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Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to my last effort, a revision for one of Spidey's most iconic rogues, Aleksei Sytsevich, aka the Rhino!
Coincidentally, our pachidermic fellow has recently been subject of another revision, but mine plans to go even more in detail.
As usual, Current Profile - New Profile. As usual as well, references do not get copy-pasted well on the forum, so you won't find them in this thread, only on the profile's revision history I just linked.
There's a greater amount of changes than what I would have expected from a conceptually simple character such as Rhino, so let's address them.
Cosmetic Changes
Tiering
Keys: Everyone's favorite topic. I reduced the keys from 3 to 1, as I find no reason to have so many. His base and costumed forms always cohexist in the same period of time, so there's no need to keep them apart. The Modern just seems pointless to me, I'm not sure to what it refers to and Rhino didn't go through such an extreme conceptual transformation over the years, aside from being expelled from Hulk's rogue gallery, which happened very, very early in his publication history.
Varies: Likewise, I don't believe the varies tier should stay, simply because such mechanics are not a consistent part of his character. The first scans come from a two-issues-long storyline (Ka-Zar Vol 3 5 and 5), which narrates a specific degeneration of Rhino's powers, which beging to oscillate from low to high levels. This issue is solved at the end of the story, as a machine stabilizes Rhino's powers and brings him back to his standard self. The second scan is fine, but also refer to a time when Aleksei had retired from crime, so it definitely isn't a recurring factor or something worth mentioning. I would compare it to a character ceasing to keep themselves fit or Kraven to suddenly stop taking his magic drugs. In short, under normal conditions Rhino wouldn't suffer from such an issue.
Additional feats: I have added references and/or scans to more LS, SS and Speed feats to make the profile look more complete and in general for it to contain more and more accurate information.
City Block level: I believe Rhino deserves an upgrade that showcases the overwhelming strength granted by his costume. As detailed in the revised profile and here below as well, he is consistently portrayed as quite stronger than Spidey, even when he doesn't hold back. Peter matching him in a moment of desperation must be attributed to those suddent spikes in power which allowed him to breach past his limits in multiple occasions, and which are already addressed on his profile as a Higher. It must also be noted that without the Rhino hide, Aleksei is in fact comparable to Spider-Man and his face is a explicit weak spot, as the armor doesn't provide protection for it. The specific tier (8-B) comes from Iron Man's armors, which Rhino overpowers in two different instances. Such an extra tier encompasses both AP and Durability.
I am aware this may influence other characters, most notably Sandman and Luke Cage, but that's a discussion for another thread and it is not immediately and overly concerning in my opinion.
Planet level via Horn: This simply doesn't work, in my humble opinion. First, not once is his horn said to be particularly stronger or more special than the rest of the costume and various characters even managed to chop it off. Then, in the scans used to justify this tier Rhino simply knocks Hulk back, and in the first example the green goliath was explicitly growing weaker and dizzier. Honestly, Hulk's scaling should be handled carefully, partially because he uses/used to have different levels of strength depending on his rage, and partially because of the many characters who came to throw hands with him over decades of publication. Lastly, Rhino was never an actualy threat to Hulk and even very soon after the beginning of their feud, he was really redimensioned. Various writers have also brought him farther and farther from such levels of power, showing how regardless of his great strength, he still does not compare to Hulk-class characters. I prepared a note specifically to address this point, it's featured in the profile itself and you can read it here below.
Powers&Abilities
Removals:
Additions:
Everything else
Stamina
Still Superhuman, but with actual scans and more feats.
Has battled the Hulk for days on end. Underwent painful treatments meant to remove his rhino hide which would have killed a normal person. His hide numbs the sensation of pain. Used at engaging in prolonged battles and his opponents usually resort to either incapacitate him quickly or to remove him from the battle altogether.
Range
Expanded to include "Several Meters via Shockwaves"
Equipment
I have touched the description of the hide to provide more general information about it, completed with references. The current description is taken from a Handbook and as we know, they tend to be just as specific as inaccurate with the various portrayals given in the comics.
Standard Tactics
Largely left as it was, with the addition of some instances of "combat smartness" and an elaboration on his relationship with murder, since various authors have had different takes on it.
Intelligence
I have greatly expanded on it, so to better convey a general overlook of the character. Also, the current description mentions those swings in intelligence from that Ka-Zar storyline mentioned above which, as established, are no longer occurring.
Weaknesses
I have added references and a couple more factors.
When charging he has trouble stopping himself and changing directions. His face is the only vulnerable area on his body, due to not being protected by his armor, and the favorite spot targeted by the majority of his enemies. Requires a regular intake of special treatments in order to keep his base strength at a certain level.
Notes
The one previously mentioned which forbids scaling Rhino to Hulk.
And that's it chums, another villain has been dealt with and the day is saved! See you in my next endeavor!
Coincidentally, our pachidermic fellow has recently been subject of another revision, but mine plans to go even more in detail.
As usual, Current Profile - New Profile. As usual as well, references do not get copy-pasted well on the forum, so you won't find them in this thread, only on the profile's revision history I just linked.
There's a greater amount of changes than what I would have expected from a conceptually simple character such as Rhino, so let's address them.
Cosmetic Changes
- Profile Pictures and quotes: I decided to opt for a slightly different formula than the current one, leaving only two quotes which I find meaningful and three pictures, for the hide donned by Rhino during Gauntlet is basically identical to the classical one. I've also chosen a different image for the main appearance, as I find this artwork to be more detailed, appealing and still in line with the general and "recent" depiction of Rhino's armor, aka more detailed and imposing. I admittedly couldn't find neither the source nor the artist behind this artwork, but the same was for the current main picture, whose origin I attempted to track.
- Summary: I gave my own spin to the summary featured in the previous version of the profile and I personally prefer it over the current one.
- P&A list: I kept the classic format, just with the bolded powers, for the list wasn't as big as other files and its descriptions not as detailed. Still, I may change it in favor to the bullet list format if people prefer it.
Tiering
Keys: Everyone's favorite topic. I reduced the keys from 3 to 1, as I find no reason to have so many. His base and costumed forms always cohexist in the same period of time, so there's no need to keep them apart. The Modern just seems pointless to me, I'm not sure to what it refers to and Rhino didn't go through such an extreme conceptual transformation over the years, aside from being expelled from Hulk's rogue gallery, which happened very, very early in his publication history.
Varies: Likewise, I don't believe the varies tier should stay, simply because such mechanics are not a consistent part of his character. The first scans come from a two-issues-long storyline (Ka-Zar Vol 3 5 and 5), which narrates a specific degeneration of Rhino's powers, which beging to oscillate from low to high levels. This issue is solved at the end of the story, as a machine stabilizes Rhino's powers and brings him back to his standard self. The second scan is fine, but also refer to a time when Aleksei had retired from crime, so it definitely isn't a recurring factor or something worth mentioning. I would compare it to a character ceasing to keep themselves fit or Kraven to suddenly stop taking his magic drugs. In short, under normal conditions Rhino wouldn't suffer from such an issue.
Additional feats: I have added references and/or scans to more LS, SS and Speed feats to make the profile look more complete and in general for it to contain more and more accurate information.
City Block level: I believe Rhino deserves an upgrade that showcases the overwhelming strength granted by his costume. As detailed in the revised profile and here below as well, he is consistently portrayed as quite stronger than Spidey, even when he doesn't hold back. Peter matching him in a moment of desperation must be attributed to those suddent spikes in power which allowed him to breach past his limits in multiple occasions, and which are already addressed on his profile as a Higher. It must also be noted that without the Rhino hide, Aleksei is in fact comparable to Spider-Man and his face is a explicit weak spot, as the armor doesn't provide protection for it. The specific tier (8-B) comes from Iron Man's armors, which Rhino overpowers in two different instances. Such an extra tier encompasses both AP and Durability.
I am aware this may influence other characters, most notably Sandman and Luke Cage, but that's a discussion for another thread and it is not immediately and overly concerning in my opinion.
The hide increases Aleksei's base strength and it has been upgraded several times. Severely hurt Iron Man in his Model 8 armor and pushed his Model 9 armor to employ all its strength against him. Vastly and explicitly stronger than Spider-Man and capable of overpowering him with ease, to the point that the only ways for him to somewhat close the gap is through last-ditch activations of his stress-factor or a suit specifically designed for such purpose. Even Spider-Man's Spider-Armor MK IV could just divert Rhino's charge, instead of truly stopping it. Matched the Sandman on various occasions; The Mad Thinker also deems Rhino as the strongest member of an incarnation of the Sinister Six which includes Sandman. Has engaged Venom in a brawl. Nearly killed Gravity by simply clipping him. Easily destroyed the New Rhino's armor, which was completely impervious to Spider-Man's punches, even when strengthened by his web
Planet level via Horn: This simply doesn't work, in my humble opinion. First, not once is his horn said to be particularly stronger or more special than the rest of the costume and various characters even managed to chop it off. Then, in the scans used to justify this tier Rhino simply knocks Hulk back, and in the first example the green goliath was explicitly growing weaker and dizzier. Honestly, Hulk's scaling should be handled carefully, partially because he uses/used to have different levels of strength depending on his rage, and partially because of the many characters who came to throw hands with him over decades of publication. Lastly, Rhino was never an actualy threat to Hulk and even very soon after the beginning of their feud, he was really redimensioned. Various writers have also brought him farther and farther from such levels of power, showing how regardless of his great strength, he still does not compare to Hulk-class characters. I prepared a note specifically to address this point, it's featured in the profile itself and you can read it here below.
- Although the Rhino has frequently squared off against the Hulk in his early appearances he never succeded in besting him and the Abomination stated that Rhino alone would stand no chance in a fight against the Hulk. Moreover, characters such as Doc Samson, Luke Cage, Namor, Juggernaut, Monica Rambeau, She-Hulk and then Hulk himself himself have easily defeated or striken fear into him during their various encounters.
Powers&Abilities
Removals:
- Space Survival: I didn't quite remove it, just adjusted it to being "Limited", as Rhino still needs equipment to breath.
- Attack Reflection: This is pure durability and bulletproofness, not unlike shooting a wall and having the bullet ricochet at random. I'd be ok with it if Rhino could somehow control the rebound of the bullets, but as it now is, it's just durability.
- Resistance to Pain: Rhino has a numbed sensation of pain because his body is buried deep under the hide, but he does not resist the manipulation of the sensation of pain or pain in general in a traditional sense. It is once again a matter of durability and to address this specific factor, I moved that scan to the stamina section.
Additions:
- Various scans and further showings to abilities already present on his file (SPC, Vibrations, Resistance to Electricity and Heat)
- Empowerment: Rhino's skin magnifies the strength given to him by gamma radiation and it has been recurrently upgraded over the years
- Bodily Weaponry: His costume features a pair of rhinoceros-like horns.
- Minor Corrosion Inducement: Rhino's mask is covered in a transparent membrane which protects his face from projectiles such as Spider-Man's webs.
- Limited Regeneration: Low-Mid. His hide is self-replicating and Doctor Connors compares the process used to create it to the genetic manipulation which created the Lizard.
- Camouflage: Sneaked undetected within Wakandan borders by disguising himself as an actual animal and blending within a pack of rhinoceros
- Vehicular Mastery: Competed in the Hell's Backbone Rally.
- Resistance to:
- Poison: It's still the tear gas, but I find "poison" to be a better label than status effect inducement. It's a chemical substance that is harmful for men, so it fits the definition of poison, even though it isn't lethal.
- Fire: The flames of a gas tank could not hurt him. Rhino regularly exfoliates his skin with a blowtorch. Barely annoyed by Typhoid Mary's flames.
Everything else
Stamina
Still Superhuman, but with actual scans and more feats.
Has battled the Hulk for days on end. Underwent painful treatments meant to remove his rhino hide which would have killed a normal person. His hide numbs the sensation of pain. Used at engaging in prolonged battles and his opponents usually resort to either incapacitate him quickly or to remove him from the battle altogether.
Range
Expanded to include "Several Meters via Shockwaves"
Equipment
I have touched the description of the hide to provide more general information about it, completed with references. The current description is taken from a Handbook and as we know, they tend to be just as specific as inaccurate with the various portrayals given in the comics.
The Rhino wears a 500 pounds suit modularly aligned and composed of two polymers originating from the manipulation of actual rhinoceros DNA and a material similar to kevlar or adamantium. Depending on the various models he donned over the years, the suit is either connected to his body at a molecular or entirely removable by hands. The suit is chemically and radioactively treated so to work in conjunction with Rhino's gamma-based powers, increasing his strength and durability beyond their original levels. The costume has been destroyed on multiple occasions, but various characters such as the Leader and Justin Hammer have restored and improved its design over time.
Standard Tactics
Largely left as it was, with the addition of some instances of "combat smartness" and an elaboration on his relationship with murder, since various authors have had different takes on it.
The Rhino employs hit-and-run tactics against his opponents, favoring his overwhelming strength over strategy an example being his iconic charge or his habit of using massive objects as projectiles. This approach has recurrently made it easy for his enemies to predict and outmaneuver him. Nonetheless, Rhino's surprising speed and impenetrable hide have often compensated, allowing him to turn the tides of battle in his favor with just few, well-landed attacks. Moreover, he is not completely extraneous to using his wit to gain the upper hand and to learn from his mistakes. He is generally reluctant to kill other people, although not stranger to it, for such tendency has suffered from shiftings depending on different depictions. Other recurring traits include the refusal to harm children and remaining loyal to his allies in combat. During certain periods of absolute despair, such as the aftermath of the Gauntlet and to the Clone Conspiracy, Rhino had become a much grimmer person, wishing to kill Spider-Man and willing to and employing suicidal tactics to defeat his opponents. However, since then Rhino's mental health has considerably improved and he returned to be a much more stable person.
Intelligence
I have greatly expanded on it, so to better convey a general overlook of the character. Also, the current description mentions those swings in intelligence from that Ka-Zar storyline mentioned above which, as established, are no longer occurring.
Rhino if often unfairly accused of subpar intelligence by the people around him, mostly because of his apparent lack of formal education and his brutish personality, which hide a quite level-minded person, when not subjected to stress and humiliation. The various experiments meant to increase his strength have also incidentally made him smarter. Rhino's criminal portfolio contains a colorful record, as during his long career as an enforcer many different parties hired him to carry out a variety of jobs. Additionally, Rhino has also been part of several teams, most notably the Sinister Syndicate, the Sinister Six and the Savage Six. In combat Rhino makes up for his lack of conventional skill with his experience fighting a variety of foes and with occasional clever strategies. One time, he even double-crossed his treacherous partners in crime of the Sinister Syndicate by secretly working for the Kingpin, thus deceiving them and other characters such as Spider-Man, for an extended period of time; he then turned on the Kingpin himself and succeeded, albeit briefly, in playing him as well
Weaknesses
I have added references and a couple more factors.
When charging he has trouble stopping himself and changing directions. His face is the only vulnerable area on his body, due to not being protected by his armor, and the favorite spot targeted by the majority of his enemies. Requires a regular intake of special treatments in order to keep his base strength at a certain level.
Notes
The one previously mentioned which forbids scaling Rhino to Hulk.
And that's it chums, another villain has been dealt with and the day is saved! See you in my next endeavor!
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