History
Dr. Nels Van Adder was a brilliant scientist and engineer that worked at OsCorp. He was a research assistant and helped Dr. Mendel Stromm develop a performance enhancing formula which will later be known as the “Goblin Formula”.
Captain George Stacy is one of the police detectives brought in to investigate and track down a mysterious serial killer. Captain Stacy’s brother Arthur Stacy had a theory about superhuman being created and born, which would soon take over society as we know it. George Stacy shrugged his brother’s ideas as fantasy, much to his later regret.
Captain Stacy was called to the OsCorp site when a police officer was attacked by a creature lurking around the grounds. Captain Stacy was called in by OsCorp's CEO Norman Osborn because he refused any one else from the department to visit. Captain Stacy requested from Osborn that new head of security escort his own brother Arthur Stacy.
Captain Stacy and his brother entered the building with an armed platoon of police officers looking for the mysterious assailant. They were brutally attacked by a shadowy goblin-like creature with sharp claws. The mysterious creature escaped, but Captain Stacy discovered a bunch of red fluid on the floor. Arthur stayed on site when his brother left and on his rounds he found an Oscorp employee badge on the floor belonging to Dr. Nels Van Adder.
Arthur Stacy tried to find a connection between Dr. van Adder and the creature so he confronted Norman Osborn about it. Norman Osborn told him that Dr. van Adder was a disgruntled employee and was fired many months ago. This did not stop Arthur Stacy’s questioning as it did not explain why Dr. van Adder’s badge was found lying on the floor. Norman Osborn left to get away from his meddling employee.
Osborn sat in a laboratory, frustrated that he couldn't locate the missing notes from his former partner, Dr. Mendel Stromm. Osborn was the interrupted by a red goblin-like beast, who is revealed to be a mutated Dr. van Adder or as he will later be known as the Proto-Goblin. The mutated researcher confronted Osborn, and tried to explain what happened, and now he used himself a guinea pig he can never return home to his beloved wife. The Proto-Goblin revealed that he killed the two men by mistake and regretted his action blaming on the transformation.
Arthur tried to do his own research into the scientist and noticed that there was never any termination papers filed for a Dr. Nels Van Adder. Captain Stacy and his brother traveled to OsCorp to confront Norman Osborn, but they found the Proto-Goblin about to attack him. The two brothers try to stop the creature, but bullets did not seem to have an effect on his tough hide. Arthur finally tried to knock the Proto-Goblin through a window where he fell into the nearby river.
Norman Osborn explained to the brothers that Dr. Nels Van Adder was a former research assistant of Dr. Mendel Stromm who he was no longer in business with. Norman Osborn explained about Dr. van Adder worked on experimenting with some biotechnology developed by Dr. Stromm and him, and used this to mutate himself. After the brothers left, Osborn looked through the wreckage and found Dr. Stromm's hidden notes, which would later be used to create the "Goblin Formula" that mutates him into the Green Goblin.[1] It's unknown if Proto-Goblin died after falling into the river or if he survived and had gone into hiding.Attributes
Powers
- Superhuman Strength: Nels van Adder, after drinking the Goblin formula, become superhumanly strong hence he possessed an extreme strength capacity potential. Proto-Goblin can easily overpower humans by sending them flying and lifting them up with one hand or by hurling them around, and can also lift extremely heavy objects, crush and break through wood panels and templates, can bend metal, and can punch through glass without gaining injury.
- Superhuman Speed: Proto-Goblin can, thanks to the Goblin formula, run and or exercise as well as operate at superhuman speeds hence his overall body equilibrium is also heightened although he isn't nearly as fast as speedsters. With his speed, he can outrun vehicles.
- Superhuman Stamina: Proto-Goblin, thanks to the Goblin formula, operate or maintain continuous physical motion in activities or simply in his movements for prolonged periods of time without getting tired or weary in the process.
- Superhuman Durability: The formula also fortified all of the Proto-Goblin's bodily tissues, making them far tougher and more resistant to injury than normal humans. While the Proto-Goblin can be injured by something along the lines of a knife or small conventional bullets composed of conventional material, he is very resistant to great impact forces and blunt trauma. He can withstand powerful impacts, such as falling from several stories or being repeatedly struck by a superhuman enemy, that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to himself.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: If the Proto-Goblin does sustain injury, his body's increased metabolism allows him to heal damaged tissue much faster and more extensively than a normal human is capable of. While not nearly as efficient as the healing powers possessed by Wolverine, he can heal from injuries that would prove lethal to an ordinary human.
- Superhuman Agility: The Proto-Goblin's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.
- Superhuman Reflexes: His reflexes are similarly enhanced and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.
- Claws and Fangs: The Proto-Goblin sports retractable, razor sharp claws at the tip of each finger and toe. Their natural edge, coupled with his strength, are sufficient to rend most conventional materials including flesh, wood, stone, and even some types of metals. He also possesses elongated canines that he can use, if he chooses to do so, as effective weapons in close quarter combat situations.
Abilities
Genius Level Intellect: Nels van Adder was extremely intelligent, who was especially skilled with mathematics and science, possessing a wide spectrum knowledge of chemistry, the side-effects of drugs and other doses on humans and animals.
Skilled Combatant: He is a skilled unarmed combatant.Weaknesses
Trivia
- This character was said to appear in the Amazing Spider-Man movie, but he was apparently changed for the exclusive of the movie, Doctor Rajit Ratha.
See Also
- 2 appearance(s) of Nels van Adder (Earth-616)
- 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Nels van Adder (Earth-616)
- 5 image(s) of Nels van Adder (Earth-616)