#hulk week

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

August 16th - Betty Ross

Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Ross was born in California, the only child of Air Force General Thaddeus Ross and his wife Karen. Betty’s mother died when she was quite young and her father rarely had any time for her, always buried in his work for the Air Force.  Following college, Betty went to live with her father during a time where the General was in charge of top secret ‘Gamma Bomb Project’ at Desert Base in New Mexico.  Here Betty met and ultimately fell in love with the project’s lead scientist, Dr. Bruce Banner.  

An accident occurred where Banner was exposed to a highly concentrated dose of experimental gamma radiation, causing him to transform into the monstrous hero known as The Incredible Hulk.  Betty came to discover the Hulk’s true identity as Bruce Banner and she aided him in evading capture by her father and the military forces.  

Betty and The Hulk would embark on many adventures together.  Being the girlfriend of The Hulk made for a frequently a perilous affair as Betty found herself embroiled in all manner of action and intrigue.  And Betty proved up to the challenge, acting as the hero and saving the day nearly as often as her gamma-powered partner.  

At one point, the villain known as MODOK abducted Betty and used a sample of The Hulk’s radiation to mutate her into a powerful being with greatly enhanced strength, wings supporting high-speed flight and sharpened claws. Under MODOK’s mental control, Betty became ‘The Harpy’ and battled The Hulk.  While The Hulk was unable to defeat The Harpy, his alter ego of Bruce Banner was able to create a device that caused her to revert to her human form.  

Later, Betty and Bruce were married and enjoyed a short period of happiness together before new perils would drive them apart.  Not long thereafter, Betty came to discover that she was suffering from fatal radiation poisoning.  At first this was thought to be a result of her elongated exposure to the gamma radiation emanating from the Hulk; yet it was later revealed to be a furtive attack orchestrated by the villain known as The Leader.  

It appeared as though Betty succumbed to the poisoning and died.  Not long thereafter, the mysterious Red She-Hulk appeared on the scene heading a mercenary squad named Code Red.  It was ultimately reveled that this Red She-Hulk was actually Betty Ross, having been transformed into a hulk by way of the machinations of the villainous group called The Intelligencia.  These villains were initially controlling Betty’s will but she ultimately regained full control of her mind and body after a battle with Skaar.  

Betty would go on to have many more adventures as the Red She-Hulk.  She was later once more transformed into The Harpy and has acted as a member of The Incredible Hulks and, more recently, Dr. Strange’s reformed iteration of the Defenders.

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

August 21st - Leap Frog / Frog Man

The original Leap Frog was a gifted inventor for a toy and novelty company named Vincent Patillio.   Patillio was unable to provide for his wife and son with his meager salary, he turned to a life of crime. He built a pair of spring-loaded boots that enabled superhuman leaping ability. He then crafted a frog-based outfit and set out as the villainous Leap Frog. 

After numerous defeats at the hands of Daredevil and other super heroes, Patillio ultimately chose to retire his identity. Some time thereafter, his son, Eugene, donned a version of his costume to attempt to create a heroic career as Frog-Man. Vincent was proud of his son for capturing the super villain Speed Demon.  Eugene has continued on as the crimefighter, Frog Man, aiding Spider-Man in taking down the villainous White Rabbit.  

More recently, Frog Man found himself recruited into Iron Man’s team, the Space Friends, taking on the menace of a returned Korvac. 

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

August 15th - Doc Samson

Leonard Skivorski, Jr. possessed a remarkable genius from a young age.  Although he became proficient in numerous branches of science, his true passion was for psychology.  He earned a PhD and became a licensed psychotherapist, quickly earning an excellent reputation as a skilled therapist.  Leonard liked to keep his hair long and was quite the lady’s man; and somehow this earned him the nickname ‘Samson’ based on the Biblical hero who believed his strength was derived from his long locks.

Alongside his practice as a therapist, Leonard researched The Incredible Hulk and devised a Cathexis Ray projector that he believed could cure Bruce Banner from becoming The Hulk.  Leonard was brought in by General Thaddeus Ross when his daughter, Betty, had been transformed into a crystalline form after an encounter with the villainous Sandman.  Leaning on his guile as a psychologist, Leonard was able to subdue The Hulk and then used the Cathexis Ray to drain off gamma energies from him.  These energies were then utilized to transform Betty back into her human form.  

Captivated by the tremendous powers of The Hulk, Leonard exposed himself to the excess gamma energies he had collected.  It resulted in his growing twice his size and being bestowed superhuman strength and durability.  It additionally caused his hair to turn a shade of green.  

He legally changed his name to Leonard ‘Doc’ Samson and became a super hero.  Doc Samson would go on to have numerous adventures, often as an ally (and sometimes adversary of The Incredible Hulk).  Samson also began a romance with Betty Ross during a time where she and Bruce Banner were no longer involved. Betty ultimately left Samson over to his bitter envy over not being as strong as The Hulk.  

Samson would later become the director of the Ravencroft Institute as well as a therapist to numerous costumed heroes.  He was later killed in during the Chaos War event.  Not long thereafter, Samson returned to life and discovered that his being a gamma mutate connected him to the mysterious Green Door, facilitating a type of regenerative immortality.  

Teaming up once more with The Incredible Hulk, Samson investigated The Green Door and the mystical realm of the Below Place that it led to.  Samson was once again killed and this time unable to regenerate.  Instead his consciousness was transported into the body of the fallen hero known as Sasquatch.  This caused Sasquatch to become resurrected into a green furred versioned of itself with Samson’s mind.  Now going by ‘Doc Sasquatch’ Samson has become the director of Gamma Flight and led a mission to thwart a sinister scheme by the villainous Abomination.

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

August 18th - She-Hulk

Jennifer Walters is a talented and highly established trial lawyer.  She is also a first cousin of Dr. Bruce Banner (the hero known as The Incredible Hulk). After Jennifer was shot by a mobster and seriously injured, she was saved by a blood transfusion from her cousin.  Bruce’s gamma-irradiated blood caused Jennifer to transform into a giant, green-skinned version of herself.  She became The Savage She-Hulk, thus kicking off her adventuring career.

She-Hulk did not appear to be nearly as strong as her cousin, yet she retained her intellect and original personality.  Jennifer soon learned to control her transformations and even came to embrace and greatly enjoy the freedom and power her green form bestowed her.

Throughout the years, Jen fought for justice in court and on the streets, developing great rivalries and friendships, and has become renowned superhero. She worked for the District Attorney and also fought crime as a member of numerous teams, including The Avengers and Fantastic Four.

During a confrontation with Thanos, She-Hulk was critically injured by the Mad Titan, needing immediate medical assistance. After recovering, she lost a degree of her ability to control her powers.  This resulted in her growing stronger but also more primitive and savage.  Ultimately, Jen was able to work through these difficulties and once again become the inspirational and ever-loving Sensational She-Hulk