SLAPSTICK
Real Name: Steve Harmon (see comments)
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Student, vigilante
Group Membership: Avengers Resistance, Counter Force, the Initiative, New Warriors
Affiliations: Scott Adsit, A.R.M.O.R. (Isabel
Cabrera, Teresa Rigotti, Taurette, others), Armory (Violet Lightner), Sydney Deborah Bartsch, Bengal,
Black Goliath (Tom Foster), Cable (Nathan Summers),
Luke Cage, Captain America (Steve Rogers),
Cloud 9, Constrictor, Damage Control, Daredevil (Matt Murdock),
Firestar (Angelica
Jones), Gauntlet, Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch/Noble Kale), Barb Halsey, Hardball, Hawkeye (Clint Barton),
Heather (classmate), Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry), Highwayman (Jefferson Archer), Maria Hill, Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Impossible Man,
Invisible Woman (Susan Richards), Iron Fist, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mike Jefferies, Joey (classmate), June, Justice (formerly
Marvel Boy; Vance Astrovik), Komodo, Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Monstro, Namorita, Night
Thrasher (Dwayne Taylor), Nova (Rich Rider), Mary Jane Parker, Mike Peterson, Quasar
(Wendell Vaughn), Quasimodo, Rage (Elvin Haliday), Scarlet Spiders, Scientist
Supreme of Dimension X, Scorpion (Carmilla Black), She-Hulk, S.H.I.E.L.D. (Emily Preston, others), Speedball (Robbie Baldwin), Speedball (Darrion
Grobe), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), the Thing (Ben Grimm), Thor (Eric
Masterson), Thor Girl (Skrull imposter), Timmy, el Toro Negro, Trauma, Triathlon, Turbo (Mickey Musashi), Ultragirl, Umbral Dynamics, Mr. Van Patrick, Vinnie (classmate), the Vision, Visioneer, Yellowjacket (Criti Noll);
other students at his
high school
Enemies: Armadillo (Antonio Rodriguez), Badoon, Baron (Helmut) Zemo, Baylee Ann, Beyond Corporation, Big Wheel (Jackson Weele), Bill, Black Patch, Blood-Spider (Michael Bingham), Brain Drain (Werner Schmidt), Bro-Man, Brother Grimm, Bruiser, Celestial Destructor, Charlie Chainsaw, Cobalt Man (Ralph Roberts), Crazy Gang (Executioner, Jester, Knave, Red Queen, Tweedle-Dope), Crime-Master, Death Adder (Theodore Scott), Death-Shield (Timothy Karlskin), Dr. Bong (Lester Verde), Dr. Denton, Dr. Rot, Dr. Yesterday, Doombot, Evil Deadpool, Force of Nature (Aqueduct, Skybreaker, Sunstreak, Terraformer), Freedom Force (Challenger, Cloud-9, Equinox, Think Tank), Gorgonzola, Griffin, Hammerhead (Joseph), the Hand, Hindsight Lad (Carlton LaFroyge), Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley), Jack O'Lantern, Jagged Bow (Joseph Emberlin), KIA, Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), Lay-Zee-Boyee, Caroline le Fey, Leader (Sam Sterns), Legions of Skratch, Living Laser, Lord Deathstrike, Madcap, Mephisto, Mole Man (Harvey Elder), Moloids, Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Ellie Phimester), the Neutron Bum, Nightmare, Nuke (Frank Simpson), Orb (Drake Shannon), Norman Osborn, Overkiller, Overlord of Dimension X, Ozarks Kingpin, Queen Princess, Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Radioactive Man (Chen Lu), Ragnarok (Thor clone), Razor-Fist (Douglas Scott), unidentified Rigellian Recorder, Rhino (Alexei Sytsevich), Rocksalt, Sandman (William Baker), Scarecrow (Ebenezer Laughton), Scorcher, Shadow Initiative (Badd Axe, Ringer, Warbow), Skrulls, robot Thors, Scorcher (Steven Hudak), Secret Empire, Slayback, Swarm (Fritz Von Meyer), Taskmaster (Tony Robbins), Tater Pud, Taurs (D.I.Y. Taur, Imposter-Syndrome Taur, Lead-Negotiator Taur, Pegataurs), el Tenor (Ferraro Colon), Tiger Shark (Todd Arliss), War D.O.G.S. (Crimson, Firehouse, Hardtack, High Caliber, Rex, Silent-But-Deadly, Skratch, Snowblind, Sopworth, Winston Doc Saint), Warbound (Hiroim, Hulk, Elloe Kaifi, Korg, Miek), Wendigo, Wrecking Crew (Bulldozer/Henry Camp, Piledriver/Brian Calusky, Thunderball/Elliot Franklin, Wrecker/Dirk Garthwaite), Zapata Brothers (Gus Zapata, Rigo Zapata)
Known Relatives: Richard Harmon Sr. (father),
Mrs. Harmon (mother), Richard Harmon Jr. (brother), Portia Harmon
(sister-in-law), James Harmon (nephew), Lena Harmon (niece);
an uncle "Jar-Head" on
his mother's side.
Aliases: None;
formerly posed as Deadpool;
he discounted possible aliases: Joker (taken); Captain Clown (stupid); Jester (stupid AND taken)
Base of Operations: Plainview, New Jersey;
formerly Camp Hammond, Stamford, Connecticut
First Appearance: Slapstick#1 (November, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Slapstick's body is made of living unstable
molecules (dubbed Electroplasm by the Scientist Supreme of Dimension X) and
is theoretically indestuctable. The Scientist Supreme added a molecular
stabilizer into Slapstick's left glove which allows him to maintain a minimum
of molecular cohesion. This glove also has a transformation inducer that
allows him to transform from Slapstick to his "normal" self and back. 
His
right glove contains a sub-spacial storage pocket that allows him to store
items (most commonly his mallet). He can access these items by making a
special gesture with that hand, though to anyone observing it would appear he
is pulling them out of thin air.
Of course, all that really boils down to is that Slapstick is a living cartoon character. Also, when electrocuted, he becomes stronger for a time.
Slapstick has shown the
ability to reattach his own limbs, and to grow a third arm.
Slapstick
seems to suffer from chronic depression, and extreme rage, with a
penchant toward violence.
He is vulnerable to dimensional energy blasts and the the Sword of Greykin, both of which he has wielded in combat against others like himself.
Height: Variable; (as Harmon) 5'7"
Weight: Variable; (as Harmon) 145 lbs.
Eyes: Blue pupils, yellow irises; (as Harmon) Blue
Hair: Purple; (as Harmon) Blond
History: (Slapstick#1 (fb)) - Steve Harmon was born in a New Jersey hospital after his mother went through eighty-six hours of labor. A troublesome child, when his parents bought him an "indestructible toy truck" he used it to demolish his other toys. In school he would re-interpret his assignments to make them more enjoyable for himself, such as dressing in a costume to do a report on the movie Robot Monster.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#1 (fb) – BTS) – During his tenth grade year, Steve Harmon’s class went on a field trip to Edison Museum, where Steve crushed on Barb Halsey.
(Slapstick#1) - Walking home after detention (for having a medical school cadaver delivered to a faculty dinner), Steve was approached by a clown who informed him of a carnival visiting his town. Hoping to get revenge on Don Winston, who had told the teachers the cadaver was Steve's prank, Steve dressed as a clown and went to the carnival intending to embarrass Winston. However, when Steve witnessed the carnival's clowns kidnapping people and taking them through a dimensional portal in the funhouse mirrors, he grabbed a mallet and went in after them, but as the portal was closing, Steve's body was altered.
When Steve awoke, he was imprisoned in a dungeon in Dimension X, with that dimension's former Scientist Supreme. The scientist explained to Steve what had happened to him and modified his gloves so that they would hold him together and let him become human again. The scientist prodded Steve into fighting the Overlord of Dimension X. The Overlord was using a device called the Mediocritizer to take over the minds of the kidnapped people and when Steve arrived he tried to use it on him, but Steve would not conform. Steve broke the Mediocritizer, knocked the Overlord away and led the prisoners back to Earth, breaking the mirror behind them. When they were alone, Mike Peterson revealed that he recognized Steve, his best friend, even as Slapstick and together they came up with the name Slapstick that Steve would use, not to fight crime, but to play cruel tricks on it.
(Slapstick#2) - Going to the mall with friends, Steve was annoyed by a group of young children attending Oliver Denton's birthday party. In retaliation, Steve became Slapstick and told the children he was an alien who had come to eat their blood. The Overkiller, who had come to the mall when his devices detected a mutant within, saw Slapstick, assumed he was the mutant and attacked. The two had a highly destructive fight throughout the mall that ended when Slapstick kissed Overkiller on the nose and while the mutant hunter reacted with disgust, Slapstick knocked him out. Spider-Man arrived and webbed up the villain. When Spider-Man asked what was going on, Slapstick told him off and left.
(Slapstick#3) - Steve worked up the nerve call Barb Halsey and she invited him to come to the Denton residence, where she was babysitting that night. Steve happily obliged, but when he arrived and met Barb's boyfriend Vinnie, excused himself. Soon, hearing Barb scream, he turned back and saw Oliver Denton and his robot, Teddy, attacking her. He became Slapstick, barged through the door and was quickly knocked out by Teddy. When he woke up he was being studied by Denton. When Denton electrocuted him, Slapstick became more powerful and broke free. He attacked and destroyed the device Denton used to control Teddy, who then went berserk. Slapstick fought the robot and won when he dropped a wrench into Teddy's mouth, destroying him. Slapstick gave Denton a spanking and was kissed by Barb. Slapstick left when the Denton parents arrived home and excitedly told Mike that, she may not care for him as Steve, but Barb loved him as Slapstick. Mike countered by pointing out that as Slapstick, he didn't have any organs (you know...).
(Slapstick#4) - In Manhattan waiting to see a concert, Steve, Mike and Syd witnessed a series of explosions caused by the Neutron Bum. Mike tried to convince Steve to help, but Steve didn't care until the Tower Records building was damaged. He turned to Slapstick and investigated, only to be blown away by the Bum's explosion. As other heroes began arriving at the scene, Slapstick met Speedball, Daredevil, and the Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch). Slapstick tried to explain that the Bum only wanted a cup of coffee but the heroes would not listen. As the New Warriors, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers all showed up and formulated a plan of attack, Slapstick went to a coffee shop and bought a cup. He brought it to the Bum and as he enjoyed it, knocked him out. The other heroes were unhappy with Slapstick's lack of respect and Ben Grimm punted him across town. Slapstick swore he'd be back
(Marvel Comics Presents#159/4) - Steve went with Mike to the Museum of National History in Manhattan and was amusing himself when Dr. Yesterday appeared. With three members of the New Warriors, who also happened to be in the museum, Slapstick opposed the villain.
(Marvel Comics Presents#160/4) - When Dr. Yesterday explained his plan to turn time inside-out, Slapstick decided to help the Warriors deal with it, because it would help him impress chicks.
(Marvel Comics Presents#161/1) - When Mike Peterson and Mike Jefferies were approached by time-displaced versions of Devil Dinosaur and Moonboy (who intended no harm), Slapstick attacked the monsters.
(Marvel Comics Presents#162/2) - Slapstick fought hordes of time-displaced warriors and was eventually captured by Dr. Yesterday.
(Marvel Comics Presents#163/1) - After breaking free and hurting Dr. Y, the villain shot Steve with a time-blast that reverted him to a time before he had his powers. When Yesterday undid the damage he had caused, Steve returned to his "normal" Slapstick self.
(Avengers: The Initiative#10 (fb)) - Some time later, Ultragirl and Slapstick aided the New Warriors in thwarting an invasion by the extraterrestrial Badoon. In recognition of their assistance, Ultragirl and Slapstick were made full members of the New Warriors. Slapstick jokingly asked Namorita if this meant "membership with prvileges," which nearly won him a clobbering.
(She-Hulk II#8) - After members of the New Warriors were killed battling Nitro in Stamford, a battle that cost many civilian lives, former member Hindsight Lad began revealing information of former New Warriors members on the internet. He was finally located by the She-Hulk, and she confronted him alongside Slapstick, Ultra Girl, Justice, and Rage.
(Avengers: The Initiative#1) - Slapstick became a trainee of the Initiative, and was put into basic training by the Gauntlet alongside Rage, Cloud 9, Armory, Bengal, Thor Girl, Trauma, Ultragirl, Komodo and Hardball.
(Avengers: The Initiative#3) - Slapstick's training with the Initiative continued, and he was part of the team sent to combat the Thing as preparation for facing a "class 100" threat.
(Avengers: The Initiative#4) - The Initiative's training was interrupted by the arrival of the Hulk and his Warbound in Manhattan, come for revenge against the "Illuminati" who had seemingly destroyed the Hulk's people on Sakaar. The Initiative were assigned to crowd control under Triathlon's authority, with Slapstick providing morale. However, Rage broke ranks to try and help the Avengers, and Slapstick was among the trainees who sided with Rage.
(Avengers: The Initiative#5 (fb)) - Slapstick and the other trainees were swiftly beaten by the Hulk and his Warbound.
(Avengers: The Initiative#5) - Slapstick and other trainees were imprisoned at Madison Square Gardens and given obedience disks to control them. They were rescued by the Initiative's black ops team and returned to Camp Hammond.
(World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control#1-2) - Slapstick was among the heroes who gathered in New York to volunteer their aid in repairing the Hulk's rampage with Damage Control. When the Thunderbolts objected to the use of non-registered heroes, Damage Control employee Bart Rozum stepped up to deal with them. Making a digression, Rozum wondered why Slapstick had registered with the government when he was an anarchist; Slapstick explained that "I'm a masked vigilante who's registered with the government. That's more than crazy, that's practically Dadaesque."
(Avengers: The Initiative#6) - Slapstick and the other trainees who had broken ranks were treated severely by the Gauntlet when they returned to training.
(Avengers: The Initiative#6 (fb)) - The tension between the trainees and the Gauntlet increased during the day, and Slapstick witnessed altercations between the Gauntlet with Rage and Justice. Finally tired of the Gauntlet's constant trash-talking of the New Warriors, Slapstick ambushed him on his way to work and delivered a savage beating, leaving a bloody "NW" on his chest.
(Avengers: The Initiative#6) - The ex-New Warriors Ultragirl, Slapstick, Rage, Debrii and Justice were all confined and run past S.H.I.E.L.D. for interrogation. S.H.I.E.L.D. ultimately called off the investigation when the Gauntlet awoke and identified his attacker as the Ghost. Slapstick's role in the beating was not discovered, and he laughed to himself at the memory of beating the Gauntlet.
(Avengers: The Initiative#10) - As Rage, Ultragirl, Slapstick and Debrii discussed the problems their reputations had suffered since the Gauntlet's injuries Slapstick was about to confess he was the culprit when they were suddenly contacted by Justice, using Slapstick's old New Warriors communicator. They followed a summons from Justice to the Van Patrick farm outside Bulls Gap, Tennessee. When Initiative cadets Cloud 9, Hardball and Komodo came in dire need of Michael Van Patrick's brain patterns, the former New Warriors attacked them, no longer trusting the Initiative.
(Avengers: The Initiative#11) - Before the cadets could convince the ex-New Warriors to aid them, KIA arrived. Slapstick led the charge against him, thinking himself invulnerable, but KIA's Tactigon informed him how to generate a counter charge which would destroy his molecular bonds, turning him into a puddle of goo. After KIA's defeat, Iron Man generated a charge which rebuilt Slapstick's body. Finding that KIA's brain patterns had been downloaded by the heroes and could now be transferred to a new body, Slapstick put the helmet into his infinite pockets to "save for later."
(Avengers: The Initiative#12 (fb)) - Justice, Slapstick, Rage, Debrii, the Scarlet Spiders and the Michael Van Patrick clone decided to form their own team to keep an eye on the Initiative, calling themselves "Counter Force." Slapstick revealed to Rage that he had been in his cartoon form for so long since joining the Initiative that something had gone wrong with his powers - he couldn't become Steve Harmon any more. Worse, he found he liked it that way.
(Avengers: The Initiative#21) - The new New Warriors team (Debrii, Justice, Night Thrasher, Rage, Scarlet Spiders, Slapstick) returned to Camp Hammond to fight off another clone attack, this time of the evil Thor clone, Ragnarok. They arrived just in time to save Gorilla Girl from being killed.
(Avengers: The Iniatiative#22) - The New Warriors surrounded Ragnarok, who easily held off their advances. Slapstick drew his wooden hammer and advanced on the clone, who swiftly smashed Slapstick, leaving him a puddle of goo holding an "ouch" sign. After Ragnarok left Camp Hammond to find the true Thor, Justice found the body of MVP, determined to expose the death to the public.
(Avengers: The Initiative#23) - Slapstick and the other New Warriors watched as Justice exposed MVP's death to the media. Soon afterwards he left Camp Hammond with the New Warriors.
(Avengers: The Initiative#25) - The New Warriors delivered the body of MVP to his father, Mr. Van Patrick, in rural Mississippi, but he quickly ordered them away, keeping only his cloned son with him. The New Warriors rescued Gauntlet and Tigra from their attackers, Scorcher, Living Laser, Griffin, and Razorfist, and recruited them in their fight against Osborn. They began calling themselves the Avengers Resistance.
(Avengers: The Initiative#26) - Slapstick and the others discussed recent missions and tactics at their headquarters in Chicago. Partly due to Slapstick's levity, a fight nearly broke out among the tense heroes, but it was quickly broken up as they were reminded of their true mission.
(Avengers: The Initiative#28) - When the Avengers Resistance heard that the Heavy Hitters (Nonstop, Prodigy, Telemetry) were succeeding from the Initiative due to Osborn's leadership, they debated about whether or not it was a trap, but, under Tigra's leadership, decided to investigate and recruit the heroes. When they arrived, they found the Heavy Hitters battling the Force of Nature (Aqueduct, Skybreaker, Sunstreak, Terraformer), the U-Foes (Ironclad, Vapor, Vector, X-Ray), Freedom Force (Challenger, Cloud-9, Equinox, Think Tank), members of the Shadow Initiative (Badd Axe, Ringer (Keith Kraft), Warbow), and other trainees (Brother Grimm, Griffin, Scorcher, Razor-Fist). They briefly battled, and swiftly departed with Nonstop and Telemetry, though Night Thrasher was captured. Prodigy, initially angry at Justice's team for trying to intervene, chose to remain behind and make a final stand for himself. Nonstop, Telemetry, and Debrii chose to flee the country to Europe.
(Avengers: The Initiative#29) - The Avengers Resistance (Gauntlet, Justice, Rage, Scarlet Spider, Slapstick, Tigra, Ultragirl) attacked Camp HAMMER in an attempt to free the captive Night Thrasher. They fought off HAMMER agents, Scorcher, Ringer, Quicksand, and Badd Axe before Taskmaster and Penance arrived to stop them.
(Avengers: The Initiative#30) - As Nightmare attacked Camp HAMMER, Tigra ordered Slapstick to go provide backup to the others, but he was soon overcome with his own nightmare of having to work in an office. As the battle ended, the Resistance escaped with Night Thrasher.
(Avengers: The Initiative#34) - During the battle for Camp: HAMMER, Slapstick, with a sword and shield and shouting about the Spartans, launched himself at Scorcher. Soon, the battle was joined by Penance (who revealed himself as Robbie Baldwin), Bengal, Butterball, and Batwing, and Hood rushed off with many of his soldiers.
(Avengers: the Initiative I#35) – Slapstick stood with his allies in taking down the Scorcher. As the Initiative disbanded, transitioning into a new era of heroism, Slapstick realized he had many options for himself.
(Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt#1) - When the Serpent (Cul) began his reign of terror on Earth, Steve Rogers commissioned Prodigy to reassemble the Initiative to handle the fear-induced rioting that was spreading across the country. Slapstick was among the Initiative members who gathered in Washington DC to rejoin.
(Heroic Age: Heroes I#1 – BTS) – Steve Rogers wrote about Slapstick in an Initiative report.
(Deadpool IV#1 (fb) – BTS) – Famous and considered a beloved hero for a time, Deadpool needed to expand his network, so he formed “Deadpool’s Heroes for Hire,” wanting other operatives to dress like him and complete missions in his name while making money doing so. He hired Terror Inc, Stingray, Foolkiller, Slapstick, and Solo, and required them to dress in costumes like his.
(Deadpool IV#3 (fb) – BTS) – Madcap showed up in a Deadpool costume and put himself on the team, refusing to leave when the others asked him to do so.
(Deadpool IV#7/3 (fb) – BTS) – Deadpool led the team in taking down pirates working for Black Patch.
(Deadpool IV#1) – Slapstick stopped a thief from stealing a diamond by bashing the man’s head in with an actual hammer; he was sad to remember his lost love. Later, the group met with Deadpool to discuss upcoming missions.
(Deadpool
IV#2) – Deadpool sent the Heroes for Hire to help evict drug dealers
from a home, but they were furious to learn that they wouldn’t be paid.
The team met with Deadpool, who admitted he’d been sending them on
charity cases to help others while putting his full funding behind the
Avengers. After Hawkeye delivered orders to stop using the ‘Heroes for
Hire’ name, the team demanded they wear individualized uniforms
instead, and Deadpool refused. Taking a paying gig, the team went to
empty out a tenement building, not realizing that they were working for
a corrupt landlord to evict his renters.
Slapstick kept mentioning his wife and
family, but when asked why they didn’t come around, he said they were
shy. When a gunman opened fire on Stingray, Slapstick poked the man in
the eyes, knocking out his eyeballs.
(Deadpool IV#3 (fb) – BTS) – Slapstick hired someone to dress like his wife and snuggle with him, and he gave Timmy a place to live if he promised to act like Slapstick’s son.
(Deadpool
IV#3) – The woman left Slapstick’s home after she learned he couldn’t
pay for her, so Slapstick let Timmy go as well. He cried, smelling the
woman’s wig.
(Deadpool IV#4 (fb) – BTS) – Deadpool decided to put his teammates in different colored uniforms, assigning Terror in violet, Stingray in orange, Slapstick in yellow, Solo in green, Foolkiller in blue, and Madcap in purple.
(Deadpool IV#4) – Ignoring the complaints of the team about their new uniforms, Deadpool sent them out to find anyone who might be posing as him. Deadpool identified Madcap as their foe, and he assembled his team to go after Madcap in a Fantasticar.
(Deadpool IV#5) – Slapstick and the others, now with Masacre on their team, worked on saving civilians (all driven mad by Deadpool), while Deadpool took on Madcap. In the end, Madcap blew himself up.
(Deadpool IV#7/3 (fb) – BTS) – Slapstick met June at Joe’s Diner, and he learned she had a condition where people forget her whenever they looked away from her. Tired of continually forgetting who she was, he placed a note in his interdimensional pockets to remind him.
(Deadpool IV#7/3 (fb)) – Slapstick continued to forget June, who guided him into battles with robot Thors, Wendigo, Rhino, and Quicksilver to save June, as he struggled to remember who she was. Slapstick soon learned that June was manipulating him into fighting Taskmaster, an ex-boyfriend and the only person who could consistently remember her. After Slapstick defeated Taskmaster, June went away, and he vowed he wouldn’t forget her.
(Deadpool IV#7/1) – Deadpool led his team, who began wearing their individual costumes, in an attack on Hydra.
(Deadpool IV#7/4) – After a training session, the team attended Foolkiller’s graduation with his degree in psychology.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#1) – Deadpool, now calling his team the Mercs for Money, led the mercenaries on a mission to the Beyond Corporation, where they had been hired to secure a package, promising them that all the guards were robots. After they slaughtered the guards, they took the package on their new small airship to the rendezvous point, but they found their employers had been killed, after which the Crazy Gang (Executioner, Jester, Knave, Red Queen, Tweedle-Dope) attacked. During the battle before the Mercs escaped, Slapstick traded blows with Jester. They regrouped at their secret base and opened the box, discovering a disassembled Recorder robot that spouted off future predictions.
(Deadpool
and the Mercs for Money I#2) – Slapstick accompanied Deadpool to a
meeting with Crime-Master, who brought his lackeys Jagged Arrow,
Death-Shield, and Blood Spider, but the villains turned on the Mercs.
When Death-Shield insulted Slapstick’s lack of genitals, Slapstick
savagely hit him with a hammer, knocking out Death-Shield’s eye and
some teeth, then he kicked Death-Shield in the face repeatedly.
Instead of selling the Recorder, Deadpool decided to hold an auction.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#3) – The Mercs put on suits and catered to a crowd of criminals at the auction, including members of the Secret Empire, Lord Deathstrike, Skrulls, Jack O’Lantern. Dr. Rot, Tater Pud, Baylee Ann, Mole Man and the Moloids, Mephisto, a Doombot, Death Adder (Theodore Scott), Kingpin, Crime Master, Armadillo, Scarecrow, Baron Zemo, Sandman, Dr. Bong, Norman Osborn, Brain Drain, Hobgoblin, Hammerhead, Caroline Le Fey, the Wrecking Crew (Bulldozer, Thunderball, Wrecker, Piledriver), Swarm, Leader, Charlie Chainsaw, Tiger Shark, the Ozarks Kingpin, and Rocksalt. When a fight broke out among the criminals, the Mercs got the Recorder out of there, and they agreed to sell it to the Ozarks Kingpin, soon loading the robot into the Highwayman’s truck.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#4) – From aboard the Highwayman’s rig, the Mercs for Money fought off the Hand, Slayback, Big Wheel (who ran over Slapstick and left him flat on the road), and the Orb. At a local truck stop, they were attacked by Taskmaster, the Zapata Brothers, and Bruiser, where Slapstick, wielding a jackhammer, caught up to them, and they all soon fled in the truck again.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#5) – As the Mercs, with the Highwayman, moved to make their delivery to the Ozarks Kingpin, the Crazy Gang and Evil Deadpool attacked and a fight broke out. Slapstick choked the Red Queen before evading the Executioner. In the end, Deadpool destroyed the Recorder so no one could have it.
(Deadpool IV#8) – Slapstick beat up gang members in Little Italy. The team met back at the Schaefer Theater with Scott Adsit, who delivered paychecks while Deadpool was off on a personal mission.
(Spider-Man/Deadpool I#3) – The Mercs joined Deadpool and Spider-Man in battling the Cult of Entropy in Bolivia. Deadpool paid them to speak good words about him to Spider-Man.
(Deadpool IV#14) – When the Celestial Destructor attacked the city, the Mercs for Money remained on the periphery of the battle, saving civilians as they made plans to launch their own business away from Deadpool. Slapstick was electrocuted by a live wire during the events. After interacting with Scott Adsit, the Mercs for Money trademarked their group name. They subsequently asked Cable for money to finance them, but Cable refused.
(Deadpool IV#15) – The Mercs investigated and discovered that Deadpool had been keeping a lot of money from them. The Mercs then went to New Jersey to find Deadpool’s secret bank account, but Deadpool confronted them in the bank vault.
(Deadpool IV#16) – Locked in the vault with Deadpool, the Mercs confronted him about the lies he’d been telling, and learned that he was only famous because of a mission Solo had completed while dressed as Deadpool. Additionally, Deadpool realized that Madcap had been manipulating them for months. Slapstick had hoped to use the money to restore his genitals.
(Deadpool IV#17) – When the vault was finally opened, the Mercs were fighting each other, but they soon rushed out when Deadpool set off a flash grenade. As Stingray and Solo burned their contracts with Deadpool, the fight continued outside until an explosion knocked them all out, and they woke up in restraints, held there by Emily Preston and S.H.I.E.L.D. Later, in court with Judge Fred Messihi, Deadpool claimed the bank fight had happened because of Kang the Conqueror, and the judge let them go, making them promise to pay for the damages. Deadpool ended his relationship with the Mercs, making them sign a no-compete agreement.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money II#1) – The Mercs for Money, still working with Deadpool, were hired by Umbral Dynamics to bring in radioactive-powered beings, including Negasonic Teenage Warhead in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Warhead successfully evaded the team, but Deadpool convinced her to come with them peacefully. The Mercs delivered Warhead to Umbral.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money II#2) – Gorilla-Man guided the Mercs to a temple in Viet Nam, where they faced Radioactive Man. Solo, Foolkiller, and Masacre donned radiation suits. During the following battle, Slapstick changed his feet to springs and launched at Radioactive Man, but was easily blasted aside. The Mercs began to realize that Deadpool didn’t care about them. Radioactive Man created radioactive beings to attack the others until Stingray hit him with a containment material that stopped him.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money II#3 (fb)) – Deadpool took the Mercs to New Jersey to apprehend Nuklo, but realized Deadpool had led them to Nuke instead. The Mercs stood back and led Nuke badly beat Deadpool. The next day, they attacked Cobalt Man (Ralph Roberts), and Deadpool unnecessarily put them all at risk from radiation overload during the fight.
(Deadpool and the Mercs for Money II#3) – The Mercs met, deciding they needed to end their relationship once and for all. Masacre chose to remain with Deadpool, who formed a new Mercs team.
(Slapstick
Infinite Comic I#1) – Slapstick took down a group of smugglers,
including Bill, spitting bullets back at them after they hit him with
gunfire, but he lost his payment due to the amount of violence used.
Slapstick had dinner with his family: Richard Sr., Mrs. Harmon, Richard Jr., Portia, James,
and Lena. Slapstick grew annoyed when his family didn’t want to
hear about his mercenary experiences while they praised Richard Jr’s
work in computers. When his mother commented on Slapstick’s lack of
genitals, Slapstick stormed out, then checked Deadpool’s account on the
Merk app to find new work.
At the Edison Museum, Slapstick claimed not to recognize Spider-Man and he attacked the hero, but they soon worked together to take down armed guards. Slapstick found Quasimodo using a dimensional interface that was capable of harming even Slapstick. After deterring Spider-Man, Slapstick hired Quasimodo to try and fix his condition permanently. Making plans for an eventual graphic novel about his life with Mike Peterson, Slapstick attended a football game between the Scarlet Sentinels and the Empire State Jackals. Another cartoon-man, named Bro-Man, attacked and began killing athletes.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#2) – As Bro-Man began slaughtering civilians and cops, Slapstick initially refused to get involved until he saw his nephew and niece crying. Bro-Man’s Sword of Greykin cut off Slapstick’s arm, but Slapstick was able to reattach it, then he began tossing random articles from his pouch at Bro-Man, who knocked him into a giant pile of jockstraps. Slapstick fought his way free, then Slapstick used Bro-Man’s sword to cut his foe in half. Slapstick headed home (taking half of Bro-Man) while A.R.M.O.R. agents Teresa Rigotti and Isabel Cabrera claimed the other half. Quasimodo tried opening a portal to Dimension Ecch for Slapstick, but the A.R.M.O.R. agents arrived at his home, and they teleported Slapstick back to the Hollow, where Slapstick was questioned. Then A.R.M.O.R. received news that the Taurs, a group of cartoon-ish centaurs were attacking, including Imposter-Syndrome Taur, D.I.Y. Taur, Lead-Negotiator Taur, the Pegataurs, and Taurette.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#3) – Slapstick battled the savage Taurs, Slapstick used the Sword of Greykin to slice many of the Taurs in half. Joined by Steve, Slapstick allied with Taurette, the only female Taur, and she told him the Taurs were afraid of Gorgonzola, the Sorcerer Supreme of Dimension Ecch. Mike posed as Gorgonzola to frighten the Taurs (making them poop gold), but the disguise soon failed. Slapstick tried putting Taurette in his interdimensional pocket to protect her, but she cut her way free, releasing its contents everywhere. Slapstick then used Quasimodo’s severed arm to defeat the Taurs with an ecto-plasm ray. A.R.M.O.R. arrived to contain the rest of the Taurs, and they took Taurette with them.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#3 – BTS) – Slapstick used the poop gold to buy supplies, after which he spent a week building his own portal to Dimension Ecch.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#3) – Steve came over as the portal activated, but it began turning inanimate objects in Slapstick’s room to cartoon-ish life.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#4) – Mrs. Harmon banged on the door in anger as Slapstick and Steve saw nearly everything in the bedroom come to life, an effect that spread randomly to ojects in the house. As he saved his mother from the dishwasher, she yelled that Steve was adopted, possibly joking. Just as they shut the portal down, a group of military dogs came through, called the War D.O.G.S. (including members High Caliber, Firehouse, Rex, Silent-but-Deadly, Hardtack, Crimson, Snowblind, Winston Doc Saint, Sopworth, Fisticuffs, and Skratch), and they were followed by their enemies the Legions of Skratch (including Agent 83). Steve was kidnapped back to Dimension Ecch, and A.R.M.O.R. arrived to investigate. Slapstick used his portal to send himself and the ARMOR agents to Dimension Ecch.
(Slapstick Infinite Comic I#5) – Slapstick, with his allies, found Dimension Ecch transformed, now under the rule of Queen Princess, and discovered that no one there had genitals now; Slapstick was prophesied to engage in a conflict that would restore everyone’s "no-no parts." Mike was a captive of the Legions of Skratch and their E.V.I.L. allies, including Gorgonzola, so Slapstick and A.R.M.O.R. attacked, with Slapstick wielding the Sword of Greykin and Quasimodo’s arm, though Gorgonzola destroyed both weapons. Slapstick broke Gorgonzola’s spine with his mallet, then tried to free Steve from the robot chair Lay-Zee-Boyee. Princess soon revealed that the prophecy was false, and she had been turning toons into babies to try and quell the no-birth crisis.
(Slapstick
Infinite Comic I#6) – Slapstick and Mike pretended to fight in an arena
for the Princess’s entertainment until they were mentally influenced by
the head of Julius K. Flakfyser, who guided them out of the arena, and
confessed how he had helped the Princess rise to power. After battling
guards with the A.R.M.O.R. agents (and being wounded by cartoon tobacco
on his tongue), Slapstick battled the Princess (who had an infinite
pocket in her cleavage) while Mike used a De-Animator to reimagine
Dimension Ecch, giving the citizens their "dinguses" back. Princess
offered to marry Slapstick and give him her prepared "Infinity Dingus,"
but he defeated her instead. Slapstick was surprised when Isabel
flirted with him.
(Deadpool IV#28) – Slapstick played cards with Domino.
(Spider-Man/Deadpool I#19 (fb) – BTS) – El Tenor hired Slapstick to retrieve some film negatives from a warehouse in Hoboken, New Jersey.
(Spider-Man/Deadpool I#19) – At the warehouse, Slapstick sparred with Deadpool and Spider-Man, and they got the negatives out of his pants. Deadpool and Spider-Man then hid in Slapstick’s infinite pocket, exiting to help fight mobsters. Slapstick manifested a third arm during the fight, then drew three guns with which to fight the criminals. Slapstick switched out the negatives and left the heroes behind. Later, he returned the real negatives to el Tenor, who knocked Slapstick out with gas instead of paying him.
(Spider-Man/Deadpool I#20) – El Tenor put Slapstick in restraints and, after some exposition of his history, left him in the hands of el Toro Negro, who was supposed to kill him before Slapstick befriended him. Slapstick escaped and helped take down el Toro Negro. Deadpool shot Slapstick in the head for revenge, knowing he would survive.
(Despicable Deadpool I#298) – Captain America and Maria Hill called together some of Deadpool’s former allies, including the former Mercs for Money, to discuss a plan in taking him down.
(She-Hulk I#163 – BTS) – Season 3 of the Slapstick show was advertised.
Comments: Created by Len Kaminski and James Fry III
In the old Bullpen Bulletins page, Slapstick was voted best new character
of 1992 over Carnage.
Jar-head is a slang term FROM the army. (Glad I read all those 'Nam glossaries). A jar-head means a marine. So Slapstick had a marine for an uncle? --John McDonagh
James Fry himself adds: Somewhere out there, in a parallel universe in which Len and I got to do
more Slapstick adventures, his Rogues' Gallery would have expanded to include
such previously established Marvel villains as:
In Slapstick Infinite Comic I#1, Slapstick’s mother calls him Steven Winsor McKay Harmon. In #2, she calls him Steven Charles Jones Harmon. In #4, she calls him Steven William Hanna Joseph Berbera Harmon. She also states in #5 that Steve is adopted, though she might have been joking.
Slapstick has an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook. Fry revealed Syd's full name for Slapstick's profile in OHotMU A-Z HC#10.
by Patrick D Ryall and Prime Eternal.
Update by Chadman (2011-2018)
CLARIFICATIONS:
Slapstick should not be confused with:
Images taken from:
Slapstick#3, page 17, panel 4
Slapstick#4, page 6, panel 6
Slapstick#1, page 30, panel 1
Slapstick Infinite Comic I#1, cover (main)
Deadpool IV#1, p14, pan5 (in Deadpool costume)
Deadpool IV#4, cover (yellow costume)
Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#1, p5, pan1 (with chainsaw)
Spider-Man Deadpool I#19, p18,
pan1 (3 arms)
Slapstick#1-4 (November, 1992 - February, 1993) - Len Kaminski
(writer), James W. Fry III (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Bobbie Chase
(editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#159-163 (July-September, 1994) - Fabian Nicieza
(writer), Robert Walker (pencils), Scott Koblish (#159-162) & John
Stanisci (#163) (inks), Richard Ashford (editor)
She-Hulk II#8 (July, 2006) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Smith (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report#1 (2007)
Avengers: The Initiative#1-5 (June-October, 2007) - Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#6 (November, 2007) - Dan Slott (writer), Steve Uy (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control#1-2
(March-April, 2008) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Salva Espin (artist),
Nathan Cosby (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#11 (May-June, 2008) - Dan
Slott, Christos N. Gage (writers), Stefano Caselli (artist), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#12 (June, 2008) Dan Slott, Christos N. Gage (writers), Steve Uy (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#21-22 (March-April, 2009) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#23 (June, 2009) - Christos N. Gage (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#25 (August, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler/inker), Jeannine Schaefer (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#26 (September, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer),
Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Jeannine Schaefer
(editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#28 (November, 2009) - Christos Gage (writer),
Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#29 (December, 2009) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Jorge Molina (penciler), Victor Olazaba (inker), Bill
Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#30 (January, 2010) – Christos Gage (writer),
Jorge Molina (penciler), Victor Olazaba, Andrew Hennessy (inkers), Bill
Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#34 (May, 2010) – Christos Gage (writer), Jorge
Molina (penciler), Andrew Hennessy (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: the Initiative I#35 (June, 2010) – Christos Gage (writer),
Jorge Molina (penciler), Andrew Hennessy (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt#1 (July, 2011) - Sean McKeever (writer), Mike Norton (artist), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Heroic Age: Heroes I#1 (November, 2010) – various writers, Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt I#1, 5 (July, September, 2011) – Sean
McKeever (writer), Mike Norton (artist), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Deadpool IV#1-5 (January-March, 2016) – Gerry Duggan (writer), Mike
Hawthorne (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (editor)
Deadpool IV#7/4 (April, 2016) – Ben Acker, Ben Blacker (writers), Danilo Beyruth (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Deadpool and the Mercs for Money I#1-5 (April-August, 2016) – Cullen
Bunn (writer), Salvador Espin (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Deadpool IV#8 (May, 2016) – Gerry Duggan (writer), Matteo Lolli (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Spider-Man/Deadpool I#3 (May, 2016) – Joe Kelly (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Jordan White (editor)
Deadpool IV#14-17 (August-November, 2016) – Gerry Duggan (writer), Mike
Hawthorne (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (editor)
Deadpool and the Mercs for Money II#1-3 (September-November, 2016) –
Cullen Bunn (writer), Iban Coello (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Slapstick Infinite Comic II#1 (February, 2017) – Reilly Brown, Fred Van
Lente (writers), Diego Olortegui (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Slapstick Infinite Comic I#2-6 (March-July, 2017) - Reilly Brown, Fred
Van Lente (writers), Reilly Brown, Diego Olortegui (artists), Jordan
White (editor)
Deadpool IV#28 (May, 2017) – Gerry Duggan (writer), Salvador Espin (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Spider-Man/Deadpool I#19 (September, 2017) – Joshua Corin (writer), Will Robson (artist), Devin Lewis (editor)
Spider-Man/Deadpool I#20 (October, 2017) – Joshua Corin (writer), Will
Robson (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Devin Lewis (editor)
Despicable Deadpool I#298 (June, 2018) – Gerry Duggan (writer), Mike
Hawthorne (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (editor)
First Posted: 11/23/2004
Last updated: 11/02/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099
Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!