The Blob
Real Name: Fred J. Dukes
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men 3
What's His Problem? Ostracized because of his obesity, Fred Dukes found work as a circus freak until he met the X-Men, who explained that he was a superhuman mutant and invited him to join their ranks. The Blob refused and, emboldened by his newfound superhumanity, decided to use his powers for criminal gain.
Powers: The Blob's bloated body is phenomenally durable, giving him superhuman strength and near-limitless invulnerability; most projectiles simply bounce off him or imbed themselves in his flab. He has some sensitivity to temperature extremes, but virtually nothing is capable of penetrating or otherwise damaging his skin. The Blob is also capable of mentally augmenting his superhuman mass so as to make himself utterly immovable when he plants himself in any given spot.
Favorite Quote: "BLORF!" Avengers Annual 10. In an ingenious end to one of comics' greatest slugfests, the Avengers give the Blob the mother of all mud baths.
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: The Blob is one of the X-Men's oldest and most persistent foes, battling them and their many mutant allies time and again. He's also pitted his girth against such heroes as the Avengers, the Defenders, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman and the Black Cat.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: An experienced team player, Dukes has joined such criminal groups as Factor Three and the Zodiac's bogus "Defenders"; he has also served more time than anyone else with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in its various incarnations, including the Brotherhood's government-sponsored stint as "Freedom Force". Despite this, few folks are truly fond of the Blob since he's rude, crude and physically repulsive. He did, however, enjoy a close friendship and recurring partnership with fellow mutant criminal Unus the Untouchable; his eventual accidental death nearly drove the Blob mad with grief.
Most Despicable Act: A ruthless, sadistic bully, the Blob often throws his weight around in rather brutal ways. On one such occasion, he attacked the Hellcat from behind and strangled her nearly to death before she kayoed him with an instinctive outburst of her latent psionic powers. Not the most chivalrous moment in super-villainy, to be sure.
by Sean McQuaid
