Aleksander Lukin

Superherobox|

caption=Aleksander Lukin
Art by Steve Epting.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Aleksander Lukin
real_name=Aleksander Lukin
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Captain America" (v5) #1 (2004)
creators=Ed Brubaker
Steve Epting
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
status=Active, shares a mind with the Red Skull
alliances=Kronas Corporation
Roxxon Oil
KGB
previous_alliances=
aliases=Red Skull
powers=Strategic genius, political mastermind|

Aleksander Lukin is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics who exists in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in "Captain America" (v5) #1, and was created by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.

Fictional character biography

Born in the Soviet village of Kronas some time in the late 1930s, Lukin's village is used by the Red Skull as a base of operations during the Second World War. Soviet troops attempt to retake the town, assisted by the Western Allies' superhero team the Invaders (including Captain America and Bucky). Lukin's mother is killed in the course of the battle. The leader of the Soviet forces, Vasily Karpov, takes the orphaned Lukin under his wing.

In the ensuing decades, Lukin became an important figure in the Soviet military and the KGB, rising to the rank of general. When his mentor, Karpov, passes away, Lukin is left in custody of a large cache of special projects developed over the decades, including the Winter Soldier. He sells some of these devices to the highest bidders to raise funds. In one instance, he sells weapons to the Red Skull himself, but refuses to part with the Winter Soldier for anything less than the reality-altering Cosmic Cube (which the Skull was not in possession of, and would not give up in any case).

Five years after that meeting, the Skull finally recovers the Cube, only to be assassinated by the Winter Soldier on Lukin's orders. However, before he dies, the Skull used the Cube to transfer his mind into Lukin's body, leaving the two men stuck together "like rats in a cage."

Lukin uses the cube to enrich the Kronas Corporation, his legitimate business front. Unfortunately, in a fit of rage, the Cube harms one of Lukin's friends. Lukin has the cube sent away. The Winter Soldier destroys the Cube and regains the memory of his former life as Bucky. Since then, the two have worked uneasily against their common foe, Captain America, even as the Skull wages a campaign for control of Lukin's body (Lukin vows to kill himself before allowing that to happen).

Upon the discovery of Lukin's connection with the Skull by the Winter Soldier, the Skull and Lukin fake his death, and continue to operate from the shadows. The pair contrive to abduct Sharon Carter, planning to transfer the Skull's mind into her child (by Captain America); Carter rebels, however, and destroys the transfer machine. In a last ditch maneouvre, Arnim Zola tranfers the Skull's consciousness into one of his robots. Lukin is free at last, but only for a few seconds, before being gunned down by Carter.