GRASSHOPPER

Real Name: Douglas Taggert

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Part-time security guard, some super heroing on the side

Group Membership: Great Lakes Avengers (for all of 5.8 seconds)

Affiliations: Doorman, Flatman, Squirrel Girl, the Roxxon Corporation (employer), Cindy Shelton (love interest?)

Enemies: Batroc's Brigade (Batroc, Machete, Zaran)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Ever-Gregarious Grasshopper" (as called by himself)

Base of Operations: New York City

First Appearance: GLA#1 (June, 2005) (out-of-continuity); GLA#2 (July, 2005) (in-continuity) - (see comments)

Powers/Abilities: The Grasshopper armor was created to be Roxxon's answer to Iron Man, to give the company a super-powered employee. The suit's capabilities have not yet been fully defined, but it can amplify the wearer's strength and allow him to make leaps that cover great distances. The suit also features zoom lenses and "insectroid sensors" (function unknown).

 

 

 

History:
(GLA#2) - Having only acquired the Grasshopper suit two weeks earlier, Doug Taggert was on routine patrol when he came upon Batroc's Brigade breaking into a Roxxon warehouse to steal a piece of equipment (Atomic Inverter X-99) for Maelstrom. As he battled the three villains, he was joined by the Great Lakes Avengers -- Doorman, Flatman, and the newly-recruited Squirrel Girl -- who helped him finish off the criminals.

Doorman offered Grasshopper membership with the team, but just as he accepted, Zaran hurled a sai at him which struck Grasshopper right between the eyes, killing him instantly (and giving him the record for the shortest membership on ANY super-team). Taggert's spirit was carried off to the after-life by Deathurge.

(GLA#4) - In the black, empty void of Oblivion, the recently deceased Doorman encountered the spirits of his former team-mates -- Mockingbird, Dinah Soar, Monkey Joe, and Grasshopper -- playing poker.

Comments: Created by Dan Slott and Paul Pelletier.

Doug Taggert was killed, but the Grasshopper name was still viable and the suit of armor was still around (as it was the property of Roxxon), so the identity was passed on to the next Grasshopper.

Although Grasshopper's first full appearance was in GLA#2, his actual first appearance was on the first page of GLA#1, wherein Grasshopper and Squirrel Girl had a narrative prologue and out-of-story comments, but that is probably not in-continuity.

Squirrel Girl introduced herself and Monkey Joe and cautioned kids not to try anything they saw in the comic. Grasshopper also appeared, telling Squirrel Girl that kids didn't read comics, and that fanboys were all overweight men in their thirties with poor hygiene.

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
Grasshopper has no known connection to:

images (without ads):
GLA#2, p8, pan2 (main image)
  p20, pan1 (Grasshopper goes down!)

Appearances:
GLA#2 (July, 2005) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor) GLA#4 (September, 2005) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)

Last updated: 01/12/06

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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