| Torpedo | |
|---|---|
The Torpedo (Brock Jones) debuts on the cover of Marvel Premiere #39 (Dec. 1977). Art by Al Milgrom. |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daredevil #126 (Oct. 1975) |
| Created by | Marv Wolfman and Bob Brown |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Brock Jones |
| Team affiliations | "Defenders for a Day" |
| Partnerships | Rom |
Torpedo is the name of five fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Contents |
The first version of the Torpedo was not related to subsequent versions and debuted in a one-shot story in Daredevil #59 (Dec. 1969).
The second version debuted wearing the Torpedo suit that was to become a feature for successive characters, but also only appeared in one story in Daredevil #126 (Oct. 1975). The third version, Brock Jones, appeared in Daredevil #127 (Nov. 1975) and #134 (June 1976) and then starred in a storyline in Marvel Premiere #39 - 40 (Dec. 1977 - Feb. 1978). After a guest appearance in Defenders #62 - 64 (Aug. - Oct. 1978) plot threads from the Marvel Premiere story were resolved in Rom #21 - 22 (Aug. - Sept. 1981). After appearing sporadically in the title, the character was killed in Rom #50 (Jan. 1984).
The battlesuit reappeared in New Warriors #28 (Oct. 1992), now shared between two characters under the alias of Turbo.
The first version of the Torpedo is a hitman sent by a crime boss to assassinate a witness, but is defeated by the hero Daredevil.[1]
The second version is Michael Stivak, a young scientist brought to the United States by his uncle, U.S. Senator Eugene Stivak. Asked to design a battlesuit for national defense, Michael Stivak developed a costume equipped with turbo-jets that could propel the wearer through the air and magnify physical blows. Learning that his uncle was the leader of the criminal organization the Corporation, Michael Stivak designed an inferior battlesuit for his uncle and secretly developed another suit. Using the alias Torpedo, Michael Stivak attempted to destroy the plans for the suit and battles Daredevil, who mistakes him for a criminal. During their battle a building collapses, apparently killing Torpedo.[2]
The third version, Brock Jones, witnesses the battle between Daredevil and Torpedo and frees the dying Michael Stivak. Stivak explains to Jones the history of the battlesuit, and the latter becomes the new Torpedo. Becoming a minor crimefighter, the Jones Torpedo is attacked by the Rocketeers, mercenaries wearing versions of the battlesuit sent by Senator Stivak to retrieve the suit. Torpedo defeats the Rocketeers,[3] and aids Daredevil when the villain the Chameleon frames the hero for murder.[4]
Senator Stivak sends another squad of Rocketeers to attack the new Torpedo, but after several skirmishes Jones defeats them (with Stivak dying of a heart attack).[5] Torpedo briefly aids superhero team the Defenders[6] and reappears in the town of Clairton as an ally of the Spaceknight Rom. It is revealed that the alien Dire Wraiths instigated the creation of the battlesuit with the intent to use it against Rom. The Torpedo allies with Rom and together they battle a squad of Rocketeers.[7] The Torpedo acts as the guardian of the town Clairton in Rom's absence,[8] and after thinking the Wraith threat ended retires. Jones is then murdered by a group of newly-arrived Wraiths who use sorcery.[9]
The battlesuit is bequeathed to Jones's first cousin Phillip Jeffries, and is found in storage by his son Michael Jeffries. Michael Jeffries and friend Mickey Musashi shared the suit and adopted the codename Turbo.[10] Michael Jeffries was murdered by the Dire Wraith queen Volx, who was posing as Brock Jones's son Danny (Michael's second cousin).[11]