Hellstrike
Encyclopedia
Nigel Keane, also known as Hellstrike, is a fictional comic book superhero in the Stormwatch
series, first appearing in Stormwatch #1. He possesses the ability to project plasma as destructive bolts or as an energy stream to allow himself to fly. As of Issue #12, he also has to live inside a containment suit similar to Fuji
's.
. Their relationship lasts until an Irish terrorist/mercenary by the name of Seamus O'Brien, kills her in front of him. In the ensuing fight, Keane is mortally wounded. But before dying, his powers manifest, saving his life and making him Hellstrike. O'Brien later became the villain Deathtrap, leader of the MERCs, a mercenary unit of super powered beings. Hellstrike bears a long grudge against Deathtrap for both this and Anne's murder.
Nigel joined StormWatch One, the main team of superheroes serving the UN. In the Wildstorm universe, the UN is secretly a menacing worldwide conspiracy led by gun-toting, paranoid "Secret Masters". While they are heroes, the operatives of StormWatch are quite ruthless and do not hesitate to violate the rights of a country in order to advance the agenda of the UN.
After a battle against Deathtrap, Hellstrike was severely injured, falls into coma and his neural circuitry began to fall apart. His body starts to lose cohesion and breaks into pure energy in a tremendous explosion that ruined Skywatch's sickbay. At this time, Nigel decides to give up his life. Then, Fuji contacted him in his comatose state and persuaded him that his life was still worth something, with Fuji using himself as an example. With the help of StormWatch engineering genius Link, Nigel received a tailor made containment suit, much like Fuji's, except that Fuji's gives him the control of his own density and avoids radioactive gas leaks, while Hellstrike's acts as a force field preventing him from exploding.
He can manipulate it at will, such as when he learned he could grow genitalia, something he offered to show his teammates. They refused. Unfortunately, others can manipulate it, such as when the High
grabs his chest and immobilized him.
reshapes StormWatch, Hellstrike was attached to StormWatch Prime under Winter
's command. StormWatch Prime was the unit devoted to deal with superhuman threats in hotwar situations.
At some point, he began a relationship with Fahrenheit
that they kept secret until Weatherman Battalion found out - it was contrary to regulations about fraternization between field officers. This was discovered when Battalion had to break into Hellstrike's quarters because neither he nor Lauren were responding to the radio calls.
Hellstrike is one of the four super-powered beings slain during an attack by Xenomorphs
on Skywatch in the WildC.A.T.s
/Aliens
crossover
, along with Fahrenheit
, Fuji
, and others.
. The four play a support role to the PHD team, a compressed version of Stormwatch deeply affected by budget cuts. Hellstrike is featured in a flashback in issue #2 as Fahrenheit fondly recalls his assistance in a fight against the criminal known as 'The Walking Ghost'. Hellstrike later helps the PHD team escape the ice-encased precinct house they use as a headquarters.
In the Stormwatch PHD issue of Wildstorm: Armageddon, it is suggested that Hellstrike and his dead teammates were saved by a possible future version of Jackson King.
Formerly a Scotland Yard inspector, he also proved to be a valuable asset in non-combat situation. Having operated initially in Northern Ireland, he's particularly good at counter-terrorism.
Stormwatch (comics)
Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that originated in the Wildstorm Universe and has since been revived as part of the DC Universe. The original version of Stormwatch first appeared in Stormwatch Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that...
series, first appearing in Stormwatch #1. He possesses the ability to project plasma as destructive bolts or as an energy stream to allow himself to fly. As of Issue #12, he also has to live inside a containment suit similar to Fuji
Fuji (comics)
Toshiro Misawa, also known as Fuji, is a comic book superhero in the Stormwatch series, first appearing in Stormwatch #1. He has immense size and strength as well as the ability to control the density of his body granted by his containment suit...
's.
Fictional character biography
Nigel is born Irish in Belfast. He serves in the British police constabulary in Belfast for some years before moving to London. There, he falls in love with Anne, his partner while investigating the IRAProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
. Their relationship lasts until an Irish terrorist/mercenary by the name of Seamus O'Brien, kills her in front of him. In the ensuing fight, Keane is mortally wounded. But before dying, his powers manifest, saving his life and making him Hellstrike. O'Brien later became the villain Deathtrap, leader of the MERCs, a mercenary unit of super powered beings. Hellstrike bears a long grudge against Deathtrap for both this and Anne's murder.
Nigel joined StormWatch One, the main team of superheroes serving the UN. In the Wildstorm universe, the UN is secretly a menacing worldwide conspiracy led by gun-toting, paranoid "Secret Masters". While they are heroes, the operatives of StormWatch are quite ruthless and do not hesitate to violate the rights of a country in order to advance the agenda of the UN.
After a battle against Deathtrap, Hellstrike was severely injured, falls into coma and his neural circuitry began to fall apart. His body starts to lose cohesion and breaks into pure energy in a tremendous explosion that ruined Skywatch's sickbay. At this time, Nigel decides to give up his life. Then, Fuji contacted him in his comatose state and persuaded him that his life was still worth something, with Fuji using himself as an example. With the help of StormWatch engineering genius Link, Nigel received a tailor made containment suit, much like Fuji's, except that Fuji's gives him the control of his own density and avoids radioactive gas leaks, while Hellstrike's acts as a force field preventing him from exploding.
He can manipulate it at will, such as when he learned he could grow genitalia, something he offered to show his teammates. They refused. Unfortunately, others can manipulate it, such as when the High
High (comics)
The High is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He first appears in Stormwatch #46and was created by Warren Ellis and Tom Raney.-Publication history:...
grabs his chest and immobilized him.
Reformation
When BendixHenry Bendix
Henry Bendix, also known as Weatherman, is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe. He first appeared in the Stormwatch series.-Early life:...
reshapes StormWatch, Hellstrike was attached to StormWatch Prime under Winter
Winter (comics)
Winter is a fictional character who is published by Wildstorm Productions. He first appeared in Stormwatch #1.-Character biography:...
's command. StormWatch Prime was the unit devoted to deal with superhuman threats in hotwar situations.
At some point, he began a relationship with Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit (comics)
Fahrenheit is a fictional character, a superhero in the Wildstorm universe. The character first appeared in StormWatch #2 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.-Fictional character biography:...
that they kept secret until Weatherman Battalion found out - it was contrary to regulations about fraternization between field officers. This was discovered when Battalion had to break into Hellstrike's quarters because neither he nor Lauren were responding to the radio calls.
Hellstrike is one of the four super-powered beings slain during an attack by Xenomorphs
Xenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
on Skywatch in the WildC.A.T.s
Wildcats (comics)
Wildcats, sometimes rendered WildCats or WildC.A.T.s, is a fictional superhero team created by the American comic book artist Jim Lee and writer Brandon Choi.-Publication history:...
/Aliens
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
crossover
Intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
, along with Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit (comics)
Fahrenheit is a fictional character, a superhero in the Wildstorm universe. The character first appeared in StormWatch #2 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.-Fictional character biography:...
, Fuji
Fuji (comics)
Toshiro Misawa, also known as Fuji, is a comic book superhero in the Stormwatch series, first appearing in Stormwatch #1. He has immense size and strength as well as the ability to control the density of his body granted by his containment suit...
, and others.
Rebirth
Hellstrike and his other dead teammates return, partly detailed in the series Stormwatch: Post Human DivisionStormwatch: Post Human Division
Stormwatch: Post Human Division is an American comic book published by Wildstorm comics. It is the fourth volume to bear the name Stormwatch and was one of several comics used to reboot the Wildstorm Universe...
. The four play a support role to the PHD team, a compressed version of Stormwatch deeply affected by budget cuts. Hellstrike is featured in a flashback in issue #2 as Fahrenheit fondly recalls his assistance in a fight against the criminal known as 'The Walking Ghost'. Hellstrike later helps the PHD team escape the ice-encased precinct house they use as a headquarters.
In the Stormwatch PHD issue of Wildstorm: Armageddon, it is suggested that Hellstrike and his dead teammates were saved by a possible future version of Jackson King.
Powers and abilities
Hellstrike is a seedling (mutant), the people who were genetically affected by the Comet Effect of the 1960s. He's a living weapon of pure energy, what the scientist call a gaseous sentient posthuman entity. He can fire explosive plasma bolts, build a protective plasma shield and fly by means of his energy jet stream. Unfortunately, since one of his first missions, he's been bound to a containment suit that prevents him from dispersing. Hellstrike is immune to telepathy due to being more energy in nature than human.Formerly a Scotland Yard inspector, he also proved to be a valuable asset in non-combat situation. Having operated initially in Northern Ireland, he's particularly good at counter-terrorism.