Firepower (comics)
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Firepower is an alias used by two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The character has made minor appearances across several media, such as animated television and the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe film Iron Man 3, in which he was portrayed by Ashley Hamilton.
Fictional character biography
Jack Taggert
Firepower | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Iron Man #230 (May 1988) |
Created by | David Michelinie Bob Layton Mark Bright |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Jack Taggert |
Species | Human |
Place of origin | Earth-616 |
Team affiliations | Edwin Cord Mandarin's Minions |
Abilities | Armored suit grants: Particle cannon Heat beams Lasers Mini-grenades Surface-to-air missiles High energy, low radiation missile Flight Superhuman durability Superhuman strength Superhuman reflexes Skilled aviator Skilled combatant Skilled marksman Skilled tactician |
Jack Taggert worked on an experimental pilotable suit for Project: Firepower for
Stark had faked Iron Man's death by sending out the "Silver Centurion" armor on autopilot, filled with the store of spare blood they had kept on board the chopper "just in case", so as to allow the world to believe that Iron Man was dead (Stark's injuries were blamed on the shockwave from the Terminax detonation). Stark was content to leave Iron Man dead, but it was during this time that Edwin Cord took advantage. He blackmailed Boynton and the military into allowing him to keep Firepower, threatening to reveal to the press one of Firepower's "true" purposes - riot control. Cord then used Firepower to threaten the Marsten Manufacturing group to turn down a Stark bid, to attack SE division Acutech, and to personally attack and threaten Tony Stark and his workers. Finally having had enough of Firepower, Stark locked himself inside his private laboratory to build a brand new set of armor, incorporating several improvements and new weapons, as well as the "classic" red-and-gold color scheme. Even as the new armor was completed, Firepower was attacking another Stark Enterprises-owned facility, so Stark quickly faced off against Firepower as the "new" Iron Man. Taggert, convinced that he could dispatch this new Iron Man as quickly as he did the "first", was stunned to find the Firepower armor outclassed by his opponent. Iron Man was able to defeat or neutralize all of Firepower's main weapons. In a desperate, last-ditch attempt to win, Taggert activated the Terminax to launch without a set target, hoping that Iron Man would be vaporized in the attempt to stop or redirect the missile. However, the launcher backpack that housed the missile had been damaged by Iron Man's pulse bolts, trapping the Terminax and threatening everybody in the vicinity. Taggert pleaded with Iron Man to free him from the armor, but Iron Man told him that if the armor was magnetically sealed, there was nothing he could do to free him. Iron Man used an electromagnetic pulse - a trick learned from Force - to disable the Firepower armor (and his own) for six minutes. This bought Iron Man enough time to find a way to shut down the nuke's timer once the armors' systems came back online. Upon reboot, the timer had nine seconds left; Iron Man successfully stopped it in eight. Taggert, now no longer fearing being blown up, told Iron Man that there would be others just like him that would be out to kill Iron Man just as he had and destroy Stark Enterprises, whereupon Iron Man ripped the Firepower armor apart, stunning Taggert into acquiescence. Taggert and Cord were taken into custody, while Stark decided that the world still needed an Iron Man.[2]
Taggert later resurfaces where he pilots a new Firepower armor given to him by
David Roberts
A second Firepower is a government official named David Roberts who was sent to bring down
Powers and abilities
Firepower’s armor provides him with a high degree of protection from energy and physical attacks. His strength, reflexes and endurance have all been enhanced by his armor and he can fly at sub-sonic speeds. The suit is also air conditioned to prevent discomfort for the operator. The Firepower armor contains a vast array of sensors and an impressive array of weapons including four back-mounted surface-to-air missiles (and additional missiles mounted on leg hardpoints), chest-mounted heat beam lasers, mini-grenades and arm-mounted concussive cannons. The armor can also fire a small tactical nuclear missile known as Terminax from a back-mounted launch tube. Described as a "two-ton tuxedo" by Jack Taggart, the suit was extremely large and its wearer had to be lifted into it with a special crane.[volume & issue needed]
Other versions
The
In other media
Television
- Firepower appears in the Iron Man episode "The Armor Wars", voiced by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. This version is an automaton built by Justin Hammer.
- Firepower appears in the Guardsmen.
Film
Jack Taggert appears in
Video games
Firepower appears in Iron Man 2, voiced by Cedric Yarbrough. This version is a mercenary and ally of A.I.M.
References
External links
- Firepower I at Marvel.com