| Speed Demon | |
|---|---|
 Speed Demon (foreground) and theSuperior Spider-Man (background) as depicted inSuperior Foes of Spider-Man #3 (September 2013). Art byMark Bagley. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Whizzer: The Avengers #69 (Oct. 1969) As Speed Demon: The Amazing Spider-Man #222 (Nov. 1981) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas Sal Buscema |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | James Sanders |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Squadron Sinister Sinister Syndicate Thunderbolts Sinister Six |
| Notable aliases | Whizzer, Harvey James |
| Abilities | Genius-level chemist Superhuman speed, stamina and reflexes |
Speed Demon (James Sanders) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created byRoy Thomas andSal Buscema, the character made his first appearance inThe Avengers #69 (October 1969) as a member of theSquadron Sinister known as theWhizzer.[1]
James Sanders first appears as theWhizzer in the final panel ofThe Avengers #69 (October 1969), the first chapter of a three-issue storyline by writerRoy Thomas and pencillerSal Buscema. The story arc introduced thesupervillain team theSquadron Sinister, whose four members were loosely based on heroes in theDC Comics teamJustice League of America, with the Whizzer based on theFlash.[2]
TheGrandmaster created the Squadron Sinister to battle the champions of the time-travelingKang – the superhero team theAvengers. The Whizzer battles AvengerGoliath, but the fight is interrupted byBlack Knight. The Avengers eventually defeat the Squadron and they in turn are abandoned by the Grandmaster.[3] The Squadron reappear in the titleDefenders, reunited by the alienNebulon. The villains receive greater power in exchange for the planet Earth, and create a laser cannon to melt thepolar ice caps, covering the Earth in water. The superhero team the Defenders prevent the scheme and defeat the villains (and Nebulon), withNamor humiliating the Whizzer.[4]
After this defeat the Whizzer and his teammates are teleported off-world by Nebulon, returning with an energy-draining weapon. The Squadron Sinister plan to threaten the Earth again but are defeated once more by the Defenders and the AvengerYellowjacket.[5] The character has another brief encounter with several members of the Avengers, who seek a way to separateDoctor Spectrum's prism from theWasp.[6] The Whizzer disassociates himself from the Squadron Sinister and adopts a new costume and alias,Speed Demon.
WriterBill Mantlo and pencillerBob Hall revamped the character in the titleThe Amazing Spider-Man, with Sanders returning to crime with a new costume and the aliasSpeed Demon.[7] The character makes a number of appearances in titles, includingMarvel Team-Up against Spider-Man and theHuman Torch,[8] inThe Amazing Spider-Man as a member of the criminal group theSinister Syndicate,[9]Marvel Tales,[10]Quasar,[11] and in thegraphic novelAvengers: Deathtrap – The Vault (1991).
Speed Demon makes another abortive attempt to kill Spider-Man in thelimited seriesThe Deadly Foes of Spider-Man;[12] battlesWolverine;[13] features inWeb of Spider-Man;[14] encounters Spider-Man and theNew Warriors inSpectacular Spider-Man Annual #12,Web of Spider-Man Annual #8, andThe New Warriors Annual #2 (all 1992); and in the titleCaptain America briefly skirmishes with the hero at anA.I.M. weapons expo.[15] After an appearance in the limited seriesSpider-Man: The Power of Terror,[16] Speed Demon is employed byJustin Hammer to battle the superhero team theThunderbolts.[17]
Speed Demon is recruited to join the New Thunderbolts[18] but is eventually ejected from the team by heroineSongbird for stealing money to fund the team (including from the company of former teammate Kyle Richmond, who tracks the character asNighthawk).[19] After a confrontation and unexpected skirmish withHyperion and a newDoctor Spectrum (Alice Nugent, former lab assistant of Hank Pym), Speed Demon defects to join the reformed Squadron Sinister.[20]
Courtesy of a phenomenon known as theWellspring of Power, an interdimensional source of superhuman abilities, the Grandmaster – guiding force behind the return of the Squadron Sinister – has been increasing the Squadron Sinister's powers. He directs Speed Demon and the Squadron (now joined by Nighthawk, who wishes to stop New Thunderbolts leaderBaron Zemo) to find the main source of the Wellspring. For a time the character, deprived of the use of the Wellspring, is powerless and has his legs broken in a battle with New Thunderbolts memberJoystick. Empowered in the final battle against the New Thunderbolts, Speed Demon takes advantage of the chaos caused when Zemo defeats the Grandmaster to viciously beat Joystick in retaliation for his injuries. Speed Demon and the members of the Squadron scatter and escape.[21]
Speed Demon appeared inBrand New Day as one of the villains in the Bar With No Name.[22] He later joinedThe Hood's gang, and attacksMister Negative.[23]
InMarvel Now!, Speed Demon appears as a member of the latest incarnation of theSinister Six.[24] Speed Demon features as one of the main characters inSuperior Foes of Spider-Man.
Speed Demon later appears robbing a pawn shop withMan Mountain Marko when they are caught byRage. After a brief fight, they escape while Rage gets arrested by theAmericops.[25] He is later captured by Sam Wilson, as the formerCaptain America, who forced him to confess of his and Marko's involvement in the pawn shop robbery.[26]
Speed Demon was among the villains who were killed byBlack Ant and a restored Hank Pym and revived to join theLethal Legion.[27]
As a result of mutagenic chemicals concocted under the Grandmaster's mental guidance, Speed Demon possesses superhuman speed, stamina, and reflexes. The character can createcyclones by running in circles, as well as run up walls and across water. Speed Demon's superhumanly fast thought processes and reflexes enable him to perceive his surroundings while moving at high speeds, pick up objects, and execute complex acrobatic maneuvers.
James Sanders possesses a master's degree in chemistry.
An alternate universe variant of James Sanders fromEarth-58163 appears inNew Thunderbolts #11. This version is a biochemist.[31]
A zombified alternate universe variant of Speed Demon from Earth-2149 appears inMarvel Zombies.[32]
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