Empire State University (also known as ESU) is a fictional university in the Marvel Comics Universe, a mixture of New York University and Columbia University (whose campus was used in the film adaptations). It is located somewhere in New York City, in Greenwich Village near the site of New York University. Many Marvel Comics characters, especially those associated with Spider-Man, have either attended or worked at the university. It first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965).
Location
Depictions of the university's location have been vague, although maps published in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe depict the university as being near Washington Square Park, on or near the site of New York University. In the 2002 Chamber miniseries, the main character dorms in Empire State's Brittany Hall, the name of a real dorm at NYU.
The novel The Venom Factor, by Diane Duane, places the university in Greenwich Village, where NYU is located.
Notable students
Victor von Doom was invited to come from Latveria to study at Empire State, where he met Reed Richards. He was expelled after the accidental explosion that scarred his face.
Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, attended Empire State University. He was expelled and then sued after he accidentally burned part of a building down while engaged in a battle with supervillains.
A young Emma Frost also attended ESU in her late teens. She was there when an anti-mutant strike broke out.
Later, X-Man Chamber enrolled briefly at ESU in order to investigate a bombing that killed six people. Chamber's findings resulted in ESU closing their main mutant program, and creating a new human/mutant student exchange program with the Xavier Institute. The first participants of this program were Walterâ€"Chamber's paraplegic, human dorm-mateâ€"and Amber, a reptilian mutant student who assisted Chamber in his investigation.
Eddie Brock, aka Venom, attends Empire State University in the Ultimate Spider-Man series.
Staff, students, and faculty
Staff
- Shelly Fisch - Head of Grant Program
- Harvey MacNamara (Registrar) - was targeted by Foolkiller
- Debra Whitman (Secretary)
- Dian Michael Abria - WFM|MIS
Faculty
Current
- Anne-Marie Baker - Research Assistant to Dr. Evan Swann while getting doctorate, born in France, raised in London.
- Professor Rodney Ballinger (Chemistry)
- Professor Marina Caches
- Dean Marcus Corliss
- Dr Philip Coyles - Science advisor of Eddie McDonough
- Dr. Henry Croft -Member of the Hydro-Men
- David Dwyer - Former president of ESU
- Marc Fox
- Chancellor Edward Gorman
- Mark Howard
- Professor Francis Hutton (Sociology)
- Daniel Ironwood (Cosmology) - Former expert in nuclear physics, kidnapped by the Soviet Super Soldiers, in effort to force him to complete a bomb.
- Dean Eliot Irvine
- Dr. Joseph Jennings (Member of the Hydro-Men)
- Dr. Michael Kissick (Biochemistry) - Coerced into formulating poisons for Ramrod
- Dr. Maxwell Lubisch - Attempted to tap into extradimensional power source, resulted in Spider-Man receiving Captain Universe power; history of failed experiment abroad, blackmailed by Sebastian Shaw.
- Professor Robin Mason
- Dean Enrico Montesi
- Dr. Dwight Newhall
- Professor Scott Pinter
- Dr. Benita Sanchez
- Prof. Isaac Sandor - Discovered Omnivirus
- Professor Isaac Slattery
- Dean Morris Sloan (Entomology) - Graduate professor under whom Peter Parker, Phillip Chang, Marcy Kane and Steve Hopkins studied and worked; inadvertently revived Swarm
- Evan Swann - Became one of the hosts for Captain Universe
- Peregrine Took
- Damon Walthers - Research scientist, developed a force field device, which was stolen by his lab assistant Clay Wilson, who became Force
- Peter Wilcox - Theoretical physicist, college classmate of She-Hulk, once dated Jen Walters, assisted in discovering nature of the compaction receptacles and Encroachiverses
Former
- Dean Menckin
- Professor Gilbert
- Dr. Ashley Kafka
- Prof. Henry Brandeis (Comparative Religions) - Next-door neighbor of Susan and Johnny Storm during their childhood; murdered by Comte St. Germaine, who was attempting to retrieve the Amulet of Zarathos
- Edward Lansky (Lightmaster)
- Professor Toshiro Mikashi (Entomology) - later seconded to Williams University. Creator of the Arachnis Project and the father of Gunplay. He sacrificed his own life in an effort to destroy Carlton Drake/Homo Arachnis and his formula to so it would not be misused
- Prof. Buck Mitty (Humbug) (Entomology) - Left after they cut his funds, established Humbug identity to gain alternate funding. Also known as the Bug-Man of Alcatraz
- Prof. Horatio Piper (Anthropology) - discovered Kingorge tribe and brought them to the United States. He was killed by Micah Synn after he freed Debbie Nelson
- Harrison Turk (Lunatik)
- Miles Warren (the Jackal)
- Clifton Shallot (the Vulture).
- Aaron Warren
Student body
Current
- Todd Aiken (SHOC)
- Amber McIntosh - mutant, may have been depowered.
- Axel Asher (Access)
- Kyle Barker (Patchwork)
- Brian Broyd - roommate of Eddie McDonough
- Roger "Caps" Cooper - Classmate and college roommate of Richard Rider; Nephew of Megaman; he is aware of Richard Rider's alter ego
- Brad Davis - former star quarterback, dated Mary Jane Watson
- Delaney "Dee Dee" Devereaux (Geiger) - mutated by Empire State University’s experimental particle accelerator
- Max Devreaux - briefly dated Emma Frost, forced to assault her by Astrid Bloom, suspended
- Bernie Dillon - roommate of Richard Rider, employed at Marvel Burger, aware of Nova’s secret identity
- Harvey Kenneth Farber
- Holly Gillis - former Empire State University art student, she formerly dated Hector Ayala
- Lillian Hsu
- Kai McNamara
- Mr. Olgivy Landsfield - dozed off in the classroom of Peregrine Took, who cast frightening illusions into his mind
- William Ledge - badly beaten by Lunatik when he tried to come to Valkyrie's aid, friend of Dollar Bill
- Patrick O'Keefe (Neutrino Annihilator) - member of on-campus mutant group, Magnetic North
- Christie McDermott - of Jack and Jill, former roommate of Emma Frost, briefly dated Ian Kendall, assaulted by him while he was controlled by Emma Frost, pressed charges against him, but forced to act like she was psycho/obsessed with him by Emma to clear Ian
- Brigit O'Neil - archeology student at Empire State University, acquaintance of Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
- Maria de Guadalupe Santiago (Silverclaw)
- Susan Sawyer - girlfriend of Bryan Broyd who was the roommate of Eddie McDonough
- Anita Shannons
- Jennifer and Janet Kovalski, Gigi Martin, Alexis "Alex" Madden - formerly at Empire State University, sought to promote peaceful relationships between humans and mutants, made up of both, several killed when Alex’s powers exploded out of control
- Robin Vega
- Shantal Wilsk - friend of Mary Jane Watson
Former
- Hector Ayala (White Tiger)
- Basenji - member of the Litter
- Astrid Bloom - Manipulated her own sister to kill their parents after they began neglecting her; manipulated Emma Frost to turn her against humanity.
- Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) - was a brief exchange student.
- Dane - member of the Litter
- Dollar Bill - TV producer, attempted to make documentary about Defenders, former roommate of Harrison Turk, later had own Public-access television cable TV show
- Emma Frost - Majored in Education with a minor in Business Administration
- Johnny Gallo (Ricochet) - Member of Excelsior; former member of Slingers
- Ritchie Gilmore (Prodigy) - Former member of Slingers
- Melissa Gold (Songbird)
- Felicia Hardy (Black Cat) Dated and was raped by a boy named "Ryan", who also attended the university.
- Eddie McDonough (Hornet) -former member of Slingers
- Namorita
- Candace Nelson - Research project on the Sallis Papers got her in trouble with the government.
- Harry Osborn
- Kevin Wilson (Pitbull) - member of the Litter
- Poodle - member of the Litter
- Steve Rogers (Captain America)
- Richard Rider (Nova)
- Greg Salinger (Foolkiller) - Attended some undergraduate courses taught by Peter Parker before resuming his Foolkiller identity.
- Cassie St. Commons (Dusk) - former member of Slingers
- Gwen Stacy - died before completing term
- Jonothon Evan Starsmore (Chamber) - Attended briefly whilst investigating undercover a series of mutant attacks on campus for the X-Men
- Johnny Storm (Human Torch)
- Monte Devlin (Terrier) - member of the Litter
- Eugene "Flash" Thompson
- Phil Urich
- Valkyrie
- Walter Schmidt-Crane - Chamber's roommate; on exchange program with the Xavier Institute
- Mary Jane Watson - majored in Psychology after returning to the college
- Jack Hammer (Weasel) - Dropped out after Deadpool went back in time and sabotaged his chances at a job at Oscorp.
Graduates/Alumni
- Dr. Bradley Bolton - Co-creator of the WHO computer; sacrificed life protecting daughter from Paine, who wanted information on WHO
- Phillip Chang - took vow of peace, assaulted by white dragon ii. skilled martial artist
- Chip Lockley - partnered with Ethan Albright in Agro-Lab, attempted to develop plant growth accelerator, slain by Carnage
- Ethan Albright - Agro-Lab, partnered with Chip Lockley in project to accelerate plant growth
- Roger Hochberg - friend of Peter Parker, dated Mia Carrerra, encountered Red Ghost and Super-Apes
- Steve Hopkins - with Peter Parker, biophysics major, practical joker
- Marcy Kane - Kaina - Contraxian, posed as science grad student at Empire State University, former lover of Jack of Hearts, friend and co-worker of Peter Parker
- Mary Kelleher
- Chip Martin (Schizoid Man)
- Carlos Munoz - assisted in Nuform experiments for Roxxon
- Peter Parker (Spider-Man)
- Paul Stacy
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, the university is sometimes shown as Empire State University and sometimes shown as Eastern State University.
- In Spider-Man, Peter Parker is a college student and attends Empire State University, as does Debra Whitman and Michael Morbius. Also, Dr. Curt Connors is a professor there.
- Spider-man: The New Animated Series - Peter Parker, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane Watson are college students at Empire State University.
- Empire State is featured in The Spectacular Spider-Man as the college where Eddie Brock attends and works as a lab assistant under Dr. Curt Connors and Dr. Margaret Connors. In Season 2, Miles Warren joins the scientific staff.
Films
- In the film Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker attends Columbia University and not ESU, although in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, which is set in between the first two Spider-Man movies, he, Mary Jane and Harry attend ESU. In Spider-Man 3, Robbie Robertson declares that the "Empire State Photography Department" confirms that Eddie Brock's picture of Spider-Man robbing a bank in the black suit is a fake.
- Director Louis Leterrier wanted Bruce Banner to meet Samuel Sterns at Empire State University in The Incredible Hulk. In the finished film Sterns' place of teaching is named as Grayburn College in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database, because Columbia Pictures, who own the name as part of their rights to film Spider-Man, refused. Grayburn College is also used in the 2010 show The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes as the college where Henry Pym, or Ant-Man does his research. It is named in the first season episode "The Ultron Imperative."
- In the short film Item 47 on the Blu-Ray bonus features of The Avengers, an Empire State University shirt can be seen worn by one of the characters.
- In a deleted scene of The Amazing Spider-Man, Dr. Connors states that he has doctorate from Empire State University.
Video games
- In the game Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six, Doctor Octopus kidnaps Aunt May and holds her hostage in the university.
- In the game adaptions of Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, the Empire State Building can be seen and visited. In both games this building is the highest point in the game but in the Ultimate Spider-Man game both the building and university can be visited.
- In The Incredible Hulk (2008), the subplot with Samuel Sterns at ESU is adapted from the film that the game is based on. Empire State University is also a marked location on the game's map screen, one of many that the player must destroy to earn certain collectible items.
- Empire State University appears in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
References
