He is Marvel’s answer to the fastest man alive, only not so fast. Introduced in Avengers #69 (1969) by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema, James Sanders was a disgruntled chemist when he was recruited by Grandmaster. Grandmaster gave him a formula that Sanders used to give himself super-speed. He joined the Squadron Sinister as the Whizzer in a game against Grandmaster opponent Kang the Conqueror, who was using the Avengers in this game. The Squadron lost but Sanders and the rest were allowed to return to Earth with their new powers. The Squadron would later be recruited by Nebulon to melt the polar icecaps but were defeated by the Defenders. Dr. Strange used his magic to make the Squadron forget their powers.

Sometime later, he would be questioned by the Avengers about Dr. Spectrum, which made him remember the formula. He recreated the formula and took the name Speed Demon. He would fight Spider-man a number of times before joining the Beetle’s Sinister Syndicate. The team would eventually break up and Speed Demon was later scene in Bloodsport tournament. He would fight Wolverine, then as Patch, and nearly lost his life when Wolverine beat him. He would later be hired by Baron Strucker to spy on the Thunderbolts as a double agent but would enjoy his time on the team. Using the Whizzer identity, he would rob banks and money to fund the T-Bolts but was discovered by Nighthawk, when he tried to steal from Richmond Industry. Nighthawk confronted Speed Demon and the T-Bolt but both were teleport away by the revived Squadron Sinister.

Even though Speed Demon worked to try and stop the Squadron, his criminal activities cause Songbird to kick him out of the T-Bolts. He returned to the Squadron, who began calling themselves Supreme Power, and were recruited by Grandmaster, who was in another contest with Baron Zemo to find the Wellspring of Power. The T-Bolts and SP fought with Joystick breaking Speed Demon’s leg. They eventually healed and he would join Boomerang’s Sinister Six (or Superior Foes). He would join the Kindred’s plan to killed Spider-man but Boomerang would sacrifice himself to save Spider-man. This cause Sanders to turn against Kindred. He was later used by Sin and Warrior Woman to discredit Cap but was defeated by another Captain America.

Speed Demon wasn’t a character that many people were asking for. However, he would receive a massive boost in popularity due to the Superior Foes of Spider-man book. As such he would receive a figure as part of the Absorbing Man wave, which also came with a Silvermane Head on a RC car.