Clay Quartermain

Origin

Clay Quartermain spent his early adulthood seeking adventure wherever he could find it. He became a decorated Air Force officer, a battle-ready bodyguard and mastered a wide variety of weapons. He was then recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D where he went into espionage training. Clay became one of Nick Fury‘s favored agents when he distinguished himself in action against A.I.M. and against Dr. Doom’s Yellow Claw android. Clay became noted for his optimism and enthusiasm in combat and he proved exceptional in the field as well as in administration and training.

Creation

Clay Quartermain was created by writer/artist Jim Steranko and first appeared in Strange Tales issue 163 (1967).

Major Story Arc

Hulkbusters

Fury assigned Clay to help Hulkbuster Base’s General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross rescue Major Glenn Talbot from the Gremlin‘s Siberian base Bitterfrost. After a success Clay was appointed SHIELD’s full-time liaison to the Hulkbuster base, where he joined General Ross and Doc Samson in efforts to capture the Hulk. Clay was named the supervisor of Gamma Base after he helped capture the Hulk after Doc Samson separated the Hulk and Banner.

Versus Grey Hulk

Later the gray-skinned professor hulk was captured by Clay and SHIELD ordered him to end the threat by killing Banner. Clay rebelled not knowing that SHIELD had been infiltrated by the android deltites. Clay learned of a government stockpile of Gamma bombs so he destroyed Gamma Base and accompanied Banner in locating the bombs. They tracked the stockpile to Arizona but failed to protect a nearby town from the Leader, who destroyed the town with one of the bombs. The android Deltites then captured him and many other SHIELD agents and put them in suspended animation to be brainwashed as Hydra agents. They were all replaced by duplicates but Clay’s replacement had also duplicated his heroism and overloaded the Deltites power core, destroying the Deltites and himself.

Death

During the initial appearances of the Red Hulk, Clay Quartermain was killed by a mentaly disturbed Doc Samson in order to keep Red Hulk’s identity concealed. Jasper is remembered yearly on a reunion of the living remaining members of the Howling Commandos.

Alternate Version

Ultimate Universe-While Spider-Man is fighting the Green Goblin, Nick Fury sends Clay to watch out for the young Spider-Man. Later Nick Fury gives Clay the order to take the shot at Norman. Clay fires on the villain but it isn’t till Harry Osborn get involved until Clay is able to take the out of control Green Goblin down.

Other Media

Nick Fury : Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Clay Quartermain briefly appears in the movie, portrayed by Adrian Hughes.