RUSS TALBERT

Real Name: Russ Talbert

Identity/Class: Human, (World War II era)

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: US Military

Affiliations: Larry Freese, Nick Fury, James MacReedy, Lon Wilcox

Enemies: Nazis

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Tiny"

Base of Operations: an unnamed air base, England, 1940's

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116 (November, 1973)

Powers/Abilities: Russ Talbert was trained as a commando operative by Nick Fury, which included parachuting, defusing explosives, and underwater diving. Russ was a large, physical strong man, but was easily rattled by others and hesitant in combat.

History: (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116) - Russ Talbert was a new recruit who was assigned along with Lon Wilcox, James MacReedy and Larry Freese to be put through training by Sgt. Nick Fury, who had been temporarily removed from fieldwork due to mental problems. Fury ran all four of the recruits hard, nicknaming Talbert "Tiny," and constantly mocking him for being timid. Even Lon Wilcox often made fun of Talbert, but he was befriended by James MacReedy.

Talbert and the others were finally given an actual mission by Fury, to defuse an underwater minefield set up by the Germans to destroy Allied submarines. As they began to defuse the mines, MacReedy was attacked by Nazi frogmen, and Fury went to help him. Talbert remained too frightened to engage in combat, until he saw MacReedy fall, fatally stabbed by the frogmen. Talbert flew into a rage, and aided Fury against them, killing at least one frogman. The mission was ultimately a success, with the entire minefield destroyed, and Talbert thanked Fury for "making a man" out of him.

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers and Vince Colletta.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Russ Talbert should not be confused with:

• Betty Talbot, married name of Betty Ross, @ Incredible Hulk II#158
• Colonel Glenn Talbot, rival of Bruce Banner, enemy of the Hulk, @ Tales to Astonish I#61
• Major William Matthew Talbot, nephew of Glenn Talbot, @ Incredible Hulk II#436

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