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| “ | Lead me to the Hulk... now! The Rhino'll make mincemeat out of 'im!! | „ |
| ~ Rhino |
Aleksei Sytsevich, or better known by his supervillain name Rhino, 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. He has combated Spider-Man many times, as well as the Hulk.
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 has 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" Richard Moll voiced him for his single line.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Rhino in Spectacular Spider-Man
In The Spectacular Spider-Man TV series, the Rhino was a thug named Alex O'Hirn who was hired by the Big Man (along with his partner in crime, Flint Marko, who became Sandman) to become the Rhino and battle Spider-Man. After his first defeat, Rhino joined the Sinister Six twice and continued to work for Doctor Octopus during the gang war.
In this series, Rhino was voiced by Clancy Brown (who also voiced George Stacy).
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- Main article: Rhino (The Amazing Spider-Man)
Paul Giamatti played the Rhino as a recurring antagonist in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. While the Rhino's real name from the mainstream comics will be used, his abilities will be based around the Rhino from the Ultimate Universe where he will pilot a mechanical Rhino suit.
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate R.H.I.N.O.
In the Ultimate Spider-Man, Rhino's character was a little different. For example; Alex O'Hirn was a scrawny nerd that was riding a mechanical version of the Rhino, and probably twice as big. Another difference is that Rhino is referred to as R.H.I.N.O. While Parker was in school, MJ overheard that R.H.I.N.O was on the loose. While Spider-man was searching for R.H.I.N.O., there was terrible destruction throughout Queens. After Spidey manages to catch up with R.H.I.N.O. and chased R.H.I.N.O. Due to his indestructible armor, Spidey couldn't penetrate through R.H.I.N.O. and do some real damage. However, Spidey did manage to hit R.H.I.N.O. with a wrecking ball and slam him into some canisters, creating a hole on R.H.I.N.O.'s back. They fought each other inside a parking lot of a car sale shop. Spidey manages to grab onto R.H.I.N.O.'s back punch the hole several times, causing R.H.I.N.O. to malfunction, forcing O' Hirn to exit the suit, only to be captured by Spider-Man.
Marvel's Spider-Man
- Main article: Rhino (Marvel's Spider-Man)
Rhino was a minor villain in Marvel's Spider-Man. Before the events of the game, Rhino was bested by Spider-Man and was sent to the Raft. It was reported that he tried to break out of the Raft, but was stopped. Not much later, Rhino has freed thanks to Doctor Octopus and he joined the Sinister Six. He was ordered to attack Oscorp supply routes and shipments in exchange for his suit being removed. While fighting a group of Sable agents, Spider-Man intervened. He had trouble killing him, so Scorpion had to join the battle. The two were defeated and trapped in a crate.
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