The Whizzer (Robert L. Frank) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared during the period called the Golden Age of Comic Books. The Whizzer has super-speed powers, which (in his original origin story) he acquired from an infusion of mongoose blood. He appeared in both USA Comics and All Winners Comics from 1941 to 1946, and was revived by Marvel in the 1970s.

Publication history

Robert Frank / Whizzer first appeared in U.S.A. Comics #1 (August 1941), published by Timely Comics. The character was created by penciller Al Avison and an uncredited writer. One source credits Stan Lee as the writer, but there are no other sources to support the credit. The Whizzer appeared regularly in U.S.A. Comics through issue #17 (September 1945). At the same time, Whizzer also appeared regularly in All Winners Comics, from issue #2 (September 1941) through #21 (December 1946). In issues #19 and #21, he was part of the All Winners Squad, a superteam that also included Captain America, Bucky Barnes, the Human Torch, Toro, the Sub-Mariner and Miss America. These were the character's last appearances during the 1940s. Writer Roy Thomas reintroduced the Golden Age Whizzer in Giant-Size Avengers #1 (August 1974). Two years later, in The Avengers Annual #6 (November 1976), writer Gerry Conway retconned the character to be a latent mutant whose abilities were activated by the mongoose blood transfusion. In The Invaders (March–May 1976) and Marvel Premiere (April–June 1976), written by Thomas, the Whizzer joined the Invaders and the Liberty Legion.

Fictional character biography

Robert L. Frank was born in St. Louis, Missouri. After the mobster Granno frames him and his father Emil for murder, they flee to Africa, where Robert develops a fever. Emil saves him with a transfusion of mongoose blood, but dies soon after from stress. After developing superhuman speed from the transfusion and defeating Granno, Frank then decides to fight crime and eventually accepts the offer of Invaders member Bucky, who forms the superhero team the Liberty Legion to rescue the other Invaders from the Red Skull. When the Liberty Legion and Invaders disband after World War II, the Whizzer joins the newly-formed All-Winners Squad. The Whizzer afterward spent some years battling alcoholism and depression and was, for some time, homeless in the Bowery section of Manhattan. He also works as a nuclear laboratory technician. In 1942, the Whizzer acquired a new sidekick, a stereotyped African-American friend named Slow-Motion Jones. In the modern age, the Whizzer reappears as an aging hero who had married fellow superhero Miss America. The Whizzer encounters and briefly serves with the Avengers, who aid him in controlling his son Nuklo. He is reunited with Nuklo, but suffers a heart attack. At the end of this adventure, the Whizzer erroneously believes himself to be the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. The Whizzer was later duped by the Living Laser into battling the Avengers, and suffers a second heart attack. He then battled the Atlanteans and Namor alongside the Avengers. After a humbling defeat at the hands of the supervillain Count Nefaria the Whizzer retires. He later returns to fight a final battle against his old enemy Isbisa. The Whizzer dies after suffering a fatal heart attack while fighting Isbisa, but his sacrifice enables Nuklo to be cured of his excessive radiation and begin a normal life. Arnim Zola later creates a clone of Whizzer who is killed by Deadpool.

Powers and abilities

Due to a reaction between his latent genetic mutation and an injection of mongoose blood, Robert Frank has the ability to move at superhuman speed and has superhuman reflexes. He can create cyclones by running in circles, and can run up walls and across water. Even in middle age, he could run at approximately 100 mph. The Whizzer has learned a unique, self-taught fighting style that exploits the ability to move at superhuman speeds.

Enemies

Whizzer has had his own group of enemies during his superhero career:

Reception

Other versions

In other media