The Keeper of Infinite Earths - The Ninja Guild
Created by Barry Mulvihil & Matt Parmenter
Ninja Master
Alter Ego: none
Occupation: Leader of The Ninja Guild
Known Relatives: None Living
Group Affiliation: The Ninja Guild
Base of Operations: Monster Island, Japan
Background/History:
Legends of Ninja Master with his mystical powers and martial arts mastery go
back many years. Some say he is one man who has lived for centuries, others that
it is a title handed down by rites of battle and death. In modern times, he
first appeared at the turn of the last century working with the Black Dragon
Society to take over China for the Japanese and training ninja assassins for
hire. In the 1920s, he joined the Ninja Guild and quickly took it over. Aside
from hirelings, Ninja Master was conspicuously absent from World War 2 as he
seemed to know the Emperor was foredestined to failure. Following the
devastating defeat of Japan, he attempted to take power behind the scenes and by
taking over the Yakuza. Black Tiger and Cub moved to Japan to stop him and have
been battling his nefarious schemes ever since, founding the Samurai
organization to counter his army of ninjas. The worst defeat of his recent
history took place as he was preparing to finish torturing Black Tiger to death
and Cub kicked a vial of acid back in his face leaving his visage scarred
forever. He lurked in the shadows for many years and publicly reappeared in the
1980s in the US. In an attempt to gather the best assassins in the world under
his control and to cut down on competition, Ninja Master hired the famed
Assassinator as a ruse to trap him and brought him to Japan. A lesser known,
short-lived superhero team crossed paths with the Guild and were soundly
defeated. Ninja Master saw potential in the girl known as Tiger and had her
brought to China as well. Assassinator and Tiger joined forces, barely escaped
from China with their lives, fell in love, and their enmity with Ninja Master
continues to this day. Although his appearance has changed over the years, the
scars on his face lead to the conclusion that he may have some sort of limited
rejuvenation, perhaps linked to his mysterious disappearances. Ninja Master is
probably among the four deadliest fighters in the world, a master of multiple
martial arts styles with his skills augmented by some degree of mystical ability
as well. His Ninja Guild is made up of a super-powered group whose membership
changes every time their members get killed by Assassinator, a tier of highly
trained normal Ninja Assassin Elite, and hundreds of trainees seeking
advancement in the Guild.
Personality/Motivations:
Arrogant and egotistical, he truly is a master of the martial arts and he knows
it. His discipline is unquestioned and he demands total dedication, obedience,
and sacrifice from his minions. His sole motivation seems to be to acquire more
power and to prove his superiority over his adversaries. His ability to gloss
over his failures is almost as legendary as his fighting skills, but that by no
means is an indication that he may be taken lightly.
Quote: "You are not my equal. No man is my equal. I am
your better, your MASTER! You will all fall before me... Ninja Master!"