Thunderball (Eliot Franklin) is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a frequent enemy of Thor and a reluctant ally of the Wrecker and the Wrecking Crew. The character made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, played by Justin Eaton. Publication history Thunderball was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema and first appeared in The Defenders #17 (November 1974). Phillip Lamarr Cunningham identifies how black supervillains are often forced to choose between great power and great intellect: "Thunderball, who despite his genius-level intellect relies primarily on his strength, has resorted to utilizing a ball and chain as a weapon, and commits crimes with his band of ruffians, The Wrecking Crew." Fictional character biography Dr. Eliot Franklin was born in Buffalo, New York. He became a brilliant physicist and engineer, inventing a miniature gamma-ray bomb, a feat that Dr. Robert Bruce Banner (better known as the Hulk) was unable to do at that time. Dr. Franklin was often called "the Black Bruce Banner" because of his genius-level intellect and his scientific knowledge in the field of gamma radiation. Franklin used his scientific genius in private employ and built a miniaturized gamma bomb for Richmond Enterprises. However, Richmond executive J. C. Pennysworth used a loophole in the contract to steal the gamma bomb intellectual property. Franklin threw a fit and was fired. He later attempted to steal back his plans for the gamma bomb, but was caught and imprisoned. In prison he met Dirk Garthwaite (aka the Wrecker, who was de-powered at that time), Henry Camp, and Brian Philip Calusky. One night during a thunderstorm, Garthwaite broke out of prison, along with his cellmates Henry Camp, Brian Philip Calusky, and Dr. Eliot Franklin. He recovered his magical crowbar and held it aloft, all four men placing their hands upon it. Lightning struck the crowbar, not only reactivating the enchantment but also empowering the other three men as well. The four felons dubbed themselves the Wrecking Crew; Camp became Bulldozer, Calusky became Piledriver, and Franklin became Thunderball. Soon after, Thunderball took an ordinary wrecking ball for an offensive weapon which was energized by the Wrecker's crowbar, making it almost indestructible. Thunderball then convinced his allies that they should capture the gamma bomb he had created and use it to ransom New York. They began to