Jimmy Woo

For the Kung Fo Grandmaster, see Jimmy H. Woo.

Jimmy Woo
Image:AOATLAS001 COV.jpg Promotional art for Agents of Atlas #1 (Oct. 2006) by Tomm Coker]]
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics]]
First appearance	Silver age: Yellow Claw]] #1 (Oct. 1956) Modern age: Strange Tales]] #160 (Sept. 1967)
Created by	Al Feldstein]] and Joe Maneely]]
In-story information
Alter ego	James Woo
Team affiliations	S.H.I.E.L.D.]] Agents of Atlas]] G-Men

Jimmy Woo is a fictional character|fictional]], Chinese-American]] secret agent]] in the Marvel Comics]] comic-book]] Marvel universe|universe]]. Created by Entertaining Comics|EC Comics]] writer Al Feldstein]] and artist Joe Maneely]], the character first appeared in Yellow Claw]] #1 (Oct. 1956) from Atlas Comics (1950s)|Atlas Comics]], the 1950s predecessor of Marvel.

Publication history

Jimmy Woo was the hero of an spy fiction|espionage]] series Yellow Claw]], named for his antagonist]], a "yellow peril]]" Communist mandarin (bureaucrat)|mandarin]]. While the short-lived series named after that villain ran only four issues (Oct. 1956 - April 1957), it featured art by Maneely, Jack Kirby]], and John Severin]].

Kirby took over as writer-artist with issue #2 — inker|inking]] his own penciller|pencil art]] there and in the following issue, representing two of the very rare occasions on which he did so. On the final issue, Kirby's bold lines and dynamic compositions were given uncharacteristic grittiness^{[citation needed]} by the scratchy inks of Western fiction|Western]]- and war-comics]] veteran Severin. Also unusually for a Kirby book, other artists drew the covers: Severin on #2 and #4, Bill Everett]] on #3.

Well regarded^{[citation needed]} for its relatively mature storyline and in particular for Maneely's exquisitely atmospheric art,^{[citation needed]} the book nevertheless failed to find an audience. Its influence rippled as the Yellow Claw, Woo and other characters from it were brought into the Marvel universe a decade later, beginning with the "S.H.I.E.L.D.]] " story in Strange Tales]] #160 (Sept. 1967). Woo joins that espionage agency in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2 (July 1968).

Woo went on to be featured in the 1977-1979 Marvel series Godzilla (comics)|Godzilla]] and the 2006-07 Marvel series Agents of Atlas]]. Before the cancellation of the 1990s Parallel universe (fiction)|alternate universe]] Marvel imprint Razorline]], as produced but unpublished titles of its various series were preparing to blend the Razorline into primary Marvel continuity, Woo as well as Nick Fury]] and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents guest-starred in Wraitheart #5. Woo starred as the leader of a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives code-named Agents of Atlas]], in the 2006-2007 series of that name.

Fictional character biography

Image:JimmyWoo ST.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Jimmy Woo, from Strange Tales]] #166 (March 1968). Art by Jim Steranko]] & Joe Sinnott]].]] James Woo is an Asian-American]] FBI agent assigned primarily to investigate and apprehend the China|Chinese]]-national mandarin known as the Yellow Claw, a Fu Manchu]] manqué]]. (Indeed, author Sax Rohmer]] had a Fu Manchu novel titled The Yellow Claw.) The Yellow Claw, who attempts world domination, claimed in 2000s comics that his American rubric is a mistransliteration of the Chinese characters for "Golden Claw". Complicating matters, the Claw's grandniece, Suwan, was in love with Woo in the 1950s series.

In retcon]] stories, Woo is the FBI agent assigned in 1958 to oversee the 1950s superhero team the Avengers (comics)|Avengers]], a short-lived predecessor of the later, more established team of that name.

As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Woo went on to join its "Godzilla Squad]]" to hunt down the giant monster Godzilla]] (the character from the long-running series of films from the Japan]]ese movie studio]] Toho]]). This unit, led by Dum Dum Dugan]], employed such weapons as a Mecha|giant robot]] called Red Ronin]] (for which Woo was shortlisted as a pilot candidate), and was headquartered in a smaller version of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier]], known as the Behemoth.

Woo was temporarily replaced by a Life Model Decoy]] (a form of Android (robot)|artificial human]] utilized by S.H.I.E.L.D.) of the self-aware, renegade "Deltan" class, and went through five such bodies before dying with other repentant LMDs. Woo reemerged from stasis, along with other high-ranking officers that had been taken and replaced. At some point he becomes a high-ranking agent within the S.H.I.E.L.D. Directorate.

In 2006-2007 stories, Woo attempted a secret raid of a group identified as Atlas|The Atlas Foundation]]. Going AWOL]] and taking several other willing agents with him, he infiltrated an Atlas Foundation location, resulting in all the recruits being killed. Woo was critically burned and lost higher brain function. The former 1950s Avenger Gorilla-Man]], by now also a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, gave the organization a classified record of the 1950s team, of which S.H.I.E.L.D. had no prior knowledge. Gorilla-Man rescues Woo with the aid of fellow 1950s teammates M-11 (comics)|M-11]] and Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson)|Marvel Boy]], who restores Woo to his 1958 self.

Along with his teammates he follows the Atlas Foundation all over the world, unlocking secrets about his teammates former lives, restoring Namora]] to life, and eventually confronting Yellow Claw, who reveals that the whole ordeal was only a test. As Woo passed it flawlessly, he commits suicide]], ending his long life and granting to Jimmy Woo his role as Head of the Atlas Foundation, and Suwan's hand. Woo later surfaces in New York, where he and Spider-Man]] shut down a rebellious cell of the Atlas Foundation.

During the Infinity (comic book)|Infinity]] crossover, it is shown that Jimmy is now the head of The Pan-Asian School For The Unusually Gifted, a Mumbai]]-based school for Asian teenagers with superhuman abilities.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel]] universe, Jimmy Woo is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., partnered with Sharon Carter]]. He was introduced in Ultimate Spider-Man]] #16, in which he and Carter are trying to capture Doctor Octopus]].

In other media

Television

• Jimmy Woo appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]] episode "Iron Man is Born", voiced by Nolan North. He later drives a transport vehicle with Captain America, Betty Brant, and Peter Parker in the episode "Along Came a Spider."

Video games

• Jimmy Woo appears in Marvel Heroes (video game)|Marvel Heroes]], voiced by James Sie]].

See also

• List of S.H.I.E.L.D. members]]

External links

• Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Yellow Claw
• Jess Nevins' "A Guide to Marvel's Pre-FF #1 Heroes: Jimmy Woo
• Comic Book Resources (June 12, 2006): "Agents Of Atlas Agent Profile: Woo, Jimmy Woo", by Dave Richards
• The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Marvel Directory: Yellow Claw
• Atlas Tales
• The Grand Comics Database
• Comic Book Resources - Parker Talks "Agents Of Atlas"
• Index to the Marvel Comics Universe: Jimmy Woo LMD (Deltan)

Category:Characters created by Al Feldstein]] Category:Comics characters introduced in 1956]] Category:Fictional FBI agents]] Category:Fictional American people of Chinese descent]] Category:Fictional special forces personnel]] Category:Marvel Comics martial artists]] Category:Marvel Comics superheroes]]