| “ | I'd do whatever is right, wherever and whenever it needs to be done--and I wouldn't care what anyone thinks. Not anymore. | „ |
| ~ Blue Marvel on doing what's right. |
| “ | One of my old enemies is back and the Avengers need my help. ... That's what heroes do. | „ |
| ~ Blue Marvel. |
| “ | ... I should have been there for him. But I'm here now. And while I respect you and your people... I can interfere. I'm going to find Uatu's killer, Ulana. And whoever it is--I'm going to make sure they pay for what they did to my friend. | „ |
| ~ Blue Marvel to the Watchers. |
Blue Marvel (real name Adam Bernard Brashear) is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, being the titular character of the same series and a supporting character in the Avengers and Mighty Avengers comics.
He was a child prodigy and Korean War veteran who later worked on Project: Perseus, and gained his powers from negative matter. Adam became the superhero named "Blue Marvel", becoming an ally of the Avengers and the enemy of his former friend, Anti-Man. He also became a member of the Ultimates, Mighty Avengers, Scientist's Guild, and the Avenger's World.
He was created by Kevin Grevioux and Mat Broome, and first appeared in Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel # 1 in November of 2008.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Adam Bernard Brasher was born around the 1930s-1940s in Chicago, Illinois to unnamed parents, and became noticed as a child prodigy. After graduating from high school, he would go to Cornell University to earn a degree in engineering and physics, and later graduated in magna cum laude. Brashear would join the United States Marine Corps, becoming a veteran in the Korean War by earning two silver stars, and befriended fellow soldier, Conner Sims.
Getting his Powers[]
Due to his degree in engineering and physics, Adam would become the lead scientist on Project: Perseus, a project created to find a way to harness negative matter. While testing the reactor with Conner, it exploded, causing Brasher and Sims to suffer from mutagenic radiation as a result of the explosion. Adam survived the incident, with his body becoming stable and gifting him with superhuman abilities. Sims would be forced to live in anti-matter due to his body becoming unstable, and he would eventually snap due to learning of his brother's death and the discrimination Adam would later face.
Becoming Blue Marvel[]
Wanting to use his powers for good, Brasher would don the name "Blue Marvel", and would wear a helmet to prevent his identity from being exposed. Once Adam was discovered to be an African-American by the public in the 1960s, many refused to believe there to be a black superhero, and decided to retire after being asked by President John F. Kennedy. Taking his last mission, he was considered dead, but this was a cover by the U.S. Government so he could be monitored. In addition, the government sent S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Marlene Frazier to monitor him under the alias Candance. Adam and Marlene fell in love, and eventually married and had three children, and moved to Maryland.
Around the 1970s, Adam joined the Mighty Avengers, a group created by Blade to stop the Deathwalkers. Once succeeded, the team disbanded and parted ways. Adam would later learn that Conner survived and became a radical villain named Anti-Man, who wanted to destroy racism across the world. After Anti-Man defeated the Avengers, Iron Man and Reed Richards asked Adam for help, who did so after the death of his wife by Conner. Adam defeated Anti-Man, taking him to the edge of the ionosphere and took his energy, causing his collapse. After having a talk with Uatu the Watcher, Blue Marvel aided Winter Guard against King Hyperion, and later met Spectrum and Luke Cage. Blue Marvel would come into conflict with the Avengers when his son decided to open a portal to the negative zone, and fought against the Beyond Corporation.
His son was trapped in the negative zone, but Adam and Max decided not to give up and keep looking for him. Blue Marvel would later join the Ultimates, which would later be disbanded after the second civil war, but would assemble when Galactus asked for help. Brasher would later become a member of the Scientist's Guild (also known as the Three X's) alongside Night Thrasher to investigate the man who was pretending to be the Masked Raider. The superhero was later tasked to apprehend Doctor Doom with H.E.R.B.I.E., but Brasher would have to battle Silver Sable, Kang the Conqueror and Victorious at the house of Fruzsina Markovich.
Personality[]
Despite Adam's issues and poor luck, he's likely one of the most moral heroes in the Marvel Universe which is something that often puts him at odds with the others.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Anti-Matter Energy Absorption Physiology: Due to being exposed to mutagenic radiation from Project: Perseus, Adam absorbed anti-matter energy. The energy gives him the ability to manipulate anti-matter and superhuman capabilities that made him be labeled an alpha level threat by Tony Stark and Sam Wilson.
- Longevity: Due to his exposure from anti-matter, Adam ages at a slower rate.
- Superhuman Strength: He has vast superhuman strength, with Uatu the Watcher noting that Brasher could split the Moon with a punch, and overpower Iron Man, Wonder Man, Ares and Ms. Marvel with ease.
- Flight: Brasher can fly via manipulating gravitons and magnetic fields.
- Anti-Matter Manipulation: Due to absorbing anti-matter energy, Brasher can manipulate and use it to create force bolts or forcefields.
Abilities[]
- Genius-level Intellect: Adam is considered a super-genius, being a child prodigy and earning two degrees in electrical engineering and physics. Even Mr. Fantastic, one of the world's smartest superheroes, believes that Adam matches Doctor Doom when it comes to intelligence.
- Athleticism: Brasher is an superb athlete, having been a football player during his years at Cornell University.
- Military Training: Having served in the Korean War, Adam received military training, making him a capable combatant.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- He is considered an alpha level threat by Tony Stark and Sam Wilson.
- The character's creator, Kevin Grevioux, based Blue Marvel on Superman being African-American, and how the world would react.
- Grevioux also originally conceived the character when he was a child.
- The 2009 Adam miniseries retroactively acquaints Adam with the Watcher and with Namor. His original superheroic career is explained as being extremely brief, to the point where many modern superheroes don't remember him at all. He was a legend in the African-American community, however, to the point where Luke Cage chews him out over his retirement in Mighty Avengers.
