History

Russell Anvernacht was a Dutch busisnessman. He founded the security company "Nightfall Systems". And he was secretly a nihilist: one who believes, everything is worthless. He never intended to be a supervillain. But he *is* the leading person who brought forth the superheroes of the modern age.

In 1990, Anvernacht put on a power suit and took on the identity "Domesday". He then engaged in industrial espionage against Michigan State University, to gain a power object. Unexpectedly, three superhumans resided there: Captain Gonzo, the Mighty Tim, and Ellipsis. He encountered them all, plus a young woman Laura Greene who obtained the power object. She took the name "Morningstar", and affiliated with the other superhumans. Those became known as The Balance.

Anvernacht later went back to Michigan State University to take back the power object. He temporarily prevailed, but the Balance took the object back.

This was to set the pattern for Anvernacht's career thenceforward. In his Domesday persona, he would have numerous major conflicts with superheroes, including DuoPolarity of Boston and two different Total Conversion teams, but never gaining a lasting victory. However, as Russell Anvernacht he maintained a plausible deniability of Domesday's plots.

This pattern continued until 2004. In that year, after yet another defeat by Ellipsis and his allies, Domesday kidnapped Wyatt Ferguson in order to gain access to a United Nations time machine. This eventually resulted in a reality shift, which Ferguson controlled. Anvernacht emerged from the shift without his power suit, as a resident of Maquoketa, Iowa.

Undaunted, Anvernacht resumed his quest for power. By 2006 he had become the mayor of Maquoketa. He then made a deal with the U.S. federal government, to host an internment camp for depowered superhumans. After yet another reality shift, the superhumans got their powers back. When the story of the internment camp was published and verified, Anvernacht resigned his mayoral position in disgrace.

However, disgrace only gave him a sort of villain-credit. By 2005, Anvernacht had already started attending a conclave of minor world-dominators, calling itself the Secret Masters. It was in that conclave that Anvernacht was approached by the Satan-worshiping mage, Auge von Shaitan. Von Shaitan offered Anvernacht membership in his mystic order - which served as custodians of scattered body parts of the supposed Judeo-Christian Devil. Anvernacht accepted, and was granted the Legs of Satan. He retains that power and position to this day.

Personality

Russell Anvernacht is basically the most evil manager one can ever imagine working for. He believes everything other than himself is worthless. So far in his life, actual devil-worshippers are the people he respects the most.

Powers and Abilities

Anvernacht has normal human strength for a man of his size. He keeps himself physically fit. His reflexes are enhanced, after years of wearing his power suit. He also has high-level technological skills, though he often just takes credit for the work of others.

As Domesday, Anvernacht had low-level superhuman strength, high-level enhanced reflexes, energy weapons, and the ability to levitate. He would often fly on a flying platform.

With the Legs of Satan, Anvernacht has super-speed. He has participated in a ceremony to summon a being claiming to be the Christian Devil. That being is currently scattered across two universes, though; most of it resides with the Devil Legion, an expeditionary force which is currently in rebellion against their former masters.

Appearance

Russell Anvernacht usually dresses in a business suit, typically brown. His hair is still natural. In the modern day his hair may be starting to turn gray, but he is trying to hide this fact.

Domesday's power suit was dark grey. It had a cloak which could change color as camoflauge.

When Anvernacht manifests the Legs of Satan, his legs turn red, hairy, and hooved. Absent the Legs of Satan, Anvernacht reverts to his human legs, in whatever clothing those legs were wearing.

Publications

• Earliest Appearance and First Published: The Balance #1, 1990
• Most Recent Publication: Powernaut 2006 #10
• Latest Appearance: Superhuman World 2012 Annual, Satan Wants His Spine Back

Author's Notes

Russell Anvernacht was my first villain. He's finally made the big time, in conjunction with Powernaut Comics. He might as well; he's fought everyone else already.

(signed) Scott Eiler, 7 August 2016.