Johann Kraus

Infobox comics character
character_name = Johann Kraus


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publisher = Dark Horse Comics
debut = "B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth and Other Stories" (2003)
creators = Mike Mignola
alter_ego =
full_name = Johann Krauss
species =
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alliances = B.P.R.D.
partners = Hellboy
supports =
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powers = Physical medium,
Ectoplasmic abilities (film version) Can leave his suit and possess anything
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Johann Kraus is a fictional character in the "Hellboy" universe, featured in "B.P.R.D." comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. He is a disembodied ectoplasmic spirit with psychic abilities who maintains a tangible form via a containment suit. Without the suit, his body would eventually dissipate and he would be lost forever.

Fictional character

In early 2002, an exceptionally gifted psychic medium named Johann Kraus was hosting a séance for a small group. While he was partially on the ethereal plane, the Chengdou disaster struck. No one knows the specifics, but it involved an ancient terra cotta statuette in the care of the Chinese government. The result was essentially a psychic Chernobyl. Everyone within a hundred miles of the disaster itself had their souls "consumed", reducing them to mindless husks. On the ethereal plane, however, the disaster was much greater; everyone not physically in their body within "three thousand miles" of the incident was instantly incinerated.

The only survivor was Krauss, and some would argue that he died as well. His ectoplasmic form survived when his body was incinerated, and knowing he would soon dissipate without a physical body, he sought out the best paranormal minds on the planet for help - the B.P.R.D.. At first he persisted in a bizarre transparent tank apparatus developed by the B.P.R.D for other purposes, and eventually the technology was sized down into the distinctive containment suit. Kate Corrigan has said of him that, "He's not dead. He just doesn't have a body anymore."

After the loss of Hellboy, Krauss was hired to replenish the Bureau's pool of 'enhanced talents'. Krauss soon proved an invaluable member of the team. His talents are better than ever, a situation similar to a musician who has lost his eyesight. Where once he could speak with the dead, now he can give them temporary physical form. He no longer requires rest. He works constantly and is, as of the "Garden of Souls" storyline, researching the files culled from the sub-basement of the Bureau's Colorado mountain base.

Powers

Because Johann is made of ectoplasm and has no physical body, he requires neither sleep nor food. However, the extreme sensitivity of his psychic powers makes him vulnerable to psychic attack. His physical ectoplasm can be overtaken by stronger spirits, who are then made corporeal. (This can be either dangerous or helpful, depending on the spirit's nature.)

The only protection Johann has from dissipation is his B.P.R.D.-built containment suit; once the suit is breached, he must find a new container for his essence as soon as possible or he will cease to be. Whether or not the suit is affected by temperature is unclear; during a mission to Canada (during "B.P.R.D.:The Black Flame") Johann wore a parka over his suit, although it is possible that he wore it to either fit in with the other members or because his containment suit lacks pockets, as he makes a reference in an earlier story that he said that he thought that he would never be warm again.

Krauss is also a capable shot with most conventional firearms, as seen in "The Black Flame".

"B.P.R.D.: Killing Ground"

Following the events of "The Garden of Souls", a soulless body was recovered from Indonesia. In the opening chapter of "Killing Ground", it is revealed that Kraus has imbued the body with his essence, regaining a mortal form. Kraus' new form was that of a gigantic Caucasian male; he described the body as having 'the strength of ten men'. Krauss soon engaged a transformed Ben Daimio in combat in "Killing Ground" #4; the beastly Daimio (who had become a jaguar-like monster) tore Johann's jaw off. As his body slumped to the ground, Kraus's ectoplasmic form rose from his body. Instead of assuming the form of Johann, the ectoplasm instead became the ghost of the pulp hero Lobster Johnson.

In other media

* Krauss was one of four characters that appeared in Mezco Toyz' 2006 Hellboy Comic action figure line. [ [http://mezco.net/products.asp?pline=hbc2006 Mezco Toyz | Movie, Television and Proprietary Action Figures & Collectibles ] ]

* Johann Kraus appeared in the 2008 film "". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411477/ Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) ] ] In the film his name is spelled "Johann Krauss". He is quoted as being "quite the big shot in Washington". He is the head of Ectoplasmic Research and was called in to be the B.P.R.D. team leader when Hellboy revealed himself to the public. He was disliked by Hellboy because he was German and a straight-laced "by-the-book" man. After Krauss pointed out that Hellboy couldn't take criticism they had a fight in the B.P.R.D. locker room where Krauss in his gas form took control over the locker doors, hitting Hellboy with them.

Unlike in the comics, where he is at risk of possession by others, Krauss can leave his containment suit to possess anything from inanimate objects to machines to living things. He used this ability to take control of one of the Golden Army soldiers, easily holding his own in the final battle alongside Hellboy. He can also appear as a roughly humanoid shape in ghost form. His suit was designed by Hellboy's adoptive father Professor Bruttenholm.

In the original draft of the script, Johann tells Liz that his wife died and he couldn't accept it. Using his psychic abilities, he tried to contact her in the spirit world. When he found her, something happened, killing all the psychics in the area, except Johann, who was converted into an ectoplasmic being. Following the strange event, Professor Broom and his men found Johann's almost fading spirit and put him in a containment suit that Johann would improve to become his new "body".

His movements were supplied by British actors John Alexander and James Dodd, and his voice was performed by Seth MacFarlane, replacing the previously cast Thomas Kretschmann.

References

ee also

* Hellboy
* Hellboy (film)
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* B.P.R.D.------