Speedball is one of like half a dozen characters at Marvel alone, that is basically teenage-era Spider-Man: off the top of my head, Nova, Darkhawk, Gravity, Ms. Marvel, probably the other Nova, arguably Thunderstrike even though he wasn't a teen, and, um, oh yeah, multiple other versions of Spidey. But it's weird to see Speedball against a Spidey foe and a DD one, even if it was in the middle of his 'dark' phase. From 2007, Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures #1, written by Paul Jenkins, art by Steve Lieber.

This was a one-shot concurrent with Warren Ellis's Thunderbolts run, as Norman Osborn gives a harsh post-mission critique to 'Penance,' and highlights a little toy of his: a device that could tap into any security camera in the world. He's showing off as he browbeats Robbie, who like most teenagers doesn't want to be there or involved in that conversation. Norman is starting to get irritated with the little goody-goody, but couldn't just have him killed: technically, Robbie was there of his own free will, his time on the Thunderbolts considered "rehabiliative therapy." But Norman has an idea, when he goes through the list of unregistered superhumans that need to be brought in; which involves the rarely-seen vigilante Americop. (Whose real name was Bart Gallows--a predecessor of Punisher 2099 Jake Gallows?)

Norman gives Bullseye a little "therapy" session, and his marching orders: he was going to be team leader, on the mission to bring in Americop. Even Bullseye thinks that's crazy, but Norman has it all planned out, and Bullseye was under at least some control with the nanites injected into him. The only downside: Bullseye of course was a known criminal murderer, so the government absolutely could not be seen working with him. That shouldn't be a problem, as Bullseye got a tricked-out semi-invisible motorcycle for the job, which he then uses to launch Penance at Americop! Who proves surprisingly durable, surviving their initial attack, throwing Penance around, and putting a "banshee" round in Bullseye's leg. With Norman keeping the rest of the T-Bolts "in reserve," Americop hunts Bullseye and Penance while saying stuff like "they were under cardiac arrest." Hilarious.

To save them both, Bullseye powers-up Penance...by punching him in the spine, a lot. Penance blows out Americop, then Bullseye pummels him some more, before Norman activates the nanobots to shock him down. In another post-mission briefing, Norman gloats he didn't think Penance would've willingly gone through that to amp up the power needed to take down Americop, but Penance disagrees. Namely, he didn't have to use all his power then...He blows up most of Norman's office, before smashing his camera-tapper, and a couple fingers. Norman later gives him the post-mission rating, "beginning to show potential." Which is...kind of more nuanced than I think Norman was capable of at the time? He was like, extra-crazy with sprinkles on top then. It was more like, his way, or a murdery tantrum; not a lot of middle ground.

Americop was a fourth-string nobody; but that was a secret strength of this era: taking obscure characters like that, and giving them a moment to be super-cool...probably before then getting super-murdered, but still. Also this issue: a two-page spread for the former Toy Biz/Marvel Toys Legendary Comic Book Heroes! Build a Pitt or Monkeyman! Ah, that takes me back. Read more!

"Young."

I know I read New Warriors when they debuted in Thor, then like the first year or so of their book...and then never again? I mean, not even a lot of random pickups later, although I know we've seen a couple here. Certainly none of the later incarnations, which means I didn't actually read any issues where Darkhawk was a member, so I don't know if I'm anywhere near their team dynamic. Then again, that means I also 'missed' a storyline where Namorita has a drunken hookup with a gang member who steals Warrior data, which leads to the death of Rage's grandma...! Ugh. Some aspects of that book, in retrospect, are very much of their time, and also kinda gross. For example, Nova was written a lot like Wally West was for a while: a lecherous horndog, with no other personality traits.

I say that, and yet it doesn't stop me from a joke at their expense, to explain away the missing Warriors Namorita and (young) Vance Astro, who of course have not received figures yet! And poor Namorita remains dead following Civil War, but they picked up a spare of her somewhere in the timestream or something. That seems like a raw deal, but she didn't have to do a stint as Penance or anything, so maybe she did get off easy.

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"First Name."

Typhoid Mary mentioned, some time back, that Face ID couldn't tell the difference between her, or Mary Walker; but does Moon Knight always have the same phone? Or does each persona have their own phone, own contacts, possibly even own account? Jake almost certainly has the phone the other guys know about, and three secret burners.

Yay, Speedball! Who I don't think we've seen before now, and with Steven there, seems alarmingly tall. Feel like he could've used some extra hands; or maybe just not both fists, even if he's not a big accessory user. 

I did do about three seconds of searching, and I think there is a Crescent Street in NYC. And possibly a dumpling house. I don't get dumplings often enough...

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I could take or leave Speedball, but I like Niels.

From 1995, New Warriors #66, "Return to Springdale" Written by Evan Skolnick, pencils by Patrick Zircher, inks by Andrew Pepoy; and dedicated to Speedball co-creator Steve Ditko.

Robbie Baldwin dreams up the title page while sleeping on the train back to his hometown: trouble with his mom, possible time-travelling problems incoming, and malfunctioning powers; so he was headed home in search of answers. Arriving in town, his dad is late picking him up, so he Speedball's up and bounces home; just missing an alliterative pair of thugs chasing Niels, the cat that got the same powers in the same accident as Speedball.

Robbie was in kind of an odd place: his parents were separated, and he was living with his mom, who was acting on "Secret Hospital," the same soap opera I think Mary Jane Watson had a stint on. His dad knew his secret ID, but was district attorney and the town was supposedly "the only 'one' in America with an ordinance against costumed vigilantes," so he had to willfully ignore his son's activities.

The next day, as Speedball heads to the lab where he got his powers, two villains, the Harlequin Hit Man and Sticker, manage to catch Niels. Speedball finds his usual doctor had the day off, but those villains and several more are there, seemingly with the run of the lab. Speedball is able to thrash his old bad guys once again, but then gets gassed. He wakes up, strapped to the wall with Niels, courtesy of his old foe...Clyde!

Clyde claims all of the villains Speedball faced in Springdale were his "failed experiments," and that he was "the greatest enemy you never knew you had!" Speedball had earlier even saved him from another experiment, a giant rat. (That was in the last issue of his own book, which I probably have floating around here somewhere...) Clyde wants to suck the powers out of him and Niels, which is hurting the cat, who horks up a kinetically powered hairball! Clyde is shaken like a paint mixer, setting up a MST3K reference; as Speedball sees a mysterious figure in the "kinetic dimension" his powers come from, that looks like him.

Later, Robbie tells the cops, and his dad, Niels defeated all the baddies. Wink! The cat would go on to further nonsense, before becoming a Pet Avenger, and is currently the pet of Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch!

Also this issue: Justice tries to manage the team and his love life, as he thinks it's too soon to propose to his long-standing girlfriend, Firestar. Sabra also calls up, from Israel, to hit on him, just to complicate matters. And the Scarlet Spider makes an appearance, since this was during his time on the team; which almost turned the book into a de facto Spider-Man title. Secret identities also meant something back then, as Scarlet is still reluctant to unmask for the team.

I understand Speedball has moved back to Speedball again, past his trauma from Civil War and time as Penance. I think he would be more fun if he was portrayed as complete rag-doll physics; like every time he hit a wall or something he looked like his spine was folding in half, but was fine.
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80-Page Thursdays: Marvel Super-Heroes #14!

During a recent visit to Portland, OR, I got to visit Cosmic Monkey Comics, which I could've spent all day rummaging around in! I got a couple books I'd been looking for; and it's a great store, it's not their fault this issue was disappointing. From 1993, Marvel Super-Heroes #14, 80-Page Summer Special, featuring stories by Mike Rockwitz, Roy Thomas, David Michelinie, and more; and art by Ron Wilson, Bob McLeod, Greg LaRocque, and more.

We've got another three fill-in issues burned off here, featuring Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and Speedball. The Dr. Strange story actually ties into a previous fill-in, from Marvel Super-Heroes #12, with magician's son Augustyne Phyffe struggling to come to terms with his powers. Which he eventually does, by deciding to give them up: he had some natural talent, but not the skill for the game.

It's far from the best of this series, yeah. Still, we got some other issues that we'll save for the end of the year.
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He used to do friendly little Speedball stories, before Ellis and Ennis got ahold of him.

From 1993, New Warriors Annual #3, "Tough Choices" Story and art by Darick Robertson, inks by Ian Akin. In the lead story, Speedball exclaims how great it is to have more control over his powers, and not just be bouncing around "like a complete feeb!" That way lies Penance, you know...I rather prefer Speedball as well-meaning yet somewhat hapless, so it's weird to see him as somewhat competent; but that would get rolled back eventually.

Robertson would go on to do Transmetropolitan, the Boys, and Ballistic; so this is pretty early work for him. In "Tough Choices" Speedball has to stand up to a bully without blowing his secret identity, which means turning the other cheek no matter how much he'd rather not. In the next year's annual's back-up, he seems to have given up on that, and resolves to give his bully an ass-kicking...as Speedball!

From 1994, New Warriors Annual #4, "Two Sides" Written by Robertson, pencils by Stephen (J. B.) Jones, inks by Ron Boyd. Following his bully home, Speedball eventually realizes his bully lives in the bad end of town, and is getting a heaping helping of abuse from his father. I think Speedball's still considering beating his ass until he sees him bawling.

Just recently acquiring these again (EDIT: these two might have been new to me...) I read both these annuals and one of their appearances in the Kings of Pain crossover; all three had a ton of guest-stars. And the Warriors were a fair-sized team, so they were crowded books!
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