HALF-LIFE
Real Name: Anthony "Tony" Masterson
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Former college professor
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: The Leader (Samuel Sterns)
Enemies: The Hulk (Bruce Banner), Rick Jones, Alan Quartermain, Clay Quartermain
Known Relatives: Barbara Masterson (wife)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Formerly Miller Heights cemetery in Colorado
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II#334 (August, 1987)
Powers/Abilities: Half-Life could absorb the
strength and life energy of those around him through physical contact.
After he had grown powerful enough, physical contact was no longer
necessary for his powers to function. Half-Life's touch could kill a
normal human in a matter of moments, reducing them to a withered husk.
If Half-Life absorbs enough energy, he can gain great physical strength, although it is hard to
Half-Life's body is ordinarily withered and resembles
a corpse. He appeared to not feel any pain, and did not show any
discomfort when the Hulk tore him limb from limb. Half-Life can continue to control his limbs after they
have been torn off, and can reattach them and continue to function
normally.
After his first defeat at the
Hulk's hands, Half-Life wore a suit of titanium armor that gave him
increased durability. Half-Life rises and becomes animated only at night. During the day, he is reduced to an inanimate husk.
Height: Unrevaled (approximately 5'8'; perhaps up to 6' after gaining enough energy)
Weight: Variable (perhaps 80 lbs. in his corpse-form, but he grew larger as he absorbed life energy; perhaps 215 lbs. in his bulkiest form)
Eyes: Solid white (no visible pupil); occasionally shown with solid red eyes (while his eye color may have varied under different circumstances, this is speculated to be an art error)
Hair: Green
History: 
(Incredible Hulk II#334 (fb) - BTS) - Anthony
Masterson was a tenured professor of English living in Colorado, with a wife named Barbara and many friends. One day, however,
Masterson was caught in a gamma bomb explosion during a government
test. The bomb mutated Masterson, turning his skin green, withering him
into a corpse-like husk, and unhinging his mind. Masterson believed himself to be
dead; each night the gamma radiation in his system absorbed the earth
around him and permitted him to rise, and each morning he dried up as a
husk once again. Over the course of a year, Masterson was found in many
cities, and always reburied. 
(Incredible Hulk II#334) - Masterson (having dubbed himself "Half-Life") emerged from his grave at Miller Heights Cemetery, where the Leader was waiting for him, planning to use Half-Life as a pawn against the Hulk.
A short while later, the Hulk was passing nearby and began to grow weak, as Half-Life absorbed his powers. The Hulk located Half-Life and attacked him, but Half-Life continued to drain the Hulk's power. Half-Life bemoaned the loss of his prior life as an English professor with a family and friends, and latched onto the Hulk, determined to drain all of his life energy and strength. The Hulk's strength, he hoped, would permit him to have enough energy to remain alive and animated during the day as well as the night. The Hulk ripped Half-Life's arms and legs off and tossed them a mile away. Incapacitated, Half-Life revealed his origin to the Hulk. The Hulk was surprised to learn the government had resumed testing gamma bombs and, after his strength returned, leaped away to a safe distance. The following morning, Half-Life's limbs had almost reached him when he reverted into an inanimate husk, with vultures circling overhead.
(Incredible Hulk II#340 - BTS) - The Leader recovered
Half-Life and gave him a suit of titanium armor which would prevent
the Hulk from tearing him apart again so easily.
(Incredible Hulk II#340) - Half-Life accompanied the Leader in his lair as he monitored events. Half-Life was on hand while the Leader contacted one of his brainwashed agents at the Pentagon and learned the location where the United States government was manufacturing and storing gamma bombs.
(Incredible Hulk II#342 (fb)) - Half-Life volunteered to steal a
gamma bomb for the Leader. The Leader expressed skepticism, given that
Half-Life's only mission thus far had ended in failure.
Half-Life was insistent, and the Leader eventually agreed to give him a
chance: If Half-Life could destroy the Hulk, he could then act as the
Leader's agent to steal a gamma bomb. The Leader then teleported
Half-Life to a location in the Hulk's path.
(Incredible Hulk II#342) - As the crazed Half-Life searched
for the Hulk, he continually mistook women passing by for his wife
Barbara. In each instance, he inadvertently absorbed their life forces.
Before long, Half-Life arrived at the
residence of Alan Quartermain, where the Hulk and his allies, Rick
Jones and Clay Quartermain, were located. Half-Life attacked the Hulk
once more, absorbing his power. Before long, the Hulk grew too weak to
dispose of Half-Life as he had done before, becoming too
enfeebled to tear apart Half-Life's titanium armor.
As Half-Life and
the Hulk continued fighting, the Hulk continued to grow weaker while
Half-Life grew stronger, until the Hulk could barely stand. In his
empowered
state, Half-Life began to regenerate, his appearance grew strong and
muscular, and he found he no longer needed to make physical contact
with the Hulk to absorb his power. The Hulk reminded Half-Life that
the energy he was stealing would soon wear off, and he would be doomed
to live out his days in fear of reverting back to his deteriorating
body. Half-Life despaired and panicked at the idea, and released the
Hulk's energy in one giant
blast. When the dust settled, Half-Life had been reduced to a
skeleton, apparently dead for good.
Comments: Created by Peter David, Todd McFarlane, and Jim Sanders III.
TSR and apparent death image added by Loki.
This profile was completed 09/01/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary's celebratory event.
Profile by Stunner.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Halflife has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#334, page 18, panel 4 (main image)
Incredible Hulk II#342, page 9, panel 1 (absorbing the Hulk's power)
Incredible Hulk II#342, page 16 (full page) (empowered form)
TSR Gamer's Guide to the Marvel Universe 1989 Character Update, p89 (full body)
Incredible Hulk II#342, p18, pan3 (apparent death)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#337 (November, 1987) - Peter David
(writer), Todd McFarlane (penciler), Jim Sanders III (inker), Bob
Harras (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#340 (February, 1988) - Peter David (writer), Todd McFarlane (penciler and inker), Bob
Harras (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#342 (April, 1988) - (writer), Todd McFarlane (penciler and inker), Bob
Harras (editor)
First Posted: 09/25/2021
Last updated: 09/24/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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