Strong Guy

Strong Guy first appeared in The New Mutants #29 (July 1985) as Lila Cheney's bodyguard known only as Guido. He joined X-Factor in X-Factor #71, and was first called Strong Guy in X-Factor #72. Guido's struggles with picking a codename are used for comic effect in the story, and X-Factor writer Peter David admitted that in real life he had difficulty coming up with a decent codename for the character.^[2]

Born in Rhinebeck, New York to working class Italian parents, Guido Carosella gained a fortune in a settlement when his parents were killed by falling space debris, and was subsequently taken in by his aunt and uncle. His mutant powers were triggered in childhood during a battle with schoolyard bullies, causing him to become overly muscular and isolate further from his peers. Guido coped with his pain by developing an outgoing "public face", rarely letting even those close to him see him in discomfort.

During the incident with the bus, another boy, Charlie Ronalds, was hurt by Guido's flailing. Due to luck, Charlie survived with only a slight limp. He would later become the villain Charon.^[3]

After losing much of his fortune, Guido becomes a roadie and bouncer for Lila Cheney.^[4][5][6] He later works with several Muir Island mutants to defeat the Shadow King, after which they form a new incarnation of X-Factor.^[7][8]

Guido's teammates are Havok, Polaris, Wolfsbane and Quicksilver. Required to come up with a codename, Guido announces himself as "Strong Guy" at an X-Factor press conference after hearing a reporter say, "He must be the strong guy! Every super-group has a strong guy!".^[9]

Mister Sinister manipulates Strong Guy into destroying the Washington Monument while fighting Slab.^[10] With X-Factor, he aids the American-supported Trans-Sabal government in a war against rebels, and fights the Hulk,^[11] then battles the Mutant Liberation Front.^[12] He also fights the Brotherhood of Mutants.^[13]

Strong Guy later enters a relationship with Genoshan mutant and political dissident Jo Beth.^[14] He later suffers a deep depression after Cyber, the leader of the mercenary group Hell's Belles, poisons him.^[15][16]

In The Infinity War, Strong Guy is among the superheroes who travel across the multiverse to battle Adam Warlock's alter-egos, the Magus and the Goddess.^[17][18] Lila Cheney later attempts to have him return to her, but he refuses.^[19]

Strong Guy also develops a deep friendship with Wolfsbane. At one point, he personally brings her to Muir Island to get her medical attention.^[20] His other best friend on the team, Multiple Man, is seemingly killed attempting to remove the Legacy Virus from his body.^[21]

Strong Guy remains a member of X-Factor until an incident in Madripoor. While battling the K'Lanti, he absorbs the energy of one of their bombs and suffers a severe heart attack.^[22] Afterwards, he is put in suspended animation to recover until Forge heals him.^[23] Afterwards, he chooses to accompany Lila and her band in their travels instead of rejoining the increasingly fractious X-Factor.^[24]

Strong Guy was later seen in Tokyo as a member of a mutant fighting club called the Arena, in which the mutant fighters were being secretly enslaved by other mutants. He helped Storm and Callisto in taking down the enslavers.^[25]

In Peter David's run on X-Factor, in the aftermath of Marvel's "Decimation" storyline, Strong Guy moves to New York City to become an enforcer for Jamie Madrox's detective agency, X-Factor Investigations. In the process, he rejoins many of his former teammates from the previous incarnation of X-Factor.^[26][27][28]

Strong Guy later considers becoming the sheriff of Mutant Town, but changes his mind when Arcade destroys the town.^[29][30][31] He is later killed protecting J. Jonah Jameson from super-powered assassins before being resurrected by Layla Miller. However, he no longer has a soul, which leads him to become more aggressive and eventually kill Wolfsbane's son Tier to become the Supreme Hell Lord.^{[32][33][34][35]} Red Hulk eventually convinces Strong Guy to abandon the position of Hell Lord, but he remains in Hell to regain his soul.^[36]

Strong Guy returns in Death of X, along with other mutants, helping the X-Men.^[37]

In Secret Empire, Strong Guy is seen among the inhabitants of the mutant nation of New Tian following Hydra's takeover of the United States.^[38]

At some point, Strong Guy regains his soul with help from Magik and joins her team of New Mutants. While fighting his teammates, who have been infected with the Transmode virus, he suffers from a heart attack, but Danielle Moonstar saves him by infecting him with a techno-organic virus.^{[39][volume & issue needed]}

A still techno-organic Strong Guy is held captive by O*N*E and placed inside a Sentinel. He is rescued by Cyclops and Wolverine before sacrificing himself to save the others by absorbing massive amounts of energy.^[40]

Strong Guy is later seen on Krakoa, having been revived by the Krakoan council like many other previously dead mutants.^[41]

Strong Guy possesses superhuman strength which he can increase by absorbing kinetic energy and use it to enhance his physical strength to an unmeasured limit. He cannot store the energy he absorbs for very long; as a rule he must physically expend the energy within 90 seconds to prevent it from permanently distorting his body. He possesses superhuman stamina and durability.^{[volume & issue needed]}

An unusual percentage of his body mass is stored in the upper half of his body, causing him to appear top-heavy and thus very imposing. Strong Guy's powers first appeared after being beaten by bullies and hit by a bus; unable to expel the energy, his body was permanently warped.^[3] Strong Guy's maximum strength level is such that he has sufficient power to move the Blob,^[42] or briefly stand toe to toe with the Hulk, although the latter's rage-enhanced strength was so powerful that the energy of channeling merely one blow put Strong Guy in danger of a heart attack afterwards.^[43] Guido is formidable at hand-to-hand combat in the style of street fighting.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Guido has a gifted intellect and is a talented actor and comedian. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama from New York University.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Strong Guy is nearsighted and wears corrective "bottlecap" lenses.^{[volume & issue needed]}

• In 2014, Entertainment Weekly ranked Strong Guy 94th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.^[44]
• In 2018, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Strong Guy 8th in their "Age Of Apocalypse: The 30 Strongest Characters In Marvel's Coolest Alternate World" list.^[45]

An alternate universe variant of Strong Guy from Earth-295 appears in Age of Apocalypse.^[46]

• Strong Guy makes non-speaking appearances in X-Men: The Animated Series as a member of X-Factor.^{[citation needed]}
• Strong Guy appears in the X-Men '97 episode "Bright Eyes", voiced by Adrian Hough.^[47]

• In 1993, Toy Biz released an action figure of Strong Guy sporting his X-Factor uniform as part of their X-Men series. The figure featured "Power Punch" action.
• Marvel and Planet Studios released a 1.25 inch/3.175 cm Full Figure pin of Strong Guy, 1994.
• Bowen Designs produced a Strong Guy Mini-Bust, sculpted by Jeremy Pelletier, July 2012. It was released in Phase 5, Bust # 288. It measures approx. 9.5 inches tall.^[48]
• Hasbro released a 6" scale action figure of Strong Guy as the Build-A-Figure for a wave of Deadpool and X-Men characters in their Marvel Legends line in 2020.^{[citation needed]}

• Strong Guy at Marvel.com
• Strong Guy at Marvel Wiki
• Strong Guy at Comic Vine
• Strong Guy at UncannyXmen.net