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Reavers (comics)

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Reavers
Reavers.
Art by Jim Lee.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceUncanny X-Men #229 (May 1988)
Created byChris Claremont (writer)
Marc Silvestri (artist)
In-story information
Member(s)Donald Pierce
Lady Deathstrike
Pretty Boy
Bonebreaker
Skullbuster
Wade Cole
Angelo Macon
Murray Reese
Skullbuster (Cylla Markham)
Josh Foley

The Reavers are a fictional team of criminal cyborgs appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

In the Marvel Universe, the Reavers are dedicated to the destruction of the X-Men and a number of them especially wanted to take revenge on Wolverine in particular. The group are assembled under the leadership of character Donald Pierce and consist of three survivors from a group of Australian cyborgs who formed the original 'Reavers', along with other cyborgs.

The Reavers appeared in the 2017 film Logan, with their leader Donald Pierce portrayed by Boyd Holbrook.

Publication history

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The Reavers first appeared in the comic title Uncanny X-Men #229 (May 1988) and were created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri.[1]

Fictional group history

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Looters

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The original Reavers operate out of an underground complex beneath the fictional ghost town of Cooterman's Creek in Central Australia. They act as a commando-style team of thieves, coercing the mutant Gateway to assist them in robberies. Informed of the Reavers' existence by Roma, the X-Men defeat the Reavers in battle and expel them from their base, which they take for their own use.[2]

Donald Pierce's Reavers

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The Reavers are reassembled under the leadership of Donald Pierce, who reorganizes the team as an assassination squadron to undertake para-military style commando operations, dedicated to taking vengeance on the X-Men and eliminating mutants.[3]

While the X-Men are away from their Australian base, the Reavers retake the base and wait for the team to come back. However, on their return, the Reavers only manage to capture Wolverine.[4] Wolverine escapes the Reavers with the aid of Jubilee. The Reavers attack the Muir Island mutant research center, theorizing that it is Wolverine's most likely destination. During the assault on Muir Island, Skullbuster is rendered inoperative by sniper fire from Forge.[5]

Pierce rescues pilot Cylla Markham, who agrees to be converted into a cyborg.[6] Markham becomes the new Skullbuster (although she usually goes by her real name).[7] Pierce creates an android named Elsie-Dee and a robotic clone of Wolverine named Albert to kill Wolverine, which fails when Elsie-Dee rebels against her programming.[8]

Upstarts and humans

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As part of the Upstarts' game, Trevor Fitzroy dispatches Sentinels to the Reavers' Australian hideout to kill Pierce and anyone else they find there. In the ensuing battle, only Pierce, Lady Deathstrike and Cylla escape the massacre.[9] Cylla later resurfaces, allying with Bloodscream in an attempt to murder Wolverine. However, Bloodscream betrays her and sucks the life from her, killing her.[10]

Donald Pierce puts together a new group of Reavers, composed of young anti-mutant humans (with the exception of Joshua Foley, who at the time was unaware that he was a mutant).[11] They are defeated by Karma, Foley, and a handful of young mutants.[12] The group later breaks Pierce out of prison, but with Foley as bait, they are lured into an ambush and captured.[13]

Messiah Complex

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The latest incarnation of the Reavers in Messiah Complex by Humberto Ramos.

The Reavers appear in the "Messiah Complex" storyline under the leadership of Lady Deathstrike.[14] Deployed as an elite commando unit designed to eliminate organized mutant resistance, the Reavers confront Cable in Alberta, Canada before being attacked by the new X-Force.[15] In the ensuing battle, Deathstrike and the Reavers are killed by Wolverine's strike team.[16]

Indoctrination and ascent

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Pierce and the Reavers are placed in the custody of the Office of National Emergency under the supervision of General Callahan. Callahan uses the Reavers as a personal scavenger crew in exchange for receiving augmentations and bionic enhancements tethered to an in-built safeguard to enforce their obedience.[17]

Havok works with the Reavers to free their boss and fellow mutants in exchange for the missing puzzle piece he possesses on his person for one final assault on their shared enemy's headquarters.[18] Pretty Boy and Bonebreaker take control of Callahan's Sentinels and turn them on the X-Men. Pierce and his cohorts abscond with their latest modifications and head to the Xavier Institute to kill more mutants. The X-Men battle the Reavers into submission, capturing them and Havok.[19]

Known members

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First Team

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Second Team

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Third Team

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  • Donald Pierce (leader)
  • Joshua Foley (quit)
  • Duncan
  • Various unnamed members

Fourth Team

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  • Lady Deathstrike (leader)
  • Various unnamed members (all presumed deceased)

Fifth Team

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  • Donald Pierce (leader)
  • Pretty Boy
  • Skullbuster (Cylla)
  • Bonebreaker
  • Lady Deathstrike (defected)

Other versions

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Age of Apocalypse

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An alternate universe iteration of the Reavers appears in Age of Apocalypse. This version of the group are human traitors who serve Apocalypse and were enhanced with his techno-organic virus, which allow them to merge with organic and mechanical materials.[20]

Ultimate Marvel

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An alternate universe iteration of the Reavers appears in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. This version of the group is led by Deadpool and are formerly human gladiators who became cyborgs to hunt mutants on live television for Mojo Adams.[21]

In other media

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Television

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Film

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The Reavers appear in Logan,[22][23] consisting of Donald Pierce, Bonebreaker, Pretty Boy, Angelo Macon, Danny Rhodes, and Mohawk. This version of the group are Alkali-Transigen's enhanced security force.

Video games

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References

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  1. ↑ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 291. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #229 (May 1988)
  3. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #247-249 (August - October 1989)
  4. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #251 (November 1989)
  5. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #252-255 (November - December 1989)
  6. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #261 (May 1990)
  7. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #269 (October 1990)
  8. ↑ Wolverine (vol. 2) #35-39 (January - May 1991)
  9. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #281-282 (October - November 1991)
  10. ↑ Wolverine (vol. 2) #77-78 (January - February 1994)
  11. ↑ Hernandez, Danny (December 31, 2019). "Omega: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Elixir". CBR. Valnet. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  12. ↑ The New Mutants (vol. 2) #6 (December 2003)
  13. ↑ The New Mutants (vol. 2) #13 (August 2004)
  14. ↑ George, Richard. "13 Days of X-Men: Messiah Complex - Day Nine". IGN. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007.
  15. ↑ New X-Men (vol. 2) #44-46 (January - March 2008)
  16. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #504 (January 2009)
  17. ↑ Astonishing X-Men (vol. 4) #13 (September 2018)
  18. ↑ Astonishing X-Men (vol. 4) #16 (December 2018)
  19. ↑ Astonishing X-Men (vol. 4) #17 (January 2019)
  20. ↑ Weapon X #1-4 (March - June 1995)
  21. ↑ Ultimate Spider-Man #92 (May 2006)
  22. ↑ Armitage, Hugh (October 19, 2016). "Logan and the X-Men: who are the Reavers and what do they want with Wolverine?". Digital Spy. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  23. ↑ Couch, Aaron (October 18, 2016). "'Logan' Photo Confirms Appearance of Classic X-Men Villains". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Sony's PS5 Exclusive Wolverine Game Finally Gets Gameplay Reveal at State of Play 2025". September 24, 2025. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
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