Crimson Commando

History

As the Crimson Commando, Frank Bohannon was one of a trio of World War II veteran super-heroes recruited to be a member of Freedom Force, the original government-sponsored mutant team.

Earlier, along with his partners, Stonewall and Super Sabre, Commando had become a vigilante who captured criminals, released them and hunted them in the wilderness of upstate New York. The trio killed the criminals, both to reduce the criminal element in society and for the enjoyment of hunting them.

Creation

Crimson Commando first appearance was in Marvel Comics’ series The Uncanny X-Men #215 – “Old Soldiers“. He was created by artist Alan Davis and writer Chris Clearmont.

Out of Retirement: Freedom Force

Mistaking Storm (the leader of the X-Men) for a criminal, the trio captured and hunted her. When Storm and Wolverine eventually defeated the trio, Stonewall and Crimson Commando agreed to turn themselves in to law enforcement authorities and confess their vigilantism. Stonewall, Crimson Commando, and Super Sabre agreed to join the government supported group Freedom Force.

The Crimson Commando had the unusual ability to act without thought, making it impossible to lock on to him psychically.

Last Freedom Force Mission

Gravely wounded during a mission in the Middle East by the group Desert Sword, he was turned into a cyborg and became a solo government operative, renamed Cyborg X and eventually rechristened Commando.

Cyborg X

Cyborg X was a soldier critically wounded in combat. He gave Care Labs the authority to rebuild his body and save his life.

Due to a programming glitch, the mind of Cyborg X relived his final battle unable to tell the difference between memory and present reality. He went into a rampage stopped by Spider-Man and Ghost Rider. Later realizing what the problem was Cyborg X sought aide from Spidey, finding him injured. He took him to care labs for assistance. Then the Labs were attacked by the incomplete Sinister Six (Dr. Octopus, Electro, Hobgoblin, Mysterio, Vulture). The Cyborg was presumed killed.

He’s Back

On a mission for Project Wide Awake he worked along his former partner in Freedom Force Avalanche in an attempt to infiltrate the reclusive Empyrean‘s headquarters and put his operation out of commission. They were also ordered by a rogue government official to assassinate Polaris of X-Factor.

Commando was not seen for quite some time after this but did appear in the reality-altered House of M storyline. He was serving as one of Magneto‘s royal guards and looked much as he had before surgery to become a cyborg. After Decimation it is found that he had lost his mutant powers and that the cybernetic enhancements were threatening to pull his body apart. After finding out the existence of Hope and her being able to give other mutants their powers Frank hunted her down and kidnapped her while she was shopping with Idie and Transonic. Taking her to a hidden base he began threatening to kill her if she doesn’t give him back his powers eventually Hope is saved by Wolverine and they both run off into the nearby forest. Frank again tries to threaten Hope only to find the cut that he dealt her earlier to be healing Wolverine then attacks Frank and a couple of Frank’s back-up guards it is unknown if Frank survived Wolverines attack.

Powers and Abilities

Commando was formally a mutant whose power is similar to the physical enhancements granted by Captain America’s super-soldier treatments. More specifically, his mutant powers had kept his body at the peak of human physical perfection (though below superhuman levels). He was also able to shield his mind from telepathic detection, and an experienced hand to hand combatant.

He also has cybernetic enhancement including a right arm transformed into a gun. Which currently is threatening to rip his body apart since losing his powers.