Sharon Ventura

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sharon Ventura

Ben Grimm and Sharon Ventura as She-Thing, after her mutation due to exposure to cosmic rays. Cover to Fantastic Four vol. 1 #317, August 1988. Art by Keith Pollard.

Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Thing #27 (September 1985)
Created by	Mike Carlin, Ron Wilson

Characteristics
Alter ego	Sharon Ventura
Affiliations	Thunderiders
Notable aliases	Ms. Marvel
Abilities	Superhuman strength and durability

Sharon Ventura, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics fictional universe. A superheroine, she also answers to the codename Ms. Marvel (also used by Carol Danvers at times), and has served as a a member of the Fantastic Four and the female wrestlers known as The Grapplers. Created by Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson, she first appeared in The Thing #27 (September 1985).

Sharon Ventura signed up for the Power Broker's program in order to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF). The Power Broker (actually Curtiss Jackson), employed Dr. Karl Malus to create super-powered wrestlers for his competitions. Sharon was unaware of the criminal activities of Jackson or Malus. While boosting their subjects' strength, the pair addicted the subjects to a drug, ensuring their obedience. It has been implied that she was raped while a prisoner of Malus, which caused her to develop an intense hatred and distrust of men. Sharon managed to break free before Malus administered the drug. She adopted the costume which UCWF minder Ann Fraley (Auntie Freeze) had arranged for her, taking the name Ms. Marvel.

Shortly after joining the Fantastic Four, Sharon was mutated by cosmic rays and became a female version of Ben Grimm, a.k.a. the Thing (Fantastic Four #310, Jan. 1988). Although she later returned to her normal appearance, she was again mutated, this time by the revenge-seeking Doctor Doom into a much more monstrous form, and even though she never officially retired her Ms. Marvel moniker, she became informally known as the She-Thing. After a bout of insanity, she joined the Frightful Four briefly, attacking the FF before regaining her sanity and relocating with Fantastic Four associate Wyatt Wingfoot.

Years later, Ms. Marvel had a guest appearance in Marvel Knights #4, a spinoff of the main Fantastic Four book. The appearance established that she was indeed alive and well in the Marvel Universe and her attire implied she was still residing with Wingfoot. Her absence was poked fun at, as she stated that she couldn't believe anybody still had her number.

Sharon Ventura most recently appeared in Fantastic Four #543 (March 2007) in her She-Thing form.

As Ms. Marvel, Sharon had superhuman strength and endurance. In both of her further mutated forms, her physical attributes and durability were greatly magnified.