THUNDERHEAD

Real Name: Gunther (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (New Universe) human (German) paranormal

Occupation: Professional mercenary

Group Membership: Medusa Web (Babel, Backfire, Dustoff, Electrique, Gatto di Sangue, Imprint, Potiphar, Skybreaker, Troublemaker)

Affiliations: Babel, Backfire, C.I.A., Dustoff, Electrique, Gatto di Sangue, Imprint, Justice, Potiphar, Psi-Force, Red Sun (Coojeechiscue, Shivowtnoeh), Skybreaker, Troublemaker

Enemies: Rodstvow, Jake Travest
(former) Psi-Force

Known Relatives: Unidentified family members

Aliases: Donner Kopf

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Psi-Force I#18 (April, 1988)

Powers/Abilities: Thunderhead has the parability to amplify his voice so that even one of his whispers can cause a tremendous sonic assault. He has a bionic device connected to his throat that assists his speech; his voice manifests as a series of electronic tones. It is possible that when his parability first emerged, he inflicted permanent damage upon his voice box and thereafter required the device to properly regulate his parability. He carries special earphones so that his allies can protect their hearing.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 180 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blond

History:

(Psi-Force I#18 (fb) - BTS) - Gunther was a German man who became a parnormal following the White Event (July 22, 1986) caused by the Star Brand. At some point he joined the mercenary forces of the Medusa Web to raise money for his family. Although his English-speaking allies called him 'Thunderhead,' he preferred his German alias, 'Donner Kopf.' He worked on more than mission with fellow paranormals Backfire and Electrique.

(Psi-Force I#18) - The C.I.A. hired the Medusa Web to capture Psi-Force for them after the team's San Francisco home Sanctuary was destroyed (by the paranormal Rodstvow). On December 12, 1987, Thunderhead, Imprint and Backfire discovered Psi-Force's Wayne Tucker was staying in a hotel in Seattle, Washington, where he was romantically involved with Lindsey Falmon. The three mercenaries monitored Tucker from a van outside the hotel. Backfire reported on their progress to their leader, Babel, who ordered them to deploy Electrique against Tucker.

    On December 18, 1987, Electrique entered the hotel and attacked Tucker but needlessly blasted two civilians out a window. Exasperated at their ally, Thunderhead and Backfire left their van to assist. They found Tucker trying to leave the hotel on the first floor and Thunderhead used an amplified whisper to make him halt, just as Electrique caught up. However, Lindsey drove through a window into the hotel to help Tucker escape. Tucker used his telepathy to "push" Thunderhead into attacking Electrique, giving Tucker and Falmon time to escape. Backfire sent Electrique away from the area while he posed as a government agent, telling the Seattle police Thunderhead was his partner. Electrique caught up to Tucker and Falmon near the Space Needle but Electrique was dispersed (and possibly killed) when Tucker's teammate Tyrone Jessup flew his astral form through her, his electromagnetic field disrupting her. Thunderhead, Backfire and the police surrounded Tucker, Jessup and Falmon but Jessup's parabilities were becoming increasingly stronger. Thunderhead stunned Tucker and Falmon with another whisper but Jessup attacked him and his electromagnetic energy overloaded Thunderhead's bionic attachment. Seriously injured, Thunderhead collapsed. Backfire saw to his ally's care.

(Psi-Force I#20) - On February 15, 1988, Thunderhead, Backfire and Imprint tracked Tucker and Falmon to a hotel in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia and resumed monitoring them. When Jessup found them spying on the hotel Thunderhead explained to him the C.I.A. had cancelled the Medusa Web's contract; their purpose now was to offer Tucker, Falmon and Jessup membership in the Medusa Web. The next day, Thunderhead, Imprint and Backfire monitored Tucker, Falmon and Jessup as they discussed and rejected the idea of joining the Medusa Web. Thunderhead noted to his allies that the American government was bound to find Tucker and his friends as well.

(Psi-Force I#21) - On February 29, 1988, the C.I.A. sent Jake Travest in the M.A.X. armor to capture Tucker and Jessup. Travest captured Tucker and brought him to a park in Victoria to await Jessup's appearance. Backfire, Imprint and Thunderhead offered to help Falmon, sharing the resources of their monitoring van with her. They followed Travest to the park and as his armor's cybernetic link prevented Tucker from controlling his mind, Thunderhead made focused sonic attacks against the armor until the link was disrupted, enabling Tucker to control Travest. Jessup then arrived and used his astral form to short out the armor. Tucker forced Travest to confess his mission while Imprint recorded him, then Tucker ordered Travest to turn himself over to the authorities. Tucker declined to join the Medusa Web at that moment but requested their help in getting back into the USA so he could rescue his friends. Thunderhead agreed to the arrangement.

(Psi-Force I#29 - BTS) - On October 5, 1988, Thunderhead accompanied the Medusa Web and Justice aboard a heavy transport helicopter to the Siberian Project to rescue Psi-Force.

(Justice II#29 - BTS) - The helicopter carrying most of the Medusa Web, Psi-Force and Justice had to set down in the USSR when Babel's helicopter was damaged. The Russian paranormal Rodstvow arrived to assault them.

(Psi-Force I#30) - Rodstvow attempted to kill Justice, Psi-Force, the Medusa Web and even his fellow members of Red Star. Tucker used his telepathy to plan a joint attack of all the paranormals against Rodstvow, focusing Thunderhead's sonic parability and other ranged attacks on one of Rodstvow's shoulders until they could crack his protective shell. Even after cracking open Rodstvow's shell and killing him his skeletal form remained animated and continued its assault until they manipulated Dehman Doosha into unleashing his pryokinesis against the skeleton and completely eradicated him.

Comments: Created by Fabian Nicieza, Ron Lim and Romeo Tanghal.

    Thunderhead also appeared as one of the portraits in the Medusa Web's Los Angeles offices seen in Psi-Force I#26.

    Thunderhead didn't appear in Psi-Force I#29 but must have been inside the Medusa Web's helicopter since he turned later during the Siberian Project storyline (Gatto di Sangue, for example, is just barely visible in issue #29).

   

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Thunderhead should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
Psi-Force I#18, cover (main)
Psi-Force I#18, page 18, panel 3 (face)

Appearances:
Psi-Force I#18 (April, 1988) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Romeo Tanghal (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Psi-Force I#20-21 (June-July, 1988) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Mike Witherby (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Psi-Force I#30 (April, 1989) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Rodney Ramos (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)

First posted: 09/09/2025
Last updated: 09/09/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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