Great and Powerful Turtle - Character Background

Character Background

Known colloquially as Turtle or The Turtle, his real name is Thomas Tudbury. Born in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1945, he exhibited his telekinetic powers during adolescence, thinking that his pet turtles had the ability to fly unsupported, through their own means. Tudbury dropped out of college his Freshman year in the wake of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Returning home Tudbury contemplated his options in life and considered becoming a super hero. However, his shyness prevented him from using his telekinesis in public. A friend of Tudbury's suggested that he outfit an old Volkswagen Beetle with discarded battleship armor, television cameras and monitors, and use it as a shell. This became the first of many "shells" used by The Turtle. Usually built around the chassis of old cars, they had armor to protect Tudbury as well as cameras and loudspeakers to allow him to interact with the world. One of Tudbury's early adventures brought him into contact with Dr. Tachyon, who at the time was an alcoholic recluse. Tudbury helped him attain (semi-)sobriety thereby establishing a rocky friendship which would persist for thirty years. Turtle became one of the most famous, and also most mysterious Aces in the world. Among the few straightforward superheroes in the Wild Cards series, The Turtle's identity was the subject of much speculation, with many believing that he was a Joker who hid his deformity in the shell. In reality, out of his shell, Turtle is of medium height with a slight beer belly, short brown hair, and glasses. For many years, Turtle's secret civilian identity was that of a simple TV repairman and proprietor of an electronics store. In light of his dayjob and the sedentary manner of his "patrolling the streets" as the Turtle, Tudbury is something of a TV junkie and couch potato. Eventually Tudbury faked his own death for insurance purposes and devoted himself full time to super heroics. After his near death by drowning Tommy was plagued by nightmares and is still something of a troubled sleeper.