LON WILCOX

Real Name: Lon Wilcox

Identity/Class: Human, (World War II era)

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: US Military, possibly the Maulers (see comments)

Affiliations: Larry Freese, Nick Fury, James MacReedy, Russ Talbert

Enemies: Nazis

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: an unnamed air base, England, 1940's

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116 (November, 1973)

Powers/Abilities: Lon Wilcox was trained as a commando operative by Nick Fury, which included parachuting, defusing explosives, and underwater diving. He was an arrogant soldier, and not much of a team player.

History: (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116) - Lon Wilcox was a new recruit who was assigned along with Larry Freese, James MacReedy and Russ Talbert to be put through training by Sgt. Nick Fury, who had been temporarily removed from fieldwork due to mental problems. Fury ran all four of the recruits hard, and Wilcox was constantly frustrated with Fury. Wilcox intended to use his "connections" to have Fury relieved of duty due to mental incompetance, and his anger only increased when he tried to pick up a woman during an overnight pass, only for Fury to date her instead. He threw a punch at Fury, but Fury easily beat him.

Wilcox and the others were finally given an actual mission by Fury, to defuse an underwater minefield set up by the Germans to destroy Allied submarines. Fury was concerned that Wilcox's personal problems with him might interfere with his performance, but Wilcox promised to leave their enmity behind for the sake of the mission. As they began to defuse the mines, MacReedy was attacked by Nazi frogmen, and Fury tried to get Wilcox to leave the area for his own safety. Wilcox, however, did not see the frogmen, and thought that Fury was sidelining him for no reason. As Wilcox set off, he became tangled in one of the mines, but Fury came to his rescue, and brought him home alive. The mission was a success, despite the death of MacReedy, and Wilcox apologized to Fury for his behavior. Fury replied that he didn't want Wilcox's thanks, just for him to join Bull McGiveney's Maulers. "Compared to Bull-- you'll find I'm a real pussycat!"

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers and Vince Colletta.

I don't know if Fury telling Wilcox to join the Maulers was an insult, or his actual orders. Considering that the Maulers only ever seemed to have two members ("Rickets" Johnson and Bull McGiveney), it sure wouldn't have hurt them to pick up at least one other member.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Lon Wilcox should not be confused with:

• Brent Wilcox, former college classmate of Jennifer Walters, @ Sensational She-Hulk#14

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