Spitfire and the Troubleshooters, later known as simply Spitfire, and finally Codename: Spitfire, was a story about a woman and her highly advanced, Man Amplified Experimental armor technology. The MAX suits she used saw plenty of use in the New Universe, both during and after the run of this series. The book was published for a total of thirteen issues.

Jenny Swensen, daughter of the developer of this MAX technology, gained control of it soon after the murder of her father by Fritz Krotze, owner of Krotze International, a firm that itself was at the sway of a mysterious group of international terrorists. She used it for a time to avenge her father's death, to help people, and then to stop the proliferation of MAX technology itself.

This particular section of the New Universe handbook is a comprehensive guide to events within this comic, with detailed information on the major characters that appeared in the book (good and evil), the technology they utilized, and of course, a brief summation of what happened to the MAX armor once the series got itself cancelled.


Jenny Swensen (before the Pitt): the first Spitfire, Professor Jenny Swensen became an armored heroine after recovering her late father's MAX suit from evildoers. After this, Jenny began to help the government battle the proliferation of MAX gear. Availability:

Jenny Swensen (before the Pitt) (MSH Classic)

Jenny Swensen (before the Pitt) (4C System)

Jenny Swensen (before the Pitt) (Marvel Saga)

Jenny Swensen (after the Pitt): after her exposure to Pitt-Juice, Jenny Swensen was forever altered. This mutagenic compound rendered her paranormal, and she developed an organic steel skin to replace the MAX armor she'd lost to the government. Availability:

Jenny Swensen (after the Pitt) (MSH Classic)

Jenny Swensen (after the Pitt) (4C System)

Jenny Swensen (after the Pitt) (Marvel Saga)

The MAX Armors:

the Mark 1 MAX Suit: Doctor Karl Swensen's first Man-Amplified Experimental armor was a revolutionary application of his heuristics technology. Intended for peaceful purposes, it was converted into a weapon by Swensen's corporate backers. Availability:

the Mark 1 MAX Suit (MSH Classic)

the Mark 1 MAX Suit (4C System)

the Mark 1 MAX Suit (Marvel Saga)

the Mark 2 MAX Suit: Karl Swensen's greatest work, the Mark 2 MAX armor was not perverted as was his first. After his death, his daughter Jenny made off with the suit and then used it against all manner of villains who utilized technology for evil. Availability:

the Mark 2 MAX Suit (MSH Classic)

the Mark 2 MAX Suit (4C System)

the Mark 2 MAX Suit (Marvel Saga)

the Mark 3 MAX Suit: the first (and only) MAX armor built by Jenny Swensen, the Mark 3 was a dramatic improvement over the creations of her father. Of course, she built it with government backing, and the finest weaponry their money could buy. Availability:

the Mark 3 MAX Suit (MSH Classic)

the Mark 3 MAX Suit (4C System)

the Mark 3 MAX Suit (Marvel Saga)

the Mark 4 MAX Suit: a smaller, stealthier armor than the previous three MAX suits, this armor was built not by one of the Swensens but instead Willy Deere, a government technician who had apparently been 'studying' Dr. Karl Swensen for years. Availability:

the Mark 4 MAX Suit (MSH Classic)

the Mark 4 MAX Suit (4C System)

the Mark 4 MAX Suit (Marvel Saga)

The Troubleshooters:

Eric Chin: the Troubleshooter's hacker, Eric is the only one with a criminal record, having attempted to translate his skill at breaking into computers into real structures. After the Law set him straight, he went to MIT to turn his life around. Availability:

Eric Chin (MSH Classic)

Eric Chin (4C System)

Eric Chin (Marvel Saga)

Timothy Ferris: the Troubleshooters' athlete, Timothy Ferris is a football player who derived his Fast-Back partial exoskeleton from Doctor Swensen's MAX technology, which he used until the terrorist known as the Steel Hawk destroyed it - and his legs! Availability:

Timothy Ferris (MSH Classic)

Timothy Ferris (4C System)

Timothy Ferris (Marvel Saga)

Eduardo Giotti: smitten with Jenny Swensen, Eduardo was the first Troubleshooter to build a new MAX device, his being the 'Strong Arms' partial exoskeleton that granted him great strength - which he used to almost beat Steel Hawk to death! Availability:

Eduardo Giotti (MSH Classic)

Eduardo Giotti (4C System)

Eduardo Giotti (Marvel Saga)

Andrew 'Andy' Meadows: the Troubleshooters' electronic expert, Andy was able to break down the lasers in Jenny's MAX armor and develop his own gear with it: Beam-Splitter! He was perfecting this weapon when he was murdered by Steel Hawk. Availability:

Andrew 'Andy' Meadows (MSH Classic)

Andrew 'Andy' Meadows (4C System)

Andrew 'Andy' Meadows (Marvel Saga)

Teresa 'Terry' Roberts: the Troubleshooters' computer hardware expert, Terry built a truly revolutionary computer interface with Dr. Swensen's technology. This partial exo-skeleton, the 'Think-Tank', is her world's very first cyber-deck. Availability:

Teresa 'Terry' Roberts (MSH Classic)

Teresa 'Terry' Roberts (4C System)

Teresa 'Terry' Roberts (Marvel Saga)

Project: Spitfire

Brick: not much is known about this bizarre murder machine, other than the fact that he has been utilized by Edmund Roth in the past. A capable killer, Brick is nonetheless susceptible to the ultrasonic frequencies used to control his mind. Availability:

Brick (MSH Classic)

Brick (4C System)

Brick (Marvel Saga)

Willy Deere: mad inventor, super spy, and general creep, Willy Deere clandestinely studied Dr. Swensen's technology for years. However, he did build Jenny a suit with the stuff, that being the Mark 4 MAX armor she used against Saxon St. John! Availability:

Willy Deere (MSH Classic)

Willy Deere (4C System)

Willy Deere (Marvel Saga)

Anne Pollicino: aside from Jenny Swensen herself, Anne was Project: Spitfire's greatest techie. She not only helped Jenny build her Mark 3 MAX armor, but has assisted her both as mission support and in keeping the armor operational. Availability:

Anne Pollicino (MSH Classic)

Anne Pollicino (4C System)

Anne Pollicino (Marvel Saga)

Edmund Roth: the founder and leader of the CIA's Project: Spitfire, Edmund Roth is a questionable individual indeed. His goal is to keep Doctor Swensen's MAX technology out of the hands of every other government, no matter the cost. Availability:

Edmund Roth (MSH Classic)

Edmund Roth (4C System)

Edmund Roth (Marvel Saga)

Jake Travest: an unrepentant killer, the mentally imbalanced Jake Travest was nonetheless assigned to be Jenny Swensen's assistant during her time with Codename: Spitfire. When she abruptly quit, Jake was chosen to pilot her armor in her place. Availability:

Jake Travest (MSH Classic)

Jake Travest (4C System)

Jake Travest (Marvel Saga)

Odds and Ends:

Dimitri Durovich: Dimitri was a Soviet scientist working at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, one who remained behind in his attempt to stave off a meltdown even while his peers fled. Little did he know that Chernobyl's radiation would change him forever! Availability:

Dimitri Durovich (MSH Classic)

Dimitri Durovich (4C System)

Dimitri Durovich (Marvel Saga)

Evan Reinger: pilot, mercenary, and all around bad guy, Evan Reinger would gleefully kill a busload of kids if the money was right. Lacking morals of any stripe, he'll do whatever is asked of him as long as there's enough green in it for him. Availability:

Evan Reinger (MSH Classic)

Evan Reinger (4C System)

Evan Reinger (Marvel Saga)

War Tiger: an elite Nicaraguan military officer, the War Tiger came into conflict with Spitfire when she tried to rescue a reporter he was supposedly holding captive. Little did she know that he had some sort of advanced, anti-MAX gear waiting for her! Availability:

War Tiger (MSH Classic)

War Tiger (4C System)

War Tiger (Marvel Saga)

Villains of Note:

The Club: the chief troublemakers throughout the run of the series, the Club was a band of international terrrorists and arms dealers that worked hard to procure lots and lots of new weapons, both for their own use and for sale to others. As such, their attempts to seize the MAX technology has caused innumerable trouble for Jenny Swensen and the Troubleshooters.

Krotze International: this firm is a weapons manufacturer that works for the United States government; or it did, at least, until it was found out that owner Fritz Krotze was selling his developments to foreign interests, like the Club, and the Soviet Union. The current status of the company is unknown, especially after the death of Fritz Krotze...

Codename: Spitfire Issue Guides:

UT 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
10 11 12 13 PS

Extra Goodies:

Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Text File Archive

Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Cover Imagery

Codename: Spitfire created by Eliot Brown and John Morelli!

Return to the New Universe Handbook main page!
