Madcap
Madcap was a god
fearing man when he was involved in a horrible truck accident
that involved some highly toxic materials from AIM. The accident
killed his entire family and left him completely impervious to
pain. The accident had another effect in that it destroyed
Madcap's mind. Madcap's mission is to point out to everyone that
life has no point.
Captain America #309- flashback- Madcap, in his human life, is seen on his knees praying to God in church. One day his church group, along with his parents and baby sister, was on a field trip to Bear Mountain when a truck hits their bus going 100 miles per hour. The truck explodes and the chemical that it was carrying leaks out. The chemical was a compound designed by AIM. AIM troops surround him, but decide that there were no survivors. Later in the hospital the man who becomes Madcap is found to have no injuries at all from the accident. He asks about the others, and when he finds out that he is the only survivor his mind snaps. The doctors want to keep him under observation, but Madcap leaves. He leaps in front of a car to commit suicide, but of course he isn’t hurt at all. Madcap asks why he benefited from an accident that killed everyone he cared about. A few days later, outside a costume shop, the answer occurs to him…no reason at all. Madcap decides to spread the word of the chaos and meaningless of life.
Captain America #307- In midtown Manhattan an ordinary looking man walks into a costume shop. The shopkeeper asks if he can help him. The man replies that he is beyond help, and that in fact everyone is. The man shoots the shopkeeper with a gun that surrounds the man in oddly colored bubbles. The shopkeeper starts to dance around like a chicken and making “bock bock” noises. The shopkeeper runs out of the store still acting like a chicken. Later, now dressed in costume, Madcap hangs from a streetlight shooting his bubble gun and driving everyone mad. Traffic has completely stopped and people are dancing around and playing tag. Madcap says that this won’t do, as some people are still not enjoying the chaos. A cop tells Madcap to freeze. Madcap draws first and sprays the cop with bubbles. The cop starts going crazy, but shoots Madcap in the chest. The wound immediately heals and Madcap hops up to create more chaos. Jack Monroe has a new job as a bagboy in a supermarket. Suddenly a large rock comes crashing through the storefront window. Outside everyone is going nuts. Jack changes into Nomad and runs out. Nomad spots Madcap shooting his bubble gun. Madcap says that life is one big joke, and that nothing is worth taking seriously. Nomad tackles Madcap off a car, but when they land he hears Madcap’s back break. Nomad comes in close to check on him, but Madcap just pokes Nomad in the eye and hops away. Nomad listens to Madcap’s ramblings and manages to hit him with a stun-disc. Madcap is driven into a wall and falls in an unnatural position. Nomad is worried he hurt Madcap, but Madcap snaps himself back together. Madcap introduces himself and so Nomad did too. Madcap tells Nomad a secret. He tells him that he can’t be hurt and has no sensation though he invites Nomad to continue trying. Nomad hits Madcap and manages to dislocate his jaw. Madcap compliments him but snaps his jaw back into place. Madcap kicks Nomad in the gut, and then finds where his bubble gun went. Madcap blasts Nomad with bubbles and hops away again. Madcap zaps another guy and then kicks over a trashcan. Madcap looks at his watch and decides 3:58 is a good time to quit. He leaps down the subway entrance. Jack Monroe loses his job and takes the subway home. He broods the entire ride home, but near him on the train Madcap is scrunched up giggling to himself.
Captain America #309
- In Coney Island, Madcap skips along singing his views
of sanity and its irrelevance when a group of thugs confronts
him. They say that they don’t take kindly to
“fops” prancin' around their turf. The first one hits
Madcap with a blackjack. Madcap laughs and so they hit him again.
When Madcap keeps laughing another thug takes a knife and sticks
it into Madcap’s chest. Madcap just keeps standing there.
The thugs ask why he isn’t falling over. Madcap says that he
comes with a warranty, “takes a stabbing and keeps on
gabbing”. Madcap pulls the knife out and throws it into the
arm of the guy who stuck it in him, y’know to give it back.
Madcap zaps the rest of them with his bubble gun, and he takes
his leave with the thugs jumping around crazily. Madcap makes it
back to his home, but when gets inside someone is waiting for
him. The someone is Nomad. Nomad is sitting in a chair and
reminds Madcap of when they fought. Madcap starts taking off his
costume. He says that he doesn’t get many visitors, less
than none actually, and he asks why Nomad is there. Nomad says
“no reason at all”. Madcap laughs and says that he
likes that answer. Madcap gives Nomad a soda. Nomad says that he
was thinking about what Madcap said about life not meaning
anything and he decided that he agreed. Madcap is pleased that
his message got through. Nomad asks about the newspaper clipping
on his wall about the 42 people in the bus accident being killed.
Madcap sews the knife hole in his costume up and tells Nomad the
story of his origin. Nomad asks where Madcap got his “fun
gun”. Madcap says that he got it at Woolworth’s for
$1.49. Madcap excuses himself, but he needs to sleep. He offers
Nomad the chair. Nomad says that he is the trusting sort, and
Madcap says that he isn’t afraid Nomad is going to kill him
or anything. The next morning Madcap wakes up. Nomad says that he
sees Madcap is a late sleeper. Madcap says not really- he just
wakes up when he wants to. Nomad asks what they are doing today.
Madcap asks if Nomad is going to be his sidekick now. Nomad says
that he wants to be inspired by Madcap’s lifestyle so he can
go live a random life himself. Madcap throws some clothes to
Nomad and tells him to put them on. Nomad asks why, but Madcap
asks “why not?” They go out and eat at a restaurant and
bolt on the check. Nomad thinks to himself that he will settle up
later. Madcap says that Nomad is still a stiff, but he likes
having him around. Madcap and Nomad get dressed for fun. As
Madcap starts spreading his bubbles Nomad is trying to make sure
people don’t get hurt. Nomad tackles Madcap and says that he
did it for no reason. He takes the fun-gun, and tries to affect
Madcap but the bubbles do nothing. Nomad runs with the gun so
Madcap chases him. Nomad climbs to the top of the roller coaster.
He crushes the gun. Madcap says that it cost his a dollar and
forty nine cents. Nomad tries to convince Madcap to give up since
his gun is broken. Madcap reveals that the gun was just a prop
that the power comes from his eyes. Nomad wraps Madcap’s
head up in his cape. Madcap kicks him off the coaster. Nomad
swings back up, and before Madcap can get the cape off his head
Nomad ties his hands with Madcap’s cape. Nomad carries him
down.
Daredevil #234- Madcap is bounding along when he comes
upon some smugglers. They see Madcap’s costume and figure he
is a superhero. Madcap starts to fight the guys. Madcap dodges
two of the guy’s bullets causing them to shoot one of their
friends. One of the guys follows up by shooting Madcap in the
chest, but Madcap just slams their heads together. Two guys grab
him and throw him to the ground. As they shoot him Madcap glares
at them and causes them to go insane. One still manages to shoot
him in the forehead, but Madcap doesn’t seem to mind. The
two guys start jumping around and acting like monkeys. He
hypnotizes two more thugs and then leaves. As he walks away
madcap runs into Dollar Bill. Dollar Bill is holding a camera and
asks if Madcap knows where the gunfire was coming from. Madcap
points out the four lunatics smashing crates. Bill guesses that
Madcap is a superhero and tells him that he is going to make him
a star. Daredevil overhears that Madcap escaped from Bellevue
last night. The Rose puts out a $5000 bounty on Madcap. Later
Madcap is starring on the Dollar Bill Show. Madcap grabs a knife
and sticks it into his stomach. Madcap pulls it out and
isn’t even hurt at all. Dollar Bill asks why he is called
Madcap, and Madcap drives Dollar insane with his stare. Later
Bill is filming Madcap walking down the street and Madcap asks
Dollar how he is doing. Dollar tells Madcap to pretend he
isn’t there so Madcap starts to ask people if they’ve
seen Dollar Bill. A guy calls in a tip on Madcap’s location.
A cab runs Madcap down, but Madcap pops right up. A bunch of mob
guys show up and pull Madcap into a warehouse. Daredevil finds
them there as a mob muscle is chopping into Madcap with an axe.
Daredevil knocks out “Max the Axe”, but then the mob
sets fire to the warehouse hoping to kill Daredevil and Madcap.
Madcap convinces Daredevil to save Max instead of him. Madcap
sits in the burning building singing for five hours until he is
taken to the morgue. Dollar Bill is mourning Madcap when Madcap
shows up with barely any costume left as it was burned away.
Madcap starts dancing for the camera and says that they should
call the show “Madcap’s Mystery Hour” instead of
the Dollar Bill Show.
Power Pack #34- Katie Powers and Franklin Richards are both bored and nobody will play with them. Franklin goes to sleep and his dream self visits Katie Powers. Katie is watching television and asks Franklin if he wants to watch too. They’re watching the Madcap Mystery Hour. They watch Madcap drive five guys crazy. As they dance around Madcap gives the address to his studio. They decide that it might be fun to play with him. Franklin zaps ahead and starts talking to Madcap. Madcap agrees to go on an adventure with Franklin and Katie so Frank goes to tell Katie. While Franklin is gone Madcap spends the time cutting his fingers off and putting them back on. Franklin comes back and has Madcap open a window. Katie flies through the window with Franklin’s real body. Franklin wakes up. Madcap kisses Katie’s hand and they head out. Madcap sticks his head into the back of a compacting trash truck. Franklin and Katie get the trashmen to let him out. Madcap’s head is flat, but it reforms. Madcap grabs some sharp sticks to be pirates. The kids try to warn him, but Madcap still impales his head on the stick. Madcap finds his poked out eye and puts it back in. Madcap starts making people go insane and the kids are forced to help people from hurting themselves. They decide this isn’t so fun and go to Madcap to make him stop. Madcap is running into a bank that the police have some robbers surrounded in. The kids “protect” Madcap and distract the robbers long enough for the police to arrest them. They tell Madcap to behave more responsibly, but Madcap wanders off babbling to himself.
Avengers Spotlight #29-flashback- Madcap is taping an episode of Madcap Comedy Hour. He is standing in a barrel fire. He leaps out and changes into a non-burning costume. Madcap states his philosophy that there is no point to anything as a van drives up. Too goons get out and Madcap decides that maybe there is a point…on one of the guy's head. The goons tell Madcap that he is coming with them. As Madcap turns to play to the camera one of the guys' hands turns into a hammer and the other's into a vice. The vice guy grabs Madcap, and the hammer guy smashes the camera.
Avengers Spotlight #29- Hawkeye, who had been contacted by Madcap's friend Dollar Bill, traces the van's license plates from the video to a bar called Scuzz. When the bartender pulls the "Bud" tap the bar flips over (guess they don't get a lot of requests for Bud on tap) and Hawkeye finds himself in a dark room where Madcap is hanging upside down. Dr. Karl Malus, who wanted Daredevil captured, tells his goons to kill Hawkeye. Hawkeye frees Madcap by cutting his ropes with arrows. As Madcap lands his arm is cut off by Handsaw. Madcap tries to give her his insanity stare, but her glasses block the effect. Malus wanted to study Daredevil's athletic prowess and Madcap's invulnerability, but with that wrecked he sets the self-destruct. Madcap pulls Handsaw's glasses off and makes Handsaw leap at her teammates. Madcap and Hawkeye runs out, but Madcap realizes he forgot to get his right arm back. He runs in as the building explodes. He puts the arm back on, and tells Hawkeye he is going to look for Malus. Malus' machine made him feel, and he wanted to feel more.
Impossible Man Summer Vacation Special #1- Impossible Man has brough the Impossible Woman and dozens of Impossible Children to Earth for a vacation. Impossible Woman and one kid meet up with Quasar. She tells him that the other children follow their ways, but that their daughter there refuses to have fun and shapeshift. Quasar tells her to find a shrink. As she is flying around looking for one Madcap throws himself off a tall building and splats on the ground below. Madcap pops up and Impossible Woman likes his humor. She asks him if he is a psychiatrist. Mdcap says that his psyche likes to tryst with the best of them. She asks to teach her daughter how to have fun. Madcap says that he charges 20 chicken lips. IW takes off to find them. Madcap tells the kid that the first lesson is “bus tag’. Madcap gets himself run over by a bus. Quasar shows up and asks the kid where her mother is. Madcap gives Quasar his stare and drives him mad. Quasar creates giant popcorn out of thin air. Quasar’s insanity is dangerous because of his powers. The kid manages to snap Quasar out of it. Madcap escapes down a manhole.
Captain America #442- Cap sends his two sidekicks Jack Flag and Free Spirit out to enjoy some personal time, but they hear screams. They find Madcap strapped with explosives in the park. Madcap says that he has lost the will to live, and that even random acts seem pointless. Jack Flag climbs up to talk to Madcap. Jack puts Madcap in a full nelson. He says that he doesn’t care if Madcap wants to kill himself, but he doesn’t want him ruining the park. Madcap asks if he is Smokey the Bear. Jack says that he is Jack Flag. Madcap says that Jack doesn’t know jack about him if he thinks a full nelson can stop him. Madcap says that he is triple jointed and pushes the detonator. The bomb explodes. Madcap says, “smokin’” as he starts to get up. Free Spirit rushes to Jack’s aid. Jack says that he can heal from it. Madcap says that he can’t believe everyone is trying to steal his act. Jack says that he is getting Madcap committed.
Ghost Rider vol. 3 #33-
In the Soho loft that serves as a studio for the Madcap
Comedy Hour, Madcap speaks about how his message isn’t
reaching the people as he randomly stabs a knife through various
parts of his body. He says that it is time to take his message
out to the people. A short time later Madcap is in Grand Central
Station dancing about on the ticket sales station. A cop yells at
Madcap to get down. Madcap says that there is no reason to be a
mad-cop. He says that in fact there is no reason to be anything.
Madcap stares into the cop’s eyes and drives him mad. The
cop starts shooting. He hits Madcap twice in the chest knocking
him to the ground. The cop starts to randomly shoot in the
station. A little later Ghost Rider is drawn inside when one of
the people from the station leaps through a window saying,
“It just doesn’t matter” over and over. Ghost
Rider enters and says that the madness must stop, but Madcap says
that the madness has only begun. He says that life has no meaning
or value. Ghost Rider begs to differ saying that human life has
value and is worth preserving. Madcap says that he has heard of
Ghost Rider and asks what could be more meaningless than avenging
blood that has already been spilled and people who are already
dead. Ghost Rider’s chain wraps around Madcap’s neck.
Madcap says that the dead people don’t care that they are
avenged. Madcap’s necks snaps and Ghost Rider says,
“Vengeance has been served.” Madcap looks up and asks
when breakfast is going to be served. Madcap tries to drive Ghost
Rider mad with his stare, but it has no effect. Ghost Rider says
that Madcap needs his penance stare to feel the pain he has
inflicted on others. Madcap welcomes him to try, but as he tells
Ghost Rider that he doesn’t feel pain he is stopped by
intense pain. Madcap collapses on the ground shouting “The
pain! The pain! The pain!” Ghost Rider rides off to save
someone. As Madcap recovers he thrills in the first pain he has
felt since the accident. He says that it must not end here, and
that no matter how much innocent blood is spilled he must be made
to feel pain again.
Heroes for Hire #10- The Heroes for Hire go on their latest job to stop Professor Wolfgang Hessler from selling his powerful weapon to the highest bidder. Hammond tells them that Silver Sable and her crew are protecting Hessler. The team flies there. Inside Paladin is asking Nomad where that kid that he used to travel with went. Nomad just grunts. Deadpool teleports up there and starts fighting Nomad and Paladin as he drops a rope for the others. Nomad drops the image inducer and reveals that he is Madcap. He says that Silver Sable never would have hired him as Madcap. Deadpool starts blowing holes in Madcap, but of course it doesn’t matter to Madcap. Sandman isn’t sure what to do with Madcap, but knows that Deadpool is against them.
Heroes for Hire #11- Madcap and Deadpool face off both with their tremendous healing factors. Madcap starts by running away like a lunatic. He takes aim at Paladin from behind, but Deadpool blasts him. Everyone else with Silver Sable defeats their opponent except Madcap. They all surround Deadpool, but he teleports away. Madcap is watching over Misty Knight and Colleen Wing while doing Monty Python sketches for them when he hears a knock on the door. Deadpool uses his image inducer to appear as Madcap. Deadpool sucker punches Madcap and manages to knock him out. When Madcap wakes up he brings Paladin to where the Heroes for Hire are now in fighting over Hessler. Madcap punches Deadpool.