Name: Thomas Springsteen
Codename: Hi-Voltage, but goes by Volt for short.
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Place of Birth: Inverness, Scotland
Affiliations: He has a good working relationship with Britain's police force, who seem to embrace him as their 'superpowered' backup, despite him technically being a vigilante. Clara Lord, his ex-girlfriend, is a fully trained nurse, and has patched him up on more than one occasion. Szymon Glowski, an IT consultant he once saved from a mugging, provides him with 'cyber' back up, such as hacking, tracking and even setting up a Hi-Voltage fansite. As far as superpowered allies go he has been involved in a few team-ups but seems content to work alone for the most part, making his acceptance of the Leagues invitations surprising. He and vigilante Strix have worked together in the past.
Occupation: Electrical engineer.
Appearance: Tommy stands at 6'3", with what appears to be a slight build. This is misleading however, as his body is covered in lean muscle. His shoulder length blonde hair is a constant wavy mess, due to a mixture of his hi-octane antics and general lack of presentation. He usually has either blonde stubble or a beard, depending if he has bothered to shave or not. His face is not the typical one expected of a hero, all sharp lines and hard angles, his cheek bones a little too high and his chin too sharp to be designated 'friendly'. His smile is infectious however, serving to brighten his demeanour greatly, and his summer blue eyes generate a friendly warmth.
Hi-Voltage's supersuit is composed of a dark blue, form fitting jumpsuit, zipped up the front. He usually leaves the zipper, a decorative lightening bolt, open just below the throat. The suit is decorated with two lighter blue lightening bolts that go from his chest are, arching over his shoulders, then reaching down to the small of his back. Another bolt wraps around his waist, like a stylised belt. His calf-high military boots and paramilitary gloves are the same shade of blue as the lightening on his suit. His identity is concealed by a pair of aviator style motorcycle goggles with reflecting lenses that he wears over a broad domino mask.
Powers: Tommy has the ability to create and manipulate electrical energy. Since the Awakening his body has become a biological 'electrical generator' of sorts. As his body metabolises food it also creates vast quantitys of electrical energy. He can use the energy in his body for a vareity of things, most commonly using it to fire bolts of electricity, but also being able to give off EMP's and have low level control over the forces of magnetism.
His supercharged body gives him low levels of super-strength, speed and endurance, and incredibly high reaction times.
Tommy can drain the charge from electrical equipment to replenish his own supply of energy. He can drain outside sources of electricity to replenish his stamina, and can even use it to speed up his recovery from injuries. He can naturally sense if an area is rich in electrial energy or not. The more electricity his body has stored the more powerful he becomes, though after a certain point storing the energy can become quite a strain, and like filling a waterballoon with too much water he is in danger of bursting.
For some reason beyond his or Clara's ability to understand he no longer requires sleep. This has proved incrediably useful in keeping up with his double life. Clara has sujested seeking more proffesional help to explain this phenoenom, but Tommy is hesitant to allow anyone else to discover his secret.
After a battle with the mental manipulator 'Pied Piper' Volt has come to realise he is extraordinarily resistant to psionic attacks. He attributes this to his brains unique electrical impulses.
Skills: Is an extrodinary electrician, though some might say that should be a given. Tommy has an easy going personailty, which leads him to making friends and allies with ease, despite him being a solo act thus far. Being in the hero game for as long as he has helps you become quite a quick thinker. Tommy has become adapt at coming up with off the wall solutions to his problems on the fly. As Hi-Voltage he has developed a skill in acrobatics and free-running. This, coupled with his natural speed and reflexs, help him avoid any serious damage in fights. Szymon has taught him to speak some Polish.
Equipment/Resources : His supersuit. Earns a good pay from his work, but is by no means wealthy. Szymon has helped him develop a shortwave radio that allows him to listen to the police and emergency services line. He also has a small in-ear communicator that allows him to keep in contact with Szymon at all time.
Weaknesses: Being doused in water can short out Tommys powers, and being completly submerged can cause him to loose concsciousness. If he uses more energy than he can generate or drain from his enviroment then he can die.
His control over magnetism is extremely limited, if only because he finds the concentration necessary is prohibitive. He once managed to budge a bus, but he suffered migraines for days afterwards.
Has never had any formal training in how to fight. He's picked up a few tricks since he started, and knows how to throw a punch, but he's by no means an expert. A master martial artist could probably beat him in a straight up fight, even with Tommy's physical advantages.
Psychological Profile: Tommy's crusade is fueled by his guilt at what he allowed to happen to Daniel. He feels if he had been there then he could have saved his friend from a tragic end, so now he fights to protect those that he can save.
He hasn't completly bought into the Superhero mindset, and feels like a fraud wearing a costume, believing it to be a deliberate power trip for some people. However he realises the thought of someone as powerful as he is is a troublesome idea for some people, but has come to find that many people's fears are put at ease when he wears a super-suit, perhaps because the idea that heroes should be wearing colourful getups.
As Hi-Voltage he is arguably Britain's most well known and visible superhero, though he tries to act as laid back about his fame as possible, despite feeling that the pressure is liable to make him crack if he thinks about it to long.
Since Daniels death he has had trouble really letting people in, feeling that he will let them down. This is one of the main factors in his and Clara's breakup, and why he has never joined a super-group in the past.
Tommy enjoys rock music, and he got his name from the AC/DC song. It was between Hi-Voltage and Thunderstruck, which he ultimately decided would be misleading.
Biography: Tommy grew up in Scotland, in the countryside outside of the small city of Inverness, the eldest son in his family. His best friend growing up was Daniel Mackay, the two boys nearly inseparable from day one. Whether it was riding their bikes, playing video games or just plain mucking around, they were joined at the hip. The only thing they disagreed on was Daniels love of superhero comic books, which Tommy could just never get into.
As they got older they began to make plans to move to London together, Tommy to pursue a career in music and Daniel to join the Metropolitan police. Those plans were disrupted by the Awakening, when Tommy first received his powers. Not knowing what to do, Tommy turned to the only person he could trust, Daniel. His best friend was ecstatic, thrilled that his friend had become a superhuman. He began to make new plans for London, plans for Tommy to fight crime like the costumed heroes in Daniels comicbooks.
Tommy was terrified by this turn of events, and desperate for things not to spiral out of control any further told Daniel he was no longer going to London. The two got into a furious argument over what Tommy's new responsibilities were that ended with the friends parting ways, Daniel going on to London and Tommy staying at home. It was the last time they would see each other.
Two months later Daniel was killed when the villain know as Obsidian rampaged through London. When Tommy found out he was inconsolable, knowing that he could have saved his friend if he had just listened. His pain intensified when he received boxes and boxes filled with Daniels old comics, a stinging reminder of the responsibilities he had shirked. Tommy spent days reading the comics, trying to absorb the lessons that Daniel had meant to teach him. Finally, after almost a week locked in isolation, Tommy had come to a decision. He would travel to London and honour Daniel's memory by becoming the hero his friend had known he could be.
Years later Tommy has earned respect and admiration as the costumed hero 'Hi-Voltage'. The going has been tough, facing villains like The Highwayman, Dr Whitechapel, The Iron Lady, St George and Springheel-Jack, but he has always triumphed. He has also made allies, Clara Lord, his one time girlfriend, and Szymon Glowski, a truly brilliant IT technician who is also a world class hacker working under the alias Silvertongue.
His true constant though it all though, the man who challenges Tommy at every step, is that man who started it all - Obsidian. Each time the two have clashed the villain has managed to escape. Hi-Voltage has, until now, worked alone, but has recently received an invite to join 'The League'. At the same time he has received reports from his ally Strix that Obsidian has been sighted in America. Thinking to kill two birds with one stone Tommy packs his bags. If he can't catch Obsidian on his own, then he can use the League to catch his nemesis for him. Either way, Obsidian's going down.
