History
Sam Striker was the owner of the Camelot Hotel and Casino[1] and the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.[2] He was a businessman rival to Michael Berengetti, owner of the Coliseum Casino,[1] and one of his worst enemies.[3] Although Striker was a criminal and wanted to be the The most powerful man in Las Vegas,[1] did not dare take action directly against Berengetti as long as Berengetti had adequate protection, which included the super-powered enforcer Mr. Fixit;[3] Striker did not know Fixit's name, but he knew that Berengetti was well protected.[1]
After Fixit stopped working for Berengetti,[4] Striker hired the superpowered freelance hitman Frost[1] as his main enforcer in the city,[5][6] yet Striker had many other men at his command.[1] Striker sent Frost to assassinate Berengetti on his orders.[2][7] The widow, Suzi Berengetti, inherited the Coliseum and other businesses from her husband, but Striker hoped to intimidate her into giving him everything. During her funeral, Striker convinced several Coliseum employees that he was going to be the city's next top man, so that they would let him into Berengetti's private offices, possibly to conduct industrial espionage. His presence there surprised Mrs. Berengetti when she returned with her friend Mona. Striker asked Mrs. Berengetti to hand over her husband's private files and bank accounts, saying that Michael Berengetti would have wanted Striker to keep them. Mrs. Berengetti, who knew Striker, told him to go to hell and insulted him, but Striker saw that she had no one who could protect her and mocked her. Then Berengetti's former protector, Mr. Fixit, arrived, accompanied by his own entourage of thugs, claiming that Fixit, not Striker, was the top man in Las Vegas. Striker sent his goons after Fixit, but Fixit easily got rid of them. He was not so lucky with Frost, whose superhuman strength was comparable to Fixit's, but Fixit intimidated Striker, convincing him to back down. Striker, choosing his battles, decided to retreat and suggested that he had been only offering her help to her widow but, if she didn't want it, he would leave.[1]
Fixit's sudden arrival brought attention that Striker wanted for himself, and Striker decided to get rid of Fixit before continuing his plans. At the same time, one of Fixit's men, Paris, who had empathic powers, said he had sensed such happiness and self-satisfaction in Striker during their encounter, that he was convinced that Striker had murdered Berengetti; and Fixit had gone to Las Vegas to solve the murder of his friend Berengetti.[1] During his investigation, Fixit allied himself with the vigilante Punisher,[8][2] who was hot on Frost's trail,[1] and with detective Louisa Sanchez, of LVPD,[2] to lure out Striker and Frost with a fake drug buy.[2][9]
As part of that plan, Paris visited Striker in the Excalibur, falsely saying that he wanted to join Striker's people because he expected Striker would defeat Fixit. To convince Striker, he told him that Fixit was going to receive a shipment of illegal drugs (provided by Punisher) at the Acme Storage warehouse over on 5th, at 10:00 p.m., and that Fixit was going to be there, so Striker could notify the police and have Fixit arrested. Paris had to go to the operation, so that Fixit wouldn't get suspicious, but Paris was counting on Striker to use his influence after him to get him out of jail. However, Striker decided that, instead, he would have his people attack the operation to kill Fixit, and keep the drugs and money. In reality, the drugs were just cremora, the provider "Frank Tower" was the Punisher in disguise, and several LVPD agents would be hiding in the warehouse, waiting for Striker to confess to Berengetti's murder.[2]
That night, Striker had Frost take compromising photos of Fixit with the drugs, revealed his presence, and demanded the drugs and money, or he would turn the photos over to the police. Fixit pretended to be on the ropes, and Striker began talking about how he could Fixit as he had killed Berengetti; Fixit convinced him to give details by accusing him of being too cowardly to kill him in person, and Striker admitted Frost had done the deed, identifying the gun; when the police had enough information, they revealed themselves. Frost initiated a shootout against the police, during which Striker was wounded in the right leg, just over the knee, but Fixit and his allies had superpowers that protected the police officers. Fixit and Frost continued their fight outside the warehouse, causing damage to Striker's Camelot Hotel. When the shooting ended, Paris kicked Striker's bleeding leg,[2] after which Striker was arrested;[2][5][6] Frost was presumed dead.[2]Attributes
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Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Incredible Hulk #395
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Incredible Hulk #396
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Immortal Hulk #50
- ↑ Incredible Hulk #359
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #4 ; Gamma Corps' profile
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 World War Hulk: Gamma Files #1 ; Gamma Mutates' profile
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #8 ; Pantheon's profile
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Hulk 2004 #1 ; Pantheon's profile
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #5 ; Hulk's profile