Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.
The man cursed to be a frog and then blessed to be a hero: Throg
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Appearances in Heroclix: War of the Realms, The Mighty Thor
First Appearance: Thor (vol. 1) #364 (February, 1986)
Team Affiliations: Asgardians of the Galaxy
Powers/Abilities: Amphibian Physiology; Super Strength; Super Endurance
Created by: Walter Simonson
Simon Walterson has the average life of a star football player. He does well enough at Mississippi State University to be drafted into the pro league. Unfortunately a serious knee injury ends his career prematurely. After rehabing the injury, he is able to find a new purpose with his beloved wife and their charitable work. Simon’s life seems to be turning out well, if not how he expects it, until the tragic death of his wife. This sends Simon into a spiraling depression that finds him contacting numerous seers and mystics in hopes of contacting his wife one last time. Thanks to a witch, Simon is finally able to establish a channel to his wife and learns that she was pregnant when she died. Simon is devastated and unable to pay the witch for her services. As punishment, she transforms him into a frog.
Disoriented and desperate, Simon travels to Central Park in the heart of New York City and begins a new life as a frog. He is taken in by other frogs, given the new name Puddlegulp and even aids them in their war against the rats. This again seems to set a standard for the remainder of Simon’s life that is worth something.
This new status quo is interrupted when the God of Thunder, Thor, is transformed into a frog and left in Central Park. Thor is soon attacked by a rat but still has his warrior’s wit about him and is able to defeat it. Thor and Puddlegulp become fast friends and organize an attack plan to drive the rats off permanently and leave the frogs in peace. Thor is able to rally the NYC sewer alligators to the cause of the frogs, after a brief run in with a “Piper,” and brings them back to the park. The alligators easily defeat the rats before returning to the sewers. Thor is determined to return to Asgard now that he has helped his new friends but not before Puddlegup tells him of his human past.
Puddlegup follows Thor back to Mjolnir and watches the transformation in front of his own eyes. Unbeknownst to Thor, a sliver of Mjolnir had been broken off. Puddlegup lifts the sliver up as it transforms into a miniature Mjolnir and transforms Puddlegup into the mighty Throg, defender of Central Park.
Some time later Lockjaw decides to form a team to track down the missing Infinity Gems and is joined by Throg, Hairball, Ms. Lion, Lockheed and Redwing. They travel all through time and space, even battling Thanos before reuniting them and delivering them into the safe hands of Reed Richards. Just before they disband, Throg explains that they all share a psychic link and will reunite should the need arise once more.
The “pet” Avengers reunite after Throg goes missing. In their search for their friend they discover a community of mythic animals. They rescue this community from a threat and are also able to help Throg find a new purpose in life.
Throg is later recruited by Kid Loki to defend Midgard in the War of the Realms. His former frog family is killed by Fire Goblins and Throg is gutted by this loss. During a battle with the Angels of Heven, Throg is cast far from the battle only to find a new group of frogs to protect.
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