Harry Leland

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

Harry Leland
Portrayed by Sydney Greenstreet
Known Aliases:	Black Bishop
Affiliations:	Hellfire Club

Socked By:	Sam
Introduction:	June 9, 2005

An esteemed Manhattan businessman, Harry Leland was also a member of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, serving as their Black Rook. A heart attack in 2007 significantly weakened his position. These days he is the Black Bishop, and works as a modifying influence on his longtime friend, the Black King.

Graduating firmly in the middle of his class from Dartmouth in the 1960s, Harry Leland distinguished himself in the world of finance by both his idiosyncratic love of the fashions and lifestyles of the early 20th century as well as his dogged pursuit of perfection in his business dealings. While presenting a jovial, convivial face to those he did business with, Leland was a complete shark behind his wide smile, acting as the vanguard for many corporate takeovers in the early 1980s before taking a backseat during the "Greed Is Good" decade and turning his attention to investing.

It was during this time that he was approached by the Hellfire Club to become a member, and quickly rose to the rank of Black Rook in their Inner Circle. He sponsored a young Sebastian Shaw as Black King, and became a close confidant to Shaw as their association continued, eventually becoming possibly the only other man Shaw could call a friend.

However, after years of watching as Shaw chose ambition over decency, and avarice beyond even the levels encouraged by the Hellfire Club, Leland doubted his friend's position to lead Hellfire. When Shaw's wife committed suicide after years of abandonment and affairs, it was Leland who maintained Shaw's personal affairs while the Black King put on an appropriate public show of grief.

It was then that Harry Leland began to plot the downfall of Sebastian Shaw, eventually using Alison Blaire as a pawn in his scheme, playing off of Pete Wisdom's usurping of the White King position in a subtle backstabbing that crippled Shaw financially, with the Black King remaining none the wiser.

Having achieved a measure of secret revenge against Shaw, Leland has been assisting his friend in the rebuilding of his company; although now as a full partner with a controlling interest in Shaw Industries. In April 2007 he suffered a heart attack whilst fighting off dinosaurs attacking New York. Due to the speedy actions of Scott Summers and Shaw he was taken to hospital, which saved his life.

Phase 2

Acting as Black Bishop following M-Day, Leland was shocked at the death of the new Black Rook in police custody. He encouraged Shaw to accept the White Queen's proposed truce, and remains within the Club as a calming influence on his old friend.

Powers/Abilities

Harry Leland is a mutant with the ability to increase gravity in a localized area, exponentially increasing an object's weight to the point of immobility. He is able to end this effect at will, but not reverse it to reduce an object's weight.