Paibok

Paibok
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Fantastic Four #358 (November 1991)
Created by	Tom DeFalco Paul Ryan Danny Bulanadi
In-story information
Species	Enhanced Skrull
Team affiliations	Annihilation Wave Fearsome Foursome New Revengers
Notable aliases	The Power Skrull Paul Balk
Abilities	Superhuman strength, stamina, durability, speed, and agility Flight Shapeshifting Hypnotic gaze Electric and ice projection Metal mimicry

Paibok the Power Skrull is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a foe of the Fantastic Four.

Publication history

Paibok's first appearance was in Fantastic Four #358 (November 1991); he was created by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan and Danny Bulanadi.

Fictional character biography

Paibok was born on the planet Tarnax IV, in the Tarnax System in the Andromeda Galaxy. His home planet was part of the Skrull Empire, but has since been destroyed. Paibok was trained at the Skrullian military academy, and became am espionage agent and captain in the Skrull armed forces.

Lyja and Alicia

The Skrull Empire seeks a way to defeat the Fantastic Four, who have handed them multiple defeats. Paibok suggests a subtle plan: replacing the Fantastic Four's associate Alicia Masters with Lyja, a Skrull spy and Paibok's former lover. Lyja successfully impersonates Alicia and the real Alicia is held prisoner by Paibok.

Eventually the Fantastic Four realize what had happened and come in search of Alicia. They confront Paibok on 'War World'. Paibok, now calling himself the "Power Skrull" after being augmented in a manner similar to the Super-Skrull, is prepared for the encounter and almost defeats the Fantastic Four and Lyja.

Lyja seemingly sacrifices her life to protect the Human Torch and the Thing finally defeats Paibok. He is left for dead, buried under fallen rubble.^[1]

The Fearsome Foursome

Paibok survived the battle and recovered Lyja's body. Seeking revenge on the Fantastic Four, he encountered Devos the Devastator, another alien who had clashed with them, and the two formed an alliance.^[2] Devos was able to revive Lyja, and Paibok and Devos altered Lyja's genetic structure, granting her the power of flight and the ability to project lethal energy blasts. Together, the three traveled to Earth to battle the Fantastic Four again.^[3]

Arriving on earth, they isolated and attacked the Human Torch in New York City, forcing him to use his Nova Flame against them — a move which then led to his arrest for damage to the surroundings. A second attack confused and aggravated the situation, leaving the Human Torch a fugitive from the police.^[4] Alongside Devos and Lyja, Paibok witnessed the battle between the Fantastic Four and an alternate Fantastic Four. Paibok was betrayed by Lyja when she again joined the conflict and abandoned Paibok and sided with the Fantastic Four.^[5] Alongside Devos, Paibok attacked the Human Torch during his trial.^[6]

Undeterred, Paibok and Devos recruited new allies — Klaw and Huntara — and the quartet continued their attacks on the Fantastic Four, becoming known as the Fearsome Foursome. Eventually they were able to capture their foes (including Lyja) and returned to the Skrull Throneworld to present the captives to the Empress.^[7]

Paibok's triumph was short-lived, though — once on Throneworld he discovered that Devos was a wanted criminal, a renegade with a price on his head and an entire world under his command. Devos promptly summoned his troops, took personal command of his flagship (the Death Cruiser) and attempted to destroy Throneworld. The Empress blamed Paibok for this and repaid him by ordering his death.^[8]

Seeking to redeem himself, Paibok made his way on board the Death Cruiser and confronted Devos. The ship's stardrive was damaged during their confrontation and the cruiser fell into subspace — Devos and Paibok were both believed lost along with the ship.^[9]

Freakshow

Paibok somehow escaped from subspace and struck a deal with Centaurian scientists to enhance his powers. Their treatment succeeded — but also affected his appearance, leaving him in a cadaverous, zombie-like form. Still viewed as a traitor, he fled to Earth and assembled a band of Skrull renegades.^[10]

Disguised as Paul Balk, the owner of a traveling freakshow, Paibok located and tried to capture an immature Watcher, a plan that led to clashes with the Thing and a band of Kree.^[11] The attempt failed and he was captured by the Kree, who left Earth shortly afterwards with Paibok as their prisoner.^[12]

Earthfall

Paibok was next seen as one of the few convicts to survive when the prison transport vessel Dredge 01 crashed on its way to Kyln.^[13] The prison ship crashed on Earth, near the town of Coot's Bluff in Alaska, and Paibok immediately took command of the other survivors (Lunatik and the Blood Brothers) in an attempt to salvage the wrecked ship's technology and escape the planet. Paibok's plan also involved taking control of Coot's Bluff and using the terrified population as slave labor — something which brought his renegades into conflict with the only other survivor of the crash, Drax the Destroyer.^[14]

Initially, Paibok and his allies defeated Drax, leaving him for dead. However, Drax somehow recovered — and then hunted down his attackers, killing Lunatik and one of the Blood Brothers. Paibok's escape plan was abandoned and, faced with death at the hands of a vengeful Drax, he activated a distress beacon that he had secretly salvaged from the wreck — summoning another ship and surrendering himself to the authorities who had previously imprisoned him.^[15]

Annihilation

See also: Annihilation (comics)

Paibok later reappears fighting for Annihilus and his allies, as part of the Annihilation Wave.^[16] Following the death of Annihilus, the parasites injected into Paibok to force his obedience cease functioning. He briefly joins forces with Terrax and the Delinquent to kill Randau the Space Parasite, a being that had been slaughtering innocents. After the battle, which ends with the destruction of the planet by Terrax, he convinces the addled Delinquent to craft a spaceship. They return to what remains of the Skrull Empire.^[17]

All-New, All-Different Marvel

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel, Paibok appears as a member of the Maker's New Revengers.^[18]

Powers and abilities

As a Skrull, Paibok possesses heightened physical malleability, an innate racial ability to shapeshift. He is a graduate from the Skrull military academy, as well as an expert in all forms of armed and unarmed combat known to his own species. Paibok can access advanced Skrull technology, such as warp drive starships or ranged energy weapons. As the Power Skrull, Paibok has a set of additional powers due to bionic re-engineering on Tarnax IV. He also possesses immense physical abilities, supersonic flight, organic metal transformation, cryokinesis, electrokinesis, and hypnotism. Paibok wears body armor of unspecified materials.^[19]

In other media

Paibok appears as a mini-boss in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Khary Payton.

References

1. Fantastic Four #358 (November 1991). Marvel Comics.
2. Fantastic Four #366. Marvel Comics.
3. Fantastic Four Vol 1 #390 (July 1994)
4. Fantastic Four #369-372. Marvel Comics.
5. Fantastic Four #374. Marvel Comics.
6. Fantastic Four #377. Marvel Comics.
7. Fantastic Four Vol 1 #382 (November 1993)
8. Fantastic Four Vol 1 #383 (December 1993)
9. Spider-Man/Human Torch Vol 1 #5 (July 2005)
10. Thing: Freakshow #3 (October 2002). Marvel Comics.
11. Thing: Freakshow #1 (August 2002). Marvel Comics.
12. Thing: Freakshow #4 (November 2002). Marvel Comics.
13. Drax the Destroyer #1 (September 2005). Marvel Comics.
14. Drax the Destroyer Vol 1 #2 (December 2005)
15. Drax the Destroyer #4 (January 2006). Marvel Comics.
16. Annihilation #1 (October 2006).
17. Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus #1 (April 2007). Marvel Comics.
18. New Avengers vol. 4 #6. Marvel Comics.
19. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Vol 1 #8 (June 2009)