STATUS: DECEASED
REAL NAME: Mustapha
FORMER ALIASES: Smash, Jerome Gilles
AGE: late forties
OCCUPATION: Professional Super Hero
AFFILIATIONS: High Justice
BACKGROUND: Jerome was a sickly boy raised in Brooklyn, NY.  His Mother had died during his birth and he was raised by his father, a good man who struggled to keep a roof over his boy's head and to keep him out of trouble.  But as hard as his Father tried Jerome and trouble seemed to follow each other around.  Eager to be accepted by other children he became involved in petty crime.  He spent more and more time in juvenile court while his Father looked on, helpless.

Then his father died.

Jerome had been out with his friends, getting high again when his Father went out looking for him.  Only his father had gotten himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and was struck by a car during a police car chase.  Jerome returned home to discover this.  His father was dead, and the thirteen year old boy did not have to be told it had been his fault.  Had he been home where is father had wanted him the man would have been alive.  Some boys would have sunk lower, abandoning their lives in self distruction.  Jerome Gilles decided to turn his life around.  He was placed in a foster home, but that did not break him.  He was beaten regularly by the kids he used to hang with, but that did not break him.

The gun shot during a drive by, now that nearly broke him.

He was rushed to a hospital but he had lost a great deal of blood.  As it turned out the super hero Black Tiger was also at the hospital on a case.  He saw young Jerome dying and discovered they did not have enough of his rare blood type.  In what was a typical act of selflessness (and perhaps a touch of maternal instinct) Black Tiger donated two pints of her blood to safe young Jerome.

Black Tiger had no idea her blood would activate the special genes found in Jerome, but they did.  Over the next few months the skinny, picked-on teenager would grow to over six feet in height and fill out to a man's frame.  His strength grew, he became nigh invulnerable and could fly.  So what did he do?

Make money off of it, of course!

Calling himself Smash, Jerome wore a black, blue and white costume and cape and became a product endorsing whore, he embodied what was worst in paranormal "heroes".  He would support any product if the manufacturer met his price, and he made millions.  He was living the high life and loved it.

Then Black Tiger died.

A long time member of High Justice, she had been murdered by Claymore, a member of Dr. Dread's crew.  Jerome appealed to High Justice to let him join, at least until the woman who once saved his life was avenged.  While initially the other members questioned letting such a man join their ranks The Cavalier saw what Black Tiger had repeated seen when she defended him; a man who needed a cause and who did not know it.  The Cavalier supported Jerome's appeal and he was not disappointed.  Smash fought bravely and showed he was a true hero, bringing Claymore to justice.

Mustapha was also a man of contradictions.  While he had come to realize wealth for wealth's sake is a foolish goal in life he still enjoyed some of the perks.  He was still the best dressed paranormal in history, sometimes going into action in an Armani suit.  He defended his actions by pointing out his numerous donations to charaties and churches (despite his being a Muslim he still donated money to various other religions, believing there are many paths to God.  This has garnered him much criticism from felow Muslims but he is well used to criticism by now), and the time he spent doing good works.  So if he wants to kick ass in an Italian suit he was damn well going to, motherf#$ker!

POWERS: Mustapha was incredibly strong, being only a level below Lionheart in raw power.  He was also very resistant to conventional forms of damage and he could fly at multi-mach speeds.  Over the years he had developed a fighting style to take advantage of his strength.  While it was not pretty it was effective, and he had only lost three times in his career (twice to Platinum Blonde).