Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Foggy Nelson

Real Name
Franklin P. Nelson

Occupation

Lawyer, former District Attorney

Citizenship

U.S.A.

Place of Birth
New York City, NY

Known Relatives
Edward Nelson (father), Rosalind Sharpe (mother), Anna Nelson (stepmother), Candace Nelson (half-sister), Deborah Harris Nelson (ex-wife)

Group Affiliation

Education

Columbia University (undergraduate), Harvard Law School

Height

5'10"

Weight

220 lbs

Eyes

Blue

Hair

Brown

Powers

None

Abilities

Foggy Nelson is a highly skilled attorney with an encyclopedic knowledge of the law.

Other Info
Franklin "Foggy" Nelson is the son of Rosalind "Razor" Sharpe, a ruthless attorney who deserted her husband not long after their son was born. Foggy rarely saw his mother during his youth; therefore, he was raised by his father and stepmother. However, his mother's career motivated him to study pre-Law at Columbia University, where he quickly befriended his roommate,
Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil). Murdock, despite his blindness, occasionally used his physical skills to protect Nelson from campus bullies (Foggy was not aware of Matt's superhumanly enhanced senses). (To learn about Daredevil, click on the highlighted name above.)

During their time at college, Matt began dating Elektra Natchios. Foggy disapproved, because he thought she was dangerous (which turned out to be extremely true). After Elektra left the university, Foggy and Matt transferred to Harvard Law School. After graduating, Foggy and Matt opened up a private law practice. They hired a secretary, Karen Page, which both Foggy and Matt fell in love with. Unfortunately for Foggy, only Matt's love was reciprocated. Therefore, Foggy stepped aside so his friend could pursue happiness with Karen. (Click on the highlighted name above to learn more about Elektra and/or Karen Page. Note: Beware of the revealing and/or form-fitting outfits on Elektra and Karen Page's home pages. Also, the third picture posted is of Foggy in front him and Matt's office.)

Later, Foggy met up with an ex-flame by the name of Debbie Harris and ended up marrying her. Around that time Elektra was hired by the Kingpin to assassinate Foggy. However, upon confronting Foggy, he recognized Elektra as "Matt's girl." Unable to kill Foggy after this, Elektra abandoned her assignment (this led to her "death" at the hands of Bullseye). (To learn about the Kingpin and/or Bullseye, click on their names above.)

Foggy was unaware of his Matt's double-life for many years, despite his suspicions regarding Matt's frequent exits and physical injuries. Although their friendship has endured numerous trials, such as Foggy's appointment as District Attorney, Matt's descent into paranoia due to the actions of the Kingpin, and, of course, Matt's dedication to his alternate persona. However, the two remained friends and confidantes, even after Foggy's relationship with Debbie fell apart which resulted in a divorce.

At one point, Matt's secret identity as Daredevil was revealed by the media and he was eventually arrested. When this happened, Foggy went to visit Matt in prison with private investigator Dakota North. At the prison, Foggy was stabbed and seriously injured by several inmates. Matt heard his friend's heartbeat slowly cease, and Foggy was declared dead sometime after the ambulance took him away. However, sometime later, it was revealed that Foggy had not actually died, but was put into the Witness Protection Program. During this time, he went by a new name. A little later, Foggy and Matt were finally reunited. Afterward, with the help of fellow lawyer, Becky Blake, they managed to clear Matt of all charges. Then Nelson and Murdock reopened their firm, this time with Blake as an equal partner. (To learn about Dakota North, click on her name above.)

Recently, Foggy and Matt's friendship has once again become strained due to Matt's alter-ego and his irrational behavior (such as ignoring his responsibilities to the firm). But, it is only after Matt makes a deal with the Kingpin that Foggy's patience reaches its end. Emotionally hurt and morally perplexed that Matt would make a deal with the man who had caused them both such pain in the past, Nelson ends up firing Murdock from the firm. Later, Foggy expresses remorse at this decision because he worries that Matt's new role as Leader of the Hand has resulted in him taking on a new murderous attitude. (To learn about the Hand, click on their name above.)To learn more about Foggy Nelson, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Nelson,_Foggy.

Some of you may have already notice this, but the actor (Jon Favreau) who plays Foggy Nelson in film Daredevil is the same actor that plays Happy Hogan in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 (he is the director of the Iron Man movies too). This version of Foggy Nelson is shown as the top photo in the second picture posted above. Now that Marvel Studios has reclaimed the rights to Daredevil characters, Foggy Nelson now appears in the Netflix TV series named Marvel's Daredevil (shown as the bottom photo of the second picture posted above.)

Monday, September 20, 2010

Flash Thompson

Real Name
Eugene Thompson

Occupation
High school coach; former Oscorp employee, gym teacher, soldier, ambulence driver, college football player

Citizenship
U.S.A. with a criminal record

Place of Birth
Forest Hills, Queens, NY

Known Relatives
Harrison (father), Rosie (mother), Jessie (sister)

Group Affiliation
Alcoholics Anonymous, Oscorp staff, U.S. Army, Spider-Man Fan Club

Education
High-school graduate, some college courses and military training

Height
6'2"

Weight
185 lbs.

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Reddish blond

Powers
None

Abilities
A natural all-around athlete, Flash was a capable unarmed combatant thanks to his boxing background and his military experience, and was a well-trained soldier during his army days. Flash was also a gifted football player in his youth. A car accident left Flash a mental and physical wreck, confined to a wheelchair and stuck in a speechless stupor. However, he recently recovered physically, though mentally has lost all memories after high school.

Other Info

Handsome and naturally athletic, Eugene Thompson seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. Unfortunately, his father (popular policeman Harrison Thompson) had a secret drinking problem. Alternating between anger and despair, his father took out his frustrations on the family, often treating Eugene abusively. Eugene, in turn, became a neighborhood bully, taking out his own frustrations on weaker and less popular children, including Peter Parker. (To learn about Peter Parker/Spider-Man, click on his name above.)

Eugene was a football prodigy. He became one of the most popular, and conceited, students at Midtown High School, where his speed on the football field earned him the lifelong nickname "Flash." Flash Thompson had a big circle of friends, which included Liz Allan (Flash's steady girlfriend for some time). The more popular Flash became, the more he mocked the shy Peter Parker. However, as Parker (secretly emboldened by his new spider-powers) became more confident, he began to stand up to Flash more often, and even took on Flash in a boxing match that ended with Flash being knocked out by a spider-strength jab that most onlookers misinterpreted as a lucky sucker punch. Despite being knocked out by Peter, Flash continued to mock Peter. Gradually, Flash's girlfriend became impressed by Peter's maturity and sick of Flash's bullying that she dumped Flash and began showing strong romantic interest in Peter. This just made Flash hate Peter even more. (To learn about the character and/or school above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Shortly after Spider-Man first appeared, Flash declared himself Spider-Man's biggest fan. Flash even founded the Forest Hills chapter of the Spider-Man fan club and took it upon himself to defend Spider-Man's reputation (sometimes even in reckless and foolish ways). One time, Flash impersonated Spider-Man in an attempt to teach Peter Parker some respect for the hero, and he was mistaken for the real Spider-Man and was imprisoned by Doctor Doom. But, the true Spider-Man came and rescued him. (Click on the highlighted name above to learn about Doctor Doom.)

Later on, when another Spider-Man impersonator tried to tarnish the hero's name with a string of petty crimes, Flash unmasked the culprit as his own friend Jason Ionello (who wrongly blamed Spider-Man for the recent death of their mutual friend Sally Avril during Spider-Man's battle with the Black Knight). Flash also repeatedly denounced the many anti-Spider-Man tirades by Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. (To learn about the different characters and/or the publishing company, click on their highlighted names above.)

When Flash and Peter graduated from Midtown High, both were awarded full scholarships to Empire State University (for athletic and academic achievement, respectively). By this time, relations between the two had begun to thaw ever so slightly, and both soon became part of a circle of friends that included fellow students Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane Watson. By the time Flash left college to join the Army, he and Peter parted as friends. (To learn about Flash's university and/or his circle of friends above, click on their highlighted names. Flash in his Empire State lettermen jacket is shown in the third picture posted. Note: Beware of the low-cut shirt on Mary Jane's bio page.)

During his tour of duty, Flash was stationed in Southeast Asia, where he stumbled across a hidden temple whose residents (notably the beautiful Sha Shan) nursed a wounded Flash back to health. However, after American forces mistakenly shelled the temple despite Flash's efforts to protect it, Flash left the Army to return to America. Back in America, some temple survivors who mistakenly blamed Flash for the tragedy made attempts on his life. However, with the aid of Spider-Man, Flash lived to convince the temple survivors of his innocence, and was briefly reunited with Sha Shan. (The forth and fifth pictures posted are of Flash in the Army.)

Sometime later, Flash's old friend Betty Brant was struggling to cope with her failing marriage to reporter Ned Leeds (who had secretly been brainwashed into serving as a pawn and occasional stand-in for the criminal Hobgoblin--aka Roderick Kingsley). Betty sought comfort in the arms of Flash, and soon the two were having a secret affair. Sha Shan realized this and walked out on Flash after a violent argument. The unstable Ned Leeds suspected the truth as well, and Flash unwittingly provoked matters further when he insulted the Hobgoblin on television. The Hobgoblin responded by framing Flash as the supposed Hobgoblin, sending Flash to prison. In prison, Flash was supposed to be killed by the vigilante Scourge, but once again Spider-Man saved the day. Escaping jail, Flash sought refuge with Betty Brant but was attacked by the Hobgoblin, who fled after Betty saw him unmasked as Leeds. Shortly thereafter, word of Ned's double identity leaked out and Leeds was murdered by assassins hired by his rival Jason Macendale (who used Ned's gear to become the new Hobgoblin). Aiding Spider-Man in battle with the new Hobgoblin, Flash suffered an arm injury that ended any hope of restarting his old sports career, but he was cleared of all charges related to the Hobgoblin case and set free. (To learn about the different characters above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Ned's death sent Betty into a nervous breakdown, and she fell under the influence of a sinister cult known as the "Students of Love." Flash, Spider-Man, and Reverend Tolliver joined forces to liberate Betty and deprogram her. Having lost all her worldly possessions to the cult (which was destroyed in a fire), Betty took up residence with Flash for a short time. But, soon afterward, Betty and Flash decided they were better off as friends rather than lovers and parted as friends. By this time, Peter Parker had married Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn had married Flash's old girlfriend, Liz Allan. So, being the odd-man-out Flash was determined to find a new love of his own. For a while, he dated Felicia Hardy (aka Black Cat), but ultimately broke up with her since he felt he could never fit into her exotic lifestyle. (To learn more about the highlighted event and/or character above, just click on their names. Note: Beware of the revealing and extremely form-fitting outfits on the Black Cat's bio page.)

Directionless, lonely and increasingly bitter, Flash developed a drinking problem like his father had, leading to a car crash that got Flash arrested again and cost him his job as a school gym teacher. By this time, Flash had begun blaming much of his troubles on his family in general and his father in particular. However, after a violent confrontation with his father finally, Flash realized that he had become a wreck like his father was, and that only he himself could take responsibility for fixing his life. Flash finally sobered up and started trying to turn his life around, though without much success in terms of either romance or career. But, luck struck when wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn offered him a good job with his company (Osborn had actually done this as part of an elaborate plot against his enemy Peter Parker in hopes of turning Flash against Spider-Man, though Flash remained loyal to his boyhood idol despite Osborn's influence). (To learn about Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, click on his highlighted names above.)

Later, when Norman Osborn stepped up his attacks on Peter, he staged a car crash that sent a company truck crashing into Midtown High with Flash at the wheel, and made it look as if Flash had been driving drunk. Flash was knocked unconscious, but eventually revived. Unfortunately, he was broken in mind and body--he was in a wheelchair and trapped in a speechless haze. Flash was visited regularly by old friends such as Peter Parker and Liz Allan Osborn (now Harry's widow), who used her wealth to provide Flash with an apartment and full-time medical care.

Eventually, Flash recovered, and went back to P.S. 108 (the New York City public school numbering for Midtown High) in Forest Hills as a coach. He has partial amnesia, remembering events up through high school. Therefore, he has forgotten his years of friendship with Peter Parker and had returned to mistreating Peter until Spider-Man's public unmasking shifted his attitude.

To learn more about Flash Thompson, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Thompson,_Flash.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Beverly Switzler

Real Name
Beverly Switzler

Occupation

Occasional Life Model

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Cleveland

Known Relatives
Lee Switzler (uncle)

Group Affiliation
None

Education
College Educated

Height
Unrevealed

Weight
Unrevealed

Eyes
Green

Hair
Red

Powers
None

Abilities
Beverly studied Theatre in college and is trained in First Aid.

Other Info
Long time companion of Howard the Duck, Beverly Switzler first met Howard when they were both taken captive by the mad financial wizard Pro-Rata, who intended to use the two of them to retrieve the missing gem-key to the Cosmic Calculator in a bid to become Chief Accountant of the Universe. Thrown into a dimensional portal, Howard and Beverly worked together to retrieve the gem-key and return to Pro-Rata’s tower where Howard defeated Pro-Rata with assistance from Spider-Man. (To learn about the characters above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Afterward, Beverly offered Howard to come and live with her. The two became close friends. They struggled to make ends meet, with Beverly posing as a model for life-drawing classes to pay the bills. Beverly and Howard the Duck even had to face extraordinary obstacles together, such as Turnip-Man (Beverly’s space turnip possessed roommate), Winky-Man (their narcoleptic vigilante upstairs-neighbor), and Le Beaver (the Canadian Super-Patriot). However, in spite of all their struggles, their relationship grew and eventually they fell in love.

At one time, Beverly and Howard became separated for a time after a former college classmate of Beverly’s, Dr. Bong, abducted them and held them captive on Dr. Bong’s Island. Revealing his long standing obsession for Beverly, Dr. Bong demanded Beverly’s hand in marriage in exchange for Howard’s life. Beverly agreed to the marriage in order to save Howard. During her forced marriage, Beverly used her time in the castle to create five infant clones of Lester, naming them the "Bong Quintuplets." Beverly eventually confronted Doctor Bong and threatened to ruin his reputation by revealing to the public that he was a negligent father. Dr. Bong decided to let Beverley go. Soon after, Beverly and Howard were reunited. (To learn about Dr. Bong, click on his highlighted name above.)

Later, Beverly and Howard spent Thanksgiving at
Charles Xavier's Massachusetts Academy, where they encountered Artie Maddicks, Leech, and Franklin Richards. These kids invited them to their treehouse, where the alien Tana Nile was hiding. Soon after, they all join with the Man-Thing, who assists them from fleeing the murderous Black Tom Cassidy. As a result, the entire group go through many adventures together known as the "Daydreamers." (To learn about the characters, place, and/or team, just click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the revealing outfit worn by someone on the last picture on Tana Nile's bio page.)

During the Civil War events, Beverly and Howard attempt to register under the Superhuman Registration Act, with Howard posing as a superhero and Beverly as his sidekick (they did this because Beverly said they could use the money paid to registered heroes). However, they were unable to register due to Howard's disruptive nature (S.H.I.E.L.D. created a policy that Howard the Duck does not legally exist). (To learn about the highlighted event and/or team above, click on their names.)

To learn more about Beverly Switzler, click on the following link,
http://marvel.com/universe/Switzler,_Beverly.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Phat

Real Name
William Robert Reilly

Occupation

Adventurer, public spokesman, former amateur rapper

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Jacksonville, Florida

Known Relatives
Unidentified mother, father and sister

Group Affiliation

None; formerly X-Force/X-Statix

Education
Unrevealed, probably high school

Height
5'9" Variable

Weight
177 lbs. Variable

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Blond

Powers
Phat could produce subcutaneous adipose tissue beneath his skin and use it to reshape his face and body into various shapes and proportions, such as increasing the size and strength of his hands or inflating his entire body to render himself extremely resilient.

Abilities
He had some experience in rapping.

Other Info
When his powers first manifested, William Robert "Billy-Bob" Reilly thought it was just normal weight gain due to the stresses of his life. However, soon he realized it was a mutation. Once that became clear, Billy-Bob trained well and used his abilities to fight crime. In preparation to audition to join the X-Force (later named X-Statix), Phat made a video of his home; he depicted himself as coming from a dysfuncational trailer park family, and then living in the streets, in order to give himself a "gangsta" image. And he was accepted to the team. (To learn about X-Force/X-Statix, click on the team name above.)

On Phat's first outing with his X-Force team, a fight with the old X-Force occured (they did not agree to the use of the name or the methodology of Phat's X-Force team). (To learn about the X-Force, click on the team name above.)

Phat worked with Vivisector to raise their profile amongst the team and in the public. They even pretended to have a romantic relationship which was foiled by the fact both of them realized they really were gay. They then had a real relationship, but that ended when they realized they were not attracted to each other. (Click on the highlighted name above to learn about Vivisector.)

After a trip inside Doop's mind, X-Force was informed that the team's name had to be changed for legal reasons. This is when Phat's X-Force team took on the name "X-Statix." (To learn about Doop, click on his name above.)

Later, X-Statix confronted the murderous cult lead by
Mister Code (who believed he could improve America's general attitude by random sniper killings). Spike Freeman, then team leader, was revealed to be in league with Mister Code. Angered upon finding this out, Orphan killed Freeman and via Dead Girl, they tracked down Mister Code. However, Code soon after killed Henrietta Hunter. Then in battle, Code was killed by Orphan. Unfortunately, when Orphan killed Mister Code, this set off a biological bomb. To save everyone, Phat enlarged himself quickly and enveloped the explosion. Phat was able to save his team from the blast; however, he was killed doing so. (To learn about any of the highlighted characters above, just click on their names.)

To learn a little bit more about Phat, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Phat.

Phat was in
X-Men: The Last Stand. He was played by two actors. Via Saleaumua who played the "large mode" Phat, and Richard Yee who played the "small mode" Phat.