.[12][25] Berengetti also revealed that he had discovered that Fixit was the Hulk. Enraged, Fixit yelled at Berengetti and grabbed him by the lapels, but even then he tried to convince him that there would be no more fights with super-powered people. However, Glorian appeared to ask Fixit for help, and Fixit reacted by attacking him. Fixit was forced to agree with Berengetti,[25] but out of pride he resigned instead of accepting that Berengetti could fire him.[25][12]
Abandoning the Joe Fixit identity for the moment,[49] the Hulk saved Glorian from Cloot[32][25][22] and in the process maintained the style that Berengetti had taught him and insisted that Cloot refer to the city like Las Vegas. Under the terms of the Hulk's victory, the Maggia left Las Vegas permanently.[25] The Hulk returned to his room at the Coliseum, where he spent at least one more night,[49] before leaving town;[50] he had to acknowledge that his job had been to protect the Coliseum and instead he had achieved the opposite,[48] even if it hadn't all been his fault. Berengetti had fired him, and the Hulk agreed it was best to leave.[31] He went to Los Angeles,[50] where he collaborated with Iron Man to deliver a new blow to Maggia;[50][32] saw Chandler once again, and moved to Yucca Flats,[51] where he would end up joining the superhuman group Pantheon.[52][53] Berengetti, meanwhile, admitted to Suzi that he really loved Fixit and that firing him was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. No longer after that, Berengetti married Suzi, who adopted his surname.[5]
Death[]
Berengetti is murdered
Berengetti had thrived before meeting Fixit, and did not consider him an essential asset,[7] although he did consider him a friend.[5] However, some of Berengetti's enemies had been waiting for the moment when Fixit was no longer available to protect Berengetti, for them to attack him.[31] One of these enemies was Sam Striker, owner of the Camelot Hotel and Casino, who aspired to become the undisputed top man in Las Vegas by eliminating Berengetti;[5] once he had killed Berengetti, he assumed, the rest of the Las Vegas businessmen would fall into line.[54] For the hit, Striker hired the superhuman freelance hitman Frost,[5] who had gained extraordinary strength and could generate extreme cold thanks to an android body to which the Leader had attached Frost's head.[55][56] By Striker's order and using a high-powered weapon technology, Frost shot Berengetti[5] several times in a garage.[31] Frost claimed that Berengetti had died crying for his mother, but this could be a lie. As next of kin, Suzi, now Mrs. Berengetti, inherited all of her husband's assets, including the casino and her business.[5]
Berengetti's funeral took place in Las Vegas, with Mrs. Berengetti and Mona in attendance; Chandler had moved and could not travel at the time, instead sending an apology. The priest who officiated the ceremony had not met Berengetti in person. The vigilante Punisher had arrived in Las Vegas on Frost's trail to stop him, and infiltrated the funeral.[5] The Hulk learned of his friend's brutal death right after a mission for the Pantheon in the Himalayas,[57][58] and traveled to Las Vegas to investigate, accompanied by several of his new Pantheon associates,[57]Hector, Paris, and Ulysses.[58][5]
Immediately after the funeral, Striker and her thugs attempted to intimidate Mrs. Berengetti into handing over her husband's private files; she told Striker that her husband would have sent him to hell, and so did she. Striker explained that several Coliseum employees had let him in because they recognized him as the next winner, and that Mrs. Berengetti was without protectors; and then the Hulk arrived, again adopting the name Joe Fixit, with his associates, as a contender for the position Striker coveted. Fixit chased Striker's people away, and Mrs. Berengetti greeted him warmly, thanking him for his presence and honoring the memory of her late husband. The arrival of the imposing Fixit harmed Striker's plan, so he decided to eliminate him.[5] Fixit and his allies teamed up with Punisher[5][58] and Lieutenant Louisa Sanchez[54] of the Las Vegas police to arrest Striker, leading him into bragging about murdering Berengetti.[58][54] In the operation, Striker was wounded in the leg by the Punisher, Frost was identified as non-human and exploded in combat against the Hulk, and Punisher escaped.[54] Fixit said goodbye to Mrs. Berengetti on good terms[59] and returned to the Pantheon base.[59][12][57][58]
Mrs. Berengetti continued to be the owner of the Coliseum, accustomed to dealing with difficult people, including superhumans, as a matter of routine.[60] The Hulk for his part would remember Berengetti as the father figure he had needed,[30][31] and so he told to his psychoanalyst Doc Samson.[30] Later, the Hulk visited Below-Place, a layer in Hell inhabited by "Qlippoths", echoes of the dead used to torment the living. One of these Qlippoths was a representation of Michael Berengetti, who repeated several of the lines the real Berengetti had told Fixit. Admitting to his travel companion Jackie McGee how important Berengetti had been to him, the Hulk followed the qlippoth to the lair of the One Below All.[31]
Personality
Michael Berengetti was smart both in brain and in appearance: He became the most important casino owner in Las Vegas, gambling capital of the world,[2] keeping at bay his direct competitors;[3] and he was rarely seen unless he was in his tasteful business clothes, typically a three-piece white suit including a double-breasted jacket with matching trousers and hat, white gloves, and a walking cane; frequently he used a pin for his tie, a pochette, and a boutonnière. He was usually well shaven, with a trimmed moustache,[2] and rarely allowed himself to sweat in public.[7] He also demanded the same careful appearance to his[2] well-trained, loyal employees,[13] who were rarely unsatisfied working for Berengetti as he was generous to those working for him,[1] and unrelenting to those challenging him or his assets.[7] While Berengetti called many of his employees by their first names, thus showing them respect by remembering them, he himself was addressed by his surname or the abbreviation "Mr. B." by everyone but the closest to him, including his trusted enforcer Mr. Fixit.[13]
Joe Fixit regarded Berengetti as his father
Berengetti had an international reputation of integrity, refusing to get involved in illegal activities.[8] He was reluctant to kill, or to allow one of his men to kill,[2][1][44] unless strictly needed, in which case he'd be willing to perform the deed[44] knowing that he, like the other managers in Las Vegas, was in good terms with the police.[2] If lethal force was required, Berengetti insisted that civilian casualties had to be avoided.[13] Although Berengetti was by no means a superb fighter, he was not afraid to take personal risks, especially if it meant protecting others;[2][44] after all, he would remind others, his business was gambling.[7] Berengetti was known to love Las Vegas, enjoying a walk down the Strip when possible;[5] he also loved (and was recriprocated by) his fiancée, later wife, Suzi,[5] going to great lengths to keep her both happy[11] and safe.[7] Lastly, he became a father figure for Mr. Fixit by becoming one of the few people who had ever worried about the latter, checking whether Fixit was in need or not, and giving Fixit not only a job, a roof and a life, but also a name, something that Fixit would never forget.[30][31]
He prioritized the well-being of people, even casual acquaintances, over personal gain,[44][40] and sought to behave with the elegance expected of a gentleman,[44] being cordial even with people he openly despised;[2][26] if refinement slipped, he did not hesitate to apologize.[1] His patience was tested when dealing with people involved in organized crime, whom he did criticize to their face, and when he had to deal with someone who lacked style but pretended to have it; Berengetti would not disrespect a desperate gambler for having lost money in his casino; but he would insult wealthy scoundrels who tried to threaten him,[2] especially if they committed the lapsus linguae of referring to his city as "Vegas": In that case, Berengetti would remind them that the name of the city is Las Vegas.[2][31]
Attributes
Abilities
Michael Berengetti was a successful entrepreneur and casino owner, considered the first among his peers.[2] He took matters personally, checking the accountability of his own business,[34] while making sure he was informed about the businesses of other managers, from the main casino owners in Las Vegas,[3] to businesses in Las Vegas,[14] to companies involved in illegal activities in other cities. Adamantly uncompromising, Berengetti was known as a tough man who could keep his cool in dangerous situations, both when facing an armed person and when being beaten by his enemies; Berengetti was able to withstand physical torture.[2] He was also known for his foresight to define ways to get out of difficult situations, while keeping his attitude as a gambler. While impecably elegant most of the time, Berengetti was not afraid to work with his own hands, either as a croupier[7] or getting involved in violence.[44]
A powerful, courageous enemy to his enemies,[1][7] Berengetti was also seen as a fair, generous employer, who addressed several of his employees by their first name[2] and typically allowed them to have a free afternoon[13] for family matters if needed;[7] he was also able to find and recruit valuable people easily.[26]
In other skills, Berengetti was trained to shoot a handgun with some accuracy,[44] and could eat with chopsticks. He had a good hearing and could identify the sounds of a sleeping person in an adjacent room.[1]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
A hidden button in his cane allowed Berengetti to summon Mr. Fixit
Berengetti frequently carried a walking cane with a golden lion's head as its handle. This piece had a hidden button that allowed Berengetti to summon his most powerful enforcer, Mr. Fixit,[2][44] through a beeper Fixit carried with him. The cane gave Fixit Berengetti's position for him to track.[2]
Berengetti had the key of Mr. Fixit's personal suite in the Coliseum.[6]
Berengetti carried a lighter with him.[14] He was never seen smoking, but in a business trips, he held a thin item with his mouth that did not generate any smoke.[15]
Weapons
Berengetti sometimes used a gilded handgun, and was a fairly proficient shot with it.[44] Most of the times, however, he used professional hired security for his protection.[2][44]
Transportation
Berengetti moved in a limo with a professional chauffeur,[2]Stephen - but the Maggia destroyed the vehicle and murdered Stephen.[1]
In Marvel Comics Presents #52, Berengetti looks very different than his usual self
story "Kids Will Be Kids", the character identified as Berengetti does not look like his other appearances: This person seems to be taller, thinner, and balder, and lacks Berengetti's trademark moustache. He also holds a thin item with his mouth which does not seem to generate any smoke, so it may be a lollipop.
Michael Berengetti famously preferred to call the city "Las Vegas" instead of simply "Vegas", and would remind that to the people he spoke with[2][31] - unless Mr. Fixit was around, in which case Fixit would do the correction.[1][25][5][30]
Berengetti enjoyed the 1949 movie Mighty Joe Young. As the titular ape had became one of his favorite big gorillas, Berengetti nicknamed his mysterious employee Mr. Fixit with the character's name, Joe.[6] Later in life, "Joe Fixit" (really the Incredible Hulk) would be appreciative of Berengetti fatherly giving him a name.[30]
Michael Berengetti committed no crimes since at least the time he hired Joe Fixit,[8] but he was sometimes described as a mobster.[39] If he committed any crimes before meeting Fixit, those have not been revealed.
Berengetti's high-ceiling[2] office had a desk without computers, as he worked with paper-based documents.[34] He decorated the wall with old weapons.[2] His name was on a plate hanging from the wall to the right of the door, not on the door itself.[14]
Used to the comforts of his own, luxurious casino and his home, Berengetti frowned at the idea of staying in cheap out-of-town hotels, complaining in particular about the effect of the low-quality mattress on his back. He would go to those hotels if needed, but he would complain.[7]
In his first encounter with organized crime syndicate Maggia, Berengetti refused to shake Maggioso Harry's hand, whom he had just met.[2] Later, when meeting the Kingpin of Crime, it was Kingpin who refused to shake Berengetti's hand.[26]
Although Mona was one of his girlfriend's close friends, Michael hadn't met her in person for a long time.[44]
When Berengetti fired Fixit after Maggia's third attempt on Las Vegas, Berengetti revealed to have known that Fixit was the Hulk, suggesting that he knew since the moment he hired him ("You think I didn't do some research when I found a super-strong gray bruiser in the middle of the desert?", referencing the moment they met).[25] However, during Maggia's second attempt on him, Berengetti seemed to not know why Fixit wanted Berengetti to have Fixit's oversized suits with him (It was because Fixit changed to Banner's smaller size form, and Banner could not handle the suits, which people familiar with the Hulk would know about);[7] although Berengetti did know that Fixit could give a several-kilometer leap.[61]
↑Berengetti's encounter with Kingpin takes place shortly after the Warzone saga, when Peter Parker is visiting Las Vegas to publicize his book; when Parker was about to return to New York after that, he saw Kingpin arriving and decided to stay. However, the Warzone story ends with Fixit encountering Dr. Doom, which immediately leads to Fixit traveling to New York, participating in the Evolutionary War, and returning to Las Vegas only after a week (as seen in Incredible Hulk #353) and the encounter with Kingpin can take place only after that. It seems strange that Parker spends an entire week in Las Vegas (or at least the Nevada area) publicizing his book.
↑The story in New Fantastic Four takes place with the Hulk working for Berengetti, and after the Hulk's stint with the New Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #347-349 (December 1990-February 1991). Although this was published after the Hulk stopped working for Berengetti in Incredible Hulk #359 (September 1989), the story of the Hulk's two collaborations with the New Fantastic Four have to take place with the Hulk in Berengetti's payroll; and after the Hulk's stay in Madripoor in Wolverine (Vol. 2) #7-8 because in that story, the Hulk is trying to hide his identity from Wolverine/Patch, and in Fantastic Four #347, the Hulk does not mind being recognized by Wolverine.
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