Gauntlet (comics)

Publication history

The Gauntlet made his first appearance in She-Hulk #100 and was created by Dan Slott, Stefano Caselli, and Eric Powell. He was, however, not referred to by name until the first issue of Avengers: The Initiative. His origin was finally revealed in the 2007 Avengers: The Initiative annual.

Fictional character biography

The story of the Gauntlet began when two aliens of unknown origin, one fully armored, the other multi-limbed, engaged in a struggle to the death above Earth. Both extraterrestrials expired upon entering the atmosphere, and their weapons scattered across the planet's surface. The US government tracked the crash site of two of the armored alien's weapons to the Middle-East, where Sergeant Joseph Green was dispatched to secure the area. Upon arrival, Green's unit came under attack by HYDRA troopers, forcing him to use the right gauntlet of the alien's armor in order to defeat them. After securing victory, Joseph found himself unable to remove the gauntlet, and was seen walking away from the area, carrying the alien's sword with him. How the alien's other gauntlet was acquired by Southpaw has not yet been revealed, nor has how the alien's leg armor came to be possessed by Grasshopper. However, the opposing alien's weapon later found its way into the possession of Armory.

In the aftermath of the Civil War storyline, Gauntlet was recruited by Iron Man and Henry Peter Gyrich into being a drill sergeant at the superhero training camp, Camp Hammond. He is fully aware of the "darker" aspects of the training camp and is apparently willingly going along with some hidden agenda by the powers behind the camp's running.

Gauntlet alludes to the child who may one day become Southpaw's sidekick, Kid Glove (his daughter), making the statement that "[His] Two-Year-Old could beat HYDRA!" so as to motivate the younger recruits who had done just that.

Gauntlet also lives with his wife and daughter on base. He has confided in his wife that he only wants to prepare the recruits for the rough life of being a superhero and is only harsh to them in order to do so. Any harm that befalls the recruits he takes as a personal failure for not teaching them well enough. He makes particular use of the name "New Warriors" as an insult, referencing that team's role in the disaster that sparked the events of Civil War; this not only causes friction with recruits, several of whom are former New Warriors members or associates, but also with the Avenger Justice, a Warriors founder and a liaison/"counselor" for the young recruits.

After the events of World War Hulk, Gauntlet is angered as many cadets had broken orders to confront the Hulk themselves. He is badly beaten and left with a "NW" on his chest, daubed in his own blood. The team had recently learned of a social movement, indicated through 'NW' graffiti, of young people in general defiance of the current power structure. Upon regaining consciousness, he identified his assailant as the Ghost. However, it was later revealed (to the reader) that the attacker was none other than base recruit Slapstick, taking revenge for Gauntlet's pejorative use of the Warriors' name. It is known that Gyrich mobilized a government physician to revive Gauntlet before a S.H.I.E.L.D. investigation discovered the truth, and was present when Gauntlet made the false identification. While Gauntlet was incapacitated, Taskmaster took over his drill instructor duties.

During Gauntlet's coma, Henry Peter Gyrich attempted to equip a MVP clone with Armory's weapon the Tactigon. After the weapon successfully bonded with him, the clone was flooded with memories of the original MVP's death, causing him to seek vengeance on those involved in his death as KIA. Upon arriving at the Gauntlet's hospital room, the clone is surprised to find Gauntlet's bed empty. Following this, it appears that the gauntlet weapon itself is temporarily controlling Green, forcing him to acquire the sword element of the alien's armor. Following an altercation with KIA, the clone's attacks appeared to cause the gauntlet to lose its control over Gauntlet, causing him to revert to his normal self. It is later revealed that when the Tactigon stabbed Gauntlet, it injected him with a drug that brought him out of his coma, as it considered his control over the weapon to be a weak point.

During an invasion of Earth by the Skrull Empire, Gauntlet and Taskmaster attempt to ensure the safety of the cadets at Camp Hammond by locking down the facility. However, a Skrull posing as Yellowjacket gives orders to Gauntlet to send the Initiative cadets to help fight the Skrulls in New York City.

Following the end of the Invasion, Gauntlet is placed in charge of the Hammond facility; many of the other instructors left, unwilling to place themselves under Norman Osborn's control, and the real Pym declined to be a part of the Initiative, as he was never really there in the first place, leaving Gauntlet to reluctantly assume the position.

When Osborn threatened to take Gauntlet's arm, Gauntlet escaped and ultimately joined the Avengers Resistance. His wife pretends to be ashamed of him for abandoning his family, so that she will not be harassed when he is not there to protect her.

As Osborn's regime ends, Gauntlet is sent by personal request to Afghanistan.

Powers and abilities

Gauntlet's right hand is fused to a large, robotic gauntlet of alien origin, which is able to manifest a right hand made of pure energy that is larger, stronger, and more durable than his own. The gauntlet itself appears to have the ability to exert a certain degree of control upon Green, specifically when he is in a state of low-brain activity. In addition to these superpowers, Gauntlet is also a highly trained member of the United States Army.

The Reckoning War

In one possible, seemingly inevitable, future timeline, the Gauntlet inspires Southpaw to reform, and become a superhero, while his daughter Kid Glove acts as her sidekick. He sports a more traditional superhero costume and is seemingly linked to a cosmic event known as "The Reckoning War."