Slingers
Encyclopedia
The Slingers are a group of fictional superhero
es in the Marvel Comics
universe. They starred in their own eponymous short-lived comic book.
. The group first appeared in Slingers #0, a free promotional comic book included in an issue of Wizard
. Slingers #1 used a controversial sales gimmick: four versions of the first issue were produced, each telling a fourth of the first issue's story from the point of view of one of the four team members. The series failed to sustain sales, despite a small but loyal fan base, and the series was cancelled with issue #12.
The team's four members used costumes and codenames that had been used by Spider-Man during the "Identity Crisis" crossover. During "Identity Crisis", Spider-Man was wanted for murder with a million-dollar reward posted for his capture; instead of his normal costumed identity, he adopted four other costumes and created a different crime-fighting persona for each suit. After this crisis had ended, he discarded the four costumes, and they subsequently disappeared, reappearing in the possession of the Golden Age
superhero called the Black Marvel
. The Marvel gave the costumes to four youths, and trained them to become heroes.
Aside from brief cameos in New Warriors
and Contest of Champions II
- during which they were defeated by the New Warriors in a game of basketball
, the teams reasoning that not every contest had to be a straight-out fight - the team made no appearances elsewhere, and in their own series only received a few brief appearances by their inspiration, Spider-Man. When it was revealed that the Black Marvel had received the costumes through a deal with the demon Mephisto
, the Slingers broke from him, and then returned to free his soul from Mephisto. The Black Marvel died, free from Mephisto's grasp, and the team apparently disbanded. Ricochet has recently made several guest appearances in the Marvel comic Runaways
as a member of Excelsior, a group made of other former teenage heroes whose goal is to help fellow teenage superheroes to adjust to mundane lives and dissuade other super-powered teenagers from becoming heroes. They were introduced in "True Believers" the first arc of Runaways Volume Two. Recently, Ricochet (while attending their usual group meeting) followed both Darkhawk
and the third Spider-Woman
on their mission to take down the MGH dealers that once used Mattie as a source for the drug.
Hornet was later found dead by forces of S.H.I.E.L.D.
. He had died confronting Wolverine
, who had been brainwashed by the Hand, an evil ninja cult. Prodigy has only recently resurfaced, fighting against Iron Man
during the Civil War event. Eventually Prodigy joins with Captain America's underground movement and later became a recruit for the Initiative program. Dusk has recently been seen as a captive of the Puppet Master
. At the end of Avengers: The Initiative
, Prodigy was released from 42 Prison, in which he was detained for having resisted Osborn's regime, and is depicted as working on the motivational speaker circuit while trying to reunite the Slingers.
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 —...
es 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. They starred in their own eponymous short-lived comic book.
History
The Slingers were four teenage superheroes who had been inspired by Spider-ManSpider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. The group first appeared in Slingers #0, a free promotional comic book included in an issue of Wizard
Wizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
. Slingers #1 used a controversial sales gimmick: four versions of the first issue were produced, each telling a fourth of the first issue's story from the point of view of one of the four team members. The series failed to sustain sales, despite a small but loyal fan base, and the series was cancelled with issue #12.
The team's four members used costumes and codenames that had been used by Spider-Man during the "Identity Crisis" crossover. During "Identity Crisis", Spider-Man was wanted for murder with a million-dollar reward posted for his capture; instead of his normal costumed identity, he adopted four other costumes and created a different crime-fighting persona for each suit. After this crisis had ended, he discarded the four costumes, and they subsequently disappeared, reappearing in the possession of the Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
superhero called the Black Marvel
Black Marvel
The Black Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Al Gabriele, he first appeared in Mystic Comics #5 , published by Marvel's 1940s forerunner Timely Comics during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic...
. The Marvel gave the costumes to four youths, and trained them to become heroes.
Aside from brief cameos in New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
and Contest of Champions II
Contest of Champions II
- Publication history :Contest of Champions II is a five-issue comic book limited series published from September to November 1999 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Chris Claremont and pencilled by Oscar Jimenez and Michael Ryan...
- during which they were defeated by the New Warriors in a game of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, the teams reasoning that not every contest had to be a straight-out fight - the team made no appearances elsewhere, and in their own series only received a few brief appearances by their inspiration, Spider-Man. When it was revealed that the Black Marvel had received the costumes through a deal with the demon Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
, the Slingers broke from him, and then returned to free his soul from Mephisto. The Black Marvel died, free from Mephisto's grasp, and the team apparently disbanded. Ricochet has recently made several guest appearances in the Marvel comic Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
as a member of Excelsior, a group made of other former teenage heroes whose goal is to help fellow teenage superheroes to adjust to mundane lives and dissuade other super-powered teenagers from becoming heroes. They were introduced in "True Believers" the first arc of Runaways Volume Two. Recently, Ricochet (while attending their usual group meeting) followed both Darkhawk
Darkhawk
Darkhawk is a fictional comic book superhero who first appeared in his own self-titled series, Darkhawk #1...
and the third Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the third character to be called Spider-Woman and the second to receive her own ongoing series.-Publication history:...
on their mission to take down the MGH dealers that once used Mattie as a source for the drug.
Hornet was later found dead by forces of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
. He had died confronting 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...
, who had been brainwashed by the Hand, an evil ninja cult. Prodigy has only recently resurfaced, fighting against Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
during the Civil War event. Eventually Prodigy joins with Captain America's underground movement and later became a recruit for the Initiative program. Dusk has recently been seen as a captive of the Puppet Master
Puppet Master (comics)
The Puppet Master, real name Phillip Masters, is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Fantastic Four comics. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four volume 1 #8...
. At the end of Avengers: The Initiative
Avengers: The Initiative
Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series from Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Slott and Christos Gage with artwork initially by Stefano Caselli, Steve Uy and Harvey Tolibao, the series dealt with the aftermath of Marvel's Civil War crossover Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series...
, Prodigy was released from 42 Prison, in which he was detained for having resisted Osborn's regime, and is depicted as working on the motivational speaker circuit while trying to reunite the Slingers.
Team members
The four members of the Slingers were:- Dusk (Cassie St. Commons): Died in Slingers #0 and mysteriously returned from the dead in Slingers #1. She was the GothGoth subcultureThe goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
daughter of a rich socialite couple from Connecticut. Dusk has many supernatural abilities. Her primary power is the ability to teleportTeleportationTeleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
herself (or others) anywhere she wishes to be. She can manipulate shadows to form objects or constructs of solid dark energyDarkforce-Description:It is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are attuned to it. There are slight yet inconclusive hints that it may be a corruptive influence of some kind and perhaps even sentient...
. She also has the ability to sense the whereabouts of her teammates, and knows if they are in danger. She is aware of Hornet's feelings towards her, but found herself attracted to Johnny Gallo, who was dating someone else during the course of the series. Her whereabouts following the series' conclusion have not been revealed; although she was seen (wearing her Dusk costume) as a hypnotized prisoner, being held by the Puppet MasterPuppet Master (comics)The Puppet Master, real name Phillip Masters, is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Fantastic Four comics. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four volume 1 #8...
in Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #18. Dusk made no further appearances during the storyline, which concluded with Puppet Master's defeat and the release of his other captives. Her current whereabouts are again unknown.
- Hornet (Eddie McDonough): A freshman at Empire State University and a victim of cerebral palsyCerebral palsyCerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, he wore a suit of flight-capable powered armorPowered exoskeletonA powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
which enabled him to fly at high speeds. Micro-servos in the armored suit enhanced his strength beyond normal levels and allowed him to use his withered right arm. His gauntlets contained wrist blasters that could fire darts filled with a fast-acting sedative, which he called "Stingers," as well as powerful laser-beams. After the group dissolved, he and Ricochet eventually returned to fighting crime together under the same identities until Hornet was killed battling a brainwashed WolverineWolverine (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...
.
- Prodigy (Ritchie Gilmore): The leader of the group, a wrestler who attended Empire State UniversityEmpire State UniversityEmpire State University is a fictional university in the Marvel Comics Universe, a mixture of New York University and Columbia University . It is located somewhere in New York City, in Greenwich Village near the site of New York University...
. He is an athletic, stubborn loner. Prodigy's costume is mystically infused with power, giving him incredible superhuman strength;enough to stop a speeding train with his bare hands. He can leap incredible distances and when he jumps, it appears that he is flying. His golden costume is completely bulletproof, and can withstand most physical assaults. His cape has similar properties, as it alone once protected a child from a burning building, even as the building itself collapsed around him. Prodigy gave up his cape and his powers at the conclusion of the Slingers series. However, an apparently re-empowered Prodigy later resurfaced. He was arrested in Civil War: Frontline #2 at the hands of Iron ManIron ManIron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
for openly defying the Super Hero Registration Act. Prodigy succeeded in sending a message to the people of the Marvel Universe, and his actions were considered the first act of Civil War. Prodigy was freed by Captain America's team during the prison break and joined said team against Iron Man and his registered superteam. With his side's defeat, he was back to serving his jail time but was offered to serve on the Initiative Program. He eventually begrudgingly joined along with the third group of recruits. It has not been explained how Prodigy regained his cape and his abilities after the team disbanded. Ritchie is not to be confused with David AlleyneProdigy (David Alleyne)Prodigy is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Prodigy is a former mutant, one of the student body of the Xavier Institute, and a member of the New X-Men squad...
of the New Mutants, who also used the codename "Prodigy."
- Ricochet (Johnny Gallo): A mutantMutant (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...
with superhuman agility, enabling him to leap great distances. He has incredible reflexes, and when combined with his leaping powers, can seemingly bounce off walls (ricocheting, as it were). His mutant powers also give him a "Danger Sense", which functions much like Spider-Man's "Spider-Sense", allowing Ricochet to sense danger before it happens. His jacket sleeves hold up to eight throwing discs. Originally used to strike at enemies by rebounding off walls, much like Ricochet himself, Hornet later provided Ricochet with special "gimmick" discs, which can return to the thrower after a short time, or even self destruct. His mother was killed by Orphan-MakerOrphan-MakerOrphan-Maker is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics universe. His first appearance was in X-Factor vol. 1 #31.-Publication history:...
when he was in his early teens, though the identity of the killer remained unknown to Johnny until much later in life. He also had a troubled relationship with his cold and uncaring father. After the group dissolved, Ricochet and Hornet returned to fighting crime at one point, but Hornet's death prompted Johnny to seek help in giving up the costumed life. He joined the Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
-based "teenage superhero recovery group" called Excelsior, where despite the group's mission statement, has repeatedly found himself fighting alongside other members of the group against local threats.
External links
- Still on the Shelf #84 - Slingers. A brief review of the series, with issue synopses and short bios of the characters.
- Slingers cover gallery
- SpiderFan.org Slingers page
- Slingers on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki