NFL Superpro
Encyclopedia
NFL Superpro was a short-lived comic book
series published by Marvel Comics
. Produced in collaboration with the NFL
and written by Fabian Nicieza
, the series started publication in 1991 and ended after 12 issues. The hero of this comic is Phil Grayfield, an ex-NFL-American football
player who survived a freak accident and wears a near-indestructible football uniform.
player. His career ended when he saved a child from falling and suffered a horrific knee injury. He became a sports reporter and interviewed an eccentric football superfan
, who happened also to be a scientist. This scientist designed a new, almost indestructible football uniform, which has to be molded on an "individual basis" and costs five million dollars to construct — so is "worth a fortune".
Suddenly interrupting the interview, thieves raid the eccentric's house, overwhelm the two of them, steal a vanload of NFL merchandise (but strangely not the uniform), and torch the building. Grayfield, who is tied up, knocks over experimental chemicals, which — in combination with the fire and diverse ultra-rare football souvenirs going up in flames — do not incinerate him, but turn him into a near-invincible superhero.
Grayfield puts on the eccentric's football uniform and brings the villains to justice, dedicating his life to fighting crime and dubbing himself "Superpro".
history, becoming a cult object. Often cited in this claim are issues with the plot and the characters. For example, in the first issue a group of thieves incinerate valuable NFL merchandise but it is never explained why they burn it instead of selling it off. Writer Fabian Nicieza
admitted he wrote the story to gain free NFL tickets. He stated that he still receives flak for his comic http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=001565. Later Marvel comics have poked fun at the series. In an issue of Marvel Team-up the character Stilt Man says "I beat up a guy called Superpro last week. Silliest looking guy..."
In 2005, the Chicago Sports Review called it "perhaps the worst comic book ever created". http://www.chicagosportsreview.com/news/newsview.asp?c=142691
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by 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...
. Produced in collaboration with the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and written by Fabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza is an American comic book writer and editor who is best known for his work on Marvel titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, Cable and Deadpool, and Thunderbolts, for all of which he helped create numerous characters.-Early life:The son of Omar and Irma Riguetti Nicieza, Fabian...
, the series started publication in 1991 and ended after 12 issues. The hero of this comic is Phil Grayfield, an ex-NFL-American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who survived a freak accident and wears a near-indestructible football uniform.
Outline
Nicieza wrote a story centering around Phil Grayfield, once an aspiring footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. His career ended when he saved a child from falling and suffered a horrific knee injury. He became a sports reporter and interviewed an eccentric football superfan
Superfan
Superfan may be:* Student fans of the Boston College Eagles* "Superfan", nickname for football enthusiast Giles Pellerin* "Superfan", nickname for NBA basketball enthusiast James Goldstein...
, who happened also to be a scientist. This scientist designed a new, almost indestructible football uniform, which has to be molded on an "individual basis" and costs five million dollars to construct — so is "worth a fortune".
Suddenly interrupting the interview, thieves raid the eccentric's house, overwhelm the two of them, steal a vanload of NFL merchandise (but strangely not the uniform), and torch the building. Grayfield, who is tied up, knocks over experimental chemicals, which — in combination with the fire and diverse ultra-rare football souvenirs going up in flames — do not incinerate him, but turn him into a near-invincible superhero.
Grayfield puts on the eccentric's football uniform and brings the villains to justice, dedicating his life to fighting crime and dubbing himself "Superpro".
Reception
NFL Superpro has been called one of the worst comics in recent Marvel ComicsMarvel 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...
history, becoming a cult object. Often cited in this claim are issues with the plot and the characters. For example, in the first issue a group of thieves incinerate valuable NFL merchandise but it is never explained why they burn it instead of selling it off. Writer Fabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza is an American comic book writer and editor who is best known for his work on Marvel titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, Cable and Deadpool, and Thunderbolts, for all of which he helped create numerous characters.-Early life:The son of Omar and Irma Riguetti Nicieza, Fabian...
admitted he wrote the story to gain free NFL tickets. He stated that he still receives flak for his comic http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=001565. Later Marvel comics have poked fun at the series. In an issue of Marvel Team-up the character Stilt Man says "I beat up a guy called Superpro last week. Silliest looking guy..."
In 2005, the Chicago Sports Review called it "perhaps the worst comic book ever created". http://www.chicagosportsreview.com/news/newsview.asp?c=142691
The Happy Campers
The Happy Campers were four ordinary citizens turned superheroes after undergoing a treatment by the scientist Carragone. Carragone built a ray cannon that was supposed to turn people into superheroes. They were Greyfield's allies.- Almighty Dollar, aka Pennington Pennypacker, a CPA who could shoot pennies from his hands
- Calculator, aka Kwong Dae, a KoreanKorean peopleThe Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
actuary and super-thinker with the power to immediately assess probabilities - Girth, aka 'Tubby' Walsh, an obese African-American with a belly immune to physical punishment
- Streak, aka Frank Moody, a mortician, jogger and super-fast runner
Villains
- Quick Kick, a football placekickerPlacekickerPlacekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
turned ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations... - Bennings, a footballer turned into an insane giant by steroidSteroidA steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
abuse - Instant Replay, the assassin who can slice through time
- Marco Sanzionare, a crime boss whose dealings are constantly thwarted by Superpro