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Quote1 So! You're playing the field, and we're the game, eh? Quote2
Captain Ultra[src]

History

Origin[]

When an elderly psychologist couldn't afford to pay plumber Griffin Gogol, he offered to cure Gogol's smoking habit via hypnosis. However, as Gogol later learned, the psychologist was an extraterrestrial, and the hypnosis unlocked Gogol's innate superhuman potential. Donning a staggeringly gaudy costume, Gogol became the superhero Captain Ultra; however, he suffered from severe pyrophobia (fear of fire).

Captain Ultra's first appearance was as an applicant to the supervillain team called the Frightful Four; he was at first enthusiastically accepted by the other three villains, ecstatic at his large array of powers. However, when one of them began to light a cigarette in celebration, he fainted in the presence of the match; he was promptly rejected.[2] He eventually overcame his pathological fear of fire thanks to years of extensive therapy under Doc Samson.[3]

Griffin Gogol (Earth-616) from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol 2 2 0001

Original costume

Defenders[]

Dollar Bill created a television documentary about the Defenders, and personally invited super-humans to join the team. Captain Ultra was one of many super-heroes who traveled to Richmond Riding Academy on Long Island, the Defenders' headquarters, to apply for a position. He briefly served with the Defenders for a Day.[4]

Captain Ultra and a few of the other new arrivals were greeted by veteran Defender Hellcat. Hellcat started flirting with Captain Ultra, and he tried to impress her. Soon enough, Captain Ultra and Jack of Hearts started competing for the attention of Hellcat. Captain Ultra got territorial and started arguing with Jack. Hellcat realized they were about to fight and tried to calm them down. Ultra accused her of "playing the field" and toying with them. He shoved her angrily aside, an action which Jack found insulting. They started arguing again and exchanging insults. Their argument was about to get into a fist fight, but they had failed to notice four other Defenders on horseback who were approaching them. Ultra and Jack were nearly trampled by the horses.[4]

Captain Ultra witnessed Hercules' attempt to take charge of the team, and listened to his speech. He thought that the man was a "windbag."[5] When the Defenders split into three groups in order to investigate a crime spree in New York City, Captain Ultra was chosen to serve in the group that was led by Hercules. While the rest of the group used the Hellcatmobile, there was no space in the car for Ultra. He simply flew behind the car. Hercules' group came into conflict with a team of villainous Defenders, which was serving under Sagittarius. The local police arrived and attempted to arrest both groups.[5]

When the villainous Defenders escaped the police, the heroes chased them on foot. Captain Ultra was the only member of the group who could fly, rather than run. The second battle between the two groups took place in Grand Central Station. Captain Ultra fought against Whirlwind, who taunted Ultra about his "eyesore" of a costume.[6]

When the villains took over a subway train and escaped, Captain Ultra used his "scanner vision" to see through the pavement and track down the train from the surface. Ultra flew ahead and gave directions to the other members of the group, but the other Defenders where much slower than him.[6] During the third battle between the two groups, the Blob was able to hold Hellcat in a stranglehold. Her fellow Defenders were too preoccupied with their own fights to take notice and help her. Hellcat's air supply was running out and she realized that she was dying. Her still developing psychic powers lashed out blindly, and blasted every hero and villain in her vicinity. Captain Ultra was knocked out, as were all the other heroes and villains present (except Hellcat herself).[6] Hercules' group of Defenders soon disbanded, with the members going their own way. Captain Ultra presumably left with the others.[7]

Soon after, he moved to Chicago. He has since had a minor career as a solo superhero, often teaming up with heroes like Thor to battle minor villains.

Initiative[]

After the Civil War, he was listed as a potential recruit for the Initiative,[8] and became the leader for the Nebraska team of the Initiative program, part of a government controlled superhero program. After Paragon, one of his team, killed fellow teammate Gadget, Griffin briefly fought Iron Man to protect the rest of his group. He was seen investigating the circumstances of Paragon and Gadget's tragic deaths with Doc Samson and Iron Man. During the course of their investigation, it was revealed that there were two new Initiative recruits in the process of being fast-tracked to the Nebraska team, although Captain Ultra expressed irritation at the prospect of having to "babysit the punks."

Later, he joined Wonder Man's Revengers and successfully attacked the Avengers Mansion.[9] He was defeated by the combined forces of the Avengers and New Avengers, and while being interrogated, explained his participation by jealousy and bitterness for being ignored when he asked to join the Avengers.[10]

Someone who looks like Captain Ultra was seen as an inmate of Pleasant Hill.[11]

Captain Ultra was afterward shown incarcerated in the Cellar. During a riot, he attempted to convince his former Revengers teammate Tom Foster to help him and a few others escape, but Tom instead subdued him and the rest of the inmates when Ultra and his companions tried to brutalize or kill a guard named Moore.[12]

Attributes

Power Grid[16]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Medium Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Enhanced:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Superhuman:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Superhuman (800 lbs-25 ton):Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Normal

Powers

  • Superhuman Strength: Captain Ultra's strength enables him to lift up to 9 tons.[1] He has once been able to punch Iron Man through a wall[13] and lift and throw a small airplane.[14]
  • Superhuman Stamina: Captain Ultra can sustain prolonged physical exertion without tiring or undo strain for an indeterminate period of time.[1]
  • Superhuman Speed: Captain Ultra can run at a velocity many times greater than that of a normal human being.[1]
  • Enhanced agility: Captain Ultra has the dexterity comparable to a world class athlete. [1]
  • Super-Breath: Captain Ultra possesses the ability to create hurricane force winds by blowing, and to chill his breath in order to freeze a target.
  • Superhuman Durability: Captain Ultra is more resistant to conventional attacks than a normal human.[1]
  • Flight: Captain Ultra could fly, up to 60 mph.[1]
  • Penetrating Vision: Captain Ultra's penetra-vision makes him able to see through objects up to 18 inches thick and as far 20 feet away.[1] As part of his same Penetrating Vision power, Captain Ultra can also use:
  • Intangibility: Captain Ultra is able to phase through solid matter.[1]
  • Psychic Resistance: Captain Ultra is resistant to mind control and other psychic attacks.[1]
  • Ultra-voice: Captain Ultra is able to shatter solid objects with an incredibly loud and destructive sonic scream.[1]

Abilities

Adept at creating balloon animals.

Weaknesses

  • Pyrophobia (formerly): Captain Ultra would faint when seeing a flame, even a lit lighter. With therapy, he overcame this phobia.

See Also

Links and References

  • All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe 2

References

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