Black Mamba (comics)

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Black Mamba

Black Mamba, art by Mark Gruenwald.

Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Two-in-One #64 (June 1980)
Created by	Mark Gruenwald Ralph Macchio

Characteristics
Alter ego	Tanya Sealy
Affiliations	BAD Girls, Inc. Serpent Society, Masters of Evil, Femizons, Serpent Squad
Abilities	Darkforce control, Illusion generation, Telepathy

Black Mamba (Tanya Sealy) is a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, most notably a member of the Serpent Society and B.A.D. Girls, Inc. and who first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One #64 (June 1980).

1 History
2 Ultimate Black Mamba
3 Bibliography
4 External Links

[edit] History

Black Mamba was chosen by Roxxon Oil Company to partake in a covert operation to retrieve the mystical Serpent Crown, working together with other snake-themed villains Sidewinder, Anaconda, and Death Adder. The executives at Roxxon decided to surgically implant a special component in her brain which enables her slight telepathic abilities. She also projects a cloud of energy known as darkforce. Using her combined powers to pluck the image of her opponent's loved one out of their mind and then suffocating them with the disguised darkforce, defeating Black Mamba was a definite struggle for the Fantastic Four's Thing during their first mission. She also battled Iron Man while searching for a powerful weapon known as the microscanner.

Black Mamba.

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 B.A.D. 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 embarassed Deadpool when she revealed his darkest fantasy -- to be given a back massage by his partner in crime, Cable. She also fought Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and was shocked to realize her group had been hired by Cable himself. It is presumed that Black Mamba continues to serve with the B.A.D. Girls.

Black Mamba appears along with her friends Diamondback and Asp in Civil War #5 as a member of Captain America's anti-registration group.

[edit] Ultimate Black Mamba

Black Mamba appears in the Ultimate Universe as a member of the Serpent Squad, 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."

[edit] Bibliography

Avengers #274
Cable & Deadpool #20-23
Captain America #307-308, 310-311, 313, 315, 319, 341-342, 365, 367-368, 371, 380-382, 385-397, 411
Captain America v.2 #30-31
Iron Man #160
Marvel Two-in-One #64-65
New Warriors #33-34
Thunderbolts #64, 67, 69, 71
Uncanny X-Men Annual #13