Biography

"Hello, Colosso fans!"

"Me? Excessive? Why do you ask?"

Michael sank all of his money and focused his Research & Development Department on a new project: the Michael Gold Project. Over the course of a year, Michael tried various prototypes from powersuits to cape-gliding gear; all of which failed or simply did not seem big enough.

Just as Michael's hopes had dwindled, the R&D Department had a major breakthrough. The team had been working on a molecular device that could shrink and grow items. The technology was pitched as a great way to organize household storage, but was scrapped after the price tag was deemed to high for most consumers.

The R&D Department integrated the device into a belt. They warned Michael, without proper testing, the risk of death was high. Michael donned the belt against their advisement. As he activated the molecular device, marvel, not death, greeted him.

In that moment, Michael took on a new persona. He became Colosso, a super-powered giant. However, he quickly realized the climb to fame was difficult. Very few knew who Colosso was, and no one seemed to care. Villains didn't even want anything to do with him. Michael was even tempted to hire a nemesis, but he felt it would tarnish his name if it ever got out to the press. So he did the only thing he knew to do.

Michael called in a few favors and then Colosso became a household name. He picked up a few sponsors at first, including Ace Burger. His popularity slowly increased among the Lennies. Soon he landed his own comic book and cereal: Coloss-O's. Then it happened. He became an overnight sensation. He began making appearances on late night shows and cameos in television sitcoms. The Colosso brand did not stop there. Colosso received his line of action figures, based from his new afternoon cartoon.

Michael shortly realized the importance of marketing in a superhero's career. It wasn't about the fame, but about being noticed. A hero needed help getting started in their career. A hero needed the exposure. A hero needed representation. Michael's idea had come to fruition. He used Gold Enterprises to land as many sponsors to whoever needed them. He would represent the best of the best.

Just as Michael hit his stride, tragedy struck in May of 2010. His father Gary Gold was found dead in his Eastside apartment. MCPD explained to Michael and his sister Melissa that he was murdered and that they had no leads on who the suspect was. The news affected the Gold siblings differently. Melissa, who inherited their father's superspeed, donned a costume and their father's mantle Goldrush. She made no attempts of hiding who she was in hopes of tracking down the murderer. Michael, on the other hand, wanted to honor his father by reforming his father's superteam, the Eternals.

Even though, the Eternals had broken up before he was born, Michael spent a great deal around superheroes. Many had an impact on his life, even well after his father retired in 1986. But of all the heroes his father spoke of, he spoke of the Eternals with great love and admiration. After his father passed, Michael found old photos and clippings in his father's closet. Michael knew this was his father's first love, and he wanted to use his money and influence to give the city back some of the best superheroes it has ever seen.

Sadly, Michael could only locate one of the old gang, the hero Evolution Prime, but it was all that he needed to reignite the spark. Under the new name Eternals, Inc., Michael brought together the best heroes he could find. Taking on philanthropic endeavors, Michael and Eternals, Inc. strive to give the city a better tomorrow by their actions today.

Powers

"Watch out! Big Man comin' through!"

• Size Shifting - Colosso can grow up to forty feet tall using his Magnifer belt. While handy for taking on villains like Grond or stopping a commuter train from derailing off of an elevated track, Colosso does face limitations:

-He suffers from great pain and discomfort when pushing his limits too much.
-On a rare occasion, he has issues returning to normal size.
-Finally, with great size comes high collateral damage. During fights, it is difficult to avoid smashing into a building or three.

• Super Strength - While enlarged, Colosso gains superhuman strength. Lifting larger objects too heavy for normal human strength, creating shockwaves by clapping his hands, and causing tremors by stomping his feet are just a few things Colosso is capable of in giant form. Although his body benefits from enhanced durability, he is still vulnerable to certain attacks. A portion of the strength goes to supporting Colosso's body.

• Flight - Colosso's Magnifier Belt can also change his density. Making him weightless, Colosso gains the ability to fly. Flight only occurs under the condition that he is sustaining normal size. Unbeknownst to Colosso, he can only fly inside Earth's atmosphere. Any attempts outside of Earth's gravitational pull might prove dangerous.

Equipment

• Magnifier Belt - Colosso's powers rely solely on this device. Without his belt, Colosso is just a man. The belt houses technology created by Gold Enterprises for household use. The technology was designed to maximize household storage by shrinking down items when not in use and enlarging the items when you needed them. Due to the price tag, the tech was shelved.

• Super Suit - His suit regulates Michael's size and proportion while enlarging his size. His suit also assists with maintaining his molecular structure when flying outside of his giant mode.

• Built-in Communicator - The fins on Michael's mask serve as decoration but also to house a small communicator on the right side. He uses his comm to patch into the Eternals, Inc. communication array and to make calls hands-free to his assistant Honey Huckabee.

Weaknesses

"Go for GOLD!"

Physical

• Just a Man - Without his equipment, Colosso is just a man with no superhuman abilities. If Michael is without his Magnifier belt, he is vulnerable and cannot sustain the damage he can when enlarged.

• Overgrowth - Colosso's growth limit is 40 feet. If he pushes for any more, he will cause great strain and discomfort to his body.

• Call a Doctor if Lasting More Than 4 Hours - Glitches happen. And when they do, Michael cannot return to normal size. Also sustaining giant form longer than four hours causes fatigue and migraines.

Psycological

• For Glory and Ego - Colosso can be greatly affected when any form of media is around. He loves to put on a show for cameras, and the better it looks, the bigger his ego plays into the press. This can greatly cause irresponsibility over the task at hand and the safety of his teammates.

• Personal Image - Colosso is an image Michael has sold well over the years. From cereal to action figures, Colosso has become an empire of his own. Michael cannot afford to tarnish the Colosso product so he makes great strides in always looking golden to the public eye.

• Fear of Loss - Michael suffered a great loss with the murder of his father, and it was the only time he felt vulnerable in his life. Although he has friendships within Eternals, Inc., Michael keeps everyone at a distance in order to keep the void in his heart from growing much larger.

Friends & Allies

Rogues Gallery

Powers/Abilities: None

Occupation: Hero Marketing Mogul

Likes: Money

Hates: Not Having Super Powers

Threat Level:

If Michael Gold were to have one rival, it would be Catcher Crowe. The CEO of Dynamic Enterprises has found the perfect way to put Gold Enterprises and any other competitor out of business permanently. Catcher Crowe has announced he can turn anyone into a superhero. By creating heroes and then marketing him, Catcher has essentially created a money machine.

Powers/Abilities: Manipulation

Occupation: Unknown

Likes: Balancing the scales, a good game of chess, and doing everything better!

Hates: Losing

Threat Level:

Not much is know about the elusive Checkmate other than he or she operates from the shadows. Checkmate has powerful friends and is extremely influential which makes him the deadliest and most dangerous foe that Michael has ever come across.

Powers/Abilities: Magic via mystical artifacts he has "obtained"

Occupation: Criminal Mastermind

Likes: Having multiples of two.

Hates: Odd numbers

Threat Level:

Much like Michael, Devlin Damascus is a cutthroat businessman, but very much unlike Michael, Devlin's business requires many throats cut. Mr. Damascus has taken an interest in Gold Enterprises' roster of mystical heroes. Although Michael keeps this information secured, nothing will stop Duet's determination... not even a forty-foot giant.

Powers/Abilities: Munitions

Occupation: Assassin-For-Hire

Likes: Killing Supers

Hates: Missing Her Targets

Threat Level:

Michael Gold was caught with his pants down... almost literally, when he first met this femme fatale. She infiltrated Gold Tower and kicked him through a window of his penthouse. Luckily a hero named Bumblebee intercepted Michael during the fall. Michael hasn't seen her since. Little is known about the assassin Freelance other than she takes on contracts to eliminate super-powered individuals, and what Michael witnessed, this highly trained killer enjoys what she does.

Powers/Abilities: Replication

Occupation: Thief

Likes: Thrills

Hates: Rhapsody

Threat Level:

Proxie is a thrill seeker. She believes that the bigger the heist, the easier it will be to get the attention of Dr. Thomas Wade. Proxie also has an unusual crush on Michael Gold that developed during their brief run-in. However Michael holds a grudge against Proxie for getting the best of him.

Powers/Abilities: Stone Skin / Stone Manipulation

Occupation: Front Man for Billy Papadopoulos and the Papa Loons

Likes: Fast Cars and Women

Hates: Michael Gold

Threat Level:

Billy wants the money owed under his contract with Gold Enterprises, even though his arrest for assault and DUI breached it. He wants what's his and he won't stop coming after Michael until he gets it. Billy isn't bright, but he is as stubborn as a rock.

Soundtrack

1. "Lost Empire (Colosso Theme)"- Audiomachine

2. "Gold on the Ceiling" - The Black Keys

3. "How You Like Me Now?" - The Heavy

4. "Stronger" - Kanye West

5. "My Hero" - Foo Fighters

6. "Disguise" - The Dirty Heads

7. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons

8. "Tick Tick Boom" - The Hives

9. "The Devil Takes Care of His Own" - Band of Skulls

10. "I Can't Hear You" - The Dead Weather

11. "Believe" - The Bravery

12. "In the Meantime" - Space Hog

13. "Whachu Want" (feat. Karniege) - Belief

Tropes

"Yeah. It's like that."

Appearance

• Bald of Awesome - Michael Gold keeps his head clean and shiny. His decision to go bald was not due to hair loss, but to give him a more distinguished look.

• Sharp-Dressed Man - Even when he is not Colosso, Michael is dressed to the nines. He wants to look his best at all times. His closet is stocked full of tailored suits, wall to wall.

• Handsome Devil - Michael may not be the first to admit it... well, maybe. He's good-looking and rich. Love him or hate him, it is what it is.

Personality

• The Face - Michael Gold has a knack for talking. It's his job to talk fast and sell. If ever there is a PR nightmare, Michael will be at the forefront smoothing over the press and winning over the public.

• Magnificent Bastard - Brilliant and utterly devious? Smooth operator? Charismatic and savvy? Yes, yes, and hell yes. Deep down you love him even when you want to punch Michael in the face.

• Handsome Lech - Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but they love to get down and dirty with Gold. Why wouldn't Michael indulge them?

Morality and Philosophy

• Upbringing Makes the Hero - Growing up with not only his father's upbringing but the influence of many heroes of the Silver Age. Idolizing heroes and their values his entire life, it was only natural to have the need to become one as well.

• Hero Syndrome - However, his desire for national attention overcomes Colosso all too often. Michael does want to do good in the world, but he wants the world to know who to thank.

• Suit with Vested Interests - Michael cares about his clients. Many would see it as keeping an eye on his money, but Michael has more invested emotionally in the heroes he represents. Many who know him personally would say he is the Jerry Maguire of superheroes. If any of his clients were to find themselves in serious trouble, Michael may rush to help them over anyone else, including other Eternals.

"Somehow 'Super' is underselling this moment!"

Combat and Skills

• Size Shifter - Michael Gold can enlarge himself up to 40 ft but requires his magnifier belt in order to change size. He can grow larger but could suffer consequences physically.

• Super Strength - Only available in giant form. A portion of the strength goes to supporting Colosso's body, leading to diminishing returns if he grows too large.

• Flight - Michael's magnifier belt also manipulates his molecular structure when not in giant form to allow him to fly.

Quirks

• Witty Banter - Being a media marketing master, Michael is a fast talker and smooth operator when it comes to selling anything. A bi-product of this is a need for witty banter, especially with the opposite sex. Occasionally he gets locked into banter battles with villains, making fights longer than they really need to be.

• Catch Phrase - Michael answers his phone with: "Go for Gold." He has also been known to pitch Gold Enterprises as "Everthing that glitters is Gold." Michael does believe a good catch phrase is good PR for Superheroes, but hasn't quite landed on one for Colosso. Don't be surprised if you hear him try out a few during fights and interviews.

• Really Gets Around - Even though many superheroes dislike Colosso's methods to fame, Lennies love him, especially the ladies. Colosso's swagger, rivaling rock stars', has opened quite a few bedroom doors.

Background and Events

• The Reveal - Michael Gold announced that he was Colosso, shortly after his alter ego's conception. It wasn't that he wanted to use Colosso to boost his business. He just wanted to be recognized for the good deeds he accomplished as the man behind the mask. He wanted to know he was his father's son.

• Legacy Character, Disappeared Dad - Like most good superhero stories, the hero suffers great loss. Michael's is no exception. His father was gunned down in 2010. In most stories, murdered loved ones opens a life of vengeance, for Michael, it began a life of change. He wanted to do something more with his life.

• Putting the Band Back Together - To honor his father, Michael was to reform the Eternals. He contacted Evolution Prime, one of the original members, and the two created Eternals, Inc., recruiting new heroes to fill some mighty big shoes.

"Sell out? Maybe, but the world knows my name."

Character and Motivations

• Hero With Bad Publicity - Having started as a corporate sponsored hero, Colosso caught flack from the superhero community as a "sell-out". Many look at Gold Enterprises as his means to "exploit" the superhero community. This is not the case. Michael is only helping heroes make a name for themselves in an already media-driven society, and he continues to educate the world of his true intentions via the multiple media channels he operates within.

• Glory Seeker - On the opposite side of the coin, Colosso loves media attention. He often overdoes the hero shtick when cameras are filming. It has more to do with selling the image and less to do with his ego. When the cameras are rolling, he seeks out ways to show the good heroes do around the city. The better it looks, the more Lennies will love watching.

• Follow in My Footsteps - Show-boating and product placements aside, Colosso's greatest motivation is following in his father's footsteps. Michael idolized his father and his fellow Eternals growing up. Shortly after his father's murder, Colosso reformed his father's old supergroup, under the name Eternals, Inc.

Possessions

• Clothes Make the Superman - Colosso depends on his Magnifier belt in order to increase his size and strength and to access the ability to fly.

• Homemade Invention - Michael tweaked a device initially used to shrink down items for household storage. The product was scrapped by the Gold Enterprise R&D team due to the high consumer price tag. In order to carry around the device and still be hands-free, the Magnifier Belt was created.

• Home Base - Gold Tower, home to both Michael and Gold Enterprises, is located in Downtown Millennium City not far from Eternals Tower.

Profession

• Corporate-Sponsored Superhero - Colosso's rise to fame came down to one thing: marketing. Never mind that he's a forty foot giant. It was his contract with Ace Burger that gave him his boost: "I have a Big appetite and nothing can satisfy my Large hunger like Ace's quarter pound angus burgers." His success led to Gold Enterprises pairing other heroes with company sponsorships.

• Slave to PR - Public relations is his life. He loves what he does for a living, and it shows. He takes great pride in representing superheroes and showcasing what they truly stand for: truth, justice, and the American way!

• Put a Face on the Company - When people think of Gold Entrprises, they think of one thing: Colosso. Let's face it. He's everywhere! Television, magazines, and billboards are just a few media channels where you'll see Big Blue. The cameras love him, and he's not shy.

"Not now. I'm on TV."

Relationships

• Oblivious to Love - Honey Huckabee has it bad for Michael, and he has no clue. It isn't that he isn't attracted to his assistant, but that it's all business between them.

• The Team Benefactor - Most of the funding for Eternals, Inc. comes from Michael's pockets. Even though he is the money, Michael treats Gold Eterprises and Eternals, Inc. as two separate entities.

• Super Family Team - Not only was Michael's father a superhero, but his sister is as well. Melissa has taken on their father's mantle Gold Rush. His sister met the same fate as their father recently.

RP Hooks

• Do you want your time in the spotlight? Gold Enterprises represents numerous superheroes, pairing them with various product endorsements, charities, and more!

• Speaking of charities... Michael, alongside any of the Eternals, can be found around the city at many philanthropic events.

• Are you a Silver Age hero or the offspring of one? As a kid, Michael grew up around the superhero circles his father Goldrush knew.

Trivia

• - Colosso has a comic book series, Saturday morning cartoon, and line of action figures.

• - Colosso is voiced by Nathan Fillion in Colosso: The Animated Series.

• - Michael and his sister Melissa Gold rarely speak to one another. Whether it is sibling rivalry, Melissa's disapproval of Michael's business, or their father's death, no one knows the true reason.

• - He is obsessed in finding the hero who saved his life: Bumblebee. Unbeknownst to Michael, Bumblebee's secret identity is his assistant Honey Huckabee.

• - He does not have many friends. His life is full of the superheroes he supports and those leeches with hands in his pockets. Michael chooses to be alienated to no longer feel deep losses like with his father.

• - He misses his father greatly. He reformed Eternals, Inc. to have a piece of his father still in his life. He doesn't talk much about his dad, but he carries around a large void in his heart. This could contribute to his philandering ways.

• - Player Note: Colosso was created as an homage to three comic book heroes. He has the heart of the Atom with the body size of Atom Smasher. It was the only body big enough to hold the ego of Booster Gold.

Gallery

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  Colosso by Avionetca

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  Colosso by David Pielich

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  Colosso by Eric Guzman

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  Colosso by EWG

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  Colosso by EWG

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  Colosso by Leo

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  Colosso by Musingmark

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  Colosso by Musingmark

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  Colosso by Phil Cho

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  Colosso 8-Bit by Robenix

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  Colosso by SUP

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  Coloss-O's by Zachula

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  Building an Empire

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  Good Morning, Colosso!

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  Welcome to Millennium City!

Testimonials

"If you rub his bald scalp it will bring you luck. You know, kind of like Buddha's belly. Okay, just kidding, but really, Colosso is an amazing manager and an inspiring hero. I couldn't be luckier to be a member of Eternals Inc. with him." ~ Rhapsody

"Colosso sure knows how to show a girl a good time." ~ Vixen

"I guess he's, like, not too bad for an old guy...and stuff. Yeah. He's cool-ish. I guess." - Moonchild

"Colosso? He's really the kind of guy that makes a big first impression, and I mean that literally." - Wheelman

"Under the mask, I bet he looks like Patrick Stewart if he were a few stories tall." - Snowtalon

"He is the one who let me choose to become a hero... i-i know that many say he is only about money and fame, but it's not true! He is a real leader, and he never give up, i will follow him, always, no matter what" ~ Pulsar

"I thought he was "bigger" *smirk* no, come on, seriously... he has earned my respect, and I do not concede it so easily so quit your mouth about his money and love for covers and ask yourself if you could have the same guts to fight every day without real powers" - Crash

"I don't like celebrities. They care about their image, and little else. But after meeting him, I can say Colosso's different. Well, most of the time..." - Captain Adamant

"Since I know his weakpoint, I must take care how I'm dressing now. He's very nice. I should have met him earlier." - Quintessence