Steel Claw
Louis Crandell
| Fighting |
Excellent |
| Agility |
Remarkable |
| Strength |
Excellent |
| Endurance |
Excellent |
| Reason |
Good |
| Intuition |
Good |
| Psyche |
Excellent |
| Health |
90 |
| Karma |
36 |
| Resources |
Not Applicable |
| Popularity |
0 |
Powers
- Invisibilty. Steel Claw containing a different weapon in each finger, the Claw was also remote controlled.
Talents
None
Contacts
None
History
Louis Crandell was the assistant to the scientist Professor Barringer, until a laboratory accident in which he lost his right hand inches below the wrist. He then used a prosthetic metal hand to substitute his lost limb. In another laboratory accident with a new ray, if he received an electric shock he would become invisible for a limited period of time with the exception of his artificial hand.
Crandell used his new found gift initially to steal and become a psychotic criminal. So much so that in early strips he was clearly a villain, or anti-hero, but later decided to use it to crime fighting. (it was explained that the laboratory accident that made it possible for him to become invisible had temporary made him insane). He joined a British secret service and espionage agency known as the Shadow Squad. Armed with his steel claw, which by now was equipped with a variety of weapons and tools in each finger as well as his power of invisibility, Louis Crandell battled various criminal geniuses, aliens and the organisation known as F.E.A.R. (the Federation for Extortion, Assassination and Rebellion).
Louis Crandell briefly donned a superhero outfit for a time during his adventures, this was not to last long though and Crandell returned to his secret agent roots. By now his Claw was remote controlled and stacked full of gadgets. After retiring from the Shadow Squad, Louis Crandell became a detective and then a bounty hunter before distrust of his past eventually led him to go to South America, where he would continue to fight crime.
When The Steel Claw was reprinted by Quality Comics, a framing sequence featured Crandell (called Randell in this version) as an aging secret agent reflecting on his early criminal career. His appearance in Zenith saw him disabled during battle. This was followed by his appearance in 2000AD Action where Crandell was portrayed as a burnt out government assassin.
In Paul Grist's comic Jack Staff, a character called Ben Kulmer appears as The Claw. This character is a thief who tries to steal the claw from a museum, only to have it attach itself to his left hand and then receive the same invisibility powers, as well as added strength and shock powers in the claw. He is now working as part of a group called "Q".
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