Meet Brainy Hero: Amadeus Cho, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Variant

Amadeus Cho: Marvel's Brainy, Powerful Teen Hero

While Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man features a fresh take on Peter Parker, the animated series delves deep into the Marvel Universe. Many supporting characters are based on comic book heroes and villains, including Amadeus Cho, one of Peter's Oscorp interns. But who is Amadeus Cho, and why is he a significant teen hero in the Marvel landscape? Let's explore this brilliant, yet self-absorbed character.

Amadeus Cho: Genius and Gamma-Powered Force

Despite his youth and the abundance of exceptionally gifted individuals in the Marvel Universe, Amadeus Cho ranks among the most intelligent. His brilliance and rebellious nature often lead him into legal trouble, resulting in a life partially spent evading authorities. He's known for his affinity for fugitive heroes like the Hulk and Hercules, and his unwavering loyalty to friends.

Amadeus's intellectual prowess is now matched by incredible physical strength. He briefly became the Hulk after absorbing Bruce Banner's gamma radiation. Although the classic Hulk has returned, Amadeus continues his heroic endeavors as Brawn. Regardless of his moniker, Amadeus Cho is a powerful force for good.

Amadeus Cho's Abilities

Amadeus possesses exceptional intelligence, officially ranking as the seventh smartest person in the Marvel Universe (though his actual ranking might be higher). He excels at pattern recognition and complex mental calculations, though this intense mental activity often leaves him ravenous.

His time as the Hulk granted him immense physical strength, along with Hulk-like abilities such as regeneration and durability. Unlike the classic Hulk, Amadeus retains his intelligence and personality when transformed, avoiding the rage-fueled persona.

Currently, he operates as Brawn, a slightly less powerful iteration of his Hulk form, though he can still unleash his full Hulk strength when necessary.

Amadeus Cho: A Comic Book Journey

Created by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, Amadeus Cho debuted in 2005's Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15. This issue, a significant follow-up to the original Spider-Man debut, introduced characters with immense potential, and Amadeus quickly became a standout.

He gained recognition as the world's seventh smartest man after winning an Excello Soap Company competition. However, the sponsor, Pythagoras Dupree, targeted him for assassination to maintain his own ranking. Following the loss of his family, Amadeus went into hiding with only a coyote pup for company. A chance encounter with the Hulk led to a lasting friendship.

Amadeus's prominence grew during the 2007 World War Hulk crossover. He teamed up with Hercules, another fugitive hero from the 2006 Civil War, leading to their own series, The Incredible Hercules. This collaboration produced iconic imagery:

After becoming a respected hero, they even saved the multiverse from Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Their partnership eventually dissolved.

A pivotal moment arrived when Amadeus absorbed Bruce Banner's gamma radiation to prevent a nuclear meltdown, becoming the new Hulk. His adventures as the strongest hero are detailed in Totally Awesome Hulk. He also co-founded a new iteration of the Champions, alongside Ms. Marvel, Nova, Viv Vision, and a time-displaced Cyclops.

Now, with Banner back as the Hulk, Amadeus operates as Brawn, a powerful hero with unmatched intellect.

Amadeus Cho Beyond the Pages

Amadeus has become a recurring character in Marvel's animated and video game projects, especially after his Hulk transformation. He's a playable character in games like Marvel Future Fight, Marvel Puzzle Quest, and Avengers Academy, and features in LEGO Marvel games.

In animation, he appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man and Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled, voiced by Eric Bauza as Iron Spider. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man marks his first appearance as the Totally Awesome Hulk (voiced by Ki Hong Lee).

In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, voiced by Aleks Le, he's a confident scientist and Peter Parker's Oscorp intern. While his transformation into a super-powered hero remains uncertain, his presence alongside other comic-book-inspired characters suggests a future heroic role.

A future MCU appearance seems likely, especially considering his mother Helen's minor role in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

For more on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, explore IGN's review of Season 1.