Origin
Mike Farrell was a firefighter with the New York Fire Department and he resided in the same apartment building as Steve Rogers and Bernie Rosenthal.
Creation
Mike Farrell was created by Roger McKenzie and Sal Buscema in 1979 and first appeared in Captain America #237.
Character Evolution
Mike Farrell was originally a minor character who was a friend and neighbor of Steve Rogers. When Steve moved out of his apartment following the dissolution of his relationship with Bernie Rosenthal, Mike Farrell subsequently no longer appeared in the book. He returned some years later having joined the Watchdogs terrorist group and then later became a super-villain.
Major Story Arcs
Going to the Dogs
Mike Farrell joined the Watchdogs sometime later but ran afoul of the terrorists for his guilt over the death of a sleeping janitor in a building he and other members of the Watchdogs burnt down. Turning to Bernie Rosenthal for help when the Watchdogs sought to kill him to rid themselves of a problem, both Farrell and Rosenthal were kidnapped by the group. Captain America and U.S.Agent infiltrated the Watchdogs headquarters and freed their captives but afterwards Farrell turned himself over to Captain America insisting he be punished for his part in the Watchdogs atrocities and the murder of the janitor.
Fighting Chance
Later, Farrell began blaming Captain America for all the problems he had suffered in his life and teamed up with a mutant called Dead-Ringer to start a campaign to destroy Captain America’s reputation. Dead-Ringer would use his mutant power to appear as various dead super-villains while Farrell would dress as Captain America and fight the villains sloppily causing collateral damage and tarnishing the real Captain America’s image. Farrell also set himself up alternatively as a superhero called the Super-Patriot to likewise show Captain America up by appearing as the superior superhero in staged public fights.
After a long cat-and-mouse game with the real Captain America, Farrell was accidentally killed by Dead-Ringer when the mutant was appearing as Death-Stalker.
Revelations of a brain tumor suggested to his friends and doctors Mike was not in full control of his actions.
Powers and Abilities
Mike Farrell possesses no superhuman powers but is apparently skilled at armed and unarmed combat – training he presumably learnt while training to be a member of the Fire Department and later the Watchdogs. Farrell weilds a shield which resembles Captain America’s iconic shield, which he had made by the Tinkerer, although it is notably less durable.