Saturday Showcase: Sunspot

Sunspot

    As my original followers know, I am a huge fan of the Contest of Champions app from Marvel and made by Kabam.  Anyway, the recent Update was for a new story line starring two of the original New Mutants, Warlock and Sunspot.  When I first saw the image of Sunspot, I liked how bad ass they designed him.  I immediately knew that I had to do a showcase on this underrated hero.

Sunspot as seen in Contest of Champions

    Sunspot was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod. He first appeared in The New Mutants (Graphic Novel, September 1982).  Immediately following, he became part of the regular cast of The New Mutants, as seen in Marvel Comics.

    Sunspot, or Roberto da Costa, is Brazilian, the son of wealthy Brazilian businessman Emmanuel da Costa and an American archaeologist Nina da Costa.  Sunspot possesses the ability to absorb and channel solar power. He is idealistic and impulsive, but is considered a close friend of many of his teammates. 

Sunspot Vs a Sentinel

    Sunspot is a mutant whose cells have the ability to absorb solar energy and convert it for use as physical strength. He is also able to create thermal updrafts for flight, project heat and light, as well as concussive blasts of solar energy.  At will, he is able to take on a superhuman "powered up" form that is entirely non-reflective black, save for his eyes which turn a solid bright white. Though the color black optimizes solar absorption, he absorbs solar power at all times, not only when he is in his "powered up" form. If he has not absorbed sufficient amounts of solar energy in normal form, he will be too weak to "power up". Likewise, when not in direct sunlight, use of his superhuman strength rapidly exhausts the stores of energy within his body.

    When in his solar form, Sunspot also has a corona effect, an aura that has been depicted in multiple ways.  Although Sunspot can absorb energy from stars and reflected solar energy from the moon, the amounts that reach him on Earth are too minuscule to add significantly to his power.

Sunspot's Rage as seen in War of Realms

Team Affiliations

• New Mutants
• Avengers
• A.I.M.
• Costa International
• Fallen Angels
• Hellfire Club
• Mutant Liberation Front
• New Avengers
• X-Corporation
• X-Force
• X-Men
• Young X-Men
• U.S.Avengers
• S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Well, I hope you enjoyed this Showcase on Sunspot.  Do yourself a favor and look up some old New Mutants or X-Force comics to see his back story.  Then, check out the kick ass role he plays in War of Realms.

Until next time, get your READ on!