Wraith (Brian DeWolff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

Wraith first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #48 (August 1976), and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema.

Fictional character biography

Brian DeWolff is a former patrolman for the New York Police Department (NYPD) who was shot by criminals and rendered catatonic. His father Philip uses experimental technology to heal him, creating a mental link between the two and giving Brian psychic powers. Under Phillip's control, Brian becomes the vigilante Wraith, killing both criminals and civilians. He battles his sister Jean DeWolff, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange until being defeated by Spider-Man and Iron Man. After Philip's crimes are exposed, Brian regains free will and is found innocent while Philip is imprisoned. Subsequently, Wraith becomes a superhero and ally to Spider-Man. After the Sin-Eater kills Jean DeWolff, Wraith is driven mad with grief and seeks vengeance on the NYPD, only to be killed by Morbius. The Wraith is later among the villains resurrected by the Hood using Dormammu's power to eliminate the Punisher. However, he is killed by the Punisher while scouting the city.

Powers and abilities

Wraith possesses a variety of psionic powers as an effect of energy from advanced technology procured by Phillip DeWolff. The Wraith had the psionic ability to control the mind of one other person at a time. He had the ability to cast illusions indiscernible from reality in the minds of one or more people simultaneously, thereby making reality appear to change or making himself seem invisible. He also had the psionic ability to induce mental pain in others equivalent to the physical pain which would be caused by what they were perceiving without causing physical injury, the telepathic ability to read minds, and the psionic ability to affect Spider-Man's mind in such a way as to shield himself from detection by the latter's "spider-sense." He also carried a smoke pistol of unknown origin. Brian De Wolff has received police training in armed and unarmed combat.