Poll Results

Well the "What superpower would you like to have" poll is over and the powers most desired ended up being...a 3 way tie...between being able to teleport, control over a tail, and being able to climb on solid surfaces (Nightcrawler) versus having heightened senses, being able to climb on walls, having super strength and shoot a web (Spider-Man) versus being really smart with awesome body armor (Iron Man).

Many of the next character highlights will be based off of the poll results. I'm not promising that I will go in the exact order of popularity, but I will stay close to it because I figure those are the powers and characters that people want to learn about.

Thanks for all those who participated in the poll. Remember to leave comments, questions, and additional information in the comments area. If you leave a question, I will try to find out an answer for you, so occasionally check back to see comments and additional information.

P.S. A new poll will be coming soon...so stay tuned.

Wolverine

Real Name
James Howlett

Occupation
Adventurer, instructor, former bartender, bouncer, spy, government operative, mercenary, soldier, sailor, miner
 
Citizenship

Canada, possible dual citizenship in Japan and/or Madripoor

Place of Birth
Alberta, Canada

Known Relatives
Unidentified grandfather (deceased), John Howlett Sr. (father, deceased), Elizabeth Howlett (mother, deceased), John Howlett Jr. (brother, deceased), Viper (Madame Hydra, ex-wife), Amiko Kobayashi (foster daughter), Erista (son), Laura Kinney (X-23, clone), Daken (son), Itsu (wife, deceased)

Group Affiliation
X-Men, Avengers, formerly Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Secret Defenders, Clan Yashida, Department H, Alpha Flight, Department K, Team X, Team Weapon X, Devil's Brigade, Canadian Army

Education
Privately tutored as a child

Height
5'3"

Weight
(Without Adamantium skeleton) 195 lbs., (with Adamantium skeleton) 300 lbs.

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Black

Powers
Wolverine is a mutant who possesses the ability to regenerate damaged or destroyed areas of his cellular structure at a rate far greater than that of an ordinary human. The speed at which this healing factor works varies in direct proportion with the severity of the damage Wolverine suffers. For example, he can fully recover from an ordinary gunshot wound in a non-vital area of his body within minutes, but it took him almost two months to fully recover from injuries sustained in a duel with Lord Shingen, which included one from a sword that went all the way through his trunk.

Wolverine’s natural healing also affords him virtual immunity to poisons and most drugs, as well as an enhanced resistance to diseases. For example, it is nearly impossible for him to become intoxicated from drinking alcohol. He also has a limited immunity to the fatigue poisons generated by bodily activity, and hence he has greater endurance than an ordinary human. His agility and reflexes are similarly enhanced.

In addition, Wolverine’s healing factor provides him with an extended lifespan by slowing the effects of the aging process. Although over a century old, Wolverine is as healthy and physically fit as a man in his prime.

Wolverine also possesses superhumanly acute senses, making him capable of seeing things at a maximum distance greater than a normal human’s. His hearing is enhanced in a similar manner, and he is able to recognize people and objects by scent, even if that person or object is hidden. Wolverine can use these enhanced senses to track any creature with an impressive degree of success.

Wolverine’s skeleton includes six retractable one-foot long bone claws, three in each arm, that are housed beneath the skin and muscle of his forearms. Wolverine can, at will, release these slightly curved claws through his skin beneath the knuckles on each hand. The skin between the knuckles tears and bleeds, but the blood loss is quickly halted by his healing factor. Wolverine can unsheathe any number of his claws at once, although he must keep his wrists straight at the moment his claws shoot from his forearms into his hands. When unsheathed, the claws are fully within his hands, and thus Wolverine can still bend his wrists. The claws are naturally sharp and tougher than that of normal human bone structure, allowing Wolverine to cut through most types of flesh and natural materials.

Despite the extent of his healing factor, Wolverine is not immortal. If the injuries are extensive enough, especially if they result in the loss of vital organs, large amounts of blood, and/or loss of physical form, such as having flesh burned away by fire or acid, Wolverine can die.

Abilities
Due to his extensive training as a soldier, a C.I.A. operative, a samurai, a spy, and a member of the X-Men, Wolverine is an exceptional hand-to-hand combatant, having mastered virtually every fighting style on Earth. He is also a trained expert in multiple types of weapons, vehicles, computer systems, explosives, and assassination techniques. Wolverine is fluent in many languages, including Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Cheyenne, Lakota, and Spanish; he has some knowledge of French, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Other Info
James was born in Alberta, Canada during the late 19th Century to wealthy landowners, John and Elizabeth Howlett. James was a frail boy of poor health. He spent most of his early years on the estate grounds with two playmates that lived on the Howlett estate with him: Rose (a red-headed girl who was brought in from town to be a companion to young James) and a boy nicknamed "Dog" who was the son of the groundskeeper, Thomas Logan.

Thomas Logan, in a drunken stupor, invaded the Howlett estate with his son attempted to take Elizabeth Howlett (implied to be his former lover) with him. John attempted to stop Thomas, but Thomas shot him down in cold blood. James had just entered the room when his father was shot and this was the first time his mutation was manifested; his claws extended from the backs of his hands and he attacked the intruders killing Thomas Logan, and scarring Dog's face with three claw marks. James' mother, who was already an emotionally disturbed woman, took her life immediately afterward.

Fearing for their safety, Rose fled the estate with James, who appeared to have been deeply traumatized and had somehow repressed or forgotten most of the memories of life back at the estate. Dog falsely reported to the police and James' grandfather that Rose had murdered John Howlett and Thomas Logan. James' grandfather shunned James and with no family left, took Dog in as his ward.

In the years that followed, James and Rose took refuge in a British Colombia mining colony under the guise of being cousins. James also assumed the name of "Logan" in order to hide his identity. As the hard work of mining toughened his body, and his mutant powers developed, he grew to be unusually strong and ferocious. He was immune to the elements and even ran with the wolves in the forest, learning to hunt as an animal hunts. During this period, James developed strong feelings for Rose, but could not act on them for the sake of their disguise as cousins. Smitty, who had been mentoring James all these years, had also grown close to Rose, and the two eventually fell in love and became engaged. James was shocked of Rose's decision; however, James later accepted the situation for the sake of Rose's happiness. Meanwhile, the James' grandfather was failing in health and asked Dog to find Rose and his grandson so he could make peace with them before he died. Dog agreed; however, he decided to track them down so he can kill James instead. Dog (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Logan's future nemesis, Sabretooth) finally found and confronted James. Dog reminded James of his past and the two fiercely fought in the middle of the street, and despite being the physically stronger of the two, Dog was eventually overpowered by the enraged James. As Dog laid unconscious, James unsheathed his claws for the first time in public (to the shock of everyone watching) and was about to deal the deathblow until Rose leapt in to stop him and was accidentally impaled by his claws. Horrified, "Logan" held her in his arms as she died. He then fled into the woods where he lived in self-imposed exile with a pack of wolves. (To learn more about Sabretooth, just click on his name above.)

Logan served in the military during many wars. Logan has at least one memory of meeting Captain America (Steve Rogers) in World War II while he was in the Canadian Army. (To learn more about Captain America, click on his name above.)

Sometime after World War II, Logan was taken by a group of scientists led by Dr. Cornelius as part of the Weapon X program. Cornelius was hired to perfect and use a technique that would bond the indestructible element adamantium to human bone cells. Logan's skeleton was bonded to the adamantium, and he was indoctrinated into the Weapon X assassin program. (To learn about adamantium or the Weapon X program, click on their names above.)

Later, Wolverine was approached by Professor Charles Xavier, who was looking for mutants to help his students, the X-Men, escape from the island-being known as Krakoa, which had captured them. After Krakoa was defeated, Wolverine decided to stay with the X-Men, for reasons which included that he had fallen for Marvel Girl (aka Jean Grey). Logan remained with the X-Men for quite some time, at one time being their field commander. (To learn about the characters, place, and team above, click on their highlighted names above.)

After his encounter with the mutant assassin Omega Red, Logan began to question the memories he possessed, but his searches to find his true identity and memories proved fruitless. (Click on the highlighted name above to learn about Omega Red.)

During an encounter with the mutant Magneto on his space station called Avalon, Wolverine had the adamantium torn out of his skeleton, causing him extensive injuries. These injuries shorted out Wolverine's healing factor for a time, and Logan also discovered that the claws that he believed a result of the Weapon X project were in fact part of his actual bone structure due to his mutation. (He had obviously forgotten about his past when he used his claws to kill his father's killer. The fourth picture posted shows Wolverine with just his bone claws. Also, click on the highlighted name above to learn about Magneto.)

Later on, Logan was kidnapped by Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) and forced to fight the savage assassin Sabretooth for the mantle of the Horseman, Death. Knowing that he might be able to resist Apocalypse's programming, and that Sabretooth would be a very dangerous villain with the support of Apocalypse, Logan fought and defeated Sabretooth. As a result, his skeleton was again laced with adamantium. Under the control of Apocalypse, Wolverine fought the X-Men ferociously in his Death persona. But with the help of his teammates, he eventually broke free from Apocalypse's control. (The fifth picture posted is on Wolverine in his Death persona. To learn more about Apocalypse or his Horsemen, click on their names above.)

After some time, Wolverine was actually invited to join the Avengers; he eventually accepted membership. (Click on the highlighted team above to learn about them.)

Click on the following link to find more information about Wolverine, http://www.marvel.com/universe/Wolverine_(James_Howlett).

Marvel Madness

So, here's my Marvel Madness Blog. I will highlight a Marvel character every week. I will display their powers, height, weight, stats, etc. If there is any more information or comments you would like to add, or questions you have about the featured character, please do so in the comment area. Also, their is a poll that I would like you to take. Thanks and I hope everyone enjoys!

P.S. I know there are many different "facts" about different Marvel characters, so I will get most of my information straight from the source, Marvel.com.

Hulk

Real Name
Robert Bruce Banner

Occupation
Unemployed, former nuclear physicist

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Dayton, Ohio

Known Relatives
Betty Ross Banner (wife, deceased), General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (father-in-law), Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk, cousin), Morris Walters (uncle), Elaine Banner Walters (aunt, deceased), Brian Banner (father, deceased), Rebecca Banner (mother, deceased), Skaar (son)

Group Affiliation
formerly the Avengers, Defenders, Fantastic Four, the Pantheon, and the Horsemen of Apocalypse, Warbound

Education
Banner has a PhD in Nuclear Physics. The various Hulk personas have demonstrated different intelligence levels, from brutish to average to the same level of intelligence as Banner.

Height
5' 9½" (Banner); 6'6" (gray Hulk); 7' – 8' (green/savage Hulk); 7'6" (green/Professor Hulk)

Weight
128 lbs. (Banner); 900 lbs. (gray Hulk); 1,040 – 1,400 lbs. (green/savage Hulk); 1,150 lbs. (green/Professor Hulk)

Eyes
Brown (Banner); Gray (gray Hulk); Green (green/savage Hulk); Green (green/Professor Hulk)

Hair
Brown (Banner); Black (gray Hulk); Green (green/savage Hulk); Green (green/Professor Hulk)

Powers
The Hulk possesses an incredible level of superhuman physical ability. His capacity for physical strength is potentially limitless due to the fact that the Hulk's strength increases proportionally with his level of great emotional stress, anger in particular. The Hulk uses his superhumanly strong leg muscles to leap great distances. The Hulk has been known to cover hundreds of miles in a single bound and once leaped almost into orbit around the Earth. The Hulk has shown a high resistance to physical damage nearly regardless of the cause, and has also shown resistance to extreme temperatures, poisons, and diseases in addition to regeneration of damaged or destroyed areas of tissue at an amazing rate.

The Hulk's body also has a gland that makes an "oxygenated per fluorocarbon emulsion", which creates pressure in the Hulk's lungs and effectively lets him breathe underwater and move quickly between varying depths without concerns about decompression or nitrogen narcosis.

Abilities
Dr. Bruce Banner is a genius in nuclear physics, possessing a mind so brilliant that it cannot be measured on any known intelligence test. When Banner is the Hulk, Banner's consciousness is buried within the Hulk's, and can influence the Hulk's behavior only to a very limited extent.

Other Info
Dr. Robert Bruce Banner was supervising the trial of an experimental gamma bomb for the U.S. Defense Department at a nuclear research facility in New Mexico. A teenager named Rick Jones had wandered onto the testing site and Banner quickly ran out and pushed Rick into a nearby ditch just as the bomb went off. Banner was hit by the gamma radiation, but survived. (To learn about Rick Jones and how he interacts with Banner throughout his life, click on his name above.)

At first, Banner transformed into the brutish gray Hulk only at sunset, and revert to human form at dawn. Eventually, he turned into the green Hulk when he got an adrenaline rush when he was intensely excited, no matter what time of day. The green Hulk possesses little of Banner's memory and intelligence, and is easily enraged; making him a menace to society. Since Banner's initial transformation into the Hulk, military forces commanded by the implacable General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (father of Betty Ross--Dr. Banner's future wife). (To learn about Banner's wife and father-in-law, click on their names above.)

For a short time, Banner successfully treated his condition with radiation and was able to maintain enough of his own personality when he became the Hulk to control himself in that form. Subsequently, he helped found the Avengers and even received a presidential pardon. However, the Hulk reverted into a brutish menace. (Click on the highlighted "Avengers" above to learn more about the team.)

Gamma-powered psychiatrist Leonard "Doc" Samson captured the Hulk and successfully separated Banner and his alter ego. Without Banner's psyche to restrain him, the Hulk became a greater danger than ever before. Realizing there was only one way to reign in the Hulk, Banner agreed to merge with the monster. But the stress of the re-integration fractured Banner's subconscious, creating the street-smart gray Hulk. During this time, he spent several years in Las Vegas, sometimes operating as an enforcer calling himself Mr. Fixit (or "Joe Fixit"). Joe Fixit was an ill-tempered, wise-cracking, thuggish brute. In this state, Banner again found himself changing into the Hulk at night and into his human form in the light of the day. (The third picture posted above is Hulk as Joe Fixit. To learn about Doc Samson, click on his name above. Note: His Marvel bio page has a picture with a woman in the background with a revealing/tight-fitting outfit.)

Later, Hulk was subjected to a process that split him and Banner into separate beings for a short time. Banner took full advantage of this, and married Betty Ross and attempted to lead a normal life. However, Banner and the Hulk were once again merged, but this time the Ringmaster and Doc Samson tapped into the subconscious of Banner and reached his separate incarnations. Through this hypnosis, Banner, the green Hulk, and the grey Fixit all aligned to face their true inner demons-- Banner's unresolved issues with his abusive father and the murderer of his mother. With this realization, Banner was able to fuse these mentalities together, finding peace of mind. However, a green but intelligent version of the Hulk emerged. He had the mentality of Dr. Banner but the body and abilities of the Hulk. (To learn about the Ringmaster, click on his name above.)

There have been people who have tested Banner time and again promising to cure him, but they truly were trying to gain his powers for themselves. One of those was a former physics professor of Banner's. He got enough gamma radiation to become the creature called Ravage. (To learn about Ravage, click on his name above.)

Though never a big team player, the Hulk joined forces with the Dr. Strange and Namor to defeat the techno-wizard Yandroth. Thereafter, this loose-knit band of Defenders would unite periodically to oppose threats to humanity. The original Defenders reluctantly re-formed when Yandroth surfaced again to menace the world. However, even though the heroes defeated Yandroth's plan, he used his sorcery to levy a deathbed curse upon their heads, binding them to come together in times of crisis. (To learn about the Defenders, the individual members, and/or the villain, click on their highlighted names above.)

After the events of the M-Day (almost all super-powered beings lost their powers), Banner went to Alaska to live in peace away from everyone. He was eventually tracked down by Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., who required his help in defeating the Hydra space weapon that could detonate all the nuclear bombs in the world. As the Hulk up in space, he learned that the Godseye was actually a rouge S.H.I.E.L.D. weapon that could match the strength of any enemy. In the ensuing battle, the Godseye could not match the increasing power of the Hulk, and it exploded. (To learn about the teams and the M-Day event, click on them above. Note: The M-Day main picture has a couple people in either revealing or form-fitting outfits.)

Thinking it a good idea, a group of superheroes known as the Illuminati decided to jettison the shuttle into space to try to get rid of the Hulk (Hulk thought it was a S.H.I.E.L.D. space craft taking him home). Unfortunately, Hulk landed on Planet Sakaar, a planet full of barbarian tribes, gladiator battles and ruled over by a corrupt empire. Here, the Hulk had an Obedience Disk implanted on him that made him loyal to the Red King's commands. He joined several others in a group that would have to learn to fight together and became known as Warbound. Soon after this, Hulk and the his Warbound team was forced to fight a captured Silver Surfer who began fighting them. Hulk, angered by Silver Surfer's betrayal of attack him (an ally back on Earth), attacked the Surfer and inadvertently released him from the disc implant embedded within him. Freed of the implant disc that kept him prisoner, the Surfer destroyed the rest of the implant discs embedded in the rest of the warriors. The Hulk declined the Silver Surfer's offer of transportation back to his world so as to finish things on Planet Sakaar. Hulk then stood with his freed Warbound companions against the tyrannous Red King. (The fourth picture posted above is the Warbound Hulk. To learn about the different people, place, and item highlighted above, just click on their names. Note: Illuminati bio page has Namor in a tiny speedo-like outfit.)

When the Red King was close to being defeated by Hulk, the Red King activated a rupture under the very surface of the planet. In an act of desperation, Hulk leaped into the molten earth and forced the splitting plates back to their proper assemblage, literally saving Sakaar. The Hulk gave the King a finishing blow, knocking him clear of the city walls. Hulk was proclaimed the Green King, and all those on Sakaar worshiped him and his Queen, Caiera (By this time, Betty Ross-Banner had been killed by the Abomination). Hulk and Caiera were married, Caiera became pregnant with Hulk's child, and it seemed that the Hulk's life of running and fighting was over. However, the ship that brought Hulk to Sakaar soon exploded, killing his wife and unborn child sending Banner into a rage like no other. He and his Warbound journeyed to Earth seeking revenge on the planet's heroes for their part in Sakkar's destruction. Hulk and his Warbound wrecked havoc on New York City. Iron Man, Mister Fantastic and Doctor Strange all fell before the Hulk and his Warbound. Even old sparring partners such as the X-Men as well as new threats like the Gamma Corps couldn't even slow the Hulk's rampage. He put Obedience Disks on his defeated enemies and made they battle each other. Eventually, he realized that he didn't want to murder anyone (when he prevented Mister Fantastic from killing Tony Stark), but just wanted others to realize the pain they have caused him. He released his the heroes, and no matter how many times Iron Man or Mister Fantastic tried to explain they had nothing to do with the shuttle explosion that killed his adopted home world, the Hulk will not listen. (This time where the Hulk and his Warbound wrecked havoc on the world is called, World War Hulk.) Later, Hulk learned that the heroes of Earth actually didn't destroy Sakaar and gave himself up to S.H.I.E.L.D. and was placed three miles below the Mojave Desert. (To learn about any of the above highlighted subjects, just give them a click. Note: Caiera's outfit is a bit revealing.)

One day, the Abomination was found murdered in his homeland of Russia. All the evidence pointed towards Hulk, however, he was in prison. They eventually learned that it was a massive creature that went by the name, Red Hulk. The Hulk was able to get out of prison and face the Red Hulk. Hulk was defeated in the first confrontation, but made sure he came out victorious the second time around with the Red Hulk. When he had defeated the Red Hulk, Banner didn't stay around to find out the Red Hulk's true identity. (To learn more about the Red Hulk, click on the highlighted name above. For more information on Bruce Banner, Joe Fixit, Hulk, etc., click on the following link, http://www.marvel.com/universe/Hulk_(Bruce_Banner).)

Lou Ferrigno, the original Hulk in the TV Series, makes a cameo in both of the Hulk movies as a security guard.