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Copperhead
Personal Info:
Real Name: Lawrence Chesney
Also Known As: No known Alias
Place Of Birth: New York City, New York
First Appearance: Daredevil Vol.1 #124 (1975) Bronze Age Villain
Known Associates: Stilt-Man, Owl, Gladiator
Group Affiliation: Leader of the Gang of Four
Base Of Operations: New York City
Grudges: Daredevil
Creators: Len Wein and Gene Colan
Gallery:

Powers:

Demonic Abilities: After becoming a supernaturally-powered being, Copperhead had undefined mystical powers. He could apparently strike bargains with others and alter their physical and psychological attributes, raise the dead as zombies, and cause mental anguish and hallucinations in others. It is unclear whether or not he has greater powers allowing him to manipulate matter and energy because of his ability to cause hallucinations. He could also open portals to a hell-like dimension.

Guns: Copperhead carried pneumatically-powered copper pistols, from which he fired copperhead-venom or tranquilizer darts, and could use the pneumatic capsules from his weaponry to blow open locks.

Body Armour: Copperhead wore a bulletproof suit of copper armour, which gives some protection from physical attacks.

Initially, Lawrence Chesney used a set of weaponry modelled after that of the pulp hero Copperhead.

Enhanced Abilities: Copperhead has super human strength, endurance and durability.

Origins:

Lawrence Chesney's father was the model for the painted covers of a series of pulp novels centering around the vigilante Copperhead. In the stories, Copperhead was Richard Crandall, a socialite disfigured by acid who then created the equipment and weaponry of Copperhead. Crandall occasionally killed criminals in self-defense, and leaving pennies on their eyes. Chesney's father gradually went insane, and identified himself with the fictional vigilante. Lawrence Chesney grew up listening to and believing his father's tales of being the Copperhead, and of being cheated out of the money from the pulp novels.

Lawrence Chesney grew up to work at an art museum, restoring great works of the past.

At some point, publisher Martin Foster struck a deal with the publisher and author of the Copperhead stories, Milton Wexler and Walter Krantz, to reprint the stories in paperback form. Chesney, hearing of this, decided to take on the identity of Copperhead to seek vengeance. Outfitted as Copperhead, Chesney murdered Krantz, and also began imitating the vigilante character by killing various petty criminals in New York City, leaving pennies on their eyes. This attracted the attention of Daredevil, who began investigating the killings and soon found himself battling Copperhead after the latter started murdering members of two youth gangs.

Notes:

Copperhead at Marvel Universe: The Appendix

Copperhead at Comic Vine

Copperhead at WriteUp's.Org