Who Is Trapster? The Fantastic Four’s Corniest Villain is About to Make a Major Comeback
The incredible success of Marvel Rivals continues to usher new characters into the game, and an unexpected addition may be included in a future line-up. Joining fan-favorite characters like Cyclops and Colossus is Trapster, an odd Fantastic Fourvillain with a unique weapon in place of any real superpowers. Trapster has been around Marvel Comics for decades, and he should be an interesting combatant for Rivals.
Like many other Marvel personalities, Trapster got his start as a scientist named Pete Petruski. After developing an incredibly strong adhesive, Petruski opted for a career change and began committing crimes. In the years that followed, he became a regular nuisance for the Fantastic Four, but has occasionally been known to branch out to other heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man.
Trapster, originally known by the name "Paste-Pot Pete", is a skilled inventor and chemist. Rivals players will likely see two talents sure inform his playstyle in the game, complete with clever gadgetry and, undoubtedly, his weaponized glue gun.
A Perennial Fantastic Four Villain Makes A Surprise Return In "Marvel Rivals"
A Brief History Of Trapster In The Marvel Universe
Paste-Pot Pete's first real combat camefrom the Human Torch back in Strange Tales #104, by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, when Johnny Storm was still new to the hero business. That confrontation kicked off a years-long rivalry between the two, which spiraled into Pete trying (and largely failing) to fight every member of the Fantastic Four. Over time, Paste-Pot Pete became something of a laughingstock among the supervillain community, prompting him to rebrand himself as Trapster, the moniker he will use in Marvel Rivals. As Trapster, he's allied with other villains and even briefly aided the Avengers.
Though Trapster has never elevated to a serious threat in Marvel Comics, his particular skillset makes him a versatile villain. He's spent a lot of time working alongside the Wizard, often as part of the Frightful Four team, and has done everything from weapons development to assassination contracts. He depends entirely on his skills as a scientist and inventor for these endeavors and has enough knowledge in his field that even the Avengers reached out to him for aid in developing powerful solvents to fight Baron Zemo. He's never become a fully credible villain, but it hasn't stopped him from trying.
Trapster's Gadgets Are Certain to Make a Fun Addition To Marvel Rivals, Perhaps Prompting A Comic Book Revival
Can The Game Put Respect On Trapster's Name?
The biggest takeaway from Trapster's comic history is that he's an inventor, and uses that to make a place for himself in a world of heroes and villains. While he's hardly the most respected villain around, he's intelligent enough to survive in a world of superpowered heroes, who he continues to insist on fighting, and is talented enough for the likes of the Wizard and Red Skull to seek out his partnership. Trapster, or Paste-Pot Pete, might be a joke of a Fantastic Four villain, but Marvel Rivals could spell a renaissance for the character in the comics, if fans react positively.
- Created by
- Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
- First Film
- The Fantastic Four
- Latest Film
- Fantastic Four
- Upcoming Films
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- First TV Show
- The Fantastic Four
- First Episode Air Date
- September 9, 1967
The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel's success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
