| Aspen | |
|---|---|
Aspen Extended Edition Wizard World Edition by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Aspen MLT (2003-present) Top Cow (1998-2002) |
| First appearance | Fathom Preview (1998) |
| Created by | Michael Turner |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Aspen Matthews |
| Team affiliations | The Blue and The Black Killian's Blue splinter group The US Olympic Swimming Team |
| Abilities | Manipulation of Water, Ability to Breathe Underwater & Ability to Transform into a Being of Water |
Aspen Matthews is the main character of Fathom, a comic book series created by Michael Turner.
Contents |
Aspen Matthews is caught between two worlds. During her early adolescence, she could remember nothing from her early childhood. In her earliest memories she is on the cruise ship Paradise, thought to have been lost for ten years. She was adopted by Captain Matthews, a US Navy captain, and soon developed a passion for water, running to the nearest beach every day to enjoy her favorite recreations of swimming and surfing. She actively pursued this passion and showing tremendous aptitude eventually joined the US Olympic Swimming Team. She trained hard and was chosen to compete in the Olympic Games. However she was eliminated as she tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs despite never having taken any (see Fathom: Prelude #1 for more details). This effectively ended Aspen's professional swimming career, so she chose to study marine biology.
Aspen has recently begun to remember bits of her early childhood, including a memory with her mother talking to a member of the mysterious race known as the Black.
Aspen continued to study marine biology, graduating as a marine biologist. Eventually, she was invited to participate in a deep underwater research station called Deep Marine Discovery (DMD). The primary goal of the DMD was to study a strange alien ship that seemed to have a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding water. Aspen also learns that the DMD was holding a strange alien man named Killian, who had voluntarily surrendered himself. However Aspen did not have much time to study him, as the DMD was suddenly torpedoed by mistake. Killian freed himself, and attempted to abduct Aspen. However, a strange figure intervened and saved Aspen.
After the event at the DMD, from which she was one of the few survivors, Aspen's life began to grow much more complicated. Admiral Maylander discovered that while her anatomy was somewhat similar is not human. Aspen also encountered Chance Calloway, a naval fighter pilot and shooter of the torpedo. Although she scorned him at first, they developed a mutual degree of respect. Later Aspen was abducted and seduced by Killian who told her that she was one of the Blue, a race of underwater people living in hiding from Humanity. Aspen was also an Elite Blue, meaning she could not only breathe underwater, but also manipulate it to her will. She was persuaded to help set up a number of battle stations in a plan to conquer the human race. The battle stations eventually activated the Blue Sun, a weapon-satellite capable of sending a massive energy beam. The beam was used to penetrate the ocean floor.
Eventually, the enigmatic Cannon Hawke rescued Aspen away from Killian and his dissidents, who were molding her into their weapon of hatred. He enlightened Aspen of the largely peaceful Blue culture, and the need of stopping Killian's plans. With the help of Cannon and Chance, she did thwart Killian's plan, and in the process tapped into her deeper powers, which were far more powerful than anyone could have imagined.
Although Aspen did experience some well-deserved down time after the events surrounding the Blue Sun, she was soon abducted by yet another enigmatic race of underwater people, the Black. They took her to the bottom of the ocean, where she meets her biological father, Ragher, himself a Black. This explained her extraordinary ability to manipulate water. Ragher tried to sway Aspen towards the Black point of view and to use her in their own plans for Humanity. However, tired of being manipulated, Aspen rejects his efforts and leaves the Black. Choosing her own way she returns to the surface.
Upon Aspen's return, she discovers that Humanity has learned of the Blue's existence, and the two are on the verge of war. Unsure what to do, she tracks down Chance Calloway, and the two outsmart the US government. The two also realize that they have feelings towards each other. Now, Aspen intends to rejoin Cannon Hawke and the rest of the Blue.
With her memories returning, Aspen becomes aware of and finds her biological brother, Finn. Finn was the water being who saved Aspen from the clutches of Killian back at the DMD.
A Fathom movie is in development with Megan Fox set to play Aspen.[1]