.gif)
Black Mamba (comics)
Encyclopedia
Black Mamba is a fictional character
, a supervillain
in the Marvel Comics
universe, most notably a member of the Serpent Society
and BAD Girls, Inc.
#64-65 (June–July 1980), and was created by Mark Gruenwald
and Ralph Macchio
. Black Mamba received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
#2, and The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #2.
. A former call girl
, she was chosen under unknown circumstances by Roxxon Oil Company to partake in a covert operation to retrieve the mystical Serpent Crown
. The executives at Roxxon had a device surgically implanted in Sealy's brain which granted her superhuman abilities. Working together with three other snake-themed villains, Sidewinder
, Anaconda
, and Death Adder
, she became a founding member of the Serpent Squad
. During her first mission, Black Mamba nearly overcame the Fantastic Four's
Thing
, but was defeated. She also encountered Iron Man
while searching for a powerful weapon known as the microscanner.
Invited by Sidewinder to join his criminal organization, the Serpent Society
, Black Mamba accepted. Before working with Roxxon, she was a call-girl, and while the money was satisfying, it was not a steady income, so she jumped at the opportunity to earn vast amounts of money with Sidewinder. While in the Serpent Society, Black Mamba gained great friendships in Diamondback
and the Asp
, and also became romantically involved with Sidewinder. During Viper's infiltration of the group, Black Mamba stood loyally with Sidewinder, which Viper was ready to kill her for. When Diamondback turned over a new leaf, it sparked something in Black Mamba. She joined her friends Diamondback and Asp
in forming BAD Girls, Inc.
and worked several mercenary-for-hire missions. She also briefly served in Superia
's all-female group, the Femizons
, but betrayed the group to aid Captain America
and Paladin
. Regardless, she was a villainess and was not above committing evil acts, such as when she led a drugged Hercules
to be ambushed by the Masters of Evil
.
For some time, Black Mamba served in Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil in hopes of a large profit, battling the Thunderbolts
. She eventually went back to the Serpent Society for a very short time, and then left to be with Diamondback and Asp and continue to do missions as the B.A.D. Girls. During one mission, to find the "Dominus Objective," Black Mamba severely embarrassed Deadpool
when she revealed his darkest fantasy—to give a back massage to his partner in crime, Cable
(although her power similarly affected everyone she used it on in this appearance). She also fought Luke Cage
and Iron Fist, and was shocked to realize her group had been hired by Cable himself.
Later Black Mamba and the other BAD Girls were captured by The Mighty Avengers in a New York City street mall. She escaped captivity and was later seen with several other villains in "The Bar With No Name".
, Black Mamba rejoined the Serpent Society. The Society held a number of civilians hostage in a compound in the American Midwest claiming they were protecting themselves from the Skrull
s. However, they were easily defeated by Nova
and his new Nova Corps.
Later, several Serpent Society members including Anaconda, Black Mamba, Bushmaster and Cottonmouth, fought members of the New Avengers in a semi-tropical locale. She was defeated by Captain America
.
Black Mamba is one of the assassins tasked by the Assassins Guild to collect the bounty on Domino's head. She attempts to use her powers on Wolverine, causing him to perceive Mariko. She is later stabbed in the chest by X-23, but ultimately healed by Elixir, albeit to Wolverine's chagrin.
Black Mamba has limited telepathic
abilities that allow her to scan the minds of others nearby. The extent of her telepathy is unrevealed; it is unknown if she possesses other abilities possessed by most telepaths, such as mental communication. She uses this power to extract and project illusions of loved ones into her victims' minds while placing her target in a sedated trance-like state in which they are fixated upon the mental image she has created.
Mamba's second ability allows her to generate a cloud of tangible Darkforce
energy that she uses to ensnare her victim, constricting them with potentially fatal force. The victim, however, is unaware, and views the Darkforce energy as the loved one she has projected into their mind. Trapped in Mamba's ecstatic trance, the victim is completely unaware that they are being strangled and can die in minutes. Mamba can generate Darkforce without first using her telepathic power on an opponent, but with much less efficiency as the target is aware and can avoid the relatively slow-moving Darkforce cloud easier. The full extent of Mamba's control over Darkforce energy has not been revealed. She can also use her Darkforce to surround herself, disguising herself as whomever she wishes to look like. She can use this ability on others, though the field begins to dissipate when it leaves her sight.
Beings with sufficient willpower can break free of Mamba's telepathic grasp, and physical attacks of sufficient force can dispel her Darkforce manifestations. Because of this, Black Mamba usually employs her powers on those who are unaware of her presence.
, a group of female mercenaries. After having the Serpent Crown
stolen from them, they battle the Fantastic Four
. Black Mamba was knocked out of the fight by the Thing
early on, and was taken into custody. After the Thing called the Serpent Squad "freaks" in passing, Black Mamba retaliated in anger by saying he would die alone because he is so sickening. Black Mamba's Ultimate design closely resembles her Earth-616
design, but it is unknown if she commands the darkforce
in this alternate universe. Oddly enough, her real name seems to have been changed to "Janis."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe, most notably a member of the Serpent Society
Serpent Society
The Serpent Society is a fictional organization of snake-themed supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The group was initially formed from the membership of a previous supervillain team, the Serpent Squad. The group, like its predecessor, has been made up of longtime antagonists of Captain...
and BAD Girls, Inc.
BAD Girls, Inc.
B.A.D. Girls, Inc. is a fictional group of female adventurers who all have had criminal records. The group first appeared in Captain America vol. 1 #385. Three of the group's four members were previously members of the Serpent Society...
Publication history
Black Mamba first appeared in Marvel Two-in-OneMarvel Two-in-One
Marvel Two-In-One was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics that featured the Fantastic Four member, the Thing, in a different team-up each issue with a different character. The series continued from the team-up stories starring the Thing in the final two issues of Marvel...
#64-65 (June–July 1980), and was created by Mark Gruenwald
Mark Gruenwald
Mark E. Gruenwald was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler. Gruenwald got his start in comics fandom, publishing his own fanzine, Omniverse, which explored the concept of continuity...
and Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio (comics)
Ralph Macchio is an American comic book editor and writer, who has held many positions at Marvel Comics, including executive editor. Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Man line of comics and the popular Ultimate Marvel line...
. Black Mamba received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#2, and The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #2.
Fictional character biography
Tanya Sealy was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. A former call girl
Call girl
A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
, she was chosen under unknown circumstances by Roxxon Oil Company to partake in a covert operation to retrieve the mystical Serpent Crown
Serpent Crown
The Serpent Crown is a fictional mystical power object which has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It exists within Marvel's main shared universe...
. The executives at Roxxon had a device surgically implanted in Sealy's brain which granted her superhuman abilities. Working together with three other snake-themed villains, Sidewinder
Sidewinder (comics)
Sidewinder is a fictional character, a reformed super villain in the Marvel Comics Universe who first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One #64 and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio.-Fictional character biography:...
, Anaconda
Anaconda (comics)
Anaconda is a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe who was created by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio and first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One #64 in June 1980.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Death Adder
Death Adder (comics)
Death Adder , is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He was one of the original members of the Serpent Society.-Fictional character biography:Roland Burroughs was born in Rochester, New York...
, she became a founding member of the Serpent Squad
Serpent Squad
The Serpent Squad is a fictional mercenary group composed of snake-themed criminals in Marvel Comics. Most often antagonists of Captain America, the roster has changed through various incarnations...
. During her first mission, Black Mamba nearly overcame the Fantastic Four's
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, but was defeated. She also encountered Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
while searching for a powerful weapon known as the microscanner.
Invited by Sidewinder to join his criminal organization, the Serpent Society
Serpent Society
The Serpent Society is a fictional organization of snake-themed supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The group was initially formed from the membership of a previous supervillain team, the Serpent Squad. The group, like its predecessor, has been made up of longtime antagonists of Captain...
, Black Mamba accepted. Before working with Roxxon, she was a call-girl, and while the money was satisfying, it was not a steady income, so she jumped at the opportunity to earn vast amounts of money with Sidewinder. While in the Serpent Society, Black Mamba gained great friendships in Diamondback
Diamondback (comics)
Diamondback is the name of four fictional characters appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Diamondback first appeared in Captain America #310 , written by Mark Gruenwald and illustrated by Paul Neary.-Willis Stryker:The first Diamondback was a foe of Luke Cage...
and the Asp
Asp (comics)
The Asp is a former supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, most notably a member of the Serpent Society and BAD Girls, Inc.. She was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, and first appeared in Captain America vol. 1 #310....
, and also became romantically involved with Sidewinder. During Viper's infiltration of the group, Black Mamba stood loyally with Sidewinder, which Viper was ready to kill her for. When Diamondback turned over a new leaf, it sparked something in Black Mamba. She joined her friends Diamondback and Asp
Asp (comics)
The Asp is a former supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, most notably a member of the Serpent Society and BAD Girls, Inc.. She was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, and first appeared in Captain America vol. 1 #310....
in forming BAD Girls, Inc.
BAD Girls, Inc.
B.A.D. Girls, Inc. is a fictional group of female adventurers who all have had criminal records. The group first appeared in Captain America vol. 1 #385. Three of the group's four members were previously members of the Serpent Society...
and worked several mercenary-for-hire missions. She also briefly served in Superia
Superia
Superia is a fictional character, a misandrist supervillain and criminal scientist in the Marvel Universe. She was created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Rik Levins in Captain America Superia (Dr. Deidre Wentworth) is a fictional character, a misandrist supervillain and criminal scientist in...
's all-female group, the Femizons
Femizons
Femizon may refer to one of two groups owned by Marvel Comics and appearing in their Marvel Universe.The first group to be called Femizons were the women of Femizonia, a gyniarchal future world in an alternate timeline where women had become Amazon-like warriors, ruling over male slaves...
, but betrayed the group to aid Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and Paladin
Paladin (comics)
Paladin is a Marvel Comics character, a mercenary. While he claims that Paladin is his real name, he often goes by the name Paul Denning . Though not precisely a supervillain, his mercenary activities often bring him into conflict with superheroes.-Publication history:Paladin first appeared in...
. Regardless, she was a villainess and was not above committing evil acts, such as when she led a drugged Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
to be ambushed by the Masters of Evil
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a name for a number of fictional supervillain teams that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 , with the lineup continually changing over the years....
.
For some time, Black Mamba served in Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil in hopes of a large profit, battling the Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
. She eventually went back to the Serpent Society for a very short time, and then left to be with Diamondback and Asp and continue to do missions as the B.A.D. Girls. During one mission, to find the "Dominus Objective," Black Mamba severely embarrassed Deadpool
Deadpool (comics)
Deadpool is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and...
when she revealed his darkest fantasy—to give a back massage to his partner in crime, Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
(although her power similarly affected everyone she used it on in this appearance). She also fought Luke Cage
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
and Iron Fist, and was shocked to realize her group had been hired by Cable himself.
Civil War
Black Mamba appears along with her friends Diamondback and Asp as a member of Captain America's anti-registration group. She took part in the final battle of the "war", but did not accept the offer of amnesty that came with Captain America's surrender.Later Black Mamba and the other BAD Girls were captured by The Mighty Avengers in a New York City street mall. She escaped captivity and was later seen with several other villains in "The Bar With No Name".
Secret Invasion
In Secret InvasionSecret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
, Black Mamba rejoined the Serpent Society. The Society held a number of civilians hostage in a compound in the American Midwest claiming they were protecting themselves from the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s. However, they were easily defeated by Nova
Nova (comics)
Nova is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Upon becoming a member of the galaxy's Nova Corps , the youth gained enhanced strength, flight, injury resistance, and a specialized uniform with life support.In May 2011, Nova placed 98th on IGN's Top 100 Comic...
and his new Nova Corps.
Later, several Serpent Society members including Anaconda, Black Mamba, Bushmaster and Cottonmouth, fought members of the New Avengers in a semi-tropical locale. She was defeated by Captain America
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
.
Dark Reign
Black Mamba is revealed as a member of the Initiative's new team for the state of Delaware, the Women Warriors.Black Mamba is one of the assassins tasked by the Assassins Guild to collect the bounty on Domino's head. She attempts to use her powers on Wolverine, causing him to perceive Mariko. She is later stabbed in the chest by X-23, but ultimately healed by Elixir, albeit to Wolverine's chagrin.
Powers and abilities
Black Mamba possesses two separate superhuman abilities which she most often uses in tandem for a unique result. Her powers are both presumably the result of a cranial implant given to her by Roxxon.Black Mamba has limited telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
abilities that allow her to scan the minds of others nearby. The extent of her telepathy is unrevealed; it is unknown if she possesses other abilities possessed by most telepaths, such as mental communication. She uses this power to extract and project illusions of loved ones into her victims' minds while placing her target in a sedated trance-like state in which they are fixated upon the mental image she has created.
Mamba's second ability allows her to generate a cloud of tangible Darkforce
Darkforce
-Description:It is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are attuned to it. There are slight yet inconclusive hints that it may be a corruptive influence of some kind and perhaps even sentient...
energy that she uses to ensnare her victim, constricting them with potentially fatal force. The victim, however, is unaware, and views the Darkforce energy as the loved one she has projected into their mind. Trapped in Mamba's ecstatic trance, the victim is completely unaware that they are being strangled and can die in minutes. Mamba can generate Darkforce without first using her telepathic power on an opponent, but with much less efficiency as the target is aware and can avoid the relatively slow-moving Darkforce cloud easier. The full extent of Mamba's control over Darkforce energy has not been revealed. She can also use her Darkforce to surround herself, disguising herself as whomever she wishes to look like. She can use this ability on others, though the field begins to dissipate when it leaves her sight.
Beings with sufficient willpower can break free of Mamba's telepathic grasp, and physical attacks of sufficient force can dispel her Darkforce manifestations. Because of this, Black Mamba usually employs her powers on those who are unaware of her presence.
Ultimate Black Mamba
Black Mamba appears in the Ultimate Universe as a member of the Serpent SquadSerpent Squad
The Serpent Squad is a fictional mercenary group composed of snake-themed criminals in Marvel Comics. Most often antagonists of Captain America, the roster has changed through various incarnations...
, a group of female mercenaries. After having the Serpent Crown
Serpent Crown
The Serpent Crown is a fictional mystical power object which has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It exists within Marvel's main shared universe...
stolen from them, they battle the Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
. Black Mamba was knocked out of the fight by the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
early on, and was taken into custody. After the Thing called the Serpent Squad "freaks" in passing, Black Mamba retaliated in anger by saying he would die alone because he is so sickening. Black Mamba's Ultimate design closely resembles her Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
design, but it is unknown if she commands the darkforce
Darkforce
-Description:It is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are attuned to it. There are slight yet inconclusive hints that it may be a corruptive influence of some kind and perhaps even sentient...
in this alternate universe. Oddly enough, her real name seems to have been changed to "Janis."