Stingray (comics)

Stingray
Stingray. Art by Lee Weeks.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(As Walter Newell) Tales to Astonish #95 (Sep. 1967) (As Stingray) Sub-Mariner #19 (Nov. 1969)
Created by	Roy Thomas Bill Everett
In-story information
Alter ego	Dr. Walter Newell
Team affiliations	Avengers Defenders Heroes for Hire The Initiative
Abilities	Courtesy of battlesuit: superhuman strength; durability; enhanced swimming and stored air for underwater exploration; gliding and generate electrical bolts

Stingray (Walter Newell) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

The character first appears as Walter Newell in Tales to Astonish #95 (Sep. 1967) and as Stingray in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #19 (Nov. 1969).

Fictional character biography

Walter Newell first appears in the title Tales to Astonish as an oceanographer working for the United States government. The character encounters the hybrid hero Namor, the Sub-Mariner and his lover, Lady Dorma, whilst supervising the construction of a domed sub-sea city whose purpose is to harvest food for mankind. The city, however, is destroyed by the villain the Plunderer.^[1] Newell becomes a perennial character in the title Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner and aids the hero and Dorma against the villain Tiger Shark^[2] and is coerced by the government into investigating the disappearance of water from the Earth's oceans. This is attributed to aliens who are believed to be in league with Namor. Ordered to capture Namor, Newell develops a suit based on the form of the sea creature the manta ray, and as Stingray captures Namor, who was weakened at the time. Newell, however, believes Namor to be innocent and allows him to escape.^[3]

Stingray aids Namor and the Inhuman Triton against a group of Atlanteans who destroy an ocean liner and falsely claim to have done so for Namor. The culprit is revealed to be Atlantean warlord Attuma, who is eventually defeated.^[4] Stingray assists Namor in a search for his father, Leonard Mackenzie, with Mackenzie being accidentally killed in a battle with villains Llyra and Tiger Shark.^[5]

After brief appearances in titles the Hulk^[6] and Defenders respectively,^[7] Newell becomes a regular guest-star in the title Marvel Two-In-One. The character moves his oceanographic facilities and research to Hydro-Base, an artificial island previously used by the insane ecologist Dr. Hydro (occupied by Dr. Henry Croft and the passengers of an airplane, who were captured by Hydro and changed into merfolk known as the Hydro-Men).^[8] As Stingray, Newell aids Fantastic Four member the Thing; Triton and heroine the Scarlet Witch against the villains the Serpent Squad and company Roxxon Oil to prevent them from obtaining the artifact the Serpent Crown.^[9] Stingray is present when Mister Fantastic cures Croft and the other passengers, and aids the Thing, and Inhumans Gorgon and Karnak against Maelstrom's Minions, who steal a dose of the healing compound.^[10]

Newell marries Diane Arliss, the sister of Todd Arliss (the real name of villain Tiger Shark)^[11] and leased part of Hydro-Base to superhero team the Avengers, and becomes an associate member of the team.^[12] During the first Armor Wars storyline, Avenger Iron Man confronts Stingray, mistakenly believing that Newell's suit was based on technology stolen from Stark Enterprises, forcing Stark to publicly fire Iron Man to protect his company from being affected by his current actions.^[13] Stingray aids the Avengers when Hydro-Base is invaded by Heavy Metal, a team of robot villains (the Super-Adaptoid; Machine Man; Awesome Android; TESS-One and the Kree Sentry 459).^[14]

During the Acts of Vengeance storyline the Hydro-Base is damaged and sinks, with Stingray aiding the Avenger Quasar in a salvage operation,^[15] and then joining a group of reserve Avengers in a battle against the Mad Thinker's Awesome Android.^[16] In the title Marvel Comics Presents Stingray encounters now-brother-in-law Tiger Shark and after a battle work together to save Diane Arliss, who is trapped after a cave-in.^[17] The character aids the Avengers; Canadian super team Alpha Flight and the People's Protectorate during The Crossing storyline^[18] and with Namor battles a subterranean army.^[19]

After featuring in a Marvel Comics Presents solo story^[20] the character appears in the first storyline of the third volume of the title the Avengers^[21] and in the title Mutant X.^[22] Stingray aids the Avengers in an extended storyline against futuristic villain Kang the Conqueror;^[23] appears in the limited series Avengers/Thunderbolts^[24] and the final issues of the third volume of the Avengers.^[25]

During the Civil War storyline, Stingray is a member of the Secret Avengers - led by Captain America - who oppose the Superhuman Registration Act.^[26] After Captain America's arrest and subsequent death, Stingray accepts Tony Stark's (Iron Man's alter ego) offer of a full pardon, and joins The Initiative.^[27]

The character appears in another solo story in the second volume of Marvel Comics Presents^[28] and in an ongoing basis in the title Avengers: The Initiative.^[29]

Powers and abilities

Walter Newell designed and wears the Stingray battlesuit, an armored exoskeleton suit composed of a superhard artificial cartilage designed mainly for underwater use. The Stingray battlesuit enhances his strength and durability to superhuman levels, which allow him to operate within the crushing pressures of the ocean depths. His suit is equipped with an oxygen-diffusing system providing breathable air almost indefinitely, allowing him to breathe underwater. The suit also gives him enhanced swimming speed and its streamlined wings allow him to glide through air for great distances. The suit's chief offensive weapon is a powerful electrical discharge device built into the exoskeleton, able to project bolts of up to 20,000 volts through air or water and released through the gloves.

Walter Newell has a gifted intellect, and has a Ph. D. in oceanography. He is an experienced oceanographer, and a skilled inventor of experimental oceanographic equipment.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse reality, Stingray is the captain of the submarine Excalibur which transports refugees to Avalon.^[30]

Marvel Zombies

Stingray is seen as part of the zombified horde of heroes in Ultimate Fantastic Four.^[31]

Mutant X

In the Mutant X reality, Stingray is a member of the Defenders. Stingray was on a mission in Atlantis when the Sentinels attack Avengers Mansion. He joined up with the Defenders to keep the Goblin Queen from getting into the Nexus of All Realities.^[32]

In other media

Television

• Stingray appears in the Iron Man episode "Armor Wars" Pt. 2, voiced by Tom Rane. Stingray is a army naval command officer who can use the water and air surroundings to his advantages. Iron Man targets him for his armor when it was thought that it had stolen Stark Armor invention. When Iron Man takes down Stingray and places a power negator (machines that were created to disable his stolen technology) on him, it turned out that Stingray's suit didn't have tech from the Stark Armor designs.

References

External links

• Stingray at Marvel.com