Wes Cassady’s life changes when a radioactive jack rabbit takes a bite out of his hand! He keeps his hand, of course, and gains superhuman strength, speed, and senses.
A Rab-bite
Construction worker Wesley “Wes” Cassady gets bitten by a radioactive jack rabbit and becomes endowed with all the powers of the animal.
Superhuman Strength and Sixth Sense
Wes has superhuman strength, especially in his legs which are 100 times as strong as they were before he was bitten by the jack rabbit. He can run, jump and kick as fast, high and hard as a jack rabbit commensurate to his size. He also has superhuman senses, in that he can sense a hunter approaching.
Family Ties, Close Allies and Bad Guys
Wes prioritizes his family life. He lives with his wife Ruth and their two sons in Emporia, Kansas. He cares deeply about them and keeps his superhuman abilities a secret.
When Wes meets Peter Parker, AKA Spider-Man, he trusts him with his secret life as a superhuman, but mostly out of the need to spill the beans. When Wes encounters Spider-Man a second time, he sees that the wall-crawler needs his help against scientist Doctor Royce Nero, but refuses to step up.
A Superhuman’s Secret Story
While working on a job, construction boss Wesley Cassady received word that the acetylene torch backed-up and exploded, causing flames to spread to a nearby shed housing gas bottles. He ordered everyone to evacuate and when no one was around, he used his super strength to put out the fires. He then sensed a presence behind him, seeing it was Spider-Man he employed super-speed and ran off.
Later, while playing catch in his backyard with his two sons, he sensed Spider-Man again, and there he was behind him. Wes invited him to his garage so his kids wouldn’t spot him and he shared his story, hoping Spider-Man would understand his situation. He explained that two years ago while he was a foreman on a job that they transferred lab animals from ongoing experiments to a different site. When a jack rabbit escaped, it bit Wes and he later discovered it had died of radiation. He had a fever for a few days and when it broke, the strength in his legs increased a hundred times, plus he could jump, run, and kick like a jack rabbit. He also gained an ability to sense a hunter’s eyes on him, making him able to sense Spider-Man.
Wes informed Spider-Man that he kept his powers a secret and when asked why he doesn’t do something with his powers, Wes was honest, he wanted a normal life. He asked for help but Spider-Man couldn’t offer much more than a kind ear. Later, Wes witnessed Spider-Man struggling in a fight with Doctor Royce Nero, a disgruntled former government employee, and Spider-Man implored Wes to help him. Wes couldn’t, he was too afraid of other people finding out about him and thinking him a freak. Spider-Man survived on his own and didn’t hold it against Wes but reminded him that he would have to live with his choice.