Grasshopper (character)
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The Grasshopper is the name of multiple humorous fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, all created by Dan Slott. No Grasshopper to date has survived past the issue in which they first appeared. The Grasshoppers are a simultaneous homage to and satire of stereotypical superheroes and Marvel's tendency towards animal-themed characters. They are also a lampoon of the tendency of superhero team books to introduce new, hastily developed characters only to dramatically kill them off within a few issues. The complicated romantic troubles of the first Grasshopper recall many characters with similar subplots (Spider-Man, for instance), as does the unlikely family background of the second.
Doug Taggert
[edit]| Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | (Out of continuity): GLA #1 (June 2005) (In continuity): GLA #2 (July 2005) |
| Created by | Dan Slott Paul Pelletier |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Doug Taggert |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Great Lakes Avengers Roxxon Corporation |
| Notable aliases | The Ever-Gregarious Grasshopper |
| Abilities | Armored suit grants: Superhuman leaping via robotic grasshopper legs Insectroid Sensors Zoom Lenses Minimal protection from attacks |
Grasshopper is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of the GLA miniseries of 2005. The character was created by Dan Slott and Paul Pelletier.
Fictional character biography
[edit]The first Grasshopper is Doug Taggert, an employee of Roxxon who pines for fellow researcher Cindy Shelton. He joins the Great Lakes Avengers to battle Batroc's Brigade before Zaran kills him.[1][2][3]
Powers and abilities
[edit]Grasshopper's suit gives him enhanced leaping abilities and enhanced vision.
Neil Shelton
[edit]| Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | GLX-Mas Special #1 (December 2005) |
| Created by | Dan Slott Ty Templeton |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Neil Shelton |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Roxxon Corporation |
| Notable aliases | The Ever-Gregarious Grasshopper |
| Abilities | Armored suit grants: Superhuman leaping via robotic grasshopper legs Insectroid Sensors Zoom Lenses Maximum Jump Minimal protection from attacks |
The second Grasshopper is a fictional, corporate superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of GLX-Mas Special #1, a Marvel Comics one-shot, in 2005. The character was created by Dan Slott and artist Ty Templeton, who based his design on Paul Pelletier's design for the original Grasshopper.[citation needed]
Publication history
[edit]This Grasshopper is a combined homage to Iron Man and Spider-Man, borrowing many aspects of each's histories. Like Taggart before him, Shelton did not live more than one issue.
Fictional character biography
[edit]Neil Shelton is a security guard for Roxxon who inherits the Grasshopper suit after Doug Taggert's death. He jumps into space to avoid Cindy Shelton's advances, where he dies.[4]
"The All-New Grasshopper"
[edit]| Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular #1 (September 2007) |
| Created by | Dan Slott Kieron Dwyer |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human |
| Notable aliases | The All-New Grasshopper |
| Abilities | Armored suit grants: Superhuman leaping via robotic grasshopper legs Insectroid Sensors Zoom Lenses Maximum Jump Minimal protection from attacks |
The third Grasshopper is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of the one-shot Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular #1 in 2007. He was created by writer Dan Slott[5] and artist Kieron Dwyer, who based his design on Paul Pelletier's design for the original Grasshopper.[citation needed]
Virtually no information was revealed about him other than his status as "The All-New Grasshopper" before a disgruntled Deadpool killed him by snapping his neck after being kicked out of the Great Lakes Initiative.[6] Grasshopper is later shown in Hell when Deadpool and Thanos search for Death.[7]
Skrull imposter
[edit]| Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Avengers: The Initiative #19 (December 2008) |
| Created by | Dan Slott Christos Gage |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Skrull |
| Team affiliations | Great Lakes Initiative |
| Abilities | Shapeshifting Armored suit grants: Superhuman leaping via robotic grasshopper legs Insectroid Sensors Zoom Lenses Maximum Jump Minimal protection from attacks |
The fourth Grasshopper is a Skrull imposter who helped infiltrate Earth during Secret Invasion. He was created by writers Dan Slott and Christos Gage.[8][9]
Fifth Grasshopper
[edit]| Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #43 |
| Created by | Dan Slott Rachael Stott Andrea Di Vito |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Great Lakes Avengers |
| Abilities | Armored suit grants: Superhuman leaping via robotic grasshopper legs Insectroid Sensors Zoom Lenses Maximum Jump Minimal protection from attacks |
The fifth Grasshopper is a member of the Great Lakes Avengers. He was created by Dan Slott, Rachael Stott and Andrea Di Vito. Unlike the other Grasshoppers, he manages to survive past his initial appearance.[10][11][12]
References
[edit]- ^ G.L.A. #2
- ^ G.L.A. #1
- ^ G.L.A. #4
- ^ GLX-Mas Special #1
- ^ Dan Slott post on his messageboard regarding writing on GLI/Deadpool
- ^ Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular (2007)
- ^ Tim Seeley (w), Elmo Bondoc (p), Elmo Bondoc (i), Ruth Redmond (col), VC's Joe Sabino (let), Jordan D. White (ed). "Part Three" Deadpool vs. Thanos, vol. 1, no. 3 (14 October 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers: The Initiative #19
- ^ Avengers: The Initiative #20
- ^ I Am An Avenger #1
- ^ Age of Heroes #3
- ^ Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #43
External links
[edit]- Great Lakes Avengers
- MDP: Grasshopper (Doug Taggert) (Marvel Database Project)
- Grasshopper at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe