Origin
As a youth, Axl Nacht discovered a picture of the Nazi spy and super-soldier Warrior Woman and immediately fell in love with her. Hoping that one day he could win her over and together they would usher in a new age of glory for Germany, Nacht obsessively devoted his life to trying to find some way to find her. By the time he was an adult, Nacht had amassed a small fortune which he invested in experiments to recreate the same formula that created Master Man so that he could receive it in order to become a suitable partner for Warrior Woman.
Creation
Gotteskrieger was created by John Byrne and first appeared in Namor the Sub-Mariner #11.
Character Evolution
After adopting the Master Man identity and battling against Namor and the Invaders, Axl Nacht resurfaced years later in The New Invaders with a new costume calling himself Gotteskrieger as a member of Axis Mundi. Gotteskrieger hasn’t been seen since but allegedly still remains at large operating alongside Axis Mundi. Since then, a new Master Man has been introduced who has begun dating Warrior Woman. Although no mention has been given whatsoever to Nacht, there’s no reason to assume that he isn’t still at large – particularly since he was no longer using the Master Man identity himself.
Major Story Arcs
Return of the Invaders
Locating the cryogenically preserved Warrior Woman, Nacht discovered that she had remained uncared for since the 60s and couldn’t be revived without causing major brain damage. Nacht tracked down the original Master Man and, playing on the Nazi’s own affection for Warrior Woman, convinced him to help restore Warrior Woman.
Nacht devised a plan to capture the Human Torch hoping that the Torch’s blood could revive Warrior Woman in a similar manner to how it had previously done so for the Invader known as Spitfire in the past. Master Man was dispatched to L.A. to ambush and kidnap the Human Torch but began to suspect Nacht had his own motives and desires towards the woman he loved.
When Master Man brought the Torch to Nacht, Nacht was able to restore her just in time to battle Namor who had recognized Master Man and followed him back to Nacht’s lab. Nacht, Master Man and Warrior Woman quickly subdued Namor, but unbeknownst to them Namorita contacted the other former members of the Invaders and clued them in on what had happened to her cousin and the Human Torch.
As Captain America, Spitfire and Union Jack arrived to free Human Torch and Namor, Master Man began to discover his own powers were fading and he was left a frail man. Capitalizing on the development, Nacht then announced himself as the new Master Man and made his affection and love for Warrior Woman known. The original Master Man begged Warrior Woman for help but she simply berated him for being weak and pathetic and turned her attentions towards Nacht instead.
Seeing his own identity and object of affections stole by Nacht and being rejected by the woman he loved, Master Man decided to kill himself and everyone present by activating a self-destruct mechanism in Nacht’s base. The heroes, Nacht and Warrior Woman all escaped and Master Man himself wound up surviving the explosion.
To End All Wars
Nacht re-outfitted himself as Gotteskrieger and together with Warrior Woman they helped form the neo-Nazi terrorist group Axis Mundi. Learning that a new team of Invaders had been brought together by Thin Man purposely to counter Axis Mundi’s operations, Axis Mundi decided on a pre-emptive assault to take control of the Invaders base of operations; a battleship known as The Infiltrator.
Axis Mundi launched their attack on the Infiltrator and Gotteskrieger beat and dismembered the Blazing Skull and then pummelled the Human Torch into unconsciousness. The rest of Axis Mundi similarly delivered crushing and brutal attacks upon the other Invaders with Warrior Woman almost killing the new Captain America and attempting to castrate Union Jack while Baroness Blood and U-Man took care of The Fin, Namor and Spitfire.
Unbeknownst to Gotteskrieger, the Blazing Skull was not quite dead and was able to put himself back together and heal. The Skull then exacted revenge on Gotteskrieger and beat him maliciously. While the rest of Axis Mundi continued to persevere, their siege on the Infiltrator was brought to a close when Thin Man intervened and was able to destroy their teleporting equipment and in the process teleport them away from the ship.
Enemy of the State
Alongside HYDRA‘s Baron Strucker, Gotteskrieger and Warrior Woman discovered the Invaders were closing in on a scientist known as The Necromancer who had developed tech for both Axis Mundi and HYDRA. Strucker declared that it was in both their best interests to have their associate assassinated to stop their plans and schematics from falling into their enemy’s hands.
Gotteskrieger, not wanting to lose the contribution of Necromancer’s designs and gadgets to Axis Mundi, tried to plead with Strucker to find another way. Strucker mocked Gotteskrieger for being incompetent and deployed his newest assassin to kill Necromancer; Wolverine.
Powers and Abilities
Gotteskreiger possesses superhuman strength and is able to lift up to 50 tons. He is trained in unarmed combat and carries a collapsible battle-staff as a weapon. He also has familiarity with a range of other weaponry from firearms to swords. He is also moderately talented at scientific application and has sufficient wealth to aid in his pursuits.