Eugene "Flash" Thompson

The Big Man On Campus (and the President of the Spider-Man Fan Club) has lived a troubled life. His father was an alcoholic and who abused him and Flash's mom and sister). This would cause him to take out his frustrations on people like Peter Parker during High School. He was the most popular kid in school with the looks, the charisma and the athletics. He hung around with Liz Allan and all the other cool kids. When he chose to fight Peter in a boxing ring to settle a conflict, Peter knocked him out, and that helped silence Flash for quite some time. Then he'd get into ESU based only on his football skills, and later found out, much to his chagrin, that nemisis Peter was going there too. Instead of continuing with his football scholarship, Flash decided to go out a do his civil duty and fight in the war in Vietnam. There he would meet his longtime future girlfriend Sha-Shan. He'd bring her overseas once the war is over.

Like many soldiers of war, Flash would have big problems readjusting to society once he came back to NYC. He felt ostracized and that he missed out on a lot while everyone else was at home. Later on, he would have an affair with Betty Brant, which Sha-Shan would find out, which would cause even more problems for the ex-football star. When his girlfriend would be taken hostage by the Hobgoblin, Flash would go on TV and publicly bash the Hobgoblin. This would infuriate the Hobgoblin, and he would have the Hobgoblin getting caught by Spider-Man, but under the mask, the hero would find Flash Thompson. Flash was framed, but after some time, all of was cleared up as Eugene was pardonned. During all of this time, Peter and Flash would become very close friends, and he would even become Peter's Best Man at his wedding.
From there, he'd date Felicia Hardy, however her main reason for doing so was to annoy Peter and get back at him for breaking up with her. But she started to fall for the former football star. Despite a long relationship, the two broke it off in a friendly manner. From there, Flash would realize that life doesn't offer too much to him and that no matter how popular you were in high school, it doesn't mean anything in real life. He would start drinking to forget his troubles.
After nearly killing a child while driving drunk, Flash decided to join a treatment program. Norman Osborn found out about this, and said that he likes the courage of Flash to realize his mistake and to do something about it. So Osborn made Flash his personal assistant. Flash truly believed that Osborn wasn't the Goblin and that he was a great guy (yet, he remained a Spidey fan). Mysterio III captures Peter, MJ, aunt May, JJJ, Marla Jamseon, Robbie and Flash and puts them all in a VR tank which is the perfect opportunity to find out Spider-Man's true identity. Using Flash, Flash's ideal world comes to life, but Peter talks him out of the world and they all 'come back to reality'. Mysterio, before escaping, tells Flash that his entire life has been pitiful. When they all 'wake up', Flash tells them to leave him alone and that he doesn't need anyone anymore, even Spider-Man. Later, Flash would break up with Betty. When Norman Osborn would return to get revenge on Spider-Man, he uses Flash as a pawn in his game. He hires Thompson as a truck driver, but forces him to get drunk and drive it through Peter's classroom at Mid-Town High. As a result, he is in a coma and has massive brain damage. He is in the custody and care of Peter Parker, who feels incredibly guilty for his condition.