MAPPER
Earth-148611

Real Name: Jonathan Matthews

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-148611 / New Universe) human paranormal

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: Paranormal Platoon (All-American/Jack Magniconte, Major Kathi Blizzard, Blur/Jeff Walters, Gridlock/Garth Mengeling, Metallurgist/Chris Barrett, Norad/Jacob Lao, Pit Bull/Gaylord Picaro, Pretty Boy/Bob Loeser, Shooter/Vincent Sahno, Troll/Brian Pickett)

Affiliations: Sgt. Haldeman, the Paranormal Platoon, Philip Nolan Voigt

Enemies: Mozambican army, Colonel Oort

Known Relatives: Unidentified parents, unidentified sister

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Fort Benning, Georgia, USA

First Appearance: The War I#1 (1989)

Powers/Abilities: Mapper was a paranormal but his abilities were not revealed. Mapper carried an automatic rifle in the field.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'10")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 165 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond

History:
(The War I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Jonathan Matthews received unidentified paranormal abilities following the "White Event" caused by the Starbrand. Later, when the city of Pittsburgh was destroyed by Ken Connell (reducing Pittsburgh to "the Pitt"), this caused a paranoid reaction around the world, as virtually no one knew Ken was responsible or that it had been an accident. Fearing a foreign paranormal had destroyed the city, the United States instituted the draft specifically to ascertain which male U.S. citizens were paranormals so they could be honed into a fighting force against whichever nation had destroyed Pittsburgh. Jonathan Matthews was one of those drafted into the military and was assigned to the Paranormal Platoon, who received their basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia under drill sergeant Haldeman and under the command of Captain Jack Magniconte, alias the All-American. Jonathan Matthews received the codename "Mapper" from the Army.

(The War I#1) - When the Army was at last ready to deploy the Paranormal Platoon in the field, they assigned Major Kathi Blizzard to assume command over them. When Captain Magniconte brought Major Blizzard to Fort Benning, Sgt. Haldeman assembled the platoon, consisting of Mapper, Blur, Pit Bull, Gridlock, Metallurgist, Shooter, Norad, Troll and Pretty Boy. As Major Blizzard shook hands with each of the men (using her own paranormal psychic powers to read each of their minds when they touched), Major Blizzard informed them they would be going on a mission in four days and that they were being given a pass to enjoy rest and relaxation before heading out. After the pass was over, the Paranormal Platoon boarded a plane and took off.

(The War I#2) - Once the plane was in the air, Major Blizzard showed the Paranormal Platoon a video recording of a paranormal from Mozambique named Casey, who claimed to have destroyed Pittsburgh with his power. Major Blizzard informed the platoon that they were headed to South Africa to plan an attack on Mozambique. Mapper believed the recording was genuine and thought avenging those who died in Pittsburgh would give him an opportunity to be a hero.

    Arriving in South Africa, the platoon were greeted by the forces of Colonel Oort. When the South Africans began surrounding Magniconte and shaking his hand due to his celebrity status, Mapper was impressed by all the attention he received. The Paranormal Platoon settled into their South African quarters but Pit Bull had noticed their hosts had snubbed both Blur and Major Blizzard because they were Black, telling Mapper and the others not to be too quick to trust Colonel Oort.

    The Paranormal Platoon crossed into Mozambique to recon a camp staffed with Mozambican soldiers alongside their allies from Cuba, Angola and Tanzania. Pretty Boy attempted to infiltrate the camp using his paranormal shape-shifting powers but, back in South Africa, Major Blizzard had discovered Casey was actually a prisoner of the South Africans, incarcerated behind barbed wire. The South Africans had fabricated the video recording in an attempt to trick the United States into assaulting their enemies in Mozambique. Shocked, Major Blizzard sent out a psychic distress signal to the entire Paranormal Platoon. The pain from Major Blizzard's message caused Pretty Boy's powers to fail, resulting in his death as the Mozambican forces discovered the platoon just outside their camp.

    The Mozambican forces opened fire on the Paranormal Platoon, killing Troll and injuring Mapper. Sgt. Haldeman checked on their injuries while Pit Bull covered their retreat. Metallurgist took care of Mapper, who woozily told him that he only wanted to be a hero. Metallurgist assured Mapper that he was a hero.

(The War I#3) - Metallurgist continued to assist Mapper as they retreated, journeying through the jungle. However, as the South African forces had turned against them, the platoon soon realized there was no safe territory to retreat into.

(The War I#4) - Captain Magniconte checked on Mapper, who despondently claimed he wouldn't survive his injuries, but Captain Magniconte ordered him to stay alive. As the Paranormal Platoon fought their way back to their plane, they, along with the rest of the Earth, received a psychic message from the Starchild, who claimed responsibility for both the White Event and the destruction of Pittsburgh then demanded all the forces mobilizing into war around the world cease their fighting immediately. The war was ended and the platoon brought Mapper back to the United States with them. As Mapper recovered in an Army hospital, he was visited by President Voigt, who thanked him for his actions and informed him he was a hero. This was all Mapper had ever wanted to hear and he relaxed in his hospital bed, surrounded by his family, repeating "I'm really a hero!"

Comments: Created by Doug Murray and Tom Morgan.

    Sgt. Haldeman claimed Mapper was dead after he was shot in the War I#2 but since he was seen alive just a few pages later, Haldeman clearly didn't check his wounds very closely.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Mapper should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
The War I#2, page 12, panel 2 (main)
The War I#2, page 6, panel 8 (face)

Appearances:
The War I#1-4 (1989) - Doug Murray (writer), Tom Morgan (artist), Howard Mackie (editor)

First posted: 07/31/2025
Last updated: 07/31/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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