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| “ | Lead me to the Hulk... now! The Rhino'll make mincemeat out of 'im!! | „ |
| ~ Rhino |
Aleksei Sytsevich, better known as the Rhino, is a major antagonist in Spider-Man franchise and a supporting antagonist in the whole Marvel Universe. He was a Russian immigrant who was succumbed to radioactive testing, granting him powerful superhuman strength and durability. He was also given a suit of tough, rhinoceros-like armor and horns for even more destructive capabilities. While primarily an enemy of Spider-Man, he is also an occasional enemy of the Hulk and other heroes such as Thing, Luke Cage and Daredevil.
Biography[]
Comic Background[]
Aleksei Sytsevich was once a poor Russian immigrant with no education or skills. Desperate to gather the money he needed to bring his family to the United States, he quickly became a common thug and enforcer for various criminal organizations. Because of this, he allowed himself to be given intensive sub-hypnotic training, before volunteering as a test subject in a criminal experiment to create an unstoppable henchman.
Selected due to his naturally large size, and the belief that his low intelligence would keep him obedient, Aleksei was injected with various chemical substances and had a super strong polymer bonded to his skin. This provided him with augmented strength and speed, granting him the powers of a Rhinoceros. With his suit shaped accordingly, Aleksei was directed to kidnap Colonel John Jameson, son of the owner of the Daily Bugle, in order to discover military secrets.
Rebelling Against His Superiors And Confronting Spider-Man[]
However, the Rhino soon rebelled against his employer as he realized that he no longer needed to work for others. Instead, he could use his powers to capture and sell Jameson on his own to the highest bidder.
Facing off against Spider-Man, Rhino easily overpowered the web-slinger with his reliance on brute force. However, the crafty hero quickly identified the Rhino’s primary weakness, that he would charge in one direction without the ability to change course.
Escape and Second Defeat[]
Defeated and sent to a special state correctional hospital, Rhino was kept under heavy sedation until he broke free and sought revenge on Spider-Man.
This time, Spider-Man devised a more permanent solution and created a special acid fluid that would dissolve Rhino’s hide, leaving him without any impact resistance. Defeated yet again, Rhino was recaptured, tried and convicted, before serving a commuted sentence.
Returning With His More Powerful Suit[]
Upon his release, the same scientists that he betrayed sought him out and offered to restore his powers using gamma radiation. Also adding an acid-resistant coating to his suit, Rhino was made twice as strong as he once was and asked to capture Dr. Bruce Banner, an expert on gamma rays. Accepting the proposition, the task proved difficult due to Banner having transformed into The Incredible Hulk.
Failing his mission, and his family having learned what he had become, Rhino returned to New York with the desire to rid himself of the suit. Unable to do so, he joined forces with other criminals, even becoming a member of the Sinister Syndicate. With the help of these other super villains, he repeatedly took on Spider-Man, who continued to stand in his way of stealing enough cash to buy a cure for his augmentations.
Reform And Resurgence[]
Rhino later reformed from his criminal ways, but his identity was taken up by another unnamed criminal who wore a mechanical suit and became the All-New Rhino. The two Rhinos battled, and the original Rhino killed the newer one.
The original Rhino has since returned to villainy, driven by his wife's death, and is a member of Doctor Octopus's new Sinister Six. Later during the Ends of the Earth storyline, Rhino willingly chose to drown, taking Silver Sable with him.
In Other Media[]
Spider-Man: The Animated Series[]
Nothing is known of Rhino's early life. This includes how he got his Rhino suit or his super strength. Rhino's suit is apparently bonded to his body. His strength is his greatest weapon but is not much on brains. When John Jameson's space shuttle crash-landed on the George Washington Bridge, Kingpin sent Rhino to retrieve a new element called Promethium X which was more powerful than plutonium. When Rhino arrived at the shuttle he took the Promethium X but was confronted by Spider-Man.
In this series, Rhino was voiced by Don Stark. In the episode "The Six Fight Again" the late Richard Moll voiced him for his single line.
The Spectacular Spider-Man[]
- Main article: Rhino (The Spectacular Spider-Man)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2[]
- Main article: Rhino (The Amazing Spider-Man)
Ultimate Spider-Man[]
- Main article: Rhino (2010 Marvel Animated Universe)
Marvel's Spider-Man[]
- Main article: Rhino (Marvel's Spider-Man)
Sony's Marvel Universe[]
- Main article: Rhino (Sony's Marvel Universe)
Rhino will appear as the secondary antagonist of 2023 film Kraven the Hunter and the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.
He will be portrayed by Alessandro Nivola, who also portrayed Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark and Pollux Troy in Face/Off.
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