- NFL Superpro
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NFL Superpro Publication information Publisher Marvel Comics Publication date 1991 Number of issues 12 Main character(s) Phil Grayfield Creative team Writer(s) Fabian Nicieza NFL Superpro was a short-lived comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Produced in collaboration with the NFL and written by Fabian Nicieza, the series started publication in 1991 and ended after 12 issues. The hero of this comic is Phil Grayfield, an ex-NFL-American football player who survived a freak accident and wears a near-indestructible football uniform.
Contents
Outline
Nicieza wrote a story centering around Phil Grayfield, once an aspiring football player. His career ended when he saved a child from falling and suffered a horrific knee injury. He became a sports reporter and interviewed an eccentric football superfan, who happened also to be a scientist. This scientist designed a new, almost indestructible football uniform, which has to be molded on an "individual basis" and costs five million dollars to construct — so is "worth a fortune".
Suddenly interrupting the interview, thieves raid the eccentric's house, overwhelm the two of them, steal a vanload of NFL merchandise (but strangely not the uniform), and torch the building. Grayfield, who is tied up, knocks over experimental chemicals, which — in combination with the fire and diverse ultra-rare football souvenirs going up in flames — do not incinerate him, but turn him into a near-invincible superhero.
Grayfield puts on the eccentric's football uniform and brings the villains to justice, dedicating his life to fighting crime and dubbing himself "Superpro".
Reception
NFL Superpro has been called one of the worst comics in recent Marvel Comics history, becoming a cult object. Often cited in this claim are issues with the plot and the characters. For example, in the first issue a group of thieves incinerate valuable NFL merchandise but it is never explained why they burn it instead of selling it off. Writer Fabian Nicieza admitted he wrote the story to gain free NFL tickets. He stated that he still receives flak for his comic [1]. Later Marvel comics have poked fun at the series. In an issue of Marvel Team-up the character Stilt Man says "I beat up a guy called Superpro last week. Silliest looking guy..."
In 2005, the Chicago Sports Review called it "perhaps the worst comic book ever created". [2]
Supporting characters
The Happy Campers
The Happy Campers were four ordinary citizens turned superheroes after undergoing a treatment by the scientist Carragone. Carragone built a ray cannon that was supposed to turn people into superheroes. They were Greyfield's allies.
- Almighty Dollar, aka Pennington Pennypacker, a CPA who could shoot pennies from his hands
- Calculator, aka Kwong Dae, a Korean actuary and super-thinker with the power to immediately assess probabilities
- Girth, aka 'Tubby' Walsh, an obese African-American with a belly immune to physical punishment
- Streak, aka Frank Moody, a mortician, jogger and super-fast runner
Villains
- Quick Kick, a football placekicker turned ninja
- Bennings, a footballer turned into an insane giant by steroid abuse
- Instant Replay, the assassin who can slice through time
- Marco Sanzionare, a crime boss whose dealings are constantly thwarted by Superpro
External links
- A detailed, mostly negative review
- The Happy Campers and Carragone
- NFL Superpro: Dumbest Comic Ever?
Categories:- Fictional players of American football
- Marvel Comics titles
- Characters created by Fabian Nicieza
- National Football League mascots
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