Red Skull (Albert Malik)

Following the death of Josef Stalin in 1953, Georgi Malenkov of the Soviet government appointed Albert Malik to take the identity of the Red Skull, hoping to capitalize on the original's reputation despite the history of hostility between communism and Nazism. His first assignment was to locate Hitler&339;s strongbox, reputedly located at the United Nations, in search of Nazi weapon secrets. He invaded the U.N. building later that year, but was opposed by the most recent Captain America and Bucky, who defeated him. The electricity-powered Electro, a Soviet super-operative who had fought Cap and Bucky previously, was recruited to aid Malik. Although Electro was waylaid in battle with Cap and Bucky, Malik succeeded in obtaining the strongbox. When he finally examined it however, he found that it only contained a plaque that identified the strongbox's real location. Malik finally found the strongbox, but it proved to be worthless, containing Hitler's old manuscript, medals, and sketches.

Malik later embarked on a scheme to obtain American rockets for the U.S.S.R. by masquerading as a scientist. He subsequently killed and replaced Senator Joseph McRooter, using his identity to recruit war criminals to spread false accusations of communist sympathy. However, Cap and Bucky defeated him on each occasion.

Hoping to avoid further battle, Malik eventually moved his operations to Algeria, becoming the mastermind of a criminal organization. Decades after his clashes with the 1950's Captain America, he identified two undercover U.S. government agents, Richard and Mary Parker. He had both of them killed and framed for illicit defection; little is known about his activities for the next twenty-plus years.

In recent years, the Parker's son Peter, learned of the charges against his parents and traveled to Algeria to investigate their deaths. Malik sent his assassin the Finisher to stop Spider-Man. Spider-Man defeated the Finisher and forced a confession from him that provided enough evidence to prove his parents weren't traitors. Apparently driven from Algeria, Malik later obtained a nuclear weapon, but was opposed by le Peregrine, Hawkeye, and the Sandman who were all being employed by the Silver Sable. Malik activated his bomb, but the Sandman was able to prevent it from detonating, and Malik was sentenced to prison in Algeria.

Malik's underlings broke him out of prison, almost all of them dying while getting him to an escape helicopter. As he flew away, he donned his mask and began to plot new schemes, but his pilot proved to be a renegade member of the Angel‘s Scourge of the Underworld Program. The Scourge shot Malik through the chest, knocking his corpse from the helicopter. The Scourge then contacted his employer, the Nazi Red Skull, who laughed at his impersonator's demise.