Red Spider
History
Origins
Alex Shen was an average kid who spent most of his childhood reading comic books and playing video games rather than playing outside with other neighborhood kids. He grew up with little friends in High School which granted Alex more time on working with computers. While lacking friends, he grew a strong relationship with his father who taught Alex what it meant to be humble and good. His father's advice would sometimes conflict Alex's impish nature.
Alex was born a metahuman. Although his powers didn't develop until his later teenage years. While at lunch in Westside High Alex was thrown in to a trash can for fun by the school's football team, just for their own amusment. This resulted in all the surrounding students to giggle and laugh as left over food dripped down his face. Embarrassed, all Alex wanted to do was disappear. And so he did. Alex along with his clothes disappeared giving him the chance to walk out the cafeteria, leaving the rest of the students to wonder where Alex went. The next morning the high school quarterback confronted Alex to tease him once again. Irritated, Alex shoved the brute. The football star fell flat on his back, paralyzed. Surprised of his recent new found powers, Alex spent the next few days discovering any other powers he possessed.
The following week, Alex spent his time pulling pranks with his new abilities on students who have done him wrong in the past. Unfortunately one prank went to far, resulting in a fellow classmate injured. This hindered Alex with guilt and cause him to quit using his powers for the next few days. That is until his father told Alex of the good he possessed and how he could use that good to help others.
Becoming The Red Spider
Alex went on an online auction to purchase a pair of thermal spandex. As his order arrived, he was excited to customize a new look for himself. Due to his cloaking powers, he aimed to make his suit based on stealthy ninja superheroes. The following afternoon, he went out on patrol in the Westside Slums jumping on and off rooftops to get by. He found himself at the docks where he intervened a mugger attempting to steal a woman's purse. Instead of using his camouflage, Alex jumped in front of the thug announcing his presence while forgetting to make an alias for himself. The thug laughed at Alex's makeshift costume calling him a spider looking freak due to Alex's bug eyed goggles. While Alex felt discouraged, the thug sucker punched him in the chest. Alex soon retaliated with a venom punch and paralyzed the mugger in to a minor seizure. As Alex ran back home from his short-lived heroism, he drew out new costume designs. He became amused of the idea of himself looking like a Spider. As spiders were quite agile and so was he.
Alex disapproved the idea of running all over Millennium City on foot. He found the idea of converting one of Harmon Labs' Energy Cable machines in to a portable device as it would allow him to swing through out the city like an actual spider would using the energy cables. After finishing the final design of his costume Alex heard over the news that a group of convicts escaped prison. Not liking the idea of mad men running loose in the streets, Alex took the job upon himself in handing them over to the police. After several minutes of the break out, Alex quickly rounded up the convicts with the help of his new cable device. Without saying a word he dropped off the unconscious prisoners at the police station where a local cop dubbed Alex, the Red Spider.
ARGENT
After a month of being the Red Spider his vigilante acts caught the attention of local news channels. All television broadcasts announced the new vigilante and also caught the attention of VIPER. VIPER's interests in Red's abilities sent covert operatives looking for him. Meanwhile an ARGENT spy discovered the plans and instead took it upon himself to report it. ARGENT's genetics department found Red interesting, as his powers could benefit one of their many super-soldier projects. A researcher tasked their company mercenary, Killshot[3] (A.K.A Agent K) to apprehend Red and return him to a research facility located in Canada.
While Alex patrolled the streets of downtown he discovered an abandoned ARGENT Helicopter on nearby rooftop. Curious, Alex investigated the landing pad. Shortly after, Red was tranquilized by Killshot. Alex attempted to retaliate before passing out. Killshot dragged Red in to the helicopter and took him to Canada where he would be tested. Alex woke as they landed in the snowy ice fields. But before making his last attempt of escape, one of ARGENT's mechs intervened and overpowered Red.
Weeks later, Alex had woken up without his mask and energy cuffs in an ARGENT facility. He fought his way through the ARGENT lab what felt like a never ending labyrinth. Red managed to reach the rooftop's helipad and was confronted by Killshot and a Female Operative. Agent K introduced Red to the mysterious Operative who then attacked Alex. K left the scene for the two to resolve the fight, confident his operative would become victor. Before leaving the helipad, Killshot revealed the operative to be Alex's very own clone. As the two battled, Alex was shocked and confused to witness the operative with the same powers as he had (Not to mention being a female clone). The operative was also wearing his energy cuffs, using it just as well as Red did. Alex managed to swipe the cuffs and mask off the operative and was disturbed to find her blonde hair and blue eyes; looking completely unrelated. Although her actions proved otherwise as she displayed most, if not all his abilities. Alex then tried to persuade her to stop fighting, telling her that if she was anything like him she would understand what she was doing was wrong. The clone felt confused and distressed allowing Alex to make an escape.
New Allies
To Be Added. . .
Powers and Abilities
- Camouflage: Able to blend in to his surroundings.
- Venom-Punch: Able to paralyze a victim by direct skin contact for a few several minutes or even hours varying on the impact.
- Talons: Retractable talons on his finger tips for clawing and climbing.
- Superhuman Strength: Able to lift up several tons. The limits of his strength are still unknown.
- Superhuman Speed: Alex's strength extends to his legs enabling himself to run faster than accelerated cars and jump several stories high.
- Superhuman Agility: Highly skilled in acrobatics and parkour. Quick on his feet, his balance, and flexibility are far more enhanced than the average human, sometimes making Red a difficult target to hit.
- Healing Factor: Able to heal most wounds at a slightly faster pace than the average human.
Weakness
Short-tempered, impatient, mortality.
Equipment
- Portable Energy Cable Cuff Device: Alex modified Harmon Labs' Energy Cable Device in to a pair of portable wristbands which he uses to swing through Millennium City. They also need to be recharged daily.
- Custom Goggles: Alex installed night-vision and thermal vision capabilities into his lenses for patrolling in darker places.
Trivia
- A few of Alex's favorite musicians are Savant, Hadouken, and Noisia.
- Alex spent time practicing parkour when he discovered it online. When his powers developed this skill came of use.
- Like any fan, Alex enjoys taking pictures with other super heroes.
- Alex's mother died due to a supposed head injury.
- Alex enjoys laughing maniacally when camouflaged around his opponents. He believes it makes them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
