When I was eight, I hunted my first bear. Big grizzly. That was 1922, in the Yukon, and he kept us through a cold winter. In Spain, I fought bulls and fascists -- and I let the bulls live. In Nepal, I hunted the Tiger God and killed all fear in me. I've fought queens of dreams and the world's secret master. I've fought demons in hell and stolen their thrones -- and those thrones haven't bound me. And it all comes back to one thing. I was eight, full of bear meat and adventure -- and I made a vow, Mr. Creel. I vowed I would live an interesting life. I think I've done okay so far, eh? 
- —Puck[src]
History
Origin
Born in 1914, Eugene Milton Judd was both a giant of a man and an incredible athlete. When he was eight in 1922 he caught a bear which kept his family through a hard winter, he swore then to live an interesting life.[3]
He did.[3]
Judd eventually became a mercenary seeking the Black Blade of Baghdad. Upon claiming it, he was attacked by the being known as Black Raazer that possessed the blade. The spirit of Black Raazer lengthened Judd's lifespan and increased his strength, but also caused him great pain and to become much shorter.[4]
Judd continued to travel the world. It is known that he met the author Ernest Hemingway in Spain. He is also very familiar with Wolverine and the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff). He met Modred the Mystic while battling the Brass Bishop.
Occasionally, Eugene attempted to put down roots and get in touch with his humanity, such as when he worked as a construction worker in Orloo, Ontario. There, he also worked as a volunteer at the Hull House orphanage.[5]
Judd would return to his wild ways eventually and, calling himself Puck, he hooked up with a team of other paranormal mercenaries known as the Outcasts. Eugene's flagrant disregard for the laws of man eventually got him imprisoned for the crime of murder.[6]
Alpha Flight
Years later, Guardian had Puck released from jail and offered him a place in Department H. He agreed[7] and underwent training, eventually rising to the secondary team, Beta Flight. When Department H shut down, Alpha Flight decided to remain together as super-heroes independent of the government. Judd joined Alpha Flight at this time.[8]
During his time with Alpha Flight, he encountered a new city deep in the Arctic Circle. There his team and the X-Men discovered Fire Fountain. Several humans associated with the X-Men had gained vast powers via the fountain. Puck was cured of his dwarfism by the well-intentioned Anodyne. He discovered a problem with walking because his center of balance was off. Later, the group discovered that the powers came at a price too high to bear. The group split along ideological lines, and both groups battled for some time before turning on the main threat. This turned out to be the trickster god Loki who was behind all this. He was eventually persuaded to remove all effects of the fountain, which unfortunately included Puck's new height. The pain associated with his dwarfism was now worse than ever.[9]
Soon after, he battled Black Raazer who temporarily freed himself from the prison of Puck's body.[10] He told his teammates about his past, and then took Raazer back into his body once more. He had romantic interest in Heather McNeil Hudson, but she instead turned to their teammate Madison Jeffries.
When Northstar and Aurora both fell deathly ill (him physically and her mentally), Alpha Flight took them to the site of the Fire Fountain. Loki led them to a dark fountain instead (emanating from a deep pit), and sent demons to attack them. During the resulting fight, Puck was knocked into the fountain. The spirit's curse was removed, leaving Puck as a taller but much older man. Loki transported Puck to Tibet as part of his schemes.[11] While there, Puck sought out a lama hoping to get away from everything, as he had grown tired of the world. Tibet itself was being overtaken by the Chinese military at the time. After meeting with him, the lama offered Puck a choice: to be reunited with his friends who were in danger or to travel throughout the other dimensions. He chose to save his friends and was sent to the realm of the Dreamqueen.[12]
Although the others were freed, Dreamqueen captured Puck and tortured him. She restored his youth to ensure she could torture him endlessly. Puck was reunited with the others and freed as they returned from battling the evil sorcerer Llan.[13]
Puck was placed in a hospital to recover from his injuries. He was then abducted by the Master of the World and experimented on. Sasquatch was able to undo the damage, and Puck was 'compressed' into his younger, diminutive form.[14]
He, along with the rest of Alpha Flight stood to block the Collective from entering Canada. The Collective didn't even stop and left behind the deceased bodies of Puck and Alpha Flight.[15]
Ruler of Hell
Later, during the attack by the Chaos King, Alpha Flight was returned to life by a then-omniscient Hercules, sans Puck[16] who, unlike the others, had been sent to one of the realms of Hell. After fighting his way through the damned and claiming a seat of power, he learned that his friends were in trouble (due to Gary Cody putting Canada under martial law and arresting Alpha Flight), and gave up his throne to return to Earth, though his seeming mental instability makes these claims potentially dubious.[17]
Reforming X-Force
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Puck as a member of X-Force
Puck sent Psylocke an email when she and Storm were tasked with tracking down a drug dealer in Los Angeles, selling TAO, a drug that makes people susceptible to a hive mind mentality.[18]
Psylocke and Storm met Puck at a bar, and he leads them to an old bank from the 20’s that the drug dealer – the diva of downtown LA - uses to sell drugs and dance. Storm and Psylocke quickly realized the diva was Spiral and Betsy was unable to resist attacking her.
Meanwhile, Storm and Puck headed to the bank vault, since it was where Spiral had hidden her things. Ororo and Puck found a scared little girl inside the vault, who was upset Psylocke was fighting Spiral. The little girl mentally ordered the people at the club to attack Betsy. The two fled to Spiral's flat, followed by the three heroes, but they were all attacked by Bishop, who had just returned from the future to kidnap the girl.[19]
Talisman
When Talisman was introduced to Alpha Flight, Puck became her physics instructor. Much later at the time of a mass Wendigo outbreak, the two became lovers.[20]
Alpha Flight Space Program
Puck later became a member of the Alpha Flight space program.[21] When the Hulk battling Absorbing Man, who had been possesed by the One Below All, in Los Diablos Missile Base, Puck along with Langkowski and reporter, Jackie McGee arrived. As the Hulk realised that the One Below All had been opening the Green Door left from the Gamma Bomb, that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk, it was too late and everyone were sucked at the Below-Place.[22] Puck found Absorbing Man sobbing and encourged him to try and close the interdimensional door. They aproach the One Below All in the form of Brian Banner, beside Bruce, whom the One Below All had planed to use him to get to Earth. Absorbing Man managed to repower the Hulk and stop the One Below All. After managing to escape, Puck offered Absorbing Man a place at Gamma Flight, which he accepted.[23]
Following the Shadow Base's latest attack on the Hulk, Gamma Flight retrieved Rick Jones' Abomination shell. However, General Fortean in the Redeemer Armor attacked the Gamma Flight and incapacitated them. After recovering themselves, they found out that their teammate Langkowski had been killed by Fortean. They decide to attack the Shadow Base and during their attack, they are joined by Hulk, Betsy Ross, Rick Jones and Jackie McGee. However, they are eventually overwhelmed by Fortean as the new Abomination and his soldiers.[24]Attributes
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Powers
Compressed Rubber Physiology: Due to genetic manipulation of his cellular structure, Puck's tissues are condensed at a molecular level which renders his body akin to compressed rubber. As a result, Puck possesses superhuman abilities.
- Superhuman Strength: After being compressed, Judd gained the strength to lift up to 10 tons. [25]
- Superhuman Speed: After having his body compressed, Puck gained superhuman speed, with the ability to run a peak of 111-115 miles per hour. [25]
- Superhuman Durability/Invulnerability: After the having his body compressed, Puck gained meta-human durability. Which allows Puck to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, and virtually all toxins, corrosives, punctures (including bullets), and concussions (such as high impacts). He has been shown to be invulnerable to being engulfed in a fire as well as taking explosions with no effect on him. Puck's tissues were condensed at a molecular level, causing his body to become akin to compressed rubber. It was stated he is nearly indestructible and invulnerable to harm. [25]
- Superhuman Agility: He is adept at gymnastics, and is capable of executing a series of cartwheels with such speed and force that he can bowl over a crowd of people almost twice his size.
- Superhuman Reflexes: Puck's reflexes are superhuman, giving him virtually instantaneous response time. [25]
- Superhuman Stamina: After having his body compressed, Puck gained superhuman stamina: the ability to sustain peak exertion before fatigue impairs performance up to one day.[25]
Extended Longevity: Puck's lifespan has been artificially extended by Razer and Dreamqueen.
Death-like State: He can put himself into a temporary death-like coma.
Abilities
_from_Alpha_Flight_Vol_1_119_001.jpg){kind=link}
High Intelligence: Puck is able to think very fast on his feet in battle. He has a love for Shakespeare, and will often quote the bard. In a battle with Atlanteans, he quoted: "Let the foils be brought the gentlemen willing, and the King hold his purpose, I will win for him if I can, if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits!" He is a scholar and often reads works by Shakespeare and was friends with Ernest Hemingway. Puck can speak 17 languages fluently including English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, German, Tibetan, but not Sarcee and various other languages. He has a great deal of knowledge about magic, folklore and magical rituals. [citation needed]
Puck also has many other unusual talents, most of which have yet to be revealed. He is a successful bullfighter, a world class climber, skilled lock-pick, has some knowledge of sorcery (although no real ability at practicing it).Paraphernalia
Weapons
Notes
- Although his association with Alpha Flight was considered classified information, Puck never went to great lengths to conceal his secret identity.[citation needed]
- Puck was shown to disappear along with various mutants as a result of the Scarlet Witch's spell to unite mutankind away from Earth, cast in Uncanny Avengers #15, while other non-mutant heroes were left back, even when close of mutants.
- According to Handbook writer Stuart Vandal, that was probably an artist error, explained as "Scarlet Witch's spell worked on him because she thought he was a mutant - her subconscious picked who did and didn't get teleported."[26]
- Tom Brevoort stated that "Wanda's spell cast a wide net." as an in-universe explanation, and "Or we goofed—your choice.", stating it was clearly an artist error.[27]
Trivia
- It is his spinning technique that earned him a comparison to a hockey puck, and hence his codename.[citation needed]
- According to Alpha Flight Vol 2 1 (August, 1997), Eugene Milton Judd's astrological symbol is Capricorn. [28] This indicates Eugene was born under this sign of the zodiac, sometime between December 21 and January 19.
- According to Alpha Flight Vol 2 1 (August, 1997), Eugene Judd's "one true love" is Heather McNeil Hudson. But he has kept his feelings secret because he fears that Heather cannot love a man of his stunted height. [28]
See Also
- 343 appearance(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 14 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 19 minor appearance(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 15 mention(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 6 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 241 image(s) of Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
- 17 quotation(s) by or about Eugene Judd (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Domino #1
- ↑ Black Panther (Vol. 3) #43
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Immortal Hulk #11
- ↑ Alpha Flight #32
- ↑ Alpha Flight (Vol. 2) #-1
- ↑ Alpha Flight #122–123
- ↑ Alpha Flight #15
- ↑ Alpha Flight #1
- ↑ X-Men and Alpha Flight #1–2
- ↑ Alpha Flight #32
- ↑ Alpha Flight #50
- ↑ Alpha Flight #60–61
- ↑ Alpha Flight #75
- ↑ Alpha Flight #87–90
- ↑ New Avengers #16
- ↑ Chaos War: Alpha Flight #1
- ↑ Alpha Flight (Vol. 4) #2
- ↑ Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 2) #1
- ↑ Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 2) #2
- ↑ Amazing X-Men (Vol. 2) #9
- ↑ Captain Marvel (Vol. 9) #1
- ↑ Immortal Hulk #10
- ↑ Immortal Hulk #11–13
- ↑ Immortal Hulk #21–23
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #1
- ↑ Statement on Cxpulp by Stuart Vandal
- ↑ Statement by Tom Brevoort
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Alpha Flight (Vol. 2) #1
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 9