GOPHER GOPHER
Real Name: Thomas "Tommy" (last name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Normal Human
Occupation: Marvel Comics Intern
Affiliations: Would-be ally of the She-Hulk
Enemies: Electro, Man-Elephant of Earth-Marvel Comics
Known Relatives: unnamed father
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: Sensational She-Hulk#51 (May, 1993)
Powers/Abilities: None, except for an all-consuming desire to be a costumed crimefighter.
History: (Sensational She-Hulk II#51)- Tommy is one of the teenage interns at Marvel Comics, the publishers and distributors of numerous fictionalized series based on actual costumed crimefighters in New York City. Under unknown circumstances, one of their fictionalized villains, a humanoid elephant called the Man-Elephant, came to life and set about using technology into transforming the elephants at the New York Zoo into humanoid counterparts as itself. Tommy was able to get the attention of the She Hulk visiting Marvel at the time and took a costume in hopes of fighting at her side as the Gopher. The sight of him in the costume, however, struck fear in the humanoid elephants and restored them to normal as the She Hulk defeated the Man-Elephant. As the Gopher, Tommy insisted he become the She-Hulk's sidekick, but realizing he had an infatuation on her too, she turned him away rather than have to look constantly over his safety.
(Sensational She-Hulk#58)- A few days later, Tommy's father invited him to attend a demonstration of a miniaturized nuclear generator at Consolidated Maxwell. Tommy, however, was more interested in hopefully gaining superhuman powers out of the exhibition than appreciating it for its scientific merits. When Electro tried to steal the generator, Tommy became the Gopher again to help the She Hulk stop him. As she distracted him in a physical battle, the Gopher sneaked around and unplugged the generator to give the She Hulk a chance in defeating Electro. Once again, the She Hulk resisted the pint-sized hero's offer at a partnership.
Comments: Created by Scott Benson and Tom Morgan.
This version of the Gopher's history is actually a canonized version of the She Hulk issues. The actual stories involved the She-Hulk's tendency to break the fourth wall and interact with her readers and poke fun at the comic book genre in general. The Gopher's actual story concerned her entering unreleased issues of her original series and battling the Man-Elephant there. Other times Marvel characters visited the offices include a few Spider-Man battles and the X-Men pursuing the Impossible Man through the building (Uncanny X-Men Annual #7).
In She Hulk#58, Tommy non-chalantly asked the disguised Electro if he thought he could get the powers of a spider he tossed into the nuclear reactor. This is how Electro's frequent sparring partner, Spider-Man, got his powers. Possibly, Tommy was speculating wildly instead of actually knowing how the web-spinner got his powers.
by Will Uchtman
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Gopher should not be confused with:
Last updated: 02/07/03
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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