Origin
Dirk Garthwaite, the Wrecker, told the Thunderball and the other two members of the Wrecking Crew to hold his crowbar during a lightning storm. A lightning bolt struck the crowbar, distributing the powers its Asgardian enchantments conferred upon Garthwaite among the four of them. The Thunderball was also one of the villains whom the Beyonder gathered during the Secret Wars.
The Thunderball’s real name is Dr. Eliot Franklin, and before he became the Thunderball, he was a physicist with a Ph.D in physics, possessed of a genius-level I.Q. His genius is made apparent by the fact that he created the gamma bomb(something even Dr. Robert Bruce Banner was unable to do), and also later miniaturized the gamma bomb.
Creation
The Thunderball was created by Len Wein and designed by Sal Buscema in 1974, and he first appeared in The Defenders # 17.
Known preferred weapons
The Thunderball’s trademark weapon is his ball and chain, upon which Asgardian enchantments have conferred magical properties and which will return to the Thunderball whenever he throws it as a projectile attack. The ball and chain is nearly indestructible, and the Thunderball is capable of deflecting bullets with it when he spins it before him with tremendous speed.
In Other Media
Television
- Thunderball appeared in The Super Hero Squad Show, voiced by Alimi Ballard.
- Thunderball appeared in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Gary Anthony Williams.
- Thunderball appeared in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode “Damage,” voiced by Chi McBride.
- Thunderball appeared in Avengers Assemble, voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
- Thunderball appeared in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., voiced by Jonathan Adams.
Video Games
- Thunderball appeared in Marvel Ultimate Alliance.
- Thunderball appeared in the Facebook game Marvel Avengers Alliance.
Merchandise
- Thunderball was featured in Hasbro’s Super Hero Squad line.
- Thunderball was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Universe line.
- Bowen Designs produced a Thunderball bust.
- Thunderball was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line as part of the Arnim Zola Build-a-Figure wave.
- Thunderball appeared in the HeroClix figure game.