Superhuman Restraint Unit

Fictional comic book group

The (Anti )Superhuman Restraint Unit is a fictional special operations unit of S. H. I. E. L. D. appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, designed by penciller Howard Chaykin. and enforced "Super Hero Legislation" using armored agents of S. T. R. I. K. E. (the UK division of S. H. I. E. L. D.) to hunt down and detain superhumans within the UK. These anti superhuman agents were called "Beetles" squadrons due to their beetle head shaped helmets and were best known for gunning down Tom Lennox, Betsy Braddock's lover.

The first incarnation of the Cape Killers (sometimes written Capekiller) are agents of S. H. I. E. L. D. equipped in armored suits during the events of Marvel Comics' Civil War crossover, where these agents were sent to bring in rogue superheroes. and used a division of S. H. I. E. L. D. agents trained to deal specifically with superhuman threats, of S. H. I. E. L. D., known as (Anti )Superhuman Restraint Unit and more commonly Cape Killers, were spread out across Marvel comics and came into conflict with various superpowered individuals throughout the event. The Cape Killers wear armor and use hardware designed by Stark Industries. The Cape Killers' armor has two different styles of helmet (a Riotsquad style helmet, and a helmet with a Filter style gas mask) as well as suits that are out fitted with internal comm systems, and various firearms that shot tranquilizer darts,

The Cape Killers are seen in the subsequent Initiative story arc as well as the "Secret Invasion" storyline, until being discontinued by H. A. M. M. E. R. commander Norman Osborn at the start of the "Dark Reign" storyline.

The Cape Killers would later be revived by Agent Julia Gao of the NYPD during the "Devil's Reign" storyline to enforce the Anti Vigilante Act previously enacted by former New York City Mayor Wilson Fisk. Gao recruits several supervillains like Electro II, Scorpion, Taskmaster and Hightail into the Cape Killers in exchange for clemency and first deploys them during the "Carnage Reigns" event to stop Cletus Kasady. Gao and the Cape Killers frequently clash with Spider Man (Miles Morales), but are often forced to work together. During the "Gang War" event, Gao sends the Cape Killers members Scorpion, Taskmaster, Hightail, and new recruit Gust to deal with the destruction wrought by the warring gangs and orders them to arrest both superheroes and supervillains alike as seen after Spider Man, Misty Knight, and Colleen Wing have defeated Bumbler and Frost Pharaoh. She Hulk intervenes and argues with Gao through a video call that Spider Man and his allies have been deputized by Mayor Luke Cage to help stop the gang violence. As Gao begrudgingly allows Spider Man to go free, she still orders Hightail to bring Knight and Wing to her. Spider Man accompanies Scorpion and Gust to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn where they end up fighting Prowler and the Enforcers. Scorpion and Gust manage to defeat the Enforcers while Spider Man fights his uncle until Starling arrives with Ms. Marvel and Shift. The Prowler reveals that was he secretly working undercover to thwart the Hobgoblin's attempt to control Brooklyn and joins forces with Spider Man and the Cape Killers to stop Hobgoblin and his supplier Rabble. At Hobgoblin's hideout, Scorpion convinces several supervillains under the Hobgoblin's employ to turn against their employer; the Cape Killers and Spider Man and his allies are able to save Brooklyn from the Hobgoblin although Rabble escapes during the battle and the Hobgoblin is presumed killed after blowing up his base. Gao ends her truce with Spider Man and attempts to arrest him, but he defiantly leaves to help end the final battle at Central Park. After the Gang War ends and Fisk's Anti Vigilante Act is repealed, Mayor Cage orders the Cape Killers to disband, with its members either having their sentences commuted or returned to imprisonment. Although Cage lets her keep title and has her transferred to a different department, an infuriated Gao seeks out Rabble to form her own alliance in thwarting New York's superhuman activities. Hoping to arrest Spider Man before the Act is officially repealed and the Cape Killers are disbanded, Gao equips herself and the Cape Killers with upgraded suits provided by Rabble and ambush him, but Spider Man fights them off after empowering himself with his Bio Electricity and when Rhino, Prowler, Ms. Marvel, Shift and Starling arrive to back him up. However, Rabble intervenes by using her technopathy to take control of the Cape Killers' suits, letting them fight at their full capacity but would also eventually kill them, goading Spider Man into confronting her alone. Spider Man narrowly defeats Rabble after a brutal fight, which frees the Cape Killers from her control. Gao slips away from the authorities while the Cape Killers are treated for their injuries as Cage arrives on the scene and officially disbands the Cape Killers.

A variation of the Superhuman Restraint Unit appears in the Avengers Assemble multi part episode "Civil War". This version was designed by Ultron's Truman Marsh form and consists of a mech sized Iron Patriot battlesuit and unmanned green and yellow sentries.

The Superhuman Restraint Unit appears in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, as enemies if the player chooses the story's Anti Registration side and as allies if the player chooses the story's Pro Registration side.