Slapstick (character)

Slapstick (Steve Harmon) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He resembles an animated clown and has the abilities of a slapstick cartoon character, such as one from Looney Tunes, including warping reality to match that of an animated cartoon.

Publication history

Slapstick debuted November 1992 in The Awesome Slapstick #1 and was created by writer Len Kaminski and artist James Fry.[2] Afterwards, he made a notable appearance with the New Warriors in Marvel Comics Presents and was unseen until a "Civil War" cameo in She-Hulk. He also regularly appeared in Avengers: The Initiative as a recruit.

In 2015, Slapstick became a regular member of the Mercs for Money

Fictional character biography

Slapstick was originally junior high school class clown Steve Harmon, from New York City. In a plan to get back at his arch-rival, Winston, Steve dresses as a clown to blend into the crowd at a strange new carnival.

Before Steve can enact his plan, Winston and his date, Heather, are kidnapped by clowns. Steve picks up a mallet as a weapon and follows them. The group enters a portal disguised as a mirror at a carnival funhouse. Steve is stretched across dimensions and transformed into a form made of unstable molecules, which essentially makes him a living cartoon character. The Scientist Supreme of Dimension X, who resembles Groucho Marx, helps Steve master his powers and free the prisoners from the clowns.[4] Steve destroys the mirror, preventing the clowns from influencing reality. Minutes afterward, Steve is found by his best friend, Mike Peterson, who agrees to assist him.[5]

Other enemies

Steve has other villains to confront: a Punisher copycat called the Overkiller attacks Steve, believing him to be a mutant. The two fight in a mall, destroying most of it. Steve ends the fight by kissing Overkiller and then walloping him as he reacts with disgust.[6] Slapstick also battles the super smart, preteen Dr. Denton and Teddy, and rescued Barbara Halsey.[7] Slapstick later encounters the Neutron Bum, a homeless man with the power to cause explosions. Dozens of superheroes gather to battle Neutron Bum, but Slapstick neutralizes the situation by getting him what he had desired — a cup of coffee — and attacking him as he is drinking it.[3]

Later, Slapstick works with the New Warriors to fight Dr. Yesterday, partly because doing so will impress women.[8] At some point prior to Justice and Firestar leaving the New Warriors to become Avengers, Slapstick and Ultra Girl assist the New Warriors in thwarting a Badoon invasion and officially join the group.[9]

The Initiative

Slapstick is later seen on the bus of new recruits arriving at Camp Hammond as part of the Initiative training program.[10] He is later seen, with other heroes, confronting Ben Grimm as part of a training mission.

Slapstick and other Camp Hammond members are sent out as crowd control when the Hulk and his Warbound crew leads an attack on New York. He is assigned morale support for the evacuating citizens under command of the Avenger Triathlon. A fellow recruit, Rage, leads a rebellion against the crowd support mission in order to go confront the Hulk. Slapstick joins in. His team is swiftly defeated by the Hulk's forces.[11]

The recruits are imprisoned by Hulk's forces in Madison Square Garden and neutralized with power-sapping technology. They are rescued by black ops forces associated with the Camp.[12]

Fear Itself

During the Fear Itself storyline, Slapstick appears at a meeting held by Prodigy regarding magical hammers that have crashed into the earth. He later joins forces with other heroes to battle the Worthy.[19][20]

Mercs for Money

When Deadpool founds Mercs for Money, he employs Slapstick and other vigilantes to pose as him and extend his reach across the globe.[21]

character name	Slapstick
real name	Steven Winsor McCay Harmon‡R1R‡
publisher	Marvel Comics
debut	The Awesome Slapstick #1 (November 1992)
creators	Len Kaminski James Fry
alliances	New Warriors The Initiative Counter Force Heroes for Hire Mercs for Money
powers	Experienced practical joker "Cartoon Physics" grants: Superhuman agility, durability and reflexes Enhanced strength when electrocuted Indestructibility Virtually unlimited malleability Minimal reality manipulation

Slapstick (character)

Publication history

Fictional character biography

Other enemies

The Initiative

Fear Itself

Mercs for Money

Powers and abilities

Other versions

In other media

Collected editions

External links

References