WHALE
WHALE
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human cyborg? (nanotech user?) mutant? or mutate?
Occupation: Terrorist, scientist
Group Membership: Hydra
Affiliations: Baron Strucker;
formerly
Big, Maximillian Braniff,
George Leon;
various cyborg? subordinates in Hydra
Enemies: Big, Wolverine
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed
First Appearance: Wolverine: Inner Fury (November, 1992)
Powers/Abilities:
A double leg amputee, the Whale was a genius, particularly skilled in the
development of nanotechnology. He had gills and appeared to live with his head
submerged in a fluid tank. He appeared to feed on fish that were placed in that
tank. He designed various forms of nanotechnology that could be used as weapons
or to treat diseases. He also had access to advanced technology including
surveillance equipment, computers, a laboratory, and a large
catapult/launch/eject device. He used electronics equipment to broadcast his
voice and transmit others' voices to him.
He could barely maneuver himself away from his mechanical hoists, etc.
Height: 2'5"' (he was a double amputee)
Weight: Unrevealed (double amputee, non-humanoid physique, various metal
parts)
Eyes: Unrevealed (he was only seen with his head in a tank of green
fluid)
Hair: None
History:
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale was partnered with Big as leaders
of a Hydra project to develop nanotechnology to use as a weapon.
(Terror Inc#10 (fb) - BTS) - The nanotech project was overseen by another Hydra agent, Braniff.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - Hydra made the Whale fat and happy for awhile, feeding his body and mind with delicacies designed to keep him that way. Bloated by gourmet foods, sated with hi-tech toys, he was imprisoned and indentured to their militant machine.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - When the Whale realized Hydra intended to call his discoveries their alchemical ordinance, profiteering began to lose its appeal. Regaining his perspective, he apparently lost a large amount of weight and prepared to escape Hydra's custody.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury) - While being transported in a Hydra mobile lab (in a semi-tractor trailer rig), the Whale took a feeding and then used a nanotech weapon that caused the truck's rubber wheels to dissolve. Prepared for the subsequent wreck, the Whale escaped by unspecified means.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury - BTS) - Big arrived to investigate,
meeting with agent Leon. When Leon threatened to inform Baron Strucker that Big
was responsible for the Whale's actions, Big shot and killed Leon; the other
agents swiftly saw the folly in opposing Big.
Big planned to regain the nanotech and punish the Whale for
his betrayal.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - Big obtained a prototype nanotech virus from the Whale's reject pile.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury - BTS) - After Wolverine confronted Hydra upon learning they were investigating him, he was injected with the nanotech virus by agents of Big. Posing as a mercenary hired to wreak vengeance on Hydra by some of their victims, Big convinced Wolverine to join forces with him to track down the Whale to find a cure for the nanotech virus, which was killing him.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale visited Small Sy's Clothing for the Vertically Challenged, arranging a rush job and paying extra to have the pants hemmed to mid-thigh.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale visited a fish store and devoured a guppy and possibly other pets for sale there.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale purchased a four wheel drive from Ed's Used Cars.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale paid customs officials to smuggle illicit electronics for him.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale set himself up in a laboratory along the coast of...??
(Wolverine: Inner Fury (fb) - BTS) - The Whale bought a movie ticket so that he could use their theater's bathroom.
(Wolverine: Inner Fury) - Wolverine and Big tracked the Whale
to his laboratory. Detecting their approach via his surveillance cameras, the
Whale opened a hatch and launched himself out into the woods. He hid underwater
in a creek or inlet, using a hollow tube to breathe, but Wolverine quickly found
him and hauled him out. He carried the Whale -- dripping mud and what he soiled
himself with -- back to the laboratory, where he tried to tell Wolverine of
Big's true nature, though his electronics had begun to short out and he couldn't
communicate clearly. As Big battered the helpless Whale, Wolverine revealed that
he had figured out the truth, but Big revealed there was no cure for the
nanotech virus. His body failing, Wolverine shoved his claws into his own brain,
which essentially rebooted his nervous system and his healing factor as it
regenerated, allowing the healing factor to focus on the real problem, the
nanotech virus.
Assuming Wolverine had killed himself, Big decided to dispose
of his body so that Wolverine's teammates wouldn't link him to the death and
seek vengeance. As the chainsaw scraped against Wolverine's re-Adamantiumized
shoulder, it broke apart, and the kickback hurled him against a hanging hook,
which pierced his chest, apparently killing him.
Recovering, Wolverine took the Whale and departed, ignoring his exclamations of how the nanotech could be used to cure cancer, etc., and warning approaching Hydra cyborgs not to try to stop him.
Comments: Created by D.G. Chichester and Bill Sienkiewicz.
The Whale, and those around him, were frequently making comments associated with fish or other marine life. He repeatedly said, "They call me the Whale, but I'm really a shark." or something to that effect. He did look more like a shark, but he wasn't a fighter in the least. Further, he said people called him the Whale behind his back, but no one ever called him anything but the Whale, to his face or otherwise.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:
images: (without ads)
Wolverine: Inner Fury, p2, panel 2 (full body)
panel 3 (face
with tank; w/ cyborg? assistant)
p3, panel 4 (profile, face close-up)
Appearances:
Wolverine: Inner Fury (November, 1992) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Bill
Sienkiewicz (artist), Suzanne Gaffney (editor)
Terror Inc#10 (April, 1993)
Last updated: 07/29/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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