20 Worst Ever Comic Book Sidekicks

By David Opie /

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15. Hairball (Speedball)

First Appearance: Speedball #1 (1988) The ability to bounce around was never particularly high on my own personal list of most wanted super-powers, but some genius at Marvel clearly had high hopes for Speedball, a teenage hero who can absorb kinetic energy and redirect it with even greater force i.e. bouncing around. As well as fighting lame villains no one had ever heard of, Speedball's key purpose in life was to capture a cat called Niels who was present at the same accident that granted the bouncing hero his powers. The two eventually became friends and with his own special bouncing abilities, Niels became a founding member of the Pet Avengers (!!), renaming himself Hairball in homage to his owner and friend. I kid you not. All of this actually happened. Cats are great but I don't think I even need to elaborate on how ridiculous the entire concept of Hairball is and if I do, then shame on you crazy cat lady!