Jim Wilson (comics)
Encyclopedia
Jim Wilson is a fictional comic book
character. A supporting character appearing in Marvel Comics
, Wilson was a longtime friend of Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk
) and Rick Jones
. In Incredible Hulk #388 (December 1991), it was revealed that Wilson was HIV
-positive. He later died of AIDS
in Incredible Hulk #420 (August 1994).
, was Jim's uncle.
In The Incredible Hulk #388, Wilson enlists Rick Jones to play a benefit concert at a hospice for AIDS
patients. On the drive from the airport, Wilson reveals to Jones that he is HIV
-positive, and that his girlfriend left him. Wilson also informs Jones that an L.A. mob boss named Lang hired some thugs to kill Jefferson Wolfe, the "longtime companion" of his son, Tyler Lang, who is also HIV-positive. Lang blames Wolfe for giving Tyler the disease, and deeply resents the fact that Wolfe still appears in good health himself. When that fails (thanks to some timely help from the Falcon), the mob boss hires a supervillain named Speedfreek
to crash the charity concert and kill Lang. During the assassination attempt, the palms of Jones' hands are badly slashed by Speedfreek, and Wilson receives a bloody chest wound. Rick is afraid to touch Wilson's wound, and after the Hulk defeats Speedfreek, it is up to him to rush Wilson to a hospital. Jones and the Hulk later secure evidence to send the mob boss to prison.
Wilson is again seen in The Incredible Hulk #420, in which he is attacked by a mob protesting the fact that a court has ordered an HIV-infected boy to be allowed into a public school. The Hulk is able to rescue Wilson from the mob, and takes him to the hi-tech medical facilities at the Mount, the secret headquarters of the Pantheon
, the superhero group which the Hulk was a member of at the time. He learns that Wilson actually has AIDS
now, and has had it for some time. In addition to the broken ribs he sustained in the mob attack, he is suffering from pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and does not have long to live. Remembering the blood transfusion that the Hulk gave his cousin, Jennifer Walters (which turned her into the She-Hulk
), Wilson asks Bruce Banner to give him a transfusion of his blood, hoping that the Hulk's blood would act as a cure to the virus. Banner initially refuses to take the risk of creating another monster, but eventually pretends to be giving Wilson a blood transfusion. Wilson reveals in private to Dr. Harr, the attending physician caring for him, that he was not fooled by Bruce's ruse, but played along anyway. Shortly afterward, Jim Wilson succumbs to the disease and dies.
After Wilson's death, Bruce donates a large sum of money to the hospice that Wilson worked at in order to allow them to comfortably exist for the next few decades.
Jim Wilson's father, Gideon Wilson, inexplicably blames the Hulk for Jim's death and joins Gamma Corps
to seek revenge, although in the end he admitted to himself and the Hulk that he only blamed the Hulk for his son's death in order to avoid facing his own guilt for his failures as a father.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character. A supporting character appearing in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, Wilson was a longtime friend of Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
) and Rick Jones
Rick Jones (comics)
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
. In Incredible Hulk #388 (December 1991), it was revealed that Wilson was HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive. He later died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in Incredible Hulk #420 (August 1994).
Fictional character biography
Jim Wilson first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #131 as an angry young man who befriends the Hulk. Throughout the years, Jim Wilson would often appear as a friend of Bruce Banner, following Banner/Hulk throughout much of the 1970s as one of the few people that Banner could trust. The Incredible Hulk #232 revealed that Sam Wilson, the superhero FalconFalcon (comics)
The Falcon is a fictional comic book superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics.Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, and introduced in Captain America #117 , the character is mainstream comics' first African-American superhero...
, was Jim's uncle.
In The Incredible Hulk #388, Wilson enlists Rick Jones to play a benefit concert at a hospice for AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
patients. On the drive from the airport, Wilson reveals to Jones that he is HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive, and that his girlfriend left him. Wilson also informs Jones that an L.A. mob boss named Lang hired some thugs to kill Jefferson Wolfe, the "longtime companion" of his son, Tyler Lang, who is also HIV-positive. Lang blames Wolfe for giving Tyler the disease, and deeply resents the fact that Wolfe still appears in good health himself. When that fails (thanks to some timely help from the Falcon), the mob boss hires a supervillain named Speedfreek
Speedfreek
Speedfreek is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Leon Shappe has always been a ruthless killer, even before he got his super-powers as Speedfreak. At some point in his life, Speedfreek became addicted to the drug called "snap". He killed the owner...
to crash the charity concert and kill Lang. During the assassination attempt, the palms of Jones' hands are badly slashed by Speedfreek, and Wilson receives a bloody chest wound. Rick is afraid to touch Wilson's wound, and after the Hulk defeats Speedfreek, it is up to him to rush Wilson to a hospital. Jones and the Hulk later secure evidence to send the mob boss to prison.
Wilson is again seen in The Incredible Hulk #420, in which he is attacked by a mob protesting the fact that a court has ordered an HIV-infected boy to be allowed into a public school. The Hulk is able to rescue Wilson from the mob, and takes him to the hi-tech medical facilities at the Mount, the secret headquarters of the Pantheon
Pantheon (Marvel Comics)
The Pantheon is a fictional organization appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Peter David, the Pantheon first appeared in The Incredible Hulk The Pantheon is a fictional organization appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer...
, the superhero group which the Hulk was a member of at the time. He learns that Wilson actually has AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
now, and has had it for some time. In addition to the broken ribs he sustained in the mob attack, he is suffering from pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and does not have long to live. Remembering the blood transfusion that the Hulk gave his cousin, Jennifer Walters (which turned her into the She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
), Wilson asks Bruce Banner to give him a transfusion of his blood, hoping that the Hulk's blood would act as a cure to the virus. Banner initially refuses to take the risk of creating another monster, but eventually pretends to be giving Wilson a blood transfusion. Wilson reveals in private to Dr. Harr, the attending physician caring for him, that he was not fooled by Bruce's ruse, but played along anyway. Shortly afterward, Jim Wilson succumbs to the disease and dies.
After Wilson's death, Bruce donates a large sum of money to the hospice that Wilson worked at in order to allow them to comfortably exist for the next few decades.
Jim Wilson's father, Gideon Wilson, inexplicably blames the Hulk for Jim's death and joins Gamma Corps
Gamma Corps
The Gamma Corps are a fictional comic book military unit and an anti-hero team published by Marvel Comics. The team first appears in World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1, and was created by Frank Tieri and Carlos Ferreira.-Fictional history:...
to seek revenge, although in the end he admitted to himself and the Hulk that he only blamed the Hulk for his son's death in order to avoid facing his own guilt for his failures as a father.
Film
- Jim Wilson is briefly mentioned in the 2008 film, The Incredible HulkThe Incredible Hulk (film)The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. It is the second film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
, where he (portrayed by P.J. Kerr) is shown in a news interview at Culver University. He is interviewed along with a young school newspaper reporter named Jack McGee (Nicholas Rose), a reference to the tabloid reporter character of the same name who was played by Jack ColvinJack ColvinJack Colvin was an American character actor of theater, film and TV, known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee on the TV series The Incredible Hulk from 1977 through 1982 , and as Dr...
in the TV series The Incredible Hulk.