Publication history
The group first appeared in Slingers #0, a free promotional comic book included in an issue of Wizard. Slingers #1 had four versions produced, each telling a fourth of the first issue's story from the point of view of one of the four team members. [1] The series acquired a small fan base, but failed to sustain sales and was cancelled with issue #12. [1]
The Slingers appeared in the series Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider , written by Peter David. [2]
Fictional team history
The Slingers were four teenage superheroes inspired by Spider-Man, each using an identity that Spider-Man had assumed during the events of "Identity Crisis". [3] [1] After this crisis had ended, Spider-Man discarded the four costumes, which were acquired by Black Marvel and given to the Slingers. [4]
After learning that Black Marvel had received the costumes through a deal with the demon Mephisto, the Slingers work to free his soul from Mephisto. Black Marvel dies, free from Mephisto's grasp, and the team apparently disbands. [4] Ricochet made several guest appearances in the Marvel comic Runaways as a member of Excelsior, a group of former teenage heroes whose goals are to help fellow teenage superheroes adjust to mundane lives, and to dissuade other super-powered teenagers from becoming heroes.
After the breakup of the Slingers, Hornet is killed in battle with Wolverine, who had been brainwashed by the Hand. Prodigy resurfaced fighting against Iron Man during the "Civil War" event. Eventually he joined with Captain America's underground movement, and later became a recruit for the Initiative program. At the end of Avengers: The Initiative , Prodigy was released from Prison 42, in which he was detained for having resisted Norman Osborn's regime, and began working as a motivational speaker while trying to reunite the Slingers.
After Hydra's takeover of America was thwarted, Hornet was seen active in Las Vegas, prompting Ricochet and Dusk to travel there to confront their apparently resurrected ally, even as the Hornet steals from a casino on the part of his employer Silas Thorne and is confronted by Scarlet Spider. After the initial confrontation, Ricochet learns that the new Hornet is not only working with Prodigy, but received his costume from Black Marvel and is thus convinced to join the other Slingers in forcing the Scarlet Spider to turn himself over to the police for beating Silas Thorne so badly that he was hospitalized. [5] After they take Cassandra Mercury hostage, she is found thanks to Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker tracking her hidden mobile phone, where they discover that the Slingers are being led by Black Marvel. However, Dusk realizes that Black Marvel has no soul. Hornet is revealed to be the villain Cyber, who was revived by an unidentified entity posing as Black Marvel. [6]
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