Samson

Origin

Samson is based directly from the Samson of the Bible and you can't explain the origins of the comic character without giving the origins of his namesake and ancestor. Samson was given his power by an angel. The power was given but conditionally. Samson had t o be a Nazirite. He had to abstain all alcoholic Beverages and never shave or cut his hair. He is named Samson meaning of the sun.

When Samson was a man he had many problems with the Philistines even losing his wife. Samson, however had tremendous strength and power and used it when he need it or for revenge against the Philistines. He once killed a lion with his bare hands and another time killed a thousand Philistines with the Jawbone of an ass. He finds a new love who ends up cutting his hair while he slept. This act (the breaking of the Nazirite oath) strips him of his power his eyes are cut out and he is forced to be a slave. Samson lives as a slave for a long time until his hair grows back but he remained blinded.

At a celebration to the Philistine God Dagon Samson is brought out to show their gods power over him. Samson pray to God one final time and asks for strength one more time. He then pulls the two support pillars of the temple together and collapses the temple on all the the Philistines. It is commonly and depicted that he pushed them but that is just Hollywood. The Bible states he pulled them together. His body was found by his family afterwords and It is believed by many that Samson was buried in Tel Tzora in Israel overlooking the Sorek Valley

Character Evolution

Fox

Just like the Biblical Samson the Fox Comic Book Samson has the same powers and weaknesses from birth just like biblical ancestor. He also used his powers to sense that an Eastern holy man were praying to the Gods for a champion to battle evil. Samson visited the man and claimed the mantle of that champion, becoming even more empowered than he previously had been. He used his powers to fight weirdly named racketeers and saboteurs during World War II.

Samson also becomes one of the Big 3 in Fox Comics. He the Original Blue Beetle and the Flame even had their own comic for a very short time called The Big 3. This is not unlike Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in the DC Universe only to a much lesser extent.

Samson also had a sidekick named David. David was the only survivor of a plane crash and was raised as Samson's ward Trained in the same techniques which granted Samson at least some of his superpowers.

Dynamite Entertainment

In Dynamite Entertainment's Project Superheroes Samson and his ward David and captured in the Urn of Pandora by the misguided Fighting Yank. He they sit in limbo with all the other Superheroes and Villains of the world for sixty years including his comrades the

Blue Beetle and the Flame. It is not until the fighting Yank realizes his mistake and smashes the Urn. When Samson reemerges he look very different from the man who went in and so does his friends. The Blue Beetle goes by the name scarab and Samson himself wears a blind fold over his eyes much like his ancestor wore after his eyes were cut out. Samson seems to have a new power however. It is some sort of sense that allows him to move as if he had sight instead of being totally blinded.

Other Media

In 1949 a movie was made about the biblical Samson. It was called Samson and Delilah. Starring Victor Mature as Samson and Hedy Lamarr and directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It won two Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration/Color and Best Costume Design/Color. It was also nominated for three more Oscars in Best Cinematography/Color, Best Effects/Special Effects and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The Golden Globes nominated it for

Best Cinematography/Color.