Edwin Alva

Infobox comics character


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character_name = Edwin Alva
real_name = Edwin Alva
publisher=DC Comics
debut = "Hardware" #1, (April 1993)
creators = Dwayne McDuffie (writer)
Denys Cowan (artist)
Base of operations = Dakota City
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cat = DC Comics
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villain = y
sortkey = Edwin Alva

Edwin Alva Sr. is a fictional character, a supervillain created by Milestone Media, and Published by DC Comics. He first appeared in "Hardware" #1 (April 1993), and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan. Edwin Alva is the central villain of the comic book series "Hardware"

Fictional character biography

Edwin Alva Senior, is the president of Alva Technolgies, and one of the leading inventors of his time. Alva became interested in 12 year old Curtis Metcalf, a gifted but poor African-American teenager, and became his sponsor and mentor. Alva paid for Metcalf to attend college, where he graduated at the age of 15. Metcalf went on to work at Alva Technologies, where he developed many new products that earned his mentor millions. After several years, Metcalf approached Alva about the possibility of sharing in the profit that his inventions had brought the company. Metcalf was shocked when Alva declared that he owned Metcalf's ideas, and the rights to any current and future products Metcalf might develop. Enraged by this treatment, Metcalf investigated his mentor's background, only to discover that Alva was heavily involved in organized crime. After attempts to use official channels to expose Alva's past failed, Metcalf decided to take on Alva directly. Unknown to Alva, Metcalf had secretly developed a high-tech suit of armor. Metcalf uses this armor to disguise himself as the superhero Hardware. His initial headquarters was literally in the basement of Alva's own building.

Alva's criminal manipulations causes more problems then he intends. In the pages of Static, a female scientist, angry her husband sold out to Alva, uses her virtual reality projector to wreak havoc as 'Princess Nightmare, Empress Of 10,000 Screaming Worlds Of Terror'.

Alva eventually discovered that Metcalf was Hardware and confronted his former protege. Instead of using the information to destroy Hardware, Alva pointed out the moral grey area that both he and Metcalf inhabited, and that they had both used the ends to justify the means. Alva shocked Metcalf again, this time by offering Metcalf the position of vice-president at Alva Industries, and helping Metcalf to develop a new version of the Hardware armor.

Several years later, Alva announced his intention to retire in order to devote himself to charitable activities. Shortly afterwards, Alva was killed while saving several people from being crushed to death.

Other media

*Edwin Alva Sr. is a recurring villain in the "Static Shock" television series, which was based on another Milestone title, "Static". Alva is one of the richest men in America (hence the dialogue "he makes Bill Gates look like he's homeless"). His voice and appearance resemble Michael Douglas's character Gordon Gecko, and creator Dwayne McDuffie has said that the character was supposed to have been "more Peter O'Toole, than Peter Fonda". Edvin Alva was voiced by Kerrigan Mahan.
*Edwin Alva Jr. is a character in the "Static Shock" cartoon, the son of Edwin Alva Sr. To try and attract his father's attention, he gained powers and became a villain, taking the name "Omnifarious". During an attempt to combine his powers, he turned himself into stone. His father worked for a long time to turn him back to normal, and after much experimenting he was finally freed thanks to Static, Gear and Hotstreak. Alva Jr. was the first villain to learn Static's secret identity.