Slither (comics)

Slither (Aaron Salomon) is a fictional character, a snake-like mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Captain America Annual #4 and was created by Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Salomon was recruited, alongside four other mutant men (Burner, Lifter, Peepers, and Shocker), to serve in Magneto's new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

Wanting to exploit a tiny spaceship he had found, Magneto sent the Brotherhood to apprehend the diminutive Mister One, who controlled the large Mister Two. The villains attacked Mister One and Mister Two, and Captain America, in a park. During the battle, Salomon wrapped himself around Captain America, stating, “Slither is my name!, and strangling is my game!”. When S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived, the Brotherhood fled back to headquarters, and Magneto captured Mister One. The Brotherhood was shocked to learn the plot involved the tiny spaceship. When Captain America and Mister Two attacked, Salomon constricted around Mister Two until Mister Two threw Salomon against Lifter. As he prepared to crush Captain America, Mister Two threw Salomon around Lifter, incapacitating him. When Mister One exploded the tiny spaceship, the villains were forced to flee.^[1]

The five mutants, abandoned by Magneto, became mercenaries and were hired by the Mandrill in his scheme to take over the U.S. and given the team name of the Mutant Force, a name they kept in the following years. They attacked a Coloradan Air-Force base with an army of female warriors (under the control of the Mandrill). When the Defenders (Hellcat, Valkyrie, Wasp, and Yellowjacket) attacked, Salomon constricted around Valkyrie, until Yellowjacket zapped him. When things got out of hand, Burner, Lifter, and Peeper were able to escape with a pile of gold and an unconscious Yellowjacket, leaving Salomon and Shocker behind.

The three villains battled the Defenders alongside the women warriors again and rescued their teammates. During the battle, the Wasp hit Salomon with a blast, then Burner’s flames kept Salomon from attacking for a time. Salomon constricted around a fallen Hellcat. After capturing Valkyrie, Hellcat, and the Wasp, they returned to the base, where Mandrill put the women under his control and put Valkyrie in charge of the Mutant Force. The mutants caroused with the controlled women, and Salomon made out with one. After the Wasp escaped, the Mandrill ordered his forces to attack the Air Force again.

In their battle with the army, Salomon wrapped himself around individual soldiers. All the surviving soldiers were rounded up in one building and held under an electrical field created by the Shocker. Nighthawk attacked, and soon the field was shorted out and the Mutant Force was quickly defeated.^[2]

The Mutant Force, still in custody, was brought before a special United States Intelligence Services branch. They agreed to become special government operatives in exchange for full presidential pardons.

After the Hulk invaded a baseball stadium, the Mutant Force was sent in with the army to stop him, and the stadium was evacuated. During the battle, Salomon tried to suffocate the Hulk by constricting around his head, but was thrown aside into Shocker. Valkyrie and Hellcat attacked, and Valkyrie knocked a structure down on the mutants, the Hulk escaped.^[3]

The Mutant Force was called to testify against the Defenders in what they thought was a government inquisition (but was actually the alien Tribunal). Lifter testified about their recent battle with the Defenders.^[4]

No longer working for the government, the Mutant Force (minus Peeper) was recruited by the Secret Empire alongside several other operatives. Mad-Dog was put in charge of the Mutant Force.

Mad-Dog and the Mutant Force were sent in to attack the Defenders at the wedding of Hellcat and the Son of Satan in Greentown, Ohio. During the battle, Salomon restrained the Beast by constricting around him, but the Beast shortly knocked Slither unconscious. The villains were quickly defeated.^[5]

The villains were held in S.H.I.E.L.D. null-fields for questioning. Professor Power arranged for their release while Leviathan created a distraction.

Equipped with special strength-sapping devices, Calley fought alongside the other Secret Empire operatives (Mad Dog, Mutant Force, Leviathan, Seraph, and Harridan) against the Defenders, who were quickly captured.

Mad Dog and the Mutant Force fought off the attacking Defenders while the Secret Empire launched a satellite that would start a world war.

The satellite exploded, and the Defenders quickly defeated the villains.^[6]

Salomon was taken captive aboard the heroes' ship. Nomad, D-Man, and Diamondback were joined by the Falcon. Nomad interrogated Salomon brutally. The heroes landed the ship and ran out, leaving Salomon tied up aboard.^[7]

As part of Viper's group, the Fangs (with Bludgeon, Heat-Ray, and Razorblade) Salomon assisted Viper in another nihilistic plot, to blind every American who owned a TV set. When Viper got captured, she was tortured by the Red Skull's agent, the Iron Monger, who broke Viper's leg. The Fangs, armed with guns and jet-packs, rescued Viper. Back at the base, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Battlestar, and Silver Sable attacked. Salomon constricted around Sable, who stabbed him with several weapons and left him moaning in pain. The heroes successfully stopped the plot.^[8]

Back together with the Mutant Force, Salomon attacked an armored truck for money. The New Warriors noticed and attacked. Speedball bounced an unconscious Salomon into the open truck. All the villains were quickly defeated.^[9]

Powers and abilities

Slither is a mutant whose head greatly resembles that a large snake, and his long neck resembles part of a snake's body. Although the rest of his body is humanoid in shape, he has green scaled skin like a reptile's. He speaks with a pronounced hiss. He often crouches or crawls rather than standing or walking erect. Slither is a fair hand-to-hand combatant, and can wrap his extraordinarily flexible body around an opponent's as a snake can, and constrict himself, exerting suffocating pressure upon his victim. He has superhuman strength and endurance. His main limitation is his emotional dependence on the Viper.

Other versions

Civil War: House of M

Slither was seen as a member of Magneto's army during his rise to power.^[10]

References

External links

• Slither at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe