Clay Quartermain
Clay Quartermain, from Strange Tales #167 (April 1968). Art by Jim Steranko.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceStrange Tales #163 (December 1967)
Created byJim Steranko (writer / artist)
In-story information
Alter egoClay Quartermain
Team affiliationsS.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Paranormal Containment Unit
Hulkbusters
AbilitiesTrained in espionage, firearms, hand-to-hand combat

Clay Quartermain is a fictional character, a secret agent appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

Created by writer-artist Jim Steranko, he first appeared in Strange Tales #163 (December 1967).

Clay Quartermain appears as an agent of the fictional espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., beginning in the feature "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." in Marvel Comics' Strange Tales in 1967, and continuing into the subsequent series Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 1968. He became the S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison to the "Hulkbusters" military program, and a supporting character since The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #187 (May 1975).[1] A Life Model Decoy replica of the character was a featured character in the 1988 miniseries Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.. Quartermain has since had guest appearances in issues of Alias, Cable, The Defenders, Marvel Team-Up, The Pulse, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack, and the miniseries Secret War; in the "Nick Fury" feature in the omnibus Marvel Holiday Special (January 1994); and in the "Elite Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." feature in the one-shot Captain America 2000 (Nov. 2000). He also led the S.H.I.E.L.D. Paranormal Containment Unit in the 2005–2006 series Nick Fury's Howling Commandos.

Fictional character biography

Clay Quartermain is a high-ranking agent of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. described as a "blond-haired, fast-talking, grinning Burt Lancaster" sort[2] who first worked with the organization's storied executive director Nick Fury during S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first conflict with the would-be world tyrant Yellow Claw, which was later revealed to be a robotic simulacrum of the Mandarin. Quartermain later was part of the U.S. military's "Hulkbusters" operation spearheaded by General Thunderbolt Ross which attempted to capture and contain the Hulk.[3]

Upon being transferred back to S.H.I.E.L.D., Quartermain and many other agents were seemingly killed by a self-aware, renegade "Deltan" variety of the Life Model Decoys (LMDs) and replaced by one.[4] The most advanced of the Deltan LMDs, it rebelled upon learning it was not human and perished after several confrontations.[5]

In 2007, Quartermain was retconned into being a former romantic interest of Jessica Jones and the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Paranormal Containment Unit[6] as well as a new incarnation of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s "Hulkbusters" unit.[7][8]

Quartermain works with Jones to uncover a conspiracy against the President of the United States by investigating Mattie Franklin, a superheroine who was trapped in mysterious circumstances.[9][10] Additionally, it's revealed he befriended Jones while the latter was recovering from a months-long ordeal with the Purple Man.[11] Following this, he led a S.H.I.E.L.D. unit in rescuing Jones from a recruitment attempt by HYDRA.[12]

Quartermain was found dead after he was seemingly attacked by the Red Hulk, with Gabe Jones subsequently investigating his death.[13] It's later revealed that Quartermain was murdered after he inadvertently stumbled onto a conspiracy with the Red Hulk and Doc Samson to utilize a LMD of Ross.[14]

Other versions

The Ultimate Marvel version of Clay Quartermain makes minor appearances as a field agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. working for Nick Fury.[15][16]

In other media

  • Clay Quartermain appears in Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Adrian Hughes.
  • Clay Quartermain appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Troy Baker. This version is a field agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. and an acquaintance of the Avengers. After an appearance in the two-part "Breakout" where he works alongside Nick Fury and Maria Hill, he has major appearance in the episode "Gamma World" where he tries to contain the Leader who is eventually defeated. After dealing with Thunderbolt Ross and the Red Hulk in the episode "Nightmare in Red", Quartermain is seen in the episodes "Prisoner of War" and "Secret Invasion" where he joins forces the fellow captives to escape imprisonment after being replaced with a Skrull infiltrator and aid Earth's heroes in repelling Veranke's invasion. In the episode "Along Came a Spider", Quartermain assists in trying to transport several supervillains which gets disrupted by the Serpent Society. In the episode "Assault on 42", Quartermain assists against Prison 42's assault by Annihilus before being disabled by the Abomination.

References

  1. ↑ Quartermain appeared in The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2), #187-188, 192-200, 206-207, 209-210, 212-216, 219, 224, 226-228, 230-231, 233, 237-240, 243, 315, 322-327, 329-332, 334, 336-346, spanning May 1975 to August 1988 cover-dates, plus Annual #15 (October 1986)
  2. ↑ "Amazing Heroes #26 (July 1, 1983): "Fury of the Past: A Nick Fury Hero History" by Lou Mougin". Archived from the original on October 28, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  3. ↑ The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #337-343 (November 1987-April 1988)
  4. ↑ Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #2 (July 1988)
  5. ↑ Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #6 (November 1988)
  6. ↑ She-Hulk (vol. 2) #14 (January 2007)
  7. ↑ She-Hulk (vol. 2) #15 (March 2007)
  8. ↑ She-Hulk (vol. 2) #17 (April 2007)
  9. ↑ Alias #1-4 (November 2001-February 2002)
  10. ↑ Alias #16 (January 2003)
  11. ↑ Alias #26 (November 2003)
  12. ↑ The Pulse #6-9 (2005)
  13. ↑ Hulk (vol. 2) #4 (June 2008)
  14. ↑ Hulk (vol. 2) #23 (June 2010)
  15. ↑ Ultimate Spider-Man #27
  16. ↑ Ultimate Six #3 (2003)
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