Strong Guy is the alias of Guido Carosella, a fictional
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
. He was created by
Chris Claremont
Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on '' Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marve ...
and
Bill Sienkiewicz and first appeared in ''
The New Mutants'' #29 (July 1985).
Publication history
Strong Guy first appears in ''The New Mutants'' #29 (July 1985) as Lila Cheney's bodyguard known only as Guido. The character joins
X-Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...
in issue #71 in the series of the same name, and is first called Strong Guy in ''X-Factor'' #72. Guido's struggles with picking a codename are used for comic effect in the story, and ''X-Factor'' writer
Peter David
Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
admitted that in real life he had difficulty coming up with a decent codename for the character.
Fictional character biography
Early life
Born in
Rhinebeck, New York
Rhinebeck is a village in the town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie– Newburgh– Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well ...
to
working class
The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
Italian parents, Guido Carosella gained a fortune in a settlement when his parents were killed by falling space debris. Skinny and shy, Guido's mutant powers were triggered in childhood when an incident with schoolyard bullies and being hit by a bus ended in his body becoming disproportionately large and over-muscled, separating the already withdrawn boy further from his peers. He had the love and support of his aunt and uncle, who took him in after his parents' deaths. Guido coped with his emotional and physical pain caused by his mutation by developing an outgoing "public face", rarely letting even those close to him see him in any discomfort.
During the incident with the bus, another boy, Charlie Ronalds, was hurt by Guido's flailing. Due to luck, Charlie survived with only a slight limp. He would later become the villainous
Charon
In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (; grc, Χάρων) is a psychopomp, the ferryman of Hades, the Greek underworld. He carries the souls of those who have been given funeral rites across the rivers Acheron and Styx, which separate the ...
.
[''X-Factor'' Annual #8. 1993]
Lila Cheney and Muir Island
After losing much of his fortune, Guido begins to take on jobs that allow him to maintain his luxurious lifestyle. This leads to Guido becoming the long-time
roadie and
bouncer for the mutant musician
Lila Cheney. He later finds
Dazzler near Lila Cheney's Malibu house, and helps rescue her from drowning. He then finds the injured Lila Cheney when she teleported back to Malibu, and accompanies Cheney to seek help from the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
. Guido is later among the mutants living on
Muir Island
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
who are mentally controlled by the
telepath Shadow King
The Shadow King (Amahl Farouk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is particularly associated with the X-Men family of comics. His nemesis is the X-Men's leader, Professor X, while he also ...
.
[''The Uncanny X-Men'' #278] In order to satiate his bloodlust, the Shadow King encourages arena fighting amongst the Muir Island personnel. Guido receives a serious beating at the hands of Rogue.
After the Shadow King is defeated, several of the Muir Island mutants, with the help of
Val Cooper, are recruited to form a new X-Factor, a team of government operatives.
X-Factor
Guido's teammates are
Havok,
Polaris
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude th ...
,
Wolfsbane and
Quicksilver. Required to come up with a codename, Guido announces himself as "Strong Guy" at an X-Factor
press conference
A press conference or news conference is a media event in which notable individuals or organizations invite journalists to hear them speak and ask questions. Press conferences are often held by politicians, corporations, non-governmental organ ...
after hearing a reporter say, "He must be the strong guy! Every super-group has a strong guy!".
Mister Sinister manipulates Strong Guy into destroying the
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and ...
while fighting
Slab
Slab or SLAB may refer to:
Physical materials
* Concrete slab, a flat concrete plate used in construction
* Stone slab, a flat stone used in construction
* Slab (casting), a length of metal
* Slab (geology), that portion of a tectonic plate tha ...
. With X-Factor, he aids the American-supported Trans-Sabal government in a war against rebels, and fights the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, then clashes with the
Mutant Liberation Front. He also fights the
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
During his time on the team there is a blossoming relationship with a powerful
Genosha
Genosha ( or ) is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe and a prominent place in the X-M ...
n mutant and political dissident named Jo Beth. Strong Guy suffers a deep depression after being poisoned by
Cyber, the leader of the mercenary group
Hell's Belles
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several fictional teams and organizations and this page lists them.
0–9 198
A A-Force
A-Next
A.I. Army
Because of his revelation that he is now a simulated A ...
. While at a governmental laboratory where a cure was developed, Havok seemingly drinks a sample of the poison himself, in order to show Strong Guy that he is with him.
[''X-Factor'' #81] Strong Guy later participates in the battle that defeats the Hell's Belles, though Cyber himself escapes after colliding with a subway train.
[ Another subway train incident turns out much worse, as Strong Guy investigates a train crash where a small dog was the only survivor. Inevitably, the carnage deeply affected his morale.
In the 1992 miniseries " The Infinity War", Strong Guy participates in Earth superheroes' war against the Magus.][''Infinity War'' #1–6] He is specifically chosen to be one of the heroes to mystically travel the dimensions. He first participated in a fight with the alien Infinity Watch, holding up against such cosmic powerhouses as Drax the Destroyer. He later played a vital part in the final battle against the villain's doppelganger's hordes, though this was a distraction so other forces could go in and defeat the villain.[
Strong Guy is one of the many heroes sucked into the after-effects of the Infinity War. He is one of many free-thinking heroes who traveled to an alternate Earth to regain their brainwashed friends and defeat the plans of the cosmic powered ''Goddess''. He teams up with Firestar from the ]New Warriors
The New Warriors is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They traditionally consisted of teenage and young adult heroes, and were often seen to serve as a junior counterpart to Avengers (comics), ...
, who is dispatched by the brainwashed duo of Puck and Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
. Strong Guy defeats Spider-Man in battle.
Strong Guy's old friend, the cosmic teleporter Lila Cheney, shows up again and tries to persuade him to resume his former role as her roadie/bodyguard. He declines, explaining that he enjoys his life in X-Factor, where she reluctantly returns him.
Strong Guy also develops a deep friendship with Wolfsbane. They go on a road trip with the mutant Random
In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Individual ran ...
, where Guido shows Rahne his hometown friends. Guido personally escorts Wolfsbane to Muir Island
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
, when she needs specific medical attention. His other best friend on the team, Multiple Man
James Arthur Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Len Wein, he first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Giant-Size Fantastic F ...
, seemingly perishes in an attempt to remove the Legacy Virus
The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline running through Marvel Comics titles from 1993 to 2001, during which it swept thro ...
from his body.
Strong Guy remains a member of X-Factor until an incident in the South Seas island nation of Madripoor
The Principality of Madripoor or Madripoor is a fictional island located in maritime Southeast Asia appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, mostly associated with stories from the ''X-Men'' series. Based on illustrations, it ...
. Again involved with Lila Cheney, the team becomes trapped in a confrontation between her and the alien race, the K'Lanti. Lila had stolen an object of great value, called the Harmonium, during the midst of political chaos. The aliens, after destroying a city block, disperse diamond shaped bombs throughout the city. Despite the neutralization of the bombs and the return of their object, the aliens leave behind one last explosive. Guido absorbs the energy of its explosion. Despite releasing some of the energy with powerful punches, he suffers a powerful heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
.
Strong Guy spends much time in suspended animation, until the return of his seemingly-dead friend the Multiple Man
James Arthur Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Len Wein, he first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Giant-Size Fantastic F ...
, Jaime Madrox. Not fully understanding the situation, Madrox frees Guido, who continues to suffer.[''X-Factor'' #135] Forge
A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
creates a device to heal Guido.[ Afterward he chooses to accompany Lila and her band in their travels instead of rejoining the increasingly fractious X-Factor team.][''Strong Guy Reborn'' #1] Then he becomes involved in a property dispute between warring alien races, both of whom wish to control a small, barren moon. This dispute is settled when the moon is destroyed during an exchange of weapons on both sides.[
Strong Guy was later seen in ]Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...
as a member of a mutant fighting club called the Arena, in which the mutant fighters were being secretly enslaved by other mutants. He helped Storm
A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...
and Callisto Callisto most commonly refers to:
*Callisto (mythology), a nymph
*Callisto (moon), a moon of Jupiter
Callisto may also refer to:
Art and entertainment
*''Callisto series'', a sequence of novels by Lin Carter
*''Callisto'', a novel by Torsten Kro ...
in taking down the enslavers.
X-Factor Investigations
In writer Peter David's second run on ''X-Factor'', which begins in late 2005 in the aftermath Marvel's " Decimation" storyline, Strong Guy moves to New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
to become the enforcer
Enforcer or enforcers may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Comics
* Enforcer (comics), a Marvel Comics character
* Enforcers (comics), a Marvel Comics team
* New Enforcers, another Marvel Comics team
Film and television
* ''The Enforcer ...
for his friend Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organization was created by writer Peter David for the comic book series ''X-Factor'' (vol. 3). The agency first appears und ...
, on which this incarnation of the ''X-Factor'' series is centered. In so doing, he rejoins many of his former teammates from the previous, government-sponsored incarnation of X-Factor. The team included Wolfsbane, Rictor
Rapamycin-insensitive companion of mammalian target of rapamycin (RICTOR) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''RICTOR'' gene.
RICTOR and mTOR are components of a protein complex that integrates nutrient- and growth factor-derived s ...
, Siryn
Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Debuting under the codename Siryn, she later retired the name and went by Banshee, in h ...
and Monet
Oscar-Claude Monet (, , ; 14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and founder of impressionist painting who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it. During ...
at first.
Strong Guy is assigned to protect a former employee of Singularity Investigations, Henry Buchanan. Henry has proof of the illegal activities of his former company. However, Guido instead kills the man and then called Singularity CEO Damian Tryp
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organization was created by writer Peter David for the comic book series ''X-Factor'' (vol. 3). The agency first appears und ...
, revealing he was working as a mole inside X-Factor.
Strong Guy tries to tell the team that the man had vanished on him but Wolfsbane smells his blood on Guido's hands and a psychic scan by Monet
Oscar-Claude Monet (, , ; 14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and founder of impressionist painting who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it. During ...
reveals the truth. It seemed Guido had been subjected to hypnotic conditioning by Tryp to turn him into a mole (which explained his rougher attitude and some inconsistencies in his personality).
A visit with Henry's widow[David, Peter (w). ''X-Factor'' (vol. 3) #14 (February 2007). Marvel Comics.] did not go as expected; instead of reacting angrily, Alix Buchanan understood the circumstances in which Guido had acted, and forgave him. By the end of the issue they had found solace together in their mutual grief from Henry's death.[
Some time later, Valerie Cooper contacts Guido and offered him a job as sheriff of Mutant Town, the affected area in New York where large amounts of former mutants live. Guido informs Jamie Madrox that he will be taking the job, but changes his mind when Mutant Town is destroyed by the villain Arcade.
Guido dies while engaged in a job to protect J. Jonah Jameson from some super-powered assassins. He is shot through the heart; however, the cause of death is from overtaxing his damaged organ by stopping a Mandroid from falling onto a crowd. He is rushed to the hospital, but the doctors are unable to save him due to the damage to his heart. A few minutes later, however, he miraculously revives, showing no injuries. It is revealed that ]Layla Miller
Layla Rose Miller, also known as Butterfly, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in ''House of M'' #4 (Sept 2005), and was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel. Peter David has developed th ...
resurrected him; however, as a consequence of this he no longer has a soul. As a result, Guido begins acting more aggressive, and after a frustrating failed date with M, quits the group, only to return during the Hell on Earth War where he works for Mephisto
Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition.
Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film
* Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...
against the other Hell Lords. By the end of the event, he murders Wolfsbane's son Tier in order to become the Supreme Hell Lord.
When the Thunderbolts were accidentally transported to Hell, Mephisto took the opportunity to give them a way out if they defeated Strong Guy. Red Hulk
Red Hulk is an alias that is used by different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. While the first two were created from members of the United States army, the third one is a form of Hulk's Joe Fixit ...
convinced Strong Guy to abandon the position of Hell Lord and try to regain his lost soul allowing Mephisto to regain the throne and let the Thunderbolts return to Earth. When Red Hulk offered Strong Guy to return with the Thunderbolts, Strong Guy states that he will stay behind until he can regain his soul.
Return to Earth
Strong Guy returns in '' Death of X'', along with other mutants, helping the X-Men.
During the " Secret Empire" storyline, Strong Guy is seen amongst the inhabitants of the mutant nation of New Tian following Hydra's takeover of the United States.
New Mutants: Dead Souls
At some point, Strong Guy joins Magik's team of New Mutants, and is revealed to have his soul back with the help of Magik. He also reconciles with Rahne after he apologizes for killing her son. While fighting with Tran Coy Manh, Strong Guy is able to take a hold of him and Magik is forced to banish both of them to Limbo, where time passes differently. Magik is able to summon him back when she is attacked by her teammates, who are infected with the Transmode virus and are controlled by an insane Karma. However, despite only a few days passing in the real world, it has been years from Strong Guy's perspective. During the fight, he suffers from a heart attack, although techno-organic Dani saves him by infecting him with the virus. He then infects Magik.
Last X-Men and Death
A still techno-organic Strong Guy is held captive by O*N*E, who have put him inside a Sentinel along with the rest of his teammates. He is rescued by Cyclops and Wolverine. When duplicates of Multiple Man are blown up by O*N*E, Strong Guy saves everyone by absorbing the kinetic energy. However, it proves to be fatal. Strong Guy is later seen on Krakoa, having been brought back to life like so many other mutants.
Powers and abilities
Strong Guy possesses superhuman strength which he can increase by absorbing kinetic energy
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion.
It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acc ...
and use it to enhance his physical strength to an unmeasured limit. He cannot store the energy he absorbs for very long; as a rule he must physically expend the energy within 90 seconds to prevent it from permanently distorting his body. He is in constant pain from the existing distortion, although he hides it well, traditionally playing the role of team comedian to distract himself. Guido also possesses superhuman stamina and durability.
An unusual percentage of his body mass is stored in the upper half of his body, causing him to appear top-heavy and thus very imposing. Strong Guy's powers first appeared after being beaten by bullies and hit by a bus; unable to expel the energy, his body was permanently warped.[ Strong Guy's maximum strength level is such that he has sufficient power to move the ]Blob
Blob may refer to:
Science Computing
* Binary blob, in open source software, a non-free object file loaded into the kernel
* Binary large object (BLOB), in computer database systems
* A storage mechanism in the cloud computing platform M ...
, or briefly stand toe to toe with the Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, although the latter's rage-enhanced strength was so powerful that the energy of channeling merely one blow put Strong Guy in danger of a heart attack afterwards. Guido is formidable at hand-to-hand combat in the style of street fighting.
Guido has a gifted intellect and is a talented musical comedy actor and stand-up comedian. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama from New York University.
Strong Guy is nearsighted
Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...
and wears corrective "bottlecap" lenses.
Reception
* In 2014, ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' ranked Strong Guy 94th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.
* In 2018, ''CBR.com
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked Strong Guy 8th in their "Age Of Apocalypse: The 30 Strongest Characters In Marvel's Coolest Alternate World" list.
Other versions
In the "Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comics ...
" time line, Strong Guy was still Lila Cheney's bodyguard, but he was much more obsessive about her. He was jealous, almost to the point of insanity, of Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
because he and Cheney were lovers. Strong Guy was captured by Apocalypse's Infinites and had a bomb implanted in his skull. To save his own life, he betrayed the X-Men and even kidnapped Rogue and Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
's infant son. He is later killed by Rogue for his betrayal, after she absorbs all the kinetic energy stored in his body, negating his invulnerability. She then blasts the vulnerable Guido with the energy she had absorbed.
In other media
Strong Guy appears in '' X-Men: The Animated Series'' as a member of X-Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...
.
Merchandise
Bowen Designs produced a Strong Guy Mini-Bust, sculpted by Jeremy Pelletier, July 2012. It was released in Phase 5, Bust # 288. It measures approx. 9.5 inches tall.Strong Guy Mini-Bust by Bowen Designs
/ref>
In 1993, Toy Biz released an action figure of Strong Guy sporting his X-Factor uniform as part of their X-Men series. The figure featured "Power Punch" action.
Marvel and Planet Studios released a 1.25 inch/3.175 cm Full Figure pin of Strong Guy, 1994.
Hasbro released a 6" scale action figure of Strong Guy as the Build-A-Figure for a wave of Deadpool and X-Men characters in their Marvel Legends line in 2020.
References
External links
Strong Guy
at Marvel.com
Strong Guy
at Marvel Wiki
Strong Guy
at Comic Vine
Strong Guy
at UncannyXmen.net
{{X-Factor
Characters created by Bill Sienkiewicz
Characters created by Chris Claremont
Comics characters introduced in 1985
Fictional actors
Fictional bodyguards
Fictional characters from New York (state)
Fictional comedians
Fictional Italian American people
Fictional private investigators
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
Marvel Comics mutants
X-Factor (comics)