Mr. Mercury

Mr. Mercury is a fictional character created by writer Vito Delsante and artist Michael (Mike) Lilly. The character is a throwback to the Golden Age of Comic Books and Delsante admits that much of the inspirations behind Mr. Mercury stem from a childhood of watching "old movies" as well as comics that took place during the period, such as All Star Squadron and James Robinson's Starman.

Character Biography
Gabriel Storm was born in 1914 on a steamship heading for New York City from Germany to immigrant parents. His father worked on the docks in Brooklyn while his mother tended to Gabriel’s siblings and himself. Although it still remains an unsolved mystery, his parents’ death came about because Mr. Storm saw something he shouldn’t have. It is guessed that it is one of two things; one, Storm witnessed a murder committed by his Irish foreman on the docks on one of the lower class Polish immigrant workers; two, he witnessed something worse…something supernatural that could not be explained at the time. After his parents’ murder, he and his siblings went to a foster home. While his brother and sisters were all adopted, Gabriel, with his frail shape, was left behind and became a ward of the State.

Gabriel was a natural student, taking a great interest in all things science. He excelled in his studies and went through high school and straight into college…all before the age of 18. He graduated at 20 and became a Professor at Columbia University all before the age of 23.

Storm met and fell in love with a young girl in his neighborhood, Marla Ferris. The beautiful woman and the prodigy soon married and had a child, Alan. The year was 1938. It would be the last year of true happiness in Storm’s life. Cutbacks due to the war effort in Europe cost Gabriel his job. No income meant he couldn’t support his family, a fact that was not lost on Marla. Marla left, with Alan in her arms, and sought comfort in another man’s arms. Storm was left a broken man. He had nothing left. So, he found only one solution. Suicide. Climbing his fire escape to the roof of his building, Gabriel put a sack over his head, preparing to jump. As he stepped on to the ledge, a light down the block caught the corner of his eye. It was no mere light; it was a four-alarm fire. And it was spreading…quickly. His plans quickly changed. He couldn’t just sit idly by while children were in danger. He thought of his wife and child. He had to act. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Storm risked his own life to save two kids who were trapped in a burning building. Onlookers on the street below say that this hooded man moved, “like Mercury.” The next day, the papers had two major stories; The Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” Hoax and the appearance of “Mr. Mercury.” Coincidence?

A career had started. Soon, a trend started. More masked men and women appeared to fight crime. Storm had started something big. Out of his own personal tragedy, he took comfort in the fact that many people were being helped…even if he never got any credit or acclaim.

Powers and Abilities
Mr. Mercury had no super powers to speak of...unless you consider being lucky a super power. He had the strength of an average man in his mid-to-late 20's, and while he was not an athlete, he was capable of athletic feats.