Cloud 9

Origin

After the Super Human Registration Act was put into effect, Abigail Boylen was seen illegally flying high above Evanston, Illinois on what appeared to be a cloud and was spotted by two military jets. After swiftly evaded capture by them, she was easily found by War Machine, who recruited her into the Initiative, stating that she would be unable to continue flying unless she gained her heroes license.

Creation

Cloud Nine was created by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli and first appeared in Avengers: The Initiative #1 in June 2007.

Major Story Arcs

The Initiative

Abby arrived at Camp Hammond, the Initiative Headquarters with her fellow first generation recruits. After being asked their superhero identity, the only name they will be called while in the camp, Abby and her fellow recruits were given fatigues and told to suit up. Upon seeing her fellow team mates in the girl's dressing room Abby had a sudden feeling of insecurity about her own body, and in trying to change in a secluded area, accidentally stumbled into the boy's locker room. There, to her further embarrassment, she met MVP, robed only in a towel, and she quickly summoned her cloud to shield her body from him. Realizing her mistake, she quickly left, asking MVP if he could forget this ever happened.

During a training session between Armory and Trauma things got out of hand. Due to Trauma 's exploitation of her fear, Armory lost control and began shooting in random sporadic intervals. Cloud 9 froze up, never having dealt with such stress, and was nearly hit by the energy blast, but MVP came to her rescue, lunging at her in just the nick of time. As he asked her if she was all right, another blast made contact with his head, splattering him all over Abbey, to her horror. Abbey, crying and covered in his blood, along with Hardball, Komodo, Trauma, and Amory were told to never mention that this happened. The public would be outraged to hear a new cadet had died in Hammond so soon after the explosions caused by Nitro.

Abby stayed with the Initiative after the tragic events with MVP and promptly resumed her training. Even though she was told to forget it, she could not stop thinking about what had happened, leading to Trauma shapeshifting into the image of a now dead MVP. Though still frightened by what had happened, Abby was quickly thrown into combat as a group of Hydra agents teleported into a no-fly zone near the White House. Abby was given a pulse rifle as she was rated under a class 50 super being, and War Machine noted how she had the highest score on the firing range. Abby commented on how she only had joined the Initiative because she wanted to fly, and not to become a super soldier. She survived her first battle, but finally came to understand that this was real war, and that she may have to take lives to survive, shooting down a Hydra jet during the fight.

With the realization that she had taken a life, Abby became less focused and more traumatized about the entire situation at the Initiative. Black Widow commented on how her breathing has off, her marksmanship suffering as a result. Justice, the camp counselor then asked her to come to him so she could gain closure from what happened on her first day in the camp.

Abby was surprised when she found out that that meant traveling to MVP’s home to tell his father that he died an honorable death, but was even more shocked when it was MVP himself who greeted them at the door. Startled by the revelation, Abby had no time to react as Justice received word that all units were called back to the base for an omega level threat. Hulk had returned to Earth and was rampaging through NYC. Abby played her part in the conflict, searching rooftops for stragglers and using her cloud to carry them to safety.

When Rage and Hardball suggested that the recruits take on the Hulk themselves, Abby was very hesitant. She reminded them that they were no fully licensed and that they should allow the real superheroes to handle the job. They were quickly beaten and subdued by the Hulk and his gang and locked in a room at Madison Square Garden. They were later saved by Trauma, Bengal, and Constrictor only to be quickly attacked by two of the aliens siding with the Hulk. Trauma scared of the first one, taking the form of Thor, much to the satisfaction of Thor Girl. Abby, fed up with the situation, shoved her cloud down the other attackers throat, nearly suffocating her before Trauma stepped in asking what had become of her that she would so easily take a life. Back at camp, Trauma confronts Abby while recovering in the infirmary, showing her that Abby feared above nothing else, what she was becoming and he told her that if she wanted help that he would be there to provide it.

After the events of World War Hulk, Gauntlet stepped up the training on all of the cadets who broke orders and fought the Hulk. During this time, someone attacked Gauntlet, leaving him in a critical state with the letters NW painted on his chest. As a result, all ex-New Warriors were taken away and held for interrogation hoping to find the perpetrator. The rest of the cadets were under house arrest until the person responsible for the attack was found. Abby showed her displeasure in this, telling Hardball and Komodo that she needed to get out of the camp and visit MVP, who was still alive. Hank Pym suddenly appeared, having been there the entire time in his small form, reminding them they were prohibited from speaking about MVP.

Justice and Abby later met with War Machine and Hank Pym in search for answers regarding MVP, after being told that the information was classified, Justice storms out of the room taking Abby with him. They use the jump gate to get to Kentucky and to the home of MVP, but upon arrival find the house to be deserted, the windows boarded up, the cars gone, and a few days worth of mail in the mailbox. Justice destroys the house out of anger for what has happened to MVP and tells Abby to return to Camp Hammond, he was going to find MVP and set things straight.

Secret Invasion

After graduating Camp Hammond, Cloud 9 was put on Montana's Initiative team: Freedom Force. Not soon after however, the Skrull Secret Invasion hit and she found herself deep in the middle of the fighting. She proved to be a significant asset to the war against the Skrulls.

Dark Reign

When Norman Osborn takes control over National Security following the end of the Skrull Invasion, he continues to operate the 50 State Initiative, largely filling it with criminals. When the Heavy Hitters team of Gravity, Hardball, Nonstop, Telemetry and Prodigy decide to secede from the organization, Freedom Force are one of the teams sent in to stop them. Cloud 9 is ordered to shoot Night Thrasher (Donyell Taylor) when the Avengers Resistance show up to help the Heavy Hitters, but she deliberately misses and is put on probation by Taskmaster.

During the Heroic Age, Cloud 9 is called to the top of Avengers Tower by Steve Rogers. He states that she had the highest marks of all the Initiative cadets, and requests that she become a trainer at the Avengers Academy. Cloud 9 then goes on to state that her super hero license doesn't mention anything like this, at which point Rogers informs her of the fact that one of the first things he did after coming into office was revoking the Registration Act. He then asks Cloud 9 what she'll do now, to which she responds to by tearing up her license, ditching her costume, flying away on her cloud, and joyfully shouting: "Anything I Want!"

Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt

When Sin and the Serpent launch an all-out assault on the United States, in Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt Steve Rogers calls upon Prodigy to begin a New Initiative and gather all available heroes. One of those who joins is Cloud 9.

Avengers Academy

Cloud 9 later appears alongside several other former Initiative members as part of Jeremy Briggs' organization for former teen superheroes. During a confrontation with the students of the Avengers Academy, she expresses contentment with her new job, and states that she has no desire to return to the world of heroics.

Powers and Abilities

Cloud 9 has the ability of manipulation of an unidentified (possibly extraterrestrial) gas. Most often the cloud is used as a method of air transportation, which can be extended to other people, but has also been used to conceal her location, and even choke others.

She has also acquired considerable skill with a sniper rifle after her training at Camp Hammond, and is able to use this quite effectively by sniping out of her own cloud-cover.

Other Media

Games

Marvel: War of Heroes

cloud 9 appears in several cards in the mobile card game Marvel: War of Heroes. Her cards are:

• [To the Skies] Cloud 9

Lego Marvel´s Avengers

Cloud 9 is a playable character in the game. She is voiced by Laura Bailey.