Power Broker (character)
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Power Broker is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The "Power Broker" concept was devised by Mark Gruenwald as a satire on the public obsession with health and fitness.[1]
The Power Broker is used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) as the alias of Sharon Carter, portrayed by Emily VanCamp.
Publication history
The Curtiss Jackson version of Power Broker first appeared in Machine Man #6 (September 1978) and was created by Roger Stern and Sal Buscema.[2]
The second version of Power Broker first appeared in
Fictional character biography
Curtiss Jackson
Power Broker | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
The Thing #35 (May 1986; as Power Broker) | |
Created by | Roger Stern Sal Buscema |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Curtiss Jackson |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | The Corporation Power Broker, Inc. |
Partnerships | Red Skull |
Curtiss Jackson was born in
Jackson founds the Power Broker Corporation. He hires Dr.
The Power Broker offers wrestler
When Power Broker, Inc. is attacked by the
The Power Broker had Malus' legs broken for his betrayal, then promptly re-hired him to try to cure Jackson's condition. Malus captured and experimented on several augmented individuals, including
Power Broker has been responsible for providing augmented henchmen to various criminal organizations, such as the Sweatshop,[volume & issue needed] and the Power Tools.[volume & issue needed]
The Power Broker was later revealed as one of the Red Skull's division chiefs.[13]
Jackson resurfaced following the Maximum Security storyline, when Earth was made into an intergalactic penal colony. His extra-muscular bulk had been shed in-between appearances leaving him looking normal once again. Seeing an opportunity to recruit many of the exotic prisoners being dumped by the Kree and other alien races, Jackson raced to an area his computers determined would have a large amount of arrivals. Unfortunately for Jackson, the aliens were less than pleased at having been dumped on Earth, and attacked him. Playing dead, Jackson came upon a parasitic organism (Jackson calls it an alien, but U.S. Agent believed it to be an escaped S.H.I.E.L.D. experiment to control the alien criminals) who had lost its host. In exchange for becoming its host, Jackson would be granted the use of the parasite's spawn to infect and control others. In his plan to take over the world, Jackson smuggled the parasite spawns to a HYDRA base and a rebel Atlantean group. These operations were broken up by S.T.A.R.S. (Superhuman Tactical Activities Response Squad) and their main agent, U.S. Agent, leading the group to take down the Power Broker once again.[14]
The Punisher later kills and impersonates Jackson in order to infiltrate a supervillain auction being held on Long Island.[15]
Second version
Very little is known about the second version of the Power Broker other than he wears a battle suit and can project bolts of energy from his hands. This new Power Broker has apparently taken over Power Broker, Inc. He was responsible for giving Paul Brokeridge super-strength to wrestle in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, a move that led to Paul attaining the championship and later being crippled by a stronger wrestler. Power Broker was also responsible for giving Paul's brother Roger superpowers where Roger later became the superhero
Power Broker proceeds to invest in Hench, a mobile app that allows people to quickly hire supervillains. He demonstrates his invention to Darren Cross by enlisting Whirlwind to kill Ant-Man. When Cross refuses to invest at least 1.2 billion dollars in Hench, Power Broker ends the demo, and cancels Whirlwind's attempted assassination of Ant-Man.[17] A publicist named Marlena Howard later uses Hench to hire the Magician's son to stage an attack on Darla Deering.[18]
Cross's unwillingness to invest in the Hench App spurs
Power Broker later held an event to promote the new Hench 2.0 upgrade. In order to protect the unveiling, he used the Hench App to hire a female
At a public event, Power Broker revealed the Hench X app that enables anyone to become a supervillain. He tests it out on a former comic store clerk named Paul who ends up becoming the second Plantman. Plantman was then unleashed when Ant-Man showed up to interrogate Power Broker on personal matters.[22]
Some time later, Power Broker ran out of funding for his Hench app and fled to his secret island where he started to work on an app for supervillain travel booking. Unfortunately, his investors turned down the idea. Upon tracking down Power Broker, Stinger subdued him.[23]
Powers and abilities
The Curtiss Jackson version of Power Broker was an ordinary man until he exposed himself to his own chemical and radiation strength augmentation process. This granted him superhuman strength and durability, but left him with a grotesquely overdeveloped muscular physique which renders him unable to move without artificial aids. Dr. Karl Malus invented a powerful steel alloy exo-skeleton with tongue controls and flight capabilities to enable the Power Broker to move. Jackson has managed to de-augment himself and no longer uses the exo-skeleton. Jackson was briefly the host to a parasitic organism. This allowed him to mind-control anyone infected with the organism's spawn.[volume & issue needed] Jackson has a college degree in business administration, and is a highly skilled administrator and planner.
The second Power Broker wears a battlesuit and can project bolts of energy from his hands.
Power Broker Inc.
Power Broker, Inc. is a fictional criminal corporation in the Marvel Universe which provides individuals with superhuman physical abilities for a price. The organization was created by Mike Carlin and Paul Neary.
Fictional organization history
Power Broker Inc. was founded by Curtiss Jackson and Karl Malus. Power Broker Inc. specializes in augmenting the strengths of anyone at a superhuman level. When Curtiss was killed by the Punisher, the second Power Broker took over.
In other media
The "Power Broker" appears in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as the alias of Sharon Carter, portrayed by Emily VanCamp.[24] This version serves as the judge, jury and executioner of Madripoor.
References
- Fictioneer Books. p. 15.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ^ Machine Man #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #230; Incredible Hulk Vol. 2 #232–233. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Incredible Hulk Vol. 2 #234–237. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thing #28
- ^ Captain America #328–331
- ^ Thing #35. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #329–331. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #358–362. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #363–364. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #375–378. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #394. Marvel Comics.
- ^ U.S. Agent #1–3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Greg Rucka (w), Mico Suayan (p), Mico Suayan (i), Matt Hollingsworth (col), VC's Joe Caramagna (let), Sebastian Wacker (ed). The Punisher, vol. 9, no. 13 (September 2012). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers: The Initiative Annual #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Astonishing Ant-Man #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #5. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #7. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Astonishing Ant-Man #11. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Johnston, Dais. "What's next for Sharon Carter? 3 shocking possibilities". Inverse.
External links
- Power Broker (disambiguation) at Marvel.com
- Power Broker I at Marvel.com
- Power Broker I at Marvel Wiki
- Power Broker II at Marvel Wiki
- Power Broker Inc. at Marvel Wiki
- Power Broker I at Comic Vine
- Power Broker II at Comic Vine