Paulie Provenzano (comics)
Encyclopedia
Omertà is a fictional character
, a mutant
in the Marvel Universe
. He is featured in the Eve of Destruction story arc in Uncanny X-Men.
#392.
After just being discharged from the United States Marines, Paul Provenzano returns to his home in Brooklyn
, where he attempts to take over the local 'chapter' of the Mafia
. The three leaders, whom Paulie has known all his life, were meeting in a local bakery, a mob-owned business. The leader declared he would not be popular if he made a "made man" out of a mutant. Paulie explains he was taking over. At first they were amused by his declarations, then they shoot him. Paulie easily resists their bullets, then brutally injures the men.
Jean Grey
surprises and lectures him on the seeming waste of using his powers to take over the local mob. Paulie correctly guesses that she is here to recruit him into the X-Men and agrees to join, if only to see her in her costume. Jean's intention is to recruit Paulie for a mission to Genosha
, to rescue the rest of the X-Men
from Magneto
.
Jean briefly leaves Paulie to enter the X-Mansion while she talks with Sunpyre
on the front driveway. Paulie is thrown through the front doors moments later. Northstar follows. Paulie protests, revealing his homophobia and Northstar protests as he is gay. Paulie dares Northstar to hit him, as he, Paulie is invulnerable. Throughout the storyline, Paulie regularly calls Northstar "Maple-Leaf" and puts him down for being homosexual Northstar's super-speed is enough to stun, but not hurt him.
During the trip Genosha, Paul and teammate Hector Rendoza receive a telepathic 'crash course' in their mutant powers, allowing them better control and understanding. Moments later Paul suggests that he and Jean enter the cargo bay for 'privacy'. As a rebuttal, she makes him perceive her as elderly and overweight, an unpleasant visual. He also participates in a telepathic jaunt into Dazzler's mind, to see what had recently ravaged the dimension she had arrived from. The attackers were child-like versions of the alternate reality Age of Apocalypse
villains. This Paulie is one of the few people in current continuinty to have an inkling of what had gone on in said alternate reality.
Paulie and the others end up in a Genoshan public square, attempting to rescue Professor Xaiver. The makeshift team battles Magneto. Paulie is convinced that Magneto has slain Dazzler, though this is later proven untrue. After diversionary taunting, the villain launches Paulie towards space, but Northstar saves him. This results in Paulie offering an apology for his behavior to Northstar. Which Northstar accepts, Magneto is soon subdued by the X-Man Wolverine.
Back at the X-Mansion
, despite an offer to stay, most of the team, including Paulie , left.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. He is featured in the Eve of Destruction story arc in Uncanny X-Men.
Fictional character biography
Paulie first appears in the Eve of Destruction storyline, beginning in Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#392.
After just being discharged from the United States Marines, Paul Provenzano returns to his home in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, where he attempts to take over the local 'chapter' of the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
. The three leaders, whom Paulie has known all his life, were meeting in a local bakery, a mob-owned business. The leader declared he would not be popular if he made a "made man" out of a mutant. Paulie explains he was taking over. At first they were amused by his declarations, then they shoot him. Paulie easily resists their bullets, then brutally injures the men.
Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
surprises and lectures him on the seeming waste of using his powers to take over the local mob. Paulie correctly guesses that she is here to recruit him into the X-Men and agrees to join, if only to see her in her costume. Jean's intention is to recruit Paulie for a mission to Genosha
Genosha
Genosha is a fictional country that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe. The fictional nation served as an allegory for slavery and later for South...
, to rescue the rest of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
from Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
.
Jean briefly leaves Paulie to enter the X-Mansion while she talks with Sunpyre
Sunpyre
Sunpyre is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe associated with the X-Men. She is the sister of Sunfire. The name "Leyu" is of an undetermined origin although the character is Japanese.-Fictional character biography:...
on the front driveway. Paulie is thrown through the front doors moments later. Northstar follows. Paulie protests, revealing his homophobia and Northstar protests as he is gay. Paulie dares Northstar to hit him, as he, Paulie is invulnerable. Throughout the storyline, Paulie regularly calls Northstar "Maple-Leaf" and puts him down for being homosexual Northstar's super-speed is enough to stun, but not hurt him.
During the trip Genosha, Paul and teammate Hector Rendoza receive a telepathic 'crash course' in their mutant powers, allowing them better control and understanding. Moments later Paul suggests that he and Jean enter the cargo bay for 'privacy'. As a rebuttal, she makes him perceive her as elderly and overweight, an unpleasant visual. He also participates in a telepathic jaunt into Dazzler's mind, to see what had recently ravaged the dimension she had arrived from. The attackers were child-like versions of the alternate reality Age of Apocalypse
Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 - 1996 comic book crossover storyline published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The Age of Apocalypse briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616, although it was later retconned as having occurred in the alternate universe of Earth-295, it had...
villains. This Paulie is one of the few people in current continuinty to have an inkling of what had gone on in said alternate reality.
Paulie and the others end up in a Genoshan public square, attempting to rescue Professor Xaiver. The makeshift team battles Magneto. Paulie is convinced that Magneto has slain Dazzler, though this is later proven untrue. After diversionary taunting, the villain launches Paulie towards space, but Northstar saves him. This results in Paulie offering an apology for his behavior to Northstar. Which Northstar accepts, Magneto is soon subdued by the X-Man Wolverine.
Back at the X-Mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
, despite an offer to stay, most of the team, including Paulie , left.
Other Marvel characters named Omertà
- Paulie is the second character featured in Marvel comics to use the name Omertà. In issue #108 (May 1992) of Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
, an ItalianItalian peopleThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
superhero appeared using this name. In Italian, OmertàOmertàOmertà is a popular attitude and code of honour and a common definition is the "code of silence". It is common in areas of southern Italy, such as Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Campania, where criminal organizations defined as Mafia such as the Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita, and...
signifies the MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
's law of silence.