Bushman (comics)

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caption=Cover art for "Moon Knight (vol. 4)" #4.
Art by David Finch.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Bushman
real_name=Raoul Bushman
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Moon Knight" (1st series) #1 (Nov 1980)
creators= Doug Moench
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=
aliases=
powers=Peak human physical condition,
Razor-sharp metal teeth,
Carries various weapons|

Raoul Bushman is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Universe. He is the oldest nemesis of Marc Spector, whose secret identity is Moon Knight. He is interchangeably also known as Roald Bushman.

Publication history

Bushman's first appearance was in "Moon Knight" (1st series) #1 (November 1980), and he was created by Doug Moench.

The character subsequently appears in "Moon Knight" #9-10 (July-August 1981), "Marc Spector: Moon Knight" #1-3 (June-August 1989), #11-16 (February-July 1990), #37 (April 1992), "Moon Knight" #1 (January 1998), #3-4 (March-April 1998), and "Moon Knight" #2-3 (July-August 2006), and #6 (November 2006).

Bushman received an entry in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89" #1.

Fictional character biography

Bushman worked as a mercenary in the Sudan with Spector as his former right hand man. Bushman and his men came upon Dr. Peter Alruane and his daughter Marlene and attempts to kill both in order to steal the Egyptian gold Alruane had discovered. When Spector, disgusted by Bushman's senseless murder, tries to save Alruane and his daughter, Bushman beats Spector and left him for dead. It is while lying near death that Spector encounters the spirit of Khonshu and adopts the identity of Moon Knight. In this new guise, Spector defeats Bushman. He also rescues the Alruanes and their discovered Egyptian gold.

Much later, Bushman attempts revenge against Spector while he was in the states. Failing that, he sets himself up as General and President for life in the African Republic of Burunda. He funds his campaign on coca plant cultivation (for cocaine production). Defeated by Moon Knight once again, Bushman is deposed from his position in Burunda. Still, later, Bushman engages in a quiet assassination attempt on Russian ambassadors in an attempt to end Glasnost. He is defeated by Moon Knight and taken into police custody where he remains for some time

Bushman is easily recognized by the white tattooed Death's Head mask on his face and the steel fangs that he sometimes employs. When Bushman appeared in his undercover attempt to assassinate Russian ambassadors, the Death's head tattoo seemed to be gone and its only remainder a dark, less conspicuous, manta ray-like design on the forehead.

In the 2006 "Moon Knight" series by Charlie Huston, Bushman is seemingly killed by Moon Knight after a brutal rooftop battle. In an attempt to bring their feud to an end, Moon Knight uses the sharp end of his crescent dart to carve off Bushman's face.

After this, Spector believes he is continually visited by Khonshu in the form of a faceless Bushman so that he is reminded of "his greatest work".

Powers and abilities

Bushman has no superhuman powers, but he is an expert in guerilla warfare and highly proficient in the use of most conventional firearms. He has peak human physical strength and is highly athletic and agile. He sometimes uses metal teeth so that in hand-to-hand combat he can draw his enemy in close to him to tear the enemy apart with his teeth.