Cannonball (comics)

Cannonball
Cannonball from the cover of X-Men #201 (September 2007). Art by Humberto Ramos.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (1982)
Created by	Chris Claremont (writer) Bob McLeod (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Samuel Zachary "Sam" Guthrie
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	X-Men New Mutants X-Force X-Corporation X-Treme X-Men XSE Mutant Liberation Front Hellions Hellfire Club Jean Grey School Avengers
Notable aliases	Samson Guthry
Abilities	Jet propulsion Ability to create an impenetrable "blast field" while in flight

Cannonball (Samuel Zachary Guthrie) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (1982).

Cannonball is a mutant who uses the ability to fly at jet speeds while encased in an impenetrable force field. The eldest of a large Kentucky coal mining family, Cannonball is one of few X-Men from a southern, rural background and has maintained the values of civility, hard work, and a strong commitment to his beliefs throughout his career as a superhero. Several of his siblings are also mutants and have joined X-Men-related teams, including his sisters, Paige and Melody, and brothers Jay and Jeb. Other siblings include a brother named Lewis, and four more sisters: Joelle, Elizabeth, Cissie and another unnamed sister.

Cannonball was a founding member of the X-Men's junior team The New Mutants. He joined The New Mutants' later incarnation X-Force, serving as second-in-command and field leader. He joined the X-Men, becoming the first member of a secondary team to "graduate". His tenure was complicated by clashes with superiors and he eventually rejoined X-Force and later the X-Men once more.

Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (1982). After a guest appearance in Uncanny X-Men #167, the character appeared regularly in the title The New Mutants from its first issue, until its hundredth issue, at which point he continued to appear in its replacement title, X-Force. Cannonball briefly became a member of the X-Men team in the second volume of the X-Men series, with issue #44.