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Blockade
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Copyright 1995-2002 Jay French & Golden Eagle Comics - Austin, Texas

Blockade

  • CODENAME: Blockade
  • REAL NAME: Jonathan Andrew Zachariah Jr.
  • ALIASES: Zach (common nickname); Junior (family nickname).
  • AGE: 22
  • HEIGHT: 6'4"
  • WEIGHT: 622 lbs.  (This is standard measured weight; true weight is: 334 lbs. See Abnormal Biology)
  • GENDER: Male
  • NATIONALITY/RACE: Black American (African/Lithuanian)
  • HAIR COLOR: Dark Brown
  • EYE COLOR: Dark Brown
  • P.O.B.: Austin, TX U.S.A.
  • EDUCATION: High School Graduate. Community College Associates Degree in Photography.
  • OCCUPATION: Studio Photographer / Part-time on-call F.B.I. Field Agent for S.P.E.E.D. task force: STEEL RAIN (classified).


  • KNOWN RELATIVES: Jonathan Andrew (Sr.) & Ruth Zachariah (parents); Joline, Thomas (Tom-Tom), Daniel & Shondra Zachariah (siblings).
  • ORIGIN OF ABILITIES: Jonathan was born a mutant. By the time he was 10 months old, his parents were driven to the medical community to account for the strange abilities the infant had. After 2 years of research, the final answer was merely shrugged shoulders. Zach grew up being taught to be careful with his awful strength, and eventually, he learned. As a teenager, Zach wanted more than anything to be a football star, but after 2 years of easy wins, no challenges, and eternally hiding and holding back his TRUE full potential, he lost interest. His physical being having no competition, Zach turned to academics, where he soared. After the great accomplishment of being the first member of his family to attend college, and finding a passion in the art of photography, Zach began monitoring the first appearances of mutants in the media. Zach was so excited to find camaraderie, that he fell in with the wrong mutants and was the unwitting pawn of the Night Church. Their methods soon became blatantly illegal and immoral, and Zach turned on them, joining the now notorious group, "Steel Rain".


  • ABNORMAL BIOLOGY/ABILITIES: Blockade's body is a living electromagnet. Much like BlackStar, every unused portion of Blockade's brain is dedicated to multiplying the brain's natural magnetic functions. In fact, the comparison between BlackStar and Blockade's biologies are astounding. The major difference lying in the end result of magnetism versus electricity, and the range at which the resulting power can be used. Blockade's brain produces a highly powerful magnetic field within his body, theoretically this is accomplished by collecting electrons and protons into opposite hemispheres of the brain, creating a much larger organic electromagnet than the brain already is. The magnetic field itself loops throughout Blockade's entire physique, then "connects" somehow to the Earth's natural gravity (the exact method by which this occurs is still a mystery to S.P.E.E.D. Researchers). Blockade's body seems genetically structured for this sort of strain. This is obvious in the density and natural strength of every major system in his body, from his muscular and skeletal systems all the way to his organs and nervous system.

The most obvious effect of this condition is Blockade's natural density and strength. At base, Blockade is capable of lifting approximately 1 ton, pressing over 1,200 pounds and striking with the force of a magnum bullet. Blockade's natural weight is 330 pounds (heavier than his stature suggests due to his dense cellular structure), but since his magnetic field is always active, he would measure at closer to 620 pounds by conventional scales. This also adds to his natural tensile strength, sufficient to stop most small arms fire, repelling lower caliber bullets and imbedding larger ones in his skin. Oddly, whereas more damage is required to inflict pain on Blockade, his tactile senses appear normal (i.e. a .38 caliber bullet ricocheting off his skin may only feel like a small rock, but a light touch to his shoulder will still get his attention).
Blockade is capable of consciously expanding his magnetic field to anywhere from 3 to 6 inches outside his skin, which expounds his natural abilities. Although this slows his movement, much like an average person wearing a full suit of armor, he is much more powerful and resilient. At this point, the magnetic field will actually repel any physical force it encounters, this not only includes all small arms and most mounted gunfire, but concussive force even up to that generated by a Stinger missile explosion. Theoretically, nothing short of antitank armor-piercing rounds from a large caliber vehicle-mounted weapon could penetrate his force field when at full potential. Combining more strongly with gravity in this state, Blockade is effectively heavier, being measured at full levels at over 13 tons. Therefore, not only can Blockade withstand the damage of physical force, he is nearly immovable by anything short of a train wreck.
Blockade's strength is also augmented greatly, due somewhat to his use of the magnetic fields in his body as well as on the objects he is lifting or striking, enabling him to lift well over 5 tons (Note: he is not limited to affecting only ferrous metals, as his fields do not actually magnetize the objects he lifts or strikes, but rather surround them or impact with them). Although this field is, for the most part, nonporous and "impenetrable" by physical means, it is transparent and not soundproof. Blockade can therefore take damage from light and sound weapons (such as lasers and sonics) as if his field were not even there. This also means that his field can only be held as long as the air supply within it holds out (an average of 10 to 12 minutes before he begins to experience dizziness and fatigue). Expanding his field this way also creates a mild physical strain, much like holding a tight fist, therefore Blockade tends to drop his field as soon as he safely can. Blockade's magnetic fields appear to increase in power in proportion to the amount of metal he is in physical contact with. In extreme circumstances this could actually raise his maximum abilities even further if sufficient ferrous metals were present. S.P.E.E.D. researchers have incorporated several pounds of steel into his uniform (especially to his 50 pound boots) to augment him to the previous stated levels, having discovered this is the best balance between power and strain for most situations.

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