| GOLDENROD (Fred Delmar) | BIOGRAPHY |
| Created by Gerry Conway, Carla Conway and Gene Colan |
PERSONAL DATA
Real Name: Fred Delmar
Occupation: Attorney
Status: Deceased
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Married
Known Relatives: Wife and child (names unrevealed)
Base of Operation: New York, NY
Gender: Male
Hair: (Delmar): Brown; (Goldenrod): Green leaves
First Appearance: Fury of Firestorm #19 (January 1984): "Golden Boy"
Creators: Gerry Conway, Carla Conway and Gene Colan
HISTORY
A Harvard graduate, Fred Delmar was considered a "golden boy" but when his law firm was forced into bankruptcy he hit rockbottom. With a wife and child, Delmar was desperate for a new start.
Dr. Bruce Bonwit was also desperate. He was developing a potent new anti-histamine named Nuevafed but was barred from human testing. His patent lawyer Ted Benton, Jr. recommended Fred Delmar as a guinea pig.
Bonwit himself injected the Neuvafed. The effects on Delmar were instantaneous, agonizing and believed fatal. Delmar's body was dumped in a field in upstate New York. Delmar however was not dead, but in a state of transition. He returned as Goldenrod, a hybrid of man and plant. He came to believe Fred Delmar was dead, as only Goldenrod remained and he would avenge himself on those responsible.
His actions garnered the attention of Firestorm. In their first battle, the Nuclear Man was handily defeated as his transmutation powers could not affect organic materials. In their next battle, Firestorm was too late to save Bonwit from death. In defending himself with a nuclear burst, Firestorm opened a crevice which Goldenrod plunged into, falling to his death. Moments later, Goldenrod exploded in a spray of pollen and plant fragments. He has not been seen since. - Fury of Firestorm #19
POWERS AND WEAPONS
Goldenrod had control over plantlife, from the ability to create and accelate plant growth, as well as animate plants. He could shoot pollen at high pressure from his hands. The pollen clouds would overwhelm a victim, causing severe allegic reactions, such as hives, swelling, blindness, choking and death.
Though Goldenrod seems similar in form and powers as the Floronic Man there appears to be no connection between the two.
CHRONOLOGY
For a definitive list of appearances of Goldenrod in chronological order click here