Nuke (Francis "Frank" Simpson) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli, the character first appeared in Daredevil #232 (July 1986). Nuke's most distinguishing feature is an American Flag tattooed on his face.
A variation of Nuke named Will Simpson appeared in the first and second seasons of Marvel's Netflix television series, Jessica Jones, portrayed by Wil Traval.
Publication history
Nuke was created by Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli. He first appeared in Daredevil #232. Nuke largely disappeared following his apparent death in Daredevil #233, although his origin was explored and touched upon in issues of Captain America and Wolverine. In the series New X-Men, Nuke is retroactively established to have been involved in the Weapon Plus program.
Fictional character biography Early life The disturbed son of a wealthy, abusive, alcoholic, upper-class woman in Ohio, Frank Simpson developed an unhealthy affection for his babysitter, the only real maternal figure in his life. The young woman, who was harboring feelings for Frank's father Charles Simpson, capitalized on Frank's affection and talked the boy into killing his mother. Wolverine, at that time an operative for Weapon Plus, stalks Charles and Frank's babysitter, eventually killing the latter with Charles's gun. After Charles committed suicide, Wolverine abducted Frank for the supersoldier project.Wolverine: Origins #3 (August 2006)
Frank Simpson was sent into the Vietnam War as a black-ops agent and captured by the Viet Cong. Simpson was severely tortured by Logan, shattering his mind. While torturing Simpson, Logan implanted the phrase "No V.C.!" as a trigger word, along with the compulsion to kill gruesomely. He then allowed Simpson to escape and used his conditioning to have him murder a group of peasants. The experiment being a success, Logan was installed as Simpson's handler.Wolverine: Origins #2 (July 2006)
At some time during the war, Nuke was inducted into the final part of the Project Homegrown, a division of Weapon Plus. Nuke was converted into a cyborg with a subdermal mesh that can deflect bullets. Additionally, he was implanted with a second heart that, working in conjunction with placebo pills, controlled his aggression.New X-Men #145 (October 2003)
First appearance Nuke resurfaces employed by Generalissimo Felix Guillermo Carridad of Tierra Verde to destroy a rebel base.Wolverine (vol. 2) #18 (December 1989) Following an operation in Nicaragua, the Kingpin hires Nuke and sends him to kill Daredevil. Nuke launches an attack on Hell's Kitchen, but is defeated by Daredevil. Enraged at a Daily Bugle article reporting on his mass murder in Hell's Kitchen, he escapes his handlers, intending to destroy the Daily Bugle building. He is intercepted by Captain America and shot by a military chopper. He faints from the wound and is presumed dead by the general public.Daredevil #232–233 (July - August 1986)
Wolverine: Origins – The Death of Wolverine In the series Wolverine: Origins, following Wolverine's full memories regained, and embarking on a mission to take care of loose ends, the U.S. government dispatches Nuke to hunt Wolverine down.Wolverine: Origins #1 (June 2006) Though Wolverine dispatches Nuke, it is revealed that Nuke's enhanced physiology has left him devoid of any personality or conscience. Wolverine asks Emma Frost to restore Nuke's broken mind, saying that he will euthanize Nuke if he cannot be healed.Wolverine: Origins #5 (October 2006)
During Norman Osborn's tenure as the head of H.A.M.M.E.R., Nuke uses the "Scourge" alias and joins the Thunderbolts.Thunderbolts #133 – 135 (August - November 2009) During Osborn's final confrontation, he sustains injuries that render him comatose.Thunderbolts #142 – 145 (May - August 2010)
Simpson is allied with the Iron Nail, attacking individuals in Europe that he perceives as enemies of America, until he is stopped by Captain America.Captain America (vol. 7) #12 (December 2013) He is caught in an explosion and presumed dead.Captain America (vol. 7) #17 (April 2014) Nuke later appears alive with a shaved head in the Death of Wolverine mini-series. He is seen working for Madame Hydra and hunting Wolverine as part of her bounty.Death of Wolverine #1 (November 2014)
Powers and abilities Nuke possesses various superhuman physical attributes as a result of various cybernetic enhancements. Nuke's bones have been replaced with advanced cybernetic components, granting him superhuman strength of an unrevealed limit. Aside from his strength, Nuke's body is considerably more resistant to physical injury than that of an ordinary human, with his skin having been replaced with a durable form of plastic that resembles normal skin. In addition, he has an artificial secondary heart that works in conjunction with his colored pills to keep him under control. In his initial appearance, Nuke was equipped with a multi-barrelled assault rifle.
Other versions An alternate timeline version of Nuke appears in the House of M tie-in Civil War: House of M as a government agent. After being tasked with killing Magneto and his followers,Civil War: House of M #3 (January 2009) he is disassembled by Wanda.Civil War: House of M #4 (February 2009) An alternate timeline version of Nuke appears in What If vol. 2 #48, which depicts Ben Urich pondering a timeline where Daredevil saved Nuke.What If #48 (April 1993) Frank Simpson / Nuke appears in the Ultimate Marvel series Ultimate Comics: Captain America. This version is a soldier who received the Super Soldier Serum during the Vietnam War following Captain America's disappearance.Ultimate Comics: Captain America #1 (March 2011)Ultimate Comics: Captain America #2 (April 2011) Following the war, Simpson became disillusioned with the U.S. and attempts to sell his enhanced blood to North Korean forces, but is foiled by the British S.A.S. and Captain America. Nonetheless, Simpson escapes, recruits an army, and gives them Super Soldier Serum as well, vowing to make Captain America "see the light". Following a second defeat, Simpson is brought into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and left bed-ridden.Ultimate Comics: Captain America #4 (June 2011) A hybridized character based on Nuke and DC Comics character Bane called Bane Simpson appears in the Amalgam Comics story Bruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 as a Hydra agent.Bruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. one-shot (April 1996)
In other media A character loosely based on Nuke named William "Will" Simpson, appears in Jessica Jones, portrayed by Wil Traval. This version is a police sergeant at the NYPD's 15th Precinct who previously served in the 39th Infantry Division. Throughout the first season, he falls under Kilgrave's control, but is eventually freed by Jessica Jones and falls in love with Trish Walker. However, he becomes obsessed with murdering Kilgrave to stop him from hurting anyone else, putting him at odds with Jones. After acquiring experimental pills that increase his combat awareness from the mysterious "IGH" organization, Simpson becomes more manic and kills three of his associates to guarantee that only he can kill Kilgrave. He is eventually defeated by Jones and Walker, with the latter having taken some of his pills, and taken away by IGH. As of the second season, he has begun using an inhaler, spying on Walker, and discovered IGH is targeting Jones before he is attacked and killed by Alisa Campbell.
References
External links