Jack Power

Superherobox|
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Mass Master


caption=Mass Master, on the cover of the 2000 mini-series.
real_name=Johnathon "Jack" Power
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Power Pack" #1 (August 1984)
creators=Louise Simonson
June Brigman
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
status=Active
alliances=Power Pack
previous_alliances=
aliases=Mass Master, Counterweight, Destroyer
relatives=Alex Power (brother), Julie Power (sister), Katie Power (sister), James Power (mother), Margaret Power (mother), Lord Byrel (godfather)
powers=Control over his own mass and size.
Previously: Controlling gravity, Disintegrating, absorbing and releasing energy.|

Jonathan (Jack) Power, currently known as Mass Master, formerly Counterweight and Destroyer, is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in "Power Pack" (vol. 1) #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.

Publication history

Jack was a founding member of the superhero team Power Pack. The second youngest of the four Power siblings, he was 8 years old when he was given his powers by Aelfyre Whitemane, a dying Kymellian noble. He continued to operate with Power Pack through their entire history.

Jack aged from 8 to 9 in the original series; in the 2000 mini-series, he was 11 and in the 2005 mini-series comics, he was 12. Considering Julie Power, his older sister of two years, is now 17, Jack may now considered to be 15.

Fictional character biography

Jack Power was born in Richmond, Virginia. Brash and ornery, Jack was the "wild child" of the Power siblings. He frequently insulted and argued with both his teammates and his adversaries. Queen Maraud, Power Pack's archenemy, feared him more than the other children because she thought he would be the most likely to take advantage of the lethal nature of his powers. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #52]

However, his bold nature also made him a key fighter for the team. He possessed a tremendous amount of loyalty and courage, and usually kept a cool head even during stressful situations. Jack jumped into the East River to help his sister Katie escape from an ocean liner. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #14] He even taunted the Snark Jakal who was about to kill him with "Can't even kill someone until Mommy tells you to?!"."Power Pack" (vol. 1) #25]

Jack was perhaps the most innovative member of the Pack in terms of developing new power variations. When he received new powers, he was able to figure them out quickly and invent new uses for them. He was significantly better at controlling his gravity powers than Alex. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #27]

Recently, Jack retained his bold personality, but also showed a kinder, gentler side; opting to leave the team to care for his mother."Power Pack" (vol. 2) #1-4]

Powers and abilities

* Jack's first power was control over his own density. Initially, he was only able to turn himself into a cloudy, gaseous form. After a while, he learned how to make himself small and dense. Jack's major defenses were his ability to "go cloudy" and escape from people who were physically attacking him, and the "Jack Hammer," in which he dropped onto his enemies in his super-dense form. Several years later, Jack was able to create the molecular density force field first used by his sister Julie as Molecula.

*Jack later gained his brother Alex's gravity powers. He could de-gravitize himself and anything he touched, float, and increase gravitational force. Jack modified his powers by developing the "Super-G" punch, in which he used a super-gravitized fist to hit his adversaries. With this tactic, Jack was able to knock out Arclight during the Mutant Massacre. Jack refused to use the wings that Alex had used in order to fly and took the name Counterweight.

*Jack then gained the energy powers previously held by Katie and Alex. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #52] The energy powers allowed him to disintegrate matter and convert it into stored energy, as well as absorb existing energy directed against him. He could then project this stored energy as explosive spheres (referred to as "power balls").

*Jack eventually regained his original powers and took on his original codename of Mass Master.

Along with his siblings, Jack possessed Kymellian healing powers. Usually, he was required to work with his siblings to generate and use this ability; however, he occasionally accessed it on his own.

With his siblings, Jack owned a Kymellian smartship, Friday. The ship acted as an unofficial team advisor and accompanied the Pack on several missions.

Jack wore a costume of unstable molecules created by Friday. The costume existed in an extradimensional space known as "Elsewhere" and could be summoned with voice commands. The costume was later modified to include a mask.

Other versions

In issues #3 & #4 of the "Avengers and Power Pack Assemble!" miniseries, a 20-year-old Jack Power appeared in an alternate timeline. Having had his powers disrupted by Kang; Jack was stuck in his cloud form, and had to remain in a sealed, upgraded Iron Man-type armor to keep from dissipating.

Within issue #4 of the "Fantastic Four and Power Pack" miniseries; Jack is called by his full name, which is Jonathan. It is unknown whether this name is the same for the 616 version of Mass Master.

Millennial Visions

In the "Power Pack: Starting Over" story within Marvel's 2001 "Millennial Visions" one-shot comic, Jack was depicted as 28 year old drifter who had undergone treatment for addiction in rehab. He was also forced to remain in cloudy form, having lost the control to regain his solid shape. ["Millennial Visions" Marvel, 2001]

Bibliography

*"Power Pack" #1-62 (1984-1990)
*"Power Pack Holiday Special" (1992)
*"Power Pack" Mini-series #1-4 (2000)
*"Power Pack: Shelter from the Storm" Graphic novel (1989)
*"Power Pack and Spider-Man" Special issue (1986)
*"Excalibur" #29
*"Marvel Superheroes Summer Special"
*"Marvel Universe"; #10
*"Secret Wars II" #6
*"Strange Tales" #12-14
*"Thor" #357, #363
*"X-Men" 195
*"X-Men Classic" 99

References