Slab

Slab is a mutant hero and member of Champions United.

## Biography

Darius Green was an athletic prodigy raised in the poorer neighborhoods of southern Chicago. Excelling in football and achieving above-average grades, he seemed set for a scholarship to a good school and dreamed of a career in the NFL. But Darius' dreams were cut short when a particularly bone-shaking tackle activated his latent mutant genes during a mid-season game. At the tender age of seventeen he knew that the life he'd enjoyed and the dreams he'd cherished were both gone forever.

Now ineligible for sports and ostracized by his friends and family for his inhumane appearance, Darius moved out and resettled in South Deering, a predominantly mutant neighborhood, to finish his GED and try to pick up the pieces of his life. Although he was despondent over his circumstances, his eyes were opened by the plight of the many mutants who had it worse than him. Darius was still humanoid, for example, and his deformity came with enhanced strength and a toughness that left him without any fear of anti-mutant bigotry or violence; but a great many of his neighbors couldn't boast the same gifts, and suffered with crippling physical limitations, mental trauma, and the constant threat of harm.

Darius immediately started volunteering his time for his neighbors. He read tax and welfare forms for those without educations (or left blind by their mutations), and he did odd jobs for anyone who couldn't work for themselves. He got his highschool diploma with ease, then immediately joined the burgeoning Mutant Equality League as one of its most active members, where he gained the nickname "Slab" for his stony face and quiet demeanor. Every day at the MEL, he visited mutants to offer them aid and counseling to deal with the trauma of their mutant transition.

He continued in this capacity for several years, making slow but steady change in his neighborhood. One day, fate smiled on him when Ringster asked the Champions to add him to their roster of potential recruits during a rare period of team expansion. Despite initial misgivings by Defender, Slab was eventually added to the team, where he became not only a valued combat asset but a powerful voice for change and mutant rights. He now uses his influence and newfound wealth to aid the mutants' cause more than ever before.

## Personality

Slab is a soft-spoken man but projects optimism and profound determination. He has grown accustomed to fighting for seemingly-lost causes and never backs down from a challenge, be it a supervillain threat or advancing the cause of his adopted people. Slab is quick to offer his aid to anyone who needs it.

Slab is extremely slow to anger, knowing that if he lashes out at anti-mutant bigots with violence he would set back his cause far more than he would help it. This attitude has become deeply ingrained in him and he is very difficult to provoke.

## Appearance

Slab is over seven feet tall and has an extremely broad frame. He was a linebacker in high school and still has the athletic body type he did before his mutation, though now greatly exaggerated. His body has been largely replaced with a onyx-colored organic mineral which is both extremely tough yet slightly flexible. This dark "stone" has been cracked numerous times in combat and patched with synthetic diamond by Dr. Nano, leaving him with striking veins of sparkling gemstones across his otherwise dark surface.

Slab doesn't have an official costume, preferring to dress simply in street clothes, the better to represent his roots in the mutant community.

## Powers

Slab is the archetypical brick. He weighs nearly two tons, is strong enough to throw a tank, and resilient enough to absorb mighty blows. He is utterly bulletproof and suffers little harm from extremes of temperature or pressure. Although he was originally held back by a lack of experience, his training with the Champions has taught him many combat tricks that he can utilize to defeat his enemies.

Slab is capable of jumping great distances and crossing the city quickly in leaps and bounds, but because his mass causes great property damage on impact he only uses this method of travel when absolutely necessary.

## Weaknesses

Slab has no real weakness beyond his lack of mobility. Flying or speedster-type enemies can remain outside the range of his fists, though he is perfectly capable of throwing heavy objects to strike an unwary airborne enemy.

Slab is also relatively weak to psychic attacks, though he has been undergoing intensive training and meditation to build up his mental resilience.