Colossus: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Piotr Rasputin

First Appearance: Giant Size X-Men 1 (May, 1975)

Powers: Can convert his entire body into organic steel, Superhuman Strength, and Durability

Affiliation: X-Men, Excalibur, Phoenix Five

Enemies: Magneto, Juggernaut, Blob, Pyro, Sauron, Sentinels, and most other X-Men enemies

Love Interests: Kitty Pryde

Did You Know: Colossus has two siblings, one of which is Illyana Rasputin or the always dangerous, Magik.

A Little History

Born on a Soviet Collective farm known as the Ust-Ordynsky, Piotr Rasputin grew up spending his time painting. He is the brother of Illyana Rasputin or the mutant Magik, and Mikhail Rasputin, a famed Soviet Cosmonaut. Like most other mutants, his mutation occurred in his teenage years and he soon realized that he could transform himself into an organic steel-type substance. This transformation gave him super strength and durability.

Initially, he used his powers mainly to help his family work the farm. However, when Professor Charles Xavier came calling to recruit Piotr to his new X-Men team, Colossus would use his powers for more than just farming.

He learned that the original X-Men had been captured and held on the island of Krakoa. He quickly accepted the offer to join and become a part of the new X-Men team and the two left Russia to head back to Xavier’s School for the Gifted. It was at this time that he received his name, Colossus. He, along with Storm, Wolverine, Sunfire, Thunderbird, Banshee, and Nightcrawler left for Krakoa and successfully freed the original team.

Upon arriving back in Westchester, the original team (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, and Beast) left to form X-Factor. With a hole to fill, the new recruits assumed the title, X-Men.