Thunderiders
Encyclopedia
Thunderiders, originally known as Team America, is a fictional superhero
/motorcycle
team from the Marvel Comics
. They first appeared in Captain America #269 (May 1982) as Team America and were created by J. M. DeMatteis
and Mike Zeck
and were first known as the Thunderiders in Thing #27.
, Wolf
, Winthrop Roan Jr.
, Leonard Hebb
and Luke Merriweather
were exposed to mutagenic agents by the terrorist organization HYDRA
as part of an experiment known as Project: New Genesis. HYDRA hoped to create mutant children which could later be trained as super-agents. The project was apparently unsuccessful for all test subjects other than these five.
. Unknown to them, they had first manifested their collective self, a masked motorcyclist dressed in black and known as The Marauder, who was also known as the Dark Rider, a few days earlier. The Marauder invaded a HYDRA facility and destroyed the files on the five. Deducing the subjects of the missing files, HYDRA set out to assassinate Honcho, Wolf and Reddy in the belief that one of them was the Marauder. Each of them escaped the assassination attempt and, having each received a note from the Marauder stating their destinies were linked, decided to band together as Team America. They entered and won their first competition, and moments later foiled an attempt by HYDRA to steal an advanced guidance system from another team.
The three next fought alongside Captain America
to defeat a plan by the Mad Thinker
to kidnap a number of world renowned intellectuals to provide him with stimulating companionship.
The original three teammates met Wrench and Cowboy at an Unlimited Class Racing event in the Rocky Mountains
. Recognizing the rapport they shared, the original three members invited the other two to join the team and they agreed.
. The three unconsciously manifested the Dark Rider persona onto Danielle Moonstar
, the New Mutant known as Psyche. Psyche was captured and Viper tried to force Team America to steal for her. Before they could formulate a plan of action, Professor Charles Xavier
and the rest of the New Mutants joined with them to rescue Psyche. It was then that the five learned they were mutants and of their ability to project the Dark Rider persona. They trained with Xavier for several weeks until they had complete conscious control over the manifestation and the recipient.
Following this adventure the five decided to remain together again. Having lost the rights to the name "Team America," they renamed themselves Thunderiders.
The Thunderiders are all expert motorcycle riders.
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 —...
/motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
team from 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...
. They first appeared in Captain America #269 (May 1982) as Team America and were created by J. M. DeMatteis
J. M. DeMatteis
John Marc DeMatteis is an American writer of comic books.-Early career:Born in Brooklyn, DeMatteis graduated from Midwood High School and Empire State College. He worked as a music critic before getting his start in comic books at DC Comics in the late 1970s...
and Mike Zeck
Mike Zeck
Mike Zeck is an American comic book illustrator.-Biography:Zeck was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania to Michael and Kathryn Jean Zeck...
and were first known as the Thunderiders in Thing #27.
Publication history
After their initial appearance in Captain America, the team had their own self-titled series in the 1980s.Origin
The mothers of James McDonaldHoncho (comics)
Honcho is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Honcho first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
, Wolf
Wolf (comics)
Wolf is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:Wolf first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
, Winthrop Roan Jr.
R. U. Reddy
R. U. Reddy is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a mutant and a member of the Thunderiders.-Publication history:R. U. Reddy first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
, Leonard Hebb
Wrench (comics)
Wrench is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a member of Team America/Thunderiders.-Publication history:Wrench first appeared in Team America #2 , and was created by Bill Mantlo and Mike Vosburg....
and Luke Merriweather
Cowboy (comics)
Cowboy is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a mutant and a member of Team America.-Publication history:Cowboy first appeared in Team America #2 , and was created by Bill Mantlo and Mike Vosburg....
were exposed to mutagenic agents by the terrorist organization HYDRA
HYDRA
HYDRA is a fictional terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.Despite the name's capitalization per Marvel's official spelling, the name is not an acronym but rather a reference to the mythical Lernaean Hydra...
as part of an experiment known as Project: New Genesis. HYDRA hoped to create mutant children which could later be trained as super-agents. The project was apparently unsuccessful for all test subjects other than these five.
Early days/The Marauder
Honcho, Wolf and Reddy initially came together at the first "Unlimited Class Racing" event in Daytona Beach, FloridaDaytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
. Unknown to them, they had first manifested their collective self, a masked motorcyclist dressed in black and known as The Marauder, who was also known as the Dark Rider, a few days earlier. The Marauder invaded a HYDRA facility and destroyed the files on the five. Deducing the subjects of the missing files, HYDRA set out to assassinate Honcho, Wolf and Reddy in the belief that one of them was the Marauder. Each of them escaped the assassination attempt and, having each received a note from the Marauder stating their destinies were linked, decided to band together as Team America. They entered and won their first competition, and moments later foiled an attempt by HYDRA to steal an advanced guidance system from another team.
The three next fought alongside Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
to defeat a plan by the Mad Thinker
Mad Thinker
The Mad Thinker is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . He is a genius specializing in evil robotics and usually comes up with very elaborate infallible devious plans that unfold like clockwork....
to kidnap a number of world renowned intellectuals to provide him with stimulating companionship.
The original three teammates met Wrench and Cowboy at an Unlimited Class Racing event in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. Recognizing the rapport they shared, the original three members invited the other two to join the team and they agreed.
Disbanded/Thunderiders
The team temporarily disbanded but yet another attack drew them out of retirement. While performing at a charity exhibition, Cowboy, Wolf and Reddy intervened in an attack on the New Mutants by Viper and the Silver SamuraiSilver Samurai
The Silver Samurai is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe, occasionally a superhero and more often a supervillain. His first appearance was in Daredevil #111...
. The three unconsciously manifested the Dark Rider persona onto Danielle Moonstar
Danielle Moonstar
Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men....
, the New Mutant known as Psyche. Psyche was captured and Viper tried to force Team America to steal for her. Before they could formulate a plan of action, Professor Charles Xavier
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
and the rest of the New Mutants joined with them to rescue Psyche. It was then that the five learned they were mutants and of their ability to project the Dark Rider persona. They trained with Xavier for several weeks until they had complete conscious control over the manifestation and the recipient.
Following this adventure the five decided to remain together again. Having lost the rights to the name "Team America," they renamed themselves Thunderiders.
Powers and abilities
The five original members of the Thunderiders are mutants. They have no powers which function individually, but collectively have the power to project their strength, skills and knowledge onto another party without diminishing their own skills in the process. The person, who retains no memory of having been the recipient, is transformed into a black-clad motorcyclist known as The Marauder. Initially the Thunderiders had no conscious control either over the manifestation of the Marauder or the person upon whom it was manifested. Training by Professor Xavier gave them greater control. For instance, they learned how to voluntary transform into the Marauder themselves and retain the memory of being in that form.The Thunderiders are all expert motorcycle riders.
Toy line
The Team America comic books were based on a toy line by Ideal Toys. The Team America toy line was an attempt by Ideal to replace their successful Evil Knievel toy line after Knievel served six months for battery in the late 1970s, and it used many of the same molds and designs.Original
- CowboyCowboy (comics)Cowboy is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a mutant and a member of Team America.-Publication history:Cowboy first appeared in Team America #2 , and was created by Bill Mantlo and Mike Vosburg....
(Luke Merriweather) - HonchoHoncho (comics)Honcho is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Honcho first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
(James McDonald) - R. U. ReddyR. U. ReddyR. U. Reddy is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a mutant and a member of the Thunderiders.-Publication history:R. U. Reddy first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
(Winthrop Roan, Jr.) - WolfWolf (comics)Wolf is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:Wolf first appeared in Captain America #269 , and was created by J. M...
(real name unrevealed) - WrenchWrench (comics)Wrench is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is a member of Team America/Thunderiders.-Publication history:Wrench first appeared in Team America #2 , and was created by Bill Mantlo and Mike Vosburg....
(Leonard Hebb)
Later members
- The ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
joined the team for a while but quit before making any public appearances as a team member. - Sharon Ventura was a Thunderiders member for several months prior to her assumption of the identity of Ms. Marvel.
Unofficial members
- Georgianna CastleberryGeorgianna CastleberryGeorgianna Hebb is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. She was an unofficial member of Team America/Thunderiders.-Publication history:...
, Wrench's girlfriend, and later wife, was an unofficial member of the team. She often served as the host body for the Marauder persona, although she retained no memory of it.