Psi-Force
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Psi-Force was a 32-issue comic book published by Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint from 1986 to 1989. Along with D.P. 7 and Justice, it was one of the only New Universe titles to last for 32 issues.
It concerned a group of adolescents who had developed psionic powers following the "White Event" which had created most of the paranormals in the New Universe. These teens, along with federal agent Emmett Proudhawk, could pool their powers into a psychic construct called the "Psi-Hawk".
The first issue (November, 1986) was by writer Steve Perry and penciller Mark Texeira.
The title is notable for publishing some of the first comics work of writer Fabian Nicieza (#9,13,16-32) and artist Ron Lim (#16-22). Nicieza's stint on the title is well regarded by fans and he stayed on the title until its cancellation with #32 (June, 1989).
Contents |
[edit] Main characters
[edit] Original Members
- Wayne Tucker - Telepath, with the ability to push people into following his mental commands.
- Michael Crawley - The ability to cause explosions with his mind. He decides to leave the group for Thomas Boyd in the Annual, and later winds up at the Clinic for Paranormal Research.
- Tyrone Jessup - His ability is originally described as astral projection, but later discovered to be the projection of his consciousness into an unknown energy form with a specialized control of the electromagnetic spectrum. He is drafted into the United States Army after the death of Psi-Hawk, and he loses control of his powers.
- Kathy Ling - Powerful telekinetic. She is initially very reluctant to use her powers, but she grows to like it. She leaves the group in the last issue, but it is implied she later returns.
- Anastasia (Stasi) Inyushin - Healer. Stasi is a Russian national who has been illegally smuggled into the United States by CIA agent Emmett Proudhawk, and is highly sought after by her government. She dies in issue #24, from the strain of healing the rest of the team from near death.
[edit] Emmett Proudhawk and The Psi-Hawk
Psi-Force was brought together by a paranormal named Emmett Proudhawk. Before the White Event, he worked for the CIA on a project investigating children with higher than usual ESP scores. After the White Event, he gained telepathic powers similar to Tucker's, and began to have prophetic dreams. The dreams led him to gather those children who had higher ESP scores and had, after the White Event, developed new abilities. He compiled a list of names, which included all of the original members, as well as Thomas Boyd. Of those, he was only able to find Tucker, Crawley, Jessup, Ling, and Inyushin. He visited the hometown of each teen and mentally compelled them to run away to San Francisco. Then he personally rescued Inyushin from a Russian project investigating paranormals and brought her to the United States. He died shortly after arriving, but the teens soon discovered they had a new ability.
By concentrating on their memories of Proudhawk and the medallion he left behind, the five paranormals can create an entity called Psi-Hawk. Psi-Hawk possesses the powers of all of those who combine their mental energy to make it. Originally, it was thought that only the original five members could create it, but it was later discovered that Thomas Boyd could also contribute to it. Still later, Lindsey Falmon helped create it, and was neither part of Proudhawk's list, nor did she have any memories of Psi-Hawk. It is possible that any paranormal or any paranormal with psionic abilities can participate. It has been created by as few as two and as many as six, however on the one occasion more than five members participated, Psi-Hawk became dangerously unstable and even began attacking those who created it until one of them fell unconscious.
Either Psi-Hawk or Proudhawk is responsible for another problem for the teens. Despite the fact that many of them wanted to, any time a member wanted to leave the group and strike out on their own, they soon felt an irresistable mental urge to return (or, if they were able to withstand it, for the rest of the group to follow). This bound the group together, unwillingly, until Sanctuary was destroyed and they fled in several directions (although Crawley was able to leave earlier, so long as he was replaced by another member on Proudhawk's list), and never seemed to feel the compulsion.
At the end of issue #24, Tucker, Jessup, Boyd, Ling, and Lindsey Falmon created the Psi-Hawk for the last time. This time, whether due to the group's relative experience, or because of the addition of Falmon's powers to the link, the five paranormals lost consciousness and actually controlled Psi-Hawk directly. In the fight with Rodstvow that ensued, Psi-Hawk was destroyed (although those creating it survived, falling into a coma).
[edit] Later members
- Thomas Boyd - Energy siphon/Adrenaline vampire. Boyd has the ability to quickly exhaust the energy in a living organism. In some ways, his power is the reverse of Inyushin, and her power can hurt him by forcing him to expend his own energy. He is originally enlisted to hunt down the team, but turns on his employer and, later, requests their help. He joins the team in the Annual.
- Lindsey Falmon - Powers of psychometry. She starts a relationship with Tucker while he is on the run in Seattle, and later reveals she has her own powers, despite not being on Proudhawk's list. She runs away with him and, in the final issue, agrees to marry him.
- Johnny Do - Pyrokinetic. Johnny Do is highly autistic and was treated as a virtual animal in a Russian project investigating paranormals. Boyd was able to forge a connection with him and became his caregiver.
- Sedara - Teleporter. Sedara is a rebel in Afghanistan before she is recruited by Psi-Force in the final issue. She can create window-like portals to places she has been, or to places which have been put into her mind by another. She also has the ability to use her teleportation offensively, using the energy that creates that outlines the portal as some sort of force bolt.
[edit] The Medusa Web
The Medusa Web is a covert organization of mercenaries established well before the White Event. Its purpose at one point was said to be to save the world from itself by providing them an enemy for them to unite against, but because it was knowingly said to a reporter the truth of this is questionable. At the end of Psi-Force, the remaining members join the Medusa Web as an independent subgroup.
Notable members:
- Babel (Thame Panagitis) - Leader, with the ability to understand every language, and for his words always to be understood in the language of the hearer's native tongue. His name is a reference to the Tower of Babel.
- Backfire - Possesses the ability to reflect most attacks back on the attacker.
- Donner Kopf - The ability to project his voice to extreme volumes. His name is German, which translates, approximately, to "Thunderhead"
- Electrique - Composed of living electricity. Electrique was dispersed and possibly killed by Jessup's "astral form".
- Gatto di Sangue - Former Olympic gymnast who found her athletic ability increased dramatically after the White Event. Her name translates to "Bloodcat"
- Imprint - Able to transmit everything he sees and hears as electromagnetic impulses which can be recorded. He is essentially a human recording device, although he is mute. He has also shown the ability to interface with other people and record through them.
- Potiphar - Nonparanormal mercenary.
- Relampago - Gifted with superhuman speed. She died while attempting to capture Stasi. Her name is Spanish for "Lightning".
- Skybreaker - Possesses the power of flight, possibly aided mechanically.
- Troubleshooter - Said to be quadruple-jointed, and able to move any of his joints in any direction. Troubleshooter is also skilled in some form of martial arts.
[edit] Other Notable Nonparanormals
- Colby Shaw - ran the San Francisco branch of Sanctuary, the halfway house for runaways that the group called home for most of the first 16 issues.
- The Skipper - CIA Agent and friend of Emmett Proudhawk.
- Derek Shiningstar - CIA Agent and former friend of Emmett Proudhawk. Shiningstar faked Boyd's death to keep him away from Proudhawk, and then trained him.
- Eugene Proudhawk - Emmett Proudhawk's brother. He lives on a reservation.
- Andrew Chaser - Reporter. Chaser wrote a book Power for the Preying about Psi-Force after their supposed deaths based on his own investigations and friendship with Tyrone Jessup. Unfortunately, the book made life very difficult for Jessup's family.
[edit] Creators
[edit] Writers
- Stephen Perry - Psi-Force #1-2 (November 1986-December 1986)
- Danny Fingeroth - Psi-Force #3-6, 8, 10-11, 14-15 (January 1987-April 1987, June 1987, August 1987-September 1987, December 1987-January 1988); Psi-Force Annual #1 (1987)
- David Michelinie - Psi-Force #7 (May 1987)
- Fabian Nicieza - Psi-Force #9, 13, 16-32 (July 1987, November 1987, February 1988-June 1989); "Healing Time" in Justice #23 (September 1988) [back-up story]
- Rosemary McCormick - Psi-Force #12 (October 1987)
[edit] Art
- Mark Texeira - Psi-Force #1-5, 8 (November 1986-March 1987, June 1987); Psi-Force Annual #1 (1987)
- Mike Vosburg - Psi-Force #6 (April 1987)
- Bob Hall - Psi-Force #7, 9, 11-12, 14 (May 1987, July 1987, September 1987-October 1987, December 1987)
- Rod Whigham - Psi-Force #10 (August 1987)
- Javier Saltares - Psi-Force #13, 15 (November 1987, January 1988); "Healing Time" in Justice #23 (September 1988) [back-up story]
- Ron Lim - Psi-Force #16-22 (February 1988-August 1988)
- Graham Nolan - Psi-Force #23, 25-26 (September 1988, November 1988-December 1988)
- Mark Bagley - Psi-Force #24 (October 1988)
- Alan Kupperberg - Psi-Force #27 (January 1989)
- Rodney Ramos - Psi-Force #28-32 (February 1989-June 1989)
