BLUE STREAK

Real Name: Don Thomas

Identity/Class: Human technology user;
    identity publicly known

Legal Status: U.S. citizen with a criminal record

Occupation: Professional criminal;
    formerly an operative of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division);
    double agent for the Corporation

Group Membership: Scourge of the Underworld victims (not a real group)
    formerly the Corporation, S.H.I.E.L.D. , S.H.I.E.L.D. Super-Agents (Marvel Boy/Marvel Man (now Quasar), Texas Twister, Vamp)

Affiliations: "Bart," Charlie, Gary Gilbert (Firebrand), Justin Hammer
    formerly pretended to be an ally of the Falcon (Sam Wilson), Nick Fury

Enemies: Captain America, Falcon (Sam Wilson), Nick Fury, Scourge of the Underworld, S.H.I.E.L.D., Vamp

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Blue-Boy (nickname from the Vamp), "The 'Darling' of the Roller Derby" (self-joking nickname)

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
    last active on a highway in the northern Appalachian Mountains;
    formerly mobile;
    frequented the Medina County, Ohio branch of the Bar with No Name;
    formerly S.H.I.E.L.D.'s  Los Angeles base;
    formerly S.H.I.E.L.D.'s barbershop headquarters, Manhattan, New York

First Appearance: Captain America I#217 (January, 1978)

Powers/Abilities: The Blue Streak engaged in regular exercise and was a highly talented skater, incorporating his jet-skating into his fighting style.
    The Blue Streak wore "rocket skates" that enabled him to skate at speeds at least up to 125 miles per hour. The roller skates were mounted on boots that contained jet equipment that thrust concentrated streams of air behind the Streak, propelling him forward. The Streak could also activate retro-rockets (which also fired jets of air) in the toes of each of his boots to propel him backward. The Blue Streak could travel so fast that he could travel up walls. The skates also enabled him to make leaps of ten feet (that doesn't seem very far!). His earlier skates were included within smaller boots, and likely had slightly lower speed, etc.
    The Blue Streak's later costume contained a protective visor for his eyes, heavy padding, and armor, to protect himself from the effects of air friction and resistance, and also to shield himself from injury in the case of an accident. The Streak's costume contained breathing equipment to enable him to take in oxygen even while moving at high speeds. The costume also included laser weapons on his wrists and arms able to project intense beams sufficient to melt through the side of an armored car within less than thirty seconds. He also carried sharp tacks that he would scatter behind him to puncture the tires of pursuing vehicles.

    Blue Streak apparently had a superhuman metabolism, or at least superhuman healing.

 

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red

 

 

 

History:
(Captain America I#229) - The Blue Streak served as an operative for the subversive organization known as the Corporation who assigned him to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D.

(Captain America I#217 (fb) - BTS) - In order to better combat the super-powered agents of the Corporation, S.H.I.E.L.D. put together their own group of Super-Agents. The Blue Streak was a member of this group.

(Captain America I#217) - Nick Fury introduced Captain America and the Falcon to the Super-Agents, and the Blue Streak showed them that he was more than just a simple disco skater...he was a ROCKET-POWERED disco skater. Cap provoked the four agents to see how good they were: the Blue Streak charged Cap, only to be floored by a drop kick. As Cap flattened Texas Twister, the Blue Streak leapt atop Cap's shoulders, then used his rocket skates to fly him towards Marvel Boy, but Cap grabbed a pole to stop himself, sending the Blue Streak crashing into Marvel Boy. Cap then halted the fight and revealed he had just been testing them. Telling them they were good, but needed practice as a team, Cap nonetheless turned down Fury's request to train them, instead recommending the Falcon take the job. The Falcon accepted.

(Captain America I#218) - Sharon Carter walked in on a session in which the Falcon trained the Super-Agents. The Blue Streak cried out after a near miss blast from Marvel Man (formerly Marvel Boy).

(Captain America I#228 (fb) - BTS) - The Falcon disappeared for several days after being captured by the Corporation. Figuring the Falcon was an adult and could take care of himself (or not really caring, in the Blue Streak's case), the Super-Agents made no effort to locate him. They continued their training on their own.
    When S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Manhattan base was slated for demolition, the Super-Agents were reassigned to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Los Angeles base.

(Captain America I#228) - Captain America interrupted a training session of the Super-Agents by video communication, asking about the Falcon, and the Blue Streak told Cap that the Falcon had last said to him that an "old contact told him Jim <Wilson>'s in trouble." The Blue Streak then told Cap to get off his back, as he didn't owe the Falcon anything.
    Cap was subsequently ambushed by Corporation agent the Constrictor. As only Jasper Sitwell and the Super-Agents knew that he had been in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Manhattan base, he correctly figured one of them must be a double agent for the Corporation.

 

(Captain America I#229) - Captain America confronted the Super-Agents in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Los Angeles base's training room, telling them that one of them was a spy and he could prove it. In an effort to prevent Cap from questioning him further, the Blue Streak told the others that Cap was just provoking them as another test, and led the other Super-Agents to attack him. The Blue Streak slammed into Cap first, but his second charge was halted with a boot to the gut. After Captain America defeated the rest of the Super-Agents, the Blue Streak panicked and attempted to flee, admitting his guilt in the process, but Cap dropped him with his shield. The Blue Streak possibly broke his arm in the fall, but the Vamp--also a Corporation double agent--decided to kill the Blue Streak to prevent him from giving her away, too. Pretending to be trying to force the Blue Streak to talk, the Vamp began savagely beating him. Captain America tore off her belt (which allowed her to duplicate the abilities of others), and the sudden change in her energy level weakened her. Captain America then confronted the battered Blue Streak, who--feeling he had nothing else to lose--told Cap that the Falcon was being held on Alcatraz.

 

 

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#5: Justin Hammer) - Hammer designed Blue Streak's equipment and funded his operations in exchange for a percentage of his profits.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#20: Blue Streak) - After leaving prison, the Blue Streak led a successful career as a professional criminal in the American Midwest. His rocket skates and laser weaponry enabled him to pursue moving vehicles on highways and rob them.

(Captain America I#318 (fb) - BTS) - Blue Streak visited the Medina County, Ohio branch of the Bar with No Name every other night for six months.

(Captain America I#318) - At the Bar with No Name, Blue Streak checked his equipment with Charlie at the door, then ordered a drink from bartender Bart (secretly the Scourge of the Underworld), who pointed him towards someone who wanted to see him. Gary Gilbert (formerly Firebrand) told Blue Streak about the series of super-villains being assassinated, and he invited Blue Streak to join his underground network to locate and eliminate the killer, but Blue Streak refused: "Sorry, Gilbert. I ain't a joiner." That same night, Blue Streak raced down a highway, whipping past Captain America, who was traveling cross-country by van, and a police car wrecked trying to pursue the Blue Streak. After rescuing the cop, Cap followed the skater's trail, and happened across the uncostumed Blue Streak at a rest stop. Recognizing Blue Streak's face, the similarly uncostumed Steve Rogers confronted and identified the Blue Streak, then dodged a punch and dropped him with a submission hold. Fearing his opponent was the villain-killer, Blue Streak managed to pull out one of his gauntlets, fire on Rogers, and break free from his grip. Cap ducked the blast, but it hit and blew up a car, and the distraction allowed the Blue Streak to change into costume (which Cap did as well). Cap dodged a volley of laser blasts, then hurled his shield at the Blue Streak, knocking his feet out from under him and damaging one of his boot-jets. Deciding to cut his losses, Blue Streak fled, but Cap pursued him on his motorcycle and caught up to him. Blue Streak fired at him a few more times, then took off around a bend and tried to ambush Cap as he turned the corner. Cap blocked him with his shield, after which Blue Streak tossed some razor sharp jacks across the road in front of him. While Cap cleared these with his shield, Blue Streak took off again, this time faking his death by damaging the guard rail and leaving pieces of his equipment on the cliff below.
    Captain America climbed down the cliff to see if he was still alive, and the Blue Streak decided it was best to escape while he could, rather than risking everything by trying to kill Captain America. Hitching a ride in a passing semi-truck, Blue Streak unwittingly got into the cab with the disguised Scourge of the Underworld, who executed him.
PUMSPAK
Justice is served, Blue Streak.

(Captain America I#427 (fb) - BTS) - Lou Dexter, aka Dead Ringer, obtained a piece of Blue Streak's tissue.

(Captain America I#427 - BTS) - Dexter adopted the form of Blue Streak to rapidly heal from severe burns after having some hot grease (or soup or coffee or something) dumped on his back.
    Later, Dexter changed into Blue Streak to battle Quicksilver, but was defeated and captured.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas & Don Glut (writers), John Buscema (pencils), and Pablo Marco (inks).

His Deluxe Edition Book of the Dead entry more fully showed his death (we see him shot in the face). -- John McDonagh

The Blue Streak had an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#16. His real name was revealed in the Civil War: Battle Damage Report.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Blue Streak (Don Thomas)'s equipment was alter adopted by:

But he has no known connection to:

images:
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#16: Blue Streak (main image)
Captain America I#217, p8, panel 2 (disco version)
    #229, p11, panel 4 (disco face)
    #319, p9, panel 3 (later face)

Captain America I#217 (February, 1978) - Don Glut (writer), Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, John(?) Tartag (artists)
Captain America I#228 (December, 1978) - Roger McKenzie (writer), Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, John(?) Tartag (artists)
Captain America I#229 (January, 1979) - Roger McKenzie (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Don Perlin (embellisher)
Captain America I#318 (June, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Neary (rough penciler), Dennis Ianke (ink finisher)

Last updated: 07/12/07

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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