Fictional character biography
Kyle Richmond
| Nighthawk | |
|---|---|
 Nighthawk #1 (September 1998), featuring Nighthawk in various costumes. Art by Richard Case. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Avengers #69 (October 1969) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Kyle Richmond |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations |
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| Abilities |
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Kyle Richmond was born to two wealthy parents and was brought up by his governess while his dad is away. When Kyle's mother died in an accident, his father sent him to boarding school. Due to his family's money, Kyle got into Grayburn College where he became involved with Mindy Williams who helped him focus through his education. One night, Kyle was caught in a drunk-driving crash in which Mindy was killed, and he was kicked out of school and was unable to return. Kyle later became anti-social, and learned that Grayburn College was closed down due to a lack of funds. Kyle Richmond attempted to join the army, but was rejected due to a heart murmur. Afterwards, Kyle received word that his father died in a plane crash and that Kyle has inherited Richmond Enterprises. Kyle turned to finding a cure for his heart murmur and physically training himself. [3]
While drunk, Kyle Richmond concocted an alchemy serum that he found in an alchemy volume. The alchemy serum enabled Kyle to gain enhanced strength at night. Kyle took on various sports activities to strengthen his natural abilities where he eventually became Nighthawk. Nighthawk and three other supervillains are brought together as the Squadron Sinister by the cosmic entity the Grandmaster to battle the superhero team the Avengers, which has been forced to act as the champions of the time-traveling conqueror Kang the Conqueror. Nighthawk battles the Avenger Captain America, who outfights the villain. The Avengers eventually defeat the Squadron. [4]
Reunited by the alien Nebulon, the villains receive greater power in exchange for the planet Earth, and create a giant laser cannon in the Arctic with a plan to melt the polar ice caps and flood the entirety of the Earth's surface. Despite being asked to join the venture, Nighthawk asks for the aid of superhero team the Defenders, who prevent the scheme and defeat the villains and Nebulon. [5]
The character suffers several setbacks as a superhero, including being charged with tax evasion and fraud by the United States government, [6] and arrested by the FBI for operating as a hero while charges were pending. [7] This stipulation was waived [8] after he was forced to reveal his secret identity. [9] Nighthawk's cumulative wounds from battle eventually leave him paralyzed. [10] Recovering to the point that he can move at night, [11] Nighthawk continues to aid the Defenders, until resigning from the team. [12] He is advised he is to be cleared of all charges if a predetermined amount is repaid to the government. [13]
After apparently sacrificing his life to stop an organization bent on decimating the people of the Soviet Union, Richmond turns up alive but comatose. He has a vision of an angel that facilitates his healing and bestows on him a "second sight", which enables him to see criminal acts before they are committed. In return, he must punish the would-be criminals. Once healed, Richmond becomes Nighthawk once again and fights crime until forced into a confrontation with Daredevil, whom he kills. The "angel" then reveals itself to be the demon Mephisto, who transports Nighthawk and Daredevil's corpse to Hell, intending to claim Daredevil's soul. Nighthawk battles the demons of Hell and manages to revive Daredevil, and together they escape. [14] A sorcerer later purges him of Mephisto's gift. [15]
After an adventure with Fantastic Four member the Thing [16] Nighthawk discovers his abilities are increasing, and learns that his former Squadron Sinister teammate Speed Demon has joined the superhero team the New Thunderbolts. After encountering teammate Hyperion, apparently resurrected after being thought dead, and a new Doctor Spectrum (Alice Nugent), Nighthawk briefly joins the New Thunderbolts, [17] but upon discovering he is being used for his fortune, leaves and rejoins the Squadron Sinister. [18] That team learns that the Grandmaster, using an interdimensional source of superhuman abilities, the Wellspring of Power, has been increasing the team-members' powers. After a battle between the Squadron and the New Thunderbolts, Nighthawk and the other members of the Squadron Sinister scatter and escape. [19]
Nighthawk is initially opposed to the Superhuman Registration Act during the Civil War storyline. Following the death of superhero Black Goliath at the hands of the cyborg clone of Thor on the Pro-Registration Side, Nighthawk joins the Pro-Registration Side, [20] but is defeated in a skirmish with Anti-Registration heroes Falcon and Storm. [21]
During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Nighthawk joins Howard the Duck, She-Hulk and Frankenstein's Monster to form the Fearsome Four when Man-Thing is driven on a rampage. They later discover a plot by Psycho-Man to use Man-Thing's volatile empathy to create a weapon. [22]
Jackson F. "Jack" Norriss
| Nighthawk | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Incredible Hulk #126 (January 1970) |
| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Jackson F. Norriss |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | S.H.I.E.L.D. |
Jackson F. "Jack" Norriss and his wife Barbara worked with the original Nighthawk and the Defenders.[ volume & issue needed ] He later became a S.H.I.E.L.D. file-clerk,[ volume & issue needed ] and then agent often going by the codename Nighthawk.[ volume & issue needed ] He then went on to be a TV reporter for Inside America.[ volume & issue needed ] He helped psychiatrist Andrea Sterman uncover a conspiracy involving Roxxon Oil, the Commission on Superhuman Activities, S.H.I.E.L.D., Nomad, and the Thunderbolts. [23]
Joaquin Pennyworth
| Nighthawk | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Last Defenders #1 (May 2008) |
| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Joaquin Pennysworth |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Defenders |
| Abilities |
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After Richmond joins the US government's Fifty State Initiative of registered heroes as Nighthawk, [24] he forms a short-lived Initiative version of the Defenders with the mutant Colossus, the Blazing Skull, and She-Hulk. With She-Hulk and Warlord Krang, battling the group the Sons of the Serpent and culminating in a confrontation with his old Defenders foe Yandroth, Yandroth manipulates time and forces Nighthawk to battle a twisted version of his old team, the Squadron Sinister, before being rescued by a future incarnation of the Defenders. Noting that one of the future members is Joaquin Pennyworth, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the son of the one-time leader of the Sons of the Serpent, Richmond asks him to commence training to become the new Nighthawk, before retiring himself. [25]
Squadron Supreme of America version
A new version of Kyle Richmond is a member of the Squadron Supreme of America. [26] He is revealed to be a simulacrum created by Mephisto and programmed by the Power Elite to obey Phil Coulson. Nighthawk was programmed to be in top physical condition while sporting some doubt and jealousy for his teammates enough for him to brood. In his personal time, he is a U.S. congressman elected to the House of Representatives to represent Washington DC. [27]
In the team's first mission, Nighthawk and the Squadron Supreme of America fought Namor and the Defenders of the Deep, when they targeted a Roxxon oil platform off the coast of Alaska. [28]
Then, the Squadron Supreme visited another oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The Squadron Supreme then made short work of Namor and the Defenders of the Deep. [29]
During the War of the Realms storyline, Kyle was at a congressional hearing when a code red was issued that sent the representatives to the tunnels below. He and the other members of the Squadron Supreme of America were summoned to Washington D.C., where Coulson brought them up to speed with Malekith the Accursed's invasion. Nighthawk and the Squadron Supreme of America fight an army of Rock Trolls and Frost Giants. After the Squadron Supreme caused the Frost Giants to retreat, Coulson sends them to Ohio, which has become a battleground. [27]
Nighthawk was with the Squadron Supreme when they attempted to apprehend Black Panther, when he infiltrated the Pentagon to confront Coulson. [30]
During the Heroes Reborn storyline where reality is altered to feature a world without the Avengers, Nighthawk was with the Squadron Supreme of America when they fought the Masters of Doom. Nighthawk engaged his enemy Black Skull (a version of Red Skull possessed by the Venom symbiote). Following the fight, Blade (whose memories remained intact) confronted Nighthawk to learn more about this reality. He was unable to get any answers. [31] Nighthawk is later called in by police commissioner Luke Cage to deal with a breakout at Ravencroft. Nighthawk defeats most of them easily, but experiences trouble with the Black Skull (whose symbiote wants to return to Nighthawk) and Deadpool (who intends to kill him despite being ordered not to by the breakout's mastermind the Goblin). After defeating the Black Skull and Deadpool, Nighthawk confronts the Goblin, who exposes the former's partner Dr. Gwen Stacy/Nightbird to Goblin Gas in order to make her kill Nighthawk. While Nighthawk cures Stacy and spares the Goblin, the villain commits suicide while revealing to Nighthawk how the world has changed. Following this, Nighthawk returns to his headquarters to review Ravencroft's surveillance footage and discovers Blade and Captain America helped Lopez escape. Later, Black Panther assumes the Ronin alias and breaks into the Squadron's headquarters to steal their files. After fighting Nighthawk, he escapes and joins Blade's group. [32] Nighthawk was with the Squadron Supreme of America when they discuss their encounters with various heroes and concerns about their world being wrong. Putting aside their differences and without telling President Coulson, they gather clues and rule out suspects before eventually arriving in Wakanda where they confront the Avengers. [33] Nighthawk and the rest of the Squadron Supreme are defeated by the Avengers after a fight with them. When reality is returned to normal, Nighthawk and the Squadron Supreme of America find their memories transferred to their counterparts in the Avengers' reality and struggle to find their place in an unfamiliar world. [34]
During the Infinite Destinies storyline, Nighthawk stalks Nick Fury Jr. and wants him to bring his world back. [35] He proceeds to capture Star in order to pull it off. [36] Nick Fury Jr. defeats Nighthawk who manages to escape. [37]
As Nighthawk is being driven around by his Life Model Decoy servants while noting that his entire life is a lie, his car is then intercepted by Black Panther who has noted his nocturnal crime-fighting and outdriving the Sun. Black Panther is told by Nightwing that he resigned as the ambassador to Wakanda because "Kyle Richmond never existed" and states that he was just a "straw man" that the devil created while Nighthawk was real. Black Panther notes that they have a mutual dislike of Mephisto for his role in the alternate reality. As Black Panther needs every ally he can kind with Mephisto going Multiversal, Nighthawk takes up Black Panther's offer as Black Panther resigns as Chairman of the Avengers for an undisclosed leave of absence. Later in New York City, Nighthawk crashes the worshiping of the Serpent Society at their old Serpent Solutions headquarters. The rest of the Avengers arrive to find Nighthawk had defeated the Serpent Society. The portal that the Serpent Society summoned opens as Mephisto's dog form. Nighthawk mentioned that the serpent was one of Mephisto's forms as he plans to put Mephisto down. After Mephisto makes the Council of Red known to them, the Avengers hold a vote and allow Nighthawk to join the Avengers. He states that they will need a time machine for where they can trigger a confrontation with the Council of Red. He then proceeds to join the Avengers in confronting the Serpent Society after they escaped from police custody and are killing people while making their way across the Brooklyn Bridge. [38]
Tilda Johnson
After meeting the Nighthawk of Earth-31916 and helping him defend Chicago from a group of white nationalists called the True Patriots, Tilda Johnson decides to reform her image as the supervillain Nightshade and train under Nighthawk. [39] Sometime later, they help Hawkeye and Red Wolf after they find barrels of epidurium, a synthetic skin used to build Life-Model Decoys, on a truck that was hijacked. They go to an abandoned coal factory where they end up being attacked by armed soldiers led by Nick Fury. It's later revealed that Nick Fury, as well as Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones and the other agents, are Life-Model Decoys. They later thwart an attack by gunmen attempting to rob the base. After defeating the gunmen, Tilda decides to join Hawkeye and Red Wolf on the Avengers, saying her goodbyes to Nighthawk. [40]
During the Secret Empire storyline, while Hawkeye joins the Underground resistance following Hydra's takeover in the United States, the rest of the team gather their own resistance army to help the people in rural areas that are being affected by Hydra's cruel treatment. Tilda is revealed to have become the new Nighthawk, after the Nighthawk of Earth-31916 was killed by Hydra soldiers. After several successful victories, the resistance heads to a secret base in South Dakota and prepares for their next attack until Hydra forces raid the base. During the battle, Red Wolf and Tilda have a private conversation, in which both confess their feelings for each other, and they share a kiss. They then head out to help the resistance defeat Hydra. [41]
