THUNDERCLAP

Real Name: Stanley George Johnson

Identity/Class: Human technology user (U.K. citizen)

Occupation: Adventurer:
    former electronics salesman

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

Enemies: Unidentified gang attempting to flee the police, Bantam, Pro-Registration forces

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Blunderclap" (Spidey's nickname)

Base of Operations: New York City, New York

First Appearance: Spider-Man#607 (UK Weekly, 27th October 1984)

Powers/Abilities: Using metal gloves connected to a hydraulic device on the back of his costume, Thunderclap can harness potential and kinetic energy to clap his hands together faster than the speed of sound, generating sonic booms of approximately 200 decibels. 

    The main force of these "thunderclaps" can be directed to an extent (he was able to knock out a gang of crooks while leaving Spider-Man, who was directly above the gang, awake), but the residual sonic energy goes out in a sphere from his hands, and is powerful enough to shatter glass and partially deafen people for at least a block's radius. 

    Thunderclap's hearing is not affected by his power, protected by silicone cups on the sides of his cowl and an electronic device which muffles the noise of his sonic booms while amplifying quieter noises to higher decibel levels. He is knowledgeable in electronics and is skilled at reverse-engineering.

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 176 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Strawberry blond

History: (Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Born in West Bromwich, a town in the West Midlands region of England, Stanley George Johnson dreamed of living what he perceived to be the celebrity lifestyle of a costumed superhero. He elected to use his electronics knowledge to achieve this aspiration, but lacked the expertise to develop the advanced tech he would need. However, he proved adept at reverse-engineering the inventions of others, and while struggling to make a living as an electronics salesman in London, Stan successfully assembled a hydraulic device and gloves allowing him to generate sonic booms when he clapped. Judging himself ready to launch his new career, Stan went to the mecca of superheroes, New York City, and adopted the costumed identity of Thunderclap.

(SMW#607/1) - Wednesday night in New York City, and Spider-Man had intervened in a police chase, forcing a van-load of gun-toting criminals to crash their getaway vehicle. The officers in the pursuing patrol car had exited their vehicle and were watching as Spider-Man took on the thugs pouring out the van, when another costumed figure arrived on the scene. Walking between the two law enforcement officials, the newcomer shouted to Spidey that he would take over and deal with the goons, just as Spider-Man hauled himself up on a webline and out from the middle of the melee. The interloper introduced himself as Thunderclap, then clapped his metallic gloves together, created a powerful sonic boom. This incapacitated the criminals, but also shattered all the glass in the neighbourhood and left Spidey and the cops with their ears ringing. The eager Thunderclap was somewhat crestfallen when the senior hero pointed out his mistake, then left him to explain the mess to the angry policemen.

(SMW#607/1 - BTS) - Thunderclap told the arriving press that it was Spider-Man who had caused the property destruction, and the next morning the Daily Bugle newspaper's front page carried a picture of Thunderclap taken by Peter Parker along with the byline "A Real Hero: Thunderclap Halts Spiderman Threat!"

(SMW#611 (fb) - BTS) - Enjoying his new celebrity status, Thunderclap attended a concert in costume. Enjoying the music, the excited Thunderclap forgot his gloves were activated and began applauding, literally bringing the house down. The incident was widely reported, a humiliating ending to his brief moment of public popularity. Hearing of the incident, an amused Spider-Man hoped this meant he would now not be stung with the repair bill for the damages Thunderclap had caused during their encounter.

(Civil War: Frontline#3) - After the Super-Human Registration Act was passed, Thunderclap chose not to register. The pro-Registration hero Bantam attempted to apprehend him, leading to a very public half-hour fight which ended when Thunderclap's sonic boom accidentally sent Bantam flying back into a gas truck, which exploded. Bantam was killed, and the guilt-ridden Thunderclap escaped in the subsequent chaos.

Comments:  Created by Mike Collins, Barry Kitson and Mark Farmer.

    In case it's not clear from the text, Thunderclap appeared in an original Marvel U.K. story which was published in the weekly Spider-Man comic. Comments within the story help place where it belongs in relation to Spider-Man's US titles, with Spidey thinking about his relationship problems with the Black Cat, and recent encounters with Frog-Man. The end of the story leads directly into the start of Amazing Spider-Man Annual#18.

    Though the U.K.-originated story finishes in Spider-Man #610, the next issue's editorial page includes "excerpts from Peter Parker's diary," which covers his departure from London and return home. One of the entries reveals what had happened to Thunderclap while Spidey was overseas, and includes the first color picture of him (directly above).

    Spidey also makes passing mention of a recent encounter with a novice hero called "Red Devil" -- I'd guess he possibly means Red-Nine. Although that hero didn't appear until early the next year, the UK writer might have been given advance notice of upcoming storylines. If it isn't Red-Nine, then I'm not sure who he was referring to, as I'm not aware of anybody that Spidey has met called Red Devil.

    Before anyone writes in to correct the profile, let me state that Spider-Man's name is generally hyphenated. However the newspaper headline mentioned in the history above (and several instances in the story) ran his name together as one word -- hence when I quoted the headline above I also wrote it as Spiderman, exactly as it appeared on the page in question. It's a mistake, but not my mistake.  

    Thanks to the Appendix, Thunderclap made his U.S. debut. Prior to Civil War breaking out, Marvel asked us to suggest some minor characters who might be affected by Superhuman Registration and take sides in the conflict. Thunderclap was one of those put forward, and subsequently turned up in Civil War: Frontline #3, where he proceeded to screw up even worse in his second appearance than he did in his first. This also enabled us to include him in the wanted posters at the end of Civil War Files, and Mike Collins kindly provided us with Thunderclap's secret identity to be revealed therein.

Profile by Loki

CLARIFICATIONS: Thunderclap should not be confused with

• Thunder, deity worshipped by the Incas, @ Thor Annual#7
• Thunder, the steed of the Two-Gun Kid, @ Two-Gun Kid #60
• Thunderball, member of the Wrecking Crew, @ Defenders I#17
• Thunderbird, John Proudstar of the X-Men, @ Giant-Size X-Men#1
• Thunderbird, member of the X-Babies, @ X-Babies#1
• Thunderbird, member of the Exiles, @ Exiles#1
• Thunderbird, member of X-Force, later called Warpath, @ New Mutants I#16
• Thunderbird, Neal Shaara of the X-Men, @ X-Men II #100
• Thunderbirds, servants of the Manitou, @ Ghost Rider II#49
• Thunderbolt, William Carver, a super-speedster, @ Power Man#41
• Thunderbolt, Luis, given a copy of Carver's suit by Justin Hammer, @ Incredible Hulk Annual#17/5
• Thunderbolt, a drug which gave superhuman strength, @ Wolverine II#31
• Thunderbolts, a street gang which stole Klaw's blaster, @ Daredevil I#69
• Thunderbolts, former supervillains turned heroes, @ Incredible Hulk II#449
• Thunderbolts of Counter Earth-Franklin, @ Thunderbolts #59
• Thunderboot of the Triumvirate of Terror, @ Avengers I#39
• Thunderchick, hero of Earth-Amalgam, @ Generation Hex #1 (letters)
• Thunderclaw, foe of the Rawhide Kid, @ Rawhide Kid III #2
• Thunder Cockroach, the Tordenkakerlakk, @ Marvel Graphic Novel#22: Spider-Man: Hooky
• Thunderer, Golden Age hero Jerry Carstairs, @ Daring Mystery Comics#7
• Thunderer, Lei-Kung, martial artist teacher of Iron Fist, @ Marvel Premiere#15
• Thunderfist, member of the World War II Crusaders, @ Invaders I#14
• Thunder Girl, an alias of Titania, @ Amazing Spider-Man I#429
• Thunderguard, enforcers of the rule of Doom on Earth-Doom, @ A-Next#10
• Thunderhammers, weapons based on Thor's hammer Mjolnir, @ Avengers Forever#1
• Thunderhawk of Earth-Amalgam, @ Generation Hex#1 (letters)
• Thunderhead, a flying island destroyed by SHIELD, @ Captain American I#265
• Thunderhead, of the Headshop, @ Incredible Hulk II #437
• Thunderhead of Earth-NU, member of the Medusa Web, @ Psi-Force#18
• Thunderhoof, Kymellian member of Force Four, @ Power Pack I#50
• Thunderhorn, amplifies sound to use as a weapon, @ Fantastic Four I#158
• Thunder-Horn, of Dinosaur World, @ Devil Dinosaur#3
• Thunder Man, superhero of Comicsville, @ 2001: A Space Odyssey#5
• Thunderriders, motorcycle stunt team formerly known as Team America, @ Thing I#27
• Thunderstrike, hero formerly merged with Thor, @ Thunderstrike#1
• Thunderstrike of Earth-MC2, @ What If? II#105
• Thundersword, given powers by the Beyonder, @ Secret Wars II#1 

Images:
Civil War: Front Line#3, p9, panel 1 (main, blue and yellow 2nd costume)
Spider-Man (U.K. Weekly)#607, p5, panel 6 (bodyshot)
Spider-Man (U.K. Weekly)#607, p5, panel 7 (headshot)
Spider-Man (U.K. Weekly)#607, p5, panel 4/5 (clapping)
Spider-Man (U.K. Weekly)#611, editorial p1 (red and yellow 1st costume shot)
Civil War: Front Line #3, p10, panel 3 & p11, panels 3&4 (Thunderclap reacts to accidentally killing Bantam)