—Jack Norriss[source]Scorpio, did you ever think that this is all... abnormal? It's unnatural... a diversion of certain basic drives... some kinda substitute for a real human relationship!
History
Early Life[]
Jack Norriss was born and raised in the small town of Cobbler's Roost, Vermont. While living there, he met Barbara Denton, who would later become his wife. Their first date was to the Vermont State Fair, where they saw a stage performance by the magician Chondu the Mystic. On the way home, their car suffered a flat tire, and Jack did not return Barbara home until four in the morning, causing tension with her father.[4] Jack and Barbara later attended another of Chondu's performances, this time as part of the Ringmaster's Tiboldt Carnival of Wonder.[5] Eventually, Jack and Barbara were married on January 28th, and a photograph of them cutting their wedding cake was added to the Denton family album.[6] Tragically, Barbara's mother, Celestia Denton, died in a car accident around this time.[7]
Cult of the Undying Ones[]
Seeking adventure and spiritual enlightenment, Jack and Barbara, became involved with a cult led by Jack Van Nyborg, who sought to resurrect the ancient entities known as the Undying Ones.[8] During one of the cult's gatherings, the group witnessed the arrival of Bruce Banner after a battle between the Hulk and the Absorbing Man. Banner collapsed nearby, and Jack and Barbara helped return him to Van Nyborg's estate.[9] When Barbara expressed concern about how deeply involved they had become, Jack urged her to remain quiet. As Barbara began to question Van Nyborg's motives more openly, he responded by banishing both her and Banner into another dimension connected to the Undying Ones. While trapped there, Barbara ultimately sacrificed herself to save Doctor Strange, becoming stranded in the other realm.[8]
The Defenders[]
After inheriting a substantial sum of money from his father,[6] Jack was left reeling from the mysterious disappearance of Barbara. Her father, Alvin Denton, suffered a psychological breakdown and became a vagrant, entrusting Jack with the keys to the family home in Cobbler's Roost. Jack, emotionally adrift, relocated to Mrs. Lafferty's boarding house.[7] Tracking Barbara to the Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village, Jack was startled to see her alive through a window. His presence was discovered by Nighthawk, who chased him off.[10] Undeterred, Jack returned the next day and was stunned when Yellowjacket blasted him with a stun beam. Taken inside, Jack revealed he was Barbara's husband prompting her to flee the room in tears. She soon joined her teammates to battle the Sons of the Serpent, while Jack questioned the extent of her apparent delusion.[11]
Jack remained in the Sanctum as the Defenders gathered reinforcements, including Daredevil, Son of Satan, and Luke Cage, to stop a televised execution of Valkyrie. When the team’s houseguest reported that Valkyrie was to be burned alive on an inverted cross, Jack raced to the scene.[12] There, he bravely intervened preventing one of the Sons from igniting the cross and inspiring the crowd to act. Jack rescued Valkyrie and carried her back to Sanctum.[13] Though Valkyrie insisted she was not his wife, Jack remained emotionally attached. He kissed her, only to be pushed away.[14] After Valkyrie saved him from an earthquake, Jack witnessed the arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy and followed the Defenders into the future against her wishes. Stowing aboard their vessel, he revealed himself when a teleportation spell malfunctioned. Distraught and unstable, Jack was placed in stasis by Strange to avoid further complications.[15] While still in stasis, the ship came under attack by the Badoon.[16] Once revived, Jack had a change of heart and embraced the heroes' cause, admitting his denial had been wrong. He pleaded with Strange to help, and armed with a laser blaster he joined the battle to liberate Earth from the Badoon, freeing prisoners and aiding the resistance.[17] After the conflict, Jack spoke with Starhawk. Inspired, Jack encouraged the heroes to let future humanity shape its own destiny. Strange then returned Jack and the Defenders to the present. Back in New York, Jack took Valkyrie on a date to Coney Island, attempting to impress her by winning a stuffed animal. When she accidentally broke the strength tester, he coaxed her into running off playfully. She admitted a budding attraction to Jack, and he admitted he was beginning to accept her as Valkyrie.[18]
Returning to the Sanctum, they encountered Strange, Nighthawk, and the Hulk holding a baby deer. However, the body of Nighthawk had been possessed by Chondu the Mystic, who trapped them in an ectoplasmic field and later cast a strength draining spell before being subdued by Strange. When Son of Satan failed to exorcise Chondu, Jack recognized the magician's face from years earlier, confirming a brain-swap had occurred.[4] To address the crisis, Strange performed a spell placing Jack’s mind into Chondu's brain inside Nighthawk’s body, Chondu's mind into the baby deer, and leaving Jack's original body mindless.[2] Piloting Nighthawk’s body, Jack joined the Defenders on a mission to Connecticut, but they were incapacitated by Ruby Thursday's explosive head.[4] Still posing as Chondu, Jack witnessed the villains Gorilla-Man, Shrunken Bones, and Ruby Thursday begin to brainwash Strange, Hulk, and Valkyrie. Jack, unsure how to proceed, tried to stall them with humor and then sowed discord among them, successfully delaying their plans. The Defenders broke free and destroyed the house, during which Jack escaped with Nighthawk's brain only to be captured by the Ludberdites, under the control of Nebulon, the Celestial Man.[2]
Separated from his own body for too long, Jack began to grow physically weak while forced to listen to Nebulon's plans for Earth. He was placed with the other human captives and was shocked to see "Bambi" the deer containing Chondu's mind attempting to attack him. Norriss observed the Ludberdites' machines draining the captives' life forces, noting when one woman died from the strain. Meanwhile, Dr. Strange grew increasingly concerned about Jack's long absence from his body. Jack and Chondu, the latter accessing Nebulon's power, suddenly vanished from public display. Strange cast a spell to protect Jack from the machines' effects.[19]
Strange arranged for Dr. Tania Belinskaya, a Russian neurosurgeon, to perform a brain transplant to restore Nighthawk. Jack's consciousness was returned to his body, and, feeling rested, he chose to accompany Valkyrie and Hulk to search for the deer. Riding behind Valkyrie on Aragorn, Jack observed her defuse a confrontation between the Hulk and the police. Later, as they rested, Valkyrie allowed Jack to put his arm around her. After witnessing Chondu in a new body attacking someone, Valkyrie intervened and defeated him but was arrested.[20] Jack contacted the authorities to protect Aragorn, as a man had threatened to shoot the horse, but the Hulk arrived just in time. Together they took Aragorn to a veterinarian.[21]
While Aragorn was being treated, Jack witnessed the Hulk leap away amidst a clash with police. Hearing a report on the police scanner mentioning "Richmond," Jack contacted Luke Cage and rushed to assist. He saw Strange being freed alongside new ally Red Guardian and later accompanied them in taking Nighthawk back to the hospital. However, they were ambushed and captured by Porcupine and the Eel.[22] Jack awoke after the battle and returned to Richmond, while the others had disappeared. Nighthawk quickly prepared to investigate further.[23]
Jack went to the Sanctum and asked the heroes to search for Valkyrie. When they discovered she'd been incarcerated, the group went to retrieve her.[24] Increasingly frustrated by the Defenders' erratic actions and his strained relationship with Valkyrie, Jack watched her receive a pardon and a new costume. He pleaded with her to avoid future battles, but she dismissed him. After the Committee for Free Emigration attacked Red Guardian, Jack angrily berated the team for their inaction as threats escalated including the spread of the Celestial Mind Control Movement and Ruby Thursday's political rise. When Nighthawk demanded he leave, Jack insisted on $300,000 in compensation. Nighthawk paid him, and Jack departed.[25]
Realising the Defenders' strange behavior had likely resulted from tampering by the Headmen, Jack infiltrated Ruby Thursday's political campaign. He sent the Defenders a video explaining his plan, donned a James Bond persona, and attempted to charm Thursday, who nicknamed him "Pretty Boy". Seeing through his deception, Thursday had Jack captured. He later escaped using hidden equipment, attempted to gas her, and exposed her as a villain before she hurled him through a window. The Defenders were soon captured in a containment sphere but were freed by the Hulk. Jack helped Valkyrie subdue Shrunken Bones while the rest of the Defenders defeated the Headmen and Nebulon.[3]
Jack was subsequently detained by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, interrogated about Thursday's fate, and injected with truth serum. After Nick Fury questioned him, Jack was released, though his drugged memories made him suspicious of Fury's role.[26] He briefly handled a wrong number during another Defenders mission.[27] After an absence, Jack returned to the Sanctum, was asked to leave again by Nighthawk, but spoke with Valkyrie privately. Apologising for his earlier pushiness, Jack confessed his love and asked for another chance. Valkyrie declined. Spotting a Fury LMD, Jack ran.[28] Jack fled his pursuers in his Jaguar, eventually crashing and going on foot.[29] He tried to hide in Hackensack, New Jersey, but was captured by the Fury LMD.[30] As the LMD's men were taking him away, Moon Knight attacked. Jack awoke and fought back, forcing the LMD to flee. Jack and Moon Knight returned to Strange’s mansion, where they joined Clea and Valkyrie. They discovered Hellcat unconscious and suspected Wonder Man, fighting him until Hellcat stopped them. A message from "Fury" requesting Jack's presence was revealed.[26]
The heroes allowed Jack to go with Fury the LMD, who took him to Scorpio. Scorpio initially greeted him warmly, offering a drink, but grew frustrated at Jack's distrust. Showing off his robotic Zodiac creations, Scorpio ignored Jack's pleas and trapped Moon Knight. When Moon Knight escaped, Scorpio prepared the Zodiac.[31] Jack tried reasoning with Scorpio and learned his "Fury" contact was a robot. The Defenders arrived as Scorpio activated the Zodiac.[32] In the ensuing battle, the Defenders fought the Zodiac some of whom resisted or broke down mentally culminating in Scorpio's suicide.[33] Later, Fury clarified to Jack that he hadn't been involved in the drugging or interrogation, and invited Jack to join S.H.I.E.L.D. Jack considered this an opportunity to resolve his feelings for Valkyrie and confided in Hellcat, who playfully flirted with him.[34] Jack dropped Hellcat off at Nighthawk’s building and went to find Fury to accept the job.[35] On the road, Jack grew excited about his new role until he realised he didn't know how to contact Fury.[36] He visited Avengers Mansion to find a way to reach Fury but got caught in the security system until the Avengers freed him.[37]
Jack was later summoned to testify before the so called Tribunal, who masqueraded as a government body. He objected to their distortion of facts but was briefly knocked unconscious. Upon awakening and hearing more testimonies, Jack again protested and was ejected finding himself in an alley, unsure of what had just happened.[38]
S.H.I.E.L.D.[]
Jack initially served as a procurement processing and maintenance file clerk for S.H.I.E.L.D., but requested a field assignment from his supervisor, Claire Hopkins.[39] He was later assigned by S.H.I.E.L.D. to a Commission on Superhuman Activities mission targeting Nomad. Introduced by Henry Peter Gyrich to psychologist Andrea Sterman, Jack was informed by Valerie Cooper that their third team member would be US Agent, whom they met shortly after in a Los Angeles hotel.[40] Jack and Andrea observed as US Agent confronted Nomad but was swiftly defeated. Jack questioned US Agent's methods and was harshly dismissed. Later, the three shared drinks and were joined by Jeremiah Albuquerque, S.H.I.E.L.D. Operations Liaison and Jack's friendly rival, who challenged the team to improve. They received intel from an agent named Smithson, who reported Nomad's location at the Garrahy Hotel. Jack and USAgent stormed the room, but Nomad was ready and dragged the fight into the street. Nomad took Andrea hostage, but Albuquerque defused the situation and persuaded Nomad to cooperate.[41]
Determined to uncover the motives behind the hit on Nomad, Jack and Andrea began their own investigation. Jack used his S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance to access a CSHA facility, violating protocol, and contacted Vernon Hatchway for assistance.[42] Jack approached Claire Hopkins with his findings, believing a government conspiracy was at play. Andrea traced a lead that connected Nomad to Senator Bartholomew Ingrid.[39] Together, they uncovered evidence tying the conspiracy back to Nomad's origins.[43] Jack confronted Hatchway after learning he had been ordered to assassinate Nomad. Hatchway revealed his plan to fake Nomad’s death, and Jack agreed to help. The operation succeeded, and Andrea later published a book on Nomad's life. Jack was subsequently dismissed from S.H.I.E.L.D. but accepted a new role as an intelligence correspondent for Current Affair. He looked back fondly on his time spent unraveling the conspiracy.[44]
Investigative Reporter[]
Jack eventually left S.H.I.E.L.D., dissatisfied over their handling of the Nomad situation. He became an investigative reporter working for Inside America, a news related TV series, and was of use to Andrea Sterman when she was investigating the government conspiracy involving the killings of the reporter Gayle Rogers and Roberta Haggerty of Roxxon.[45]Attributes
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See Also
- 40 appearance(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 2 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 3 minor appearance(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 1 mention(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 4 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 1 image(s) of Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
- 3 quotation(s) by or about Jackson Norriss (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Defenders: Strange Heroes #1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Defenders #33
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Defenders Annual #1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Defenders #32
- ↑ X-Force #-1
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Defenders #21
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Defenders #20
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Incredible Hulk #126
- ↑ Incredible Hulk #125
- ↑ Defenders #22
- ↑ Defenders #23
- ↑ Defenders #24
- ↑ Defenders #25
- ↑ Defenders #26
- ↑ Defenders #27
- ↑ Defenders #28
- ↑ Defenders #29
- ↑ Defenders #31
- ↑ Defenders #34
- ↑ Defenders #35
- ↑ Defenders #36
- ↑ Defenders #37
- ↑ Defenders #38
- ↑ Defenders #39
- ↑ Defenders #40
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Defenders #47
- ↑ Defenders #41
- ↑ Defenders #44
- ↑ Defenders #45
- ↑ Defenders #46
- ↑ Defenders #48
- ↑ Defenders #49
- ↑ Defenders #50
- ↑ Defenders #51
- ↑ Defenders #52
- ↑ Defenders #54
- ↑ Defenders #58
- ↑ Defenders #87
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Nomad (Vol. 2) #23
- ↑ Nomad (Vol. 2) #2
- ↑ Nomad (Vol. 2) #3
- ↑ Nomad (Vol. 2) #22
- ↑ Nomad (Vol. 2) #24
- ↑ Nomad (Vol. 2) #25
- ↑ Thunderbolts #44
- ↑ Defenders: Strange Heroes #1
- ↑ Defenders: Strange Heroes Vol 1 1