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| Doc Samson |
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| Real Name: Leonard Samson Powers: Leonard Samson's gamma irradiated skin provides him with natural body armor and incredible resistance to most forms of injury. In addition, his body's strength has increased to superhuman levels, in particular his leg muscles, which allows him to leap fantastic distances. History: Psychiatrist Doctor Leonard Samson came to US Army General T.E. "Thunderbolt" Ross with a plan to cure his daughter Betty, who had been transformed into a crystalline form through a blood transfusion with the criminal Sandman. Samson had technicians devise a cathexis ray projector that would drain off gamma ray particle energy and psionic energy from Bruce Banner as he transformed into his monstrous alter-ego, the Hulk, whom the General had long hunted. Samson theorized that as a result of this process, Banner would be cured of the physiological instability that continually transformed him into the Hulk. Hoping to save Betty and to be cured himself, Banner willingly participated in the experiment. The cathexis ray succeeded in turning Betty back to normal; however, residual energies drained from Banner remained within the projector. Motivated by scientific curiosity, and probably by a desire to gain superhuman powers for himself, Samson irradiated himself with the energies. The result was that the slight, brown-haired psychiatrist was transformed into a muscled, green-haired superhuman. Thus reborn, Samson began making romantic advanced to Betty. Out of jealousy, Banner, who seemed permanently cured, turned the projector on himself and returned himself to his previous condition. Samson later lost his superhuman physique and power when he took a blast of concentrated gamma radiation intended for the Hulk. However, months later, Samson regained his gamma-mutated form when he was bombarded by intensive radiation from an exploding gammatron, an experiment al gamma ray generator. Over the years, Doc Samson, as he came to be called, has long sought to capture the Hulk and permanently cure Banner, alternating between actively pursuing him and working as a university teacher. During his tenure as a professor, he was approached to lead a Midwest version of the superhero team Avengers, although he turned the offer down. Samson eventually caught up with the Hulk and was able to physically separate two personas, that of Banner and of the Hulk, by a machine of his own invention. Samson freed the Bannerless Hulk, only to discover it was a mindless creature that acted out to pure rage. Feeling responsible for the destruction this new Hulk was causing, Samson tried to recapture it. He came into conflict with the Avengers and the US Army's new "Hulkbusters." Banner and the Hulk were eventually forced to recombine into the gray-skinned version of the Hulk. Samson worked with the international espionage agency, SHIELD, in attempting to recapture the Hulk, but only resulted in the destruction of the Hulkbuster's base, partially at his own hands. Soon, however, Samson was able to treat the Hulk once more, with the aid of the Circus of Crime's leader, the Ringmaster, and his hypnotic powers. Samson succeeded in merging the three separate personalities of the Hulk into one composite whole. Thus "cured," Samson left the Hulk and returned to teaching. |