PHILIP NOLAN VOIGT PHILIP NOLAN VOIGT
Real Name: Philip Nolan Voigt
Identity/Class: Human Paranormal
Occupation: President of the United States; former head of the Clinic For Paranormal Research; former psychology professor
Group Membership: Clinic For Paranormal Research
Affiliations: Headhunters (Bloodhound, Vice Versa, Shrapnel), Regulator (Harlan Hackbarth), Receptor (Tracy Speck), Reinforcer (Dexter Charne), Dr. Jane Semple, Psi-Hawk, Nightmask, Justice, the All-American, Metallurge, Pit Bull, Chrome (Jenny Swenson), Captain Manhattan, Quasar, Kayla Ballantine
Enemies: Jake Burnley, Dave Landers, Randy O'Brien, Andrew Chaser, "Leaker", Merriam Sorenson, Stephanie Harrington, Charlotte Beck, the Stranger, Skeletron
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Overshadow
Base of Operations: the White House, Washington D.C.; formerly The Clinic For Paranormal Research, Wisconsin
First Appearance: DP7#1 (November, 1986)
Powers: Voigt possesses the ability to duplicate the abilities of any paranormal he encounters, but at a much greater level. Thus, he has duplicated Dave Lander's strength, but is even stronger than him; he can create an Anti-Body like Randy O'Brien's, but his is much larger, and more powerful; he has duplicated Stephanie Harrington's healing ability, various telepathic powers, teleportation, telescopic vision, force fields, and an untold number of others. His favoured telepathic trick is to place mental commands within his opponents that will force them to kill themselves should they act against him.
History: (DP7#12 (fb))- On September 4, 1986, psychology professor Philip Nolan Voigt was climbing a mountain in the Colorado rockies, when "the White Event" occured. Closer to this phenomena than any other person, Voigt gained immense paranormal abilities, allowing him to duplicate the parabilities of others. During the White Event, Voigt's mind was opened, and he learnt "the meaning of everything", including the origin of the White Event itself, and the purpose of paranormals. But when the Event ceased, the knowledge faded. Journeying to the Sawyer Sanatorium in Wisconsin, Voigt contacted a former student of his, Dexter Charne, who worked there, and together they took control over the Sanatorium, and renamed it the Clinic For Paranormal Research. Convinced from the White Event that paranormals would one day rule the earth, Voigt began to gather other paranormals to the Clinic, ostensibly, to aid them in dealing with their powers, but intending to raise an army of paranormals there.
(DP7#1)- Voigt met with his three top operatives, Regulator, Reinforcer, and Receptor, to discuss the Clinic's newest patients, Randy O'Brien, Jeff Walters, Charlotte Beck, Stephanie Harrington, Dennis Cuzinski, Lenore Fenzl and David Landers. Voigt ordered them to determine which members of the group would be suitable for the CIA's paranormal force.
(DP7#2)- Learning that all seven members of the therapy group had run away, Voigt dispatched former Clinic patients (now CIA agents) Vice Versa, Bloodhound and Shrapnel to retrieve them.
(Kickers Inc.#5)- Voigt was confronted at the Clinic by John Magniconte and the Smashers, who had been informed by Stephanie's son Ben that the Clinic was after her. Voigt and Reinforcer used their powers to convince Magniconte to attack the escaped paranormals, but not even Magniconte's strength could overcome the combined paranormals.
(DP7#6)- Voigt finally turned to the CIA and their elite agents, informed them of the seven's powers, and sent them on their trail.
(DP7#10)- The CIA successfully captured six of the paranormals, but O'Brien's Anti-Body and Landers remained at large. Receptor, angered at Voigt's calm acceptance of her resignation, attempted to read Voigt's thoughts, but the backlash from the attempt knocked her unconscious. Later, Evan Huebner arrived with O'Brien's Anti-Body, but it dissipated before Voigt could capture it.
(DP7#12)- The CIA finally delivered Landers, but he had become immune to mental tampering, and was able to escape the clutches of Reinforcer and Receptor, and awaken O'Brien. Voigt confronted the two of them, and related the history of his powers and the Clinic to them. After disclosing his intention to raise a paranormal army, Landers and O'Brien attacked him. Voigt's superior strength allowed him to hurl Landers away, and his superior Anti-Body tore up O'Brien's, but when Landers returned, and O'Brien generated five new Anti-Bodies, Voigt decided to flee. His Anti-Body pulled him inside of its form, just as Landers punched the Anti-Body, seemingly destroying it. O'Brien and Landers searched the grounds, but could not find any trace of Voigt.
BTS- But Voigt was not dead, and had decided to
depart, leaving the Clinic in the hands of O'Brien and Landers.
Ultimately, the Clinic was lost when it was discovered and raided
by local authorities. 
(Psi-Force#26 (BTS))- A year later, Voigt entered the race for the presidency of the United States, making his campaign headquarters in Manhattan. "Leaker" held a meeting with journalist Andrew Chaser, to inform him that Voigt was a paranormal, but an assassin working for Voigt shot Leaker dead.
(DP7#28)- The CIA dispatched the paranormals Chrome, Stephanie Harrington, Charlotte Beck and Merriam Sorenson there, but Voigt easily took control of their minds. When O'Brien and Landers arrived, having learnt of Voigt's plan, Voigt was surprised to learn that both men were now immune to mental tampering. Therefore, he unleashed the four CIA agents on them, who easily defeated their friends. Voigt then issued an ultimatum: O'Brien and Landers would leave him be, or he would command their friends to kill themselves. O'Brien and Landers had no choice but to comply.
(Justice#29)- On November 2, 1988, Voigt won the presidental election by a landslide vote.
(Starbrand#18)- Shortly thereafter, Voigt was visited at the White House by Jacob Burnley, then-wielder of the Starbrand. Burnley had learnt of Voigt from Landers and O'Brien, and came to see if Voigt was as corrupt as they claimed. Angered by Burnley's evasiveness regarding who had sent him, Voigt attacked him, but was shocked to discover that Burnley's power exceeded his own, and could even take control of his powers, forcing him to take on every power on the planet at once. Burnley thereby stripped Voigt of all his powers.
BTS- Voigt moved the nation's capitol to Denver, Colorado, while he recovered from the loss of his powers.
(Justice#31)- Voigt met in person with Andrew Chaser, and confessed he was a paranormal, but no longer possessed his abilities. Chaser became convinced that one day, President Voigt would have to be killed.
(The War#2)- Manipulated by South Africa into starting World War 3, Voigt ordered the launch of America's nuclear missiles.
(The War#3)- However, due to the interference of the Starchild, the missiles of America, Russia, and Cuba, all failed to detonate.
(The War#4)- With the war brought to a halt by the Starchild, Voigt visited Lt. Keith Remsen, Nightmask, who had been driven insane after killing the terrorist Blowout. He also visited Mapper (Jonathan Matthews), a wounded member of the Paranormal Platoon in the hospital.
BTS- During the years that passed, Voigt recovered his powers.
(Quasar#56)- Years later, Voigt was among those paranormals summoned by Nightmask to deal with the threat of "alien invasion" by Skeletron. When Kayla Ballantine appeared the gathered paranormals and informed them that Skeletron was nearby. Voigt decided to patrol the skies, and was joined by Psi-Hawk. Before long, they encountered Kayla's boyfriend, Quasar, who had come in search of her, and the two demanded that he state his intentions. When Quasar shrugged them off, Voigt trapped him inside of his Anti-Body, and brought him back to the others.
(Starblast#4)- After Voigt deposited Quasar, he soon convinced them he was on their side, and transported them to Skeletron's vessel. Aboard there, they were attacked by Quasar's allies, who had been enthralled by the Stranger. Voigt fought Binary, and easily absorbed her energy-based attacks. Ultimately, Skeletron was trapped within the New Universe, while the Stranger brought their earth into the Marvel Universe for him to study.
(Quasar#57- Angered that the Stranger intended to use his world for experimentation, Voigt prepared to confront him, but was returned to the earth by the Living Tribunal, who then sealed the entire planet off from the Marvel Universe.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan.
Voigt's name is often mis-spelt "Voight".
No explanation has been offered as to how Voigt regained his powers, but given the scope of his powers, it's unlikely they could ever be permanently dormant. Note that Randy O'Brien seemingly lost his own powers on two occasions, only for them to resurface, stronger than before each time.
Voigt is only referred to as "Overshadow" in DP7#12, and during the Starblast crossover.
Voigt's personality in The War is somewhat askew. He behaved more like "generic movie president guy" than the Voigt we know and love to hate. You could replace Voigt with the president from Independence Day or The American President without any notice.
The New Universe possesses interesting temporal characteristics. The White Event occurred on September 4, 1986, after which events moved in real time, at least up to the War, sometime in later 1989, or early 1990. They interacted with the Marvel Universe in 1991-1992 of real time, and were last seen in 1994, at the conclusion of the Star Blast saga. It's unlikely that the characters of the NU will be seen again (a true shame), but I'd like to think that they should somehow stay in real time. In addition, as the Prime One points out, since the Living Tribunal has isolated them from the rest of the Universe, they should be isolated from Eternity as well, meaning they won't be a part of 'Marvel Time' (or lack thereof).--Snood.
Clarifications: Philip Nolan Voigt should not be confused with:
Appearances:
DP7#1-2 (November-December, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Romeo Tanghal (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Kickers Inc.#5 (March, 1987) - Tom DeFalco & Mark Gruenwald (writers), Paul Ryan (pencils), Sam DeLarosa & friends (inks), Wellington & Jackson (editors)
DP7#6 (April, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Romeo Tanghal (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
DP7#10 (August, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
DP7#12 (October, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Psi-Force#26 (December, 1988) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
DP7#28 (February, 1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Justice#29 (March, 1989) - Peter David (writer), Lee Weeks (artist), Howard Mackie (editor)
Star Brand#18 (March, 1989) - John Byrne (writer/pencils), Tom Morgan (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Justice#31 (May, 1989) - Peter David (writer), Lee Weeks (artist), Howard Mackie (editor)
The War#2-4 (1989-1990) - Doug Murray (writer), Tom Morgan (artist), Howard Mackie (editor)
Quasar#56 (March, 1994) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), John Heebink (pencils), Aaron McClellan (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Quasar#57 (April, 1994) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Peter Sanderson (co-plotter), John Heebink (pencils), Aaron McClellan (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Starblast#4 (April, 1994) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Brian Kong, Rick Buckler Jr. & Nathaniel Palant (pencils), Don Hudson & Ernie Chan (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
First Posted: 05/21/2002 Last updated: 08/01/2002
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