Aqueduct (comics)

Aqueduct (Peter van Zante), originally known as Water Wizard, is a

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Publication history

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2024)

The character first appeared in Ghost Rider #23 (Apr. 1977) and was created by Jim Shooter and Don Heck.

Fictional character biography

Peter van Zante enlists in the U.S. military as a soldier. After being wounded in action, he is treated with an experimental radiation device while out at sea. A lightning strike during a freak storm destroys the device but van Zante is rejuvenated. While convalescing, van Zante discovers he can manipulate water and create semi-solid three-dimensional shapes. Becoming a professional criminal, van Zante dons a costume and adopts the alias of Water Wizard, and robs a brokerage house. He is then employed by the criminal the

Gary Gilbert invites Water Wizard to attend a meeting at the Bar With No Name to discuss the threat of the Scourge of the Underworld. Due to a flat tire he is late to the meeting and is not present when the attendees, including Gilbert, are killed by the Scourge. Water Wizard subsequently discovers the 17 victims and turns himself in to Captain America, who later captures the assassin.^[8] Several years later during Acts of Vengeance, Water Wizard and many other villains are freed from prison by Doctor Doom to attack Four Freedoms Plaza and battle the Fantastic Four, but van Zante ends up arguing with and fighting against fellow villain Hydro-Man.^[9] Failure follows failure as van Zante is sidelined by construction workers during a futile attack on the superhero team the Avengers,^[10] and is later defeated by Captain America in seconds.^[11]

Water Wizard eventually reappears with a new costume and alias — Aqueduct. He joins with three other super villains with elemental abilities to form the team

During the Civil War storyline, Aqueduct is forced along with many other supervillains to join the Thunderbolts Army.^[15]

During the Dark Reign storyline, Aqueduct is revealed to be back with Force of Nature, which is now the Initiative's Oregon team.^[16]

Powers and abilities

A power surge in an experimental cell stimulator while out at sea gave Van Zante the psychokinetic ability to control and shape all forms of liquid (including oil) for virtually any effect, such as rainstorms, floods, tidal waves, water slides, and mobile animated water creatures. Aqueduct can manipulate thousands of gallons at a time. However, he cannot control the temperature of water or combine hydrogen and oxygen to create water.

References