Max Mercury
Max Mercury is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Quality
Quicksilver
He responded to a crime wave affecting the city which had culminated in the murder of a payroll clerk. This saw Quicksilver looking to investigate the matter to find the culprit with the trail leading to a local circus. (National Comics v1 #5)
DC
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Max Crandall
In 1838, he went to see his friends among the local Native American Blackfoot clan but came to find that they had been massacred. Crandall came to learn that the new fort commander believed in killing all Indians and had ordered the attack. Upon arriving, Max saw the dying shaman who urged his friend to warn the rest of the tribe of the coming ambush. Before passing away, the shaman made a symbol on Crandall's chest and evoked the god of storm and wind whereupon he said goodbye to his old friend. He then ran but could not see how he could warn the rest of the Indian tribes in time but as he moved he found himself moving faster and faster as he became empowered with incredible speed. With its power, he raced to warn the Indians and with his speed he removed all weapons before blood could be shed on either side. After that event, he made it his mission to stop further bloodshed from affecting the lands and with his powers he became the fastest man alive as people knew him as the Windrunner. For years, he kept the peace in the West and his legend grew where he grew curious about the origins of his powers. One day, he came to hear a strange beckoning leading to him moving faster and faster as he passed the speed of light whereupon he entered the Speed Force that was the source of his powers. It offered him a place within it just as it had done to other speedsters with Max finding a glorious fellowship within it. However, he had a moment of doubt and hesitation causing him to be lost through time where he fell into the year 1891. The incident affected Max for a time as he felt that his moment of fear meant that he as denied heaven leading to lose everything he had cared about in his native time. In the years that followed, he attempted to recapture the lightning but each attempt simply sent him further and further into history. During each period, he came to be known by a variety of identities and names. (Flash v2 #97)
A young Max Mercury came to sense a disturbance in the speed field where he rushed to the source which was during a time when Johnny Quick was operating as a hero. He arrived just in time to save Chambers from a villainous speedster named Savitar who had gained his powers during the Cold War. The man had become a religious zealot who worshipped speed and wanted to enter into the Speed Force with him seeking answers from Johnny Quick. However, Quick's response in that he used a formula caused Savitar to declare him a blasphemer with the villainous speedster looking to murder him. The arrival of Mercury caused Savitar to flee but Max along with Johnny Quick went in pursuit of the supervillain who was operating from a makeshift temple that was made by his followers. Another battle erupted with the heroes looking to stop Savitar with Max planning a means of defeating the supervillain. This involved travelling into the speed field with Savitar in pursuit where the villain thought he could achieve his goal by reaching a speed whereby he could transition into the Speed Force. However, at that point, Max stopped causing Savitar to collide and fall into the timestream where he became lost for decades thus stopping the threat posed by him for a time. Max then came to record his encounter with the villain in a journal that was to be used by future heroes to fight Savitar whenever he emerged in the future. (The Flash v2 #109)
He was among a number of heroes invited to the Justice League Watchtower on the Moon when the Justice League had expanded their ranks to recruit more members. Max had been invited by the Flash and whilst honoured he felt that he had his hands full looking after Impulse and declined to join the team. However, he told them that if they ever needed help then they could call on his aid whereupon he left the League's headquarters. (JLA v1 #5)
During the battle with Superboy-Prime, the Flash attempted to force the mad Kryptonian into the Speed Force where he received aid from fallen speedsters like Barry Allen, Johnny Quick and Max Mercury. Max told the new Kid Flash Bart Allen to now be afraid as Superboy-Prime was briefly dragged into the Speed Force. (Infinite Crisis v1 #4)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. It was revealed that the Speed Force protected Max Mercury and Jesse Quick from the changes in reality but they remained trapped within it. However, when Eobard Thawne possessed the Flash's body, the essences of Max and Jesse came to approached Barry within his mind where they sought to help him learn to restore control over his own form. (The Flash v1 #759)
With his body restored, he joined the Flash Family as they battled the Legion of Zoom. In the midst of the fight, he asked Bart to protect him whilst he meditated in order to summon forth other heroic speedsters from across time and the Multiverse. Together, they all worked to create a massive speed storm to reset the internals vibrations of the Legion of Zoom thus sending them the villains all back to their respective places in the timeline. (The Flash v1 #761)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Upon gaining his powers, he came to be known as Ahwehota (He Who Runs Beyond the Wind) or as the Windrunner. When he was trapped in different time periods, he came to be known by different names in each era with these including Blue Streak, Quicksilver and Max Mercury. (Flash v2 #97)
One account claimed that he had once performed acrobatics but gave the life up to become a crime fighter. (National Comics v1 #28)
Due to his penchant for laughing, he was once regarded as the laughing Robin Hood. (National Comics v1 #5)
As the oldest of the speedsters, he was regarded as the zen guru of speed. (Flash v2 #97)
Powers and abilities
As a speedster, Max's powers were drawn from an extradimensional energy field known as the Speed Force. It was an energy source that he tapped into to generate his incredible speed. (Flash v2 #97) With his incredible speed, he was able to race to destinations quickly far faster than an ordinary man and could dodge gunfire. (National Comics v1 #5)
Notes
- Max Mercury was created by Jack Cole and Chuck Mazoujian where he made his first appearance in National Comics v1 #5 (November, 1940).
Alternate Versions
Appearances
- National Comics v1: (1940)
- The Flash v2:
- Impulse v1:
- Infinite Crisis v1:
- The Flash v1: (2020)
External Links
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