Puma (comics)
| Puma | |
|---|---|
Puma.
Art by Clayton Crain. |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #256 (Sept. 1984) |
| Created by |
Tom DeFalco Ron Frenz |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Thomas Fireheart |
| Team affiliations |
Daily Bugle Fireheart Enterprises The Outlaws MODOK's 11 |
| Partnerships |
Spider-Man Black Cat |
| Abilities | Extraordinary hand to hand combatant Skilled businessman Access to highly advanced technology Use of personal customized Lear jet In Puma form: Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, durability, flexibility, reflexes/reactions, intelligence, coordination, balance and endurance Superhumanly acute senses Razor sharp claws and fangs |
Puma (Thomas Fireheart) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as being most closely associated with Spider-Man. While originally a villain, he gained a great respect for Spider-Man and became his occasional ally.
Puma first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #256 and was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. The inspiration for the character comes from safari cards bought by Tom DeFalco.
In the Puma's earliest appearances, he acted as a mercenary, and an antagonist to Spider-Man, but soon came to respect him. Puma was then depicted as an ally of Spider-Man, assisting him from time to time in his appearances in the The Spectacular Spider-Man series. He was associated with the superhero team known as the Outlaws for a time, and was later one of the main characters in the MODOK's 11 limited series.
Puma's real name is Thomas Fireheart, and he is of Native American descent. The tribe he belongs to (located near Hartsdale, New Mexico; Marvel Westerns: Western Legends suggests that the tribe may be the Kisani, as one of Puma's ancestors belonged to that tribe and lived at Lost Mesa) has had an ancient prophecy of the coming of a powerful being who might destroy the world for generations. Long ago, they began making preparations for this coming doom. They used mystic ceremonies and selective breeding to create a perfect warrior. Thomas Fireheart is the latest in this line of men. Though he never believed in the prophecy, he took his duties as protector of his tribe seriously, and has strived his whole life to be the best he could be, mastering his ability to turn into a powerful humanoid mountain lion werecat. He also trained in Martial Arts in Japan under a man named Master Muramoto.
Very intelligent, and with a good business sense, he became owner and CEO of Fireheart Enterprises. Headquartered near his tribe in Hartsdale, Arizona, it is a multinational corporation involved in many different endeavors, with regional offices around the world. Becoming bored with corporate life, he began to seek greater challenges, and offered his skills as Puma for sale.
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Wikipedia