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Quote1 Why'd I tell Parker that? 'Cause after every job, I like to pretend The Prowler doesn't exist. Like maybe, when I'm not wearing the mask, I could have something closer to a normal life. It's not my fault I'm so damn good at this. Quote2
Prowler[src]

History

Early Life

Hobie Brown was a young inventor who worked as a window cleaner to pay the bills. While he was a window washer he was caught in a battle between the Stilt-Man and Daredevil and was rescued by the latter. He was inspired by the Stilt-Man's Suit enough to make his own secret identity.[3]

Prowler

In order to make his job easier, he invented special equipment such as wrist and ankle bracelets to hold cartridges of cleaning fluid, steel claws and special boots for climbing. When he lost his cleaning job, he decided to give crime a go.[4]

He didn't want to hurt people, but he felt trapped by life. He modified the bracelets to shoot pellets filled with sleeping gas, made a hood, cape, and costume, and set out on his short-lived career of crime.

The Prowler was discouraged from a life of crime, and reformed. His credits include impersonating Spider-Man to save Peter Parker's secret identity,[5] attacking Spidey because he was appointed as responsible for the death of Captain George Stacy,[6] and having his costume stolen by two different guys, who were stopped by Spidey. He married his girlfriend Mindy and started doing construction work. When his charge in the big brother program, Manuel Lopez, was killed in a gang incident, Brown attacked the White Tiger, whom the police believed responsible for the death.[7]

File:Prowler333.jpg

He worked for Silver Sable, and he also teamed up with several other rehabilitated villains (Rocket Racer, Will O' The Wisp and Sandman) and with a not so rehabilitated Puma, to form the Outlaws. They, among other things, helped Spidey clear his name once, and helped Spidey against the Avengers.[8]

When mercenary work got slow with the Wild Pack, Prowler and Rocket Racer sought sponsors for the Great Game and hoped to split the profits from staging a fight with one another. They were interrupted by the rogue player El Toro Negro, however, and Hobie was left paralyzed from the waist down for a time.[9] While he was inactive, his Prowler gear was stolen again by an enterprising criminal.[10]

Hornet

He created the Hornet's Suit which Spider-Man used when he became the Hornet.[11]

Civil War

The Prowler attended the Stilt-Man's funeral.[3]

Prowler was apprehended for violating the Superhuman Registration Act.[12] He was among the escapees who fought in the final battle of the Superhuman Civil War.[13]

Parker Industries

Spider-Man was able to convince Hobie to impersonate Spider-Man so the world doesn't realize Spidey and Peter are one and the same.[14]

Death and Resurrection

Hobie infiltrated New U Technologies per Parker's request to learn more about the company. He stumbled upon an experiment that was supposed to give Max Dillon his powers back, however it was Max's former girlfriend Francine Frye who ended up becoming the new Electro. Francine then chased him down and accidentally killed him. Jackal then resurrected him, somehow with his memories intact. Upon learning Jackal's mission, Hobie became loyal to him, and began acting as a spy within Parker Industries.[15]

Attributes

Power Grid[17]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Some Training:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/Single Type: Short Range:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Gifted

Weaknesses

Pill: As with all of the other people Jackal has resurrected (excluding Kaine), Hobie must take a pill daily to remain alive. This is probably due to cellular degeneration.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Prowler's Suit: The suit is a modified coverall and is armored similar to a flak suit. The costume's cape can expand with air giving it a rigid shape allowing him to glide for short distances. Spare Cartridges for gauntlets. Rubber insulated pneumatic boots. The gauntlets have steel claws that facilitate climbing, and they can also be used as effective weapons in close quarters combat.

Weapons

  • The Prowler uses a costume equipped with specially-designed high-tech weapons based on pneumatic technology. Gauntlets that shoot an assortment of projectiles; Sleeping gas pellets, cleaning fluid, steel darts, gas canisters capable of producing a damaging compressed air blast, and magnesium flares. The gauntlets are also tipped with steel claws.

Transportation

  • Pneumatic glider cape. Pneumatics in the Prowler’s boots allow him to leap remarkable distances.

Notes

  • Hobie has had some solo appearances, starring in his own 4-issue limited series, Prowler Vol 1.

Trivia

  • The Prowler was created due to a suggestion by then 13 year old John Romita Jr..

See Also

Links and References

References

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