Butterball (Emery Schaub)

Butterball
Butterball. Art by Steve Uy.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Avengers: The Initiative #13 (2008)
Created by	Christos N. Gage Steve Uy
In-story information
Full name	Emery Schaub
Team affiliations	Initiative Avengers Academy
Notable aliases	Boulder
Abilities	Total invulnerability Complete numbness to physical sensation Unlimited stamina

Butterball (Emery Schaub) is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Schaub first appeared in Avengers: The Initiative #13 (2008) and was created by Christos N. Gage and Steve Uy.

Butterball has appeared in seven issues of Avengers: The Initiative: #13, 26–29, 34 and 35. He appears in Avengers Academy #13 as well.

Butterball appeared as a supporting character in Avengers Academy beginning with issue #20 (Dec 2011), making several appearances throughout the series.

Emery Schaub was originally an overweight fry cook from Morganton, North Carolina. He was later recruited to the Initiative program and given the codename Boulder. However, his drill sergeant Taskmaster nicknames him Butterball, deeming it more appropriate. While Schaub's power of total invulnerability was impressive and he was an enthusiastic and dedicated trainee, his lack of physical strength, skill, and wits make him an inappropriate candidate for the superhero program. Much to the frustration of Taskmaster, no amount of training improves Schaub's physical strength and no amount of discipline modifies his behavior or attitude. As a direct consequence of his powers, any kind of punishment was completely ineffectual.

At one point Schaub's fellow trainee Sunstreak shows sexual interest in him. Because Sunstreak's heat generating powers prevent her from close contact with others but Schaub's powers mean he is completely unaffected by heat, an intimate relationship was possible. Schaub, however, due to his inability to physically feel anything anymore as a side effect of his powers, becomes upset after Sunstreak's advances fail to arouse him. He flees in frustration.

Despite managing well against a supervillain ambush, Schaub washes out of the Initiative, due to his general ineptitude and lack of offensive capability. Despite this, the instructors Taskmaster and Constrictor give Schaub a photo of himself standing triumphant over them, depicting him as a hero, and themselves as the "conquered and fallen" supervillains.