Madcap
Real Name: Unrevealed. Or maybe he just completely forgot that he had one.
First Appearance: Captain America 307
What's His Problem? The devoutly religious young man who became Madcap was on a church-sponsored field trip with his family when their bus collided with a tanker truck transporting chemicals for A.I.M.; all but the young man were killed, though he himself was driven mad by the senselessness of their deaths and his own survival. Attempting suicide, he discovered the chemicals had mutated him so that any injury to his body healed almost instantly. Deciding life was meaningless, he set out to convert the general public to his way of thinking through his antics as the costumed crazy called Madcap.
Powers: Madcap has a healing factor that puts Wolverine's to shame: he's bounced back from brain injuries, dismemberment and being burned beyond recognition with nary a scratch. He is also no longer able to feel pain, making him insanely fearless and utterly heedless of injury. Madcap has the psionic ability to drive those near him temporarily mad via eye contact, though he likes to claim that the source of this power is the plastic bubble-making soap gun he always carries. The gun is merely a distracting prop.
Favorite Quote: "I can do things the Comics Code not only wouldn't approve, but wouldn't put in a birdcage!" Sensational She-Hulk 9. A suddenly meta-fictional Madcap speaks true, especially since he's in the midst of amputating his own leg with a circular saw for the heck of it.
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: Madcap has tormented Nomad, Captain America, Daredevil, Power Pack, She-Hulk and Hawkeye, though the latter hero was actually rescuing him from criminal captors Dr. Malus and the Power Tools (don't ask). He was subjected to Ghost Rider's penance stare when the two met...and liked it so much he decided he would do anything to be subjected to it again!
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: Nomad tried playing mentor to the misguided Madcap before realizing how dangerous the clownish vigilante really was. Small-time film producer and former Defenders groupie Dollar Bill thinks Madcap is way cool and built a cable TV show around him. In fact, the show has actually attracted a healthy cult following -- although "sizable" may be a better word for it than "healthy".
Most Despicable Act: Madcap means no harm and no longer truly comprehends the consequences of his actions, but he often endangers lives with both his own stunts and the deeds he inspires. People affected by his power become as heedless of their own and others' safety as he is. He has sparked potentially life-threatening mass hysteria on several occasions just for the fun of it.
by Sean McQuaid
Madcap Mug Shots
Captain America 307 1985 DareDevil 234 1986 Ghost Rider 33 1993
