Can YOU
Name This Marvel Villain??
I don't suppose you'd choose a name like Suprema for yourself if you have low self-esteem. On the contrary, this villain was confident enough to aim high with her ambitions (and, obviously, with her karate chops). Suprema began her career in crime by taking over New York's crime operations, one by one, using what she told her underlings was witchcraft. But she was actually using hypnosis, amplified by technology. After taking over gambling rackets and bringing crime bosses under her control, eventually she grew bold enough to attempt a takeover of S.H.I.E.L.D., by first taking control of Nick Fury and a few of his men:
Unfortunately, that brought Suprema into conflict with Captain America, whose shield deflected the hypnotism technology long enough to escape and do a little research on her. Turns out she and her brother (who wore a necklace to amplify Suprema's abilities) were ex-performers of a hypnotism act. Cap ended up using some signal jamming equipment in Suprema's armed truck to break the spell over Fury and his men, and from there it was just a matter of mopping up Suprema and her hirelings.
We didn't see Suprema again until about 250 issues of Captain America later, where she's been recycled into a character known as Mother Night (this time without the bell bottoms, thank goodness) and working (with her brother) alongside the "Sisters of Sin":
Since she has a gang of bloodthirsty women at her beck and call--including the Red Skull's daughter, the homicidal Sin--her hypnotic abilities take her a little further this time, but Cap again breaks up her operations and hands her and her brother over to the police. Despite some further involvement with the Red Skull and his mercenaries, I think we can safely say that Suprema's career eventually went nowhere.
Wow, talk about an obscure character! And Cap can use his shield to deflect hypnosis? You learn something new every day!
ReplyDeleteThis is great timing as I'm really digging on old Cap and Nick Fury adventures at the moment!
ReplyDeleteThe Sisters of Sin is a great name! With a decent effort I'm sure at least that bit could be salvaged.
Ha ha--when you put it like that, Karen, I guess it does sound ridiculous. :) Cap's shield was just inadvertently deflecting technology which was amplifying Suprema and her brother's hypnotic power--which doesn't sound any more credible, does it? I guess if there's any way to amplify hypnosis with technology, a Marvel story will find it.
ReplyDeleteDan, I'm right with you on the Sisters of Sin. But I think Sin may have left them behind when she went exclusive with Crossbones. Let's hope at least a rock band picks up the name, because it would look great on the charts!