Origin
“Plunder is my name! Plunder is my game! I’m the plunderful pirate of pillage, feasting on your ill-guarded booty! Fabulous python in a world of tasty, squeaking mice! Set your plunder rays to kill, my hearty henchmen! In the name of the Plunderer!” — Parnival Plunderer.
Parnival Plunder was the younger of British nobleman / scientist Lord Plunder’s two sons. Robert Plunder discovered the hidden Savage Land around the Antarctic Circle while searching for an undiscovered element and discovered the Anti-Metal (later determined to be an isotope of Vibranium), a substance capable of destroying the molecular bonds of any known metal. When word of his discovery leaked, Robert Plunder feared for his family’s life and took his elder son Kevin to the Savage Land while sending Parnival to sea to live the life of a sailor. Believing that his older brother had been killed, Parnival established himself as the lord of Castle Plunder upon reaching adulthood. But his life as a respected British Lord was merely a front for his activities as the Plunderer, a modern-day pirate who used his father’s Anti-Metal cache to produce powerful weapons that destroyed other metal-based weapons.
Creation
Parnival Plunder was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Daredevil Vol. 1 issue 12 (1966).
Major Story Arcs
Finding his Brother
Upon learning that Kevin Plunder had survived in the Savage Land as Ka-Zar, Plunderer clashed with his hated step-brother on several occasions in confrontations which often ended with his arrest and incarceration.
Civil War
When his fugitive status precluded him from returning to Castle Plunder, the Plunderer relocated his fleet to the United States. However, the SHRA enforcement efforts proved to be too much for the buccaneer, and he apparently sought out Diamondack of BAD Girls Inc., a member of Captain America’s Secret Avengers. The Plunderer, along with fellow super-villain Goldbug, were granted access to Captain America’s hideout and offered their assistance in his operations, but were executed by the Punisher before Captain America could respond.
Powers and Abilities
The Plunderer possessed no superhuman powers. He was an accomplished sailor and a highly-trained athlete with extensive knowledge of armed and unarmed combat.
Weapons and Equipment
The Plunderer employed several hi-tech weapons of his own design. His main weapon was his Anti-Metal-powered “vibra-ray” blaster, which he built in a variety of sizes, each capable of destroying nearly any form of metal-based weaponry. He also employed many sophisticated weapons, such as the debilitating nerve-bolt ray, constructed from plastics which were impervious to the Anti-Metal. His standard fleet consisted of several ships and submarines customized with advanced navigational systems and weaponry.