Goliath (Marvel Comics)

(Redirected from Tom Foster (comics))

Goliath is a superhero comic book identity in Marvel Comics.

Goliath
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Avengers #28 (May 1966)
Created byStan Lee
Don Heck
In-story information
Alter egoHank Pym
Clint Barton
Bill Foster
Erik Josten
Tom Foster
Team affiliationsAvengers
AbilitiesSize-shifting from nearly microscopic to ~100 feet gigantic (both at extremes)
Superhuman strength

Character history

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The Goliath identity has been used by various superheroes:

Henry Pym

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Henry "Hank" Pym was the first to utilize the Goliath name.[1]

Clint Barton

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Clinton "Clint" Barton, better known as the superhero Hawkeye, used the Pym size-changing gas to adopt the Goliath powers and identity shortly after Hank Pym was Yellowjacket. He remained Goliath through the Kree-Skrull War, and briefly resumed the identity during "Operation: Galactic Storm".[2]

Bill Foster

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Dr. William "Bill" Foster was Pym's lab assistant who had an equally brief career as the Black Goliath and Giant-Man before retiring from superheroics.[3] He later came out of retirement, donning a new costume as Goliath. In the Civil War storyline, Foster sided with Captain America's faction of outlaw Anti-Registration heroes, and was killed by Ragnarok.[4]

Erik Josten

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Erik Josten was originally known as the supervillain Power Man. After being defeated by Luke Cage who was also known as Power Man at the time he changed his codename to Smuggler and later Goliath.[5] He adopted the superhero identity Atlas upon joining the Thunderbolts.

Criti Noll

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The Skrull Criti Noll utilized the abilities of Goliath while impersonating Hank Pym for the Secret Invasion storyline.[6]

Tom Foster

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Tom Foster is Bill Foster's nephew. Created by Reginald Hudlin, Greg Pak and Koi Turnbull, he first appears in Black Panther (vol. 4) #23 (February 2007),[7] and in World War Hulk: Aftersmash #1 (March 2008) as Goliath. According to Pak, Tom was created as a replacement for Bill Foster after the character was killed off.[8]

After learning of Bill's death from Black Panther, Tom swore to continue his uncle's legacy by replicating the Pym Particles that gave him his powers. To this end, T'Challa swore to assist him in any way possible, once Tom finished his M.I.T. studies.[9]

Tom sneaks into the Avengers Mansion's abandoned labs, locating a vial of Pym Particles, which he uses to gain superpowers as Goliath. Upon doing so, he finds and assaults Iron Man in retaliation for his uncle's death, but is interrupted by an internal struggle between the captured Warbound and does not continue the attack. He then assists Damage Control in repairing the city.[10]

Goliath later joins a team of anti-heroes assembled by Wonder Man (whose judgement was impaired at the time) to defeat the Avengers.[11] He and the group are defeated by the Avengers and remanded to the Raft.[12]

Goliaths

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The Ultimate Marvel universe features the Goliaths, a group of African-American men who have size-shifting powers and special jumpsuits that can grow with them. They are part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Reserves alongside the Giant-Men and Giant-Women.[13]

In other media

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Television

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Video games

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References

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  1. The Avengers #28 (May 1966)
  2. The Avengers #63 (April 1969)
  3. Power Man #24 (April 1975)
  4. Civil War #4 (October 2006)
  5. Iron Man Annual #7 (October 1984)
  6. The Mighty Avengers #15 (August 2008)
  7. DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  8. "CBR News: THE COMMENTARY TRACK: "Aftersmash" #1 with Greg Pak". Comic Book Resources. December 7, 2007. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  9. Black Panther (vol. 4) #23 (February 2007)
  10. World War Hulk: Aftersmash #1 (January 2008)
  11. New Avengers (vol. 2) Annual #1 (November 2011)
  12. The Avengers (vol. 2) Annual #2 (March 2012)
  13. Ultimates Annual #1 (October 2005)
  14. 1 2 3 "Goliath Voices (Marvel Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 3, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  15. Flook, Ray (March 24, 2023). "What If...?: Laurence Fishburne Voicing Bill Foster for Season 2". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  16. Amin, Arezou (December 24, 2024). "'What If...?' Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: Bucky and Alexei's Excellent Adventure". Collider. Retrieved December 24, 2024.