Tatterdemalion (comics)

Tatterdemalion
Tatterdemalion (on the bottom) on the cover of Werewolf By Night #9, Sept 1973.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(unnamed) Werewolf by Night #9 (Sep 1973), (named) Marvel Team-Up #93
Created by	Tom Sutton
In-story information
Alter ego	Arnold Paffenroth
Team affiliations	Thunderbolts Night Shift Committee
Notable aliases	Michael Wyatt
Abilities	Peak physical condition Costume: Special coating makes difficult to hold

Tatterdemalion is a fictional character and supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character wore gloves either coated with or secreting a chemical agent which dissolved any material composed of paper, such as dollar bills. His appearance (and, indeed, his name, which roughly means "ragged tramp") suggested that he was homeless, and he was apparently insane.

Arnold Paffenroth was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and became a tap-dancer and an actor. He was once a wealthy business investor until the Las Vegas mob swindled him out of all of his money. This resulted in his divorce, and he became an insane homeless person. With an army of derelicts, hired by Sidney Sarnak on behalf of the Committee, he battled the Werewolf. The Committee outfitted Paffenroth with a sophisticated costume and equipment. Taking the name "Tatterdemalion" (a person dressed in ragged clothing), he sneaked up on unsuspecting victims and proceeded to destroy their money, rather than steal it; an odd twist on mugging. Tatterdemalion began attacking the wealthy, and then battled Werewolf and the superhero Spider-Man. He next battled Werewolf and Ghost Rider. With other superhuman adventurers and criminals, he was imprisoned by the Locksmith, but was then freed by Spider-Woman. He later attempted to stimulate the career of Julia Walker, his former dance partner, by committing terrorism. He battled and was stopped by Dazzler.

Tatterdemalion later joined the "Night Shift," a group of villains tricked by the Shroud into doing good. He teamed with Captain America against the Power Broker and his augmented mutates. Alongside the Night Shift, he tested Moon Knight to take over as leader of the Night Shift. Alongside the Night Shift, he battled the West Coast Avengers. Alongside the Night Shift and the second Hangman, and Satannish, he battled the Avengers West Coast. His abilities were enhanced by Satannish's black magic at this time. At present, he is more occupied with shielding his thoughts from the space aliens who are trying to control his mind with radio signals; he believes they transmit these signals into his head via smoke stacks of fast food restaurants.