Quantum (Character)

Real Name: Eric Henderson

Publisher: Valiant Comics

Created by:  Christopher Priest

1st appearance: Quantum and Woody #1, 1997

Nationality: Unknown

Team Affiliations: Quantum and Woody

Legal Status: Unknown

Height: 6’2              Weight: 210 lbs

Eyes: Brown             Hair: Black

Relatives: Unnamed father (deceased), Nicole Astin Gray (Mother)

Skills and abilities: Military training in armed and unarmed combat.

Powers: His wristband can release a concussive energy blast. For a time he existed in a state of pure energy which could only be stabilized by knocking his band against his partner Woody’s.

He also employs many gadgets reminiscent of batman in his fight on crime.

Biography

Eric was the son of an affluent and influential black man living in the upper class of society in Greenwich. Due to his affluent and sheltered life he grew up completely ignorant of the fact that racism existed outside of his “bubble”. He became fast friends with bumbling Woodrow Van Chelton whose father worked with his. Despite being a straight ‘A’ student Eric constantly found himself in trouble due to his association with “Woody”.  When Woody suddenly moved away from the neighborhood and left school without saying anything to Eric he was devastated this was compounded when his classmates convinced the naïve Eric that Woody had left because he was ‘black’.

As a teenager he grew bitter and angry when real racism reared its head. He applied to West Point Military Academy who rejected his application on the basis that he they were already over there “black quota”. His father however was connected enough to get him in which made further alienated him to his white comrades and superiors. Here he realized he had a heart condition which would have had him expelled but again his father’s connections kept him in the military. Years later he was court-martialled when his condition was uncovered.

Around this time his father was killed along with Woody’s. At the funeral they were reunited and got drawn into uncovering who killed their dads. Here they discovered two gauntlets with one donned by each. Converted to energy they were forced to live together to stabilize each other. Eric then convinced Woody to become superheroes. He supplied the costumes and technology with Woody often serving as a bumbling sidekick. For a time he was trapped in Woody’s body though he later returned to his own. He eventually came to clash with Woody who had become a villain and took on a new sidekick.