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- NOTE: This article is only for the original comics version of A-Train. To see the article for the TV show's version of him, go to A-Train (TV Series).
| “ | Can't stop the A-Train! | „ |
| ~ A-Train's catchphrase in the comics. |
| “ | Hmh. What is it about the Seven attracts these... frigid f***in' prick-teasers, man? F***in Starlight. | „ |
| ~ A-Train to Jack from Jupiter. |
A-Train is a major antagonist of the 2006 highly controversial comic book series The Boys. He is a speedster as well as the killer of Hughie Campbell's girlfriend, Robin, setting him to seek vengeance against A-Train and the rest of the Seven.
Biography[]
In the comic series, A-Train is a speedster and a close ally to Homelander, but he is youthfully reckless and arrogant. He was recruited by the Seven after leaving the teenager-based superhero group called Teenage Kix as a replacement for Mister Marathon, the group's original speedster, who was killed on 9/11 when The Seven botched a plane rescue.
He first appears after accidentally killing Hughie Campbell's girlfriend while chasing a criminal, which causes Hughie to join the Boys to get revenge. As a member of the Seven, he is kept in check by Homelander after harassing Starlight, the newest member of the Seven after Lamplighter's death. In addition, A-Train is convinced by the Seven to laugh off the incident where he killed Robin.
Despite having superhuman speed, he has little control over his abilities. Due to being a newer member and because of his immaturity, A-Train is not respected by the rest of The Seven, with his only real friend being Jack from Jupiter, whom A-Train later sides with when Jack is blackmailed. When A-Train and Starlight are tasked with cleaning an undead Lamplighter, he attempts to rape Starlight but is temporarily blind in one eye. When Homelander starts to put his plans into motion, A-Train decides to stay low but is kidnapped by Billy Butcher, who tries to convince Hughie to kill him. While Hughie initially refuses, he gives in after it is revealed that he and the Seven only hired Starlight to sexually assault her.
Personality[]
Like most "heroes," A-Train is self-centered and mostly interested in fame, fortune, and publicity rather than helping others. In fact, he displays a remarkable lack of empathy, possibly even to the point of sociopathy.
He is a "superhero" with super-speed whose carelessness was responsible for the death of Robin, Wee Hughie's girlfriend, in the first issue, accidentally tossing over her a supervillain he was chasing and crushing her into a brick wall. Initially, he feels genuinely bad about it, but it's not long before he just brushes it off as nothing.
He is the most immature and crudest member of the Seven, being the one who most openly enjoys humiliating Starlight.
A heavy drug user and bitter over Starlight, A-Train openly expresses a desire to assault her again. One such attempt results in him being temporarily blinded in one eye by her.
Due to his immaturity, A-Train is not respected by the rest of The Seven, with his only real friend being Jack from Jupiter, whom A-Train later turns against when Jack's reputation is ruined.
He is also shown to be a complete coward, as after being captured by Billy Butcher, he resorts to a sobbing mess as he begs for his life, but it doesn't save him.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Superhuman Speed: As the self-proclaimed "world's fastest man" and described as "a fierce competitor" by Shockwave, A-Train is able to move at inhuman speeds, appearing as a distorted blur of motion to onlookers. He first discovered his power when he was three years old, when he outran a bullet fired at him. This allows him to run across entire city blocks in mere seconds. On Compound V, his speed is further enhanced, which allowed him to defeat Shockwave in a race for the title of "the fastest man alive," simultaneously setting a new record for himself. However, he had trouble controlling himself as he accidentally killed Robin Ward, Hughie's girlfriend, by running into her, which reduced her to a shower of blood and made him accidentally swallow one of her molars. Before his race with Shockwave, he shot up Compound V in a blur. He could additionally use this speed as a weapon, such as when he repeatedly smashed the Female's head against a wall. According to the announcer, A-Train reaches speeds in excess of 1,000 miles per hour (1,609.34 KPH/Mach 1.3), which is faster than the speed of sound. The results of his race with Shockwave stated that he ran 371 meters per second (829.9 MPH/1,335.6 KPH/Mach 1.08), while Shockwave only ran 342 meters per second, where 343 meters per second is the speed of sound (765.03 MPH/1,231.2 KPH). Billy Butcher has estimated that A-Train can cover all of Manhattan in 30 minutes.
- Accelerated Perception: While traveling at high speeds, A-Train is able to perceive the world around him as though it is standing still. While in a fight with Starlight, he was able to see her energy blasts and dodge them before they had a chance to hit him.
- Superhuman Metabolism: A-Train possesses a highly efficient and incredibly quick metabolism. While working out, he had to consume 3,000 calories to maintain his energy without passing out.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: A-Train can rapidly heal from his injuries. He was estimated to recover from a fractured femur in six weeks, but his bones fused back together in a matter of days.
- Superhuman Strength: A-Train possesses superhuman strength, which he used to slam the Female through a wall in the train tunnels. His strength also allowed him to slowly pull a several-carriage train and trade blows, as well as knock around Starlight several feet through the air, another individual who also possesses enhanced strength. As he started his race with Shockwave, he broke the stone wall he placed his foot against and later knocked The Female through an underground wall.
- Superhuman Durability: A-Train was able to withstand the superhuman strength of another super, Starlight, without issue.
Other Media[]
TV Series[]
- Main article: A-Train (TV Series)
Gallery[]
_03.jpg "A-Train (comics) 03.jpg (229 KB)")
Trivia[]
- A-Train replaces Mister Marathon, who, like him, is a parody of The Flash and Black Lightning. However, he is less powerful than Flash and Black Lighting, as he constantly needs to jack up on Compound V to maintain his speed.
- Unlike his counter-part from the 2019 show, he is more evil and is less caring about those he hurts throughout the series, and is killed by Hugie in his final appearance.
External Link[]
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 Villains
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Vought-American The Seven Payback G-Men Teenage Kix Children of Stormfront The Boys Other See Also | ||