Strong Guy
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Strong Guy (real name Guido Carosella) is a fictional mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Guido was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz in New Mutants volume 1 #29, and was reinvented as Strong Guy by Peter David and Larry Stroman in X-Factor (volume 1) #71 (July 1985).
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[edit] Fictional character history
[edit] Early Life
Born in Rhineback, New York, to Italian parents, who tried to teach their son the value of a dollar, Guido Carosella showed this by earning 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and being hit by a bus ended in his body becoming disproportionally large and overmuscled, separating the already withdrawn boy even further from his peers. Luckily, he had the love and support of his aunt and uncle, who had taken him in after his parents' deaths, and Guido coped with his pain, both emotional and the physical pain generated by his transformed body, 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 uncontrollably hurt by Guido's flailing. Due to luck, Charlie survives with only a slight limp.
[edit] Muir Island X-Men
After losing much of his fortune, he began to take on jobs that would 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 was later among the mutants living on Muir Island who were mentally controlled by the telepath Shadow King. 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 was defeated, several of the Muir Island mutants, with the help of Val Cooper, are recruited into the new X-Factor team.
[edit] X-Factor
His teammates included many notable former X-Men supporting characters, including Havok, Polaris, Wolfsbane and Quicksilver. Guido picked up the "Strong Guy" name from a joke he made at an X-Factor press conference when the press demands to know his codename.
One of the first villains the team faced was Mister Sinister and his lackeys, the 'Nasty Boys'. Sinister wished to discredit mutant kind and used X-Factor to do so. One of Sinister's behind-the-scenes allies was a power-hungry Senator with the power to cause bad luck, Strong Guy was manipulated into destroying the Washington Monument while fighting Slab, one of the Nasty Boys. The Senator, who was after the entirety of the X-Factor team, was later slain by Mr. Sinister himself.
During his time on the team there was a blossoming relationship with a powerful Genoshan mutant (not mutate) and political dissident named Jo Beth. In issue #89, he even visited her Grandmother at her calm, suburban home on the island of Genosha. She took a shine to him instantly.
Also, he participated in the cosmic incidents known as the Infinity War and Infinity Crusade. During the 'War', he and the other superheros survive a bomb attack on the Fantastic Four headquarters, thanks to the Invisible Woman. Strong Guy is specifically picked out to be one of the heroes to mystically travel the dimensions. He first participates in a fight with the Infinity Watch, holding up against such cosmic powerhouses as Drax the Destroyer. He would later be a vital part against the final battle against the villain's doppleganger's hordes, though this was a distraction so other forces could go in and defeat the villain.
During the 'Crusade' he was part of the assault team that landed in various spots around the Goddess' cathedral. Their goal was to gain back their brainwashed friends and defeat the Goddess's cosmic-powered plans. He teams up with Firestar from the New Warriors. She was soon taken out by the brainwashed duo of Puck from Alpha Flight and Spider-Man. Strong Guy defeated Spider-Man in a swift, tree-smashing battle, despite being blinded by webbing to the face. Doctor Strange, also brainwashed, soon restrained Strong Guy in a bubble of mystic force, where he stayed while events played out.
Guido suffers a deep depression after being poisoned by Cyber, the leader of the mercenary group Hell's Belles. While at a governmental laboratory where a cure had been developed, Havok seemingly drank a sample of the poison himself, in order to show Strong Guy that he was with him. This helped boost Strong Guy's morale, though unknown to him, Havok had consumed simple water.
Strong Guy later participated in the battle that took down the Hell's Belles, though Cyber himself escapes after colliding with a subway train. Another subway train incident turned out much more badly, as Strong Guy investigated a train crash where a small dog was the only survivor. Inevitably, the carnage deeply affected his morale.
Guido was once teleported naked, from his shower by his old friend, Lila Cheney, who wished to show him the universe again. He manages to convince her that he had a life back in X-Factor, where she reluctantly returns him.
Guido developed a deep friendship with the lycanthrope Wolfsbane. They went on a road trip with the mutant Random, where Guido showed Rahne his hometown friends. Guido personally escorts Wolfsbane to Muir Island when she needs special medical attention.
He remained a member of X-Factor until an incident in the South Seas island nation of Madripoor. Again involved with Lila Cheney, the team becomes trapped in a confrontation between her and the alien race, the K'Lanti. Lila had stole 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 it with powerful punches, he suffers a powerful heart attack.
Guido spends much time in suspended animation, until the return of his seemingly-dead friend the Multiple Man, Jaime Madrox. Not fully understanding the situation, Madrox frees Guido, who continues to suffer. Forge creates a device to heal him. Afterwards he chooses to accompany Lila and her band in their travels instead of rejoining the increasingly fractious X-Factor team.
Guido's adventures are highlighted in his own comic book one-shot called "Strong Guy Reborn". He becomes involved in a property dispute between warring alien races, both of whom wished to control a small, barren moon. This dispute was settled when the moon was destroyed during an exchange of weapons on both sides.
[edit] Storm: The Arena
Strong Guy was later seen in Tokyo 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 and Callisto in taking down the enslavers.
[edit] X-Factor Investigations
Strong Guy recently moved to New York City to become the enforcer for his friend Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations, thus rejoining many of his former teammates from the government-sponsored incarnation of X-Factor. The team included Wolfsbane, Rictor, Siryn and Monet at first.
In X-Factor #10, Guido was assigned to protect a former employee of Singularity Investigations, Henry Buchanan, who had proof of their illegal activities. However, Guido instead killed the man and then called Singularity CEO Damian Tryp, revealing he was working as a mole inside X-Factor.
Guido tried to tell the team that the man had vanished on him but Wolfsbane smelled his blood on Guido's hands and a psychic scan by Monet revealed 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 in X-Factor #14 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.
[edit] World War Hulk
During World War Hulk: X-Men, Strong Guy attempted to battle the Hulk when he came to question Professor X about his role in the Illuminati's decision to exile the Hulk, but the Hulk's blows are so powerful that Strong Guy is unable to withstand the Hulk's blows without suffering a heart attack, and he is forced to withdraw from the battle.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Strong Guy possesses superhuman strength comparative with Rogue's/Ms. Marvel's, which he can increase by absorbing kinetic energy and use it to enhance his muscular power to an unmeasured limit. However, he cannot store the energy he absorbs for very long; as a rule he must expend it 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.
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,[1] or stand toe to toe with the Hulk, although the latter's recent power-boost rendered him so powerful that the energy of merely a few blows put Strong Guy in danger of a heart attack.[2] Guido is formidable at "street fighting"-style hand-to-hand combat.
Strong Guy is nearsighted and wears corrective "bottlecap" lenses. He is a multi-talented actor and stand-up comedian. He works as a bodyguard for the mutant rock star Lila Cheney when not adventuring alongside other mutant heroes.
[edit] Other versions
[edit] Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of Apocalypse, Strong Guy was still Lila Cheney's body guard, but much more obsessive about her. He was jealous, almost to the point of insanity, of Gambit 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's infant son. It can be presumed that Rogue killed Strong Guy in an act of vengeance due to the kidnapping of her child.
[edit] In other media
Strong Guy appears in the X-Men animated series episode "Cold Comfort" as a member of the X-Factor team led by Forge.
