Little is known of Roughouse past beyond the fact that he is descended from the race of trolls that inhabit the dimension of Asgard, the mythical home of the Asgardian Gods. In Wolverine vol. 2, #6, Roughouse provides the first clue to his origin by uttering the phrase, ” Ymir’s icy breath.” This is a reference to the giant Ymir, said to be the father of the race of beings known as the Frost Giants, the primary enemies of the Asgardian Gods.
Creation
Roughouse was created by Chris Claremont and John Buscema in 1989 and first appeared in Wolverine # 4.
Character Evolution
It is unknown why Roughouse renews his partnership with Bloodscream, but as Bloodscream becomes increasingly cannibalistic it is unlikely Roughouse would have stayed with him as Roughouse, while a villain, still had some sense of honor and valued human life. Sure enough, when next Wolverine encounters Bloodscream, Roughouse is no longer with him, but is instead replaced by the cannibalistic imbecile, Vermin.
Story Arcs
Madripoor Nights
For more Information see: Wolverine Epic Collection: Madripoor Nights
Roughouse has come to the island nation of Madripoor along with his partner, the “pseudo-vampire” Bloodscream. They have found employment under General Coy, one of the islands’ most powerful crime lords, as special enforcers used to eliminate any threats to his operations.
One evening Chancellor Ranjamaryam, is chased by two men, Roughouse and Bloodscream. They chase him to the ground and he begs them to spare him, that he will give them anything they want. Men bound by honor to their employer, they refused the chancellor’s offers and slay him. Later at the airport hanger owned by South Seas Skyways, it’s owner and primary pilot Archie Corrigan is being confronted by the men who killed Ranjamaryam. They introduce themselves as Roughouse and Bloodsport, and they warn him against taking business from Tyger Tiger. The pair rough him up and depart repeating their warning and advising him that if he takes another delivery for Tyger again they will come for his life.
The next day in Lowertown, Lindsay McCabe and Jessica Drew are strolling through the central bazaar when their shopping is interrupted by Roughouse who attempts to charm the ladies into joining him for dinner before Bloodscream tells him that they have work to be done. As he walks away he offers the ladies a night on the town. Jessica is about give him a piece of her mind when Lindsay talks her out of doing it considering that Roughouse is “built like a brick”.
Later, Patch and Tyger are attacked by Roughouse and Bloodscream, who smash Tyger’s car. As Roughouse beats on Patch, Tyger is attacked by Bloodscream. When Bloodscream grabs her, Patch notices that she bleeds at his touch and decides to use his claws. Before he can do so, Roughouse comes up behind and cold clocks him. Before the battle can carry on further, Karma arrives and uses her powers to keep Bloodscream and Roughouse at bay while Logan revives and takes Tyger Tiger with him. Released from Karma’s control the two enforcers have no idea what had just transpired. They then head back to Coy where they report that their mission to kill Tyger was a failure. Coy doesn’t seem upset but instead proposes a toast to the death of his enemies.
Then later, Lindsay, Jessica and an unconscious Tyger are ambushed by Roughouse and Bloodscream while hiding out at Chang’s safe house and are taken away to Coy’s mansion. There Roughouse and Bloodscream wait for Patch to arrive and ambush him as well, but this time Patch and a now conscious Tyger get the better of the villains. Lucky for Roughouse the Prince Baran shows up and orders them released.
Roughouse shows up days later when Coy orders him to deal with Mr. Fixit, but doesn’t do much then stand there and look intimidating.
Act of Vengeance
General Coy grows tired of Roughhouse’s failures and literally sells him to Geist, a former high ranking agent of Nazi Germany in the United Kingdom and a cyborg. By the time Roughouse meets him, Geist is financing himself through illegal drug trade and needs a guinea pig to experiment a new drug on. Geist’s men give Roughouse a dose of this experimental version of cocaine which temporarily drives him mad. Wolverine holds back in the fight with Roughouse, since Roughouse is not truly even aware of what he is doing. After helping Roughouse escape, they come upon a mysterious nun of the Roman Catholic Church known only as Sister Salvation, who possesses the ability to cure those suffering from physical or mental injuries and cure sickness just by touching them with her hands. After several “sessions” she is able to fully purge Roughouse’s body of the cocaine induced suffering. Roughhouse decides to stay with Sister Salvation in Tierra Verde to help her rebuild her destroyed mission.
It would be quite a while before Wolverine and Roughouse would cross paths again. Roughhouse and Bloodscream have now renewed their partnership and ambush Wolverine after the adamantium has been stripped from his skeleton. They manage to get the upper hand and beat Wolverine unconscious. They bring him to their hideout where they beat him repeatedly over the next few days. Wolverine is able to free himself from the chains and ambushes and defeats his captors. This is the last time he crosses paths with Roughouse.
Identity Crisis
Roughouse and Bloodscream are hired as operatives for the Black Tarantula where they were suppose to run a protection racket. A five million bounty is placed on Spider-Man during the time so he creates four new identities: Dusk, Ricochet, Hornet and Prodigy. As Dusk, he spots Roughouse and Bloodscream leaving a local shipping yard. Parker changes his costume into Ricochet and later meets with Delilah, the enforcer of the Rose where they have agreed to join forces to stop Black Tarantula. The duo follow Roughouse and Bloodscream to a restaurant where they meet with a dwarf named Chesbro who works directly with Tarantula. Ricochet and Delilah crash the restaurant and come into conflict with Roughouse and Bloodscream. Delilah is severely injured by Bloodscream and Roughouse exits the restaurant through a wall after he keeps getting pummeled by Ricochet’s discs. Parker follows Roughouse and Bloodscream back to the shipyard and initially confronts them as Dusk. Parker melds into the shadows and changes his costume several times during their fight to confuse Roughouse and Bloodscream. Roughouse is confronted by Prodigy and tossed over the ship. Roughouse would recover and reach the dock, where he is confronted by Hornet. Roughouse is taken out of the fight when he is stuck by several sedative stingers. Parker grants Roughouse and Bloodscream their freedom when they offer important information on Black Tarantula’s next target.
Iron Man: Director of SHIELD
Tony Stark who is acting as the Director of SHIELD sets in motion a plan to enact a regime change in the sovereign island nation of Madripoor because Madame Hydra was the current ruler of the time. Tony Stark comes to Madripoor with three, female SHIELD agents and meets Madame Hydra where she injects Stark with a compound that temporarily disables his ability to control machinery with his mind. Stark and company leave for Lowtown to meet undercover SHIELD Agent Huang but a bar fight ensues when Agent Jones aka Nails is approached by a lowlife criminal. Huang tells Stark that the locals would follow a local crime boss named Tyger Tiger if she were to revolt against Madame Hydra. Roughouse and Bloodscream appear during the bar fight where Nails is injured by the pseudo-vampire assassin and the Asgardian powerhouse nearly crushes Stark with some debris. Madame Hydra appears with her police force and executes Agent Huang in front of Stark. Stark eventually meets with Tyger Tiger and persuades her to lead a revolt when he shows her a hidden HYDRA weapons lab. Stark confronts Madame Hydra at the royal palace and goads her into an one on one fight. During the fight, Madame Hydra reveals that HYDRA would use the citizens of Madripoor and steal their resources for themselves but she didn’t realize her confession was being recorded and broadcast live throughout the country. Tyger Tiger leads her people while Stark manages to retrieve his Iron Man suit. Madame Hydra calls for Roughouse and Bloodscream during the chaos. Iron Man takes down Roughouse with a uni-beam blast and Tyger Tiger would take over as the ruler of Madripoor when Madame Hydra is defeated.
Powers & Abilities
Roughouse is a descendant of the Asgardian trolls so he possesses superhuman strength, durability and resistance to injury.
Other Media
X-MEN: The Animated Series
Roughouse made a brief appearance in Whatever It Takes (Episode 16).