HARDBALL

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial

Occupation: Shi'ar Elite Guardsman

Group Membership: Shi'ar Imperial Guard

Affiliations: Astra, Earthquake, Hussar, Lilandra, Shi'ar, Smasher, Titan, Warden Daak

Enemies: Avengers, Skrulls, Starforce, Thanos

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile in the Shi'ar Galaxy

First Appearance: (Illusion) Quasar#32 (March, 1992); (real) Thor I#446 (April, 1992)

Powers/Abilities: Hardball has an unusually large, tough, stomach, and can bounce around on his stomach with remarkable resiliency.

History: (Thor I#446) - Hardball was amongst the Imperial Guardsmen sent to escort members of the Avengers who had come to petition Lilandra to not use the stargates in earth's solar system during the Kree-Shi'ar War. As Lilandra considered their request, the palace was assaulted by members of the Kree Starforce. Hardball was attacked by Shatterax, who managed to snare him inside a bubble-prison. He was set free by the Avenger Captain Marvel, and the two of them defeated Shatterax together.

(Avengers West Coast#82) - While Lilandra continued to stall in making a decision, the Avengers became testy, and when she ordered the Imperial Guard to escort the Avengers to their quarters, Thor brashly started a fight. Hardball fought the Avengers, but was easily defeated. The battle ended when Lilandra realized she was being manipulated by the Skrulls.

SECRET WARS HAPPENED

(Thanos II#2) – The Imperial Guard (Flashfire, Smasher (Izzy Kane), Starbolt, Fang, Impulse) showed up on the Shi’ar planet, Nulla, to arrest Thanos.

(Thanos II#3) – On Nulla, the Imperial Guard (Flashfire, Starbolt, Fang, Smasher (Izzy Kane), Impulse, Neutron, Plutonia, Manta, Hardball, Hobgoblin, Nightside, Oracle, Titan, Gladiator) savagely attacked Thanos, with more members backing them up. Though Thanos fought hard, they soon realized he was bleeding and wounded, and Gladiator delivered the final blow. Thanos was apprehended.

(Thanos II#5) – The Imperial Guard (Impulse, Hardball, Smasher (Izzy Kane), Nightside, Manta, Titan, Fang, Neutron, Hobgoblin) delivered Thanos to a secure Shi’ar prison, where Warden Daak saw his safe imprisonment.

Hardball first appeared as one of the illusionary Imperial Guardsmen conjured by Magique in Quasar#32.

Hardball appeared on the cover of Quasar#33, but is nowhere to be found inside.

Hardball is clearly the Imperial Guard's answer to the Legion of Super-Heroes' Bouncing Boy.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Hardball should not be confused with:

• Hardball of Earth-Bishop, @ Bishop: XSE#1
• Hardbody, Riot of the Skrull Kill Krew, @ Skrull Kill Krew#1
• Hard-Boiled Henry, weapon created by Gatecrasher, @ Excalibur I#42
• The Hardboys of Earth-Ultraverse, former gang of Jimmy Ruiz, @ Prototype#7
• Hardcase, Harry Malone, leader of the Harriers, @ Wolverine II#5
• Hardcase of Ultraverse, Tom Hawke, Ultraforce member, @ Ultraforce: Year Zero: The Death of the Squad#1
• Hardcore, enemy of Luke Cage, @ Cage I#1
• Hardliners, anti-superhuman armored agents, @ Alpha Flight I#118
• Hardnose, Alexander Patel, of the Metahumes, @ Spider-Man: Friends and Enemies#1
• Hardrive, of the Dark Riders, @ X-Factor I#65
• Hardshell, Leila Davis, wife of the Ringer, @ Lethal Foes of Spider-Man#1
• Hardtime of Shadowforce, @ Spider-Man/X-Factor: Shadowforce#1
• Hardwire, robot ally of Geronimo Crow, @ Wolverine II#154
• Hardwire of Earth-Ultraverse, assassin, @ Hardcase#5

Appearances:
Quasar#32 (March, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (penciler), Harry Candelario (inker), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Thor I#446 (April, 1992) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Patrick Olliffe (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers West Coast#82 (May, 1992) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), Dave Ross (penciler), Tom Dzon (inker), Nelson Yomtov (editor)
Thanos II#2-3, 5 (February-March, May, 2017) – Jeff Lamire (writer), Mike Deodato Jr (artist), Jordan White (editor)

First posted: 10/27/03
Last updated: 04/30/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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