It's a new year and I am back to do what I love and that is to educate the masses on the world of comics. I have been away for awhile due to personal issues but I have made arrangements in my life that will allow me to do things that I want to do and love. For my first showcases of the year, I decided to focus on a universe that debuted back in the '90s. That universe is the 2099 universe of heroes and villains from Marvel. When everyone, including myself, first saw Spider-Man 2099 they flipped out. But it was some of the other possibilities like the Punisher, Ghost Rider, and the X-Men that caught my interest even more. So, for my first showcase of 2024, I would like to discuss one of my favorite characters from the X-Men 2099 team. His name is Skullfire and here is his story.
Timothy Fitzgerald (Fitz) was a wealthy, young urban professional until his mutant powers manifested and uncontrollable burst of energy destroyed his apartment and killed his girlfriend, Reiko. After this, Timothy went into hiding, living on the streets. It was on t he streets where he was approached by Cerebra, who gave him a card and told him to go to the Nuevo Sol Arcology, in the Nevada desert. Upon his arrival, Tim was surprised to see other mutants and other genetic outcasts socializing and enjoying themselves. He is introduced to X-Man Serpentina and then their leader Xi'an. However, Tim notices a sniper attempting to assassinate Xi'an. He foils the attempt, but Xi'an is still injured. During their mission to save Xi'an and escape the assassins, Serpentina is killed by a mutant known as Junkpile. Tim decides to stay with Xi'an because Serpentina trusted him and that was good enough for him...for now.
Still unable to fully control his powers, Tim accompanies Krystalin and Meanstreak to New York to find Meanstreak's friend, Jordan Boone, who had disappeared. Along the way, they are captured by La Lunatica and Controller Thirteen of the Theatre of Pain. Luna's powers force Tim to relive the memory of when his powers manifested and how his girlfriend was killed. This trauma triggers his powers, shorting out the equipment around him and helping them all escape (including Luna who had been a slave of the Theatre for 10 years). This exchange also changed Timothy himself, allowing him full control over his powers and bringing him to terms with his past, making him more assertive, more daring and eventually shaping him into the leader of the X-Men.
After returning to Xi'an, Fitz helped find Mama Hurricane, a member of the underground railroad during the Great Purge of mutants, and then Master Zhao, the leader of the last known team of X-Men. Tim would accompany Xi'an searching for The Driver, on information from Mama Hurricane. It is here where they encounter La Lunatica again and she and Tim begin a relationship that would last for the remainder of the comic's run. Tim agrees to help her escape the pursuit of the Theatre of Pain, though he is mostly ineffective against their leader, Brimstone Love, when Love attacks them at the Driver's garage. They are granted reprieve however, when Brimstone leaves instead with Xi'an, who joins the Theatre. Disillusioned by his mentor's defection, Tim returns to the other X-Men, with Luna, to reform the team and lead them against the Theatre of Pain.
Powers and Abilities
Originally, Tim has the ability to absorb all ambient energy particles into his body where he metabolized them in a usable form and then, disperses it as destructive blasts. Skullfire had no control over these powers though and only capable of using it during great stress moments. After La Lunatica made him relive Reiko's death, he can control his powers now. While helping to free the mutant Book, it is revealed that he could absorb mystical energies. Absorbing the energy from Halo City's nuclear reactors gave Skullfire a permanent power source, but as one side-effect: glowing light-green.
When Skullfire's body was destroyed, he existed as a small sphere of energy. Tim managed to take on a form that resembles his human self. Now, he possesses flight, as well as energy manipulation, but with far more ease and control.
Publication Information
Publisher: Marvel Comics
First Appearance: X-Men 2099 #1 (October, 1993)
Created by John Francis Moore & Ron Lim
Alter Ego: Timothy Fitzgerald
Species: Human Mutant
Place of Origin: Marvel 2099 (Earth-928)
Team Affiliations:
- X-Men 2099
- Halo City Protectorate
- Undead
Abilities:
- Energy Absorption
- Energy Channeling
- Levitation
Until next time, get your READ on!
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