- Looking for another article with the name Rhino? Check out the Rhino disambiguation page.
Rhino is a criminal that has enhanced strength and uses his rhino suit to commit crimes.
History
Early life
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.
Later life
Promethium X
Eventually Rhino started to work for Kingpin. 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 then plutonium. When Rhino arrived at the shuttle he took the Promethium X but was confronted by Spider-Man. Rhino proved to be a real challenge for Spider-Man was was able to over power him. When Rhino was about to kill Spider-Man he received a message from Kingpin telling him to return to Crime Central. Rhino left Spider-Man alive and as he stepped over Spider-Man the wall crawler placed a spider tracer on Rhino's leg without him knowing. Spider-Man intended to use the tracer to follow Rhino. However, when Rhino returned to Crime Central and gave the Promethium X to Kingpin.
Alistair Smythe later told Kingpin that he needed special control rods to handle the Promethium X and that they were kept in a highly guarded military facility. Kingpin once again called on Rhino to to steal the rods. As Rhino used his enhanced strength to break into the military base he found the rods but was confronted by Spider-Man. The symbiote enhanced Spider-Man's powers which included his strength making Spider-Man more then a match for Rhino. Spider-Man was able to over power Rhino and was about to kill Rhino by crushing him with a heavy metal door. However, Spider-Man came to his senses and decided not to. Spider-Man then left Rhino at the military base and Rhino was able to bring Kingpin the control rods.
Partners
A short time later Rhino and Shocker teamed up to kill Spider-Man. While Spider-Man was web swinging through the city he just happened to see Rhino standing on a rooftop. As Spider-Man landed on the roof Rhino told him that he has a score to settle and charges at him. As Rhino charged at Spider-Man, Spider-Man jumpped out of the way and Rhino hit a big air conditioner and his head went straight through it. Spider-Man then walked up and tied metal wires comin out of the air conditioner to his horn trapping Rhino. Spider-Man spider sense then alerted him to danger and as he turned around he saw Shocker and realized they were working together. Shocker managed to temporarily incapacite Spider-Man. During this time Venom arrived and was easily able to defeat Rhino and Shocker and tie them up in his web. Rhino and Shocker were arrested sometime after this.
The Insidious Six
After several defeats at the hands of Spider-Man, Kingpin broke Rhino, Doctor Octopus, Shocker, Mysterio, Chameleon, and Scorpion out of prison to form a group he called the Insidious Six. On their first mission Rino and the other members of the Insidious Six lured Spider-Man into a trap. However, Spider-Man was able to escape them. Eventually the Insidious Six abducted May Parker and lured Spider-Man into a trap. After a brief fight the Insidious Six captured Spider-Man. However, when he was unmasked Doctor Octopus believed that because of his poor performance as Spider-Man he was not the real one. Rhino managed to dumb down what Doc Ock said that since Peter couldn't find the real Spider-Man he put on a "cheap Halloween costume" to fool them and get his aunt back.
Shortly after this Kingpin learned that Silverman was attempting to rally the other crime lords in the city against Kingpin and attack him. However, Kingpin ordered the Insidious Six to capture Silvermane. Their mission was a success and Rhino was a part of it. However, Spider-Man came to Silvermane's rescue and Rhino and the others searched for them. Rhino was able to catch Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man was able to trick Rhino into thinking that he was really the Chameleon is disguise and convinced him to attack his own teammates. Spider-Man was eventually able to escape with Silvermane and the Insidious Six disbanded.
Non-canon history
In the story book Spider-Man: The Chameleon's Many Faces, Chameleon stole secret plans to the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier and intended to sell it to Rhino and Shocker. However, Spider-Man was able to defeat them.
In the comic book Totally Kids, Rhino teamed up with several of Spider-Man's enemies (Doctor Octopus, Scorpion, Shocker, Venom, Lizard, Chameleon, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter and Hobgoblin) to defeat Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man was able to get away.
Powers and equipment
Powers
Rhino possesses extreme superhuman strength. He is able to lift more then 75 tons without his suit and 100 tons with his suit on.
Rhino can run at top-notch speeds hence he can, while charging or ramming, appear at his destination rather quickly.
Equipment
The Rhino suit grants Rhino a high degree of resistance to physical injury. The suit is bulletproof, enhances his own strength, and has two horns on the head capable of penetrating 2-inch plate steel.
In the comics
In the comics Rhino is Russian and his real name is Aleksei Sytsevich.
He has used the alias Alex O'Hirn.
Aleksei Sytsevich was a poor Russian immigrant who worked as a small-time muscle man for professional criminals. He acted as a collection agent for the local loan sharks or was hired whenever a heist required heavy lifting. At one point foreign spies approached him and made him an offer he coulnd't refuse. They wanted to create an unstoppable, superhuman agent and chose him because of his muscular physique and his lack of intelligence. Since he needed money to bring his mother and relatives to America, he agreed to their request. For several months, he underwent a series of chemical and radiation treatments that gave him his powers and turned him into the Rhino.
A team of scientists designed and developed the Rhino's special bodysuit to cover his body, whichhad been bulked up by the chemical and radiation treatment. The costume is constructed of layers of polymer and, like the hide of a real thinoceros, is thick, coarse, and highly resistant to damage. It is bulletproof and can even withstand the explosive impact of an antitank missile.
The Rhino's first assignment was to abduct John Jameson, the son of J. Jonah Jameson. Since John was an astronaut in the United States space program, the Rhino's bosses intended to sell him to the highest bidder. Spider-Man learned of Rhino's plan and rushed to John's defense. With his superior speed and agility, Spider-Man dazzled the inexperienced Rhino, who was captured by the police. The Rhino was confined to a prison hospital where he was kept under heavy sedation while awaiting trial.
Appearances
- The Alien Costume, Part I
- The Alien Costume, Part II (Mentioned only)
- The Alien Costume, Part III
- The Insidious Six
- Battle of the Insidious Six
Trivia
- The name Alex O'Hirn would not be used until 2002 when Rhino was adapted into the the Ultimate comics. However, since this version of Rhino in Spider-Man: The Animated Series speaks with an American accent instead of a Russian accent it could be assumed that his real name is Alex O'Hirn despite that part of his backstory being added several years later.
- In the comics Rhino has brown hair. However, in Spider-Man: The Animated Series he is never seen without his Rhino suit.
- Given how much Rhino talks about New Jersey and his accent it is possible that is where he is from.