Sunday, August 26, 2007

1970's Flashback: Doc Samson


Doc Samson is a terrific supporting character who first appeared in the Incredible Hulk #141 (July 1971). He was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Herb Trimpe. After the Hulk had been temporarily cured of his gamma-irradiated condition, Leonard Samson exposed himself to the siphoned off radiation and turned into the green-tressed, super-powered hero known as Doc Samson. Like Bruce Banner's Hulk identity, Doc had super-human strength, speed, stamina and physical resistance; however unlike Banner he retained his genius-level intelligence after being transformed.

Doc Samson is a personal favorite of mine, and one who could have been a major headliner for Marvel. He has been featured in two separate mini-series, published in 1996 & 2006, but he largely remains in the background of the Marvel Universe ... until such time as someone chooses to incorporate him into one of the big team books. Then hopefully, he'll be able to break out of the pack and take his place alongside the other "big-wigs."

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