| Blur | |
|---|---|
Artwork by Paul Ryan from D.P. 7 #3. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | DP7 #1 (1986) |
| Created by | Mark Gruenwald Paul Ryan |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Jeffrey Walters |
| Team affiliations | Therapy Group C Clinic for Paranormal Research United States Army Paranormal Platoon. |
| Abilities | Superhuman speed |
Blur (Jeffrey John Walters) is a fictional paranormal in the Marvel Comics imprint New Universe. He first appears in D.P.7 #1.
Contents |
Jeffrey John Walters was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 30, 1962. His father died when he was 7, and so he was raised by his mother Thelma. He also had a younger brother, Dennis, and sister, Michele. He graduated high school in 1980, and took a job at a Burger King. By 1986 he was a manager.
One day in late September 1986, Jeff was working when he suddenly began to feel jittery. He felt an irresistible urge to get moving, and left his restaurant to go for a run. The run lasted about an hour and exceeded 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). He began shaking more severely over the next few days. Doctors prescribed tranquilizers, but they didn't work very well, and he found running was the only thing that wore him out enough to sleep. Before his powers manifested, he was overweight, but the constant running and a heightened metabolism slimmed him down quickly.
Jeff finally checked himself into the Clinic for Paranormal Research in order to deal with his problem, and began attending a regular therapy group with six other paranormals. The place seemed great at first, but one of the members of his group alerted the rest of them to the fact that the Clinic was manipulating them, and the team left together.
After leaving the Clinic, Jeff stayed with his friends, often using his superspeed to provide scouting duties to watch out for the many bounty hunters the Clinic sent after them. His increased need for food was a constant problem, though, and Jeff was forced on several occasions to steal just to have enough food to stay active.
Jeff stayed in touch with his mother while he was on the run, and on one occasion she suggested he undergo an exorcism as a way to end their paranormal abilities. It was unsuccessful.
After his friends split up into smaller groups and several members of their team had gone missing, Jeff attempted to give Randy O'Brien time to escape by fighting off a team of bounty hunters, but the effort wore him out enough that they were able to tranquilize him. He was soon captured and brainwashed into believing the Clinic wasn't as bad as it was.
The nefarious elements of the Clinic were purged almost immediately afterwards, so it once again became a good place to stay, full of friends and help for his condition. He was given a job in the cafeteria, and specialists were working on providing him with a high-protein shake so he wouldn't have to eat so much. His friend Lenore would use her powers on him on a regular basis to help him sleep, until she felt it was harming her.
Jeff's pleasant demeanor made him many friends at the Clinic, particularly George Mullaney, nicknamed Mutator because his power changed his appearance regularly. Jeff was one of the few people to be nice to him.
On December 22, 1987 the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was destroyed in an event called The Pitt. At the time, Jeff's mother and siblings were visiting relatives in the city. As soon as he learned of the situation, he ran out of the Clinic to try to find them. Some of his friends, including much of his Therapy Group and Mutator, later went after him.
Pittsburgh was completely destroyed, and after he arrived, Jeff ran right over the edge of the Pitt. From there, he spent a significant amount of time simply running in circles around the volcanic bottom.
He was found by his friend Dave Landers, who fell into the Pitt and then the two of them were rescued by some of Randy O'Brien's antibodies and the MAX Armor.
After being rescued from the Pitt, Jeff was soon detained by soldiers and told about the upcoming draft of paranormals. Unlike most, Jeff was eager to enlist, especially when the prospect of striking back at whoever destroyed Pittsburgh was dangled in front of him.
He trained vigorously, and was almost a model soldier, but was troubled by recurring dreams of being unable to save his family. Finally, in part because he used his speed to save the life of the paranormal known as Pitt Bull, Jeff was able to overcome his feelings of inadequacy and realize that even if he couldn't help his family, he could still make a difference in the world by using his abilities.
Because of his dedication and abilities, Jeff was chosen as part of an elite paranormal platoon of the U.S. army using the code-name Blur. They were sent into South Africa to hunt down a paranormal, supposedly hiding in nearby Mozambique, who claimed to be responsible for The Pitt. As it turned out, the claim was false, a ruse by members of the South African government to strike against their enemies. Their actions very nearly led to World War III. Jeff was seriously wounded by a gunshot at close range, after saving the Major leading his team.
Blur exists in a constant state of superhuman speed. His normal, unconscious movements are so fast that his features are typically blurred. His metabolism is between 3 and 10 times faster, and has a reaction time at least 5 times faster, than normal human levels. His muscle tissue is stronger than the average human male.
Jeff is capable of running for extended period at 150 mph (240 km/h), and can reach up to 300 mph (480 km/h) for short bursts.
Because of his accelerated metabolism, Blur must eat a lot on a regular basis. It has been theorized that he requires between 5 and 10 times the food a normal person requires; consuming a significantly fewer caloric intake would have a major impact on his health leading to malnutrition and eventually putting him in a coma. Certain groups have developed special nutritional milkshakes that meet his needs more efficiently.
Blur can be reduced to normal speed with the use of sedatives, both natural and paranormal based, although natural ones tend to wear off quickly.