MISTER FEAR

 

MISTER FEAR

Real Name: Alan Fagan

First Appearance: Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 1) #92, April 1980

History: A baseline human with no superhuman powers, Alan Fagan is the nephew of Larry Cranston, the original Mister Fear. Upon his uncle's death, Alan was bequeathed his Mister Fear paraphernalia and became a professional criminal.

Mr. Fear's gun shoots pellets containing "fear gas," a compound based on flight scent pheromones; inhalation of the gas induces a gradual state of anxiety, fear and eventual outright panic, theoretically rendering victims incapable of resisting Fear's will.

The pellets rupture on contact, their effect lasting anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on each victim's physical constitution, and the gas can also be absorbed through the skin at a slower rate; after effects of edginess and mild nausea can persist for days following exposure. Fear once used a hypodermic ring to inject concentrated dosages of his fear compound and occasionally carries other weapons, such as an enerqy-discharge qun; he briefly wore a protective armored exoskeleton. He has access to pheromone variations, including one which renders him exceptionally appealing to women. Although Fear's skin is saturated with fear pheromones as a result of careless research and use, he seems to derive no superhuman powers from this condition.

SWORDSMAN I

 

SWORDSMAN I

Real Name: Jacques Duquesne

First Appearance: Avengers (Vol. 1) #19, June 1965

Powers: A baseline human with no superhuman powers, Jacques "Jack" Duquesne was a master of swordsmanship, knife-throwing and the combat use of bladed weapons in general, the Swordsman was an exceptional hand-to-hand combatant, acrobat and strategist, with far more combat experience than most other Avengers.

He could even mesmerize or at least distract unwary opponents using the motions of his swinging blade and flashes of reflected light off its metal. He was a skilled pilot of the Avengers' supersonic Quinjets. An experienced thief, he accumulated knowledge of both ancient and modern architecture via many break-ins. During his pre-Avengers career, he wielded two traditional swords, one over a half-century old, but durable enough to slice through most metals; he later wielded a sword equipped with Makluan-based technology operated by buttons on its handle and hilt. This blade could project a concussive force beam, a disintegrating ray, a flame jet, heat rays, electrical bolts, ultra-sonic shockwaves, a ray which disrupted electrical impulses, or nerve gas which induced temporary unconsciousness. The Swordsman occasionally used other bladed weapons as necessary. He was a recovering alcoholic.

HAWKEYE II

 

HAWKEYE II

Real Name: Katherine Elizabeth Bishop

First Appearance: Young Avengers (Vol. 1) #1, February 2005 (As Kate Bishop); Young Avengers (Vol. 1) #12, Jume 2006 (As Hawkeye II)

Powers: Katherine "Kate" Bishop is a baseline human with no superhuman powers. However, she undertook an intensive physical fitness and self-defense training regimen while also studying archery, fencing, kickboxing, and various martial arts. While at Avengers Mansion, she modeled her costume and code-name after Hawkeye, "borrowing" the Swordsman's broadsword, Mockingbird's battle staves, and Hawkeye's bow and quiver of trick arrows.

Mockingbird's staves could link together into a quarterstaff or vaulting pole, the Swordsman's weapon could fire force blasts, electro-bolts, flames, a disintegration ray, or anesthetic gas, and Hawkeye carried a near endless supply of trick arrows. Captain America retook these weapons when he disbanded the group, but Kate apparently had replicas made when she began financing them. Whether these weapons had any special features is unknown, but after receiving Cap's approval, Kate was given a supply of trick arrows like Hawkeye would carry.

She has access to great wealth through her father (publishing magnate Derek Bishop) and is an excellent cellist.

ECHO

 

ECHO

Real Name: Maya Lopez

First Appearance: Daredevil (Vol. 2) #9, May 1999 (As Echo); New Avengers (Vol. 1) #11, September 2005 (As Ronin)

Powers: Echo possesses photographic reflexes: Anything she sees someone physically do, she can then duplicate. This refers only to physical actions, not superhuman powers, and is limited by her own body's fitness and ability to perform. Nonetheless, she has duplicated culinary skills by watching cooking shows, recreated observable musical talent like the piano, can fly or drive any vehicle like an expert after watching someone else do it, and has assimilated various fighting styles by watching martial artists in person or on video. This includes general disciplines such as kung fu or judo, and also the specific styles of individuals like Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Bullseye. After observing someone in action, she is generally able to anticipate and counter their every move, and can switch instantly between different fighting styles to keep her opponents off balance.

Maya has used various weapons in the past, such as a Vibranium-infused bo staff, nunchaku, throwing stars, tonfas, and a katana blade. Because she is deaf, Echo is virtually helpless in darkness, and so her Ronin outfit was apparently equipped with night vision lenses.

As a host for the Phoenix Force, Echo can draw power from the cosmic firebird. She can fly with the assistance of the Phoenix aura, using it as a defensive field, for propulsion, and to telekinetically strike out at her environment. Phoenix fire can burn like real flame, melting metals or igniting flammable materials. Echo uses the Phoenix Force to augment her strength by adding power to her blows. She can also conjure tangible constructs of Phoenix fire to express her learned skills, such as a piano or her tonfas. Maya sometimes manifests the Phoenix aura as a flock of normal sized firebirds instead of a single giant bird aura. She can direct these familiars at a distance or infuse Phoenix energy into other animals and lifeforms, using them as conduits and carriers for her power.

MOCKINGBIRD

 

MOCKINGBIRD

Real Name: Barbara Morse

First Appearance: Astonishing Tales (Vol. 1) #6, June 1971 (Unnamed); Astonishing Tales (Vol. 1) #12, June 1972 (as Dr. Barbara Morse); Marvel Super Action (Vol. 1) #1, January 1976 (as the Huntress); Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 1) #95, July 1980 (as Mockingbird)

Powers: S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Bobbi Morse was a baseline human who possessed no superhuman powers. She was a skilled scientist and field agent who was, however, experiencing unexplained precognitive visions during her first missions.

Her first costumed identity was as the Huntress, where she adopted a costume of Beta Kevlar, resistant to knives and small arms fire. She became Mockingbird when she adopted the use of her battle staves. These short rods were attached to her arms by a set of braces underneath her billowy sleeves, and could either detach or be fired as projectiles using a burst of pressurized air. For hand-to-hand combat, they could be used as fighting sticks or locked together and telescoped into a quarterstaff or vaulting pole. Recent versions of the battle staves also include a retractable spike on the ends as well.

After being critically injured in battle, Bobbi was restored to health using a biochemical agent based on the Super-Soldier Serum and the Infinity Formula. As a result, she has developed superhuman strength, speed, agility, endurance, reflexes, durability and recuperative powers. Initially, she was strong enough to rip metal armor apart with her bare hands. There has been some indication her power levels have depleted since then, but her actual strength level at this point is uncertain.

While working as S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison to Parker Industries, Mockingbird received a new costume designed by Spider-Man. It includes retractable energy wings in a harness extending under her arms.

Dr. Barbara Morse holds a Ph.D. in biology and is an expert biologist. A trained S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, she is a highly skilled espionage agent and a formidable hand-to-hand combatant skilled in various martial arts, along with expertise in marksmanship and gymnastics.

HAWKEYE

 

HAWKEYE

Real Name: Clinton Francis Barton

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense (Vol. 1) #57, September 1964

Powers: Typically a baseline human with no superhuman powers, Hawkeye is an expert archer and marksman, and a highly trained acrobat and aerialist. He has trained for years to be perfectly accurate with a bow, and with any object he can use as a projectile, letting him make elaborate bank shots with incredible precision. He has used a number of bows over the years, including a long bow, regular bow, wrist-mounted crossbow, and a high-tech bow capable of firing arrows twice as fast as any normal bow. Some of the arrows in his quiver have their specialty tips attached, and he carries a selection of additional arrowheads stored in small pockets on his bandoliers and costume frame. Briefly, Hawkeye wore a suit of "battle armor" which was a flexible and bulletproof costume equipped with infrared and telescopic sights in the visor. He has used a wide variety of arrows over the years, including but not limited to explosive, flare, incendiary, electro, tear gas, smoke, putty, suction tip, sonic, rocket, boomerang, electromagnetic pulse, tracer, tangle net, acid, freeze, buzz saw, bola, fireworks display, and of course regular pointed tip arrows.

Clint also operated as Goliath II for two periods in his career, using a special growth serum designed by Yellowjacket with a supply of Pym Particles inside it. Drinking the serum gave Barton the power to alter his size and mass at will by accessing an extra-dimensional source of raw mass. He increased his stature proportionately, augmenting his physical strength and increasing his durability to some degree as well in the process. The growth serum was effective for an unknown period, but a single dosage seemed capable of giving Clint the ability to change size at will for days, possibly weeks at a time. He employed a shrinking serum as well during his second stint as Goliath II, allowing him to decrease his regular size in addition to growing.

As Ronin, he adopted a wider range of weapons and martial arts techniques. He employed a katana and other blades, wielded using the skills he learned from the Swordsman. He also used nunchaku, able to extend into a quarterstaff similar to his ex-wife Mockingbird's battle staves. Ronin would occasionally use sai daggers, throwing stars, and his old bow and arrows as well.

Hawkeye is 80% deaf in both ears due to an incident, and wears specially-designed miniature hearing aids.