Brief History
Pro-Rata makes his first appearance in the first issue of Howard The Duck. The eponymous waterfowl decides to jump off Pro-Rata's tower made of credit cards in order to commit suicide. While climbing the tower, he meets Beverly Switzler, who is a prisoner of Pro-Rata. In attempting to rescue Beverly, Howard kills another prisoner of Pro-Rata's, who Pro-Rata intended to retrieve a Jeweled Key for his Cosmic Calculator, with which he planned to collect the cosmic dividend, which would grant him some manner of phenomenal financial power. As Howard killed the person Pro-Rata was planning to send along with Beverly, he decides to send Howard in his place. He knocks Howard unconscious, and when Howard comes to, he finds his trademark fedora and sport coat have been replaced with a barbarian's horned helmet and loincloth. Pro-Rata also gave him a large sword to use while retrieving the Jeweled Key. Pro-Rata then sends Beverly and Howard into a different dimension where they collect the Jeweled Key. Upon returning, however, the two accidentally bring back a Bahndbird, a large creature that sets about destroying the credit card tower and attempting to eat the three. At this point, Spider-Man shows up and battles Pro-Rata and the Bahnbird. Through the chaos, Howard lunges for Pro-Rata, and knocks him into Cuyahoga River, presumably to his death.
Pro-Rata apparently survives the fall, and later attempts to lure Howard and Beverly into a trap by creating a false movie studio. His plan was foiled, however, and he fell into a vortex he meant to entrap Howard and Beverly in. He has since sworn to enact further revenge on these two lovebirds.
Powers & Abilities
Pro-Rata is a skilled wizard who has combined his lifelong love with accounting and numbers with the evils of dark magic and sorcery. Using his Cosmic Calculator, he can open up portals to other worlds and dimensions, and he has claimed that with a long-lost Jeweled Key he can reach levels of untold power. He can create illusions, blast energy bolts from his hands, and manipulate inanimate objects at his whim. He is also a technological genius, and expert mathematician.
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