Hardball (comics)

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caption=Cover art for "Avengers: The Initiative Annual" #1.
Hardball is in the center.
Art by Jim Cheung.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Hardball
real_name=Roger Brokeridge
species= Human (empowered)
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut=" #1 (March, 2007)
creators=Dan Slott
Stefano Caselli
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=
aliases=
powers=Ability to create a variety of energy balls, normally originating from his hand, including "hard energy" and electro-magnetic energy.|

Hardball (Roger Brokeridge) is a fictional character, an American comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe.

Fictional character biography

Roger Brokeridge [Full name revealed in "Avengers: The Initiative #4] (a.k.a. Hardball) is one of the new Initiative recruits who arrives with Cloud 9, MVP, Trauma, Komodo, and others. He appears to have a very outgoing personality, hitting on Thor Girl on the bus ride in and cracking a joke about not having a cape when receiving his fatigues ["Avengers: The Initiative" #1] . He also tries to convince Komodo and Cloud 9 to go out to a bar with him, even though he is two weeks short of his 21st birthday ["Avengers: The Initiative" #3] . During the training mishap with Armory he exhibits the ability to create an energy ball that deflects the lethal blasts from Armory's Tactigon. He attempts to capitalize on his new position by wearing a costume and flaunting his abilities at a bar in Stamford. Understandably, the patrons are less then happy to see a "grandstanding kid superhero", and are on the verge of attacking him, until a man in a suit rescues him. ["Avengers: The Initiative" #3] In return, the suited man has Hardball steal a S.P.I.N. Tech dart magazine from the weapon stores for him and replace it with a facsimile. Ironically, that same magazine is the one Iron Man attempts to use to defeat the Hulk during the events of World War Hulk ["World War Hulk" #1] . Upon realizing what he has done, Hardball is overcome with guilt ["Avengers: The Initiative" #4] .

It is later revealed that Roger was given his powers by the Power Broker. Hardball was then forced to work for the Power Broker, and was ordered to rob an armored car. He used his new powers to knock the car down while coincidentally a little girl entered the street at that time, in the path of the the car. Wonder Man, who just happened to be flying by misinterpreted this as an act of heroism, and swiftly recruited him into the initiative. The Power Broker then sold his "contract" to HYDRA, whose commander is the man who saved him in the bar, Congressman Woodman, which means HYDRA has a double-agent within the Initiative. ["Avengers: The Initiative Annual" #1]

Roger has since entered into a romantic relationship with Komodo.

When he completed his training, Hardball was assigned to Nevada's Initiative team. ["Avengers: The Initiative" #12] He appears with the Heavy-Hitters, including Gravity, Nonstop, and Telemetry, helping the Skrull Kill Krew and 3-D Man deal with a Skrull posing as an unnamed team member during the "Secret Invasion". He then leaves with Komodo, 3-D Man, and the Krew to help the other Initiative teams. ["Avengers: the Initiative" #17]

Powers and abilities

The full extent of his powers is unrevealed. He appears to be able to create balls of energy that he can use as a defensive shield (presumably they can also be used offensively). These energy balls can be quite powerful, since they managed to deflect energy blasts from Armory (which previously had pierced through Ultimo's armor). He can also create electro-magnetic balls of energy that can momentarily scramble electronic locks and cameras. He has not told The Initiative the full extent of his powers.

References