Biography

Nightstalkers

Johann Bessler was an alchemist who experimented with perpetual motion machines. One of them accidentally put him under the influence of demonic powers, which stole his skin, transforming him into a stony gargoyle creature. His master promised to return his skin to him if he freed them with the perpetual motion engine, which had the potential to break down the walls to whatever dimension they dwelled in.

He then had to kidnap victims to keep the machine turning, which fed his dark masters. While doing this, the heroes Blade, Hannibal King, Frank Drake, and Ghost Rider broke into his lair, forcing him to flee.

Later, he allied with Vic Slaughter, planning to use Slaughter's enemy Morbius to power his Engine. He and Slaughter ambushed Morbius while the vampire was fighting with Hannibal King and Drake, and brought his back to Stonecold's lab. The Engine started to work, and Stonecold was able to return to a semi-human form, but King and Drake tracked Stonecold and Slaughter to their lair, and Morbius broke out of the engine during the ensuing battle. Stonecold was then thrown into his own engine, which the vampire hunters destroyed, leaving his fate uncertain.

Powers and Abilties

Stonecold's body was similar in apparance to that of a gargoyle; he could fly and posessed supernatural strength and durability. He could also warp time abound him to a limited extent, giving those around him distracting glimpses into the future, and displacing objecta and people to the location where they were moments ago.