SPEED DEMON

 

SPEED DEMON

Real Name: James Sanders

First Appearance: Avengers (Vol. 1) #69, October 1969 (as Whizzer); The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #222, November 1981 (as Speed Demon)

Powers: James Sanders was a mediocre pharmaceutical chemist who was attempting to develop a speed-enhancing formula with repeated failures. He gained superhuman powers when the cosmic-powered gamesman known as the Grandmaster tapped into the Universal Wellspring, a fundamental alchemical power source, using it to generate an alchemical spark that made Sanders' speed formula functional. By drinking the serum, he gained superhuman speed, able to run faster than 150 mph as the Whizzer. He improved upon the serum before becoming Speed Demon, able to exceed 300 mph. His speed increased dramatically during his time as a Thunderbolt due to happenings with the Wellspring, making him supersonic for the first time. His powers were stolen and later restored, so the speed he finally stabilized at is unclear.

A traditional speedster, Speed Demon possesses superhuman endurance, reflexes, perceptual acuity, and durability in addition to speed. He can accurately perceive his surroundings at speeds where other people would only see a blur, and can react to high speed phenomena. His dexterity is not inhibited by his velocity, allowing him to perform tasks like changing clothes or disassembling complex machinery faster than the human eye can follow. He has superhuman strength in his leg muscles and lower body, and is highly impact resistant for rapidly striking the ground while running. Speed Demon has increasing healing powers and metabolism as well, letting him recover at an accelerated pace from injuries. For a time, he used throwing blades as offensive weapons.

James Sanders holds a masters degree in chemistry and has both extensive knowledge and training in pharmaceutical chemistry. An experienced street fighter skilled in high-speed combat, he sometimes carries throwing blades, which he can hurl at rapid velocities. He also sometimes constructs chemical weapons such as smoke bombs, which he can construct in seconds using his speed and his chemical expertise.