Trapster

The Trapster
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Strange Tales #104
In-story information
Alter ego	Peter Petruski
Team affiliations	Frightful Four
Notable aliases	Paste-Pot Pete
Abilities	Genius inventor; wears suit capable of projecting adhesives or lubricants for various effects such as immobilizing foes, Spider-Man-like web-swinging, wall climbing, etc

The Trapster, formerly known as Paste-Pot Pete, is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.

Character biography

The Trapster is one of the first supervillains who became active during the "Silver Age" of Marvel Comics. Originally calling himself Paste-Pot-Pete, the villain clashed with The Human Torch during his efforts to sell "Secrets to the Reds". Many of the Silver Age villains were trying to cash in on the "Reds" unslaking thirst for "Secrets".

Following failed solo efforts against the Torch, Pete teamed with the Wizard in efforts to trump his youthful foe. The Wizard would eventually team Pete along with the criminal Sandman and the inhuman Medusa as the Frightful Four. It was shortly before the formation of the Frightful Four that Pete abandoned his old alias and assumed the more intimidating Trapster. The Frightful Four would clash time and again with the Fantastic Four, often enjoying some measure of success in their efforts. Over the years, the membership of the Frightful Four would vary, but Trapster would serve in every incarnation in which Wizard served as well, loyal to his longtime boss.

Trapster has often sought independent recognition, battling virtually every "street-level" hero in the Marvel Universe either by design or by opposition to some criminal scheme. Trapster once even defeated Daredevil in single combat. The victory proved short-lived, as Dr. Doom interrupted his fight in a campaign of his own against Daredevil, and shortly thereafter the hero would avenge his defeat.

Saddened by constant defeats, Trapster would seek out The Tinkerer's aid in redesigning his arsenal. Adding wrist-pumps for his glue weaponry and a bandolier of various explosives and gimmicks, Trapster joined forces with the mutant villain Whirlwind in a bid to defeat Captain America. Despite his improved arsenal, both villains were defeated.

During his tenure with the Frightful Four that included the Wizard, the aquatic villain Hydro-Man, and the mysterious Salamandra, the Wizard tired of Trapster's failures and his general snivelling, and callously sealed the villain in a repeating time-loop. A trap from which he can "never escape".

The Trapster found his moment of victory over Spider-Man when he teamed up with the Shocker (comics). But before the villain duo could finish Spidey off the Shocker receives a phone call from his employer saying that his payment would be doubled if they left Spider-Man alone. Naturally the notion of the money makes Shocker and Trapster leave Spider-Man be.

During the series Identity Crisis Trapster unknowingly teams up with Spider-Man who was using the alias of Dusk (comics).

Powers and abilities

The Trapster does not possess any superhuman powers, but relies on a variety of technological devices. His primary weapon has always been projectile glue, initially delivered by a gun, then wrist cannons, and most recently from the tips of his gloves. He can shoot out a stream of liquid glue that immediately gels into a springy rope, allowing him to duplicate Spider-Man's web-shooters. Pete also has designed boots that allow him to walk up walls by sequentially releasing a powerful glue and then a solvent. Petruski has also created lubricants that can render a surface frictionless.

Pete has also created a dust capable of rendering Mister Fantastic's unstable molecules inert.

External links

• A Trapster bio