Solo
Real Name: James Bourne
First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man 19
What's His Problem? James Bourne, a soldier in the US army stationed in Germany, fell in love with Melinda Wallace. Tragically, soon after they met, Melinda was killed in a terrorist attack. To avenge Melinda's death, Bourne agreed to join a top-secret anti-terrorist team, Omega Strike. During the team's training, he became romantically involved with Rowena MacLean. However, disaster soon struck again for Bourne. Omega Strike's first mission was to end a hostage crisis at an airport. Unknown to the team, their leader, Emil Tessler, had been paid to make certain Omega Strike failed. Joining Tessler in this scheme was Omega Strike member Gabriel Gant, as well as Rowena, who was actually Tessler's daughter. Gant arranged for Omega Strike to be ambushed and killed by the terrorists, and he personally shot Bourne while Rowena reluctantly looked on. But Bourne survived. Shattered by his team's deaths and Rowena's betrayal, Bourne became Solo, a fanatical vigilante determined to destroy terrorism.
Abilities: Solo is proficient in numerous forms of armed and unarmed combat. As part of the Omega Strike program, an experimental cyber-chip was implanted in his brain, giving him the power to teleport (however, the chip requires time to recharge, so Solo must wait a short time between teleports). Additionally, Solo acquired technology which enables him to rapidly heal wounds he acquires on his missions.
Weapons: You name it, he's got it! Guns, knives, grenades, bombs, rocket launchers- the whole nine yards. The Punisher must be darned jealous of Solo's arsenal.
Favorite Quote: "While I live, terror dies!" (Solo's motto, first uttered in Web of Spider-Man 19, and oft repeated by him in subsequent appearances. Dramatic and right to the point, just like the man himself.)
Favorite Response to the Above Quote: "How about 'Terror gets wounded' !" (in Amazing Spider-Man 367, our friendly neighborhood webslinger suggests to Solo that he switch to decaff and mellow out.)
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: Solo crossed Spider-Man's path numerous times, much to their mutual regret. He has also had run-ins with Silver Sable, Nick Fury, the Black Cat, and Captain America, the later of whom he really rubbed the wrong way.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: Silver Sable, herself a proponent of the values of ruthlessness, had no major objections to Solo's methods when they worked together. Spider-Man repeatedly put up with Solo out of necessity, until Solo's trigger-happy nature finally got to be too much for the web-headed hero. The one person who really cares for Solo was Rowena. Despite her betrayal of him, Rowena always regretted the way things turned out between them, and she could never bring herself to kill Solo. Of course, she didn't do anything to stop ARES, her father's terrorist organization, from trying to do in Solo, so this was kind of an empty gesture.
Most Despicable Act: Solo actually did many good deeds, helping to thwart schemes by such villains as the Red Skull, Tarantula, the Viper, and ULTIMATUM, as well as numerous run-of-the-mill terrorist organizations. His "good deeds" during some of these jaunts included things like executing webbed-up prisoners, one of the reasons Spidey can usually be heard yelling "no more killing!" around Solo -- editor Jeanne. However, Solo crossed the line when he tried to stop his long-time foe, Gabriel Gant. Adopting the name Deathstorm, Gant killed Emil Tessler and took over ARES. After Solo finally defeated ARES, Deathstorm tried to teleport away. Solo, determined to stop Deathstorm once and for all, shot and killed him. Tragically, Solo's bullet passed through Deathstorm's body, killing an innocent bystander. Horrified at what he had done, Solo surrendered to the authorities. But this was too little and too late.
Future for the Character: Solo has not been seen since the tragic ending of his 1994 miniseries. Guilt-stricken as he is at having killed an innocent person, it is doubtful that he will ever take up the mantle of Solo again. But one never knows in comic books.
by Benjamin Herman
