The
AWE-STRIKER
The
AWE-STRIKER
Real Name: Cecily Johnson
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: See comments
Group Membership: Anti-Registration Underground (All-Out/Unarmed Training Automaton Attacker/Richard Taine, Basic Black/Norman Gentry, Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins, Brain Spasm/Dennis Hoxie, Canasta/Henry Cavanaugh, Captain Kinship/Edward Randlebuck, Dahntu/Charles Luc Phan, Freeware (Kurt Duryea), Gladiatrix/Robin Braxton, Green Guardswoman/Natalie Bell, Harbormaster/Sean Beckett, Haunter/Mark Runnemyer, Human Haze/Steve Cochrane, Iguanid/Tom Boldstep, Johnny Justice/Jonadab Megyscol, Kruzado/Dorothy Cardoza, the Lawman/Leon Frankfurt, Leather Angel/Andrew Mussawyr, Masked Rose/Josie Tyler, Natural/Beru Addison, Network/Valerie Martin, Orange Crusher/Andy Gardner, Panthrax/Alex Mitchell, Peace-Lover/Barry Kanczeski, Qiblah/Jared Nelson, Saint Hildegard/Sonya van Jagt, Scorecard/Bill Merrick, Skybolt/Zack Zimmerman, Solo/James Bourne, Spaceheat/Charles Yaméogo, Staten Island Star/Russell Feldman, Stone-Tough/Ted Pendleton, Tosser/Ferris Hartke, Typeface/Gordon Thomas, U.S. Annie/Harriet Best, Warbug/Bernard Van Buren, Winter Woman/Angela Stover, Xantippe/Mandy Atkinson, Zapster/Langley Saint-Margaret, others); see comments
Affiliations: See comments
Enemies:
(At least formerly)
S.H.I.E.L.D.
and its "Cape-Killers"
see comments
Known Relatives: See comments
Aliases: See comments
Base of Operations:
Unrevealed;
previously an unidentified Anti-Registration
Underground safehouse in Manhattan, New York
see comments
First Appearance:
(Unidentified) Civil War: Front Line#4 (2006);
(identified) Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A
to Z hardcover#14 (2010)
Powers/Abilities: See
comments
Height:
Unrevealed (approximately 6'4"; see comments)
Weight: Unrevealed
(approximately 203 lbs.; see comments)
Eyes: Unrevealed (see comments)
Hair: Brown (see comments)
History: See comments.
(Civil War: Front Line#4 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14: Anti-Registration Underground (fb) - BTS) - Following the Stamford disaster, where hundreds had perished during a battle between New Warriors and four Raft escapees, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) and others worked with US officials to develop the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), outlawing any crimefighting activities by unregistered super heroes.
Vigilante Typeface, although his identity was already known, resolved to fight a perceived assault on freedom, and he organized an Anti-Registration Underground, beginning with ex-government operative Battlestar and anti-terrorist Solo, to support super heroes who continued fighting crime without SHRA approval. Their ranks were soon supplemented by mystic-armored Freeware; bodysuit-enhanced the Green Guardswoman; the Masked Rose, leader of super-team T,J,A.W. (Truth, Justice, and the American Way), empowered by accidental mutant blood exposure; exoskeleton-empowered Network; and cyborg Skybolt. Via a covert interview with Alternative reporter Sally Floyd, ARU members publicized their perspective, and several other anti-registration heroes joined, including the Awe-Striker.
(Civil War: Front Line#4) - The Awe-Striker was present with the ARU when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members.
As the ARU members debated whether to seek and join Captain America (Steve Rogers)'s Secret Avengers, a better organized and equipped anti-SHRA unit, or to remain independent, armored S.H.I.E.L.D. Cape-Killers, accompanied by Iron Man, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and at least ten unidentified flying heroes, raided the base. Caught by surprise, few ARU members managed to effectively fight back against their more powerful and organized opponents. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. captured over 40 members, the Awe-Striker evaded capture, as did the Harbormaster, Canasta, Dahntu, the Green Guardswoman, and the Tosser, as did the Masked Rose, who had been absent seeking new recruits, and Skybolt, who had been on a pizza-and-drinks run.
(Civil War: Front Line#5/2) - ARU prisoners, such as Typeface, were seen being sent to the Prison 42.
(Civil War#6 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers and the Superhuman Registration Act resistance arrived at Prison 42 to free the prisoners.
(Civil War#7 - BTS / Amazing Spider-Man I#538 / Civil War: Front Line#10-11 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers penetrated Prison 42, freeing many prisoners. When the combined anti-registration forces were confronted by Iron Man's pro-registration forces, Secret Avenger Cloak (Tyrone Johnson) teleported both groups to Manhattan. Freed ARU prisoners took part in the battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, spanning from the Negative Zone prison to the streets of New York. In the ensuing battle, which caused severe damage, the Thunderbolts' Venom (Mac Gargan) apparently killed Typeface. Other fatalities may also have occurred. Following Captain America's surrender to forestall further civilian risk, Battlestar and possibly others avoided recapture.
The government offered amnesty in return for registration. Although Gladiatrix rejected the offer, Network registered under the 50 States Initiative, while Solo also registered but pursued independent interests. Presumably additional ARU members followed Gladiatrix's example, others followed Network's or Solo's, and still more remained at large.
Comments: Created by Created by Paul Jenkins and Ramon Bachs.
Codename, real name, and nature provided by Ronald
Byrd
During
the
production of the Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) writer Paul
Jenkins provided Ronald with authorization to provide identities, real
names for the various background Anti-Registration Underground
characters, and to flesh them out as much as he wanted. Ronald
provided identities and real names for the Anti-Registration
Underground entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A
to Z hardcover#14 (2010). There wasn't room to provide much more than
that in that entry. However, Ronald had backgrounds and histories in
mind for these characters when he provided their names.
While the
information is unofficial until it sees print, here is
the full story behind
Awe-Striker:
REAL NAME: Cecily Laverne "Sess" Johnson
ALIASES: "Doc," "Doctor J," Free-of-beard the Ent; "Cesspool,"
"the 'Pool" (high school "nicknames")
IDENTITY: Known to US authorities
OCCUPATION: Otolaryngologist (colloquially "ear, nose, and
throat doctor" or E.N.T.)
CITIZENSHIP: USA
PLACE OF BIRTH: Rain, New Hampshire
KNOWN RELATIVES: Lee Johnson (father), Barbara Johnson (nee
Hansen, mother); Phil Johnson (brother), Ida Johnson Broome (sister);
Stuart Broome (brother-in-law), Peachie Steppent Johnson
(sister-in-law); unnamed daughter (miscarried, deceased); Albert
Broome, Felix Broome, Martin Broome, Evan Johnson, Phil Johnson, Jr.
(nephews); Blanche Broome, Caroline Broome, Frances Broome, Lia
Broome, Martina Broome, Nell Broome, Helen Johnson (nieces); Sheldon
Broome (relative by marriage, brother of Stuart)
GROUP AFFILIATION: Arnim
Zola Defamation League; formerly Anti-Registration Underground
EDUCATION: Medical degree (Presumably a diplomate of the
American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto) in addition to an
undergraduate B.S. and presumably an M.D. or D.O. from medical school)
SHRA CLASSIFICATION: Science-Based Mutate
FIRST APPEARANCE: Civil War: Front Line #4 (2006)
HISTORY: While interning at Child of Water Hospital in Utah, Dr. Cecily Johnson escorted several child patients -- including young Stani&smarc; "Stannie" Weinsell, nicknamed "Captain Fortunate" for having survived both a battle between Spider-Man (Parker) and Doctor Octopus (Octavius) and a later battle between the Hulk (Banner) and the Crypto-Man robot -- on a tour of the hospital, when an experimental medical apparatus was accidentally triggered and directed at Johnson. Harboring a crush on Johnson, Weinsell pushed her out of danger but was himself struck by "vita-rays" produced by the apparatus. Johnson and additional medical personnel labored to save Weinsell's life, but as he perished, the energies his body had absorbed erupted and transferred to Johnson, granting her superhuman abilities with no deleterious side-effects. Johnson eventually decided to use her new abilities as a costumed adventurer, the Awe-Striker. However, to uphold her Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, she avoided participating in combat whenever feasible, preferring to instead assist bystanders and minimize collateral damage during superhuman-related crises, particularly battles between two or more gigantic beings and/or creatures. She eventually relocated to Manhattan.
Following the passage of the Superhuman Registration Act
(S.H.R.A.), the Awe-Striker refused to register because she presumed
registered superhumans would be expected to engage in combat, torture,
and other activities that she felt would violate her Hippocratic Oath.
Eventually she was recruited into Typeface's Anti-Registration
Underground and was present when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the A.R.U.'s
safehouse and arrested most of its members. Unwilling to use her
powers in combat with law enforcement officers, even in self-defense,
the Awe-Striker departed, altering her hair and eye color before
donning civilian clothes to evade notice.
She subsequently fled the USA alongside the Bobster (Sturdevant E. Robbins), Captain Ultra
(Griffin Gogol), Raptor (Gary Wilton), Savage Steel (Jimmy Zafar), Spectra (Selena Slate), Stentor (Lewis Hamilton), Turnip-Man
(Arthur Winslow, merged
with Phelch) and other S.H.R.A. opponents seeking sanctuary in Europe.
She was present in France during a battle between le Peregrine
(Alain Racine) and Raptor.
Whether or not she returned to the USA following the SHRA's repeal is unrevealed.
HEIGHT:
5'9" WEIGHT:
171 lbs.
EYES:
Blue-green
HAIR: Brown
ABILITIES/ACCESSORIES: The Awe-Striker possesses superhuman strength with proportional durability, enabling her to lift up to twenty-five tons, and the power of flight; she can fly at a top speed of 75 miles per hour, although her speed when engaged in earthbound activity is no greater than slightly above average. She can alter her appearance to the extent of changing her eye color, her hair color, and the length of her hair. She formerly possessed more extensive shape-shifting abilities but said abilities faded over a period of years; it is not known if her remaining shape-shifting abilities will eventually do so as well.
And, the last word on
Awe-Striker from Ronald Byrd:
The
Awe-Striker has the distinction of being the only A.R.U. member who,
as I see it, appeared even after Civil War: Front Line
concluded; I designated her as one of the flying super-heroes
(directly above Peregrine) in a scene (attached) from Civil War:
Battle Damage Report, that depicted several unidentified flying
super-heroes (whom I also took the liberty of identifying because it's
not as though Marvel's going to care one way or the other; turns out
there are surprisingly few "minor" super-heroes who are known to have
the ability to fly). However, that's my call and no one else's, so I
don't think it can reasonably be included in the "official"
history. I'll need to dig out my copy of Civil War: Battle Damage
Report to provide Mike F with the page/panel information for that
image -- which I guess would need to be placed adjacent to the
secondary, unconfirmed history -- so it may be a while before I get
said information to him. Sorry about that. :-|
Thanks. Take care.
Profile by Ronald Byrd, Snood, and Multi-Tasking Mike Fichera.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Awe-Striker should not
be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Civil
War: Front Line#4/1, pg. 5, panel 2 (face/upper);
panel 4 (profile);
pg. 8, panel 3 (possibly...different
hair and costume color?
Civil War: Battle Damage Report,
pg. 5 (small figure above le Peregrine)
Appearances:
Civil War: Front Line#3/1 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer),
Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Cory Sedlmeier (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/1 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer),
Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/3 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer),
Sean Chen (penciler), Rick Magyar (inker), Molly Lazer, Aubrey
Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#5/2 (October, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer),
Steve Lieber (artist), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant
editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#6 (December, 2006) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven
(pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#7 (January, 2007) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven
(pencils), Dexter Vines, John Dell & Tim Townsend (inks), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report
(May, 2007) - Anthony Flamini (head writer/coordinator), Ronald Byrd
(writer), Michael Hoskin (proofing coordinator), Michael Short
(assistant editor), Mark D. Beazley & Jennifer Grunwald (associate
editors), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (June, 2010) -
Jeff Christiansen & Mike Fichera (head writers/coordinators),
Markus Raymond & Mike O'Sullivan (coordination assistants),
Stuart Vandal, Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Markus
Raymond, Mike O'Sullivan, Madison Carter, Kevin Garcia, Gabriel
Shechter, Jacob Rougemont, Rob London, Rich Green, Chris Biggs,
David Wiltfong, Jeph York, Mark O'English, & Mike Gagnon
(writers), John Denning (associate editor), Alex Starbuck (assistant
editor), Theodore Kutt (copy editor), Mark D. Beazley (editor,
special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer
Grunwald (editor)
First posted:
10/29/2026
Last updated:
10/28/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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