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Jesus Badalamente (Earth-616) from Deathlok Annual Vol 1 1 001

Jesus, special effects artist and mannikin maker for the haunted house

Jesus Badalemente claims that, apparently when he was very young, he lost his mother and his father was frequently in jail, leading him to spend long stretches of time walking the Coney Island boardwalk while his family crumbled.[1]

Jesus initially worked as a special effects technician, crafting monsters to be used in movies, but abandoned the field; he said he refused to prostitute his own work and that it was a too close industry, but those may have been excuses.[3] Jesus moved to build props for the Coney Island amusement park haunted house,[2] for which he moved to a loft close to the park itself[4] (at a later point, Tracy Collins compared Jesus' dwelling with a warehouse).[5] Jesus also took care of one[2] to three cats.[6]

Walking through Brooklyn by night, Jesus was assaulted[2] by Vince's band of muggers,[5] who got only three dollars in cash from him. Jesus was then rescued by fearsome cyborg Deathlok. Noticing that the police was looking for Deathlok, Jesus offered him shelter at his home. Deathlok accepted and introduced himself as Michael Collins, prompting Jesus to call him Mike - the only person who had called him that.[2] Jesus eventually called Deathlok "Iron Mike" too.[7]

Jesus Badalamente (Earth-616) from Deathlok Vol 1 2 001

During the Coney Island battle, Jesus grabs a weapon

At Jesus', Deathlok rested but had a nightmare about how he had recently committed a massacre in Estrella. Waking up, Deathlok decided to do something about it, even if Jesus was against the idea. Deathlok used Jesus' telephone to contact, via cyberspace, his friend Jim Dworman, asking him to steal documents about the Estrella situation. The people who had created Deathlok, Cybertek Systems, were trying to find and recapture him, and they were monitoring Dworman's communications, so they traced the phone and found Deathlok's location in Coney Island. They then sent a high-tech assault team led by Mainframe and using a team of agents equipped with Terminal Armor, Dragonfly flying vehicles and the SQ1 submarine, to capture Deathlok. Mainframe arranged an open battle in the middle of the day, attacking both Jesus' home and the park full of visitors, prompting Deathlok to reveal himself to protect them. Deathlok resisted capture, and Jesus grabbed a huge rifle dropped by one of the enemies, using it to attack the SQ1 and to threaten Mainframe - and then, once Mainframe had been defeated, Jesus tried to justify his non-cynical behavior. The police arrested Mainframe, while Deathlok escaped notice and stole a Dragonfly to go back to Estrella after saying his goodbye to Jesus.[2] Jesus decided to keep the weapon in case he was involved with more superhuman threats.[8]

Deathlok returned to the United States, wrecking Cybertek in the process and leading to the arrest of many of the people responsible for his non-voluntary cyborgization,[9] but he decided not to return with his family because he had a monstrous appearance and may attract hostile attention.[2] Instead, he returned to Jesus and became his roommate. Jesus gave Deathlok some support, mostly moral, when Deathlok went to meet fellow cyborg Misty Knight (who refused to talk in front of Jesus because he was not a cyborg)[10] and when Deathlok discovered his son Nick was involved in illegal drug dealing.[1]

For a month, Jesus accepted Deathlok as his roommate, but after a month he prompted Deathlok to contribute to the expenses, and Deathlok himself had been considering working as a computer science consultant. Before Deathlok started with that, however,[1] Jesus saw his own income threatened by the sudden appearance of a new special effects professional, Mr. FX, who was selling better monsters to the haunted house. Investigating a case of missing people, Deathlok and some allies discovered that Mr. FX was kidnapping and drugging people for his job but, having been discovered, Mr. FX ran away, meaning that Jesus' job was no longer in danger.[11] Deathlok only gave Jesus some help at home while building together the monsters.[8]

Jesus Badalamente (Earth-616), Michael Collins (Earth-616) from Deathlok Vol 2 8 001

Deathlok helps Jesus crafting monsters

When they discovered that Mainframe was free, Jesus revealed he had kept the high-tech weapon, but Deathlok opposed to that kind of aggressive approach and broke it. He then helped Jesus building a figure of Frankenstein's Monster (which Deathlok compared to his own situation) - then Mainframe used his powers to turn Jesus' monsters against Deathlok! Deathlok went outside after Mainframe, only to be captured, but he released himself later.[8]

Not much later, Deathlok was controlled by the demon Nightmare. He sleepwalked at Jesus', punching Jesus in the face and breaking the later's glasses - but, instead of getting angry at Deathlok, Jesus followed him and, when Deathlok threatened other people, Jesus called his attention, trying to reach him with words. The Ghost Rider rode in and, believing Deathlok to be a villain, tried to fight him; and Jesus risked himself by confronting the awe-inspiring Rider. The Rider submitted Jesus to the Penance Stare, concluded that Jesus was innocent of any blood crime, and disregarded him.[7] Once the Rider had disappeared and Deathlok had blacked out, Jesus ran to his friend to see how he could help - although Deathlok recovered consciousness and remained a danger for a short time. The situation was stopped with the help of law enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D., who were Deathlok's sometimes allies.[12]

Deathlok finally began working as freelance computer consultant, through the cyberspace to not reveal his face, to help Jesus with his expenses.[13] This led to Deathlok to spend quite some waking time connected to the cyberspace, immobile and apparently sleeping, with Jesus' cats sometimes even walking on his body while Jesus complained about not having a conversation.[6] Every now and then, Deathlok suddenly moved, sometimes startling Jesus, and told him about where he was going.[13]

At one time, S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury visited Deathlok at Jesus'; as Deathlok was away, Jesus welcomed Fury and made him wait. WheN Deathlok arrived, Fury told him that Deathlok's wife Tracy was pregnant - and then the meeting was interrupted by several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in Mandroid Armors that broke Jesus's wall to enter and tried to capture Deathlok, again taking him for a threat. Once the situation was settled, and Deathlok decided to return to his family,[14] probably S.H.I.E.L.D. paid to rebuild Jesus' wall.

However, the Collinses had trouble readjusting to their situation with Deathlok being a huge cyborg. Deathlok returned to live with Jesus.[15] Once, Deathlok was helping with Jesus monster-crafting - and eventually surprised Jesus by disappearing due to a time-travelling threat.[16] Not much later, during the Infinity War, Deathlok confronted his own doppelganger in a surrealistic encounter which he explained to Jesus, but both Deathlok and Jesus were astonished at the situation.[5]

Jesus then drove his van to transport his wares to Staten Island, with Deathlok onboard to help. After helping in an accident, they reached their destination, then Jesus picked up the phone and Dworman gave him a message for Deathlok: They have found Michael Collins' body, which was a progress to return Deathlok to his original body and end most of his problems.[17] However, Collins' body was lost again soon afterward.[18]

Jesus treated the Collinses with a barbecue grill lunch at his place, even if it was a bumpy road: Deathlok accidentally burned Jesus' tablecloth, and they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of a Wakandan aircraft that landed right there to recruit Deathlok for a mission. Deathlok agreed to go to Wakanda with his family, but Jesus refused to fly with them.[19] They remained in good terms, as Jesus allowed Nick to visit and play computer games with Deathlok. During that time, Jesus got a date with a woman named Belinda, but once they were alone, she put Containment Shackles on him, threatened to cut off his hands, and "asked" Jesus for a favor related to his friendship with Deathlok, claiming that she was working for Deathlok's best interest.[3] Soon after, Jesus tried to put a scanner on Deathlok while the later was in cyberspace, but that alerted Deathlok and then Jesus lied to Deathlok about his motivations.[20]

Jesus Badalamente (Earth-616), Michael Collins (Earth-616), Tracy Collins (Earth-616), Nicholas Collins (Earth-616), Patricia Collins (Earth-616) from Deathlok Annual Vol 1 2 001

Jesus' painting of Deathlok's family

Although Deathlok's situation with his family was improving, he insisted on sleeping at Jesus'. While doing so, Tracy took their youngest to the hospital and phoned to inform her husband; Jesus gave him the message, and Deathlok tried to leave - but he was intercepted by Tracer, an armored supervillain that damaged Deathlok's Dragonfly and Jesus' van, before being convinced that Deathlok was not an enemy and helping him to to the hospital.[21] After Deathlok's daughter Patricia was born, Tracy asked Jesus to craft a birthday gift for her husband: A original painting by Jesus depicting the Collinses, including the newborn baby, Nick, Tracy, and Michael himself before he had been turned into Deathlok, for which she gave Jesus reference photos. Deathlok snooped in and discovered it, so Jesus used this as leverage to get Deathlok's help repairing fairground attractions for one of Jesus' acquaintances.[22]

Deathlok eventually disappeared when he was transported by an alien intelligence to another planet,[23] where he remained for years[24] until he could return home. He then retook contact with his family,[25] but it is unrevealed whether he contacted Jesus or not.

Attributes

Powers

None

Abilities

Jesus is a professional prop maker, with the expertise and abilities of his field.[2] He has several other skills, including driving a van (which is useful to move his work),[17] grilling,[1] painting on canvas,[22] and Deathlok claimed that Jesus had more knowledge about art history than anyone Deathlok had ever known before.[4]

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Owns and uses a van to move through New York City.[17][3]

Notes

  • Surname revealed in Deathlok Annual #1, story 4.
  • His first name is spelled Jesus without a diacritic, except in Sleepwalker #8, in which Deathlok calls him "Jesús".
  • His skin color has changed inconsistently in his appearances, with him being white-skinned,[2] brown-skinned,[1] and yellow-skinned.[19]
  • In Deathlok (Vol. 2) #10, Jesus shouts in Spanish "Dios mío! [sic.] Madre de Dios!", the only instance in which he speaks other language than English. It is unconfirmed whether Jesus is fluent in Spanish or he only knows a few words.
  • A plot related to Jesus in Deathlok (Vol. 2) #26 and Deathlok (Vol. 2) #27, is never solved: Belinda threatens Jesus so that he'd put a scanner on Deathlok, claiming that this was on Deathlok's best interests; Jesus tries to do it, fails - and we hear nothing else about this.

Trivia

  • Jesus has openly admitted that he likes X-rated movies.[6]
  • Jesus has refused to join his friend Deathlok on a flight trip, apparently as this scared him.[1]
  • Jesus has presented a cynic attitude to the outer world, giving the appearance of a tough guy, but was really a good-hearted man willing to risk his own safety for his friends and for what he knows is right.[2][4] Deathlok, who called Jesus his only friend[21] (although Deathlok also considered Jim Dworman a friend),[2] has made an amateur diagnostic on Jesus that suggests Jesus suffers from neurosis.[21]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #6
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Deathlok #2
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #26
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 [[Deathlok Annual 1; "Deathlok's Scrapbook"|[[Deathlok Annual #1|Deathlok Annual 1]]; "Deathlok's Scrapbook"]]
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #16
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Daredevil Annual #8 , "Maxed Out"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #9
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #8
  9. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #1
  10. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #2
  11. Sleepwalker #8
  12. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #10
  13. 13.0 13.1 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #11
  14. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #12
  15. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #15
  16. [[Deathlok Annual 1; "Timestream"|[[Deathlok Annual #1|Deathlok Annual 1]]; "Timestream"]]
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #17
  18. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #21
  19. 19.0 19.1 Deathlok (Vol. 2) #22
  20. Deathlok (Vol. 2) #27
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 [[Deathlok Annual 2; "Quarry"|[[Deathlok Annual #2|Deathlok Annual 2]]; "Quarry"]]
  22. 22.0 22.1 [[Deathlok Annual 2; "One Day At A Time"|[[Deathlok Annual #2|Deathlok Annual 2]]; "One Day At A Time"]]
  23. Beyond! #3
  24. Beyond! #4
  25. Beyond! #1
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