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Bill Foster
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Bill Foster

155 appearances · Silver Age · 1966–2025 · 13 key issues
Who is Bill Foster?

A brilliant biochemist, William Barrett Foster first appeared as an Avengers associate before eventually gaining the ability to alter his size using Pym Particles, growing to enormous stature with proportionate strength. He has operated under several giant-themed identities, bringing both his scientific expertise and powerhouse physicality to numerous heroic teams.

Few characters embody Marvel's Silver Age ambition quite like Bill Foster, who stepped onto the scene in The Avengers #32 back in 1966 and has been a fixture of the House of Ideas ever since. Across nearly six decades of publication, he's carved out a remarkable 104 catalogued appearances — 13 of them recognized as key issues by collectors — a testament to a character who clearly resonated and endured. He's an Avenger through and through, and the company he keeps tells the whole story: his pages are shared with titans like Captain America, Hank Pym, and Ben Grimm, placing him squarely at the heart of Marvel's most consequential adventures. From The Avengers to Marvel Two-in-One to Civil War Chronicles, Bill Foster has been there for the long haul, and any serious Marvel reader owes it to themselves to trace his journey.

Identity

Real name. William Barrett "Bill" Foster

Powers. Size alteration via Pym Particles (grows to giant size with proportionate strength/durability); biochemist genius-level intellect.

Teams & affiliations
AvengersProject Pegasus
★ First appearance
The Avengers #32
Sep 1966

Part of the Goliath legacy

Bill Foster is one of 4 heroes to carry the Goliath mantle. See the whole Goliath family ▸

Top series

Covers through the years — 1966–2021

The Avengers #32 1966
The Avengers #32
Marvel Feature #9 1973
Marvel Feature #9
The Defenders #64 1978
The Defenders #64
Marvel Two-in-One #54 1979
Marvel Two-in-One #54
Marvel Two-in-One #96 1983
Marvel Two-in-One #96
The West Coast Avengers Annual #3 1988
The West Coast Avengers Annual #3
Marvel Super-Heroes #11 1992
Marvel Super-Heroes #11
Black Panther #17 2000
Black Panther #17
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn] 2006
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn]
The Mighty Avengers #20 2009
The Mighty Avengers #20
Runaways: The Complete Collection #3 2015
Runaways: The Complete Collection #3
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection #1 2017
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection #1
Luke Cage Omnibus #[nn] 2021
Luke Cage Omnibus #[nn]

Appearances (1–150 of 155, oldest first)

The Avengers (1963)
Fantastic! (1967)
#69
Marvel Feature (1971)
#9
Power Man (1974)
Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action (1975)
#2
Marvel Triple Action (1972)
#26
Black Goliath (1976)
The Champions (1975)
Marvel Two-in-One (1974)
Eclipso (1968)
Nova (1978)
#4
Titans (1976)
Planète des Singes (1977)
#16
Strange (1970)
Spider-Woman (1978)
The Defenders (1972)
#64
The X-Men (1963)
Captain America (1968)
Les Vengeurs (1980)
#4
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964)
#15
Daredevil (1964)
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions (1982)
#3
What If? (1977)
#37
Spécial Strange (1975)
Super Spider-Man TV Comic (1981)
West Coast Avengers (1985)
The West Coast Avengers Annual (1986)
#3
Web of Spider-Man (1985)
Avengers: Death Trap, The Vault (1991)
Marvel Age (1983)
Marvel Comics Presents (1988)
Marvel Super-Heroes (1990)
#11
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition (1990)
#27
Venom: Deathtrap: The Vault (1993)
Marvel Double Feature ... The Avengers / Giant-Man (1994)
Thunderbolts '97 (1997)
Avengers United They Stand (1999)
#1
Black Panther (1998)
#17
Earth X (2000)
Thunderbolts: Justice Like Lightning (2001)
Marvel Universe: Millennial Visions (2002)
#1
Avengers Finale (2005)
#1
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2005)
#2
Marvel Visionaries: Roy Thomas (2006)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z (2006)
#4
Civil War (2006)
Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (2006)
#1
Cable & Deadpool (2006)
The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)
Black Panther: The Bride (2006)
Civil War: X-Men Universe (2007)
Civil War Chronicles (2007)
Avengers: The Initiative (2007)
#8
Marvel Adventures The Avengers (2006)
#20
Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest (2009)
Captain America: Road to Reborn (2010)
The Mighty Avengers (2007)
#20
Incredible Hercules (2008)
Avengers: West Coast Avengers Assemble (2010)
Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection (2009)
Avengers: Under Siege (2010)
Civil War: Front Line (2010)
Thunderbolts Classic (2011)
#1
Avengers: West Coast Avengers - Family Ties (2011)
Mighty Avengers: Dark Reign (2011)
Evolutionary War Omnibus (2011)
Avengers: The Contest (2012)
Marvel Série I (2012)
#7
Ant-Man: Season One (2012)
Marvel Série II (2012)
#10
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man (2013)
#3
Runaways: The Complete Collection (2014)
#3
Marvel Masterworks: Spider-Woman (2015)
#1
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl & the Great Lakes Avengers (2016)
Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin: The Complete Collection (2017)
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection (2017)
#1
Avengers Epic Collection (2013)
#21
Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man / Giant-Man (2006)
#3
Ant-Man / Giant-Man: Growing Pains (2018)
Marvel Visionaries: John Buscema (2019)
Bizarre Adventures (2019)
#1
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders (2008)
#7
Luke Cage Omnibus (2021)
Marvel Legendary Collection (2022)
#35
Luke Cage Epic Collection (2020)
#2