Puma (comics)

Superherobox


caption=Puma.
Art by Clayton Crain.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Puma
real_name=Thomas Fireheart
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Amazing Spider-Man" #256 (Sept. 1984)
creators=Tom DeFalco
Ron Frenz
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
alliances=Fireheart Enterprises
partners=Spider-Man Black Cat
aliases=
powers=In Puma form:
Superhumanly acute senses
Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes
Razor sharp fangs and claws
Expertise in numerous martial arts
|

Puma (Thomas Fireheart) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe most closely associated with Spider-Man. While originally a villain, he gained a great respect for Spider-Man and became an occasional ally of his. He first appeared in "Amazing Spider-Man" #256 and was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz.

Fictional character biography

Puma's real name is Thomas Fireheart, and he is of Native American descent. The tribe he belongs to (never named, but located in Hartsdale, Arizona) 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.

He was operating as a mercenary and had been hired by The Rose to kill Spider-Man, but was thwarted by the Black Cat. In the following issue, he again attempted to attack Spider-Man, but changed his mind when he witnessed Spider-Man save an innocent bystander.

He was able to learn Spider-Man's secret identity, Peter Parker, thanks to his enhanced senses, and now felt he owed him a debt of honor. He offered him a job at his company, which Parker declined, and later attempted to clear Spider-Man's name of a crime he didn't commit.

When the mutant powers of Charles Little Sky, a kinsman of Fireheart's and the man known as Portal, first manifested, Fireheart tried to help his fellow tribesman better understand his powers. Rejecting Fireheart's offers of aid, Portal fled to Ellis Island where Fireheart caught up to him. When Portal's powers activated again and returned the U-Foes to Earth, Fireheart was forced to team up with the Avengers as Puma to protect Little Sky, helping to defeat the villains.

At one point, Fireheart actually purchased 51% of the "Daily Bugle", made Robbie Robertson publisher, and began a pro-Spider-Man campaign in the publication. During this time, he was nearly killed in an attack by the Hobgoblin, but was saved by Spider-Man.

Fireheart agreed to join Spider-Man's rag-tag superhero group called The Outlaws, along with several other Spider-Man adversaries-turn-allies (including Sandman, Rocket Racer, and the Prowler). The group clashed with the Avengers, until it was revealed that both groups were actually being manipulated by the shape-changing Space Phantom, whom Thomas exposed and defeated.

He eventually sold the "Daily Bugle" back to J. Jonah Jameson for $1, and he and Spider-Man settled their debt of honor on a vision quest in New Mexico.

Fireheart's Puma persona later consumed him, and he attempted an assassination attempt on a US Senator. Spider-Man stopped him, but not before the NYPD shot Fireheart several times. The Black Crow cast a spell removing all knowledge of Spider-Man's secret identity from Fireheart's mind, and he was nursed back to mental and physical health by another character named Nocturne (not the Exiles character Nocturne.)

Puma was seen in the Bloodsport competition. ["Wolverine" vol 2 #167–168] He made it to the semi-final round, but was defeated by Wolverine.

He was next seen teaming up with Spider-Man and the Black Cat to stop Stegron from "de-evolving" the population of New York. After this Puma began a relationship with the Black Cat (as shown they were both in bed) although he notices Felicia may still have feelings for Peter Parker.

Civil War/The Initiative

After the events of "Civil War", he was seen helping Spider-Man escort Prowler out of the Bar With No Name. He has also been seen helping Black Cat from the sidelines. She has decided to help Peter Parker, who is on the run after the events of the "Civil War". Together, Puma and Black Cat neutralize the drunken rampage of the Rhino, mostly through sheer bluffing.

Fireheart was then accused of federal bribery (which so far appears to be a frame job) and his assets frozen; forbidden by his tribe from taking any contract kills, he has joined MODOK's 11 to get the cash he needs to defend himself in court. However, this meant disobeying the tribal council's order to remain on the reservation and so he's had his puma powers stripped from him, leaving him a regular human right in the middle of the mission. When deciding to rescue the Living Laser, who had earlier saved his life, he had an epiphany that defending one's own people is what the Puma Totem is meant to do, and he regained his powers in the process. Or so he thinks — actually Deadly Nightshade had secretly injected him with "werewolf serum". Puma has gained his cash from MODOK and has taken up an offer from Nightshade to help his legal defence; any long term effects from the serum are unknown. ["MODOK's 11"]

Powers and abilities

Puma possesses a number of superhuman attributes that are a result of a combination of genetic engineering and mysticism. Thomas Fireheart is the latest in a line of Native Americans who were specially matched and bred to produce a perfect human being. That genetic manipulation was enhanced by an unknown supernatural process through which his tribe endowed him with magical abilities.

Fireheart undergoes a physical transformation through intense concentration that includes an increase in his height and weight, his body becoming covered with a fine tan fur, and razor sharp fangs and claws.

Transformation into this form also grants Fireheart superhuman physical attributes of strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes.

Puma also possesses superhumanly acute senses. His sense of touch is heightened to the extent that he is able to feel the impressions of ink on a piece of paper. His hearing is enhanced in a similar manner, enabling him to both hear sounds that ordinary humans can't and to hear at much greater distances. Puma also possesses a superhumanly acute sense of smell that he uses to track a target by scent.

He is also an extraordinary hand to hand combatant, having received training in numerous martial arts disciplines. As head of Fireheart Enterprises, Puma has access to highly advanced technology as well as a personal staff of trained investigators that often provide him information on enemies and potential enemies. In his identity as Thomas Fireheart, Puma is a very wealthy, skilled and respected businessman.

While some of Puma's activities are morally dubious, he is not truly evil and is not a criminal. His primary concerns are his own personal advancement and the welfare of his people, and has come to Spider-Man's aid as often as he has tried to harm him.

List of appearances

*"Amazing Spider-Man" #256–258, 272–274, 326, 395
*"Spectacular Spider-Man" #111, 151, 154, 157, 161, 163, 166–172, 191–193, 218 and Annual #7
*"Web of Spider-Man" #50, 58–60
*"Spider-Man Unlimited" #15
*"Avengers" #304
*"Secret Wars II" #8
*"Marvel Comics Presents" #44
*"Rampaging Hulk" vol 2 #6
*"Wolverine" vol 2 #167–168
*"The Sensational Spider-Man vol 2 " #26–27, 34

In other media

Video games

Puma appeared in the Game Boy Advance & PC versions of the Spider-Man 2 game, and voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. He lured Spider-Man into a trap by having Mary Jane Watson's car stolen and taken into his warehouse hideout. The villain threw a bunch of criminals to Spider-Man until the wall crawler reached him and they fought shortly in a small room. Puma then fled, busting through glass and out of his hideout where he and Spider-Man battled on top of numerous buildings. The battle was taken near a water fountain, and it finally ended at a construction site, where Spider-Man chased him all around inside the site while Puma threw shurikens at the wall crawler. They last battled inside an elevator cage and when Puma gives up, he instantly reveals that his goal wasn't to actually defeat Spider-Man but merely lure him out of the way for his employer, Doctor Octopus, to kidnap Mary Jane. Just when Puma would escape again, Spider-Man stops him by having him webbed inside a web cocoon at a crane.

External links

* [http://www.spiderfan.org/characters/puma.html SpiderFan.org profile]
* [http://www.alaph.com/spiderman/enemies/puma.html Amazing Spider-Man Unofficial Fansite profile]
* [http://www.samruby.com/Villains/Puma/puma.htm Samruby.com profile]
* [http://underworld.fortunecity.com/blood/201/marvel/puma.html Unofficial Marvel Comics Reference HQ profile]
* [http://marvel.com/universe/Puma Puma on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki]
* [http://www.symbiote.fr/amazing257.php Puma against Spider-Man on Amazing #257]

References