Battlestar

Battlestar
Battlestar in Civil War Frontline #3. Art by Ramon Sachs.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Captain America #323 (November 1986)
Created by	Mark Gruenwald Paul Neary
In-story information
Alter ego	Lemar Hoskins
Team affiliations	Bold Urban Commandos CSA Wild Pack
Partnerships	U.S. Agent
Notable aliases	Bucky
Abilities	Superhuman strength, stamina, durability, agility and reflexes

Battlestar (Lemar Hoskins), who was also the fifth Bucky, is a fictional character, who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America #323 (November 1986).

Fictional character biography

Lemar Hoskins was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was once a soldier who, along with his army buddies John Walker, Hector Lennox, and Jerome Johnson was given superhuman strength by Dr. Karl Malus on behalf of the Power Broker, and they all became wrestlers.^[1] The four later formed the Bold Urban Commandos (also known as the "BUCkies"), and were employed by John Walker, now known as the Super-Patriot. The Buckies staged a fake attack on the Super-Patriot for publicity, and battle Captain America.^[2] As a Bucky, Hoskins also attacked a group of foreign students.^[3]

Bucky

When the federal Commission on Superhuman Activities eventually selected Walker to replace Steve Rogers as the fifth Captain America, Hoskins was the only one in his group allowed to accompany the new Captain America. He took the identity of Bucky (after Rogers' original partner Bucky Barnes), and underwent a rigorous training under the supervision of the Commission. Walker and Hoskins went on their first mission, where they fought the Watchdogs.^[4] They next battled Professor Power's troops and Gargantua.^[5]

Battlestar

Soon thereafter Hoskins, who is African American, was persuaded by another black man that "Bucky" was a demeaning title,^[6] since American slaveholders often referred to male slaves as "bucks". Consequently, Hoskins took on the identity of Battlestar, wearing a new costume and wielding a shield patterned after the one Steve Rogers originally carried.^[7] Captain America (Walker) and Battlestar captured Quill but were defeated in combat by his team, the Resistants. They then fought and defeated Demolition Man.^[8] Battlestar witnessed the Flag-Smasher's capture of Captain America. Battlestar persuaded Rogers, the original Captain America, to help him rescue Walker from the Flag-Smasher, and they battled ULTIMATUM.^[9] Battlestar then witnessed the faked assassination of Walker, and left the Commission's employ. He confronted Dr. Valerie Cooper and learned that Walker was still alive. Battlestar met the Falcon and aided him in battling Coachwhip, Puff Adder, and Rock Python of the Serpent Society.^[10]

Battlestar then confronted and fought the U.S. Agent. Battlestar fought the Power Tools, who captured him. Dr. Karl Malus employed the Power Tools to collect previous clients of Power Broker, Inc., so that Malus could perform tests upon them. Malus subjected Battlestar to the de-augmentation process. Subsequently, Hoskins fought the Power Broker, and his superhuman strength was restored by Malus. Hoskins then reconciled with the U.S. Agent.^[11]

When Steve Rogers resumed the identity of Captain America, Battlestar left federal employment and returned to his native Chicago. He became a member of Silver Sable's Wild Pack for some time,^[12] even serving as the Wild Pack's field leader during Silver's absence.^[13] He eventually returns to the United States.

Civil War

Battlestar allies himself with many opposed to the Superhuman Registration Act.^[14] His group includes, but are not limited to, Typeface, Gladiatrix and Solo. During a visit by reporter Sally Floyd, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents operating alongside Iron Man attack and capture many of the group. Floyd and a few others escape.^[15]

Project Pegasus

Battlestar later returned, working as a security guard for Project Pegasus. He was there to witness a zombie invasion from a parallel Earth and the return of Jack of Hearts.^[16]

Powers, abilities, and equipment

• As a result of the experimental mutagenic process conducted on him by Karl Malus on behalf of the Power Broker, Lemar Hoskins has superhuman strength. His endurance is also heightened albeit to a lesser degree. His agility and reflexes are of the order of a superior Olympic athlete. Additionally, he possesses superhuman durability and resilience, enabling him to survive high impacts and blows, and in one instance to survive being hanged by the Watchdogs (a Red Skull front group).
• Battlestar is highly trained in gymnastics and acrobatics. He is an exceptional hand-to-hand combatant, and received rigorous training in unarmed combat and the use of his shield in a style similar to the original Captain America, from the Taskmaster.
• He carries a near indestructible blunt-end triangular adamantium shield in combat, and is capable of using it defensively against kinetic and energy based attacks, and offensively as a missile weapon.

In other media

Battlestar appeared (along with the rest of Wildpack) in the 1994 Spider-Man animated series Season 5 episodes known as "Six Forgotten Warriors, Chapters I, II, IV & V".

References

External links

• World of Black Heroes: Battlestar Biography
• Battlestar entry on Marvel Universe
• Battlestar entry on Marvel Directory