Strong Guy
Encyclopedia
Strong Guy is the alias of Guido Carosella, a fictional character
in the Marvel Comics
universe
. He was created by Chris Claremont
and Bill Sienkiewicz
in New Mutants
volume 1 #29 (July 1985), and was reinvented as Strong Guy by Peter David
and Larry Stroman
in X-Factor
(volume 1) #71 (October 1991).
Italian
parents, Guido Carosella gained a fortune in a settlement when his parents were killed by falling space debris. Skinny and shy, Guido's mutant powers were triggered in childhood when an incident with schoolyard bullies and being hit by a bus ended in his body becoming disproportionately large and over-muscled, separating the already withdrawn boy even further from his peers. He had the love and support of his aunt and uncle, who took him in after his parents' deaths. Guido coped with his emotional and physical pain caused by his mutation, by developing an outgoing "public face", rarely letting even those close to him see him in any discomfort.
During the incident with the bus, another boy, Charlie Ronalds, was hurt by Guido's flailing. Due to luck, Charlie survived with only a slight limp. He would later become the villainous Charon
.
for the mutant musician Lila Cheney
. While working as a bodyguard for Lila, he met Cannonball
and Magik
of the New Mutants
. He later found Dazzler
near Lila Cheney's Malibu house, and helped rescue Dazzler from drowning. He then found the injured Lila Cheney when she teleported back to Malibu, and accompanied Cheney to seek help from the X-Men
. Guido was later among the mutants living on Muir Island
who were mentally controlled by the telepath
Shadow King
. In order to satiate his bloodlust, the Shadow King encouraged arena fighting amongst the Muir Island personnel. Guido receives a serious beating at the hands of Rogue. After the Shadow King was defeated, several of the Muir Island mutants, with the help of Val Cooper, were recruited to form a new X-Factor team.
, Wolfsbane
and Quicksilver
. Guido picked up the "Strong Guy" name from a joke he made at an X-Factor press conference when the press demanded to know his codename.
One of the first villains the team faced was Mister Sinister
and his lackeys, the Nasty Boys. Sinister wished to discredit mutant-kind and used X-Factor to do so. One of Sinister's behind-the-scenes allies was a power-hungry senator with the power to cause bad luck. Strong Guy was manipulated into destroying the Washington Monument
while fighting Slab
, one of the Nasty Boys. The senator, who was after the entirety of the X-Factor team, was later slain by Mr. Sinister himself. With X-Factor, he next aided the American-supported Trans-Sabal government in a war against rebels, and fought the Hulk
, then clashed with the Mutant Liberation Front
, and then fought Cyber
and Hell's Belles
; he was poisoned by Cyber, but recovered. He also fought the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
.
During his time on the team there was a blossoming relationship with a powerful Genosha
n mutant (not mutate
) and political dissident named Jo Beth. He even visited her grandmother at her calm, suburban home on the island of Genosha
. She takes a shine to him instantly.
Strong Guy participated in the cosmic incidents known as the Infinity War
, in the Earth super heroes' war against the Magus
. During the 'War', he and the other superheroes survived a bomb attack on the Fantastic Four
headquarters, thanks to the Invisible Woman
. Strong Guy was specifically chosen to be one of the heroes to mystically travel the dimensions. He first participated in a fight with the alien Infinity Watch
, holding up against such cosmic powerhouses as Drax the Destroyer
. He later played a vital part in the final battle against the villain's doppelganger's hordes, though this was a distraction so other forces could go in and defeat the villain.
Strong Guy was one of the many heroes sucked into the after-effects of the Infinity War. He was one of many free-thinking heroes who traveled to an alternate Earth to regain their brainwashed friends and defeat the plans of the cosmic powered Goddess. He teamed up with Firestar from the New Warriors
, who was soon taken out by the brainwashed duo of Puck
and Spider-Man
. Strong Guy defeated Spider-Man in a swift, tree-smashing battle, despite being blinded by webbing to the face. Doctor Strange
, also brainwashed, restrained Strong Guy in a bubble of mystic force, where he stayed while events played out.
Guido suffered a deep depression after being poisoned by Cyber
, the leader of the mercenary group Hell's Belles
. While at a governmental laboratory where a cure had been developed, Havok seemingly drank a sample of the poison himself, in order to show Strong Guy that he was with him. This helped boost Strong Guy's morale, though unknown to him, Havok had consumed simple water.
Strong Guy later participated in the battle that took down the Hell's Belles, though Cyber himself escaped after colliding with a subway train. Another subway train incident turned out much worse, as Strong Guy investigated a train crash where a small dog was the only survivor. Inevitably, the carnage deeply affected his morale.
Guido's old friend, the cosmic teleporter Lila Cheney, showed up again because she missed him. She forcibly teleported Guido naked from his shower to alien locales in an attempt to persuade him to resume his former role as a roadie/bodyguard. He managed to convince her that he enjoys his life back in X-Factor, where she reluctantly returned him.
Over his time with X-Factor, Guido develops a deep friendship with the lycanthrope Wolfsbane
(Rahne Sinclair). They go on a road trip with the mutant Random
, where Guido shows Rahne his hometown friends. Guido personally escorts Wolfsbane to Muir Island
when she needs specific medical attention. His other best friend on the team, Multiple Man, seemingly perishes in an attempt to remove the Legacy Virus
from his body.
Strong Guy remains a member of X-Factor until an incident in the South Seas island nation of Madripoor
. Again involved with Lila Cheney, the team becomes trapped in a confrontation between her and the alien race, the K'Lanti. Lila had stolen an object of great value, called the Harmonium, during the midst of political chaos. The aliens, after destroying a city block, disperse diamond shaped bombs throughout the city. Despite the neutralization of the bombs and the return of their object, the aliens leave behind one last explosive. Guido absorbs the energy of its explosion. Despite releasing some of the energy with powerful punches, he suffers a powerful heart attack.
Guido spends much time in suspended animation
, until the return of his seemingly-dead friend the Multiple Man, Jaime Madrox. Not fully understanding the situation, Madrox frees Guido, who continues to suffer. Forge
creates a device to heal Guido. Afterward he chooses to accompany Lila and her band in their travels instead of rejoining the increasingly fractious X-Factor team.
Guido's adventures are highlighted in a one-shot comic book, Strong Guy Reborn #1. He becomes involved in a property dispute between warring alien races, both of whom wish to control a small, barren moon. This dispute is settled when the moon is destroyed during an exchange of weapons on both sides.
as a member of a mutant fighting club called the Arena, in which the mutant fighters were being secretly enslaved by other mutants. He helped Storm and Callisto
in taking down the enslavers.
to become the enforcer
for his friend Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations
, thus rejoining many of his former teammates from the government-sponsored incarnation of X-Factor. The team included Wolfsbane, Rictor, Siryn
and Monet
at first.
Guido is assigned to protect a former employee of Singularity Investigations, Henry Buchanan. Henry has proof of the illegal activities of his former company. However, Guido instead kills the man and then called Singularity CEO Damian Tryp
, revealing he was working as a mole inside X-Factor.
Guido tried to tell the team that the man had vanished on him but Wolfsbane
smells his blood on Guido's hands and a psychic scan by Monet
reveals the truth. It seemed Guido had been subjected to hypnotic
conditioning by Tryp to turn him into a mole (which explained his rougher attitude and some inconsistencies in his personality).
A visit with Henry's widow did not go as expected; instead of reacting angrily, Alix Buchanan understood the circumstances in which Guido had acted, and forgave him. By the end of the issue they had found solace together in their mutual grief from Henry's death.
Some time later, Valerie Cooper contacts Guido and offered him a job as sheriff
of Mutant Town, the affected area in New York where large amounts of former mutants live. Guido informs Jamie Madrox that he will be taking the job, giving Jamie his two weeks notice
. This likely happens after the events of World War Hulk.
, Strong Guy battled the Hulk
, who had paused his rampage to question Professor X about his role in the Illuminati. During this fight, Strong Guy was forced to retreat by the possibility that he may damage his heart by absorbing the energy of Hulk's punch.
Guido also confesses to Madrox that Val Cooper's offer to be sheriff of Mutant Town has been rescinded because of the sheer lack of mutants.
from some super-powered assassins. He is shot through the heart; however, the cause of death is from overtaxing his damaged organ by stopping a mandroid from falling onto a crowd. He is rushed to the hospital, but the doctors are unable to save him due to the damage to his heart. A few minutes later, however, he miraculously revives, showing no injuries. It is revealed that Layla Miller
resurrected him; however, as a consequence of this that he is not aware of, he no longer has a soul.
and use it to enhance his physical strength to an unmeasured limit. However, he cannot store the energy he absorbs for very long; as a rule he must physically expend the energy within 90 seconds to prevent it from permanently distorting his body. He is in constant pain from the existing distortion, although he hides it well, traditionally playing the role of team comedian to distract himself. Guido also possesses superhuman stamina and durability.
An unusual percentage of his body mass is stored in the upper half of his body, causing him to appear top-heavy and thus very imposing. Strong Guy's powers first appeared after being beaten by bullies and hit by a bus; unable to expel the energy, his body was permanently warped. Strong Guy's maximum strength level is such that he has sufficient power to move the Blob
, or briefly stand toe to toe with the Hulk
, although the latter's rage enhanced strength was so powerful that the energy of channeling merely one blow, afterwards put Strong Guy in danger of a heart attack. Guido is formidable at "street fighting"-style hand-to-hand combat.
Guido has a gifted intellect, and is a talented musical comedy actor and stand-up comedian. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama from New York University.
Strong Guy is nearsighted and wears corrective "bottlecap" lenses.
time line, Strong Guy was still Lila Cheney's bodyguard, but he was much more obsessive about her. He was jealous, almost to the point of insanity, of Gambit
because he and Cheney were lovers. Strong Guy was captured by Apocalypse's Infinites and had a bomb implanted in his skull. To save his own life, he betrayed the X-Men and even kidnapped Rogue
and Magneto
's infant son.
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...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
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 was created by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and Bill Sienkiewicz
Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav Felix Robert "Bill" Sienkiewicz [pronounced sin-KEV-itch] is an Eisner Award-winning American artist and writer best known for his comic book work, primarily for Marvel Comics' The New Mutants and Elektra: Assassin...
in New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
volume 1 #29 (July 1985), and was reinvented as Strong Guy by Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
and Larry Stroman
Larry Stroman
Larry Stroman is an American comic book artist and writer. After first gaining attention illustrating the Epic Comics series Alien Legion , he went on to illustrate various Marvel Comics books such as The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, Ghost Rider Larry Stroman is an American comic book artist and...
in X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
(volume 1) #71 (October 1991).
Early life
Born in Rhinebeck, New York to working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
parents, Guido Carosella gained a fortune in a settlement when his parents were killed by falling space debris. Skinny and shy, Guido's mutant powers were triggered in childhood when an incident with schoolyard bullies and being hit by a bus ended in his body becoming disproportionately large and over-muscled, separating the already withdrawn boy even further from his peers. He had the love and support of his aunt and uncle, who took him in after his parents' deaths. Guido coped with his emotional and physical pain caused by his mutation, by developing an outgoing "public face", rarely letting even those close to him see him in any discomfort.
During the incident with the bus, another boy, Charlie Ronalds, was hurt by Guido's flailing. Due to luck, Charlie survived with only a slight limp. He would later become the villainous Charon
Charon (Marvel Comics)
Charon is a fictitious Marvel Comics villain who made his sole appearance in the 1993 X-Factor Annual #8.- Early life :The real identity of Charon is Charlie Ronalds. As a young boy, Charlie witnessed his parents' death at the hands of a mutant . Enraged, Charlie flung himself at the mutant,...
.
Lila Cheney and Muir Island
After losing much of his fortune, Guido began to take on jobs that would allow him to maintain his luxurious lifestyle. This leads to Guido becoming the long-time roadie and bouncerBouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
for the mutant musician Lila Cheney
Lila Cheney
Lila Cheney is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. She is a mutant with the ability to teleport, but only over vast intergalactic distances.-Publication history:...
. While working as a bodyguard for Lila, he met Cannonball
Cannonball (comics)
Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
and Magik
Magik (comics)
Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...
of the New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
. He later found Dazzler
Dazzler
Dazzler is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #130 ....
near Lila Cheney's Malibu house, and helped rescue Dazzler from drowning. He then found the injured Lila Cheney when she teleported back to Malibu, and accompanied Cheney to seek help from 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...
. Guido was later among the mutants living on Muir Island
Muir Island
Muir Island is a small, fictional island off the northern coast of Scotland in the Marvel Comics universe. It plays a prominent role in the X-Men comics and its related series.-History:...
who were mentally controlled by the telepath
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
Shadow King
Shadow King
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
. In order to satiate his bloodlust, the Shadow King encouraged arena fighting amongst the Muir Island personnel. Guido receives a serious beating at the hands of Rogue. After the Shadow King was defeated, several of the Muir Island mutants, with the help of Val Cooper, were recruited to form a new X-Factor team.
X-Factor
Guido joined the new X-Factor team, a group now working as government operatives. His teammates included many notable former X-Men supporting characters, including Havok, PolarisPolaris (comics)
Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
, Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
and Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
. Guido picked up the "Strong Guy" name from a joke he made at an X-Factor press conference when the press demanded to know his codename.
One of the first villains the team faced was Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
and his lackeys, the Nasty Boys. Sinister wished to discredit mutant-kind and used X-Factor to do so. One of Sinister's behind-the-scenes allies was a power-hungry senator with the power to cause bad luck. Strong Guy was manipulated into destroying the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
while fighting Slab
Slab (comics)
Slab , a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in X-Factor #74.-Fictional character biography:...
, one of the Nasty Boys. The senator, who was after the entirety of the X-Factor team, was later slain by Mr. Sinister himself. With X-Factor, he next aided the American-supported Trans-Sabal government in a war against rebels, and fought the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, then clashed with the Mutant Liberation Front
Mutant Liberation Front
The Mutant Liberation Front, or MLF, is a Marvel Comics supervillain group, primarily enemies of X-Force. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld, the original MLF first fully appeared in The New Mutants #87 ....
, and then fought Cyber
Cyber (comics)
Cyber is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an enemy of Wolverine of the X-Men. Created by writer Peter David and artist Sam Kieth, he first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #85 , though his appearance was obscured by a trench coat and hat...
and Hell's Belles
Hell's Belles
Hell's Belles is a fictional super villain team in the Marvel Comics Universe, composed of female mutant terrorists. They were formed by Cyber to commit acts of extortion, and worked for a notorious drug cartel...
; he was poisoned by Cyber, but recovered. He also fought the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Brotherhood of Mutants
The Brotherhood of Mutants, originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, is a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans. They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men...
.
During his time on the team there was a blossoming relationship with a powerful 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...
n mutant (not mutate
Mutate (comics)
The term Mutate refers to most non-mutant superbeings in the Marvel Comics universe. See below for other uses.-History:Mutate is a term used to refer to superhumans who acquired their superpowers by exposure to some mutagenic compound or energy...
) and political dissident named Jo Beth. He even visited her grandmother at her calm, suburban home on the island of 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...
. She takes a shine to him instantly.
Strong Guy participated in the cosmic incidents known as the Infinity War
Infinity War
The Infinity War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1992. The series was written by Jim Starlin and penciled by Ron Lim, Ian Laughlin, Al Milgrom, Jack Morelli and Christie Scheele....
, in the Earth super heroes' war against the Magus
Magus (comics)
The Magus is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain. He is an evil version of the hero Adam Warlock.-Publication history:The Magus was created by Jim Starlin, and appears as an image in Strange Tales vol...
. During the 'War', he and the other superheroes survived a bomb attack on the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
headquarters, thanks to the Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
. Strong Guy was specifically chosen to be one of the heroes to mystically travel the dimensions. He first participated in a fight with the alien Infinity Watch
Infinity Watch
The Infinity Watch is a group of fictional characters in Marvel Comics' universe. The Watch was gathered in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1, and starred in that series until it ended with issue #42...
, holding up against such cosmic powerhouses as Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer is a fictional character appearing in books published by the Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Drax first appeared in Iron Man #55 , and was created by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin. He had a recurring role in Captain Marvel vol 1 beginning with issue #23...
. He later played a vital part in the final battle against the villain's doppelganger's hordes, though this was a distraction so other forces could go in and defeat the villain.
Strong Guy was one of the many heroes sucked into the after-effects of the Infinity War. He was one of many free-thinking heroes who traveled to an alternate Earth to regain their brainwashed friends and defeat the plans of the cosmic powered Goddess. He teamed up with Firestar from the New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, who was soon taken out by the brainwashed duo of Puck
Puck (comics)
Puck is the codename of two fictional characters, a father and daughter pair who are both members of Alpha Flight, in the Marvel Comics universe.-Puck :...
and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. Strong Guy defeated Spider-Man in a swift, tree-smashing battle, despite being blinded by webbing to the face. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, also brainwashed, restrained Strong Guy in a bubble of mystic force, where he stayed while events played out.
Guido suffered a deep depression after being poisoned by Cyber
Cyber (comics)
Cyber is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an enemy of Wolverine of the X-Men. Created by writer Peter David and artist Sam Kieth, he first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #85 , though his appearance was obscured by a trench coat and hat...
, the leader of the mercenary group Hell's Belles
Hell's Belles
Hell's Belles is a fictional super villain team in the Marvel Comics Universe, composed of female mutant terrorists. They were formed by Cyber to commit acts of extortion, and worked for a notorious drug cartel...
. While at a governmental laboratory where a cure had been developed, Havok seemingly drank a sample of the poison himself, in order to show Strong Guy that he was with him. This helped boost Strong Guy's morale, though unknown to him, Havok had consumed simple water.
Strong Guy later participated in the battle that took down the Hell's Belles, though Cyber himself escaped after colliding with a subway train. Another subway train incident turned out much worse, as Strong Guy investigated a train crash where a small dog was the only survivor. Inevitably, the carnage deeply affected his morale.
Guido's old friend, the cosmic teleporter Lila Cheney, showed up again because she missed him. She forcibly teleported Guido naked from his shower to alien locales in an attempt to persuade him to resume his former role as a roadie/bodyguard. He managed to convince her that he enjoys his life back in X-Factor, where she reluctantly returned him.
Over his time with X-Factor, Guido develops a deep friendship with the lycanthrope Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
(Rahne Sinclair). They go on a road trip with the mutant Random
Random (comics)
Random is a fictional character and antihero created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics series X-Factor. He started out as a thorn in the side of X-Factor, but he later became a reluctant ally of theirs. The mystery of his life has yet to be completely revealed.-Fictional character...
, where Guido shows Rahne his hometown friends. Guido personally escorts Wolfsbane to Muir Island
Muir Island
Muir Island is a small, fictional island off the northern coast of Scotland in the Marvel Comics universe. It plays a prominent role in the X-Men comics and its related series.-History:...
when she needs specific medical attention. His other best friend on the team, Multiple Man, seemingly perishes in an attempt to remove the Legacy Virus
Legacy Virus
In the fictional Marvel Universe, the Legacy Virus was a devastating plague that ripped through the mutant population, killing hundreds and mutating so that it affected baseline humans as well....
from his body.
Strong Guy remains a member of X-Factor until an incident in the South Seas island nation of Madripoor
Madripoor
The Principality of Madripoor is a fictional island located in Southeast Asia in the Marvel Comics universe. Based on illustrations, it is in the southern portion of the Strait of Malacca, southwest of Singapore.-Publication history:...
. Again involved with Lila Cheney, the team becomes trapped in a confrontation between her and the alien race, the K'Lanti. Lila had stolen an object of great value, called the Harmonium, during the midst of political chaos. The aliens, after destroying a city block, disperse diamond shaped bombs throughout the city. Despite the neutralization of the bombs and the return of their object, the aliens leave behind one last explosive. Guido absorbs the energy of its explosion. Despite releasing some of the energy with powerful punches, he suffers a powerful heart attack.
Guido spends much time in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
, until the return of his seemingly-dead friend the Multiple Man, Jaime Madrox. Not fully understanding the situation, Madrox frees Guido, who continues to suffer. Forge
Forge (comics)
Forge is a fictional character in the , a superhero associated with The X-Men.A mutant with an unsurpassed brilliance in technology, Forge has had a lengthy career as a government weapons contractor. He shared a romantic relationship with Storm, and a brief affair with Mystique which led him to...
creates a device to heal Guido. Afterward he chooses to accompany Lila and her band in their travels instead of rejoining the increasingly fractious X-Factor team.
Guido's adventures are highlighted in a one-shot comic book, Strong Guy Reborn #1. He becomes involved in a property dispute between warring alien races, both of whom wish to control a small, barren moon. This dispute is settled when the moon is destroyed during an exchange of weapons on both sides.
Storm: The Arena
Strong Guy was later seen in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
as a member of a mutant fighting club called the Arena, in which the mutant fighters were being secretly enslaved by other mutants. He helped Storm and Callisto
Callisto (comics)
Callisto is a Marvel Comics fictional character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #169 ....
in taking down the enslavers.
X-Factor Investigations
Strong Guy recently moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to become the enforcer
Enforcer
Enforcer may refer to:*A thug who uses physical force or the threat of physical force to coerce others*Enforcer , a role in ice hockey*Enforcer - Gaming :*Enforcer, a units in the Battle Realms video game...
for his friend Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics comic book series X-Factor . The agency first appears under the name XXX Investigations in the first issue of the Marvel Comics limited series Madrox #1...
, thus rejoining many of his former teammates from the government-sponsored incarnation of X-Factor. The team included Wolfsbane, Rictor, Siryn
Siryn
Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those belonging to the X-Men family of titles...
and Monet
M (comics)
M is a fictional comic book superheroine, a mutant who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics...
at first.
Guido is assigned to protect a former employee of Singularity Investigations, Henry Buchanan. Henry has proof of the illegal activities of his former company. However, Guido instead kills the man and then called Singularity CEO Damian Tryp
Damian Tryp
Damian Tryp is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in X-Factor vol. 3 #2.-Fictional character biography:left|thumbnail|Ancient Tryp...
, revealing he was working as a mole inside X-Factor.
Guido tried to tell the team that the man had vanished on him but Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane may refer to:* Aconitum, a flowering plant and herb* Wolfsbane , an English heavy metal/hard rock band* Wolfsbane , the 1994 album from Wolfsbane* Wolfsbane , a Marvel Comics superhero...
smells his blood on Guido's hands and a psychic scan by Monet
M (comics)
M is a fictional comic book superheroine, a mutant who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics...
reveals the truth. It seemed Guido had been subjected to hypnotic
Hypnotic
Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactives whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia...
conditioning by Tryp to turn him into a mole (which explained his rougher attitude and some inconsistencies in his personality).
A visit with Henry's widow did not go as expected; instead of reacting angrily, Alix Buchanan understood the circumstances in which Guido had acted, and forgave him. By the end of the issue they had found solace together in their mutual grief from Henry's death.
Some time later, Valerie Cooper contacts Guido and offered him a job as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Mutant Town, the affected area in New York where large amounts of former mutants live. Guido informs Jamie Madrox that he will be taking the job, giving Jamie his two weeks notice
Two Weeks Notice
Two Weeks Notice is a 2002 romantic comedy film starring Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was written and directed by Marc Lawrence. Upon release, the film received a successful box office run both in the United States and globally.-Plot:Lucy Kelson is a...
. This likely happens after the events of World War Hulk.
World War Hulk
In World War Hulk: X-MenWorld War Hulk: X-Men
World War Hulk: X-Men is a three-issue mini-series published by Marvel comics. It ties in with the World War Hulk story arc and concerns Professor Xavier's role in the Illuminati and the Hulk's exile into space...
, Strong Guy battled the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, who had paused his rampage to question Professor X about his role in the Illuminati. During this fight, Strong Guy was forced to retreat by the possibility that he may damage his heart by absorbing the energy of Hulk's punch.
Divided We Stand
Strong Guy breaks up a fight between Rictor and a prostitute in Mutant Town who resembles Layla Miller.Guido also confesses to Madrox that Val Cooper's offer to be sheriff of Mutant Town has been rescinded because of the sheer lack of mutants.
Death and Resurrection
Guido dies while engaged in a job to protect J. Jonah JamesonJ. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
from some super-powered assassins. He is shot through the heart; however, the cause of death is from overtaxing his damaged organ by stopping a mandroid from falling onto a crowd. He is rushed to the hospital, but the doctors are unable to save him due to the damage to his heart. A few minutes later, however, he miraculously revives, showing no injuries. It is revealed that Layla Miller
Layla Miller
Layla Rose Miller, also known as Butterfly, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in House of M #4, and was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Oliver Coipel...
resurrected him; however, as a consequence of this that he is not aware of, he no longer has a soul.
Powers and abilities
Strong Guy possesses superhuman strength which he can increase by absorbing kinetic energyKinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
and use it to enhance his physical strength to an unmeasured limit. However, he cannot store the energy he absorbs for very long; as a rule he must physically expend the energy within 90 seconds to prevent it from permanently distorting his body. He is in constant pain from the existing distortion, although he hides it well, traditionally playing the role of team comedian to distract himself. Guido also possesses superhuman stamina and durability.
An unusual percentage of his body mass is stored in the upper half of his body, causing him to appear top-heavy and thus very imposing. Strong Guy's powers first appeared after being beaten by bullies and hit by a bus; unable to expel the energy, his body was permanently warped. Strong Guy's maximum strength level is such that he has sufficient power to move the Blob
Blob (comics)
The Blob is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #3 ....
, or briefly stand toe to toe with the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, although the latter's rage enhanced strength was so powerful that the energy of channeling merely one blow, afterwards put Strong Guy in danger of a heart attack. Guido is formidable at "street fighting"-style hand-to-hand combat.
Guido has a gifted intellect, and is a talented musical comedy actor and stand-up comedian. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama from New York University.
Strong Guy is nearsighted and wears corrective "bottlecap" lenses.
Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of ApocalypseAge 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...
time line, Strong Guy was still Lila Cheney's bodyguard, but he was much more obsessive about her. He was jealous, almost to the point of insanity, of Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
because he and Cheney were lovers. Strong Guy was captured by Apocalypse's Infinites and had a bomb implanted in his skull. To save his own life, he betrayed the X-Men and even kidnapped Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
and 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...
's infant son.
Television
- Strong Guy appears in the X-MenX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
episode "Cold Comfort". He is seen as a member of the X-Factor team led by ForgeForge (comics)Forge is a fictional character in the , a superhero associated with The X-Men.A mutant with an unsurpassed brilliance in technology, Forge has had a lengthy career as a government weapons contractor. He shared a romantic relationship with Storm, and a brief affair with Mystique which led him to...
. He also makes a brief cameo during the two-part episode "Sanctuary". Additionally, Morph briefly assumes Strong Guy's form during the episode "Courage."
External links
- Strong Guy at Marvel.com
- Strong Guy at UncannyXmen.net