Wrecker (comics)

The Wrecker
Image from Thor #418 (June 1990)
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Thor #148 (Jan. 1968)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Dirk Garthwaite
Team affiliations	Wrecking Crew Masters of Evil Legion Accursed Frightful Four
Abilities	Superhuman strength, stamina and durability Via enchanted crowbar: Energy absorption and projection Force field generation Illusion casting Mind control Teleportation Ability to create minor earthquakes

The Wrecker (Dirk Garthwaite) is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character made his first appearance in The Mighty Thor #148 (Jan. 1968).

Dirk Garthwaite first appears in the title Thor, and is depicted as a former manual laborer in a demolitions crew who is fired for his violent and anti-social tendencies. Garthwaite creates a costume for himself and adopting the alias the Wrecker, commits a series of robberies, demolishing looted locations and leaving a crowbar at the scene of the crime. The Wrecker enters a hotel room that, unknown to him, is occupied by Asgardian god Loki, the adopted brother and arch-foe of the Thunder god Thor. He knocks the depowered Loki out and puts on his helmet. The Wrecker accidentally receives an enchantment - meant for Loki - from Loki's ally, Norn Queen Karnilla, and courtesy of his now crowbar is granted superhuman strength and stamina.

Reveling in his new-found power, the Wrecker embarks on a crime spree and also defeats Thor, who at the time has had his power severely reduced by father Odin (ruler of the Norse gods) as punishment for choosing to remain on Earth. A building is collapsed onto the Thunder God, nearly killing him. The Wrecker is defeated by the female Asgardian warrior Sif, who animates the armor of the Asgardian Destroyer to save Thor. His crowbar is shattered.