Erik Josten
Erik Josten is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Erik Josten
He was one brother from a large Midwestern farming family which included Carl and Conrad. Erik's sister Lindy died in an accident and Erik blamed himself, thinking he could have prevented her death. Wracked with guilt, Josten ran away to join the US Army. (Thunderbolts v1 #10)
He was hired by Nazi scientist Baron Heinrich Zemo to smuggle stolen technology into Zemo's secret South American stronghold. With this equipment, Zemo built a machine that could project an unknown form of mutagenic radiation capable of bestowing superhuman physical powers to a subject. Zemo's first subject was industrialist Simon Williams, who became known as Wonder Man. (Avengers v1 #9) When Zemo fled his South American base shortly thereafter, he left his 'ionic ray' machine functional. Josten, who had been wounded by South American authorities in his latest smuggling venture, sought refuge in Zemo's now abandoned fortress and learned of Zemo's machine. There, Josten came to the mystical attention of the Enchantress, the Asgardian goddess who had been a former ally of Zemo. The Enchantress offered Josten the chance to submit to 'ionic ray' treatment and he readily accepted. When the radiation treatment was through, Josten emerged with physical powers roughly equivalent to those of Wonder Man. The Enchantress produced a costume for him and dubbed him Power Man. Traveling to the United States, Power Man assisted the Enchantress in her scheme to discredit and defeat the Avengers. (Avengers v1 #21) When that plot failed and the Enchantress disappeared, the love-smitten Power Man surrendered to the Avengers. (Avengers v1 #22) Power Man soon met and allied himself with the criminal Swordsman and the Russian spy, the Black Widow, who at the time had been brainwashed by the Red Chinese. In battle with the Avengers, Power Man and the Swordsman were defeated but not taken into custody. Shortly thereafter, they were pitted unsuccessfully against Captain America by the Red Skull. The Skull returned the two to where he found them and shortly afterwards the two partners were summoned by the Mandarin to aid him in his scheme of world conquest. Defeated by the Avengers in South America, Power Man and the Swordsman managed to escape while extradited back to the United States. (Avengers Annual v1 #1)
Afterwards, he was recruited by Wonder Man to join his team of anti-hero Revengers who sought to forcibly disband the Avengers for being a menace in the world. Josten agreed out of resentment of the heroes rejecting his efforts at joining them where he participated in the attack on Avengers Mansion. Afterwards, he joined his team in assaulting Avengers Tower but they were defeated by the Avengers, New Avengers and the Secret Avengers leading to Erik's arrest alongside his compatriots. (Avengers Annual v4 #1)
During the War of the Realms, the Dark Council and their forces came to invade Earth leading to the Frost Giants laying a claim to North America to become their New Jotunheim. Lady Freyja came to recruit Josten to join several other size-shifters to be part of a strikeforce to infiltrate the Frost Giant's territory and slay their progenitor Ymir. (Giant-Man v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Erik Josten as Power Man was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck where he made his first appearance in Avengers v1 #21 (October, 1965).
- He was reinvented as the Smuggler by Roger Stern and Jim Mooney with him taking on this identity in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man v1 #49 (December, 1980).
- For a time, he took on the identity of Goliath starting in Iron Man Annual v1 #7 (October, 1984).
- The character was then reinvented as Atlas by Peter David and Mike Deodato where he took on this identity in Incredible Hulk v1 #449 (January, 1997).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In The Marvel Super Heroes, Erik Josten appeared as Power Man in the animated television series Captain America and Avengers segments where he was a voiced by actor Paul Kligman.
- In Avengers Assemble, Erik Josten appeared in the animated television series Ultron Revolution season where he was voiced by actor Jesse Burch.
Video games
Appearances
- Avengers v1: (1965)
- Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man v1: (1980)
- Iron Man Annual v1: (1984)
- Incredible Hulk v1: (1997)
- Thunderbolts v1:
- New Avengers Annual v2:
- Avengers Annual v4:
- Thunderbolts:
- Old Man Hawkeye v1:
- Giant-Man v1:
External Links
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