Tempo (comics)

Last updated
Tempo
Tempo A.JPG
Tempo as an Acolyte
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance New Mutants #86 (February 1990)
Created by Louise Simonson
Rob Liefeld
In-story information
Alter egoHeather Tucker
Species Human Mutant
Team affiliations Mutant Liberation Front
Marauders
Acolytes
Notable aliasesHarriet Solomon
AbilitiesFlight
Time manipulation

Tempo is a fictional African-American mutant character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She was introduced as a member of the Mutant Liberation Front in New Mutants #86 (February 1990).

Contents

Publication history

Tempo first appeared in New Mutants #86.

Fictional character biography

Tempo (alter ego Heather Tucker) is a founding member of the terrorist organization known as the Mutant Liberation Front (MLF). Tempo is a mainstay in the team's adventures, including fighting Wolverine, Sunfire, X-Factor and others in the name of mutant rights, using her time-bending powers.[ volume & issue needed ]

The MLF destroy the Tucker Clinic, an institute for pregnant mothers to undergo prenatal DNA testing to determine whether or not their babies would be mutants, resulting in the death of Dr. Tucker. The story hints that Tempo may have been his daughter. [1]

Soon after, a tyrannical despot named Reignfire reforms the MLF and tasks them with killing Henry Peter Gyrich. Tempo intervenes to save Gyrich and is exiled from the MLF.[ volume & issue needed ]

After leaving the MLF, Cable invites Tempo to join X-Force but she declines, choosing instead to go to college and put aside the super-powered lifestyle.[ volume & issue needed ] She is again briefly affiliated with the MLF during Operation: Zero Tolerance .[ volume & issue needed ] [2]

After M-Day, Tempo is one of the few to retain her powers. She then becomes a member of the reformed Acolytes.[ volume & issue needed ] When they disband, she joins Utopia and works alongside the X-Men.[ volume & issue needed ]

In Age of X, Tempo is transformed into a soldier of Fortress X. [3] Tempo is fatally wounded while battling humans, but before she dies Legacy absorbs her memories. [4]

Before being recruited into the Marauders, Tempo was in a relationship with another mutant, Bouncer (Renata Da Lima), but they broke up. [5]

Powers and abilities

Tempo can manipulate time. She is able to slow or stop her opponents and speed up either herself or her teammates. She has prevented grenades from exploding by keeping them in suspended motion, and was also able to successfully attack Rogue by amplifying Rogue's speed, causing her to crash into a wall while flying.

Strain limits how long Tempo can maintain a major time manipulation. While it was never established how long that limit is, she was able to completely freeze the X-Men for several minutes while she and the Acolytes conducted a thorough search of the X-Men mansion. [6] Tempo can also levitate herself and fly at subsonic speeds.[ volume & issue needed ]

Besides offering her physical protection, Tempo's helmet also contains electronic equipment that provides her with resistance to Cable's telepathic probes. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogue (Marvel Comics)</span> Character appearing in Marvel Comics

Rogue is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden, she first appeared in Avengers Annual #10 (1981). In her comic book appearances commonly associated with the X-Men, Rogue is depicted as a mutant, a subspecies of humans born with an "X-gene" that grants superhuman abilities. She is capable of absorbing the life force, attributes, memories, and superpowers of anyone through physical touch. Rogue is initially portrayed as a reluctant supervillain, but she soon joins the X-Men as a superhero and has since endured as one of its most prominent members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gambit (Marvel Comics)</span> Comic book character

Gambit is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee. Drawn by artist Mike Collins, Gambit made his first appearances in The Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 and The Uncanny X-Men #266. Gambit belongs to a subspecies of humans called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. Gambit has the ability to mentally create, control, and manipulate pure kinetic energy to his desire. He is also incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in card throwing, hand-to-hand combat, and the use of a bō staff. Gambit is known to charge playing cards and other objects with kinetic energy, using them as explosive projectiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mystique (character)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Mystique is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, the character first appeared in Ms. Marvel #16. A member of a subspecies of humanity known as mutants who are born with superhuman abilities, Mystique is a shapeshifter who can mimic the appearance and voice of any person with exquisite precision. Her natural appearance includes blue skin, red hair and yellow eyes.

The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline in Marvel Comics titles, from 1993 to 2001, during which it swept through the mutant population of the Marvel Universe, killing hundreds, as well as mutating so that it affected non-mutant humans as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marrow (character)</span> Comics character

Marrow (Sarah) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is commonly depicted in association with the X-Men. She is depicted as a mutant whose bones grow out of her skin. These can be removed from her body, providing her with potential knives, clubs, and body armor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannonball (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Cannonball is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in The New Mutants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunfire (comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Sunfire is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Sunfire is a mutant and sometime member of the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skids (character)</span> Comics character

Skids is a fictional mutant character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marauders (comics)</span> Group of fictional characters

The Marauders refers to one of two teams of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Marauders team included mutant warriors and assassins employed by the X-Men's enemy Mister Sinister, a mad scientist villain often intent on creating a perfect race of superhumans. At different times, the Marauders have been tasked with Sinister to perform kidnappings, assassinations, mass murder, or to simply fight Sinister's enemies. At different times, Marauders have been killed in combat, but often Mr. Sinister later uses his cloning technology to re-create them. This team of Marauders has appeared in many different stories of the X-Men franchise, as well as stories featuring other Marvel Comics heroes.

Henry Peter Gyrich is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a liaison of the United States government who is often opposed to the superhuman community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exodus (comics)</span> Comics character

Exodus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Quesada, he first appeared in X-Factor #92. His real name was initially given as Paris Bennett, but this was uncovered as an alias when he was revealed to have been born in 12th-century France under the name of Bennet Du Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karima Shapandar</span> Fictional character

Omega Sentinel is a superhero later supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is associated with the X-Men and its spinoff Excalibur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Cargill</span> Comics character

Joanna Cargill, also known as Frenzy, is a fictional character, a mutant superhuman appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been a member of supervillain groups, including the Alliance of Evil and the Acolytes, as well as the superhero team, the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Random (comics)</span> Comics character

Random is a fictional character and antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Peter David for the series X-Factor. He was originally presented as an opponent of X-Factor, but he later became their reluctant ally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forearm (comics)</span> Comics character

Forearm is a fictional mutant villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. As a member of the Mutant Liberation Front, Forearm has always been a mainstay on the terrorist group's roster, even staying through leader changes and incarceration.

Loa is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mutant, Loa is a student at the Xavier Institute. She made her debut in The New Mutants vol. 2 #11.

Locus is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first one, whose real name is Aaron Verne, first appeared in Thor #302, and has the ability to create geometric energy constructs.

Strobe is a fictional mutant character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She was created for the villainous team the Mutant Liberation Front (MLF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-Men: Messiah Complex</span>

"X-Men: Messiah Complex" is an American comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics from October 2007 to January 2008, which ran through the various X-Men books.

References

  1. X-Factor #78 (May 1992)
  2. X-Force #67 (June 1997)
  3. George A. Tramountanas (2011-06-21). "X-POSITION: Mike Carey on the "Age of X" Aftermath". CBR. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  4. X-Men Legacy #245
  5. Marauders Annual #1
  6. X-Men (vol. 2) #202 (October 2007)
  7. X-Factor #78 (May 1992)