The Spy Superhero Fan Art

*Updated to Superherouniverse themed story-line; character changes in [ ]*

Spy

An above average athlete as a teen, the man later known as the Spy became a scholarship football player for the Naval Academy. Upon graduation Calvin Farrow applied for the SEAL program and excelled at this also. After numerous citations for excellence in hot-spots the world over, he was approached by a government agency looking to establish the previous success of the Captain Freedom
[Captain America] Ultra-Soldier program. Several failed attempts had occurred in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but they felt confident in this latest attempt. After rigorous examination and testing, Calvin was chosen as the candidate. The formula was a success, though not to the degree of the original 1940’s version. Enhanced strength, speed reflexes, stamina, and a moderate aging decrease were acquired, but not to the level of Roger Stevens [Steve Rogers]. Training, even more intense the most stressful SEAL training began. This lasted for nearly a year. The agency was thrilled with his progress and set a date for his unveiling as the new Captain Freedom. Fate stepped in and mere weeks before his scheduled first appearance, the original Captain Freedom was released from hibernation in a long-hidden Berlin bunker.

Quickly realizing the country would rally to the original over a substitute, Calvin’s patriotic role was thrown into limbo. Under no particular code-name at the time, Calvin was sent back to the covert ops roles that he had relished as a SEAL. His enhanced attributes made him an even more valuable asset to the military than previously. Successful mission were carried out across the globe in general ambiguity. At one point Roger Stevens gave up the mantle of Captain Freedom and became Solo [Nomad] during a turbulent time in government. Roger’s hiatus was short lived, but the government decided there should be a back-up plan just in-case Stevens abandoned the role permanently. Opting for a similar Patriotic theme; the American Banner was born.

In this role Calvin was finally able to have limited action in the public eye. Several years of successful government sponsored crime fighting lead to an ill-advised encounter with Death Mask [Red Skull].

Out- witted and over-powered, American Banner was severely wounded in a booby-trap situation, losing the lower portion of a leg and a hand. In the interim, a second individual stepped in to keep public continuity for American Banner. The program repaired him though implants and bionics. This increased his strength even further, to the 1200 # range with even more enhancement to his speed and reflexes once the months of rehabilitation had passed. After final medical clearance, and still wanting to help his country, Calvin continued back in covert ops. Quickly realizing he missed the general acceptance of being a public hero, he convinced the agency to allow him to step back from the covert ops and become a public figure again. With his years of espionage background, the moniker of the Spy made sense. He was allowed more and more freedom from government restriction and eventually given full release from government/military guidance. Calvin relished his new persona as he felt it best represents his true identity. The Spy established himself as a first-tier “super-hero” after many years of impressive heroics.
The Spy is now generally know by the majority of the public and well respected by his peers. His unofficial “official” partner is the Panther, with whom he shares a long history.

There has been one note of interest in his costume. Aside from his initial run as the original American Banner, the hero known as the Spy has generally kept his outfit constant. Variations have occurred, but the basic theme consists of camouflage or tan military pants and a red or red and green top. Capes have come and gone, and his current look is sans cape. His mask is usually tattered, a sign of the constant perils he has faced and close-calls conquered. He wears it as a badge of honor, based on an important initial mission in which out of necessity he grabbed a nearby sheet and made make-shift mask to protect his identity after the plan fell apart. The only major deviation in his appearance came after a very traumatic physical injury believed, though never confirmed, to be perpetrated by the Grave Digger. Because of the severity of his gun-wounds, he was actually listed as dead by many government agencies while recovering for months in seclusion. During rehabilitation some doubt entered his thoughts. Self-doubt was a foreign concept to him previously and he wasn’t sure how to cope with it now. Feeling he a needed an edge upon a return to covert missions, he decided to field test a auto-camouflaging body-suit the government had worked on for years. The stealth program be joined had it’s in roots in probable extraterrestrial technology provided Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer; obtained on a mission in the jungles of Guatemala.

The tiny electronic remnants were not suitable for full reverse engineering, but did point the scientist in advanced directions. In the end, the body-suit provided limited adaptable camouflaging. The suit is white in off or stand-by mode. It can turn jet-black for advanced stealth in night-time or low-light settings. The adaptable “on” function allows it to automatically color match it’s general environment.

As in the image seen here, the center orange suit represents how the suit would adapt to a brick wall. Scientist had to focus on it’s ability to mimic ambient colors which has obvious limitations. Color without the appropriate texture could not be achieved. Because of this issue the programs was eventually cancelled. Before that, the Spy himself swore off the outfit after it malfunctioned during a snow-scape mission. The suit inexplicitly turned bright pink, which did not fit well in his white environment. He barely evaded multiple enemy snipers as the mission was aborted. Realizing he was trying to compensate too much with technology, he then put back on the frayed mask and well-worn military fatigues. No drastic changes in appearance have followed.