Constrictor (comics)
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Constrictor is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a mercenary who has occasionally acted in a manner closer to an anti-hero. He first appeared in Incredible Hulk #212 (1977).
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Frank Payne was an agent of the international espionage organization S.H.I.E.L.D., and the father of an adult daughter, Mia. When SHIELD needed a costumed "supervillain" to go undercover in the criminal organization called the Corporation, Frank was given a snake-themed costume and a pair of wrist-mounted electrified metal coils. Using the false identity of Frank Schlicting and the codename of "Constrictor", he infiltrated the group, only to suffer a nervous breakdown and become a career criminal in earnest. As a result of his defection, SHIELD allowed his daughter to believe that he had died. As the Constrictor, "Schlicting" debuted in combat against the Hulk, and would remain an independent mercenary and criminal after the dissolution of the Corporation. He battled numerous heroes over the years, including repeated encounters with Captain America, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and the Thing. Although Luke Cage and Nick Fury eventually uncovered Payne's former identity, he chose to retain the Schlicting alias and to allow his daughter to believe that her father was dead.
Constrictor was also invited to join the Serpent Society, which he turned down and subsequently tried to turn them over to the Avengers. Anaconda later exacted revenge on him. While in the hospital recuperating from the beating, he was nearly killed by the Scourge of the Underworld disguised as a nurse.
Constrictor appeared as a supporting character in Deadpool wherein he and Titania moved in with him as his roommates. During their uncomfortable living situation, Constrictor was convinced that Titania was actually a man. It would turn out that he was right that she wasn't what she seemed; but not about her gender as Titania was revealed to actually be the mutant shapeshifter and Deadpool's former lover, Copycat. He was later found to be under the employment of Justin Hammer (sort of). When cutbacks forced his supervisor to lay him off, he responded by brutally attacking him, saying, "I'll show you who's redundant!"
He did join the seventh incarnation of the Masters of Evil. During the Deadpool story arc, it was also revealed that Constrictor had been part of a very short-lived rendition of the Wizard's Frightful Four.
After a severe beating from Hercules, the Constrictor was awarded several million dollars in a lawsuit. Nighthawk, rich himself, convinced the Constrictor that with all his money there was no need to be a criminal anymore, and he has apparently turned over a new leaf and decided to be a hero. He is currently under the employment of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a member of the new Six-Pack. He was most recently seen at an all-superhuman charity poker tournament hosted by the Thing (who also had a hand in the Constrictor's apparent reformation), where Hercules regained at least a large portion of the money he lost to the Constrictor in a non-tournament side game.
[edit] Civil War/The Initiative
The Constrictor has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The Initiative #1. [1]
[edit] Powers and abilities
The Constrictor's primary weapon is a pair of electrified, prehensile, wrist-mounted metal coils. The coils are currently made of vibranium, and were previously made of adamantium. The adamantium coils were stolen from him by Gambit and were subsequently used by Mister Sinister to reinforce Sabretooth's skeleton. The strength of the coils varies based on their construction, but the adamanium coils were powerful enough to lift and even temporarily restrain the Hulk. The vibranium coils have a contact-based aura that suppresses sound: while the coils are wrapped around a target's throat, the victim's voice cannot be heard. The Constrictor's costume is lightly armored and non-conductive, and covers his entire body except for his lower face and chin. Although the Constrictor is a skilled unarmed combatant, he usually relies exclusively on his coils in a fight.
