Flex (comics)
Encyclopedia
Flex is a fictional character
, a superhero
in the Marvel Comics
universe
. He is a former member of the superhero team Alpha Flight
, but later got downgraded to Beta Flight
) were raised in the Hull House orphanage, which was actually a facility operated by the Canadian
government's secretive Department H. While Adrian became shy, reserved and bookish, Jared became athletically inclined, aggressive, and arrogant. Both brothers manifested mutant
powers after puberty: Adrian gained the ability to transform parts of his body into blades, while Jared manifested a personal force field that could not be shut down. The brothers were recruited into a new incarnation of the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight.
This incarnation was being heavily mentally controlled by Department H
, led by Jermery Clarke. As part of this, the team was led to believe that Wolverine
had murdered the ex-Alpha Flight member Box. Flex was one of the team sent to stop him, which they did on a heavily forested back road in New York. Wolverine initially faces down the team, discussing things and using his senses to check them out. Flex becomes very nervous, despite his brother's bravado. Despite the efforts of both sides, a fight breaks out and it is soon joined by several more X-Men. Flex is personally confronted by Cannonball
and loudly declares his desires to talk, not fight. Cannonball, always willing to do the same, does so and the two manage to get the fight to end. The entire Alpha Flight team realizes something stinks about the entire situation, mainly because they had been tracking Wolverine by his adamantium and at that point in time, he had none.
Radius and Flex assist the new Alpha Flight in battling several foes, including the Zodiac
and the Brass Bishop.
During the Brass Bishop incident, the team encounters a church full of zombified townspeople. Flex's teammate Man-Bot reports no life signs, other than the church-goers but a scared little girl emerges from the crowd. The team follows her directions, flying off to where the girl said all the people had gone. While mid-flight, Flex is the one to realize that Man-Bot did not register the girl's lifesigns. His warning saves the team from flying nose-first into a mysterious, shielded structure.
The team would eventually fight the malicous, mind-controlling leader of Alpha Flight, Jeremy Clarke. He would later die of radiation poisoning during a Zodiac raid on the Department H headquarters, to be replaced by a new, kinder administrator. A reorganized Alpha Flight team confronts several members of the original Flight and later team up with them to defeat a new Weapon X
, who had been created by a rogue Department H scientist. Both groups of Alphans merge into a unified Alpha Flight following this adventure. The Corbo brothers and several other members of the new team were later reassigned to Alpha Flight's trainee team, Beta Flight
.
After the events of M-Day
, Corbo lost his mutant abilities. His current whereabouts are unknown.
Adrian had the ability to "flex" parts of his body into thin sheets of "organic metal" (possibly similar in nature to the organic steel analogue of Colossus
), which are highly resistant to physical damage. Often he "flexes" his hands into sharp long blades, and has even been shown to flex his leg into a blade preventing someone from grabbing him. It's relatively thin, but by doing so he had the strength to send over 15 people into the air. Adrian's metal blades have been shown to cut through metal with ease and block laser and gunfire, but the overall strength and durability of his organic metal was never stated.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. He is a former member of the superhero team Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
, but later got downgraded to Beta Flight
Beta Flight
Beta Flight is a fictional superhero team owned by Marvel Comics that exists in that company's Marvel Universe. Along with Gamma Flight, Beta Flight is one of the "minor leagues" of the Canadian team Alpha Flight. Originally, Beta Flight was the intermediate level team. Members are more...
Fictional character biography
Adrian and his older half-brother Jared (later codenamed RadiusRadius (comics)
Radius is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a former member of the superhero team Alpha Flight. He first appeared in Alpha Flight: In The Beginning #-1, and first appeared as Radius in Alpha Flight vol...
) were raised in the Hull House orphanage, which was actually a facility operated by the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
government's secretive Department H. While Adrian became shy, reserved and bookish, Jared became athletically inclined, aggressive, and arrogant. Both brothers manifested mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
powers after puberty: Adrian gained the ability to transform parts of his body into blades, while Jared manifested a personal force field that could not be shut down. The brothers were recruited into a new incarnation of the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight.
This incarnation was being heavily mentally controlled by Department H
Department H
Department H is a fictional organization in the Marvel Universe.-History:It is a branch of the Canadian Department of National Defence and is also responsible for the recruitment, provisioning, administration and deployment of Alpha Flight....
, led by Jermery Clarke. As part of this, the team was led to believe that Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
had murdered the ex-Alpha Flight member Box. Flex was one of the team sent to stop him, which they did on a heavily forested back road in New York. Wolverine initially faces down the team, discussing things and using his senses to check them out. Flex becomes very nervous, despite his brother's bravado. Despite the efforts of both sides, a fight breaks out and it is soon joined by several more X-Men. Flex is personally confronted by Cannonball
Cannonball (comics)
Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
and loudly declares his desires to talk, not fight. Cannonball, always willing to do the same, does so and the two manage to get the fight to end. The entire Alpha Flight team realizes something stinks about the entire situation, mainly because they had been tracking Wolverine by his adamantium and at that point in time, he had none.
Radius and Flex assist the new Alpha Flight in battling several foes, including the Zodiac
Zodiac (comics)
Zodiac is the name of four groups of fictional characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. The first version appears in Avengers #72 and was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. The second version first appear in Defenders #49 and were created by David Kraft and Keith Giffen...
and the Brass Bishop.
During the Brass Bishop incident, the team encounters a church full of zombified townspeople. Flex's teammate Man-Bot reports no life signs, other than the church-goers but a scared little girl emerges from the crowd. The team follows her directions, flying off to where the girl said all the people had gone. While mid-flight, Flex is the one to realize that Man-Bot did not register the girl's lifesigns. His warning saves the team from flying nose-first into a mysterious, shielded structure.
The team would eventually fight the malicous, mind-controlling leader of Alpha Flight, Jeremy Clarke. He would later die of radiation poisoning during a Zodiac raid on the Department H headquarters, to be replaced by a new, kinder administrator. A reorganized Alpha Flight team confronts several members of the original Flight and later team up with them to defeat a new Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
, who had been created by a rogue Department H scientist. Both groups of Alphans merge into a unified Alpha Flight following this adventure. The Corbo brothers and several other members of the new team were later reassigned to Alpha Flight's trainee team, Beta Flight
Beta Flight
Beta Flight is a fictional superhero team owned by Marvel Comics that exists in that company's Marvel Universe. Along with Gamma Flight, Beta Flight is one of the "minor leagues" of the Canadian team Alpha Flight. Originally, Beta Flight was the intermediate level team. Members are more...
.
After the events of M-Day
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, Corbo lost his mutant abilities. His current whereabouts are unknown.
Powers and abilities
Flex had the power to transform his limbs into massive, razor-sharp organic metal blades. It may be possible that he could transform his entire body into this substance.Adrian had the ability to "flex" parts of his body into thin sheets of "organic metal" (possibly similar in nature to the organic steel analogue of Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
), which are highly resistant to physical damage. Often he "flexes" his hands into sharp long blades, and has even been shown to flex his leg into a blade preventing someone from grabbing him. It's relatively thin, but by doing so he had the strength to send over 15 people into the air. Adrian's metal blades have been shown to cut through metal with ease and block laser and gunfire, but the overall strength and durability of his organic metal was never stated.