Psychiatrist Dr. Leonard Samson came to General T.E. "Thunderbolt" Ross with a plan to cure Ross's daughter Betty, who had been transformed into a crystalline form through a blood transfusion with the Sandman. Samson had technicians devise a cathexis ray projector that would drain off gamma particle energy and psionic energy from Bruce Banner as he transformed into the monstrous Hulk whom General Ross had long hunted. Samson theorized that as a result of this process, Banner would be cured of the physiological instability that continually transformed him into the Hulk. Hoping to save Betty and to be cured himself. Banner willingly participated in the experiment. The cathexis ray succeeded in turning Betty Ross back to normal, employing Banner's psionic energy.

However, most of the psionic energy drained from Banner as well as a considerable amount of his excess gamma radiation remained within the cathexis ray projector. Motivated by scientific curiosity, and probably by a desire to gain superhuman powers for himself, Samson irradiated himself with the energies remaining within the projector. The result was that the slight, brown-haired psychiatrist was transformed into a massively muscled, green-haired superhuman with gamma-boosted strength. Banner himself seemed permanently cured, but he broke emotionally under the strain of seeing Betty, the woman he loved, being romanced by Samson and exposed himself to gamma radiation, thereby undoing the cure.

Samson later lost his superhuman physique and power when he took a blast of concentrated gamma radiation intended for the Hulk. However, months later Samson regained his gamma-mutated form and superhuman strength when he was bombarded by intensive radiation from an exploding gammatron, an experimental gamma-ray generator. He has remained in this form ever since. Doc Samson, as he has been nicknamed, has long sought to capture and permanently cure the Hulk. Samson worked as a university teacher during the recent time that the Hulk was traveling through different dimension, unable to return to Earth, but Samson returned to his pursuit of the Hulk once the monster reappeared on Earth.

Civil War and World War Hulk

During the Superhero Civil War Samson joined the Registered heroes and fought against the Secret Avengers. Recently, the Hulk returned to seek revenge on the Illuminati, who exiled him to space. Doc Samson helped evacuate the people of New York. Then he battled the Hulk and the Warbound. He was defeated by the Warbound and imprisoned.

Dark Reign

Following the Skrull invasion, Doc Samson led a support group meeting with those that had been replaced by Skrulls^[1]. Later, on Air Force One, he attempted to disclose the full activities of Norman Osborn within Thunderbolts Mountain to the new United States President. Before Samson was able to play the evidence, Osborn's new Thunderbolts hijacked the plane: the Ghost took the evidence, Eric O'Grady implanted a gamma-emitter on the back of Samson's neck causing him to grow angry and more powerful in a Hulk-like manner, and someone wearing the Green Goblin's costume attacked the airplane.^[2] Samson's increased anger caused him to attack the President, but he was phased out of the plane by the Ghost. Osborn reasoned that, in his enhanced state, Doc Samson probably survived the fall, and released a global warrant for his arrest, suggesting that Samson attempted to kill the President.^[3]

Red Hulk

A new Red Hulk appeared, and revealed that Bruce was no longer comatose, and was being imprisoned by the US military. However, the Helicarrier crashed near New Jersey. Tony Stark ordered Maria Hill to investigate and search for survivors. Clay Quartermain's corpse was found mangled and ravaged, and the area bathed with gamma radiation. General Ross and Samson's bodies were missing. Leonard's coat was found ripped and shredded in a Hulk-like fashion, exhibiting higher Gamma Radiation values than every other item in the wreckage.

M.O.D.O.K. placed Samson under mind control producing a split personality. This led to a powerless Leonard who was defined as the good one and an evil Samson whose abilities are greater than She-Hulk's. Samson shot Rick Jones and dragged him away after he attempted to reveal who the Red Hulk really was^[4]. He then engaged She-Hulk in combat but it was cut short by M.O.D.O.K. who fired a laser, knocking both unconscious and reverting Samson to Leonard. A battle between Red Hulk and Hulk caused an explosion. After the Red Hulk depowered the true Hulk, Samson double crossed Red Hulk to punish him for his disobedience. Afterward, Sampson's darker persona took control once again, under M.O.D.O.K.'s surveillance.

Reverted, Doc Samson was killed attempting to help a returned Hulk contain all of the Gamma radiation from the Hulked-Out Heroes.

Recently, Doc Samson was among the many deceased resurrected during the Chaos War, along with Glenn Talbot, Hiroim, Jarella, Rebecca Banner, the Abomination, and Brian Banner, who had the ability to transform into a replica of the Devil Hulk at will.

Powers and AbilitiesEdit

Powers

Gamma Radiation Enhancements: Doc Samson possesses great superhuman strength, endurance, and resistance to injury. The gamma radiation that transformed Doc Samson fortified his cellular structure, added roughly two hundred pounds of enhanced muscle, bone, and connecting tissue to his body, and turned his hair green. (The source of Samson's added mass is unknown, but probably extra-dimensional.)

Superhuman Strength: While not exposed to as great a dosage of gamma radiation as the Hulk, the Abomination, or even the She-Hulk, Samson was granted great superhuman strength. As a result of his gamma ray exposure, he possessed sufficient superhuman strength to lift about 70 tons. Samson's strength doesn't fluctuate with surges of adrenaline during periods of heightened emotional states, such as the Hulk does while angry,and as a result he is far less powerful.His strength was dependent upon the length of his hair. The longer it is, the stronger he was. His great strength also extends into the powerful muscles of his legs, allowing him to leap great heights and distances, though far less so than the Hulk or Abomination. Samson has been known to leap approximately 580 feet straight up into the air, and to a maximum reported distance of 910 feet. His strength no longer depends on the length of his hair, but it may still be affected by it

Superhuman Stamina: As in the case of the Hulk, She-Hulk and Abomination, the gamma ray exposure has dramatically increased the efficiency of Samson's musculature, though not as greatly. As a result, his musculature produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of a normal human. Samson can physically exert himself at peak capacity for about 24 hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him.

Superhuman Durability: Samson's gamma ray enhanced physique is much harder and more resistant to physical injury than a normal human. Samson's skin is able to resist penetration wounds from high caliber bullets or blades composed of most conventional materials. Samson is also physically durable enough to withstand multiple blows from the Hulk, while in an enraged emotional state, and sustain little to no injury. His bones and muscles are strong and resilient enough to be able to survive a fall at terminal velocity reached after free-falling 4,000 feet in a feet-first attitude at 145 miles per hour against sidewalk concrete, provided he lands upright. Even if he doesn't land upright, Samson wouldn't sustain serious physical injury.

Retained Consciousness: Samson still contains his memories and cognitive abilities. Samson's superhuman physique isn't the physical manifestation of an alternate personality brought about by exposure to high levels of gamma radiation, whereas the Hulk is an alternate personality of Bruce Banner. This is also a factor as to why Samson doesn't revert to a non-superhuman form.

Samson form: This new form seems to posses the same powers as Doc Samson but claimed to have strength and speed surpassing She-Hulk.

Superhuman Strength: Samson's strength is said to surpass that of the She-Hulk, and he is therefore capable of lifting far in excess of 100 tons.

Superhuman Stamina: It is unknown if Samson's stamina is greater than the Doc Samson's form, like his strength.

Superhuman Durability* Samson's durability has not been stated to have changed, but it is likely it has, as he was capable of recieving blows from She-Hulk without sustaining injury.

Power Grid ^[5]

Abilities

Doc Samson is a skilled psychiatrist, said to be one of the most renowned on Earth^[6]. He has used a nutrient bath to separate Banner and the Hulk^[7] and placed a rem-integrator in the Hulk's head to put him to sleep^[6]. While he's had no formal training, his powers make him a formidable hand-to-hand combatant. He typically uses street fighting techniques that allow him to make full use of his strength.

Strength level

Doc Samson 70 tons.^[8]
Samson In excess of 70 tons.^[9]

NotesEdit

As is apparent by comparing the mutated forms of such gamma radiation subjects as the Hulk, the Abomination, She-Hulk, Doc Samson, and the Leader, different frequencies of gamma radiation affect different human beings in different ways. The effect that intensive gamma radiation has on most people is cellular deterioration and eventual death, but there are others whose genetic constitution enables them to mutate so as to gain superhuman powers.

The type and extent of mutation is determined by four factors: the frequency and amount of the gamma rays, the subject's latent mutant potential, and the subject's psychological make-up. The subject's potential for mutation is dictated by certain mysterious "interstitial" segments of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the molecules which carry a living organism's genetic code. Under the action of mutagenic influences, such as gamma rays, the segments can trigger many body wide restructuring events. As for the subject's psychological make-up, it has been theorized that the gamma radiation somehow acts to mold the subject's mutated form according to repressed desires within his subconscious. Hence, Doc Samson's mutated form is the physical embodiment of his own long-buried desire to become a super heroic figure.

These four factors contributed to the extremely non-human appearance of the Abomination, the Neanderthal-like appearance of the Hulk, and the relatively normal appearance of Doc Samson, whose only aberration is his hair color. Why gamma radiation tends to produce mutate forms of a greenish hue is not yet known.

TriviaEdit

Doc Samson was among 142 registered superhumans on the cover of the Avengers: The Initiative #1.

LinksEdit

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Footnotes

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Leonard Samson (Earth-616)

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