Jack Power

For other people named Jack Power, see Jack Power (disambiguation).
Jack Power

Mass Master, on the cover of the 2000 miniseries.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Power Pack #1 (August 1984)
Created by Louise Simonson
June Brigman
In-story information
Alter ego Jack Power
Team affiliations Power Pack
Notable aliases Mass Master, Counterweight, Destroyer
Abilities Control over his own mass and size
Healing powers
Previously: Controlling gravity, Disintegrating, absorbing and releasing energy

Jack Power, currently known as Mass Master, formerly Counterweight and Destroyer, is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.

Publication history

Jack was a founding member of the superhero team Power Pack. The second youngest of the four Power siblings, he was 8 1/2[1] [2] years old when he was given his powers by Aelfyre Whitemane, a dying Kymellian noble. He continued to operate with Power Pack through their entire history.

Fictional character biography

Jack Power was born in Richmond, Virginia. Brash and ornery, Jack was the "wild child" of the Power siblings. He frequently insulted and argued with both his teammates and his adversaries. Queen Maraud, Power Pack's archenemy, feared him more than the other children because she thought he would be the most likely to take advantage of the lethal nature of his powers.[3]

However, his bold nature also made him a key fighter for the team. He possessed a tremendous amount of loyalty and courage, and usually kept a cool head even during stressful situations. Jack jumped into the East River to help his sister Katie escape from an ocean liner.[4] He even taunted the Snark Jakal who was about to kill him with "Can't even kill someone until Mommy tells you to?!".[5]

Jack was perhaps the most innovative member of the Pack in terms of developing new power variations. When he received new powers, he was able to figure them out quickly and invent new uses for them. He was significantly better at controlling his gravity powers than Alex.[6]

Recently, Jack retained his bold personality, but also showed a kinder, gentler side, opting to leave the team to care for his mother.[7]

Age discrepancies

Jack was 8 in the original series;[1] [2]in the 2000 miniseries, he was 12,[8] though this would suggest Jack had aged four years where his siblings had aged only three. Considering Julie Power, his older sister of two years, is now 17, Jack may now be considered to be 15 by proxy if his age in the 2000 miniseries is now considered canon by Marvel writers. In the All Ages 2005 miniseries comics (set in an alternate universe), Jack is 10.

Powers and abilities

Along with his siblings, Jack possessed Kymellian healing powers. Usually, he was required to work with his siblings to generate and use this ability; however, he occasionally accessed it on his own.

With his siblings, Jack owned a Kymellian smartship, Friday. The ship acted as an unofficial team advisor and accompanied the Pack on several missions.

Jack wears a costume of unstable molecules created by Friday. The costume exists in an extra-dimensional space known as "Elsewhere" until summoned by voice command (the wearer would say the words "costume on!"). The costume also houses a communicator which is used to communicate with Friday, and was later modified to include a mask.[9] As with all the team's costumes, the pockets of the costume can be used as an access point to Elsewhere itself, where the cartoon-like creatures known simply as "The Tailors" reside in a colorful wonderland of talking dinosaurs, enchanted forests, mad monarchs, surreal architecture, and malleable physical laws.[10]

Other versions

In issues #3 & #4 of the Avengers and Power Pack Assemble! miniseries, a 20-year-old Jack Power appeared in an alternate timeline. Having had his powers disrupted by Kang; Jack was stuck in his cloud form, and had to remain in a sealed, upgraded Iron Man-type armor to keep from dissipating.

Within issue #4 of the Fantastic Four and Power Pack miniseries, Jack is called by his full name, which is Jonathan. It is unknown whether this name is the same for the 616 version of Mass Master.

Millennial Visions

In the "Power Pack: Starting Over" story within Marvel's 2001 Millennial Visions one-shot comic, Jack was depicted as a 28 year old drifter who had undergone treatment for addiction in rehab. He was also forced to remain in cloudy form, having lost the control to regain his solid shape.[11]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Comment from editors in Power Pack #6 "Pick of the Pack" letters column: "Jack is almost nine" Link to scan on Talk page.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Comment from editors in Power Pack #9 "Pick of the Pack" letters column, regarding Alex's comment in issue #6: "Alex did screw up! Jack is almost nine! Alex was so flustered by meeting Spider-Man that he could hardly talk straight...and boy is Jack mad! He figures it's no wonder that Spider-Man treated them like babies! He thought Jack was a whole year younger than he is!" Link to scan on Talk Page.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Power Pack #52
  4. Power Pack #14
  5. 5.0 5.1 Power Pack #25
  6. Power Pack #27
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Power Pack (vol. 2) #1-4
  8. As mentioned within Power Pack vol. 2 #2
  9. Power Pack (Vol.2)
  10. Power Pack #47
  11. Millennial Visions Marvel, 2001