May is Hellfire Club Month! [Archive] - Page 2

worstblogever

05-15-2008, 12:04 PM

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Erik Magnus Lensherr, Magneto –

Former White King of the Hellfire Club I

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #1
First Hellfire appearance: Uncanny X-Men #210
All Hellfire appearances: Uncanny X-Men #210, New Mutants (1st series) #51, Uncanny X-Men #219, New Mutants (1st series) #53-54, 61, Annual #4, #69-71, 73-75, Marvel Comics Presents #78, Uncanny X-Men #275.
Last Appearance: X-Men: Legacy #210
Powers: High electrolyte count in his bloodstream increases his personal bio-magnetic field, which is aligned with Earth’s electromagnetic field to give him total mastery over magnetism, allowing him to (among other things):
- sense nearby metal objects and specific energy signatures
- levitate and manipulate anything containing metal
- release magnetic energy as concessive blasts and protective force fields
- generate intense heat within metal by accelerating the motion of ferrous molecules
- draw forth electrical energy from magnetic fields
- manipulate iron in the bloodstream to cause aneurysms, unconsciousness, or biological ruptures
- increase his power by absorbing electricity or intensely cold temperatures, like a super-conductor.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club:
After witnessing the brutal murder of his family by the Nazis, the man known as Magnus was sent to the Auschwitz death camp where he served in the Sonderkommando, the squad of Jewish men forced to helped their Nazi masters operate the gas chambers, ovens, and fire pits of the camp (Classic X-Men #12). While in Auschwitz, Magnus met a gypsy girl named Magda (New Mutants (vol. 1) #49). Magnus and Magda survived the Holocaust, and later were married. They had a daughter, Anya. Magnus first consciously used his mutant powers when his family was trapped in a burning house. Unable to rescue his daughter from the blaze due to his inexperience, coupled with interference from a mob of angry humans, he angrily unleashed his powers to vengefully slaughter the humans (X-Factor (vol. 1) Annual #4). Terrified, Magda left him, and months later discovered that she was pregnant. Magda presumably died after giving birth to mutant twins at Wundagore Mountain. To shake off his pursuers, Magnus had master forger George Odekirk create the identity of Sinte gypsy Erik Lehnsherr for him (X-Men (vol. 2) #72). Magnus eventually made his way to Israel where he worked as an orderly in a psychiatric hospital near Haifa. He befriended Charles Xavier, with whom he shared lengthy debates, hypothesizing what would happen if humanity were to be faced with a race of super-powered beings. The pair ultimately revealed their true natures to each other when they prevented Nazi war criminal Baron Wolfgang von Strucker from obtaining a large cache of Nazi gold. Causing a cave-in that seemingly killed Strucker, Magnus realized that his and Xavier’s views on mutant/human relations were incompatible and left with the gold. Fearing another Holocaust, he took an aggressive and lethal stance against humanity. Magnus has often expressed the belief that mutants, whom he calls Homo sapiens superior, will eventually be the dominant life form on the planet, and has wavered between wanting to exist in harmony with humans, wanting a separate homeland for mutants, and wanting to enforce his superiority over all humanity (Uncanny X-Men #161).

Calling himself Magneto (Uncanny X-Men #1), Magnus attacked a missile base and battled the X-Men. He then banded together a group he dubbed the Brotherhood of Mutants, later referred to as Evil by the media (Uncanny X-Men #4). Among the assembled members were his children, now the mutants Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto soon found himself opposed by Xavier and his own group, the X-Men. After a battle against the X-Men and the Avengers, Magneto was presumed dead, but managed to survive by using his powers to burrow through the ocean floor into a series of caverns that led him to the secluded Antarctic prehistoric jungle of the Savage Land. There, he used his knowledge of genetic engineering to mutate local savages into super-powered beings he dubbed the Savage Land Mutates (Uncanny X-Men #62-63). Soon after, Magneto was again opposed by the X-Men, and was once more presumed killed in an explosion. Yet again, Magneto survived, finding himself in the Savage Land city known as the Land of the Dead where he discovered a mind-numbing gas that he intended to use against mankind. He projected his astral self to the native peoples, manipulating them into building an airship filled with the gas. His plan was once again foiled by the X-Men, and he fled into the ocean. Rescued by the Mutate Amphibius, Magneto was taken to an island, where Sauron was working on a machine to tap the geothermal energies of the region. Magneto realized that the device could help restore his ailing powers, but was once again opposed by the X-Men and believed dead.

Rescued by Namor the Sub-Mariner, Magneto was taken to Atlantis, where he quickly subjugated the Atlantean army and launched an attack on the surface world. He was opposed by the Fantastic Four, who used a feedback machine to trap him in a cone of his own power. Later freed, Magneto continued his genetic experiments and, using technology abandoned by the Inhumans Phaeder and Maelstrom, he created Alpha, whom he dubbed the Ultimate Mutant. Alpha turned on his creator, however, reducing Magneto and the Brotherhood to infancy (Defenders (vol. 1) #15-16). The baby Magneto was transferred to Muir Island, where geneticist Moira MacTaggert attempted to control Magneto's insane rages by manipulating his DNA so that his body would be better able to tolerate his powers. Magneto was later restored to adulthood by the Shi’ar alien Eric the Red (Uncanny X-Men #104), and initially his psychotic and destructive behavior seemed to return when he attacked the new team of X-Men off of Muir Island, and then kidnapped them, holding them prisoner under a volcano in Antarctica. After battling the X-Men in Antarctica, Magneto retreated to Asteroid M, where his mind began to heal, and MacTaggert's genetic changes began to restore his sanity. Magneto next tried to hold the world hostage to force world peace and disarmament, destroying a Russian city after warning the population to evacuate. He also sank a Russian submarine with all hands onboard after the vessel attacked him. The X-Men once more stopped Magneto, but during the battle Magneto almost killed the young mutant Kitty Pryde, an act that shocked him, and forced him to reevaluate his life (Uncanny X-Men #150). Following the inadvertent destruction of Asteroid M by the extraterrestrial Warlock, Magneto crashed to Earth and was rescued from the ocean by fishing boat captain Aletys "Lee" Forrester who took him to an island within the Bermuda Triangle to recuperate. There, Lee experienced Magneto’s human side and the pair had a brief romance (New Mutants (vol. 1) #21, 23-24, Uncanny X-Men #188). A remorseful Magneto then turned himself over to the World Court to be tried for his crimes, and would have certainly been found guilty if not for the intervention of Fenris, the twin children of Baron Strucker, who sought revenge against Magneto and Xavier for their intervention in their father’s plans years earlier. The courthouse was destroyed, and Magneto and Xavier were left alone as Xavier’s body deteriorated beyond repair. After Xavier’s love Lilandra arrived with the space pirates the Starjammers to heal him with Shi’ar technology, Xavier made Magneto promise to protect their dream and take over as Headmaster of his School. Magneto reluctantly agreed, and came to supervise the fledgling New Mutants team while also joining the X-Men on missions (Uncanny X-Men #200).

worstblogever

05-15-2008, 12:05 PM

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His Life With the Hellfire Club: Seeking an alliance with the Hellfire Club against ever-increasing threats to them both after they worked together to defeat Nimrod (Uncanny X-Men #209), Magneto was offered the role of White King of the Inner Circle (Uncanny X-Men #210). He and the X-Men’s leader Storm, took some time to muse over their offer to join, and did accept (Uncanny X-Men #219) and shared the position of White King within the Club’s Inner Circle.

Magneto would even bring his charges, the New Mutants to the Hellfire Club for a formal party (New Mutants (vol. 1) #53-54), and would consult with its Inner Circle about the threat of Apocalypse (New Mutants (vol. 1) #61) before philosophical differences between Magneto and the Club’s Black King Sebastian Shaw over the events of “Inferno” resulted in Shaw deposed as leader and Magneto assuming the unique position of Grey King (New Mutants (vol. 1) #73-75).

In the Savage Land, Magneto kills Zaladane, concluding a storyline that ran through Uncanny X-Men #269, 274-275. This act causes him to revert back to the "old, villainous" Magneto. He thinks that he only tried to impersonate Xavier and that he had to fail. He leaves, seeking his purpose in liberating mutants from being oppressed by humanity as well as people like Zaladane or the Hellfire Club. Although he does not officially resign, this qualifies as quitting.

His Life Since the Hellfire Club: There, he was approached by a group called the Acolytes, who begged him to intervene in the civil war between mutants and humans on the island nation of Genosha. Magneto agreed, and when the X-Men intervened, the Acolytes captured them and they were brought to Asteroid M to be reprogrammed. The process was a failure, however, and during the ensuing battle, Magneto was severely injured. The Acolyte Fabian Cortez, who claimed to be healing Magneto, was actually using his power-amplification ability to mask Magneto’s pain, weakening him in the process. Cortez further betrayed his lord when he triggered the nuclear missiles Magneto had set up around the asteroid. It took all of Magneto's power to keep the base from blowing up, but the damage was too severe. While the X-Men escaped, Magneto and the remaining Acolytes crashed to Earth. Months later, the wreckage was discovered, but Magneto was missing. He later returned, stronger than ever, to a larger, more fanatical following of Acolytes, and co-opted the remains of Graymalkin, the space station belonging to the mutant future soldier Cable, into a new orbital base he called Avalon. When Magneto threatened the Earth once more, Xavier and the X-Men journeyed to Avalon where, after physically pulling all of the Adamantium out of Wolverine's body, his mind was wiped by Xavier and he remained on Avalon in a vegetative state (X-Men (vol. 2) #25). When a battle between the extra-dimensional Holocaust and the Acolytes’ new leader Exodus destroyed Avalon, then-Acolyte and former X-Man Colossus placed Magneto in an escape pod which crashed to Earth.

For a time it was believed that the man called Joseph was a rejuvenated Magneto, but this theory was disproved when, after the X-Men were returning from an intergalactic mission, Magneto forced their spaceship to crash in Antarctica near his old base and, posing as Erik the Red, placed Gambit on trial for his role in the infamous mutant Morlock Massacre. Upon sentencing Gambit, Magneto destroyed his former base and left, leaving the X-Men to ponder the revelations about Gambit (Uncanny X-Men #350). He then went back into hiding, emerging only briefly to kill the forger Odekirk. After a few more weeks of preparation, Magneto launched his next offensive in the form of an electromagnetic pulse that spread across the globe. This time, he was attacked by Astra, a former member of the original Brotherhood and the creator of Joseph, who was revealed to be a clone created after Astra found and healed Magneto following the fall of Avalon so as to use his DNA. She intended for the clone to kill Magneto, but he proved too resourceful and was only injured while the clone became amnesiac. Astra had Joseph attack Magneto while he was controlling the Earth’s magnetosphere, which severely disrupted Earth’s magnetic field and forced Magneto to fight against becoming pure electromagnetic energy. The intervention of the X-Men distracted him, however, leaving Joseph to fix the magnetosphere. Magneto was briefly subdued by the X-Men as Joseph made the ultimate sacrifice to destroy his template's machines (X-Men (vol. 2) #87), but before the battle could resume, the United Nations offered Magneto sovereignty over Genosha in return for some security considerations and a promise never to initiate hostilities against the nations of the world. Magneto accepted, but subsequently discovered that his powers were again failing him.

Magneto set about consolidating both his mutant and political power, but faced opposition from the renegade Mutate Zealot, his son Quicksilver, and Rogue. After Magneto defeated Zealot’s forces, Rogue left, and he had his Acolyte Voght manipulate Quicksilver into staying as a member of the cabinet, in the hope that he would at last learn to be a loyal son. Soon after, Magneto was revealed to be a member of the Twelve, a group of mutants supposedly destined to usher in a golden age for mutantkind. He and the others were captured by the eternal mutant Apocalypse, who sought to usurp the power of the Twelve for himself; however, Magneto’s weakness short-circuited the machine. In the ensuing clash, Magneto discovered that he could commandeer the magnetic powers of the mutant heroine Polaris and use them as his own. When Apocalypse was defeated, Magneto returned to Genosha with Polaris, and began teaching her to expand her control, while using her as a front for his own power. Over the next six months, Magneto managed to rebuild much of the war-torn country, but a rebellion in Carrion Cove proved a thorn in his side. The rebels had discovered technology in the city that they felt could not be allowed to fall into Magneto’s hands, namely a genetic manipulation chamber from the process once used to create the Genoshan Mutates which would allow Magneto to restore himself to full power. Though the U.N., rogue Acolytes, Cortez, the Avengers, and Polaris all opposed him, Magneto tore down the city as a distraction to allow him to access the chamber and restore his DNA, making him more powerful than ever before. (Magneto: Dark Seduction #1-4).

With an army of mutants at his disposal following the deadly Legacy Virus being cured, Magneto declared war on mankind. Yet again, Magneto was opposed by the X-Men, and in the ensuing clash he was severely injured by Wolverine. Recuperating, Magneto was powerless to prevent Sentinels controlled by Xavier’s genetic twin Cassandra Nova from decimating the island (New X-Men (vol. 1) #115). Magneto was again believed dead, and after a recording purported to contain his last words was found, mutant supremacist ideals became widespread in the mutant community, with some adoring him as a martyr of the mutant cause.

Magneto seemingly returned with a vengeance, apparently infiltrating the Xavier Institute as the mutant healer Xorn, co-opting the Special Class as his new Brotherhood, and launching an attack on Manhattan. Killing Jean Grey before being killed in turn by Wolverine, it was later revealed that this Magneto was an imposter (New X-Men (vol. 1) #150).

The true Magneto was revealed to still be in Genosha, where he joined Xavier in rebuilding the shattered nation. (Excalibur (vol. 2) #1-13). Following the dissolution of the Avengers after the Scarlet Witch suffered an apparent breakdown, Magneto rushed to her aid (Avengers (vol. 1)#503). When the X-Men and a new Avengers team met to discuss her fate, it seemed as though Magneto coerced her into altering reality, creating a world where mutants were the dominant species and lived openly without fear with himself as ruler. It was later revealed that Magneto's son Quicksilver was the one who actually convinced the Scarlet Witch to alter reality, in an attempt to appease their father, as well as the X-Men and Avengers who threatened to put the Scarlet Witch down. Following the events of "M-Day," Magneto has apparently lost his mutant powers. Rather than kill him, Wolverine decided to let him live the rest of his life as the thing he hates the most... a human (House of M #8).

Since “House of M”, Magneto has come out on top with no powers in two separate run-ins with mutants so far. The first, being when he managed to retrieve the diary of the precognitive Morlock, Qwerty, out from under the nose of Masque and his terrorist Morlocks, and the X-Men, having it handed it to him by former Acolyte and current S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sally “Skids” Blevins (Uncanny X-Men #491). His second encounter would be with his former Acolytes, when he helped revive a comatose Charles Xavier, only to have to fight his onetime trusted disciple Joanna Cargill, Frenzy. He wielded a surgical layer on Frenzy’s eye that went directly to her brain, knocking her out completely. He, Xavier, and Karima Shandipar would then leave the Acolyte's compound after Xavier bested Exodus in psychic combat (X-Men: Legacy #208-210).

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What did you think of Magneto’s time as the White King of the Hellfire Club? Would you like to see the current Magneto return and work under his former student, the current Lord Imperial, Sunspot within its ranks, and oppose Sebastian Shaw’s attempts to retake that position?

timbox

05-15-2008, 04:39 PM

Magneto was Wrong!

worstblogever

05-15-2008, 04:41 PM

Magneto was Wrong!

Them's fightin' words!

Don't ask me who's gonna fight you over them. :redface:

timbox

05-15-2008, 04:44 PM

Them's fightin' words!

Don't ask me who's gonna fight you over them. :redface:

Nobody will dare because of my superior debating skills. Not one person has posted any evidence that Magneto wasn't wrong.

:evilsmile:

worstblogever

05-15-2008, 04:47 PM

Nobody will dare because of my superior debating skills. Not one person has posted any evidence that Magneto wasn't wrong.

:evilsmile:

He slept with Janet Van Dyne.

Monty_Cristo

05-15-2008, 05:18 PM

What did you think of Harry Leland? Was he the perviest of the Hellfire Club, hands down? How involved was he in helping Emma Frost rise to power, and what did he gain from it? Since their powers are so similar, do you think he was Shinobi Shaw’s real father?[/B]

i think he really was Shinobi's deadbeat dad. and i think Brendan Gleeson should play him should he ever appear in an x-movie.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2662766848/nm0322407

He slept with Janet Van Dyne.

she liked his dimples.

Dagger

05-15-2008, 11:21 PM

He slept with Janet Van Dyne.
It was the 80's, and she made far worse mistakes than that. Did you see her Molecule Man outfit she was wearing around that time?

worstblogever

05-16-2008, 01:11 AM

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Mindmeld –

Hired Mercenary of Shinobi Shaw and Hellfire Club II

First Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #67.
Hellfire Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #67. Unknown if Shinobi had plans for Mindmeld within the Inner Circle, however.
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #67.
Powers: Mindmeld is a mutant with the ability to displace brain wave patterns of himself or others, to affectively get them to switch bodies.

His/Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His/Her time working for the Hellfire Club: Along with Clear-Cut, a swordsman, Mindmeld was employed by Shinobi Shaw as a personal bodyguard and protector. Mindmeld had the ability to displace the brain wave patterns of him/herself and others, allowing him to swap bodies with others, or switch two other individuals’ bodies with each other.. He/She has also bragged about switching minds of his enemies with those of animals, such as rats. When X-Force interfered on Shinobi's plans, Mindmeld used his powers to switch the bodies of the X-Force, giving his group the advantage. After Clear-Cut's betrayal, Mindmeld immediately attacked him, placing his mind into his former ally's. He then proceeded to knock himself out, and when he awoke, he found himself in the laboratory of Dr. Graves. Shinobi was willing to test his machine on Clear-Cut, despite still having Mindmeld currently in his body. He eventually returned to his own body, but found an inhibitor collar around his neck, placed by Meltdown, who then proceeded to knock him unconscious. It is unknown if he returned to the service of Shinobi Shaw after he was betrayed, or if he retained his powers after Decimation.

What did you think of Mindmeld? Was his/her power just a generic excuse to have a body-swap? Was it great to see a totally androgynous villain?

Jack Flash

05-16-2008, 06:24 AM

worstblogever

05-16-2008, 10:24 AM

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Ororo Munroe, Storm –

White King of the Hellfire Club I (title shared with Magneto)

First appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1
All Hellfire appearances: New Mutants (1st series) #51
Last Appearance: X-Men: Divided We Stand #1
Powers: Did not possesses powers at the time of her alliance with the Club. Normally, she is psychically linked to the weather patterns of Earth, allowing her to sense shifts in her environment and command meteorological energy patterns to:
- raise or lower temperature levels
- direct air currents as hurricane-force winds or to maneuver herself through the sky
- excite electron particles to call down lightning bolts or fire electrical blasts from her fingertips
- summon clouds as fog cover or
- to bring forth precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, and hail
- and alter her body temperature to compensate for weather conditions.

Her life prior to joining the Hellfire Club: Ororo Monroe is the descendant of an ancient line of African priestesses, all of whom have white hair, blue eyes, and the potential to wield magic. Her mother, N'dare, was an African princess who married American photojournalist David Monroe and moved with him to Manhattan, where Ororo was born. When Ororo was six months old, she and her parents moved to Cairo, Egypt. Five years later, during the Arab-Israeli conflict, a plane crashed into their home. Ororo's parents were killed, but she survived, buried under rubble near her mother's body. The resultant trauma left Ororo with severe claustrophobia that still affects her today. Ororo managed to escape the rubble of her shattered home with nothing but the tattered clothes on her back and her mother's ancestral ruby. Homeless and orphaned, Ororo was found by a gang of street urchins who took her to their master, Achmed el-Gibar. Achmed trained Ororo in the arts of thievery and she soon became his prize pupil, excelling in picking both pockets and locks (Uncanny X-Men #102, 113). During her time in Cairo, Ororo picked the pocket of an American tourist. The man proved no easy mark, however, as he was Charles Xavier, a powerful mutant telepath who used his abilities to stop the theft. At that moment, Xavier was psionically attacked by another mutant, the Shadow King, and Ororo used the opportunity to escape (Uncanny X-Men #117). Years later, feeling a strong urge to wander south, Ororo left Cairo. During her travels, Ororo naïvely accepted a ride from a complete stranger and was almost raped by him. Forced to defend herself, Ororo killed the man. From that moment, she swore never to take another human life (Uncanny X-Men #267). Ororo wandered for thousands of miles, almost dying during her trek across the Sahara Desert. Her mutant ability to psionically control the weather emerged soon after, and she was able to use them to rescue T'Challa, a prince of the African nation of Wakanda, from his would-be kidnappers. The pair spent much time together, however T'Challa's duties as a prince prevented them from further exploring their burgeoning mutual attraction (Marvel Team-Up #100, Black Panther #26). Finally, Ororo reached her ancestors' homeland on the Serengeti Plain in Kenya (Uncanny X-Men #226). She was taken in by an elderly tribal woman named Ainet who taught her to be responsible with her powers (X-Men (vol. 2) #76-77). Ororo soon came to be the object of worship of the local tribes who believed her to be a goddess due to her gift. Years later, Ororo was forced to battle the threat of a fellow mutant weather manipulator known as Deluge, who sought revenge against humanity. With the help of several members of the team of mutant heroes known as the X-Men. Deluge was seemingly destroyed and Ororo returned to her life amongst the tribal people (X-Men: The Hidden Years #5-7). The X-Men subsequently told their founder, Professor Xavier, about Storm but he declined to contact her at this point, not wanting to shock the young woman with the true nature of her powers.

Months later, however, Xavier was left with no choice but to recruit Storm and other mutants from around the world into the X-Men in order to rescue his original students from the threat of the sentient island being known as Krakoa (Giant Size X-Men #1). Xavier explained to Ororo that she was not a "goddess", but a mutant, and as such she had a responsibility to use her abilities to help the world just as she had helped the local tribes. Curious, Ororo accepted Xavier's offer, and was given the codename "Storm". Storm was initially very naïve when it came to the customs of the modern world, but her teammate Jean Grey helped educate her in the ways of society and the pair formed a lasting friendship. Jean was also one of the first X-Men to learn of Storm's claustrophobia after the two women chased a thief into the subway (Classic X-Men #2,4). Notable during her early adventures with the X-Men, was her first run in with the Hellfire Club, where Emma Frost was ready to use her telepathy to pry her mind for information that would have likely left Ororo a vegetable. The intervention of Phoenix, however, prevented this from happening. (Uncanny X-Men #129-131). After serving with the team for many years, Storm was appointed leader of the team following the departure of former leader Cyclops after the apparent death of Jean (Uncanny X-Men #139). Storm was initially unsure about her new role, but with the support of her teammates she soon became a capable leader. A second run-in with the Hellfire Club, and Emma Frost would prove nearly as traumatic as the first for Ororo, when Emma Frost would use a device to switch bodies and powers with her. (Uncanny X-Men #151-152). When Cyclops eventually returned to the team, Storm found herself doubting her leadership abilities once more after a mission she led went wrong. However, she soon asserted her position, reminding Cyclops that she was now team leader (Uncanny X-Men #161).

Soon after, the X-Men encountered the underground community of mutants known as the Morlocks who had kidnapped one of their former members, Angel. To save her friend, Storm challenged the Morlock leader Callisto to a duel and bested her in hand-to-hand combat. As a result, Storm became leader of the Morlocks and she ordered them to cease their hostilities against the surface-dwelling humans (Uncanny X-Men #169-170). When the X-Men later travelled to Japan to attend the wedding of their team member Wolverine, Storm first met the ninja named Yukio. A friend of Wolverine's, Yukio was the most care free spirit that Ororo had ever met and the two became fast friends. Yukio influenced a major rebellious change in Storm's attitude towards life, and she took to wearing leather and shaved her hair into a Mohawk (Uncanny X-Men #172-173). Storm later had her powers accidentally neutralized by a gun invented by the mutant machinesmith named Forge, who took it upon himself to nurse Storm back to health (UncaNny X-Men #185). During her convalescence, Storm and Forge fell in love but their relationship was cut short after Storm learned Forge had created the device that stripped her of her powers (Uncanny X-Men #186-188). Storm returned to the X-Men to find herself being challenged to a duel for leadership of the team by Cyclops. Despite her still being powerless, she won and Cyclops quit the team (Uncanny X-Men #201).

Her Time In the Hellfire Club: Soon after, after a battle in Central Park against Nimrod, the X-Men and the Hellfire Club formed an alliance to combat the growing threats against mutants that saw Storm share the position of White King with a reformed Magneto (Uncanny X-Men #208-210, (New Mutants (vol. 1) #51) The alliance was to be short-lived, however, after Storm decided that in order to safeguard their friends and families from their many enemies, the X-Men must fake their deaths and become an underground proactive strikeforce. Thus, the alliance never truly was utilized by the X-Men.

worstblogever

05-16-2008, 10:25 AM

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After her time in the Hellfire Club: Soon Storm realized that she needed her powers restored and so she sought out Forge for his help. She found Forge's old mentor Nazé instead, who informed her that Forge had been corrupted by his nemesis, the Adversary, and was seeking to destroy the world. Unbeknownst to Storm, the Adversary had actually corrupted Nazé. When Storm finally located Forge, she found him atop a mountain seemingly opening a dimensional portal filled with demons. Storm struck Forge down, and only then realized he had been attempting to close the portal, not open it. The Adversary then trapped Storm and Forge in the other dimension and seized control of Dallas, warping time and space in order to foment chaos on Earth. Storm and Forge spent a year on an alternate Earth, during which time they made peace and admitted their love for one another. Forge used components from his cybernetic leg to fashion a new device that restored Storm's powers which she then used to energize a portal back to their own world. They rejoined the X-Men in time to defeat the Adversary, imprisoning him at the cost of their own lives. However, the Omniversal Guardian named Roma restored the X-Men to life, freeing the Adversary under the notion that there could be no order without chaos. The X-Men were reformed a short time later into two separate strike teams, with Cyclops and Storm as co-leaders. Forge aided both teams as their resident technician, however this left little time for them to rekindle their relationship. Forge still asked Storm to marry him, but she hesitated on giving a reply. Forge was left thinking she did not truly love him and he left before she could respond with a "yes" (Uncanny X-Men #220-227).

Long after, Storm and five of her teammates formed a splinter group of X-Men, cutting all ties with the rest of the team to search for the diaries of the blind mutant seer Destiny that mapped the future of mutants. During her subsequent recuperation, which required her to undertake physical therapy to heal injuries to her back and legs in battle with the inter-dimensional warlord Khan, Storm and her team were asked back to the mansion to rejoin the core X-Men team. Storm declined, however, believing that there was still work for her team to do. During a world summit to address the increasing hostilities between humans and mutants, Storm offered her X-Men team's services to the United Nations as a global mutant police force, the X-Treme Sanctions Executive. Storm's first mission would be a solo one as she was charged with infiltrating and exposing an underground slave trading network that forced mutants to fight in gladiator-style arenas. Soon after, Storm and her team returned to Westchester to help rebuild the mansion following an attack by Magneto and stayed on to continue their new direction. With the XSE, Ororo and her teammates opposed such threats as the Weaponeers and the extradimensional Fury, as well as aiding the Hellfire Club against an attack by rogue member Donald Pierce (X-Treme X-Men #1-46).

Ororo also accompanied Havok’s X-Men team to Africa to investigate animal mutations. Alongside the Black Panther, Ororo and the X-Men opposed Genoshan scientist Doctor Paine and the Russian criminal the Red Ghost, after which Ororo opted to leave the X-Men and remain in Africa. Following the restoration of reality after it was warped by the Scarlet Witch, the majority of the world’s mutants lost their powers and Ororo sought to safeguard those mutants remaining in Africa. During her efforts, Ororo was proposed to by the Black Panther. Returning to Wakanda with him, Ororo met his mother and, while contemplating T’Challa’s proposal, learned that her uncle Shetani was responsible for the attacks on African mutants. After confronting him, Ororo met her maternal grandmother and learned more of her family’s history. Subsequently, she accepted T’Challa’s proposal and the pair were married in Wakanda. After their honeymoon, the royal couple embarked on a world tour, meeting with global leaders such as Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner before deciding to form a global alliance to oppose the U.S. Superhuman Registration Act. Arriving in the U.S., T’Challa and Ororo sought a meeting with the President; however, Ororo was required to register as a superhuman before the meeting could proceed. Refusing, Ororo was subsequently targeted for arrest, and alongside her husband opposed Sentinels and Iron Man sent to apprehend her. After Iron Man stood down, Ororo and T’Challa opted to remain in the U.S. on a fact-finding mission prior to taking action against the Registration Act.

After the Civil War, Ororo and T’Challa were granted membership in the Fantastic Four while Reed and Sue Richards took a vacation to salvage their marriage, and had many adventures together before Storm returned to the X-Men during “Messiah CompleX” to battle with her old friends against the allied Marauders and Acolytes.

What did you think of Storm as a member of the Hellfire Club? Do you find it ironic that a woman who once held the title of White King now is a Black Queen in Wakanda? Were you hoping Storm would have been involved more with the Hellfire Club?

Home made ectoplasm

05-16-2008, 11:09 AM

Work it Harry! I love me a blond bear with a dirty mind!

Good news! He's got a look-alike that showed up this week in X-Men: Legacy.

I'm guessing it was an artistic error, but leaves Carey or anyone else to bring back the classic Hellfire line up.

And New Mutans #51 - Storm as White King - gotta be a Claermont written issue, surely?

worstblogever

05-16-2008, 11:20 AM

I'm guessing it was an artistic error, but leaves Carey or anyone else to bring back the classic Hellfire line up.

And New Mutans #51 - Storm as White King - gotta be a Claermont written issue, surely?

Correct on CC's pet character moment, yeah. Click on the link for the full details on the creative team.

http://www.comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=4640

Matt K

05-16-2008, 12:47 PM

Storm as White King was silly.

Harry was an awesome character. It's too bad he didn't have the lasting appeal of Emma.

Magneto would make a decent addition to the Inner Circle now that he seemingly has nothing else to do (no mutants = nothing to really fight for)

worstblogever

05-17-2008, 10:46 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/1/19/N.Osborn.jpg

Norman Osborn (Green Goblin I) –

Member of the Hellfire Club

First Appearance: Amazing Spiderman (1st series) #14All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #73
Last Appearance: Thunderbolts #120.
Powers and Equipment: Norman Osborn draws increased physical power from his "Goblin Formula". It augments his strength, endurance, intelligence, and recuperative abilities. His costume is equipped with electrostatic blasters in his gauntlets, a "bag of tricks" carrying razor bats, pumpkin bombs and ghost heads filled with explosives or noxious gases. His goblin glider enables him to fly.

His life before the Hellfire Club: Norman Osborn was the son of industrialist Ambrose Osborn, born in Hartford, Connecticut. Although he is a brilliant student in the fields of science, his alcoholic father loses control of his company, and turns on his family. Traumatized, the young Osborn kills the family dog, considering it another mouth to feed. In college, wherein he studies chemistry and electricaly engineering, Norman Osborn meets his sweetheart Emily, gets married, and eventually has a son, Harry. In his adulthood, he co-founds a major firm with Dr. Mendell Stromm, Osborn Industries, of which he is owner and president. Osborn finds that Stromm is embezzling from the company and then searches his possessions, discovering an experimental strength/intelligence enhancement formula. While he is researching his work, Emily becomes ill and dies. This tragedy pushes Osborn to work harder, and he barely has time for Harry. Unbeknownst to Norman, Harry has tampered with the formula beforehand, so when Osborn attempts to create the serum, it turns green and explodes in his face. The accident greatly increases his intelligence and strength, but also drives him insane.

Osborn adopts the bizarre identity of the Green Goblin, based on a monster he feared in his childhood, with the goal of becoming the boss of the city's organized crime. He intends to cement his position in the city by defeating Spider-Man in order to enhance his reputation. To this end, he creates a personal flying device, which starts in a broomstick-like shape and evolves into his Goblin Glider. He also develops explosive weapons resembling pumpkins, sharp shuriken-like Razor-Bats, and gloves which fire energy blasts from the finger tips. Thus equipped, the Green Goblin then sets out to achieve his twin goals. Osborn hires the Enforcers to kill Spider-Man at a bogus new Mexico movie set. The Enforcers fail, but the Goblin defeats Spider-Man in battle. The Green Goblin later fights Spider-Man and the Human Torch to a standstill. The Green Goblin continues to try to carry out his goals, only to be thwarted at every turn by Spider-Man. Frustrated, the Goblin decides to lie low until he is sure his enemy's guard is down. When he is ready, he arranges to have Spider-Man exposed to a special gas designed to suppress his spider sense. With that done, Goblin shadows him until he learns he was really Peter Parker, a classmate of his son Harry. After capturing him, Osborn in turn reveals his own identity to Peter and rants about his origin and his intentions of killing his greatest enemy, before releasing Peter to do battle. Peter defeats Osborn, who loses his memory and has his costume destroyed by Spider-Man to eliminate this menace.

For a long while, the Goblin personality periodically re-emerges in Osborn to bedevil Spider-Man, only to be forced down in turn when he is defeated. Finally, the Goblin takes control one final time and threatens the love of Spider-Man's life, Gwen Stacy, by kidnapping her and taking her to the top of the George Washington Bridge. During the resulting battle, the Goblin commits one of his most brutal crimes: pushing Gwen from the bridge. Spider-Man's attempt to save her with his webbing catches her ankle, but her neck snaps from the fall. With blood in his eyes, Spider-Man pursues the Green Goblin for revenge but manages to control himself after defeating him in battle. In a final attempt to kill him, the Goblin tries to spear Spider-Man with his remote control glider, only to be himself impaled by the jet-glider's sharp points when Spider-Man avoids the attack. Norman Osborn was presumed dead.

Harry Osborn is later shown to be named owner and president of Osborn Industries. Unknown to Peter, Harry has secretly witnessed their fight. After Spider-Man leaves the scene, Harry removes his father's costume before the authorities arrive. He later bribes the coroner into faking Norman's autopsy so no one will find traces of the Goblin formula in Norman's blood. However Norman's "death" is not what it seems. The Goblin formula has given Norman a healing factor which re-grows his internal organs and reanimates him. Norman wakes up in the morgue and covers his trail by replacing his body with that of a drifter (who he murdered) of the same build and facial features. After arriving in time to watch Harry vow vengeance on Spider-Man, Norman allows the Goblin legacy to pass to his son and escapes unnoticed into Europe. While in Europe Norman takes over an international criminal organization named the Cabal of the Scrier. He sends one of his agents to Peter's professor, Miles Warren, and offers to help him with his cloning project which eventually results in the clones of Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker. For seven years, Norman keeps tabs on Peter and watches him from the shadows.

(MORE TO COME...)

worstblogever

05-17-2008, 10:47 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/d/d3/Green_Goblin_I_001.jpg

After Harry dies from the side effects of a modified Goblin serum, Norman returns to the States and begins engineering a series of events known as the Clone Saga. He does this in an attempt to drive Peter into despair by convincing him that he is the clone, while the real clone, Ben Reilly, is believed to be the original. After this plot fails, Osborn reveals himself to Peter and subsequently kills Reilly. He also apparently killed Peter's newborn daughter, although the full extent of if or how is unclear to this day. Norman later loses control of the Scriers and creates a smaller organization left over from the cabal called the Order of the Goblin, where he is given the title of "Goblin Lord". Upon his return, Osborn comes up with a carefully contrived story to explain his absence and regains control of his business. For a while, a genetic construct that had once been a human being acts as the fifth Green Goblin following Norman's orders, so that he (Norman) will not be suspected as the Green Goblin (despite having admitted in public that he is Norman Osborn, and while wearing the costume).
He also buys the Daily Bugle so that he can control and edit out any bad publicity, such as the frequent editorials by Ben Urich. Later, when Norman is driven mad by the Order of the Goblin's mystic ceremony going wrong, the genetic construct seeks out Osborn's original formula to stabilize itself and discovers who it truly is. But it is too late, and in front of Spider-Man's eyes, it melts into a puddle of goo and dies.

After the fifth Goblin dies, the Green Goblin develops a new plan for Spider-Man - he wants Parker to become his new heir. His first move in this game is drugging Parker into flying around in the Goblin's costume and attacking his friends. Norman then takes Peter to the old Osborn estate to try to convince him to take up Norman's mantle on his own free will. After days of physical and psychological torture, Peter cracks under the stress, but still refuses Norman at the last minute.

Norman's next plan involves using a drunk Flash Thompson, college friend to both his late son Harry and Peter Parker, to drive a truck into Midtown High School, where Peter works. The accident causes Flash to suffer major brain damage and enrages Peter enough to decide to finish his feud with Norman once and for all. At the end of the fight, which takes place in one of Norman's chemical plants, Spider-Man comes close to killing the Goblin, but relents at the last second. Peter tells Norman that if he gave in to his hatred for the Goblin, the last piece of Gwen would die, and that he does not need to kill Norman anyway, as simply being himself is punishment enough. Parker leaves, telling Norman that he is tired of fighting him, and declares a truce.

The Green Goblin's true identity is revealed to the public by a dedicated investigation by the Daily Bugle after he murders one of their reporters. After a battle with Spider-Man and Luke Cage that spans the length of Manhattan, he is arrested and sent to prison for the first time in the character's 40-year history.
As expected, however, Osborn does not stay in prison for long. Even behind bars, Osborn masterminds a plot to get Spider-Man himself to help him escape, which the web-slinger ultimately does, as payment for releasing Aunt May from Mac Gargan, The Scorpion, a kidnapper in Osborn's pay; a promise that Osborn later breaks. Spider-Man battles with the Sinister Twelve, a group of his greatest enemies led by Osborn as the Green Goblin, who reveals that he had a hand in financing many of these villains' origins.

The Goblin slips away in the heat of the battle and abducts Peter’s wife, Mary Jane Watson, taking her to the George Washington Bridge, where he killed Gwen Stacy, but Spider-Man manages to rescue her. The Green Goblin then finds himself grappling with a deranged Doctor Octopus, still drugged from being held in police custody. A bolt of lightning sends the two villains plunging into the river. Doctor Octopus is eventually recovered alive and well, and Peter later receives a letter from Osborn, mailed before the fight, complimenting him on their little rivalry.

(It was recently revealed in a controversial storyline that, prior to Gwen Stacy's death, Osborn had engaged in an affair with her, resulting in twins. After Stacy's death, Osborn takes the children into his care during his sabbatical in Europe. The children, named Gabriel and Sara, age and mature rapidly within only a few years (due to inheriting Norman's enhanced DNA from the Goblin Serum). The twins emerge after Osborn's takedown and confront Spider-Man, whom they believe to be their real father, and who they believe has murdered their mother. After a series of confrontations, Gabriel and Sarah discover their real father's identity after Peter digs up Gwen's grave for a DNA sample. Sarah rejects Osborn's vendetta, but Gabriel assumes the mantle of the sixth Green Goblin, or "Grey Goblin". Gabriel, deranged and amnesiac after a battle with Spider-Man, disappears along with Sarah, although she later reappears in Paris. This explains a great deal to Peter: why the Goblin has killed Gwen, why Mary Jane avoided Peter for a long time, having known the secret, and why Osborn wanted Peter as his 'heir' ("So that we could be One Big Happy Goblin Family").

After escaping to Paris, Osborn is apprehended by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and taken into their custody. While in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, Osborn watches in shock as Spider-Man publicly reveals his identity as Peter Parker (also confirming Osborn's identity as the Goblin and his role in Gwen's death in the process), railing that Peter "broke the rules!" He is then approached by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are seeking his aid. The Goblin confronts and attacks Ben Urich in an alley, but S.H.I.E.L.D.'s nano-machines cause him to stop, involuntarily making him collapse and foam at the mouth.

Later he makes a deal with Tony Stark who gives him a serum to override the control nano-machines implanted by S.H.I.E.L.D. In the next two issues, Osborn attacks a group of Atlanteans in his Goblin gear, killing and wounding many. Later, when one Atlantean ambassador attempts to give a speech, Norman appears and shoots at him, wounding but not killing him. As he is being taken away by security, Norman says he is 'sick' and is not in control of his actions. While being interrogated by two officers, Norman becomes increasingly agitated when they question who gave Norman access to the press conference and assisted in smuggling a weapon there. At first, Norman gets angry, threatening to kill the two officers' families, then he becomes more and more afraid until Stark arrives at which point Norman begs the officers not to let him go, even promising to reveal all he knows to them.

Norman Osborn is now the government's appointed new director of the Thunderbolts and has been prescribed medication to stabilize his personality. He remains unbalanced, however, mainly due to the fact that the Thunderbolt, Moonstone, has influenced attendants to switch his medication with placebos on alternate days so as to get him fired and take his place. He was seen slipping on his Green Goblin gear, and rampaging through Thunderbolts Mountain to stop an insurrection by Swordsman in Thunderbolts #120.

Recently, while searching through his desk for his medications, he found the mask of the Green Goblin and appears shocked and sweating.

As a result of the events of the “One More Day” storyline, the timeline has been altered to an undetermined degree so as such Norman's son, Harry, is now alive (having never died) and no-one knows Spider-Man's secret identity. How this has affected Norman and his memories of the events of the past few years is only up for speculation at this point.

Captain Marvel, revealed to be a Skrull sleeper agent, attacks Thunderbolts Mountain during Secret Invasion #1, specifically right at Osborn’s office. The full reasons or results of this attack have yet to be revealed.

His life as a member of the Hellfire Club: Osborn Industries are one of the biggest companies in the United States. It is unknown when Norman joined the Hellfire Club, and if it was even prior to all of his appearance is comics. He turned up revealed as a member in X-Men (vol. 2) #73, at a party in Rio, jokingly asking if this would be the year that the Hellfire Club would finally take over the world. He has had no other involvement on-panel with the Inner Circle, or at any other Hellfire Club function to date.

What do you think of the concept of Norman Osborn as a member of the Hellfire Club? Would you like to see him involved more with the organization?

Dizzy D

05-17-2008, 10:52 AM

I don't think Osborn would do well in the Inner Circle, he would be more like Pierce, to obsessed with himself and his own goals to work well with the others. A certain amount of self-interest and backstabbing is expected from Hellfire members, but Osborn is just a little too much. And his lack of control over the years would make the Inner Circle consider him a liability.

worstblogever

05-17-2008, 12:29 PM

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/b/be/Pala.jpg/440px-Pala.jpg

Paladin –

Mercenary hired by the Hellfire Club III

First Appearance: Daredevil (vol. 1) #150.
Appearances while Employed by the Hellfire Club: Cable (vol. 2) #49.
Last Appearance: Heroes For Hire (vol. 2) #14.
Powers: Paladin's physical strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability are all slightly superhuman. He is also a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant, marksman, actor, espionage agent, bodyguard and detective. While he has been written using lethal force, his preferred weapon is his stun gun, which disrupts the nervous system sufficiently to render most people unconscious.

His life prior to the Helfire Club: He was trained to be one of the world’s best mercenary soldiers, and proves it with the jobs he takes. Paladin once took down Daredevil with a sniper rifle from a helicopter at a great distance. He did so for the FBI, in exchange for getting his record expunged. The hit, while serious, was not fatal, though did lead to Daredevil's arrest. He briefly dated the Wasp at a time when she was separated from Hank Pym, much to the Black Knight’s jealousy, who was also attracted to her.

Paladin has a certain amount of honor. For example, he was once hired by a corrupt government to assist rebels as part of a sting operation. He aided the rebels in a bombing-laying operation at a government facility. When the rebels were caught, his government handler remarked how lucky they were that the bomb had not gone off. Paladin replied, "I'm sorry, that would have been extra," and activated the bomb by remote control while driving away.

He has also been a longtime ally to Silver Sable and her Wild Pack organization, working for pay, of course. He once helps them protect a scientist from a kidnap attempt by the Heroes for Hire, a group he would later join. His main opponent was Misty Knight, who seemed to be an equal match. In the 1990 one-shot The Punisher: No Escape, he was offered 10 million dollars by mobster Vincent Mangano to kill The Punisher. Paladin agreed to this arrangement, but did not succeed, and in the ensuing fight both of his legs were broken by the U.S. Agent.

His Time Working for the Hellfire Club: Paladin took at least one job for the Hellfire Club, and it was to prevent Cable from acquiring knowledge about the Hellfire Club’s “Tomorrow Agenda” from one of their members, named Taft, who was staying at a home owned by Donald Pierce in Boston. Cable easily defeated Paladin in combat, and still got what information he needed from Taft. It is unknown if the Hellfire Club still paid Paladin for his failure, or if they ever hired him for mercenary work again.

His Days After the Hellfire Club: For a time, he also enlisted Generation X into helping him retrieve a sword for Adrienne Frost (who claimed she was the White Queen of the Hellfire Club, not long after), the sister of current X-Men member Emma Frost. During this period, the mutant known as Jubilee was strongly attracted to Paladin, but that affection disappeared when Generation X and Paladin later went their separate ways.

He was a team member of Heroes for Hire in their new series, although as Misty Knight said he was just there for the money. As it turns out, he was a traitor to the group, only using the Heroes as a means to hunt down Captain America for S.H.I.E.L.D. as part of the Marvel Civil War. He single handedly defeated Captain America and the entire Heroes for Hire team, with the exceptions of Tarantula and Orka, who weren't present when the fight took place, with a special gas weapon that affected the nervous system. He them radioed S.H.I.E.L.D. and told them he had Captain America in custody. However, he did not account for Shang Chi's ability to hold his breath over an extended period (thanks to his martial arts training) and was overpowered by him. Shang-Chi then aided Captain America. Captain America switched costumes with Paladin so S.H.I.E.L.D. took Paladin into custody in his place.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/84/Pladin.jpg

What do you think of Paladin? Would you like to see him hired to do more work for the Hellfire Club?

Dizzy D

05-17-2008, 01:53 PM

Last Appearance: Heroes For Hire (vol. 2) #14.

Blog, you even got a picture of his actual last appearance on it!

Anyway, I like Paladin better as the mercenary with a conscience: remember he never kills, only stuns. Though I guess they have changed that these days with him going after the Punisher, Captain America and the Heroes for Hire. His appearance in Cable could go both ways, it was unclear whether he knew about the Hellfire Club's history as their criminal activities were a deep secret in those issues and considered Cable a simple burglar and thief (he was a wanted man in those days).

In his list of appearances, you could also add his short encounter with the Hellions during the Kingmaker story. He and Diamondback came in conflict with the Hellions when the Kingmaker told the Hellions to steal the same bio-weapon, S.H.I.E.L.D. had asked them to steal.

worstblogever

05-18-2008, 04:34 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/4/4d/Ronaldparvenue_01.JPG

Ronald Parvenue –

Member of the Hellfire Club

First appearance: Wolverine (2nd series) #43
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #29
Powers: none, human

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His life with the Hellfire Club: All that is really known is that Ronald Parvenue was an old friend of Warren Worthington Jr., the father of Warren Worthington III, also known as Archangel of the X-Men. When Archangel came to the New York Hellfire Club, Ronald appeared to know about the Club's Inner Circle, and also that Warren was going to get invited into the circle that night by Shinobi Shaw. He has not been seen since.

What did you think of Ronald Parvenue? Would you have liked to see him interact more with Warren Worthington III?

Dizzy D

05-18-2008, 04:41 AM

A couple of additions to Ronald Parvenue's file: His first appearance was Wolverine #43 and he appears in a couple of other issues of Wolverine before he appeared in X-Men. As for his one interesting feature, I'll go over to the other thread.

worstblogever

05-18-2008, 09:01 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/6/66/Reeva002.jpg

Reeva Payge –

White Queen of the Hellfire Club II

First appearance: X-Men Annual (2nd series) #3.
All Hellfire II appearances: X-Men Annual (2nd series) #3.
Last appearance: X-Men Annual (2nd series) #3.
Powers: Emit hypersonic frequencies from her vocal chords, destabilizing the fluid in the inner ear in order to cause vertigo, hallucinations, and brain damage in others.

Her Life Before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

Her Time With the Hellfire Club: Reeva Payge was believed to have been the White Queen of Shinobi Shaw’s second Hellfire Club, that he founded after supposedly killing his father, Sebastian. This second Hellfire Club apparently had the support of Candra, the External, but in what manner is still unclear. Payge and her Inner Circle attempt to kidnap Storm, and recruit her into the new Hellfire Club’s ranks, the rest of the X-Men arrived and defeated them, including Reeva. She has not been seen since.

What did you think of Reeva Payge? Did she deserve more of a chance to develop as a character, with her one appearance? Would she eventually have been as amazing a White Queen as Emma Frost is considered to be by some?

Dizzy D

05-18-2008, 09:37 AM

worstblogever

05-19-2008, 11:18 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/GordonPhillips.jpg

Sir Gordon Phillips –

Lord Imperial of the Hellfire Club

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #388
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Treme X-Men #3, Uncanny X-Men #388
Last Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #388
Powers: unknown

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His Life with the Hellfire Club: The Lord Imperial apparently overviews all branches of Hellfire Club, however, apparently Phillips had no knowledge about the real activities of Sebastian Shaw and his Inner Circle. A flashback in X-Treme X-Men #3 shows that Gordon Phillips already held the title of Lord Imperial way back before the original Hellfire Club appearances from Uncanny X-Men #129-134. He still was holding that position in Uncanny X-Men #388, meaning, Gordon Phillips was possibly affiliated with every single Hellfire Club incarnation so far.

When Mystique unleashed a new variant of the Legacy Virus that only targeted baseline humans, it was revealed that Gordon Phillips was actually a mutant. He had no idea of it himself, and his abilities, if he had any, are unknown. Gordon Phillips would soon be killed by Sabretooth, who snapped his neck before he could explore his mutant nature. His wife is also dead, as she was killed off panel by the Brotherhood.

What did you think of Sir Gordon Phillips? Do you think it’s sad that he only learned he might have powers right before dying? Do you think he should still be around, trying to avenge the life of his wife? And how did he get to a position ruling over the Hellfire Club when he seemed to never have had a clue what was going on right under his nose in it?

worstblogever

05-19-2008, 11:24 AM

Reeva had potential. I doubt she would have rivalled Emma Frost, but she'd do better than Sat-Yr-9 and Adrienne have done. We're still doing this "Make Your Own Hellfire Club" at the end of the month, are we? Then Reeva is in mine.

Actually, I find out a thread just like that just exists. It already got resurrected once, I'll see if I get time to find a link later today...

worstblogever

05-19-2008, 01:18 PM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/9/96/Donald_Pierce_001.jpg

Donald Pierce -

White King of the Hellfire Club I, White Bishop of the Hellfire Club III

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #129 [silhouette], #132 [fully]
All Hellfire Appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, Marvel Super Heroes (2nd series) #11, Uncanny X-Men #129, 132-134
Note:
Pierce’s position of White King gets named in Uncanny X-Men #245, 247, 251 and 252. In one occasion it is Tessa and a guard of the Hellfire Club talking about him; they should know his position. However the Marvel Handbook and Ultimate X-Men book by Peter Sanderson refers to him as White Bishop, and as a follow-up error, the title is used again by Jubilee in Generation X #55 and a narration box in Cable (vol.2) #50. There are several possible explanations:
- Before Pierce became White King, he might have served as White Bishop in the previous Hellfire Club under Ned Buckman. As the only non–mutant member of Shaw’s Inner Circle, it might have been the case that Pierce was rewarded with the upgrade to King for introducing Shaw into the Club or him not interfering when Shaw and Frost killed the former Inner Circle.
- Both Cable (vol. 2) #50 and Generation X #55 take place at the time of the Hellfire Club III or afterwards. Maybe White Bishop was Pierce’s intended position of that incarnation, with Shaw not wanting him to become King again, remembering how Pierce betrayed them earlier on.
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 3) #3.
Powers:Donald Pierce is a human being augmented by advanced cybernetic components. Originally, Donald had only four cybernetic limbs, but after being assaulted by Sentinels, it is unknown how much of Pierce is still human. He has superhuman strength, reflexes, and agility. Due to his metallic body, Pierce retains a great degree of resistance against physical and biological harm; if he losses a limb in combat, Pierce can usually replace it with a new one.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Not much is known. Donald Pierce was born into a wealthy family, their fortune made decades ago by Anton Pierce, who capitalized on the trade of cotton, rum, and slaves during the nineteenth century. While little is known about his past, Donald’s wealth and family name brought him into the Hellfire Club.

His life with the Hellfire Club:
Hoping to make a name for himself within the Hellfire Club, Donald tried to seize Albania. Little details are known, but it is believed that Donald was confronted by resistance from, most notably, Iron Man and Cable. During a battle with Cable, Pierce had lost several of limbs, necessitating his dependence on prosthetic limbs and beginning his loathing for mutants. Donald would eventually prove his worth as a Hellfire Club member and was soon invited to Sebastian Shaw’s Inner Circle.

As the White Bishop, Pierce participated in the capture of both the X-Men and the manipulation of Jean Grey, who was in fact the Phoenix Force. Pierce and the rest of the Hellfire Club were soon confronted by the Phoenix’s teammates, the X-Men. After the X-Men were captured by the Hellfire Club, early flashes of Donald Pierce’s hatred of mutants were shown when he made it a point to choke an already bound Nightcrawler. The X-Men soon escaped and a battle ensued. Donald barely survived, almost losing a cybernetic limb to the X-Men’s Colossus. He escaped the battle with Shaw through secret passages under their Manhattan townhouse. (Uncanny X-Men #129-134).

With Shaw’s failure, Donald soon challenged him for leadership of the Inner Circle. Pierce kidnapped the mutant Tessa, now Sage. He also captured Charles Xavier, leader of the X-Men. Trying to harness the powers of Sage and Xavier, Pierce was confronted by the New Mutants, a new group of young mutants under the tutelage of Xavier, and was defeated before he could accomplish his task. Pierce, because of his treachery, was expelled from the Hellfire Club. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4).

His Life Away From the Hellfire Club:For this, Donald was sent to a Hellfire installation in the highlands of Kentucky. There, he would live his life in exile. However, Donald was set free by a group of cybernetic mercenaries, the Reavers. Once ordinary men in the service of the Hellfire Club, the Reavars lost their limbs in battle with Wolverine. Donald gave them a new lease on life and offered them his skills in cybernetics.

With his newfound freedom, Donald began plotting revenge on both the X-Men and Wolverine. Going to the outback of Australia, Pierce watched his enemies until Wolverine had been left alone to guard the base. Donald and his Reavers took him by surprise and captured him (Uncanny X-Men #251). Donald then crucified and began torturing Wolverine while his Reavers reclaimed their old headquarters, which had been taken from them by the X-Men. Wolverine soon escaped with the help of Jubilee. After evaluating the possible escape and evasion scenarios, Pierce sent his Reavers to Muir Island, the place he thought Wolverine would go. Donald was confronted, however, by a group of mutants lead by Banshee and Freedom Force. His team was quickly defeated, and Donald barely escaped. (Uncanny X-Men #255)

After the X-Men had abandoned their Outback base, Pierce brought his team there to consolidate their forces and other than briefly capturing Rogue (Uncanny X-Men #261), he accomplished little in this time. Soon, Donald was attacked by a group of Sentinels sent by the Upstart, Trevor Fitzroy. While most of his Reavers died, Donald escaped with help from Gateway, who teleported him to the Hellfire Club in New York. The Sentinels pursued him and destroyed his body. The only remaining piece of him was his head. (Uncanny X-Men #282)

Return to the Hellfire Club: Sometime later, Donald appeared mysteriously rebuilt. He soon allied himself with Shaw again, who was reforming another incarnation of the Inner Circle. Donald was once again reinstated to his position in the Hellfire Club by Sebastian Shaw on a probationary level, and assigned to head up a secret mission dubbed the “Tomorrow Agenda.” Utilizing the knowledge of a time-displaced being named Ch’Vayre, they were going to harness the power of the immortal mutant, Apocalypse. Their first attempt to harness his power was in London. With the help of Ch’Varyre, the Hellfire Club awakened an agent of Apocalypse called Harbinger, only to be interrupted by Cable. Pierce and the Hellfire agents were attacked by the Harbinger, and, knowing the battle to be fruitless, Pierce escaped, leaving Cable to the mercies of the creature.

Pierce and Shaw moved on to the Swiss Alps. There they uncovered an ancient stronghold that once belonged to Apocalypse. After escaping a siege by the stronghold’s defenses, Piece was again confronted by Cable. Pierce and Cable fought as the stronghold began to self-destruct. As Shaw escaped, Pierce tried to follow. Shaw made it clear that Pierce’s failure in the Tomorrow Agenda had lost him his reinstatement into the Inner Circle, and he left Pierce to die as the mountain exploded in Cable (vol. 2) #50.

Last desperate attempt for power:
Recently, Donald showed up again to challenge Shaw, who was then reconstructing the Lord Cardinals in an attempt to usurp him completely. While Pierce gravely injured Sebastian Shaw enough that he had to resign as Lord Imperial of the Hellfire Club. After battling the combined efforts of both the X-Men and Sebastian Shaw, Donald was defeated, being decapitated in the process when Shaw punched his head clean off his shoulders.

His new, and unsettling loss of humanity:
Donald Pierce recently turned up in Prague, where he was kidnapped by the Purifiers and taken to a secret location and infused with the Techno-Organic virus, against his will, by Bastion in X-Force (vol.3) #3.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/Pierce_uncanny.JPG

What do you think of Donald Pierce? Do you prefer him in the Hellfire Club, as a Reaver, or as a Techno-Organic underling of Bastion? What do you think it would take to actually kill him?

Dizzy D

05-19-2008, 02:31 PM

What do you think of Donald Pierce? Do you prefer him in the Hellfire Club, as a Reaver, or as a Techno-Organic underling of Bastion? What do you think it would take to actually kill him?

I think Pierce's time with the Hellfire Club is done. He's had his chance and more than that, but he's shown again and again that he is out only for himself and no mutant can thrust him. Even with so few mutants left, their presence is still strong in the Hellfire Club. The Reavers are an interesting group, keep him there.

What did you think of Sir Gordon Phillips? Do you think it’s sad that he only learned he might have powers right before dying? Do you think he should still be around, trying to avenge the life of his wife? And how did he get to a position ruling over the Hellfire Club when he seemed to never have had a clue what was going on right under his nose in it?

All Gordon Phillips ever did in a comic was hang about on a big boat. Which makes suspect that the role of the Lord Imperial in chess (remember when the roles in the Hellfire Club were actually based on chess pieces. Oh, just wait for Viper) is completely located on a small boat-shaped board off the main board. The piece is neither black nor white and actually completely not involved in the game. Much like Phillips himself was. I had a whole mocking bit written up, but I forgot about it, so nevermind that.
Overall the reason for introducing Phillips still remains unclear to me: one page before death and a completely new role in Hellfire Club hierarchy previously not seen. What was the point? Add in another point why Dream's End was a complete mess of a story with few redeeming features.
Still, the Lord Imperial function works well in the setup I've in mind for a new Hellfire Club (as mentioned below), so I won't dismiss it. Unlike the Warrior White Princess.

Actually, I find out a thread just like that just exists. It already got resurrected once, I'll see if I get time to find a link later today...

Great. I have some different ideas on the matter than before this month. Still Sunspot as a central point remains the main thrust of any new Hellfire Club for me.

Imraith Nimphais

05-19-2008, 02:47 PM

I just hate it everytime old "DP" himself rears his pathetic cyborg head...he gets major hate from me...even more so now that he's been infected with the TO virus...(let that be a warning to you guys and gals out there who engage in THAT sort of risky sexual practice...without protection.)

Jack Flash

05-19-2008, 03:16 PM

DDM

05-19-2008, 03:19 PM

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 02:45 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/b/bc/Black_Rook_%28Madelyne_Pryor%29_001.jpg

Madelyne Pryor -

Black Rook of the Hellfire Club III

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #168
Apparently Died in: X-Factor (1st series) #38
Resurrected: X-Man #5
First Hellfire III appearance: X-Man #7
All Hellfire III appearances: X-Man #7, 13-17, 20-23, Annual '96, #24-25, 28, 30, Cable #50
Last appearance: X-Man #52 [afterwards was apparently replaced by some alternate universe’s villainous version of Jean Grey]
Powers: Exists as a being of pure psionic energy funneled through the X-Man’s mind to create a pseudo-organic body. This physical form only ACTED as flesh and blood; Madelyne could not easily suffer injuries, and these injuries healed phenomenally fast. She also possessed telepathic, psychokinetic, and teleportational abilities.

Okay, everyone bear with me… this is one of those really long, “convoluted” histories. :redface:

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 02:48 AM

http://www.norse-man.net/Marvel/Char-M/Madelyne.jpg

Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club:
The original Madelyne Pryor, introduced as a Jean Grey look-a-like, was in fact a clone of Jean Grey created by Mr. Sinister who could only acquire a small blood and tissue sample from the original Jean Grey prior to her being recruited by Professor Xavier to his school. Years later, when the clone was already beyond puberty, Mr. Sinister was disappointed that it did not manifest any mutant talents. Then, on the day that Phoenix II died on the moon, the Force keyed the stolen fragments of Jean Grey to her genetic structure were sent back to Earth. By accident, they entered the clone, and Sinister watched in awe as his creation burst out of her incubator, surrounded by a bird of fire and shouting the name Scott, before passing out. Finally, his plans bore fruit and, after naming the clone Madelyne Pryor, he created a false background for her. Being a pilot and the sole survivor of a plan crash should explain the resonance memories of fire and flight. Sinister then programmed her to fall in love with Scott Summers, Cyclops, (an easy task as both Jean and Phoenix had already loved the man) and placed her at his grandparents’ airline in Alaska, knowing that they would meet sooner or later (revealed in Uncanny X-Men #241, X-Factor (vol. 1) #38).

A few months later, Corsair (Christopher Summers) returned from outer space and took his sons, Scott and Alex, to their grandparents in Alaska for the first time. The old couple had sent Madelyne to pick them up and all three men did not believe their eyes, as their pilot looked exactly like the (supposedly) deceased Jean Grey. (Uncanny X-Men #168) Soon, Scott started to notice little oddities, like Madelyne being able to guess his favorite breakfast or the plane crash having been on exactly the same day that Phoenix died on the moon, and he suspected that she was a reincarnation of Phoenix. Scott introduced his lover to the X-Men while attending Wolverine’s wedding in Japan and, of course, they too noticed the uncanny resemblance. (Uncanny X-Men #172-173) Madelyne and Scott finally got married and held a big party at the Xavier estate. Among the wedding guests were Scott’s grandparents from Alaska, the Starjammers and, of course, the X-Men. (Uncanny X-Men #174-175) During their honeymoon in the Caribbean, the happy couple was almost eaten by a shark and a giant squid. This prompted Scott to chose retirement, realizing he wanted to be happy and have a family, without having to wonder about the endless battles of the X-Men or the Starjammers. (Uncanny X-Men #176) After saying goodbye to Corsair and his crew, the couple moved to Anchorage, the place where they had first met, and they started to work as pilots for the airline owned by Scott’s grandparents. Before long, Professor X would encounter Scott and Maddie, and determine that she was already pregnant in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #2.

Some weeks later, Moira MacTaggert contacted Cyclops, as she was concerned about Professor Xavier‘s condition. His bad health endangered his life and Madelyne understood that Scott needed to check on him (Uncanny X-Men #197) but, when he did not come back, she followed to Westchester, as she did want her husband to be present when their baby was born. With the X-Men, it‘s one crisis after the other and, while both the X-Men and New Mutants were busy in Asgard and afterwards had to stay in Paris for Magneto’s trial, Madelyne was alone in the mansion as she went into labor. Upon the team’s return she had already given birth to a beautiful baby boy. Instead of apologizing and making up with his wife, Cyclops was more concerned about the X-Men’s fate, as, in the meantime, Xavier had been forced to leave Earth because of his health. He wanted to lead the team again, but Storm thought that his responsibilities were to Maddie, so she dueled him for leadership, despite being powerless. Even though Madelyne knew it would break his heart, she wished Scott to lose and she might have subconsciously influenced the duel’s outcome in Storm’s favor. (Uncanny X-Men #200-201).

Scott and Madelyne returned to Anchorage, but there was some tension between them. Scott kept brooding and refused to talk about his problems. Not before long, he received a phone call from Warren Worthington, with astounding news - Jean Grey had been found alive at the bottom of Jamaica Bay. Scott immediately started packing, not filling his wife in on what he had just learned. He departed, despite Maddie saying that, if he left her again, he should not even bother to come back. Madelyne had no idea that Scott helped found X-Factor, a group pretending to be mutant hunters, only to secretly help and train them. Some time later, when Scott tried to call Maddie from New York, the phone number was no longer working (X-Factor (vol. 1) #1-2).

As soon as Sinister became aware of Jean Grey being alive, he knew he had to act fast. Once the two women met, Jean‘s telepathy would have surely recognized Madelyne not as a mere look-a-like but as her identical clone. He decided to erase all official records of Madelyne and the baby and ordered the Marauders to kill her and kidnap the boy. After a pilot job to San Francisco, she was attacked by them and forced to hand over the baby. She then was shot multiple times and left for dead. However, she was not dead and was found and taken to a hospital as a “Jane Doe.“ Though the doctors thought she was a goner, Madelyne pulled through and awoke months later from a coma. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #38, Uncanny X-Men #206, 215). Neither the hospital staff nor the police believed Maddie‘s story of a stolen baby, as there existed no documents about the woman giving birth or her existence at all. Having nowhere else to turn, Maddie called the X-Men, who arrived right as the Marauders tried to murder her again, having been alerted to her being alive by the police searching records for her. The X-Men managed to protect her and Havok, especially, swore that he would stand by Maddie’s side to make up for his brother’s mistake. With the Marauders hot on their trail Madelyne, like Dazzler, had to stay with the team. (Uncanny X-Men #221-224)

Shortly afterwards, the X-Men battled the Adversary in Dallas. To seal the portal to his dimension with a magical spell, Forge needed the essences of nine souls – the problem being that only eight X-Men were there. Madelyne opted to be the missing piece and the group was transformed into pure energy. The entire incident was recorded by a film team and reporter Neal Conan provided Madelyne with the chance to say goodbye to her loved ones. As everything was broadcasted live on national TV, X-Factor watched and heard Madelyne‘s final moments. Her last words were addressed to Scott, telling him to find their missing son. Unknown to the world, Roma resurrected the X-Men shortly afterwards, providing them with a new chance at life. They decided to go underground and keep their rebirth secret, wanting to use this new status to their advantage. (Uncanny X-Men #227, X-Factor (vol. 1) #27)

Setting up headquarters in a former Reavers base in the Australian Outback, Madelyne pulled her weight with the team by mastering the cyborgs’ magnificent computer system. Also, she designed an eight-pointed star as the X-Men‘s new logo. They could leave it behind like Zorro his “Z“ without exposing them to be still alive. While the team was away on a mission, Madelyne watched the news, as she suddenly saw an interview with X-Factor’s Cyclops and Marvel Girl. Finally, she learned the reason for why Scott had abandoned her and, angrily, she smashed the screen with her fist. The resulting explosion rendered her unconscious. (Uncanny X-Men #230, 232)

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 02:54 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/7/78/Madelyn_Pryor_003.jpg

Things take a turn for the worse...

Setting up headquarters in a former Reavers base in the Australian Outback, Madelyne pulled her weight with the team by mastering the cyborgs’ magnificent computer system. Also, she designed an eight-pointed star as the X-Men‘s new logo. They could leave it behind like Zorro his “Z“ without exposing them to be still alive. While the team was away on a mission, Madelyne watched the news, as she suddenly saw an interview with X-Factor’s Cyclops and Marvel Girl. Finally, she learned the reason for why Scott had abandoned her and, angrily, she smashed the screen with her fist. The resulting explosion rendered her unconscious. (Uncanny X-Men #230, 232)

Gateway found her and one of his dreamtime probes revealed that Madelyne feared to lose her identity. Scott had only married her for her resemblance to Jean and, once she miraculously returned, he took away everything she held dear to give it to the other woman. The Limbo demon S’ym invaded the dream sequence, offering Maddie to become more than she was and receive the chance to hurt her husband back. He showed her images of a girl, a pilot, a woman and a demon and, thinking it to be not real, she chose the latter. Sym then pointed his finger into her chest and she was infected with the demon’s magic. (Uncanny X-Men #233-234)

Both having been abandoned by their lovers, Havok found himself more and more attracted to Madelyne, who secretly had bargained with the Limbo demon N’astirh, who promised he would be able to locate the missing baby. While Alex and Maddie were happily dancing in the famous Rainbow Room, the Empire State Building started to transform. Demons were influencing the city; the start of Inferno. She distracted Havok so that he would not notice and, right after returning to Australia, she had Gateway once more teleport her to New York. At the grave of Jean Grey, Madelyne transformed into the Goblyn Queen and, suddenly, was met by John and Elaine Grey, who thought her to be their resurrected daughter. Angrily, Maddie turned them into demon pets and then investigated a tip from N’astirh about the baby’s location. The demon took her to the orphanage in Nebraska, where she was captured and shackled by Mr. Sinister. The villain then finally revealed her origin and that her sole purpose had been to function as broodmare for the Summers baby. Sinister underestimated the powers that Madelyne had developed, thanks to the demon magic, and she busted lose. N'astirh brought her the baby, wanting her to sacrifice it to empower the demon rule on Earth on a permanent basis. Madelyne agreed, knowing that little Christopher‘s death would hurt the two men she hated most: Sinister and Cyclops. When X-Factor opposed her, Madelyne arranged that that they would run into the X-Men and, right in time, she changed back to “plain“ Maddie and claimed that Cyclops had wanted to steal her son. In the following battle between the two hero teams, Madelyne slipped away, taking Havok with her, after upgrading him to become her Goblyn Prince. Shortly after they had left, most of the heroes came to their senses and agreed that they needed to stop the demons. Working together, they defeated N’astirh and, elsewhere in the city, Illyana Rasputin sacrificed her magic might to suck all other demons back to Limbo, leaving only the Goblyn Queen behind. Easier said than done, as she managed to seal herself and Jean Grey in a near impenetrable telekinetic bubble. Madelyne hated Jean so much that she killed herself and forced Jean into a mental bond to die with her. To survive, Jean was forced to re-integrate the portions of soul, essence and life-force of herself that had gone from Phoenix II to Maddie. Along with it, she also received the memories of both individuals. (Uncanny X-Men #241-243, X-Factor (vol. 1) #37-38) After mourning, the heroes battled Mr. Sinister, the villain who was responsible for the whole mess.

Years later, just after the end of the “Age of Apocalypse”, When Nate Grey (X-Man) arrived on our world from the Age of Apocalypse he accidentally revived Madelyne in an effort to find his own world’s mother, Jean Grey of Earth-295. He subconsciously wished for someone who could be of aid and his incredible powers and gave Madelyne a new body to host her remnant psionic energies, although some of her memories were scrambled or lost (X-Man #5). (Note: Writer Stephen Grant has been quoted on some Message Boards with “Madelyne“ having been impersonated by the evil alternate Queen Jean he wrote, ever since X-Man #5. However this contradicts even his own writing in X-Man #67, where the evil Queen Jean says: “I replaced your Maddie several months ago.“ This quote clearly points at an undocumented exchange having taken place. When asked about this contradiction, Grant replied that only the facts written in the book count, while what he was talking about on the internet was what he would have liked to be the case had he been given full free reign. Besides Queen Jean being “Maddie“ since X-Man #5, he had planned to reveal that she actually was Jean / Dark Phoenix having blasted herself out of this reality in Uncanny X-Men #137 – however this too never made it into the issues.)

Her Life with the Hellfire Club:
Almost completely amnesiac, Madelyne remembered only her hatred for Sinister and had some flashbacks of a group called X-Men. However, she couldn’t make any sense of it. In Paris, she was lured away from Nate and followed the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, Selene to her apartment. (X-Man #5-7) Selene slowly influenced Madelyne and used her to gain Trevor Fitzroy‘s attention. Telekinetically enforcing her punches in the following fight, Madelyne easily penetrated Fitzroy’s armor, who was then easy prey for Selene. (X-Man #16-17). Selene and her companions traveled to New York and met with Sebastian Shaw and Tessa, suggesting a revival of the Inner Circle. Selene presented Madelyne as Black Rook and both Shaw and Tessa were stunned to see the woman responsible for Inferno to be under Selene's influence. They had her prove her worth in a battle against the London Club's Red Rook Scribe. Not only did she easily win, she also pulled out the parasite Mountjoy out of the woman‘s body. (X-Man #22-23).

One night long after she was named Black Rook, Tessa wanted to probe Madelyne's mind, but was discovered by her prey. Madelyne angrily defeated Tessa and proved to be telepathic too, making her forget the whole incident; yet the intrusion served a purpose - Madelyne's memory was restored. [X-Man Annual ‘96] Now clearly remembering her past, Madelyne washed off Selene's manipulation. She searched for X-Man but met Threnody instead. Angered to hear from the death-energy feeding mutant that she, even though she was walking around and breathing, was still dead, she killed Threnody. She then found Nate where she first met him, in the Swiss Alps, but he was with Jean. In a battle, Nate chose Jean over her. X-Man and Jean discovered that Madelyne was a psionic ghost, subconsciously given form by Nate. He tried to end the argument by re-absorbing her, only to find that he couldn’t, as she was now independent. Madelyne escaped back to Sebastian Shaw and shared an intimate night with him. (X-Man #24-25). Much to the concern of Selene and Tessa, Madelyne and Shaw grew close, demonstrating their intimacy even in public, during a Hellfire Club ball. (X-Man #28) Yet, when a Hellfire Club operation in the Swiss Alps was opposed by Cable, Maddie switched sides. She gave her son hints about the villain’s location [Cable (vol. 2) #50] and, afterwards, quit the Inner Circle.

The Remainder of her life After the Hellfire Club:
Some weeks later, Madelyne showed up at X-Man’s side again, now also being able to teleport. She aided him in battle against the Great Beasts, showing that she would be there for him, even against his will. (X-Man #39-41) At first, he was not fond of her company but, when the Psi-War, a battle between Psylocke and the Shadow King, caused a temporary worldwide blackout of psionic abilities, he welcomed her assistance. Their relationship developed, having aspects of friendship, love and family connection to equal parts. (X-Man #44) When Nate was attacked by Strikesquad: Gauntlet, a group of operatives wearing psi-shielded armor, Madelyne would battle along side him, and would end up buried alive. She managed to escape by teleporting, yet, as the battle had taken a lot out of X-Man, she looked drained and withered. In no shape to continue whatever plans she had with Nate, she left. (X-Man #52)

About half a year later, X-Man was again accompanied by “Maddie,“ but it turned out to be an evil Jean Grey from an alternate timeline. She claimed that she took advantage of Madelyne’s weakened state and assassinated her to take her place. Her own explanation was “I replaced your Maddie several months ago.“ (X-Man #67)

Whatever became of the real original Madelyne is unknown, but she seems to be dead. While the Twelve were held captive by Apocalypse, Cable and Cyclops encountered the psionic ghost on the astral plane, making up with her. That was all she could do for them, apparently no longer possessing her vast abilities of telekinesis and teleportation. (Cable (vol. 2) #76) Additionally, with X-Man being discorporated, her energy source is no longer available for her psionic form.

What did you think of Madelyne Pryor? Did you like her as a member of the Hellfire Club? Did you love her Goblyn Queen outfit? And, were you really weirded out by her relationship with her “son”, Nate Grey?

darknessatnoon

05-20-2008, 05:05 AM

Madelyne hated Jean so much that she killed herself and forced Jean into a mental bond to die with her.

LOL! Great summary, WBE. Thorough, in-depth, and the scene interpretations are spot on.

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 06:23 AM

LOL! Great summary, WBE. Thorough, in-depth, and the scene interpretations are spot on.

If I can make you enjoy the life story of Maddie Pryor, hell, I must be doing something right. :biggrin:

darknessatnoon

05-20-2008, 07:53 AM

If I can make you enjoy the life story of Maddie Pryor, hell, I must be doing something right. :biggrin:

Oh, I love Maddie. She transcended her junky DNA.

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 07:56 AM

Oh, I love Maddie. She transcended her junky DNA.

Give Mr. Sinister five years or so, and he can work wonders with a sample. I mean, look how charming he's made all the Marauders after time in the lab.

Oh, that's right. I forgot they're total psychopaths. :redface:

darknessatnoon

05-20-2008, 08:08 AM

Give Mr. Sinister five years or so, and he can work wonders with a sample. I mean, look how charming he's made all the Marauders after time in the lab.

Oh, that's right. I forgot they're total psychopaths. :redface:

I am surprised Nathanial Essex never got into the Hellfire Club. I would love to see Mr. Sinister at a cocktail party.

Psychopath Maddie had far more personality than the base-sample. I would have said "a thousand times more personality," but a thousand times zero is still zero. Isn't there a poster on these boards who is convinced that Maddie isn't Jean's clone, but a separate person?

brundlefly

05-20-2008, 09:04 AM

Oh, I love Maddie. She transcended her junky DNA.

Truth. I always liked Maddie and thought she had a great death scene at the end of Inferno, doing herself in and trying to take Jean down with her at the same time. However, I was not a fan of her hokey resurrection in X-MAN, since I thought that bringing both her and Stryfe back from the dead were just shameless attempts to prop up the useless Nate Grey by providing him with his own rogues gallery of "established" characters, even if those characters had no real reason to return except to give Nate someone to fight. To add insult to injury, Maddie had no real character direction after her post-Inferno resurrection and then was apparently killed again, this time off-panel by an evil alt-reality Jean Grey. :rolleyes: Ugh. I don't care for the practice of undoing classic villain deaths & completed character arcs just to give a 'new hero on the block' a credible punching bag.

I am surprised Nathanial Essex never got into the Hellfire Club. I would love to see Mr. Sinister at a cocktail party..

I like to think that he's already a member, going incognito in one of his various disguises/aliases to gather information, manipulate people, and occasionally collect useful DNA samples from wine glasses and whatnot. :biggrin:

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 10:21 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/7/77/Red_Lotus.jpg

Red Lotus aka Paul Hark –

Infiltrator of the Hellfire Club V

First Appearance: X-Treme X-Men #5.
All Hellfire Club Appearances: (If an actual member) Uncanny X-Men #453-454
Last Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #454
Powers: Red Lotus is a superhuman martial artist who possesses enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, agility, dexterity, coordination, balance, and endurance. The source of his powers, however, is still unknown.

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Not much is known, except that Red Lotus is the heir apparent to the Sydney Chinese Triad, which was run by his grandfather, who was known as Father Gow. When Gow was murdered, Red Lotus was led to believe that the culprit was Gambit by the Examiner, who wanted to gain control of the Triad for himself.
Red Lotus at first worked against the Hellfire Club, assisted the X-Treme X-Men team against Sebastian Shaw and Lady Mastermind after the truth was revealed, and later helped them while they were trying to repel an inter-dimensional invasion in Madripoor.

His time with the Hellfire Club: After the invasion on Madripoor, Paul became an ally to Viper and joined her undercover as a member of the Hellfire Club, infiltrating it, and hoping to shut down their mutant slave ring. He seemed like he was about to share a romantic moment with Rachel Summers, when he was almost murdered by Selene, but Marvel Girl was able to save him. He was last seen still as an ally to Courtney Ross, Viper, Sunspot and their new Hellfire Club, however, what happened to him after M-Day still remains a mystery, and it is unknown if he still is a member of the Hellfire Club working under Sunspot.

What did you think of Red Lotus? Would you like to see him continue as a member of the Hellfire Club under Sunspot? Did you think he could have proven a romantic interest for Rachel Summers? Will he ever be seen in a comic again?

Jack Flash

05-20-2008, 10:50 AM

may the lord keep you and bless you WBE.

darknessatnoon

05-20-2008, 10:54 AM

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 12:16 PM

Red Lotus appearing for one arc was OK. Then Larroca accidentally drew him on Madripoor, so CC had to write in an injury for him to get the guy out of the story. His appearing again is too much, though. I forgot about that horrendous Viper/Ross Hellfire Club arc.

Oh, funny you mention it. :smile: Due to alphabetical organization... we still have entries coming on CC's gem that featured the Hellfire Club V, with Viper and Courtney Ross/Opal Luna-Sat-Yr-9.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 12:16 PM

may the lord keep you and bless you WBE.

....? Does this mean you have much D-List love for Red Lotus?

Jack Flash

05-20-2008, 12:31 PM

....? Does this mean you have much D-List love for Red Lotus?

I've got no love for Red Lotus. He's the absence of love.

darknessatnoon

05-20-2008, 01:39 PM

I've got no love for Red Lotus. He's the absence of love.

I love his big, bulbous, middle ab.

jarrod

05-20-2008, 01:48 PM

Oh, funny you mention it. :smile: Due to alphabetical organization... we still have entries coming on CC's gem that featured the Hellfire Club V, with Viper and Courtney Ross/Opal Luna-Sat-Yr-9.

Be afraid, be very afraid.
Don't forget Rachel. <3 <3

Swashbuckler

05-20-2008, 01:49 PM

Dizzy D

05-20-2008, 01:56 PM

Powers: Red Lotus is a superhuman martial artist who possesses enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, agility, dexterity, coordination, balance, and endurance. The source of his powers, however, is still unknown.

Are we sure he's superhuman? Nothing he did really impressed me that much. Shang-Chi would have wiped the floor with him.

What did you think of Red Lotus? Would you like to see him continue as a member of the Hellfire Club under Sunspot? Did you think he could have proven a romantic interest for Rachel Summers? Will he ever be seen in a comic again?

I think his role within the Hellfire Club was terribly random. As for Rachel's "romantic interest". Around this time everybody seemed to be everybody's romantic interest. Kurt was also making eyes at Rachel for a few seconds. It was pretty odd.

Monty_Cristo

05-20-2008, 02:38 PM

I love his big, bulbous, middle ab.

he bought it off of E-Bay from Marilyn Manson.

MarvelGirlBoy

05-20-2008, 02:48 PM

All this hatred for CC's very bizarre Courtney Ross-Warrior White Princess Wtf-Oh No Slave Mutants We Don't Do That arc is clearly missing the point.

It was drawn by Andy Park!

*Sighs dreamily*

Diablito

05-20-2008, 03:14 PM

I'll be honest, I didn't hate Red Lotus. I wish we got more of a backstory on him.

jarrod

05-20-2008, 03:35 PM

The only thing redeemable about Chasing Hellfire was teasing the setup of Emma and Rachel as mentor and student... even if Claremont got all the details wrong (as usual). Just imagine what Millar or Ellis could've done with that formula though, it's ripe.

Oh and Selene showed up (kinda), that was coolish.

Park's art was terrible though... I think I'd have liked the story a thousand times more had Davis or Copiel done it.

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 04:17 PM

Don't forget Rachel. <3 <3

Rachel never really did either join, or infiltrate the Hellfire Club, though. In review of that story, she stumbles around, gets attacked by Selene, and fends her off by tonsil wrestling with Red Lotus.

Ironically, that was what Emmanuel Da Costa had to do with Harry Leland to get recruited.

worstblogever

05-20-2008, 04:24 PM

Red Lotus was terrible and I don't really understand where any love for him comes from. He's a generic Shang Chi for the most part. And yes, CC's Hellfire Arc on Uncanny was TERRIBLE. It featured a battle between Selene and Rachel that made entirely no sense. It was just like, blasts of will power or something. Terrible. and then CC tried to play it up more in Genosha Excalibur with Husk and Archangel, an event that both chracters and everyone else in the marvel universe seems to have forgotten. I suspect Mephisto.

A lot of the continuity of the Claremont/Milligan/Austen years seems to be getting thrown out the window. I don't think I mind all that much. See my above post for more... details(I think it's an explanation, anyway...) about the Rachel/Selene rematch from Chasing Hellfire. But yeah, toward the run of Genoshan Excalibur, we did see hints that Courtney Ross and Viper were going to mess with the rebuilding nation in an effort to exploit whatever resources were left in the rubble, or rebuild it under the control of the Hellfire Club. Now, good for Viper and Courtney for at least thinking about making a powerplay with Shaw over there... but at the same time... you're going to challenge Charles Xavier, Magneto, and their young following?

Not the best idea, ladies.

Are we sure he's superhuman? Nothing he did really impressed me that much. Shang-Chi would have wiped the floor with him.

I think his role within the Hellfire Club was terribly random. As for Rachel's "romantic interest". Around this time everybody seemed to be everybody's romantic interest. Kurt was also making eyes at Rachel for a few seconds. It was pretty odd.

Marvel Database does say he's got all those powers, whether or not it's from a good diet and exercise, or generic physical mutant specimen was never revealed.

A lot of that stretch was odd, including "Fat Emma", the Neo, the Crimson Pirates, to name but a few...

jarrod

05-20-2008, 07:09 PM

Rachel never really did either join, or infiltrate the Hellfire Club, though. In review of that story, she stumbles around, gets attacked by Selene, and fends her off by tonsil wrestling with Red Lotus.

Ironically, that was what Emmanuel Da Costa had to do with Harry Leland to get recruited.
She infiltrated the club with Emma, under the title WHITE WARRIOR PRINCESS!

WHITE WARRIOR PRINCESS! She's the Hillary Clinton of the X-Verse!

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 01:43 AM

She infiltrated the club with Emma, under the title WHITE WARRIOR PRINCESS!

WHITE WARRIOR PRINCESS! She's the Hillary Clinton of the X-Verse!

It didn't work. Viper and Courtney were already there as the actual White Queen and the White Warrior Princess. (ugh, I can't believe I just typed that).

Red Lotus counts, because he was actually working with Viper & Courtney. Rachel really just got in the door. Besides, I ran out of profiles for Hellfire Club month. :redface:

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 02:08 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/4/4a/Rutledge_01.JPG

Rutledge –

Butler for the London Hellfire Club

First Appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
All Hellfire Club Appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
Last Appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
Powers: Rutledge claimed his family had a genetic disposition towards having an eidetic memory.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Nothing is known.

His Time With the Hellfire Club: It’s certain that Rutledge has worked for the London Hellfire Club for many years. He escorted Brian Braddock to his quarters, and while doing so, admitted that he used to attend his father, Sir James Braddock, many years earlier. The intricacies of Rutledge’s involvement with the London Hellfire Club, however, ended there. It’s unknown of what became of him after the demon that was kept beneath London was released by the London Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle. Until we hear otherwise, he’s still the reason why people say, “The butler did it”.

What did you think of Rutledge? Did you think he was a terribly underused character who deserved more of a chance to shine? Do you think he will ever be able to challenge the Avengers’ butler, Jarvis, for the title of the Best Damn Butler in Marvel-616?

Leirus

05-21-2008, 09:37 AM

It didn't work. Viper and Courtney were already there as the actual White Queen and the White Warrior Princess. (ugh, I can't believe I just typed that).

Red Lotus counts, because he was actually working with Viper & Courtney. Rachel really just got in the door. Besides, I ran out of profiles for Hellfire Club month. :redface:

I remember myself reading that issue and thinking... "White Warrior Princess"? Is the new Hellfire Club using the Xena Chess Game tm as the reference to pick their titles? Will Storm Join as the"Black Gabrielle"?

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 09:46 AM

I remember myself reading that issue and thinking... "White Warrior Princess"? Is the new Hellfire Club using the Xena Chess Game tm as the reference to pick their titles? Will Storm Join as the"Black Gabrielle"?

CC apparently decided after 20 years the chess motif didn't matter, and started pushing for Lord Imperials and White Warrior Princesses. One guy was going to enter as the Patrol Boat from Battleship, I wager.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 09:53 AM

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/d/d8/Elias_Bogan.jpg/200px-Elias_Bogan.jpg

Oliver Ryland –

Member of the Hellfire Club

First Appearance: X-Treme X-Men #41
All Hellfire Club Appearances: X-Treme X-Men #41
Last Appearance: X-Treme X-Men #41
Powers: Unknown.

Life before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

Life with the Hellfire Club: Oliver Ryland was the pawn, and protégé of Elias Bogan. He was a superb gambler, and Bogan decided to challenge Sebastian Shaw to play Oliver at cards. The stakes were that if Shaw one, he got Bogan’s fortune. If Bogan one, he got Emma Frost. With some help from Tessa, Sebastian Shaw managed to come out victorious. Oliver Ryland’s fate, after this card game, however, is unknown.

What did you think of Oliver Ryland? Did he have any real powers? Should he have expected Tessa to obviously stack the deck in Shaw’s favor?

DDM

05-21-2008, 09:55 AM

I remember myself reading that issue and thinking... "White Warrior Princess"? Is the new Hellfire Club using the Xena Chess Game tm as the reference to pick their titles? Will Storm Join as the"Black Gabrielle"?

The Inner Circle has several members, but only a relative few are known such as the Hellfire Club's leaders such as the Kings, Queens, Bishops, & Rooks. I'm not surprised of the appearance of Princesses & Princes into the the Hellfire Club.

When Selene & Emmanuel Dacosta are inducted in The New Mutants #23 there's hundreds of Inner Circle members present, but unidentified.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 09:58 AM

The Inner Circle has several members, but only a relative few are known such as the Hellfire Club's leaders such as the Kings, Queens, Bishops, & Rooks. I'm not surprised of the appearance of Princesses & Princes into the the Hellfire Club.

When Selene & Emmanuel Dacosta are inducted in The New Mutants #23 there's hundreds of Inner Circle members present, but unidentified.

So if some guy wants to be the Black Car from Monopoly in the Inner Circle, they could?

Leirus

05-21-2008, 10:00 AM

Oliver Ryland –

What did you think of Oliver Ryland? Did he have any real powers? Should he have expected Tessa to obviously stack the deck in Shaw’s favor?

lol of Patrol Bout guy...

I really not seem able to care about the new guys that CC inserted in retrocontinuty... Maybe if someone picked up Ryland and Bogan stories and actually do something with them... Because they look like characters from a fanfiction....

DDM

05-21-2008, 10:01 AM

So if some guy wants to be the Black Car from Monopoly in the Inner Circle, they could?

They are named after chess pieces. I imagine there are quite few rooks & knights, but only 4 kings & queens.

Dizzy D

05-21-2008, 10:02 AM

So if some guy wants to be the Black Car from Monopoly in the Inner Circle, they could?

I call Top Hat. Black Top Hat, 'cause White Top Hat would just be tacky.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 10:05 AM

They are named after chess pieces. I imagine there are quite few rooks & knights, but only 4 kings & queens.

During the New Mutants story you're thinking of... they didn't have anyone as White King (Magneto and Storm would be named it later.) Although, supposedly Donald Pierce prior to being kicked out was White Bishop or White King.

They did have the lineup of...

Black King-Shaw
Black Queen- Selene
Black Bishop- Harry Leland
Black Rook- Friedrich von Roehm
White King- (Supposedly, Donald Pierce's spot)
White Queen- Emma Frost
White Bishop- (supposedly Mastermind was to be the White Bishop)
White Rook- Emmanuel Da Costa

And this was the closest they ever got to having a complete set. :redface:

Leirus

05-21-2008, 10:06 AM

So if some guy wants to be the Black Car from Monopoly in the Inner Circle, they could?

When we create ours Hellfire Clubs later this month, I swear I will use the characters of Clue

"And here is Emma Frost, Colonel Mustard of the Inner Circle"

CJ Lentze

05-21-2008, 10:07 AM

They are named after chess pieces. I imagine there are quite few rooks & knights, but only 4 kings & queens.Yeah, but the whole 'warrior princess' thing breaks the chess theme. I thought it was a silly title.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 10:08 AM

Leirus

05-21-2008, 10:16 AM

Yeah, I think the heirachy actually goes like this...

Hellfire Club member
Hellfire Club Inner Circle Member
Hellfire Club Lords Cardinal- (the chess pieces)

or that the hundreds of people from that New Mutants issue were just the servants and staff present for the ceremony. Although, why invite the help to secret initiation rites? :confused:

To be honest, I am a bit confuse about the hierarchy... I mean, theoretically, the people outside the Inner Circle did not know about its machinations... but the Lord Imperials, who had international reach... They were aware of the inner circles? Existed Inner Circles in every country which had a Hellfire Club?

Because the Lord Imperial killed by Mystique mentione before did not seem aware of anything at all (not even that he himself was a mutant)

Frank

05-21-2008, 10:25 AM

I've always liked the idea for Empress Saturnine to become Hellfire Club's White Queen.

But mostly I want Leland to return. :biggrin:

Dizzy D

05-21-2008, 10:26 AM

When we create ours Hellfire Clubs later this month, I swear I will use the characters of Clue

"And here is Emma Frost, Colonel Mustard of the Inner Circle"

I'll have knights in mine. Be prepared for two bad, bad jokes. (I got all members plotted out by now. There are few that can go in more directions, but most positions are locked now to get the interaction I want from the group as a whole.)

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 10:27 AM

To be honest, I am a bit confuse about the hierarchy... I mean, theoretically, the people outside the Inner Circle did not know about its machinations... but the Lord Imperials, who had international reach... They were aware of the inner circles? Existed Inner Circles in every country which had a Hellfire Club?

Because the Lord Imperial killed by Mystique mentione before did not seem aware of anything at all (not even that he himself was a mutant)

Sir Gordon Phillips had his head totally up his hinder. I mean, he had no idea that anyone in the Inner Circle had any criminal background.

Despite the London HC's releasing a demon in London and being publicly arrested, or all the X-Men, HC feud off in the U.S. So this means only one thing to me...

Gordon Phillips isn't stupid, he's just a really bad liar. How could he NOT know about the club's more sinister activities, and yet rise to its highest position? And then, if he was that stupid, why didn't Shaw take his place sooner? Because Gordon knew, and had to have some leverage over him. It's about the only thing that makes sense.

Dagger

05-21-2008, 10:30 AM

Yeah, but the whole 'warrior princess' thing breaks the chess theme. I thought it was a silly title.
Just one of several really lame things that happened during Claremont's return, and him trying to revitalize the Hellfire Club. Making Viper part of it also was really lame.

CJ Lentze

05-21-2008, 10:39 AM

Just one of several really lame things that happened during Claremont's return, and him trying to revitalize the Hellfire Club. Making Viper part of it also was really lame.I like to think that the ingredients were all good: the mutant slave trade subplot, Sunspot entering the Inner Circle, heck, even Viper siding with Sat-Yr-9 to try and change the balance of power. But the execution was lacking.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 10:40 AM

I like to think that the ingredients were all good: the mutant slave trade subplot, Sunspot entering the Inner Circle, heck, even Viper siding with Sat-Yr-9 to try and change the balance of power. But the execution was lacking.

Like instead of naming Viper her White Bishop or White Rook... going with Warrior White Princess, for example. :tongue:

jarrod

05-21-2008, 11:01 AM

It didn't work. Viper and Courtney were already there as the actual White Queen and the White Warrior Princess. (ugh, I can't believe I just typed that).

Red Lotus counts, because he was actually working with Viper & Courtney. Rachel really just got in the door. Besides, I ran out of profiles for Hellfire Club month. :redface:
Boo hiss!

I'll have you know Rachel actually infiltrated the Hellfire Club TWICE (3 times if you count the CTC... sorta)! Speaking of which, is Magma going to make it?

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 11:03 AM

Boo hiss!

I'll have you know Rachel actually infiltrated the Hellfire Club TWICE (3 times if you count the CTC... sorta)! Speaking of which, is Magma going to make it?

Nope, no Magma. Red Lotus' infiltration kind of gets him a lot more credit, since he stuck around for weeks. As far as the club knows, he's still a member.

jarrod

05-21-2008, 11:12 AM

I thought Amara was supposedly "hanging around" the Club now though, with Berto? Or did I just imagine that? :/

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 11:15 AM

I thought Amara was supposedly "hanging around" the Club now though, with Berto? Or did I just imagine that? :/

Hasn't been confirmed. That's what the 411 "Cyclops" gives them says. Trust me, I wanted to profile her for her time with Bobby and Sam, if they are tied into the "Brotherhood" in Young X-Men... we just haven't seen enough of the story yet. And alphabetically... we're far after Amara Aquilla at this point.

jarrod

05-21-2008, 11:35 AM

Hasn't been confirmed. That's what the 411 "Cyclops" gives them says. Trust me, I wanted to profile her for her time with Bobby and Sam, if they are tied into the "Brotherhood" in Young X-Men... we just haven't seen enough of the story yet.
That's where it came from I guess... though I thought Carey or someone else also mentioned it in interviews?

And alphabetically... we're far after Amara Aquilla at this point.
Bah, the delegates must be seated! Rachel and Amara should count!!

CJ Lentze

05-21-2008, 11:42 AM

Bah, the delegates must be seated! Rachel and Amara should count!!I vote no. Ray wants no part of the Club; she simply doesn't dig those uncomfortable Hellfire Club clothes...

and then there's the whole secret criminal cabal thing.

DDM

05-21-2008, 01:19 PM

During the New Mutants story you're thinking of... they didn't have anyone as White King (Magneto and Storm would be named it later.) Although, supposedly Donald Pierce prior to being kicked out was White Bishop or White King.

They did have the lineup of...

Black King-Shaw
Black Queen- Selene
Black Bishop- Harry Leland
Black Rook- Friedrich von Roehm
White King- (Supposedly, Donald Pierce's spot)
White Queen- Emma Frost
White Bishop- (supposedly Mastermind was to be the White Bishop)
White Rook- Emmanuel Da Costa

And this was the closest they ever got to having a complete set. :redface:

Mastermind held no official rank within the Inner Circle since he was only a probationary member only as long as Phoenix remains the Black Queen.

When Selene is inducted into the Inner Circle in The New Mutants #23, she is not yet Black Queen. Her next appearance with the Hellfire Club after Uncanny X-Men #189 is Uncanny X-Men #207 when it is revealed she is indeed the Black Queen. True, she "auditioned" to be Black Queen in Uncanny X-Men #189 prior to her induction into the Inner Circle in The New Mutants #23.

As a result of Selene's ascendancy into the Black Queen role, I believe Friedrich Von Roehm is rewarded with the title of Black Rook. Prior to this, Von Roehm may not have held a particular rank within the Inner Circle, although he had to be in the Inner Circle given he sponsored his goddess, Selene to be in the Inner Circle.

I believe Donald Pierce may have been the White bishop with his first appearances in Uncanny X-Men #129-134, but when he kidnapped Tessa in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants he may have already moved into the rank of White King.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 01:35 PM

Mastermind held no official rank within the Inner Circle since he was only a probationary member only as long as Phoenix remains the Black Queen.

When Selene is inducted into the Inner Circle in The New Mutants #23, she is not yet Black Queen. Her next appearance with the Hellfire Club after Uncanny X-Men #189 is Uncanny X-Men #207 when it is revealed she is indeed the Black Queen. True, she "auditioned" to be Black Queen in Uncanny X-Men #189 prior to her induction into the Inner Circle in The New Mutants #23.

As a result of Selene's ascendancy into the Black Queen role, I believe Friedrich Von Roehm is rewarded with the title of Black Rook. Prior to this, Von Roehm may not have held a particular rank within the Inner Circle, although he had to be in the Inner Circle given he sponsored his goddess, Selene to be in the Inner Circle.

I believe Donald Pierce may have been the White bishop with his first appearances in Uncanny X-Men #129-134, but when he kidnapped Tessa in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants he may have already moved into the rank of White King.

Correct on all counts. As I said, Mastermind was supposedly planned to be Emma Frost's White Bishop. Once Phoenix as Black Queen went and threw off control on him, whatever plan Shaw, Emma, and the Inner Circle may have had for him went completely out the window. At the time it happened, there was no position open for White Bishop, Black Rook, or White Rook, though, so it could have just as likely been for any of those.

DDM

05-21-2008, 01:43 PM

Correct on all counts. As I said, Mastermind was supposedly planned to be Emma Frost's White Bishop. Once Phoenix as Black Queen went and threw off control on him, whatever plan Shaw, Emma, and the Inner Circle may have had for him went completely out the window. At the time it happened, there was no position open for White Bishop, Black Rook, or White Rook, though, so it could have just as likely been for any of those.

Although the X-Men & New Mutants encounters several of the leaders of the Lords Cardinal such as Sebastian Shaw, Selene, Emma Frost, Donald Pierce, etc al, they have not encountered the entire Inner Circle; since the Inner Circle is itself a secret society within the Hellfire Club, I think the Lords Cardinal is just the tip of the iceberg of the Inner Circle members.

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 02:07 PM

Although the X-Men & New Mutants encounters several of the leaders of the Lords Cardinal such as Sebastian Shaw, Selene, Emma Frost, Donald Pierce, etc al, they have not encountered the entire Inner Circle; since the Inner Circle is itself a secret society within the Hellfire Club, I think the Lords Cardinal is just the tip of the iceberg of the Inner Circle members.

Maybe. I'd lend some creedence to that thought, because like 15 years after the Hellfire Club is introduced, we find out there's a London Inner Circle, besides the American one, and it's got Red instead of White pieces. That development turned some heads.

But pushing it to having a Lord Imperial over the whole thing, and a "Warrior White Princess" really, really did get ridiculous. It seems being a Lord Cardinal is more prestigious than just being in the Inner Circle, since everyone tries to either fill those positions, or tries to "interview" for them like Cordelia Frost or Mastermind...

DDM

05-21-2008, 02:57 PM

Maybe. I'd lend some creedence to that thought, because like 15 years after the Hellfire Club is introduced, we find out there's a London Inner Circle, besides the American one, and it's got Red instead of White pieces. That development turned some heads.

But pushing it to having a Lord Imperial over the whole thing, and a "Warrior White Princess" really, really did get ridiculous. It seems being a Lord Cardinal is more prestigious than just being in the Inner Circle, since everyone tries to either fill those positions, or tries to "interview" for them like Cordelia Frost or Mastermind...

Sebastian Shaw not only lead the Inner Circle, but was the NYC leader of the Hellfire Club; therefore, the Inner Circle members do have important positions within the club. It's just a select few are chosen to become leaders within the Inner Circle. Selene also wanted Shaw's position as leader, yet she never absorbed his life-force to take the position from him. I wonder why? I think she knew she could easily outlive the then current leaders, the Black King Sebastian Shaw & White Queen Emma Frost given her mutant ability to psionically drain the life-forces from her victims.

I liked the introduction of the London Hellfire Club with their Black/Red motif, but no one has done anything with it since then. And how does it relate to the USA's Hellfire Club? What kind of competition do the different Inner Circles have or do they? Do they work together?

Leirus

05-21-2008, 03:12 PM

worstblogever

05-21-2008, 03:19 PM

Well, At least if we had to have some respect for the Lord Imperial charge, they should have presented a Lord Imperial a bit more competent. He came across as a clown...

I had to read that twice... I thought you were saying he had the fetish of coulrophilia. You know... a clown fetish... :redface: But that's the other HC Month thread.

Leirus

05-21-2008, 06:23 PM

I had to read that twice... I thought you were saying he had the fetish of coulrophilia. You know... a clown fetish... :redface: But that's the other HC Month thread.

Jor!! I am sorry... sometimes my english fails...

worstblogever

05-22-2008, 02:06 AM

Because darknessatnoon demanded it... our first profile here on May 22nd, and 46th overall is...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e6/Sagenewexc.PNG/225px-Sagenewexc.PNG

Sage AKA Tessa -

Hellfire Club Member

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #132
All Hellfire Appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, Classic X-Men #6-7, X-Treme X-Men #3, Marvel Super Heroes (2nd series) #11, Uncanny X-Men #132, 151, 169, 182, 189, Marvel Graphic Novel #4, New Mutants (1st series) #23, Uncanny X-Men #208-210, New Mutants (1st series) #51, 53-54, 61, Uncanny X-Men #245, X-Men (2nd series) #29, Spider-Man Team-Up #1, X-Force (1st series) #49-50, X-Man #15, 20-23, Annual '96, #24, 28
Last Appearance: New Exiles #6.
Powers: Sage is a mutant who possesses a cyberpathic mind that functions like a computer with unlimited storage capacity. Sage is able to record and analyze vast amounts of data, including the entire genetic code of another living being, and can also calculate complex statistics in mere seconds. Sage’s memory is kinetic in nature, allowing her to instantly recall specific information with incredible speed and accuracy. Sage also possesses the ability of total recall, as her mind stores everything that she sees and experiences. As such, Sage is able to track the probability of an event by piecing together stored data. Like a computer, Sage is able to perform multiple tasks at once by allocating a partition of her brain to each task. For example, Sage can use her mind to replay a movie she had watched previously, play a game of Internet chess, and focus on battling an opponent without any one task distracting her from another. After analyzing the DNA of another superhuman mutant, Sage is able to selectively evolve their existing genetic traits as well as catalyze the untapped genetic potential of latent mutants. Once begun, the procedure is irreversible and can often result in unpredictable side effects. Sage can also sense the presence of the mutant gene in others who are in close proximity to herself, and can reflect mental attacks - be they psionic or cybernetic in origin - back on their originators. Sage also once possessed low-level telepathic abilities that allowed her to read minds, communicate with others over a distance, project her astral form, manipulate the minds of others, and create realistic mental illusions. She now also has tapped into the powers of Roma, but the extent of her ability to wield them has yet to be revealed.

Her life prior to the Hellfire Club: Little is known of the life of the woman known as Tessa except that she had lived in a small village in the Balkan region of Europe whilst still a young girl, and that she had spent time in a harem under unrevealed circumstances. Just prior to her teenage years, Tessa found herself caught up in the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. She was forced to learn to fight to survive encounters with both soldiers and local bandits, and took weapons and equipment from the bodies of fallen combatants. One day, Tessa felt herself compelled to enter a cave in the nearby Hindu Kush mountain range. There, she found the powerful telepathic mutant named Charles Xavier, who had been trapped under a massive stone block by the alien being named Lucifer. Initially wary of him, Tessa rescued the critically injured mutant but soon after they encountered a United Nations aid convoy being attacked by bandits. Tessa drove off the attackers and then avenged the death of one young U.N. worker by brutally murdering the bandit that had raped and killed her.

Years later, Xavier recruited Tessa at the same time that he formed his original team of teenage mutant students he called the X-Men. Xavier
kept Tessa's presence at his mansion a secret as he intended to utilize her own mutant telepathic talents as a spy in his fight for peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans. Her first mission for him… well… would be her only one, apparently.

worstblogever

05-22-2008, 02:06 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/8/86/X-treme_X-Men_4.jpg

Her life with the Hellfire Club:
Tessa's first mission for Xavier was to infiltrate the organization for the rich and powerful known as the Hellfire Club and to gain the trust of Sebastian Shaw, who had yet to even gain the title of Black King in the Club's New York Branch (X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4). For years, Tessa acted as Shaw's personal assistant, advising and counselling him in both his legitimate and illegal business practices, all the while apparently gathering information for Xavier.

Shaw found Tessa's ability to function as a living computer invaluable and kept her in his employ for many years, even during the time he was deposed as leader of the Club. She was present during the club’s capture of all the X-Men, and their recruitment of Jean Grey as Black Queen (Uncanny X-Men #132), and on the occasion that Emma Frost used a device to switch bodies and powers with Storm (Uncanny X-Men #151-152), Selene’s joining as Black Queen (Uncanny X-Men #189), and the night that Nimrod would kill Friedrich von Roehm and Harry Leland (Uncanny X-Men #208-210).

Sometime during Sebastian Shaw’s first reign as Black King, Tessa ran afoul of one of the Club’s regular and valued patrons, a reclusive billionaire named Elias Bogan. Shaw had made a wager with Bogan during a game of cards whereupon if Shaw lost, Bogan would win the Club's then-White Queen, the telepathic mutant Emma Frost. Bogan had never lost a game before, but with Tessa’s help Shaw won the bet. Bogan honoured the wager, but knew who was truly responsible for his defeat and exacted his revenge on Tessa.

Early in Tessa’s time with the Club, its renegade White Bishop, Donald Pierce, attempted a coup of the Club's leadership. Pierce kidnapped Tessa, believing that without her Shaw's position could more easily be compromised. She was rescued by Xavier and his team of New Mutants and, upon her return to the Club, Pierce was expelled (Marvel Graphic Novel #4). Tessa would also interact a great deal with the New Mutants and Hellions, being present at several of the former teams’ visits to the club, during Magneto’s reign as White King, and his time as headmaster of Xavier’s School for the Gifted. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #51-54).

More interesting, would be that after Shinobi Shaw would apparently kill his father and take the title of Black King of the Hellfire Club, is that Tessa would remain as his assistant, instead of Sebastian’s. (X-Men (vol. 2) #29, Spider-Man Team-Up #1). Whether or not she was doing so under the orders of Xavier, Sebastian Shaw, or her own free will has yet to be determined.

Upon Shaw’s return to power, however, Tessa was found right by his side when he tried to recruit Holocaust to stop X-Force (X-Force (vol. 1) #48-50), and as Selene brought Madelyne Pryor into the Hellfire Club as her new Black Rook and inadvertently into Sebastian Shaw’s bed. (X-Man #15,20-23, 25)

Of course, sometimes old grudges do come to bear, and Elias Bogan would finally return to extract his revenge on Tessa, capturing her and branding her face with facial tattoos. Tessa would be rescued by the X-Man Storm, after Sebastian Shaw refused to give Bogan back his fortune as Tessa’s ransom. When Shaw left her to such a fate, it was enough to make her leave the Hellfire Club.

Her Life After the Hellfire Club: Tessa soon affiliated herself with the X-Men, acting as part of their support crew. In order to shield herself from detection by Bogan, Tessa consciously shut down her telepathic abilities, relying solely on her computer-like mind to assist her new teammates.

When Senator Robert Kelly announced his intention to run for the Presidency on an anti-mutant platform, Tessa met with him to persuade him otherwise by convincing him that his actions were no different to those of the mutant terrorist Magneto. Kelly was not so easily swayed, however, and it wasn’t until a mutant sacrificed his life to save Kelly that he realized his folly.

Soon after, Tessa was given the codename Sage by Storm who recruited her into a splinter group of X-Treme X-Men who set out to search for the diaries of the blind mutant seer named Destiny that predicted the future of mutantkind. On the new team's first mission, Tessa was instrumental in saving the life of her teammate the Beast after he was badly wounded encounter with the self-professed enhanced human named Vargas (X-Treme X-Men #2). Sage used a heretofore-unseen ability to advance the Beast's evolution to its next stage, healing him of his injuries and activating his latent secondary mutation. Eventually learning of Tessa's deception, Shaw allied himself with Lady Mastermind, the daughter of former Hellfire Club member Jason Wyngarde, to exact revenge on his former assistant. Lady Mastermind trapped Tessa in a convincing illusion, making her believe that she was once again Shaw's assistant back in the Hellfire Club. Tessa was freed thanks to the efforts of Heather Cameron, an Australian mutant with the ability to manifest various super-human powers depending on what the current situation called for, and the X-Men defeated Shaw once more. Tessa later catalyzed the latent mutant powers of Heather’s brother Davis, who subsequently joined the X-Treme X-Men as Slipstream, as well as evolving her teammate Rogue's mutant ability to grant her control over the manifestation of the powers and abilities she has absorbed over the years.

Tessa often used her computer-like mind to assist her teammate Bishop in his activities as a homicide detective, such as when they were called upon to investigate the attempted murder of Emma Frost, now a member of the X-Men and an instructor at Xavier’s school. Later, when the X-Treme team encountered Bogan once more after a murder at his Alaskan estate (X-Treme X-Men #21), Sage and Bishop were called in to investigate. A young mutant named Jeffrey Garrett was wanted for questioning after Bogan had his family killed and, in retaliation, he teleported Bogan's associates onto the nearby glacier where they froze to death. Garrett fled to the Xavier Institute where he came under the protection of Frost. However, Bogan had secretly possessed the young boy and when Frost scanned his mind, Bogan took possession of her. Sage and Bishop followed the trail to the mansion where Bogan captured them, but the timely arrival of Storm allowed them to escape and defeat the villain.
Bogan returned to plague the X-Treme X-Men soon after when he captured and mentally enslaved Bishop, hoping to use him as a weapon against his teammates. With the aid of several of their former allies the X-Men were able to rescue Bishop, which allowed Sage to defeat Bogan once and for all. (X-Treme X-Men #45) Sage then accompanied her teammates back to New York to assist in the rebuilding of the mansion following an attack by Magneto, after which they rejoined the core X-Men team.

Sage then joined a new incarnation of the British super-team Excalibur, and helped the team defeat plots by both Albion, and a group of X-Men from a world where they were overtaken by the Shadow King before finding herself battling alongside both her teammates, and the Exiles, visitors from other realities, against the combined threat of Mad Jim Jaspers, the Fury, and Merlyn. At the end of this conflict, Sage acquired the knowledge of the goddess Roma, and joined the Exiles in their Crystal Palace, to help save entire worlds within the Multiverse. The near-omniscience of Roma, however, has left Sage trying to cope with many visions that to her, seem real.

What did you think of Tessa/Sage? Did you think it strange that in all her service to Sebastian Shaw, she was never given the title of Black Bishop or Black Rook? What do you think of Sage since she has left the Hellfire Club? Do you think she will remain with the New Exiles, or return to Marvel-616 and possibly the Hellfire Club?

timbox

05-22-2008, 06:37 AM

worstblogever

05-22-2008, 07:25 AM

What issues did Lady Mastermind trap Sage in an illusion. That sounds like an interesting read. I wouldn't think living in an illusion would work for very long on Sage with how her memories work.

PS. Sage rocks.
PPS. No wonder dn@n likes DDM so much, he's just like Sage!

I believe Lady M's time in X-Treme was issues #6-9.

darknessatnoon

05-22-2008, 09:03 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/8/86/X-treme_X-Men_4.jpg

That was an excellent review of Sage's files, WBE. Reading your review, I realized how interesting it is that Bogan immediately knew who beat him at cards. Sage was the true power behind Shaw. He has the brawn and she has the brains. I can also see why this would prevent her from being promoted. She was seen as a resource. Making her into a player would have seriously weakened Shaw and threatened the position of other members of the inner circle.

I think Lady M is also much more powerful than her father. I got the impression that she didn't just throw an illusion at Sage as much as spent a great deal of time hacking Sage's brain byte by byte.

worstblogever

05-22-2008, 09:20 AM

That was an excellent review of Sage's files, WBE. Reading your review, I realized how interesting it is that Bogan immediately knew who beat him at cards. Sage was the true power behind Shaw. He has the brawn and she has the brains. I can also see why this would prevent her from being promoted. She was seen as a resource. Making her into a player would have seriously weakened Shaw and threatened the position of other members of the inner circle.

I think Lady M is also much more powerful than her father. I got the impression that she didn't just throw an illusion at Sage as much as spent a great deal of time hacking Sage's brain byte by byte.

I agree that Shaw used her as a resource... the question is, why did Sage stick by him for so long? Certainly her "spying" for Xavier wasn't ever really revealing anything about the HC to Proffy McBrokenlegs. And while there, Sage watched them turn Jean into the Dark Phoenix, work out Emma switching bodies with Storm, Sebastian ally himself with the genocidal maniac Holocaust to go kill X-Force, and several other schemes without ever calling Xavier to warn him. At some point, she ended up becoming more about being Shaw's underling than anything else.

Now, on your second thought, for a FACT, you are right. Regan is a telepath, as well as having illusion powers, and she can turn through your own mind and use your thoughts against you. Plus, if you lose consciousness from the illusion, they still affect you that's a trick her pappy couldn't pull.

worstblogever

05-22-2008, 09:25 AM

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/e/e5/Sat-Yr-9_excalibur12.jpg/200px-Sat-Yr-9_excalibur12.jpg

Opal Lun Sat-Yr-9 AKA Courtney Ross –

White Queen of the Hellfire Club V

First Appearance: Captain Britain (vol. 2) #2.
All Hellfire Club Appearances: Uncanny X-Men #449, 452-454, Excalibur (vol. 2) #11-13.
Last Appearance: X-Men: Die By the Sword #5.
Powers: The ability to channel psychic power through her eyes that force those of weak wills to submit to her every desire.

Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Opul Lun Sat-Yr-9 was a dictator who ruled Earth-794 with her lover and slave, Kaptain Briton. When he fled from her, and traveled to Earth-616 where he knew he had an identical looking counterpart, Brian Braddock as Earth-616’s Captain Britain, she sent armored troops to retrieve him. They mistakenly attacked Captain Britain twice, but were repelled on each occasion, the first time by Britain and his ally Meggan, the second by Britain's sister Betsy Braddock. Sat-Yr-9 next hired the inter-dimensional mercenary group, the Technet, but Briton swapped places with Britain, and the Technet took the wrong man back to Earth-794. Britain later convinced the Technet of their error, but Sat-Yr-9 tried to stop them departing with him; the Technet slaughtered her soldiers, and the already psychotic Sat-Yr-9 became completely unhinged. After they departed, she started slaughtering her subjects, leading to her world’s people revolting, overthrowing her, and imprisoning her when Roma sent Captain UK on a mission to capture her. And all the while Captain Britain was on Earth-794, Kaptain Briton was on Earth-616, only to be killed by Betsy Braddock when he tried to rape her.

Escaping to Earth-616 through a dimension gateway that had accidentally been opened by an unassuming civilian on Earth-616, Sat-Yr-9 killed her alternate reality counterpart, a businesswoman named Courtney Ross, and assumed her identity. Coincidentally, Ross was Captain Britain's ex-girlfriend. As Ross, she tried to create a rift between Captain Britain and his current girlfriend Meggan as a way of getting at least a doppleganger of her old lover, Kaptain Briton, back.

Sat-Yr-9 also knew about Jamie Braddock’s reality warping powers before anyone else including himself did (since she presumably knew about the reality warping powers of Jamie's alternate reality counterpart in her timeline of origin) and arranged things so that Jamie's powers would be unlocked, at the expense of driving him insane. She had intended to use Jamie and his great powers as a living weapon against difficult adversaries. She used Jamie's powers to change her right-hand man, Nigel Frobisher, into a duplicate of the London Crime Vixen, while changing Vixen herself into a fox. With Frobisher as Vixen, Sat-Yr-9 took over the Vixen's crime syndicate.

With her powerbase built, she finally attacked Excalibur, revealing her true identity to them. She tried to enslave Captain Britain, against Frobisher's advice. Frobisher rebelled and was killed by her. Excalibur managed to defeat Jamie, and Sat-Yr-9 and her troops were forced to flee. Captain Britain swore to avenge Courtney's death, but was unable to track Sat-Yr-9 down.

Her Life as a Member of the Hellfire Club: After surviving an attempt on her life by Viper, Courtney Ross made her an offer instead to join her when she would be inducted into a new Hellfire Club as its White Queen, to serve as her self-proclaimed "White Princess" and bodyguard. She did face a challenge from a former White Queen, Emma Frost, for the title of a game of “high-card”, but when Emma drew a joker, the wild card, it ended in a draw. Sat-Yr-9 was present during the attack on the Hellfire Club by its former White King, Donald Pierce, and managed to survive unscathed. She was seen later trying to gain a strangehold on Genosha during its rebuilding process after the Sentinel attack, but may have abandoned the endeavor in light of M-Day.

She has been seen publicly appearing in London as Courtney Ross again, trying to convince Captain Britain that she somehow is the real Courtney Ross. So far Captain Britain remains unconvinced, but he hasn't moved against her as of yet. She was last seen leaving the battle between the Exiles and New Excalibur with Albion, possibly forming either an alliance, or romance with him.

What do you think of Opal Lun Sat-Yr-9? Do you think she will end up doing with Albion? Do you think the idea of a “White Warrior Princess” is a good one that she had? Will she ever prove to be as formidable a White Queen as Emma Frost?

darknessatnoon

05-22-2008, 09:29 AM

I agree that Shaw used her as a resource... the question is, why did Sage stick by him for so long? Certainly her "spying" for Xavier wasn't ever really revealing anything about the HC to Proffy McBrokenlegs. And while there, Sage watched them turn Jean into the Dark Phoenix, work out Emma switching bodies with Storm, Sebastian ally himself with the genocidal maniac Holocaust to go kill X-Force, and several other schemes without ever calling Xavier to warn him. At some point, she ended up becoming more about being Shaw's underling than anything else.

Now, on your second thought, for a FACT, you are right. Regan is a telepath, as well as having illusion powers, and she can turn through your own mind and use your thoughts against you. Plus, if you lose consciousness from the illusion, they still affect you that's a trick her pappy couldn't pull.

My sense of that story is that Sage went "native" for a while out of resentment for Xavier, or she was in so much danger that their protocol for information sharing was compromised.

OR, Shortpack was simply not passing the messages along. The trouble-making little midget.

Old No.7

05-22-2008, 09:36 AM

Bingo!

05-22-2008, 10:21 AM

I agree that Shaw used her as a resource... the question is, why did Sage stick by him for so long? Certainly her "spying" for Xavier wasn't ever really revealing anything about the HC to Proffy McBrokenlegs. And while there, Sage watched them turn Jean into the Dark Phoenix, work out Emma switching bodies with Storm, Sebastian ally himself with the genocidal maniac Holocaust to go kill X-Force, and several other schemes without ever calling Xavier to warn him. At some point, she ended up becoming more about being Shaw's underling than anything else.

Access. Sage had resources at the Hellfire Club that Xavier couldn't offer. She was around the world's richest and powerful individuals. All her time spent there was observing, recording, and analyzing the actions and social networks amongst the HC members.

I can't wait for her to come back. Sage is needed by her fellow mutants, yet she withering away in exiles.

Diablito

05-22-2008, 02:15 PM

Sigh, I hate Sage. She has never ever been appealing to my. Sat-yr-9 is cool, but I hate her codename.

darknessatnoon

05-22-2008, 02:20 PM

Sigh, I hate Sage. She has never ever been appealing to my. Sat-yr-9 is cool, but I hate her codename.

I am glad you feel strongly enough about Sage to hate her! I'll take what I can get. Passion!

Nyssane

05-22-2008, 02:21 PM

I always liked Sat-yr-9's hair.

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 12:26 AM

I always liked Sat-yr-9's hair.

She has the best hair of anyone in the Hellfire Club, I'd say. Unless you count the hair on Harry Leland's chest. :eek:

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 01:10 AM

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/d/d1/Scribe2.jpg/200px-Scribe2.jpg

http://image.comicvine.com/uploads/item/15000/14850/11944-mountjoy_150.jpg

Scribe (Jane Hampshire)/Mountjoy –

Red Rook of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Mountjoy in Bishop: The Mountjoy Crisis #1, Scribe in Excalibur (vol. 1) #96
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur #96, 98-100
Last Appearance: X-Man # 23
Powers: Mountjoy has a “basilisk field” that dampens the reflex action of others, physically merge with others and take over their bodies and powers, absorb human forms into himself for sustenance, while Scribe has augmented strength, agility, reflexes, and a phasing power that allows her to assume an ephemeral state..

His and her life prior to the Hellfire Club: Nothing is known about Scribe’s life prior to her joining the London Hellfire Club. Mountjoy is a mutant from the future timeline of Bishop, of the X-Men, who was trained by the Emplates to merge with another person’s body in order to feed. Mountjoy would escape his future when he went through one of Trevor Fitzroy’s time portals while hiding inside the body of Bantam, who he was discreetly feeding on at the time. He then left Bantam after his arrival in the present day Marvel-616. Afterwards, when Fitzroy was presumed dead, Mountjoy hunted down Bantam because he was the only one who knew of Mountjoy’s presence, and by doing so, he could move unchecked in the past. Chasing Bantam, Mountjoy encountered Bishop, whose sister Shard recognized him, having once captured and imprisoned Mountjoy in their future. Mountjoy defeated Bishop while merging with Storm and using her as a hostage. Mountjoy then released Storm and escaped. Later, Mountjoy was found by Bishop at a NYPD Station. While chasing each other downtown, Mountjoy ambushed and absorbed Bishop. Arriving at the Xavier Mansion in Bishop’s body, Mountjoy divested Bishop and went after the other X-Men. He found and absorbed Archangel, Gambit, and Psylocke. Mountjoy was then lured into the Danger Room by Shard. Inside the Danger Room, Mountjoy fought off Bishop with powers from the three X-Men he absorbed. Not knowing the Shard was a hologram, Mountjoy tried to absorb her as well, but couldn’t. Shard held Mountjoy in place as Bishop fired an energy blast at him. The blast forced Mountjoy to let go of Archangel, Gambit and Psylocke, and he was defeated.

Their Time Together (literally) in the London Hellfire Club: Mountjoy would later escape and infiltrate the Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club, and merge inside the Circle’s recorder and Red Rook, Scribe. Brian Braddock was sent by Shinobi Shaw to find Mountjoy. Mountjoy, hiding in Scribe’s body, would confide in Braddock and pose as his ally during most of Braddock’s initial days of joining the club. (Excalibur (vol.1 #96-99) When the Inner Circle’s plans were revealed to harness the power of the demon beneath London, and Braddock donned his Captain Britain costume, Mountjoy and the Black Queen Ms. Steed attacked him in tandem. After Steed was defeated, Mountjoy tried to escape. Captain Britain caught up with him and knocked him out. Mountjoy and the Inner Circle were then put in jail. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #100)

Not long after, Mountjoy, still in Scribe’s body, was bailed out of jail by Sebastian Shaw as he began to reform a new Hellfire Club, having regained the title of Black King from his son Shinobi. Taken to Liberty Island, Mountjoy was put in a duel against Madelyne Pryor. Using Scribe’s powers, Mountjoy nearly defeated Madelyne and closed in for the kill. Madelyne then reached inside Scribe and pulled out Mountjoy, defeating him. (X-Man #23)

Mountjoy's current whereabouts are unknown. But it's known that he retained his mutant powers after the Decimation, since he was from an alternate timeline. Scribe’s fate, however, remains a mystery.

What did you think of Mountjoy? Did you feel that he could have been a villain to plague the X-Men and Marvel Universe for years to come?

What did you think of Scribe? Was her powerset, and her design intriguing, or dull? Would you have liked to see her support Captain Britain in the Hellfire Club? How did her array of powers still end up just making her worthy of being the London Hellfire Club’s stenographer?

Leirus

05-23-2008, 06:07 AM

Red Rook of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Mountjoy in [I]Bishop: The Mountjoy Crisis #1, Scribe in Excalibur (vol. 1) #96
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur #96, 98-100
Last Appearance: X-Man # 23
Powers: Mountjoy has a “basilisk field” that dampens the reflex action of others, physically merge with others and take over their bodies and powers, absorb human forms into himself for sustenance, while Scribe has augmented strength, agility, reflexes, and a phasing power that allows her to assume an ephemeral state..

His and her life prior to the Hellfire Club: Nothing is known about Scribe’s life prior to her joining the London Hellfire Club. Mountjoy is a mutant from the future timeline of Bishop, of the X-Men, who was trained by the Emplates to merge with another person’s body in order to feed. Mountjoy would escape his future when he went through one of Trevor Fitzroy’s time portals while hiding inside the body of Bantam, who he was discreetly feeding on at the time. He then left Bantam after his arrival in the present day Marvel-616. Afterwards, when Fitzroy was presumed dead, Mountjoy hunted down Bantam because he was the only one who knew of Mountjoy’s presence, and by doing so, he could move unchecked in the past. Chasing Bantam, Mountjoy encountered Bishop, whose sister Shard recognized him, having once captured and imprisoned Mountjoy in their future. Mountjoy defeated Bishop while merging with Storm and using her as a hostage. Mountjoy then released Storm and escaped. Later, Mountjoy was found by Bishop at a NYPD Station. While chasing each other downtown, Mountjoy ambushed and absorbed Bishop. Arriving at the Xavier Mansion in Bishop’s body, Mountjoy divested Bishop and went after the other X-Men. He found and absorbed Archangel, Gambit, and Psylocke. Mountjoy was then lured into the Danger Room by Shard. Inside the Danger Room, Mountjoy fought off Bishop with powers from the three X-Men he absorbed. Not knowing the Shard was a hologram, Mountjoy tried to absorb her as well, but couldn’t. Shard held Mountjoy in place as Bishop fired an energy blast at him. The blast forced Mountjoy to let go of Archangel, Gambit and Psylocke, and he was defeated.

Their Time Together (literally) in the London Hellfire Club: Mountjoy would later escape and infiltrate the Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club, and merge inside the Circle’s recorder and Red Rook, Scribe. Brian Braddock was sent by Shinobi Shaw to find Mountjoy. Mountjoy, hiding in Scribe’s body, would confide in Braddock and pose as his ally during most of Braddock’s initial days of joining the club. (Excalibur (vol.1 #96-99) When the Inner Circle’s plans were revealed to harness the power of the demon beneath London, and Braddock donned his Captain Britain costume, Mountjoy and the Black Queen Ms. Steed attacked him in tandem. After Steed was defeated, Mountjoy tried to escape. Captain Britain caught up with him and knocked him out. Mountjoy and the Inner Circle were then put in jail. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #100)

Not long after, Mountjoy, still in Scribe’s body, was bailed out of jail by Sebastian Shaw as he began to reform a new Hellfire Club, having regained the title of Black King from his son Shinobi. Taken to Liberty Island, Mountjoy was put in a duel against Madelyne Pryor. Using Scribe’s powers, Mountjoy nearly defeated Madelyne and closed in for the kill. Madelyne then reached inside Scribe and pulled out Mountjoy, defeating him. (X-Man #23)

Mountjoy's current whereabouts are unknown. But it's known that he retained his mutant powers after the Decimation, since he was from an alternate timeline. Scribe’s fate, however, remains a mystery.

What did you think of Mountjoy? Did you feel that he could have been a villain to plague the X-Men and Marvel Universe for years to come?

What did you think of Scribe? Was her powerset, and her design intriguing, or dull? Would you have liked to see her support Captain Britain in the Hellfire Club? How did her array of powers still end up just making her worthy of being the London Hellfire Club’s stenographer?

I always liked Scribe a lot, I do not know why... Maybe because she was wonderfully drawn by Carlos Pacheco? Or because she was nice with Braddock?

Mountjoy on the other hand... lets say I hate all the crap from Bishop´s future (and this also applies to the Ultimate line)

and BTW... How do we know that Courtney Ross is Satur9 and not the real deal resurrected by the M-Day ?

darknessatnoon

05-23-2008, 06:10 AM

I always liked Scribe a lot, I do not know why... Maybe because she was wonderfully drawn by Carlos Pacheco? Or because she was nice with Braddock?

Mountjoy on the other hand... lets say I hate all the crap from Bishop´s future (and this also applies to the Ultimate line)

and BTW... How do we know that Courtney Ross is Satur9 and not the real deal resurrected by the M-Day ?

M-Day doesn't resurrect people (other than Vulcan/Darwin, I guess). That's what SI is for!

Dizzy D

05-23-2008, 09:26 AM

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 01:15 PM

I always liked Scribe a lot, I do not know why... Maybe because she was wonderfully drawn by Carlos Pacheco? Or because she was nice with Braddock?

Mountjoy on the other hand... lets say I hate all the crap from Bishop´s future (and this also applies to the Ultimate line)

and BTW... How do we know that Courtney Ross is Satur9 and not the real deal resurrected by the M-Day ?

She played a game of "high card" with Emma... which is out of Sat-Yr-9's modus operandi, not Courtney's.

That at Courtney is dead, dead, dead, and during X-Men: Die by the Sword, Courtney did suddenly blurt out and declare, "I AM OPAL LUNA SAT-YR-9!!!" during a fight, if I recall.

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 01:25 PM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/f/ff/Black_Queen_001.jpg

Selene -

Black Queen of the Hellfire Club I, III, IV, V

First appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #9
All Hellfire Appearances: New Mutants (1st series) #22, Uncanny X-Men #189, New Mutants (1st series) #23, Firestar #3-4, Uncanny X-Men #207-210, New Mutants (1st series) #51, 53-54, 61, Annual #4, #70-71, 73-75, Marvel Comics Presents #78, X-Men Unlimited (1st series) #33, Uncanny X-Men #283,X-Man #7, 13, 16-17, 20-23, 28, Fantastic Four Annual '99, X-Force #94, 96-99, Uncanny X-Men #452-454
Last Appearance: New X-Men (vol. 2) #32.
Powers: Superhuman strength, speed, endurance and reaction time, telekinetic powers allows her to create fire and manipulate the molecules of inanimate objects, induce a momentary hypnotic trance in the minds of others, and retains her youth and beauty for centuries by draining the life energy from others. A partial absorption gives her a level of hypnotic control over her victims.
She has displayed the following powers:
- total control of inanimate objects (her mutant power – or at least one of them)
- limited telepathy
- telekinesis
- hypnosis
- stealing life energy to keep herself young and powerful, an ability, she claims, she can pass on to others
- diverse magical powers / ability to work spells, such as stealing and devouring souls (similar to a succubus)
- as an External, Selene is apparently impossible to kill by mundane means.

Her life before the Hellfire Club: Selene was revealed to have been an old enemy of Kulan Gath, a sorcerer who was active during the Hyperborian Age (before any recorded civilizations) and is known to have faced both Conan the Barbarian and Red Sonja. In fact, Sonja reportedly managed to kill Kulan Gath and his spirit would not manifest again until the modern era. Selene, though, was active at least as early as the Hyperborian age. It is said when earliest man existed that Selene was already old, and if this is true, she may even be older than En Sabah Nur, Apocalyspe. (revealed in Uncanny X-Men #190-191)

Xavier’s younger students, the New Mutants, once accompanied Sunspot’s mother, an archeologist, on a trip through the Amazonian rainforest and stumbled across an outpost of ancient pre-Augustan Rome – Nova Roma. The New Romans’ ancestors had feared (quite rightly) that, with the death of Julius Caesar, the republic of Rome would be doomed and give way to an Empire and had therefore fled Rome to eventually found a city built on the old ideals in the rainforest. They were joined by descendants of the ancient Inca Indians. The two cultures shared an uneasy coexistence in this city state. Introduced as the obedient but dangerous wife of the ambitious Senator Gallio in ancient Nova Roma, who schemed to overthrow the republic in favor of a tyranny (with him as ruler, naturally). Selene addressed her husband as “Roman“ at one point, and other hints were given that she was Inca or of mixed heritage. Selene supported her husband’s schemes while, at the same time, as the “Black Priestess,“ being the secret object of devotion of a secret death cult that abducted young girls in the city-state and threw them into the lava pits as a sacrifice to Selene. It was part of her scheme as an energy vampire, feeding on others’ life forces and using these sacrifices as a cover to keep up her youth and vigor. As well, she displayed the ability to control inanimate objects and hypnotic control of others. In the present day, Selene came into conflict with the New Mutants when she took prisoner their new friend, Amara Aquila, daughter of her husband’s political rival, Senator Lucius Aquila. Selene had already been responsible for the death of Amara’s mother and now wanted to take Amara’s life as well, while at the same time intending to make Danielle Moonstar, the first other mutant she was aware of (or so she claimed), her apprentice. Selene threatened to make Moonstar a life-force energy vampire like herself as well. The scheme failed, as her attempt to murder Amara actually served to ignite the girl’s latent mutant power and Amara and the other New Mutants fought Selene, seemingly killing her, by throwing her into a lava pit and then burying her under an avalanche. They believed this to be the end of Selene, but they were very much mistaken.

Taking along Amara, they left for New York, not realizing their paths would cross again. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #9-11) It would eventually come to light that Nova Roma was NOT an Roman colony. As it turned out, it was little more than an amusement park for Selene. Nostalgic for the glory that was Rome, several (unspecified, though probably not more than ten years) years before the meeting with New Mutants, Selene had kidnapped a few hundreds (or thousands of people) and brainwashed them into believing they were offsprings of ancient Rome. Then, she herself had entered her “artifical” world, enjoying that simpler time and culture. After she left, the spell, slowly, very slowly started to fade [New Mutants (vol. 1) #31).

After the New Mutants left Nova Roma, believing Selene slain, Selene, possibly because her cult and life in Nova Roma was destroyed, and partially because she was just curious about the world, followed to New York. There, she ran into the Juggernaut and went on a date with him, intending to steal his life-force. It would have been fascinating to see which of the two villains would have been in for the ruder surprise eventually, but their date was broken up, when Colossus accidentally shoved Juggernaut (the X-Men coincidentally being in the same bar), resulting in a brawl. Juggernaut’s date was forgotten in the fisticuffs, and she would never get around to absorbing his energies (Uncanny X-Men #183).

Selene kept on prowling New York until running across the newly arrived Rachel Summers. Sensing the immense power potential in Rachel, Selene decided to make the young girl her disciple, whether she was willing or not. After a first attempt to seduce her to the dark side failed, Selene followed Rachel and murdered the man who had taken her in. Selene’s power and psychic influence proved too much for Rachel in her weakened state and it was only the interference of the X-Men, as well as Professor Xavier, who mentally attacked Selene, that made the energy vampire flee and give up her claim on Rachel. (Uncanny X-Men #184)

Instead, Selene approached Friedrich von Roehm, owner of an exclusive Park Avenue store. Von Roehm was the current hereditary high priest to one of the cults devoted to Selene. She reminded him of her duty to her, telling him that she was in need of an appropriate residence and a powerbase to bring certain plans to fruition. Von Roehm had the perfect idea…

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 01:27 PM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/2/20/Selene8.jpg

Her Life With the Hellfire Club: Von Roehm believed Selene and the Hellfire Club were made for each other, so he created forged credentials and a false background for his goddess and had her apply for the title of Black Queen in the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle. Selene auditioned to Sebastian Shaw, already not-too-subtly showing that she would not be satisfied with a subservient role.

Selene was followed to the Club by Rachel Summers and Amara (still not aware of the truth about herself and Nova Roma at the time) both of whom had a bone to pick with Selene, but to no avail – she easily surprised and beat the two girls. While they eventually shook off her mind control, it took the united threat of the X-Men to prevent a crisis between the X-Men and the Hellfire Club. The X-Men and their charges left Selene, unharmed, remained at the Hellfire Club. (Uncanny X-Men #189)

Sebastian Shaw and his partners (among them, Tessa and Emma Frost, the White Queen) were not at all happy with Selene’s presence, but had little choice but to accept her as the new Black Queen, even though she barely made a secret out of her own desire for leadership. Despite some half-hearted attempts to get rid of Selene, such as Frost trying to groom the innocent but powerful mutant Firestar into an assassin, who was to take out Selene, the Black Queen remained scheming, and her rivals still were unsure… what were her goals? (New Mutants (vol. 1) #23, Firestar #3-4)

Soon, the wizard Kulan Gath would remake all of Manhattan into the Hyperborian age (a spell that would have eventually claimed the entire world) Selene was only too happy to play both heroes and Gath’s troops against each other, intending in the end to use Gath’s master spell for herself. Fortunately, the timeline was restored thanks to Dr. Strange and the X-Men. (Uncanny X-Men #190-191).

Rachel Summers, now more secure in her power as Phoenix, snuck into the Hellfire Club and tried to assassinate the Black Queen, only to be violently stopped at the last moment by her own teammate, Wolverine, who was afraid of her going down the same road as her mother, Jean Grey, ending up as Dark Phoenix. Selene called in the rest of the Inner Circle and demanded they hunt Phoenix down for the offense. They did and ended up fighting the X-Men, until both groups had to combine their forces to survive against the threat of the mutant-killing robot, Nimrod, a temporary alliance which led to more cooperation between the Club and the X-teams. (Uncanny X-Men #207-209)

For some time, Selene continued working together with the Inner Circle which slowly drifted apart. Von Roehm and Leland had died in battle with Nimrod, Shaw was voted out by his ambitious peers, Magneto followed other interests, leaving only Frost and Selene. Despite the new status quo Selene did more or else nothing of consequence during that time. At one point she tried to seduce the Hulk (in his nasty no-nonsense Mr. Fixit persona) but had to realize that there was a foe who could resist both her wiles and her power. (Marvel Comics Presents (vol. 1) #78)

An alliance to regret:Even while remaining Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, Selene joined up with the mysterious omnipath known as the Gamesmaster and both of them intended to forge the next generation of the Hellfire Club – the Upstarts – towards a secret goal only they were aware of. The Upstarts apparently had to prove themselves by dispatching of former Hellfire Club members. Shinobi Shaw seemingly killed his father Sebastian, whereas Trevor Fitzroy tried to dispose of the White Queen and murdered most of the Hellions. The plan backfired, at least for Selene, as one of the Upstarts – the future criminal Fitzroy – captured her and placed her in a molecular ”spooler“ – an exotic form of torture to gain the attention of the Gamesmaster (Uncanny X-Men #301). Forgotten, Selene remained a prisoner of this device of torture devising a complicated plan to escape – by forcing Amanda Sefton to save her, intending first for the young sorceress and then her lover Nightcrawler to take her place in the torture device. Her plan backfired: not only did both heroes escape unscathed, but Selene had left the device to soon before its spooling cycle was completed, and now seemed victim to wounds that refused to heal. (Excalibur (vol. 1) Annual #2)

worstblogever

05-23-2008, 01:28 PM

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Her return to power:Selene eventually recovered in Paris where new arrivals Nate Grey and his companion, the miraculously resurrected Madelyne Pryor, came to her attention. Selene set out to recruit Madelyne: whether she saw her as easy pickings due to her amnesy and her previous corruption (thanks to the demons S’ym and N’astirh) or whether she was interested in her slumbering power (similar to the one of Rachel Summers whom she had also attempted to once recruit), either way, Selene offered Madelyne answers and power and Madelyne accepted. (X-Man #7).

While Madelyne remained as a guest in Selene’s home, the energy vampire put the next part of her plan to regain a powerbase into motion, by attacking the immortal mutants, her fellow Externals, while before she had only disdained them, not even bothering to come to their meetings, she was now killing them all and absorbing their powerful life energies for herself. Besides herself, that left one last External named Candra and Apocalypse as the only known immortal mutants. Candra soon perished in a battle against the X-Men, and as even Selene (like the other Externals before) acknowledged, Apocalypse was a number too big for her as she clearly feared him. (X-Force (vo. 1) #52-54)

Selene then sent Madelyne on a mission to find Trevor Fitzroy the former Upstart who had tortured her in front of the Gamesmaster. Madelyne did so and Selene got her vengeance on Fitzroy in an apparently gruesome manner that occurred off-panel. However, surprisingly, she let him live, but dominated him into working for her. (X-Man #16-17, 20) Given the rising anti-mutant sentiment in the world, she wanted to re-establish the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle as a powerbase. Apparently seeking strength in numbers Madelyne and Fitzroy were to be her candidates, her Black and White Rook respectively. Selene suggested this to her equal number, the recovered Sebastian Shaw, the Black King. He and his assistant Tessa were less than pleased to have Selene in their lives again, but finally gave in to her logic, accepting her and her candidates, after Madelyne had proven herself. (X-Man #21-23).

However unexpected to both sides it was Selene’s protégé Madelyne who soon grew closer to Shaw and started an affair with him much to the displeasure of Selene and Tessa who feared an alliance of the two. (X-Man #28) The plot wasn’t followed upon and eventually the Club fell apart again: Madelyne left to return to Nate’s life again (and eventually died), Pierce was thrown out, Fitzroy left for the future, and Shaw left after receiving a mysterious letter. With all of them gone, the Hellfire Club was just where Selene wanted it – in her hands.

Selene eventually put the “Hellfire” back into Hellfire Club. With Shaw out of the picture she planned to shape the Inner Circle after her own dreams and started an alliance with the demon Blackheart, son of Mephisto. Using the Hellfire Club as a base, Blackheart intended to carve his own hell empire – on Earth. The two abducted and imprisoned Daimon Hellstrom, Son of Satan (and ruler of a hell dimension at the time) and attempted to kill Margali Szardos, another sorceress powerful enough to disturb their plans. Selene stole the souls of people, meaning they were replaced by demons. When a friend of the Reed Richards, Alyssa Moy, investigated the Hellfire Club, she too became a victim of Selene. The Fantastic Four investigated and while they managed to free Margali from jail they fell prey to the same soul-corrupting virus that afflicted Alyssa. With the help of Margali and a mysterious armoured sorceress named Mecha-mage the Fantastic Four infiltrated the Hellfire Club on its Halloween celebration. Selene had intended for the numerous guests, most of whom were evil anyway, to become slaves of her consort Blackheart. However the heroes prevented this from coming to pass, freed Hellstrom and managed to banish Blackheart (and Selene for some time) to the lower levels of the Club Building. (Fantastic Four Annual ’99).

Selene however found a loophole to free herself of that entrapment if not her consort. Only a short time before she had crossed swords with X-Force at an alternative rock festival, where the X-Forcers were hanging out. She planned to get the power of an Asgardian runestaff for herself, which could only be freed from its encasing at a certain constellation and with the blood of an Asgardian. With her not daring to approach Thor, she simply took the blood of Dani Moonstar, an adopted Asgardian of sorts thanks to her Valkyrie status. Thanks to X-Force’s intervention the spell went awry, the awesome energy of the runestaff wasted in animating a metal statue (the symbol of the festival) instead. Moonstar managed to rattle and chase Selene away with an image of her greatest fear: turning physically old with her powers deserting her (X-Force (vol. 1) #75).

Having established her leadership of the Hellfire Club Selene went on another recruiting mission. She approached Roberto daCosta, the X-Force member known as Sunspot, who had just been deported from the United States. After playing damsel in distress to gain his interest she asked for his help in stopping the Damocles Foundation (an organization X-Force had several times ran afoul of) from reviving the unimaginable power of a Celestial construct. Of course, in the confusion that ensued as Roberto and Selene were captured and the rest of X-Force joined the fight, Selene, being Selene, made a bid to control the construct herself, once more prevented by Dani Moonstar. Angrily Selene knocked out all of X-Force promising revenge on them and Moonstar in particular.

Back at the Club, Selene let all the X-Forcers live through nightmare scenarios, save for Sunspot whom she still wanted to recruit and seduce to her side and Dani whom she gave to Blackheart as she deemed her too dangerous at her current power level. She was particularly interested in Roberto, because, as she claimed, she and his father had been at odds, when they were together in the Inner Circle and turning his only son into her lackey was her form of revenge against the dead Emmanuel daCosta. (however presumably she saw more potential in Roberto) Sunspot refused to fall for her enticements and eventually broke the other X-Forcers, including Dani, out, but Selene then, having failed to seduce him with the promise of power, or even the opportunity to use the Club as a platform to do good finally played one card he couldn’t ignore. She revealed that Roberto’s first love Juliana Sandoval who had sacrificed her life for him hadn’t been meant to die back then and that Selene could put her soul into the body of another comatose girl to give her a second chance at life. Feeling he had no choice, Roberto agreed to become Selene’s Black Rook. (X-Force (vol. 1) #96-98)

Selene appeared next when the X-Men were drawn to the Hellfire Club in the hopes of rescuing Sage from it, only to hear from Sunspot that its current incarnation, with Courtney Ross, Viper, Sebastian Shaw and himself was supposedly legitimate, and without sinister purposes. No sooner did they declare this that simultaneously Donald Pierce attacked, while Selene tried to settle her own personal vendetta against Rachel Summers, nearly absorbing the life energies of both her, and Red Lotus in the process. It was apparently Rachel’s connection to the Phoenix Force that helped her fend off this attempt, and Selene retreated, for the time being. (Uncanny X-Men #452-454)

Her last appearance revealed her to be a withered old woman living homeless in New York City, giving advice to a runaway mutant from the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Kevin Ford aka Wither. She was trying to manipulate him into using his powers more recklessly, goading him into attacking police officers who came into their alley and shot Selene as the suspect in murders, not wanting to end up drained like her victims. After Wither killed the two officers, Selene embraced the young man, revealing her more youthful form, kissing him, and offering herself to him as her queen. (New X-Men (vol. 2) #32).

What do you think of Selene? Do you prefer her as an energy draining mutant, or ancient sorceress? What did you think of her own incarnation of the “Hellfire” Club? Do you think the Hellfire Club will ever cease to suit her needs, and she might attack its Inner Circle like she did the Externals?

DDM

05-23-2008, 01:37 PM

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 02:22 AM

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Paris Seville -

White Queen of the Hellfire Club (version 0)

First appearance: Classic X-Men #7
Last appearance: Classic X-Men #7
All appearances: Classic X-Men #7
Powers: Baseline human

Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

Her Life With the Hellfire Club: Paris Seville was a human member of the Hellfire Club, and Ned Buckman’s White Queen. The night the human Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club tried to kill several of its mutant members, failing to kill Emma Frost and Harry Leland, but succeeding in killing Lourdes Chantel would be her only night of note with the organization. Upon Emma Frost’s return with Sebastian Shaw, she would use her powers to take mental control of Ned Buckman, and make him gun down Paris, and all the assembled Council of the Chosen.

What did you think of Paris Seville? Was she an intriguing White Queen? Would you like to see Emma Frost reflect upon her death, and taking her place?

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 02:39 PM

Selene does not possess true telekinesis. In fact, most of Selene's mutant powers derive from her primary ability to psionically drain the life-force of her victims; it is the stolen life-force which enhances Selene's strength, speed, & resistance to injury; this same stolen life-force is projected into inanimate objects to makes them "come to life" or crumble to dust. Selene also projects the stolen life-force into fire. Selene cannot directly move living beings with stolen life-force or rearrange matter as any other true telekinetic can do; therefore, this is why she does not possess true telekinesis.

Selene's ability to drain life-forces also gives her a certain measure of pseudo-telepathy, but it is not the same as true telepathy. For instance, in Uncanny X-Men #190, Selene used Rachel's telepathy to contact Storm. Selene does possess enough natural psychic skills to fight telepaths through.

Selene, though unknown means, can also transform her victims into psionic vampires like herself, but they are subordinate to Selene's will; she sought out Rachel Summers as an "heir" in Uncanny X-Men #184 until the X-Men rescued her from Selene's clutches.

Selene also possesses various forms & knowledge of black & white magic, but the full catalogue of her abilities is unknown; thus far, all that is shown is she can counter spells & summon demons.

To quote Marvel's editor in chief:"It's magic. We don't need to explain it."

Which is why I've always taken issue with people who had the mutant power to wield magic... it gets kind of wonky, powers wise.

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 02:51 PM

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Sebatian Shaw -

Black King of the Hellfire Club I, III, V

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #129 [silhouette], #130 [fully]
All Hellfire appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, Classic X-Men #6-7, X-Treme X-Men #3, Marvel Super Heroes (vol. 2) #11, Uncanny X-Men #129-130, 132-135, 151-152, 169, New Mutants (vol. 1) #7-8, Uncanny X-Men Annual #7, New Mutants (vol. 1) #12, Uncanny X-Men #182, New Mutants (vol. 1) #17, Firestar #2, New Mutants (vol. 1) #22, Uncanny X-Men #189, New Mutants (vol. 1) #23, Firestar #3-4, Uncanny X-Men #208-210, New Mutants (vol. 1) #51, 53-54, 61, Annual #4, #70-71, 73-75, X-Force (vol. 1) #48-50, Excalibur (vol. 1) #96, X-Man #15, 20-25, X-Men (vol. 2) #61, 63-64, Cable #44, X-Man #28, Cable #50-53, X-Men (vol. 2) #71, 73, X-51 #0-7, X-Treme X-Men #6-9, New X-Men (vol. 1) #139. 142, Weapon X (vol. 2) #20, Uncanny X-Men #449, 453-454, X-Men: Endangered Species #1, X-Men: Legacy #210-211.
Last Appearance: X-Men: Legacy #211.
Powers: Absorbs kinetic energy or electricity into his body, immunizing him to most forms of physical injury while converting it into raw power that increases his strength and resilience. His body has an upper limit of energy it can metabolize, sending him into a coma if it is surpassed.

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Sebastian Shaw was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His power first manifested shortly after he was accepted to engineering school (Speculated to be Caregie Mellon University) and his father, Jacob Shaw , died, after he contracted an incurable disease shortly thereafter. He devoted himself to his studies and created Shaw Industries, becoming a billionaire by age 40.

His life with the Hellfire Club: Shaw became engaged to a woman named Lourdes Chantel (X-Men: Hellfire Club #4), a mutant teleporter, and was soon initiated into the Hellfire Club thanks to his vast fortune along with Warren Worthington, Jr. (father of Archangel), Howard Stark (father of Iron Man) and Sir James Braddock (father of Captain Britain and Psylocke), having caught the attention of then White King of Hellfire Club's New York Branch, Ned Buckman. Shaw became part of the Council of the Chosen earning the rank of Black Bishop. Both Lourdes and Shaw’s assistant, Tessa, did not trust Buckman and feared Shaw's ambition and the nature of Hellfire Club would corrupt him.

When Lourdes was killed by Sentinels sent to kill Emma Frost and Harry Leland in battle, Shaw would seek to take revenge on Ned Buckman, the White King of the Council, for pressuring Shaw to increase funding to Steven Lang's Project: Armageddon and its Sentinels under the pretense that they were to capture and study mutants, he executed a coup, using Emma Frost's telepathy to make Buckman kill all the Council of the Chosen, including his own White Queen, Paris Seville, and then himself. Shaw proclaimed himself Black King, remade the Council of the Chosen into his Inner Circle and gathered Emma Frost, Harry Leland and the human cyborg Donald Pierce as the Lords Cardinal of Hellfire Club. (Classic X-Men #6-7) At Shaw's side still was Tessa, who, unbeknownst to him, was a spy working for Charles Xavier.

As the leader of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club, Shaw started plans to dominate the world through force, money and power. His connections to top officials of corporations and government, acquired via the Club and through his position as CEO of Shaw Industries, made him a powerful enemy. Ironically, Shaw was for years a major supporter and builder of Sentinels, figuring that it's better to be in control of them than not. This activity brought him into frequent contact with the major players of Project: WIdeawake, Senator Robert Kelly and Henry Peter Gyrich, to whom he appeared to be an anti-mutant human bigot.
Shaw was a key part of the corruption of the Phoenix entity into the Dark Phoenix by the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club (Uncanny X-Men #129-135). This battle was Shaw's and the Hellfire Club's first encounter (and, soon, first battle) with the X-Men, but certainly not their last. He also helped lead the attack by the Inner Circle upon the X-Men where he sent Sentinels to the Xavier School for Gifted Mutants, and Emma Frost would use a device to switch bodies and powers with Storm (Uncanny X-Men #151-152).

Shaw’s dealings with those associated with Xavier’s school would branch farther out, as he would recruit Emmanuel DaCosta, the father of one of the New Mutants, Sunspot to the Inner Circle, sending mercenaries into the Amazon to stop Nina Da Costa from succeeding in her expedition to find Nova Roma and return her to her estranged husband. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #7,8,12) Shaw would also take the application to the Hellfire Club of Selene after she encased him in stone to demonstrate a sample of her power (Uncanny X-Men #189),. Shaw, mistrusting Selene from the start, would work with Emma Frost to find a potential assassins to eliminate her before her initiation (Firestar #2-4) before reluctantly bringing both Selene, and DaCosta into its ranks on the same night. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #22-23).

Not long after, the Hellfire Club would find themselves in battle with the X-Men only to be interrupted and face the threat of Nimrod, a Sentinel from the future, Shaw was thrown into the upper atmosphere by the Sentinel, then caught by Harry Leland's power and slammed at phenomenal speed into Nimrod to finally defeat the threat (Uncanny X-Men #208-209). After the battle, the Hellfire Club and the X-Men became allies of sorts, and as a result, Magneto would be offered the position of White King by Shaw and the Inner Circle (Uncanny X-Men #210), which he would finally accept and serve as White King, sharing the title with Storm.

For a time, this partnership with the X-Men would see visits to the Hellfire Club by the New Mutants (New Mutants #53,54, 61), but would still not take well to Magneto’s presence in the Inner Circle. Angered when one of Magneto’s students, Magik, would be instrumental in bringing about Inferno, and having to battle the demond hordes unleashed during it (New Mutants #70-71, 73) and as a result, Shaw confronted him about it, first, in a men’s room (really), and then in front of the New Mutants amongst the wreckage of the Xavier Mansion. With both declaring the other unfit to lead the Hellfire Club, a challenge for leadership would be made, and Magneto would defeat Shaw, and then gain the support of both Emma Frost and Selene to vote him out of his title of Black King (New Mutants (vol. 1) #75).

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 02:51 PM

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His time exiled from the Hellfire Club: Shaw would also be present during another appearance of Nimrod, and the second time he attacked both he, and the X-Men, Nimrod killed Sharon Kelly, the wife of Senator Robert Kelly, in the crossfire. Kelly would promise that Shaw Industries would be given more government funding to create more Sentinels and avenge his wife. (Uncanny X-Men #246-247).

Months later, Sebastian Shaw saw his fortune and financial ties usurped by his son, Shinobi Shaw, and tried to physically confront him, only to have Shinobi phase his hand into his father's chest to induce a coronary. Sebastian was then supposedly blown up in his Swiss Mountain chalet by a bomb set by his son to further eliminate his father. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #67). Shinobi shortly became the new Black King of Hellfire Club for a time.

However, Shaw survived, albeit with a scar on his face crossing his left eye, and would take time to recover from his injuries. Shaw's first move upon recovery from the bomb was to contact the mutant named Holocasut, who had crossed over from the “Age of Apocalypse" timeline. In exchange for a new armored containment suit, Holocaust agreed to help Shaw capture X-Force, which he did with ease. Shaw then had Tessa telepathically brainwash X-Force to hunt down Cable, but Cable used his own emergent telepathy to break the conditioning and free his team. Shaw's relationship with Holocaust declined soon after. (X-Force (vol. 1) #48-50).

Through associations with the British intelligence agency Black Air and their agent, Scratch. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #96) Shaw's more recent exploits included vying for control of the Elixir Vitae, thought to be a cure for the Legacy Virus to use it as a way to control, and or profit from both mutant and humans afflicted with the disease. Shaw would fail to recover the Elixir Vitae out from under the noses of both the Kingpin, Shang Chi, and the X-Men (X-Men (vol. 2) #61, 63-64).

His return to the Hellfire Club: While he searched for the Elixir, Sebastian Shaw also managed to overthrow his son Shinobi, and his allies, and replace them with himself as Black King with an all new Inner Circle. Among its members was a new Black Rook, a resurrected Madelyne Pryor, or at least, a psionic construct of her subconsciously created by X-Man. As the new Hellfire Club began plotting again, Shaw found himself involved with the Black Rook romantically, and his longtime assistant Tessa, and Selene both opposed the relationship. Madelyne, in her short time as Shaw’s paramour, would remove the scar he got from Shinobi’s attack on him. (X-Man #15, 20-25, 28).

Shaw would then begin preparations for the “Tomorrow Agenda”, contacting longtime associate Donald Pierce to prepare an old Hellfire Club project that was attempting to exploit the resources of the ancient mutant Apocalypse. His attempts to do so, however, would be foiled on two occasions by the time-displaced mutant Cable. (Cable (vol. 2) #44, 50-53).

Shaw apparently would broker some still unknown bargain with a mysterious creature calling itself Wraith, who had the power to manipulate time (X-Men (vol. 2) #71,73) before putting all efforts toward hunting down and capturing X-51, the Machine Man, which was funded by Shaw Industries. (X-51 #0-7). Then, Shaw was possibly ousted from his position as Black King by Selene, who installed the demon Blackheart in his place. This arrangement did not last long, as Selene and Blackheart were defeated and Shaw has since returned to power. (Fantastic Four Annual ’99).

At some point, Shaw’s assistant Tessa would be kidnapped by a former rival of his, Elias Bogan. Shaw refused to pay the ransom, and after Tessa was rescued by the X-Men’s Storm, she joined his longtime enemies. In an act of vengeance, he attempted to use Lady Mastermind to control Tessa (now called "Sage") and Storm’s team of X-Men (in X-Treme X-Men), who were searching for Destiny's prophetic diaries. (X-Treme X-Men #6-9) Then, after Professor X was "outed" as a mutant, Shaw apparently returned to his capitalist roots and converted the NY branch of the Hellfire Club into a strip club, which was in fact a safe haven for mutants regardless of affiliation. Using telepathic strippers, Shaw gleaned secrets from the minds of his patrons, who come in just to have a good decadent time. Thanks to the aid of his employees, Shaw pretended to be a telepath himself. (X-Men (vol. 2) #139, 142).

After a few months, though, Shaw made a play to become the new Lord Imperial of the entire Club worldwide, and invited Sage to help him. Shaw also invited Courtney Ross (who as actually her evil counterpart Sat-yr-9 and Sunspot to join him as the White Queen and Black King. All three accepted, but Sage effectively betrayed Shaw when she didn't warn him that Pierce might try to assassinate him. Shaw met with the X-Men, claiming to be somewhat reformed, just before Pierce's attack. He was then wounded by Pierce, but remained strong enough to literally knock Pierce's head off his body. However, he was too hurt to maintain his Club position and was replaced by Sunspot, who is now the current Lord Imperial of the Hellfire Club. (Uncanny X-Men #449, 453-454).
In the X-Men: Endangered Species one-shot, Shaw appears incognito (with an image-inducer) at a funeral for a mutant boy named Landru. When confronted by Professor X, he merely states that he was paying his respects. Xavier overhears his thoughts of a possible coup against Sunspot during the service, but when Shaw notices him watching, he quickly creates a Psi-Shield to hide his thoughts.

More recently, Shaw has been shown inside the Hellfire Club, and has a secret room with a device that two Hellfire Club Guards were monitoring explode, and die in the explosion. On discovering this room, he asks his new assistant for "The Cronus Files" (X-Men: Legacy #210). What those are has yet to be explained.

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/e/e7/Black_King_002.jpg

What do you think of Sebastian Shaw? Do you think he will overthrow Sunspot before much longer? Does he have good taste in women? Is there actually a curse upon him and his family, like the “Hellfire Club” miniseries indicated?

david r

05-24-2008, 04:37 PM

DDM

05-24-2008, 04:57 PM

To quote Marvel's editor in chief:"It's magic. We don't need to explain it."

Which is why I've always taken issue with people who had the mutant power to wield magic... it gets kind of wonky, powers wise.

Selene's mutant power is to retain her youth & be virtually immortal through the psionic ability to drain the life-forces from her victims; therefore, she has several other abilities such as projecting the stolen life-force into inanimate objects (among other impressive powers).

Selene's sorceress powers are separate, learned over the eons through practice & gaining of knowledge. She can counter spells as she did not get consumed by Kulan Gath's spell in Uncanny X-Men #190-191 & summon demons (such as she did with Blackheart). Selene also used her sorcery to switch places with Magma sometime in Uncanny X-Men #190 after she got captured by Kulan Gath. Selene's sorceress powers may rival Doctor Strange, but she has chosen not to use her sorcery in this manner.

It's all made clear in her entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #2:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/52123609358.2.GIF

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 06:42 PM

Selene's mutant power is to retain her youth & be virtually immortal through the psionic ability to drain the life-forces from her victims; therefore, she has several other abilities such as projecting the stolen life-force into inanimate objects (among other impressive powers).

Selene's sorceress powers are separate, learned over the eons through practice & gaining of knowledge. She can counter spells as she did not get consumed by Kulan Gath's spell in Uncanny X-Men #190-191 & summon demons (such as she did with Blackheart). Selene also used her sorcery to switch places with Magma sometime in Uncanny X-Men #190 after she got captured by Kulan Gath. Selene's sorceress powers may rival Doctor Strange, but she has chosen not to use her sorcery in this manner.

It's all made clear in her entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #2:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/52123609358.2.GIF

You said that already. And it was uninteresting the first time.

The real answer is, Selene's powers seem to revolve around life-force draining, but seem to be able to be applied however the heck a writer feels at the time. Being able to wrap Blackheart around her finger? Sure, Selene can do it. Start imprisoning Sebastian Shaw in stone? Absolutely. Turn into living shadow? SURE! Every power feat listed in the entry for her, she's done, in a roundabout way or another. Some writers have bothered explaining it, some haven't.

But it the end, it doesn't matter HOW she does it. The point is she does.

david r

05-24-2008, 07:18 PM

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/52123609358.2.GIF

What I have always wanted to know: where are all those heroes running to? Is there a sale at Wal-Mart?

worstblogever

05-24-2008, 07:21 PM

What I have always wanted to know: where are all those heroes running to? Is there a sale at Wal-Mart?

I'd like to know A) What the Black Widow is swinging from... and B) Why T'Challa is running on all fours?

worstblogever

05-25-2008, 02:46 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/c/c0/Shinobi_Shaw_001.jpg

Shinobi Shaw –

Black King of the Hellfire Club II

First appearance: X-Factor (1st series) #67
First Hellfire II appearance: X-Men (2nd series) #29
All Hellfire II appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #29, X-Men (2nd series) Annual #3, Generation X Annual '95, Spider-Man Team-Up #1, Excalibur (1st series) #96, X-Force (1st series) #62
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #62
Powers: Manipulate the density of his molecular structure, increasing his strength and durability, shifting into an intangible state in order to pass through solid objects, or an inter-phasing touch that enables him to remove parts of an object from the whole and scramble the operation of living beings or mechanical objects.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Shinobi is thought to be the son of Sebastian Shaw, the leader of the Hellfire Club, although, Shinobi himself has been somewhat uncertain about this as his power to manipulate density is more like the former Black Bishop of the Club, Harry Leland. Shaw once attempted to kill his father (X-Factor (vol. 1 #67), and initially believed himself successful (though his father would resurface later).

His life With the Hellfire Club: Shinobi was briefly able to take control of the Hellfire Club, assuming the mantle of Black King. Enjoying the luxury of the position, he was attended by many beautiful scantily clad female and male servants. His penchant for eliminating mutants in positions of power, though, was still far from over.

Shinobi was a member of the Upstarts, a group made up of Siena Blaze, Graydon Creed , Fabian Cortez, Trevor Fitzroy, and probationary members Andreas and Andrea Strucker (of Fenris). They were manipulated by the Gamemaster and originally Selene (whom the group quickly turned against). The group participated in an elaborate game, wherein they would hunt and kill assigned mutant targets for points. During one of these games, the Upstarts targeted the surviving members of the New Mutants and the Hellions. (Uncanny X-Men #281-283, 299, 301) and result in the death of most of the Hellions, causing much guilt for the White Queen, Emma Frost, who would leave the Hellfire Club in the attack’s wake. Shinobi would attempt to solidify his fortunes with the crime lords of Japan (X-Men (vol. 2) #21-23), only to find the X-Men almost immediately breathing down his neck.

Eventually, though, the game on the side Shinobi was playing with the Upstarts would come to an end, as the combined efforts of both X-Force, and the New Warriors would cause the ground to disband, and their game to end without a winner. (X-Force #32-33, New Warriors (vol. 1) #35-36).

Now focused solely on the Hellfire Club, and eager to return the Inner Circle to its former glory, Shaw approached Elisabeth Braddock and Warren Worthington, attempting to convince them to follow in their fathers’ footsteps and become a part of the Hellfire Club, joining him in the Inner Circle. Both X-Men refused, however. (X-Men (vol. 2) #29). Shinobi would still try and recall any member of the X-Men with ties to the Inner Circle back into its ranks, leading his own new Inner Circle against the X-Men in an attempt to brainwash Storm into rejoining the organization. (X-Men (vol. 2) Annual #3) In an ironic twist, though, when Emma Frost’s sister Cordelia tried to earn a position within the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle by delivering the mutant Mondo to them, they denied her, and turned her away (Generation X Annual ’95). Shinobi would then have to worry more about threats from within, as Benedict Kine challenged him for leadership of the Hellfire Club, and when Shinobi’s Ebony Knights almost lost to the White Knights of Kine in it, it was only the coincidental intervention of Spider-Man and the X-Men that prevented him from losing control over the Inner Circle. (Spider-Man Team-Up #1).

Later, he worked with both Spiral and Mindmeld as they had Dr. Graves experimenting on Karma's siblings to try and find a way to remove the mutant gene. However, his personal assassin Clear-Cut betrayed him and aided X-Force in defeating him. (X-Force (vol. 1) #62).

His life since the Hellffire Club: After his father returned to power, reclaiming his throne from Shinobi as Black King, the younger Shaw disappeared, and his whereabouts are unknown to this day. In the recent X-Men: 198 Files, Shaw was confirmed as being one of a handful of mutants who retained their powers following the Decimation.

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/0/05/Shino_shaw.jpg/440px-Shino_shaw.jpg

What did you think of Shinobi Shaw? Was his time as Black King of the Hellfire Club cut miserably short? What do you think he’s been up to since disappearing? Looking into his ties to Japanese crime lords? Working on other experiments with other scientists, other than Dr. Graves? Or is he just still hot-tubbing with ladies, and androgynous bodyguards?

jrc_burgess

05-25-2008, 06:29 AM

Sebastian Shaw is......how do you young people say? Rad.

Sometimes it's fun to read a purely evil villain. No conflicted emotions like Magneto to get in the way. That is Sebastian Shaw. He wants to conquer the world. Period. Power. Greed. Money. That simple.

I find his twisted relationship with Tessa fascinating as the more we learn about them, the more it's like a father/daughter relationship.

Personally, I've always liked Shaw because although he know is just profit driven and 'evil' you still see that in the past he might not have been.
Theres that wonderful moment in Endangered Species #1 where he says to Xavier;
"We were supposed to be the clever ones. You. Me. Eric. And all we've ever done is fight each other until our knuckles bled."
That idea that maybe, he joined the Hellfire Club because he genuinely believed financial independence and political strength was the best way to advance the mutant cause but became more concerned with the means then the end- mutant rights.

Road to Hellfire club is paved with good intentions. :biggrin:

And that kind of fall isn't unique to mutants or being with special powers. His failing is a completely human one, thats what makes him such an appealing character to me. He even sees all this himself and still doesn't choose to do anything about it. He doesn't WANT to. Hes aware of his downfall and its implications and has no regrets or is a little conflicted over it. THAT is as close to true evil as human beings can get as far as I can see.

Quite apart from anything I like the character because hes one of the best Machiavellian, manipulator style, subtle characters in Marvel, but can still back it up with brutal violence and personal power if needs be. Most characters are normally one or the other. Its why I always enjoy anything with him and Sage and him and Emma, both of those are like that too and its gives them all an interesting dynamic.

Just a few of my thoughts on my favourite character :smile:

worstblogever

05-25-2008, 06:36 AM

Personally, I've always liked Shaw because although he know is just profit driven and 'evil' you still see that in the past he might not have been.
Theres that wonderful moment in Endangered Species #1 where he says to Xavier;
"We were supposed to be the clever ones. You. Me. Eric. And all we've ever done is fight each other until our knuckles bled."
That idea that maybe, he joined the Hellfire Club because he genuinely believed financial independence and political strength was the best way to advance the mutant cause but became more concerned with the means then the end- mutant rights.

Road to Hellfire club is paved with good intentions. :biggrin:

And that kind of fall isn't unique to mutants or being with special powers. His failing is a completely human one, thats what makes him such an appealing character to me. He even sees all this himself and still doesn't choose to do anything about it. He doesn't WANT to. Hes aware of his downfall and its implications and has no regrets or is a little conflicted over it. THAT is as close to true evil as human beings can get as far as I can see.

Quite apart from anything I like the character because hes one of the best Machiavellian, manipulator style, subtle characters in Marvel, but can still back it up with brutal violence and personal power if needs be. Most characters are normally one or the other. Its why I always enjoy anything with him and Sage and him and Emma, both of those are like that too and its gives them all an interesting dynamic.

Just a few of my thoughts on my favourite character :smile:

Well said, sir. Well said.

worstblogever

05-25-2008, 09:56 AM

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Candace “Candy“ Southern –

Hellfire Club Member

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #31
All Hellfire Club appearances: none on panel, membership was mentioned in Uncanny X-Men #132
Last Appearance: X- Factor (vol. 1) #34
Powers: none, human

Her Life With the Hellfire Club: Candy Southern’s family is very rich, apparently her parents were members of the Hellfire Club before her. However, while in some early issues of Uncanny X-Men, when the team finds out Angel and Candy were members already, they seem pretty sure there’s nothing sinister about the organization.

Her Life Outside of the Hellfire Club: Candy was a childhood friend of Warren Worthington III. She reunited with Warren and first met the X-Men at Bobby Drake’s 18th birthday party. Candy and Warren then began dating. During this time, Candy learned of Warren's superhero identity. After Warren's second superhero team, the Champions of Los Angeles disbanded, Candy and Warren began living together. Warren later joined the Defenders, and Candy began working for the team in a supporting role. She was subsequently named the leader of the Defenders in non-combat contexts. After Warren joined X-Factor, though, his relationship with Candy became strained. Candy broke up with Warren and left her job with Worthington Industries because she mistakenly believes Warren was having an affair with his X-Factor teammate Jean Grey.
Candy was later kidnapped and killed by Cameron Hodge, a former friend of Warren and Candy who had betrayed X-Factor as part of an anti-mutant plot. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #34).

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/5/5a/Candy_Southern.jpg

What did you think of Candy Southern? Would you liked to have known more of her past attendance to the Hellfire Club, or the nature of her parents’ involvement?

worstblogever

05-26-2008, 02:56 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/HowardStark.jpg

Howard Stark –

Member of the Hellfire Club

First Appearance: Iron Man (1st series) #28
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men: Hellfire Club #4
Last Appearance: Iron Man (1st series) #28
Powers: Baseline Human

His life, and time with the Hellfire Club: Not much is known about Stark’s time with the Hellfire Club, except that he was once a guest during Sebastian Shaw’s earliest days with the club, during Ned Buckman’s reign as White King. What is known, is that Howard Stark was on of the biggest industrialists of the United States. He invented much of the military’s technology that was used during World War II. This type of influence alone is what probably made him a desirable member of the club.

What did you think of Harold Stark? Are you curious of what back room business deals he might have had within the Hellfire Club?

worstblogever

05-26-2008, 03:01 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/TonyStark.jpg

Anthony Stark (Iron Man) –

Hellfire Club Member

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #73
Last Appearance: Secret Invasion #2.
Equipment: Iron Man wears a suit of armor made of an iron composite poly-alloy held together by powerful magnetic fields that increases his physical strength and durability, is equipped with pulse bolts, decelerative / concussive / penetrative repulsor rays, sonic wave emitters, a uni-beam that can emit electromagnetism as various spectra of light, infrared heat beams, magnetic fields that act as tractor beams, and an electromagnetic pulse, energy converters that can absorb various forces directed against him and convert them into useable power or rechanneled bursts through his uni-beam, and liquid oxygen boot rockets.
Stark injected his nervous system with a modified techno-organic virus (the Extremis process) that not only saved his life, but also fused Stark's armor to his body. This allows him to store the inner layers of the Iron Man armor in the hollows of his bones as well as control it through direct brain impulses. Stark can control the layer of the armor underneath his skin and make it emerge from numerous exit points around his limbs as a gold-colored neural interface under-sheath. While in this form, Stark has technopathic control of armor and can suit up at any time, calling the larger components to him. Furthermore, the Extremis process has increased his body's recuperative and healing abilities. He is also able to connect remotely to external communications systems such as satellites, cellular phones, and computers throughout the world. Because the armor's operating system is now directly connected to Stark's nervous system, its response time has been significantly improved.

http://nerdwithswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/iron-man-trailer-is-a-cominhg.jpg

His life outside the Hellfire Club:
A youthful prodigy, Tony Stark entered MIT at a young age and graduated with top honors. Soon afterwards, he inherited the family company, Stark Industries, following the death of his parents. Based upon his own cutting-edge designs, the company flourished, and he quickly amassed a considerable fortune.

While visiting a war zone (originally Vietnam, although later stories placed it in the context of the first Gulf War), Stark was wounded and captured. Pressed into service designing weapons for the enemy, he secretly worked to design a suit of power armor, which provided him with enhanced strength while also serving to keep him alive, protecting him from the shrapnel that had lodged in his heart. Escaping his captors, Stark makes it back to American lines, rescuing a wounded US Air Force pilot, Jim Rhodes, along the way.

After returning to the States, Stark begins to improve his armor designs, setting up the Iron Man alter-ego as his bodyguard while he begins his career as a superhero. A founding member of the Avengers, Stark provides much of the material and technical support for the group, concealing his dual role as a member of the group even from the others. As time goes by, however, Stark's personal life begins to threaten his career as Iron Man. A dependency on alcohol leads to difficulties maintaining his business interests, problems exacerbated by attacks from business rivals Justin Hammer and Obadiah Stane. Eventually, Stane's actions lead Stark to fall deeper into alcoholism, and he actually loses his company; at the same time, James Rhodes, now a long-time friend, takes over the role of Iron Man. Eventually, Stark is able to regain both his corporation and fortune, along with the use of the Iron Man identity, replacing a mentally unstable Rhodes and defeating Stane in combat.

Having sworn to leave the business of arms manufacture, Stark moves proactively against uses of his armor technology for aggressive purposes, disarming both heroes and villains, and going so far as to oppose government and law enforcement groups. Later, following health problems, he fakes his own death and places himself in suspended animation, while Rhodes again takes the Iron Man role, this time in the armored suit known as War Machine. Although Stark does eventually recover, his deception alienates him from Rhodes.

Following a conflict with his own temporarily sentient armor, Stark's heart is replaced with an artificial organ, fixing many of his health problems, but leading him to require periodic charging, just as in the earliest days of his armored breastplate. Later on, he publicly reveals his identity as Iron Man, and accepts a position as Secretary of Defense, a role he fulfills through the events leading up to the Avengers being disbanded. In the meantime, a self-administered exposure to the techno-organic Extremis virus leads to new abilities whereby he now carries certain portions of his armor control systems within his body, allowing him to control his suit remotely and interface with other electronic information systems, as well as increasing his reaction time and own ability to heal.

Recently, Stark heads the government project to instate the Super-human Registration Act, leading to conflicts with several of his past allies. The pro-Registration side ultimately triumphs in this struggle, and Stark is elevated to director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and head of the Initiative Project, dedicated to creating a roster of different teams, each serving as a government-trained and -licensed superhuman police force on a state-by-state basis. His main concern of late, however, is the threat of a Skrull Invasion of Earth.

His Time with the Hellfire Club: Tony Stark has only ever been seen on panel at one Hellfire Club function, that of the party in Rio where he was flirting with Psylocke in front of her boyfriend at the time, Warren Worthington III. He had seemingly nothing to do with the meeting between Sebastian Shaw and the “Wraith” who crashed the party. (X-Men (vol. 2) #73).

Note: Other than the fact that the discussion between Tony Stark and Emma Frost in Civil War #2 indicated they had a previous romantic relationship, it is still unknown for certain if it took place within the walls of the Hellfire Club, or during Emma's reign as White Queen. It would seem likely, though, given that since leaving the club, she was never shown to have a rendevous with Stark while teaching Generation X at the Massachusetts Academy, or after involving herself with Scott Summers upon joining the X-Men.

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/d/d2/Iron_man_vol4_03.jpg

What do you think of Tony Stark as a member of the Hellfire Club? Would you like to see him, as Director of SHIELD, investigate the club more thoroughly? Do you believe his previous encounter with Emma Frost that was alluded to during Civil War took place within the confines of the Hellfire Club?

worstblogever

05-26-2008, 09:47 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/8/82/Mssteed_01.JPG

Ms. Steed –

Black Queen of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-100
Last Appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #100.
Powers: Materialize psionic "skinning” blades, which can trigger or disable specific areas of the human brain to cause paralysis, severe pain, muscular spasms, brain damage, or send her victims into a coma.

Fact: In the Age of Apocalypse Ms. Steed had a counterpart called Damask, she appeared in X-Calibre #1-4, and during that time went from being one of Apocalypse's Dark Riders, who travelled with Dead Man Wade and Moonstar, to slaying Moonstar for entertaining herself by torturing Dead Man Wade, to upon seeing Avalon, the Savage Land haven, switching allegiences and joining Nightcrawler and his allies to battle against the Shadow King.

Her Life Before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

Her Life With the Hellfire Club: Ms. Steed appears as part of the Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club, and is present when Brian Braddock applies to the club as its Black Bishop. Upon Brian’s admission to the club, she brings him up to date on much of the Club’s business. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-98). As the London Inner Circle attempted to harness the power of a demon beneath the city, though, they would lose control over the creature and watch helpless as it began to drive many of its citizens mad, including their own Black King. As the Black King savagely tried to attack Ms. Steed in a mad frenzy, she killed him in self-defense. In the chaos, she and Scribe/Mountjoy would try to work together to incapacitate and posess the body of Brian Braddock, but much to her chagrin, Ms. Steed would learn that her psionic skinning blades would bounce of Captain Britain’s force field. He would quickly knock her out, and leave her to be arrested by the London police. She is supposedly still incarcerated. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #99-100).

What did you think of Ms. Steed? Did she never get to display the potential she showed in her few appearances in the Age of Apocalypse in her five appearances in Marvel-616? Do you think she retained her powers after M-Day, and if she did, do you think she will be seen again?

david r

05-26-2008, 10:54 AM

If Tony Stark was just at a party, are we even sure then he's a full-member of the Helfire Club?

worstblogever

05-26-2008, 08:53 PM

If Tony Stark was just at a party, are we even sure then he's a full-member of the Helfire Club?

By birthright, he is. His dad was a member. He's at a party here, (and if I remember, someone within the Hellfire Club discuss his company's stocks in Generation X: Minus One while Emma walks through reading thoughts)... he's shagged Emma Frost... it seems at some point he took advantage of the membership.

david r

05-26-2008, 09:43 PM

worstblogever

05-26-2008, 09:52 PM

Have the Avengers ever fought the Hellfire Club? Being just blocks away from each other, you'd think they might have a run-in. Especially if Tony Stark was a member. Actually, I could see (in the past) a cool storyline where the Inner Circle ask Tony to join their world-conquering group,(not knowing he's Iron Man ) and Tony sees their threat and brings in Earth's Mightiest Heroes to bring them down.

Odd you mention it, but to my knowledge, no, they haven't ever battled, at least not unless it would be in a flashback story.

The interesting part, though, is marveldatabase.com had it listed that at one time, Jarvis the Butler was a Butler for the Hellfire Club. I couldn't find any reference to back that claim up, though. But I did find it intriguing. Maybe that's where Jarvis came from? Hired by Howard or Tony after they met him at the HC?

worstblogever

05-27-2008, 02:47 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/0/0d/Redbishop_01.JPG

Conrad Strathdee -

Red Bishop of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
Last Appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #97
Powers: none, human
Fact: His name is never mentioned on-panel, and was only found on www.marveldatabase.com (www.marveldatabase.com)

His life before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His life with the London Hellfire Club: Conrad seemed to have it as he wanted it, as sole bishop of London’s Inner Circle, as its Red Bishop. Then one day, Brian Braddock showed up, and under the dominion of James Braddock Sr.’s former membership in the Hellfire Club, was going to apply to be Black Bishop. As the other members of the Inner Circle were about to grant the request, Conrad challenged Brian Braddock to a duel for the sole bishopric in London’s Inner Circle. And… well… he pretty much got one-punched out of the gig in a most embarrassing fashion. He hasn’t been seen since.

What did you think of London’s Red Bishop? Did he have the worst showing of any Hellfire Club member ever? Do you think he’s sitting somewhere, plotting revenge against Brian Braddock?

worstblogever

05-27-2008, 11:54 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/Margali.png

Margali Szardos –

Red Queen of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men Annual #4
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-97, 99-100
Last Appearance: Nightcrawler #11.
Powers: Margali is a sorceress of the Winding Way whose power waxes and wanes over time. At her peak she can summon such powers as teleportation, illusion casting, shape changing, mystical force bolts, hypnotism, and the manipulation of other magical forces.

Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Margali Szardos' past is as much of an enigma as she is. She was supposedly born in Paris, France and taught magic by her mother, but she has yet to reveal her true origins. Margali's particular discipline of magic is called “The Winding Way.” Once having been married, Szardos has two children: Stefan and Jimaine (AKA Amanda Sefton). She supposedly had an affair with the demonic mutant Azazel who, at the time, had also seduced Mystique who was then posing as the wife of Baron Christian Wagner. The Baron, who was infertile, suspected his wife of infidelity and, when the pain of childbirth caused Mystique to shift back to her natural form and deliver a devilish-looking child, the locals rose up against mother and son. Mystique fled, throwing the child over a waterfall where he was later found and adopted by Margali. Whether she knew the child's origins or not, she raised the boy as her own.

Working at Der Jahrmarkt as a fortune-teller to cover her tracks, Margali discovered that the Demon Belasco was sowing seeds of destruction into the Earth. She tricked her daughter into staying with her in Der Jahrmarkt by killing Sabu, Jimaine and Kurt's trapeze mentor. A day after Sabu's death, Kurt left Der Jahrmarkt to start a new life with the X-Men. Jimaine followed him to America and changed her name to Amanda Sefton, taking a job as a flight attendant. (Excalibur (vol. 1): Minus One). She and Kurt have since had an on-again, off-again relationship. Years later Margali learned that Kurt had accidentally killed Stefan, breaking his neck while trying to subdue him from attacking a group of half-human creatures that meant him no harm. Too deep in grief to question why, Margali exiled Nightcrawler's soul to a dimension resembling "Dante's Inferno." With help from Jimaine and Doctor Strange, Kurt was exonerated. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #4).

During Margali's time of weakness on The Winding Way, she was captured by the demon D'Spayre. After being rescued by Jimaine and Nightcrawler (Excalibur (vol. 1) #76-77), Margali began her quest to take possession of a magical weapon called the Soulsword. Margali tricked her daughter once again by giving her a warning about a sorcerer called Gravemoss who was trying to kill all above him on The Winding Way. Amanda travelled to Muir Island and found that Gravemoss had possessed Kurt. After defeating Gravemoss, Amanda gave her mother the Soulsword and Margali used it to kill all the other sorcerers stationed above her (Excalibur (vol. 1) #83-85).

Her Life With the Hellfire Club: In a plan to harness the power of a demon under London, Margali joined the U.K branch of the Hellfire Club and kidnapped the mutant hybrid Douglock. The demon proved too strong for her, however, and without the intervention of Excalibur, and her daughter Amanda Sefton, all of London would have been driven mad and killed each other. After this incident, Margali disappeared, and the London Inner Circle was incarcerated. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-100).

Her Life After the Hellfire Club: Margali resurfaced, apparently captured by Belasco. With her last bit of magic she swapped souls with her daughter (Excalibur (vol. 1) #102, 108). Margali's soul, now in Amanda's body, took Nightcrawler to Limbo where they were able to rescue her body, Amanda’s soul and defeat Belasco. After the battle, Nightcrawler returned to the X-Men and Margali left Amanda to rule Limbo for a time (X-Men Unlimited (vol. 1) #19).

Briefly, Margali appeared as a sorcerous ally of the Fantastic Four, working against the Hellfire Club that Selene was building that featured herself, Blackheart, and Daimon Hellstrom. (Fantastic Four Annual ’99). Margali has reappeared recently to find Nightmare torturing her daughter. Nightmare was under control of a demon called Hive who was looking for the Soulsword. Nightcrawler was able to defeat Hive with the help of Margali, Jimaine and Nightmare. During the battle Margali revealed that Nightcrawler possessed the Soulsword (Nightcrawler #11).

What do you think of Margali Szardos? Do you think she should try and claim a title in the Hellfire Club? Do you think she actively wished to work against Selene's Hellfire Club as a penance for her earlier dealings with them? Is she just someone Nightcrawler should avoid altogether?

darknessatnoon

05-27-2008, 12:08 PM

Odd you mention it, but to my knowledge, no, they haven't ever battled, at least not unless it would be in a flashback story.

The interesting part, though, is marveldatabase.com had it listed that at one time, Jarvis the Butler was a Butler for the Hellfire Club. I couldn't find any reference to back that claim up, though. But I did find it intriguing. Maybe that's where Jarvis came from? Hired by Howard or Tony after they met him at the HC?

I think that's a mistake. Jarvis the Coachdriver appeared in Hellfire Club #2. But obviously not the same guy.

worstblogever

05-27-2008, 12:13 PM

I think that's a mistake. Jarvis the Coachdriver appeared in Hellfire Club #2. But obviously not the same guy.

Especially not because H.C. #2 takes place like a few generations ago...

jarrod

05-27-2008, 12:48 PM

Quick sidenote, but Steed was also working with/for Onslaught iirc... I wonder if she has older connections to Xaiver?

worstblogever

05-27-2008, 01:02 PM

Quick sidenote, but Steed was also working with/for Onslaught iirc... I wonder if she has older connections to Xaiver?

That'd be amazing, and interesting to see covered in X-Men: Legacy. Especially given her powers... her AoA incarnation psionically destroyed the Shadow King in his Astral Form... so she'd be an interesting foe or acquaintance for Charles.

Swashbuckler

05-27-2008, 01:04 PM

Ms.Steed needs to appear again. She was great in AOA. I always wanted that chick "Switchback" to appear too. She rocked in Excalibre.

worstblogever

05-27-2008, 01:07 PM

Ms.Steed needs to appear again. She was great in AOA. I always wanted that chick "Switchback" to appear too. She rocked in Excalibre.

I hope and pray the fact that two cast members of Captain Britain and MI:13 have Hellfire Club ties (Captain Britain & Spitfire) comes into play at some point, perhaps in an arc where we see the resurgence of some of the London Hellfire Club from that old Excalibur (vol. 1) arc. Ms. Steed being #1 on my wish list. Scribe (without Mountjoy) being #2.

Leirus

05-27-2008, 01:43 PM

I hope and pray the fact that two cast members of Captain Britain and MI:13 have Hellfire Club ties (Captain Britain & Spitfire) comes into play at some point, perhaps in an arc where we see the resurgence of some of the London Hellfire Club from that old Excalibur (vol. 1) arc. Ms. Steed being #1 on my wish list. Scribe (without Mountjoy) being #2.

I agree... Mrs. Steed was fan-bulous and I want her back...

Also Scribe, after all she was purged of tha hideous parasit bugger...

darknessatnoon

05-27-2008, 07:31 PM

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 03:07 AM

I feel that Magneto does not belong in this thread. I have found some pretty damning evidence.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh227/darknessatnoon/magneto1.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh227/darknessatnoon/magneto2.jpg

If he cannot wear the Hellfire outfit, then he is not a real member.

I love how Storm can't bring herself to quite look at his pot-belly, but can't look away either. While he may "accept himself," she feels some trepidation about that.

He was White King, and got Sebastian Shaw himself kicked out to become the Grey King (he changes colors like Gandalf in reverse). It's not exactly a matter of debate, he's in.

And trust me, I'm not one to give Magneto credit for anything when it isn't due.

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 03:15 AM

http://image.comicvine.com/uploads/vol/5000/4801/4801-95431-1-night-thrasher-four_150.jpg

Dwayne Taylor, Night Trasher I-

Hellfire Club Member

First Appearance: Thor (1st series) #411
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #29, X-Force #32
Last Appearance: Civil War #1.
Powers: Night Thrasher has a pseudo-mystical mutation drawn from the Pact which gives him psionic protection that shields his thoughts from detection and manipulation. He carries throwing darts and grappling wire, but used to wear a full body armor. The hydraulic armor protected him from harm and contained retractable blades in each arm, escrima sticks, chameleon imaging, a computer terminal, truncheon launchers, a skateboard with a retractable razor edge, smoke pellets, incendiary caps, magnesium flares, ball berrings, spur jacks, pepper spray, garrote wire, machine gun rounds, an Uzi 9mm, infrared and telescopic scanners, sonic enhancers, megaphones, and an internal air supply.

His life before the Hellfire Club: Dwayne Taylor grew up believing his rich parents were killed by criminals for some unexplained reason. Taylor's guardians, the ex-military sergeant Chord (a friend of his father's) and the elderly martial arts master Tai, supported Taylor's vow to make all criminals pay for their actions, helping him create the identity of Night Thrasher.

Taylor trained hard to be a skilled fighter. On his first outing, he met Midnight's Fire and Silhouette. These two superhumans were taking out criminals by gaining their confidence and then busting them. Giving his name as Night Thrasher, Taylor joined them on their crusade. One night, while Silhouette was infiltrating a gunrunning operation, the police accidentally came upon them. Scared that the police were fixing to shoot his sister, Midnight's Fire started to throw a blade at them. Taylor stopped him before he had a chance to throw it, and a gun battle erupted. Silhouette was hit and badly injured in the spine. Taylor, who had fallen in love with Silhouette, was heartbroken, as was Midnight's Fire. Midnight's Fire swore to get revenge on Taylor someday. Taylor left them, believing that Silhouette was dead.

Realizing that he needed more of an edge, Taylor trained even harder. Using his parent's Taylor Foundation, Taylor had Chord provide him with a state-of-the-art headquarters, training facilities, and computer support systems. He also had developed specialized armor and weaponry. Taylor then decided to create a special team so he would have some backup. He recruited several young heroes and formed the New Warriors.

Shortly after they formed the team, Midnight's Fire made an appearance and tried to frame Taylor with the murder of two policemen. In a final battle with Midnight's Fire, Taylor overcame his fear of his nemesis and beat him in a battle. Taylor then discovered that Silhouette was still alive but crippled. She renounced her brother's actions, turning him in to the police and joining Taylor in the New Warriors.

After the Warriors thwarted a plot by the criminal scientists of A.I.M., Taylor discovered a link between A.I.M.'s benefactors and the Taylor Foundation. With some investigation, he discovered dozens of illegal operations and shady business practices performed by the Foundation, linking them with criminal industrialist Gideon and the Japanese Yakuza syndicate, among others. Taylor used the Warriors to seek out the truth in confronting the Yakuza, but the team balked at making a deal with criminals. Taylor refused to budge, and the argument led him to quit the New Warriors.

Taylor was then approached by the criminal team Folding Circle, of which Midnight's Fire was a part, since they promised to lead him to the truth of his past. In doing so, it was revealed that Taylor's father, while in Vietnam, was captured by Tai, who was a powerful sorcerer guarding an ancient temple. Tai had coerced Taylor's father and others in his military unit, including Chord, to have children with the women of the temple, in order that their children would later be sacrificed in the temple's mystic well of dimensional energies and thereby give Tai even greater power. Chord and Taylor's father tried to thwart this plot, and Chord was thus mystically ensorcelled to kill Taylor's parents. The Folding Circle was comprised of the children of Tai's prophecy, but it was assembling its members too early for Tai's wishes. The New Warriors, investigating Night Thrasher's activities, tracked the Circle to the Vietnamese temple, where they joined Folding Circle in a climatic battle with Tai. Ultimately, Tai was seemingly slain by the very energies she tried to master.

His Time with the Hellflire Club: It seems as though Dwayne Taylor was recruited into the Hellfire Club for his connections to the Taylor Foundation by Shinobi Shaw, as he was present at the Hellfire Club’s headquarters when Warren Worthington III arrived to also find out as much as he could about Shinobi’s request to join (X-Men (vol. 2) #29). However, Dwayne would not exploit his prior knowledge of Shinobi Shaw during the New Warrior’s battle alongside X-Force against the Upstarts. (New Warriors (vol. 1) #45-56, X-Force #32,33).

His Life after his time at the Hellfire Club: Taylor rejoined the New Warriors and served with them for a long tenure. He left the team eventually, rededicating himself to his role as chairman of the Taylor Foundation, although he would team up with them when the need arose. Later, Taylor decided to give up adventuring altogether, becoming a full-time director of the Taylor Foundation. He believed that true battles for justice would be fought in the boardrooms. He moved to the Seattle branch of the Foundation, seemingly disbanding the New Warriors.

Over time, however, the New Warriors reassembled without Taylor's help. Even so, as the Warriors continued to use equipment and facilities associated with the Taylor Foundation, he was able to monitor the new version of the team. He even rejoined them briefly against the assassin Junzo Muto and agents of the Hand (New Warriors (vol. 2) #7-10).

More recently, the Taylor Foundation suffered a massive downfall when its funding of cancer research banked on the efforts of Zachary Smith. Smith’s cure was revealed to be nothing more than his mutant son’s subconscious help. The Foundation’s stock tanked and Smith abandoned his son, but Dwayne Taylor stepped in to adopt the young mutant, now Microbe. However, it would require more creative solutions to save the Foundation. Night Thrasher made a deal with shady television executive Ashley Brothers to avoid bankruptcy, but this also forced the New Warriors into a unique re-branding as a reality-TV show. Hoping to make the best of the situation, the team hit the road to become heroes for the common man throughout small-town America. (New Warriors (vol. 3) 1-4).

The Warriors enjoyed mixed success and popularity, but the show was officially cancelled and bankruptcy proceedings were initiated. Even so, the Warriors were able to return and continue their reality-TV efforts. However, when they hoped to boost the ratings for their show by apprehending a quartet of villains holed up in Stamford, Connecticut, tragedy struck. During the battle, Nitro used his power to cause a massive explosion. It killed Night Thrasher, the New Warriors, and almost everyone in the vicinity. (Civil War #1)

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/a/a9/NightThrasher01.jpg/180px-NightThrasher01.jpg

What do you think of Dwayne Taylor as a member of the Hellfire Club? Would you have liked to see him exploit the club as a resource? Would you like to see his brother, as Night Thrasher II, try to join the club and use its influence to his own benefit?

Jack Flash

05-28-2008, 07:06 AM

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 07:10 AM

We definitely need to see more of Miss Steed. Damask rocks the house!

And she rocks the tight leather. MWRAHR!

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 10:27 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/1/1f/Blackking_londonbranch_01.JPG
Quentin Templeton -

Black King of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-97, 99-100
Last appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #100
Powers: Baseline Human
Fact: Templeton’s name was never given on panel, and only appears on his profile at www.marveldatabase.com

His Life Before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His Life With the Hellfire Club: All that is known about Quentin Templeton’s time with the Hellfire Club is he was part of London’s Inner Circle, who plotted to have Black Air kidnap Douglock and use him as a conduit to a demon trapped below the city of London, as a means for their Red Queen, Margali Szardos, to harness its power for them to control. (Excalibur (vol. 1 #96-97). However, their plan didn’t work out as they designed it. The demon would overpower the Red Queen, and begin driving people all over London mad, including apparently the Black King himself. He attacked the Black Queen, Ms. Steed, and she shot him in self defense (Excalibur (vol. 1) #100).

What did you think of the Black King of the London Hellfire Club? Do you think he would have gone to jail with the rest of the London Inner Circle had he survived? What do you think he would have done if his plan worked?

Leirus

05-28-2008, 11:13 AM

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 11:20 AM

He was the blandest member any faction of the Hellfire club has ever had, even more dull than Paris Seville and that nobody of Ned Something together...

I clapped when Ms. Steed killed him... Well done !!

I could argue the Red Bishop who Captain Britain "one-punched" would be even more dull than him. But nah... Black King of London it is.

DDM

05-28-2008, 06:15 PM

By birthright, he is. His dad was a member. He's at a party here, (and if I remember, someone within the Hellfire Club discuss his company's stocks in Generation X: Minus One while Emma walks through reading thoughts)... he's shagged Emma Frost... it seems at some point he took advantage of the membership.

Tony Stark may be a member of the Hellfire Club, but it does not equate him to part of the secret Inner Circle. Hugh Hefner also has a cameo in Uncanny X-Mrn #132 while Phoenix, Cyclops, Storm, & Colossus are at the party to find more about the Hellfire Club's true nature. And we know Hugh Hefner is not part of the Inner Circle...

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 06:20 PM

Tony Stark may be a member of the Hellfire Club, but it does not equate him to part of the secret Inner Circle. Hugh Hefner also has a cameo in Uncanny X-Mrn #132 while Phoenix, Cyclops, Storm, & Colossus are at the party to find more about the Hellfire Club's true nature. And we know Hugh Hefner is not part of the Inner Circle...

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/TonyStark.jpg

Anthony Stark (Iron Man) –

Hellfire Club Member

Note: Nobody ever said Tony Stark... OR Hugh Hefner were in the Inner Circle. Tony's a member, and that's all that was ever said.

And whether or not Hef is a member... or just a guest like any of the New Mutants were was never determined, was it?. Otherwise, I'd have loved to have profiled him.

DDM

05-28-2008, 06:55 PM

Note: Nobody ever said Tony Stark... OR Hugh Hefner were in the Inner Circle. Tony's a member, and that's all that was ever said.

And whether or not Hef is a member... or just a guest like any of the New Mutants were was never determined, was it?. Otherwise, I'd have loved to have profiled him.

The Hellfire Club is a legitimate gentleman's club; however, the real, rotten core is the Inner Circle. A majority of the Hellfire Club members are not really evil mutants or superhumans out to secretly control the world. There's no need for Anthony Stark to even be listed here unless of course you plan on doing Hugh Hefner's entry...

worstblogever

05-28-2008, 07:01 PM

The Hellfire Club is a legitimate gentleman's club; however, the real, rotten core is the Inner Circle. A majority of the Hellfire Club members are not really evil mutants or superhumans out to secretly control the world. There's no need for Anthony Stark to even be listed here unless of course you plan on doing Hugh Hefner's entry...

So after four weeks of my writing this thread, you're going to dictate who should be included and shouldn't, when I have appearances, and credence toward the fact that he's a member in his entire entry because you personally don't like the idea of him being one.

Excuse me if I don't rush to edit towards your opinions.

Leirus

05-28-2008, 08:50 PM

So after four weeks of my writing this thread, you're going to dictate who should be included and shouldn't, when I have appearances, and credence toward the fact that he's a member in his entire entry because you personally don't like the idea of him being one.

Excuse me if I don't rush to edit towards your opinions.

OOoooOOOOoohhh!! I want an entry of Hugh Hefner as a Hellfire Club Member!!

(Just kidding)

But about Iron Man I must say, sometimes it has look like there is a hidden history between he and the HC: He is a powerful, somewhat rotten gentleman whose power greed his known, has been seen in the club & and has been in relationship with Emma before.

In fact the Inner circle would have approved the Civil War and the domination of Shield...

Were th HC not a more exclusive villiain of the X-Men, I am sure we would have seen more of this... as has been said before, the HC has potential to be in more titles, like Doctor Doom in 616 or Magneto in the Ultimate universe

worstblogever

05-29-2008, 04:00 AM

http://image.comicvine.com/uploads/item/46000/45195/139191-gerhard-van-ostamgen_150.jpg

Gerhard Van Ostamgen –

Hellfire Club Member

First Appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #53
All Hellfire Club appearances: New Mutants (vol. 1) #53
Last Appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #53
Powers: none, human

His life before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His life with the Hellfire Club: Gerhard Von Ostamgen tried to elevate himself to the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle by buying an ancient statue of the Goddess Selene. Both Selene and the New Mutant Magma (who thought the statue was of her ancestor), discovered the statue to be a fake. It was revealed that Magma's family in Nova Roma had the real statue. Gerhard was obviously denied his pretty meek attempt to gain entry to the Inner Circle. He has never been shown on-panel since.

What did you think of Gerhard van Ostamgen? Do you think Selene would have promoted him onto the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club if the statue was real?

Leirus

05-29-2008, 04:25 AM

[IMG]
What did you think of Gerhard van Ostamgen? Do you think Selene would have promoted him onto the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club if the statue was real?

Pfff... He was one of those one-hit characters... The most interesant thing about the issue was that it hinted that Selene may be the ancestor of Magma. However, She being a 30000 years old seductress, she may be the ancestor of half humanity...

And I do not think Selene would have ever promoted him...

DDM

05-29-2008, 08:19 AM

Pfff... He was one of those one-hit characters... The most interesant thing about the issue was that it hinted that Selene may be the ancestor of Magma. However, She being a 30000 years old seductress, she may be the ancestor of half humanity...

And I do not think Selene would have ever promoted him...

I think Selene did not kill Amara's mother, but, instead, Selene may have been Amara's mother, in disguise using her dark magics. Another possible theory is Selene did indeed kill Amara's mother & simply remains an ancestor of Amara's. Either way, I like the connection.

Selene is also far older than 3,000 years old given her link to the Hyborean demon sorcerer, Kulan Gath. Nova Roma is only about 2,000 years old.

DDM

05-29-2008, 08:22 AM

So after four weeks of my writing this thread, you're going to dictate who should be included and shouldn't, when I have appearances, and credence toward the fact that he's a member in his entire entry because you personally don't like the idea of him being one.

Excuse me if I don't rush to edit towards your opinions.

The Inner Circle is the heart of the Hellfire Club; therefore, you're covering the Inner Circle with the various associates such as mercenaries. However, normal Hellfire Club members are not quite the same as the Inner Circle. So when can I expect entries of Hugh Hefner & Paris Hilton? Tony Stark has been shown to be a member of the Hellfire Club--not its Inner Circle. Given his connection with the Avengers, it's not wise to allow him to be part of the Inner Circle given it is a secret society.

worstblogever

05-29-2008, 09:04 AM

The Inner Circle is the heart of the Hellfire Club; therefore, you're covering the Inner Circle with the various associates such as mercenaries. However, normal Hellfire Club members are not quite the same as the Inner Circle. So when can I expect entries of Hugh Hefner & Paris Hilton? Tony Stark has been shown to be a member of the Hellfire Club--not its Inner Circle. Given his connection with the Avengers, it's not wise to allow him to be part of the Inner Circle given it is a secret society.

And clearly, under every person I've entered, it points out if they're a member, hired soldier, or what position in the Inner Circle they have.

And in continuity... Harold Stark was a Hellfire Club Member, so is Tony. At no point have I said Tony Stark, or Harold was ever part of any incarnation of the Council of the Chosen, or the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.

Kindly let the point from three days ago drop rather than beat it to death when there isn't even an argument in the first place. All you're achieving is derailing the time dedicated for today's profiles in the hopes of trying to make a correction that isn't necessary in the first place.

worstblogever

05-29-2008, 11:15 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/5/5b/Viper_%28Madame_Hydra%29_%281%29.jpg

Viper aka Madame Hydra –

Warrior White Princess(?) of the Hellfire Club V

First Appearance: Captain America (vol. 1) #158.
Hellfire Club Appearances: Uncanny X-Men #449, 452-454, Excalibur (vol. 2) #11-13.
Last Appearance: Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Annual #1.

Her Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: It is known that Madame Hydra was orphaned as a child in Eastern Europe (believed to be Hungary) and that part of her face was scarred at one time, but this is obviously no longer the case. She rose through the ranks of HYDRA and frequently came into conflict with Captain America and the organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D.

At one point, she severed ties with HYDRA, and helped Jordan Stryke, a supervillain codenamed Viper, escape custody in Virginia, only to proceed in assassinating him and usurping his moniker. (Captain America (vol. 1) #180. The previous Viper was the founder and leader of the elite criminal underworld through sheer ruthlessness, treachery, and the cunning of her black heart. She then re-appeared as not just a member of Hydra, but its leader under the codename Madame Hydra and also began associating with a group known as the Serpent Squad. Later, in one of her many terrorist acts, she would try to gain control of the similarly themed organization called the Serpent Society, attempting to assassinate its leader Sidewinder, but she was betrayed by Cobra and arrested by Captain America.

Madame Hydra is a professional terrorist and has her own organization. She has come into conflict with many superheroes and supervillains over the years. Her nihilism and tendency to spread death around her has made it hard for other villains to associate with her. Only the Red Skull has seemed to find it a charming tendency and pursued a relationship with her for a while. The relationship ended when the Skull found out Viper was using his resources to finance massacres with no apparent financial benefit for either of them.
Madame Hydra also had a point where she thought she might be Merriem Drew. Drew was the mother of Spider-Woman and was considered deceased since 1931. Soon it would be revealed Merriem had become allied to the demon Cthonin return for unnatural longevity. However, later it would be determined that Chthon had actually granted Viper false memories of mothering Jessica Drew as part of a plan to place both women under his control as one of the other clauses of her diabolic pact. Whether Viper actually has extraordinary longevity or not was left uncertain. (Spider-Woman (vol. 1) #42-44).

Madame Hydra has also had many conflicts with the X-Men. She first came into contact with them upon encountering the New Mutants and Team America and was considered responsible for the demise of Karma for a while after that dust-up (Karma was actually only wounded and was abducted by the Shadow King for his own reasons).trying to assassinate Mariko Yashida on behalf of her ally and presumed lover Silver Samurai by knocking out, binding, and gagging Mariko's friend Toni, and tried to poison the team while disguised as her. She once nearly killed X-Men members Rogue and Storm on two separate occasions (with Storm being nearly killed by Viper during the invasion of Khan. Later she black-mailed Wolverine into marrying her as a means to secure her criminal empire in Madripoor. Although this was a marriage of convenience, she did request to consummate the arrangement. Some time later, her body was briefly inhabited by the spirit of Ogun, and Wolverine mortally wounded her as a means of driving the spirit from her dying body. In return for seeking medical attention to save her life, Wolverine demanded a divorce.

Viper also had a plot hatched to launch a nuclear missle at London (Uncanny X-Men #448-449) but was foiled by the X-Men. Still, Viper met with Courtney Ross in the city, who had an interesting offer to make her…

Her life with the Hellfire Club: She is a member of the latest incarnation of the Hellfire Club, being hired in as Sat-Yr-9’s personal bodyguard, and was named her White Princess. No one ever seemed to question why there was a princess, when it was never on a chess board, though. After dabbling in the machinations of the Hellfire Club with Sat-Yr-9, Viper managed to survive the attempted coup,by former Inner Circle member Donald Pierce (Uncanny X-Men #452-454) she began to look into running Genosha during its rebuilding phase with her White Queen (Excalibur (vol. 2) #11-13).

Her Activities away from the Hellfire Club:
Viper has been shown to still be working with certain sects of Hydra, as well as the Hand, but seems concerned about the manipulations of an outside entity corrupting both organizations from within (she has yet to be shown figuring out that it was, in fact, the Skrulls). Viper has also been revealed to be the new dictator of Madripoor, using the nation's resources to support global terrorism via HYDRA. She was recently overthrown by new S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark and Tyger Tyger, the latter of whom usurped her position as ruler of Madripoor after the S.H.I.E.L.D. backed coup.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/Madame_Hydra_Viper.JPG

What did you think of Viper as a member of the Hellfire Club? Was there any odder concept than a Warrior White Princess? Do you think she was truly granted longevity by Cthon? Are her ties to that demon pushing her nihilistic tendencies, and will they also be one of the forces that brings “Hellfire” into the Hellfire Club?

Dizzy D

05-29-2008, 12:22 PM

What did you think of Viper as a member of the Hellfire Club? Was there any odder concept than a Warrior White Princess? Do you think she was truly granted longevity by Cthon? Are her ties to that demon pushing her nihilistic tendencies, and will they also be one of the forces that brings “Hellfire” into the Hellfire Club?

What, you never used the Warrior White Princess in chess? It's one of the best pieces: it can move in all directions like a Queen, jump like a knight and it can't be killed, only temporary mind-controlled into becoming the Warrior Black Princess. Downside is, about five turns in her indomitable will reassarts itself and she becomes White again.

Viper as Viper or Madame Hydra is actually a pretty good character, but Warrior White Princess is really the low point of her career. She was always a leader, and playing second fiddle to Sat-Yr-9 is really not in her.

Leirus

05-29-2008, 12:27 PM

I think Selene did not kill Amara's mother, but, instead, Selene may have been Amara's mother, in disguise using her dark magics. Another possible theory is Selene did indeed kill Amara's mother & simply remains an ancestor of Amara's. Either way, I like the connection.

Selene is also far older than 3,000 years old given her link to the Hyborean demon sorcerer, Kulan Gath. Nova Roma is only about 2,000 years old.

That is why I wrote that she was 30000 years old :wink:

Leirus

05-29-2008, 12:34 PM

What, you never used the Warrior White Princess in chess? It's one of the best pieces: it can move in all directions like a Queen, jump like a knight and it can't be killed, only temporary mind-controlled into becoming the Warrior Black Princess. Downside is, about five turns in her indomitable will reassarts itself and she becomes White again.
.

LOL I love the jokes about the stupid new titles

But I must say... In the first HC apparition, I think that the theme behind was not the chess but the poker cards... Shawn was the black king, but the shadowly figures that we can see behind are seated in thrones with the cards simbols (Clovers, Diamonts, hearths...)... So maybe he was...er... the Clover King :confused:
That is at least what I remember... but my issues are faaaaaar away from me... Could any of you take a look to yours please with sugar on top?

Dizzy D

05-29-2008, 01:08 PM

LOL I love the jokes about the stupid new titles

But I must say... In the first HC apparition, I think that the theme behind was not the chess but the poker cards... Shawn was the black king, but the shadowly figures that we can see behind are seated in thrones with the cards simbols (Clovers, Diamonts, hearths...)... So maybe he was...er... the Clover King :confused:
That is at least what I remember... but my issues are faaaaaar away from me... Could any of you take a look to yours please with sugar on top?

The White Queen was there from the beginning, so any card-theme was always in the background compared to the chess theme (plus DC already did the card-theme with the Royal Flush Gang).

I do remember the Lord Cardinals'table having the card symbols on it, though and anything that would get Lemmy in the Hellfire Club gets my vote.

DDM

05-29-2008, 01:21 PM

LOL I love the jokes about the stupid new titles

But I must say... In the first HC apparition, I think that the theme behind was not the chess but the poker cards... Shawn was the black king, but the shadowly figures that we can see behind are seated in thrones with the cards simbols (Clovers, Diamonts, hearths...)... So maybe he was...er... the Clover King :confused:
That is at least what I remember... but my issues are faaaaaar away from me... Could any of you take a look to yours please with sugar on top?

The White/Black motif of chess pieces has been part of the Hellfire Club since its genesis in America, the original members Patrick Clemens (Black King) & his mistress, actress, Lady Diana Knight (Black Queen) in 1780-1781.

Although they were using a card motif on their thrones deep in the catacombs, the Inner Circle still uses the chess pieces for their own rank within the Hellfire Club. Emma Frost is the White Queen, & Sebastian Shaw is the Black King. Donald Pierce's rank is unknown at the time. The same is true for Harry Leland.

Dagger

05-29-2008, 02:11 PM

So after four weeks of my writing this thread, you're going to dictate who should be included and shouldn't, when I have appearances, and credence toward the fact that he's a member in his entire entry because you personally don't like the idea of him being one.

Excuse me if I don't rush to edit towards your opinions.

And clearly, under every person I've entered, it points out if they're a member, hired soldier, or what position in the Inner Circle they have.

And in continuity... Harold Stark was a Hellfire Club Member, so is Tony. At no point have I said Tony Stark, or Harold was ever part of any incarnation of the Council of the Chosen, or the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.

Kindly let the point from three days ago drop rather than beat it to death when there isn't even an argument in the first place. All you're achieving is derailing the time dedicated for today's profiles in the hopes of trying to make a correction that isn't necessary in the first place.
LOL Good form, old boy.

DDM

05-29-2008, 03:14 PM

And clearly, under every person I've entered, it points out if they're a member, hired soldier, or what position in the Inner Circle they have.

And in continuity... Harold Stark was a Hellfire Club Member, so is Tony. At no point have I said Tony Stark, or Harold was ever part of any incarnation of the Council of the Chosen, or the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.

Kindly let the point from three days ago drop rather than beat it to death when there isn't even an argument in the first place. All you're achieving is derailing the time dedicated for today's profiles in the hopes of trying to make a correction that isn't necessary in the first place.

I think you should just include Inner Circle members. Tony Stark is a non-entity within the Hellfire Club & not needed to be included which I do find a distraction. However, if you plan to go on this path, then you must include Hugh Hefner, Paris Hilton, & the thousands of other regular members of the Hellfire Club who are not members of the Inner Circle & seeking world domination through subterfuge.

darknessatnoon

05-29-2008, 03:18 PM

DDM

05-29-2008, 03:22 PM

When did Paris Hilton appear in X-Men?

Paris Hilton wrote the X-Men under the alias of Joe Casey. :evilsmile: The same thing happened with the Milligan issues...

With her wealth, she has to be a member of the Hellfire Club; she's just not Inner Circle material.

worstblogever

05-29-2008, 03:41 PM

I think you should just include Inner Circle members. Tony Stark is a non-entity within the Hellfire Club & not needed to be included which I do find a distraction. However, if you plan to go on this path, then you must include Hugh Hefner, Paris Hilton, & the thousands of other regular members of the Hellfire Club who are not members of the Inner Circle & seeking world domination through subterfuge.

Was that your best shot? Now it's MY turn...

I have to answer you, I'm sorry... this thread has been going on for over four... 4... yes FOUR WEEKS now, with two profiles a day. We're on quite literally our 61st profile, and you yourself have been posting since at least the tenth or so. So now that we have but three days left... you're going to dictate what should, and should not be included, because of your own opinion. And it's apparently ONLY just occured to you that there are other members who weren't in the Inner Circle in the thread. Maybe by the end of May 1st, that should have been evident when both Axe and Justice were included? Mm?

There are this many profiles because of the number of days I had to work with. Two a day each of the 31 days, plus two profiles on April 30th, and two on June 1st (because I tried including the important ones) Otherwise, I'd have included the Hellions (instead we resurrected the Respect thread for them to run concurrently) due to request and the one character I did leave behind... Selene's maid, Elle, from X-Man.) There's no point in referencing Hugh Hefner, or any other such "name". Why? Because, that's all they are... a real life name to indicate that people who run in circles of power and taboo run with the Hellfire Club. But all the profiles included in this thread?

They've done something in comics before, other than play themself for name recognition.

Instead of trying to contribute actual thoughts to the discussion, you're going to repeatedly, and deliberately derail this discussion to argue that you don't agree with all the profiles included, despite requests to cease. If not that, wait for an opportunity to pounce, and declare someone, anyone constructively adding to the discussion in order to contradict them by citing a random issue and telling them they're wrong. Rather than just agree to disagree on any one of many opinions you take umbrage with that aren't facts you can back them up with, and move along, as we have listed in the forum rules (which, by your seniority you should be familiar with... ) you continue to ignore requests to do so from the thread creator to return to the actual discussion.

Had you really wanted to... you could have done the research I've done, put the work into this, or created such a thread with just features on the Inner Circle in the past. But I suppose it's not in your nature to contribute a topic to discuss, but instead to interrupt those that exist to declare others wrong, and belittle the research of others.

So, for the last time, the end-all and be all of who IS and isn't a Hellfire Club member? One of the main places I did my research?

http://en.marveldatabase.com/Hellfire_Club

Clearly, Marvel Comics, who maintain this wiki... report Anthony "Tony" Stark as a member of the Hellfire Club.

But if that's not enough for you, and you dismiss it because it has the word "wiki"...

http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/pov/showquestion.asp?faq=5&fldAuto=51

uncannyxmen.net backs it up.

Two independent sources, as well as my own comic book library with the issue Tony Stark in it hitting on Psylocke, which I referenced.

But, since you have no information to prove he isn't a member, go ahead and say it again, if you feel like defying the forums' rules, as our moderator has clearly posted them. Please.

worstblogever

05-30-2008, 10:42 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/9/95/155696-friedrich-von-roehm_150.jpg
Friedrich von Roehm -

Black Rook of the Hellfire Club I

First appearance: New Mutants (1st series) #22
Last appearance: Uncanny X-Men #209
All Hellfire appearances: New Mutants (1st series) #22, Uncanny X-Men #189, 207-209
Powers: At first none, baseline human. However, Selene had magically altered his bloodline so that she could activate a mental cue to transform his skills and behavior into a semi-lycanthropic state, giving him heightened strength, agility, and reflexes, animal-like senses, and clawed talons on his fingers.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Not much is known about Friedrich Von Roehm’s early life. Apparentally German by birth, Friedrich Von Roehm operated an exclusive jewelry shop on New York City's Park Avenue. One day, he is visited by a mysterious dark haired, veiled woman, who imperially tells von Roehm that he is to dismiss the staff for the day as she wants to talk to him. Von Roehm is at first angry about her arrogance and about to throw her out until she calmly shows him a gem, asking him to appraise it. The gem is unique, she adds, and at a certain angle a face can be seen. The gem shows her face, which von Roehm recognizes as that of Selene. Von Roehm kneels down and prostrates himself before her. He is the high priest of a sect worshipping Selene, that has existed for more than two thousand years. Selene tells him that she needs both a residence and a power base. Von Roehm has the ideal solution – the Hellfire Club (New Mutants (vol. 1) #22).

His Life With the Hellfire Club: Not long thereafter, von Roehm arrived at the Hellfire Club with Selene, and presented her to Sebastian Shaw, informing him that she would like to apply to be the new Black Queen (Uncanny X-Men #189). Von Roehm would apparently (off panel) be named Selene’s Black Rook.

When next seen, he would be telepathically commanded by Rachel Summers to lead her to Selene’s location at the Hellfire Club (Uncanny X-Men #207). Selene survived Rachel’s attack, and when the Hellfire Club decided to hunt her down for the transgression on Selene’s behalf, used powers to mentally trigger Von Roehm's hereditary lycanthropy and sent him in pursuit of Rachel Summers, using heightened senses to track her down (Uncanny X-Men #208). When Nimrod intervened to attack the X-Men and the Club simultaneously, Storm proposed an alliance to battle Nimrod. Von Roehm rejected this proposal and lunged to attack the X-Men. It would be the last thing he did, as he was then disintegrated by Nimrod before he could get his claws into any of the X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #209).

What did you think of Friedrich von Roehm? Was he a compelling character? Was the revealing nature of his lycanthopy a condition he already had, or was it completely manufactured by Selene? Does he not have the coolest facial hair ever? Would you have liked to seen him use his skills as a jeweler to compliment his swarthy look with some “bling”?

worstblogever

05-30-2008, 12:20 PM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/Warhawk.jpg

Warhawk-

Mercenary Employee of the Hellfire Club –

First Appearance: Marvel Premiere #23
All Hellfire Club Appearances: technichally none, but he was in their employ in Uncanny X-Men #110.
Last Appearance: Wolverine (vol. 3) #30
Powers: Bulletproof skin, as well as superhuman strength.

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Warhawk was a master assassin used by the C.I.A. in Vietnam who later went insane, being convinced that everyone in New York was secretly a part of the Viet Cong. As a result he encountered Iron Fist, who tried to take the madman down, only to eventually see him swept out to sea (Marvel Premiere #23). He also was later hired by Atom Smasher’s brother, to kill the original Atom Smasher (Black Goliath #2-3), a mission on which he succeeded.

His time working for the Hellfire Club: Warhawk’s mind was given some semblance of sanity by Emma Frost’s telepathic assistance, and he was hired by the Hellfire Club to deliver a device into the Xavier Mansion computer system that would help them spy on the X-Men. Arriving at the door of the mansion, the door was answered by Moira MacTaggart, who Warhawk shot with a tranquilizer dart, and entered the building to bug the computers, and then return to the grounds. Once there, he fired two more tranq darts into Jean Grey and Professor X, respectively, and went back inside, to the control room of the Danger Room before the rest of the X-Men could start their training session. Warhawk was attempting to kill the X-Men using their own training system, or at the very least give the Hellfire Club some idea of their enemies’ capabilities, when Cyclops ordered Nightcrawler to teleport Wolverine to the control room from inside the Danger Room, where Warhawk was confronted, defeated, and arrested, but no interrogation or mental probe could reveal who hired him (Uncanny X-Men #110).

Since leaving the employ of the Hellfire Club:
Warhawk would repeatedly battle Iron Fist, until it eventually was revealed that his powers were transferred to him in a military experiment similar to the one that granted Luke Cage his powers (Power Man and Iron Fist #83), however, he would again be defeated by the hero and taken to prison. Years later, he would be revealed to be undergoing treatments by scientist named Dr. Ryking, to give him an even more volatile form. The U.S. military sent another hired mercenary, Maverick, to kill Ryking before he could perfect the process. Warhawk battled Maverick, still needing Ryking to finish stabilizing the procedure. Still, when his armored form was pierced by Maverick’s bolt gun, Warhawk exploded, seemingly killing him. (X-Men (vol. 2) #10-11).

Warhawk would later turn up, alive and in prison, and be pardoned by S.H.I.E.L.D. in exchange for hiring him to be part of the mercenary team of criminals they were putting together to try to subdue Wolverine, who had been brainwashed into being an agent for Hydra. He was last seen assaulting a AIM facility working on developing the Null Android from technology stolen from Reed Richards (Wolverine (vol. 3) #30.)

What do you think of Warhawk? Do you think their needs to be a meeting between Emma Frost and Warhawk where they discuss when she helped put his mind back together? Do you think Sebastian Shaw and the Hellfire Club should hire him again, considering he did the job for them like asked?

Jack Flash

05-30-2008, 12:26 PM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/9/95/155696-friedrich-von-roehm_150.jpg
Friedrich von Roehm -

Quotes Holly Hunter in Raising Arizona

"I love him so much!!*sobs*"

darknessatnoon

05-30-2008, 12:31 PM

Quotes Holly Hunter in Raising Arizona

"I love him so much!!*sobs*"

His legs look messed up.

Dagger

05-30-2008, 11:02 PM

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 09:34 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/d/d4/Redking_01.JPG

Alan Wilson-

Red King of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96
All London Hellfire appearances: Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-97, 99-100
Last Appearance: Excalibur (vol. 1) #100
Powers: A swordsman, unknown if he was a mutant or not
Fact: His name was never mentioned on-panel, and is only on www.marveldatabase.com

His Life Before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

His Life With the Hellfire Club: All that is known about Quentin Templeton’s time with the Hellfire Club is he was part of London’s Inner Circle, who plotted to have Black Air kidnap Douglock and use him as a conduit to a demon trapped below the city of London, as a means for their Red Queen, Margali Szardos, to harness its power for them to control. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-97). However, their plan didn’t work out as they designed it. The demon would overpower the Red Queen, and begin driving people all over London mad, possibly including himself. As London began to burn, he encountered Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Wolfsbane entering the London Hellfire Club mansion to rescue their teammate, and threatened them with his sword. Nightcrawler fought him one-on-one in a swordfight, easily besting him, and leaving him to be taken into custody by London police. (Excalibur (vol. 1) #99-100).

What did you think of the Red King of London? Do you think he had any mutant powers, or was just a decent swordsman? Do you hope he ever gets out of prison to try and get revenge on those who incarcerated him?

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 09:45 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/WorthingtonJr.jpg

Warren K. Worthington Jr. –

Member of the Hellfire Club

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #17
Last Appearance: Ka-Zar (1st series) #2
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, X-Men (2nd series) #29, Logan: Shadow Society #1
Powers: None, human.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Warren K. Worthington Jr. was born into wealth with Worthington Industries, and inherited his fortune from Warren Worthington Sr.

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/5/57/Warrenworthingtonjr_01.JPG

His Life as a Hellfire Club Member: Warren Worthington Jr. was shown to join the Hellfire Club with Sebastian Shaw, Howard Stark, and James Braddock Sr. (X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4). Sebastian Shaw never thought that Warren had what it took to be in the Inner Circle, but he hoped that his son Warren Kenneth Worthington III would become a valuable asset one day. In fact, it has been revealed that Warren Worthington III did take his son to the Hellfire Club with him when he was still a boy (Logan: Shadow Society #1).

Warren K. Worthington Jr was the father the X-Man Angel. Worthington Jr and his wife Kathryn were unaware that their son was a mutant. During a visit to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, Warren and Kathryn happened to bump into Magneto, the X-Men villain who had taken over the school at the time. Magneto used his powers to put the Worthingtons in a trance. They slept the day away while the X-Men defeated Magneto. Professor Xavier erased their memories of the encounter and they went on finish their visit to the school, still blissfully unaware (Uncanny X-Men #17-18).

Sadly, Warren Jr. would be killed by his brother, Burt Worthington, who was a diamond smuggling villain who went by the name "The Dazzler" (so NOT Alison Blaire) in Ka-Zar (vol. 1) #2.

What did you think of Warren Worthington Jr.? Was he clueless for being part of a secret society and bringing his son to it? Or was he clueless for not noticing his kid had a set of damned wings popping out of his back?

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 12:11 PM

http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/img/a/Archangel.jpg

Warren Kenneth Worthington III (Archangel)

Hellfire Club Member

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #1
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men (2nd series) #29, X-Men (vol. 2) #73
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 3) #3.
Powers: aerodynamic physiology gives him peak human strength, speed, aerial agility, endurance, reflexes, eyesight, and hearing, a hollow bone structure, zero body fat, and large feathered wings extending from his shoulder blades that enable him to fly and serve as solar collectors to heat his body. At some points in continuity, Warren also has had a healing factor, that he could give to others via blood transfusion.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: That’s a bit of a trick question. Warren was at the club as a kid, and was set to inherit his membership in the Hellfire Club from his father (first mentioned in Uncanny X-Men #132). In fact, apparently his father and Sebastian Shaw would talk business, and Warren would be left to play with Shinobi Shaw at the time (revealed in several flashbacks through the years, like Hellfire Club #4, and X-Men (vol. 2) #29). Still, as a child, he scared his parents to death as he kept climbing on trees and the mansion’s roof, apparently unafraid of any height. Later, the Worthingtons sent him to a private school in New York, where he met his roommate and best friend, Cameron Hodge. Warren pulled top marks in everything and was also a good athlete – it seemed that he had everything.

However, one day, two small growths began to emerge on Warren's back. It wasn't long before they grew into full-fledged, angel-like, feathered wings. Warren knew that he could not allow anybody to find out about them, so he made himself the most hated kid at school, until he was ordered to move into a separate and lonely room. Warren confided only in the family’s private medic, Dr. Stuart, who advised him to keep the wings secret, even from his parents. The wings grew bigger each day and Warren was both exited and yet also concerned, as it got more difficult to hide them. One night, there was a fire in the school’s dorm. Warren tried to run out but when he found the staircase already on fire he had no other option than to jump out of a window, hoping that the wings would slow his fall. Much to his own surprise, he found that he could use them for flying. As there were still some kids trapped in the building. Warren disguised himself with a wig and a nightshirt to look like a true angel while saving those left in the dorm (his backstory, revealed in Uncanny X-Men #54).

Electrified by this rescue, Warren designed a bright costume for himself and became a local super hero known as the Avenging Angel, using a gun with gas-filled bullets to stun his opponents. His short-lived exploits brought him to the attentions of Professor Charles Xavier and his rapidly forming X-Men; Scott Summers, Cyclops, and Bobby Drake, Iceman. Since he had still a lot to learn, he accepted Xavier’s offer and joined the X-Men (revealed in backstory in Uncanny X-Men #55-56). Along with Hank McCoy, Beast and Jean Grey, Marvel Girl, the team was complete and soon they made their public debut battling Magneto (X-Men (1st series) #1). Among the X-Men, Angel battled such foes as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the Juggernaut and Lucifer. Almost from the day that Jean had joined the team, Warren showed a personal interest in Jean, and, with his self-confidence, he usually was more up front compared to the other X-Men when it came asking Jean if she wanted a ride to the train station or spending an afternoon together. Jean did like him as a friend, but secretly loved Scott and tried to invite him along. (Uncanny X-Men #3, 14) The love triangle climaxed when Cyclops accidentally injured the Angel during a battle and Warren accused him of having it done on purpose to have Jean for himself (Uncanny X-Men #26). Yet, the next day, Warren apologized, saying that he was delirious and, soon afterwards, gave up on Jean, realizing that she cared for Scott more than for him. Instead, he began to date Candy Southern, an old friend from his prep school days, after they accidentally met again in one of New York’s many night clubs (X-Men (1st series) #31).

During a battle with Grotesk, the Subhuman, Xavier was apparently killed, saving his students (actually it was the Changeling posing as Xavier), and FBI agent Fred Duncan ordered the X-Men to disband. (X-Men (1st series) #42, 46) Warren returned to his parents and secretly sneaked out at night to continue to fight crime as the Angel. He also kept seeing Candy and, during one of their dates, masked men broke into the Worthington House and killed Warren’s father, on the order of the villain called Dazzler (NOT Alison Blaire). Angel took it very hard and blamed himself and his love for Candy for the murder, thinking that, had he been at home, he might have prevented his father’s death. When he investigated the Dazzler’s organization, he was blackmailed by the villain who was holding Candy Southern hostage (planning to use her to ensure Warren’s cooperation). The Dazzler was curious who the superhero trying to interfere with his plans was and forced Warren to take off his mask. When he saw it was Warren, the Dazzler too revealed his identity – he was none other than his uncle Burtram Worthington. Burt had used Worthington Industries as a cover for his diamond smuggling syndicate, and when Warren’s father found he saw no other way than to kill him. In the following battle, Candy Southern learned of Warren’s secret too and the Dazzler apparently died when he fell from a great height. (Ka-Zar (1st series) #2-3, Marvel Tales #30) Before long, the X-Men reunited and continue to fight for Xavier’s dream, including a journey into the Savage Land. Upon their return, Candy told Warren that his Uncle Burt was not only alive, but planning to marry Kathryn Worthington and lay claim on the family fortune. Angel and the X-Men came into conflict with Dazzler and the Worthington's mutant-hating family doctor. However, there was the problem of Kathryn not knowing about her son being a mutant and, since she had a weak heart, Warren did not want to endanger her with such distressing news. Finally, the X-Men succeeded in foiling the duo's plans to pilfer the fortune, but only after Kathryn died of the long-term effects of a poison the doctor had been administering to her (X-Men Hidden Years #14-15).

Reunited, the X-Men continued to fight crime until they were captured by Krakoa, the Living Island, who then let Cyclops go to bring other mutants to him. He and Xavier gathered together the second generation of international X-Men and this new team succeeded in rescuing the X-Men from Krakoa. Afterwards, the original X-Men, including Angel, left to allow Xavier and Cyclops to train the new team. (X-Men Giant Size #1) Angel and Iceman were planning on starting their college careers, but were roped into a conflict with the Olympian Gods. As a result, the two of them helped form a Los Angeles based team called the Champions along with Hercules, Black Widow and the original Ghost Rider. Warren adopted a new costume that no longer contained a face mask. With his parents gone, Warren no longer felt the need to protect his civilian identity. (Champions #1) Even more importantly, Warren was given full control of his family's assets and financial interests after long legal issues with some distant relatives who had sued him, as they pretended that the Worthingtons would have left Warren out of their will, had they known of his mutant powers. Unfortunately, the Champions were a mismatched group from the start and it wasn't long before that team went belly-up. All other members walked out on Warren and he was left behind to close the headquarters. (Spectacular Spiderman #17)

Angel and Candy Southern moved to Colorado to a mountain chalet he called "Angel's Aerie." When the X-Men encountered the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle, they came to Warren for help, as he had inherited membership in the Club from his father. Warren arranged some invitations for one of the Club’s parties and, while the team went to New York to check out the Hellfire Club, he remained behind with Professor Xavier. Sensing that Xavier was not comfortable with Cyclops and the X-Men acting very independent from him, Angel listened to Xavier’s concerns (X-Men (1st series) #132-133). Mastermind’s manipulation caused Phoenix’s change into the cosmic powered Dark Phoenix and, soaring through the universe, she destroyed an entire solar system. The Shi’Ar demanded her death and Warren battled alongside the X-men when they dueled the Imperial Guard over Phoenix’ fate. When all X-Men were defeated, Jean committed suicide, as she already felt Dark Phoenix gaining control again.

Since Cyclops left the X-Men to grieve, Angel came back to the team so that they weren't left shorthanded. However, Warren’s long time without training had taken it’s toll and, in a Danger Room session, he nearly caused Nightcrawler to receive massive injuries. (Uncanny X-Men #137-139) Over time, his skills returned and he came to be a good advisor to Xavier. He got along well with most of the new X-Men, save Wolverine. After a few run-ins with him, Warren finally quit the team, because he no longer could stand Wolverine's savage attitude (Uncanny X-Men #148).

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 12:23 PM

http://www.just-marvel-x-men.com/image-files/uncanny-x-men-archangel-1-50k.jpg

The Angel did not know that, very soon, he would need the X-Men’s help again. Without warning, he and Candy were ambushed in their penthouse in Manhattan and Warren was taken into the sewers below the city. In the old subway tunnels beneath the city, the X-Men encountered a large community of ugly mutant called Morlocks. Callisto, their leader, considered Warren the most beautiful man alive and wanted to marry him. The X-Men were outnumbered and there was only one chance to rescue their former teammate. Storm dared Callisto to a one-on-one duel and, by stabbing her in the heart, she assumed leadership of the Morlocks. She then cut Warren loose from his restraints and the team immediately headed for the surface. (Uncanny X-Men #169-170)

Angel would join his former teammates, Iceman and the Beast, in reforming the Defenders as a permanent team, along with Valkyrie, the Gargoyle and Moondragon (Defenders (vol. 1) #125). Months later, however, Moondragon lost her inner struggle with a mystic entity known as the Dragon of the Moon and was taken over by it. Driven to doing evil, Moondragon lashed out at her former teammates with her mental powers. Since she never liked the way Warren had looked at her (though she herself had telepathically caused him to feel attracted to her), she decided to remove his sight before escaping to whereabouts unknown (Defenders (vol. 1) #143-144). In the following weeks, Warren had his eyes examined by many doctors but nobody could help--he was blind. This also meant that he could not fly anymore, at least not alone. In several occasions, his teammate, Cloud, accompanied him in mist form and helped him navigate (Defenders (vol. 1) #146). Finally, Moondragon returned to finish what she had started – the destruction of the Defenders. She placed the three former X-Men in situations where they had to rescue friends and loved ones, keeping them away from the fight. Cruelly, she even restored Warren’s sight, only the first thing he saw was his love Candy Southern upside down, with a knife slowly cutting her throat. While the three mutants succeeded in their tests, the other Defenders sacrificed their lives to defeat Moondragon. Their ally, Interloper, could use his powers as an Eternal to stop the Dragon of the Moon, but he needed extra lifeforce to completely destroy it. When Beast, Angel and Iceman returned to the scene, they found both their allies and their enemy had been turned to dust. (Defenders (vol. 1) #152)

A short time later, after the Enclave upset a psionic cocoon at the bottom of the Hudson River, the Avengers found it and brought it to their mansion to examine. They asked Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four to determine what the object was. Richards accidentally opened the cocoon, releasing the real Jean Grey from a comatose state she had been put in when Phoenix took over her life. They called Angel and he brought her up to speed with the world. Jean was shocked at the state of mutant affairs, as well as the fact that the X-Men had accepted Magneto as a member, and wanted to do something about it. Warren agreed and convinced Iceman and Beast to join their new X-Factor team. To lead them, they recruited Cyclops, who was shocked to see Jean because, in her absence, he had married a woman named Madelyne Pryor and had a son named Nathan. Still, Cyclops left his wife to return to his true love. Warren and his old friend, Cameron Hodge, came up with the idea behind X-Factor, which was to pose as mutant hunting humans to police evil mutants and recruit innocent mutants to help them learn how to use their powers. They also worked as mutant freedom fighters in disguise, as a team known as the X-Terminators. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #1)

X-Factor survived through various battles with the likes of Tower, Apocalypse and Freedom Force. When Jean found out about Cyclops's wife, Madelyne Pryor, she turned to Angel for comfort, straining his friendship with Scott. When Candy Southern came looking for her lover, concerned with affairs at Worthington Enterprises, which she was governing in his absence, she caught Warren and Jean in an intimating pose. Angrily, Candy walked away. Jean told Warren to go after her but, since the team was busy with rescuing the Morlocks from getting slaughtered in the tunnels below New York, he refused. Hodge, meanwhile, had secretly become a rabid mutant hater over the years and was using X-Factor as part of a plot to destroy Angel and all other mutants. Since X-Factor's stated public goal was to track down and capture mutants, Hodge used them to fuel the public's hatred of Homo Superior. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #10)

During the Mutant Massacre, little Artie Maddicks became lost in the tunnels and, while the rest of X-Factor was treating to some wounded Morlocks, Angel alone searched for the little boy. He found him, but they were attacked by a trio of Marauders. Although he knew that, in the tunnels, he had no real chance to fight, as the limited space hindered his wings, Angel told the boy to run while he kept the villains busy. He lost the fight and the Marauder known as Harpoon pinned Angel to a wall by his wings, severely damaging them. Blockbuster continued the job started by ripping out many feathers and giving Warren a heavy beating. More dead than alive, Angel was found by Thor, who drove off the Marauders and returned Warren to his teammates. (Thor (1st series) #373-374)

When Angel was brought to the hospital, Hodge planted false evidence that showed that amputation was the only way to save him. With Warren having no living relatives, the matter was brought to court and it was decided that the wings had to come off, despite the objections of his teammates. Also, since Angel's injuries were so public, it blew their cover as mutant hunters. Hodge convinced Angel to turn over all of his assets to X-Factor in case he died, with Cameron as the beneficiary. He thought Warren would try suicide after the loss of his wings and he had control over X-Factor's assets, which he used to fund his own agency, the Right, a group of fanatic mutant haters. Distraught after the amputation, Angel escaped from the hospital and went to his private helicopter to "fly one last time!" In midair, his jet exploded, apparently completing his suicide mission.(X-Factor (vol. 1) #14-15).

While Hodge was taking over X-Factor, Warren was, in fact, still alive. At the moment of the plane's explosion, he was teleported away by the immortal mutant, Apocalypse. By implanting some of his own shapeshifting techno-organic cells in Angel's body, Apocalypse turned Warren's skin blue and caused him to grow a new, bio-metallic set of wings from his back. These new wings could retract into his back, as well as fire "feather fletchettes," wing darts that paralyzed the nervous system of whoever they hit. Due to brainwashing and his own distraught feelings, Warren was convinced by Apocalypse to become his winged Angel of Death. Along with the anorexic child, Famine, the former Morlock, Pestilence, and the ex-soldier War, they were the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. After X-Factor finally defeated Hodge's Right organization, Apocalypse struck. Death willingly fought his former friends until he was tricked into believing he had killed Iceman. This shocked him back to his senses and he turned against Apocalypse. While most of X-Factor escaped after defeating the Horsemen, their new member, Caliban, took Warren's place in Apocalypse’s group (X-Factor (vol. 1) #18-19, 21-25).

Death wouldn't retake his place in X-Factor, however, as he wanted to hunt down and kill Cameron Hodge, who was still on the loose, for all he had done to his family. On his quest to find Hodge, Death found that Hodge had kidnapped Candy Southern. In the final battle between the two, Hodge killed Candy and, in retaliation, Death sliced Hodge's head of with his wings (X-Factor (vol. 1) #34).

Days later, when the Inferno struck, Death returned to fight alongside X-Factor. After helping to win the battles against S'ym, Nastir'h, the Goblin Queen, Sinister and the Marauders, Warren came back to the team and, after finding the new alias Dark Angel not very fitting, he adopted Archangel as his new moniker. (X-Factor (vol. 1) #36, Uncanny X-Men #243) Archangel kept brooding about the changes Apocalypse made to his body and was lost in his self-pity. When the Morlocks were brought into an uprising against mankind and the X-Men went into the tunnels beneath the city, Archangel returned to the spot where he was crucified by the Marauders and lost his original wings. Jean Grey helped to open his eyes to the truth and Warren came to terms with his fate. He even accepted that the wings were actually not acting of their own or a so called “blood lust,” but Warren’s own repressed violent tendencies. Slowly, Archangel came back from the edge of the abyss where he had been living since Apocalypse's machinations (Uncanny X-Men #289-293).

When he and Jean Grey later went up to his Colorado Aerie, they found Candy Southern there, apparently alive and well, on the anniversary of her apparent murder. She told the story of how Hodge's agents in the Right somehow kept her alive after her "death" and then sedated her, doing some surgery to her body. Before Archangel and Jean could decipher whether this truly was Candy or not, Cameron Hodge attacked. He explained that he and Candy were both from the same "stock," techno-organic Phalanx creatures with the brain wave implants of their original bodies. After a short battle of wills and might, the Phalanx Candy sacrificed herself to destroy Hodge, though at least she and Warren were able to make a proper goodbye this time (Uncanny X-Men #306).

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 12:25 PM

http://dragonhero.com/graphics/mu/archangel.jpg

His recruitment by the Hellfire Club to join the Inner Circle: Shortly before the wedding of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, Archangel received an invitation from the Hellfire Club and Psylocke, who had inherited membership to the Club’s british branch, agreed to accompany him. Turned out that Shinobi Shaw was restarting the Inner Circle and he wanted Warren to take part in it, but Warren refused and the two X-Men battled their way out. Yet, the experience showed them that they had very similar histories. Both were heirs to wealthy families, had been famous (he as a playboy, she as a supermodel) and as had been manipulated by their enemies so much that they felt like strangers, even to themselves. After first sparks of attraction, they started dating and soon found themselves in love with each other. (X-Men (2nd series) #29, Uncanny X-Men #319).

Back to the X-Men: Archangel's relationship with Psylocke continued well until Sabretooth, for a time, the mansion's prisoner, broke free and eviscerated Betsy with his claws, hospitalizing her. Archangel and the rest of the original X-Men were able to track down and capture Sabretooth, and Warren got in a couple of good hits himself, but his left wing was nearly shattered by Creed's savage attacks (Uncanny X-Men #328, Sabretooth: In the Red Zone). In order to be more available reserves to the X-Men, Archangel and Psylocke moved to Warren's Soho loft to be closer to the mansion in case of emergencies. Warren's injuries began to take on strange side-effects, however. Archangel's wings began to crack more and finally shattered, revealing his original, feathered wings underneath. Apparently, they had grown back inside the metallic shell (Uncanny X-Men #338).

An Evening in Rio: Warren and Betsy were revealed to be at a Hellfire Club function taking place in Rio, and Warren watched as Tony Stark boldly floated with Psylocke, right in front of him. This time, his Hellfire Club visit was under the dominion of Sebastian Shaw, who took no other action against Worthington (X-Men (vol. 2) #73).

And, back to the X-Men again: Months later, Archangel received word that one of the old Champscrafts from the Champions team had been appropriated by the Avenger, Hawkeye. Warren ended up fighting Hawkeye's new team, the Thunderbolts, and later aiding them in battle with Graviton (Thunderbolts #27-30).

Archangel, during “The Twelve”, experienced a metamorphosis of his own from his close contact to Apocalypse's handiwork. Warren gained an enormous amount of life energy that shaped itself into a new pair of wings. Archangel would release all of his new power into the paralyzed form of Abraham Lincoln Kieros, the former Horseman known as War. Warren lost his new powers, but Kieros had regained mobility in his limbs (Wolverine (2nd series) #146-147).

Warren and Betsy began to drift apart, particularly as Psylocke became attracted to her new teammate, Neal Shaara, Thunderbird III. Their attraction developed to such degree that they did not even care to hide their flirtation in front of Warren. Finally, he called it quits on Christmas, explaining the break-up with having reached a dead-end in their relationship and the two of them simply having drifted apart over the course of their hectic lives (X-Men (2nd series) #109).

Checking the company‘s finances from time to time, Warren found out that some his money was being used to fund the X-Ranch, a mutant brothel, but before the X-Men could properly investigate the X-Ranch was burned down by the Church of Humanity. Only one member, who called herself Stacy X survived and was taken in by the X-Men. Warren took her under his wing, trying to make her understand what the X-Men‘s purpose was. He even took her with him when he was provided the chance to speak for mutant rights in front of the G8 nations (Uncanny X-Men #402). Warren's intentions were entirely platonic, however, and he didn't respond when Stacy developed feelings for him. Warren’s body underwent certain changes as a result of a developing secondary mutation when, during a battle with Black Tom Cassidy, the villain drained Warren of his life energies. His skin reverted back to its original pink hue and he began to recuperate from injuries at an accelerated rate. Returning to Westchester from this adventure, Warren was overly welcomed by Paige Guthrie, aka Husk, who had recently moved to the mansion and apparently had a crush on him. Stacy X sensed the growing attraction between the pair and, acting rather jealous, tried her best to embarrass Paige, but it only served Warren further neglecting her so that she eventually quit the X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #411-413, 422).

Warren was initially very reluctant to push forward with seeing Paige romantically, due in part to his role as field leader, the huge age gap between them, and her ex-boyfriend, Chamber, who was also living in the mansion part-time. Despite all of these obstacles, however, Archangel and Husk grew closer together and began officially dating (Uncanny X-Men #421-424). Warren and Paige took an extended leave of absence, and Archangel launched a charity called "Mutantes Sans Frontières" in Zanzibar, (a reference to Doctors Without Borders), where he then proceeded to help stop a coup with the aid of Professor X's newest charges from nearby Genosha. In "Excalibur," Warren met up again with Callisto. As Paige reminded Warren of his history with Callisto, Viper attacked. Warren and Callisto then managed to defeat Viper together.

In Generation M, it appeared that Angel had lost his X-gene, as his wings had shrunken and shriveled into a useless state following the events of House of M. However, it was revealed that Warren had managed to fake losing his mutant abilities in order to lure out The Ghoul, a deranged serial killer who uses his retained mutant powers to murder ex-mutants (Generation M #4-5). Shortly after this, it is believed Warren became estranged from Paige, possibly in light of her brother’s death at the mansion at the hands of Reverend Stryker (New X-Men (vol. 2) #32).

Archangel joined with fellow former Champions member Hercules, along with Namora, and Amadeus Cho to attempt to calm down The Hulk in the Incredible Hulk #107. In their attempts to help save New York City from the destruction, they form a new team of superheroes, called the Renegades. Angel also rejoined the X-Men during “Messiah CompleX”, battling the Acolytes and Marauders with the X-Men.

However, most recently he has been afflicted by the illusions of Martinique Wyngarde in San Francisco, believing himself to be living in the late 1960s in one of her mass illusions (Uncanny X-Men #495-498), and sometime after this, was assisting X-Force from his Aerie in Colorado when an apparently brainwashed Wolfsbane brutally attacked him, and again amputated his wings. Attempts by Elixir to get them to grow back were unsuccessful, and due to the still latent presence of Apocalypse’s genetic tampering in Warren, he has regrown his metal wings, again gotten blue skin, and has seemingly reverted into his Archangel persona (X-Force (vol. 3) #4).

What do you think of Warren Worthington III? Doe he have like the LONGEST profile of this whole month? Would you like to see him exploit his Hellfire Club connections more often?

david r

05-31-2008, 07:44 PM

This thead rocks. Especially the Viper, Sage and a few I didn't even know where affiliated with the Hellfire Club. And Magneto should be included since he was a member at one time.

david r

05-31-2008, 07:46 PM

I can't find Storm's section.

worstblogever

05-31-2008, 07:48 PM

This thead rocks. Especially the Viper, Sage and a few I didn't even know where affiliated with the Hellfire Club. And Magneto should be included since he was a member at one time.

Magneto's on page 17, Storm's on 18 under "Ororo Munroe".

worstblogever

06-01-2008, 03:36 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/Mastermind.jpg

Jason Wyngarde, Mastermind –

Probational Member of the Hellfire Club
(likely planned to be White Bishop)

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #3
First Hellfire appearance: Uncanny X-Men #122
Last appearance: Uncanny X-Men Annual #17
All Hellfire Appearances: Classic X-Men #24, Uncanny X-Men #122, 125-126, 129, Classic X-Men #34, Uncanny X-Men #129-130, 132-134
Powers: Mastermind's mutant powers are of illusion casting. He can psionically cause other people to see, hear, touch, smell, and/or taste things that don't exist. For this to work, these people have to be within a range of his powers. He is capable of affecting even telepaths as powerful as Professor Xavier and Jean Grey, although he required an amplifying device to manipulate Dark Phoenix.
Note: Although Mastermind’s membership depended on his success to lure Phoenix into the Inner Circle, he was already referred to as a member of the Hellfire Club in Uncanny X-Men #130, 132 and 134.

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Nothing is known of Jason Wyngarde's life before joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, save that at some point, he apparently fathered two illegitimate daughters, Martinique and Regan.

With Mastermind's help, the Brotherhood was able to take over a South American country, with an illusion of thousands of soldiers (Uncanny X-Men #4-5). After the Brotherhood's defeat by the X-Men, the group attempted to lure the Stranger to their cause. The Stranger, being an enigmatic cosmic entity, instead of a mutant, turned Mastermind into stone for a time (Uncanny X-Men #11). After the spell wore off, Jason joined Factor Three, an organization that attempted to take over the world. Factor Three eventually disbanded when their leader turned out to be an alien, instead of a mutant. Former members of Factor Three, Blob and Unus, joined with Jason to reform the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, only to end up captured for a time by Sentinels (Uncanny X-Men #59).

This new Brotherhood, however, was looking for new recruits. Mastermind attempted to recruit Beast to his group, but ultimately failed (Amazing Adventures #12-13).Magneto returned to the group to resume his leadership and created Alpha, the ultimate mutant. This new creation of Magneto's turned the entire team into infants, including his master, though (Defenders (vol. 1) #15-16). When the X-Men would next encounter Jason Wyndgarde, however, he’d have some interesting allies…

His Life With the Hellfire Club: Eventually somehow restored to adulthood, Jason Wyngarde became involved with the Hellfire Club, who were determined to recruit Phoenix as their Black Queen. They offered him probationary membership, contingent on him delivering Jean Grey to them. Mastermind set to using his powers to trick her, first studying her psyche under the guise of a young Greek man named Nikos (revealed in Classic X-Men #24) while Phoenix believed the X-Men to be dead. Still trailing her all the way to Muir Island, he approached Jean Grey in Scotland, under the name of Jason Wyngarde, and flirted with her in a pub. Jean was attracted to him in his illusory disguise (Uncanny X-Men #122). Later, he would start using his powers to convince her she was actually in the 18th Century, and it would only be an interruption by Lorna Dane that would make Jean snap out of it (Uncanny X-Men #125). As Jean awoke, her Phoenix powers still fluctuating, she would refer to Cyclops as “Jason”, before Mastermind would put her into another illusion, where she would participate in a formal hunt. Toward the end of the illusion, she would realize she was hunting another man (Uncanny X-Men #126). Jean caught a plane to fly back to America, the Hellfire Club presumably providing a jet that would fly parallel to Jean’s. From wihin the other jet, Mastermind used his powers to make Jean again experience an illusion of the 18th Century, and that she was traveling on a boat to America to marry her beloved, Jason Wyngarde.

Upon arriving back in America, it would be revealed that in between manipulating Jean, Wyngarde was making himself at home withing the Hellfire Club’s confines, even playing a unique game of chess with Emma Frost (Classic X-Men #34). As the X-Men were attempting to recruit both Dazzler, and Kitty Pryde, the Hellfire Club would hinder their efforts, and all the while, Mastermind would use the opportunity to further confuse Jean. He would create the illusion that Jean married Jason Wyngarde in the 18th Century, and in the illusion, Sebastian Shaw would be the vicar (Uncanny X-Men #129-130). When the X-Men would confront the Hellfire Club in their New York mansion, Mastermind would deliver what he thought was would be checkmate of the battle, using his illusion to convince Jean that the Hellfire Club were her allies, and she truly was in the 18th Century, and should serve as the Black Queen of the Inner Circle (Uncanny X-Men #132). Cyclops attempted to reach Jean through their mental bond, only to discover that Mastermind could reach him with his powers through it as well. Using them, Mastermind would defeat Cyclops’ astral form, nearly killing him (Uncanny X-Men #133). Apparently killing Cyclops, however, would backfire on Wyngarde, as it would cause Phoenix to realize his manipulation, and turn on him. Phoenix would have her revenge on him, by in a moment making him cosmically aware of more than a human mind can handle, driving him mad (Uncanny X-Men #134). While his manipulations would bring about the change to create Dark Phoenix, Mastermind would flee the Hellfire Club, never to return to its ranks.

His Life After the Hellfire Club: Unaware that he is trapped in his own illusions. In them, he Mastermind believes to defeat the X-Men, the Avengers and every major villain only to be welcomed back into the Hellfire Club with open arms. However, he actually beats a drunken man and scares some people in a bar, before the police takes him to a mental asylum. (X-Men Unlimited (vol. 1) #33)

Mastermind gets better in time and starts on a personal revenge mission against anyone who had ever caused him pain, including Emma Frost (Uncanny X-Men #169), and Mystique (Uncanny X-Men #170) . He gave the final nudge to Rogue towards leaving Mystique for the X-Men through subtly manipulating Rogue's rapidly deteriorating mental state, while at the same time inflicting nightmares on Mystique. Then, Mastermind turned his attention to the X-Men. He interfered with wedding of Wolverine and Mariko Yashida (Uncanny X-Men #173), making Mariko delay it by telling Logan she was not worthy. Before the confusion could be settled, Mariko would be killed by the Yakuza with blowfish toxin. Not much later, Mastermind would convince Cyclops that Madelyne Pryor was a reincarnated Phoenix, trying to drive them apart as well. Cyclops uncovered Mastermind's plot and defeated Mastermind in a battle in the X-Mansion in which he had used illusion to manipulate the other X-Men into attacking Cyclops. (Uncanny X-Men #174-175).

Mastermind appeared as well, in an as of now, unknown point in continuity that implied that he, on orders of the United States military, was responsible for the creation of the Void, the murderous and all-powerful counterpart of the super-hero Sentry (flashback in New Avengers #10).

Mastermind later died of the Legacy Virus, but before he succumbed, he asked Jean Grey's forgiveness for what he had done to her, unaware she had never truly been Phoenix. Nevertheless, she did forgive him, and he died at peace. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #17)

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/e/e6/Mstrmnd.jpg/440px-Mstrmnd.jpg

What did you think of Mastermind? Would he have made a good White Bishop? Was his death scene a touching sign of repentance? Do either of his daughters have the right to claim membership based off of birthright?

Dizzy D

06-01-2008, 04:52 AM

His Life Prior to the Hellfire Club: Nothing is known of Jason Wyngarde's life before joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, save that at some point, he apparently fathered two illegitimate daughters, Martinique and Regan.

He was also a carnival mentalist before Magneto recruited him. Odd, how many mutants end up working at carnivals.

What did you think of Mastermind? Would he have made a good White Bishop? Was his death scene a touching sign of repentance? Do either of his daughters have the right to claim membership based off of birthright?

While Mastermind's powers would make him a decent White Bishop, he lacked the political and financial power the other members had, so I think he would always have been seen as a tool by the others to be used as they wished.

Regan and Martinique don't really have any birthright-claim as Jason wasn't accepted into the group. Regan at least has her short time as Shaw's ally to fall back upon, but Martinique so far seems more interested in her father's Brotherhood connections and that's fine with me. I like the two siblings having completely different ideas about their father.

worstblogever

06-01-2008, 04:23 PM

http://image.comicvine.com/uploads/item/13000/12055/198477-lady-mastermind_400.jpg

Regan Wyngarde, Lady Mastermind –

Hellfire Club Member Mercenary (possibly a probationary member)

First Appearance: X-Treme X-Men #6
All Hellfire Club Appearances: X-Treme X-Men #6-9.
Last Appearance: X-Factor (vol. 3) #27.
Powers: Telepathically scan the minds of others and implant multi-sensory illusions based on their thoughts directly into their minds.

Her Life before the Hellfire Club: Not much is known, except that her father Jason Wyngarde didn’t stick around to raise her, and Regan was likely quite the handful for her single mother.

Her life with the Hellfire Club: Regan was brought in to the Hellfire Club for a time by Sebastian Shaw, killing the Austrailian crmielord named Viceroy, and was part of a scheme to kidnap Sage and use Regan’s illusory powers to convince her to join the Hellfire Club again. She battled Storm’s X-Men team, eventually beating defeated by both Sage and Lifeguard, and Regan’s defeat left her in a vegetative state (X-Treme X-Men #6-9).

Her Life after the Hellfire Club:
Regan is one of few mutants that retained their superhuman powers after the Decimation. Cannonball and Iceman found a comatose Regan, along with a partially disassembled Karima Shandipar. It was stated that Regan fell victim to scientists of the Fordyce Clinic who were trying to determine if a person can catch mutation like a disease (X-Men (vol. 2) #188). They took her back to the Xavier Mansion to keep under observation, and see if she would ever wake up. Regan finally awakened from her coma after her powers had been temporarily hijacked by Serafina, and helped the X-Men defeat her, and the Children of the Vault, as they attacked the mansion (X-Men (vol. 2) #189-193). She was granted a place on Rogue’s tactical strike force team, but was being monitored closely, based off of her past transgressions against the X-Men in Austrailia. Considering the strike team also had Mystique and Sabretooth on it, she was probably the least of their concerns. Soon afterwards, the team was ambushed by Pandemic's forces, which captured Rogue and teleported to an unknown location. Eventually, Karima Shapandar was able to restart the teleportation device, but things did not go exactly as planned. Regan was teleported up high into the air and fell from an enormous height. Luckily, Iceman managed to catch her before she hit the ground. Regan and Iceman soon regrouped with Karima Shapandar, and the trio began to search for Pandemic. They find Pandemic and defeat him but he infects Rogue with the Strain 88 virus before they can stop him (X-Men (vol. 2) #194-196). Regan went with the team to Cable’s island utopia of Providence to find a cure for Rogue. While there the island was attacked by an ancient Shi’ar superweapon known as the Hetacomb, forcing Regan and the rest of the team to fight the psionic horror. The weapon is eventually defeated thanks to Rogue's power-absorption abilities, now supercharged due to Strain 88 (X-Men (vol. 2) #199).

When Rogue's team of X-Men goes to one of Mystique's safe-houses to discuss Rogue being afflicted by both Strain 88 and the Hecatomb, an intruder alarm later goes off. Initially confused by the seemingly invisible nature of their opponents, the X-Men are caught off guard when Regan reveals she’s aiding them, and drops her illusionary cloak to reveal the Marauders (X-Men (vol. 2) #200). While Lady Mastermind appears to have been a double-agent for the Marauders for some time, it is unknown as to when she joined Mister Sinister's service, or why. Regan later fights alongside the other Marauders in Flint, Michigan, against Iceman and Cannonball, as both sides try to obtain the diaries of the late pre-cognitive mutant, Destiny (X-Men #201-204).

Along with fellow Marauders Sunfire, Gambit, Prism, Blockbuster, Malice (in Karima Shandipar’s body) and Scalphunter, Regan travels to Cooperstown, Alaska to find the first mutant birth since M-Day, but instead come across the Purifiers who are also after the child and they fight a climactic battle, leaving the town in flames, with few survivors (X-Men: Messiah Complex #1).

The next time Regan is seen is when the X-Men send a strike force to confront the Marauders. Working with Malice, she disguises an unconscious Scrambler as Angel and Malice drops him on Wolverine, who thinks he’s catching Warren. This temporarily cancels out his healing factor. Malice says this illusion is courtesy and Regan boasts how she is a retired X-Man. Nightcrawler teleports in and kicks her in the head knocking her out (New X-Men (vol. 2) #44).
When the X-Men, X-Factor and newly formed X-Force arrive on Muir Island later, however, to reclaim the mutant birth from the Marauders, Lady Mastermind attempts to again cast an illusion to conceal the Marauders. However, Wolverine’s enhanced senses pick up her scent and he fatally (seemingly, anyway) stabs her in the chest. (X-Factor (vol. 3) #27, New X-Men (vol. 2) #46).

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/4/4a/Lady_Mastermind_05.jpg/200px-Lady_Mastermind_05.jpg

What did you think of Regan Wyngarde? Would you like to have seen her involved more with the Hellfire Club? Do you wish she was on the X-Men for longer before betraying them? Do you hope she gave a DNA sample to Mr. Sinister so he can bring her back as a clone like he does all the other Marauders?

david r

06-01-2008, 04:28 PM

Mastermind later died of the Legacy Virus, but before he succumbed, he asked Jean Grey's forgiveness for what he had done to her, unaware she had never truly been Phoenix. Nevertheless, she did forgive him, and he died at peace. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #17)

Jean Grey forgave him? She had all of Phoenix's memories, and though it wasn't HER that died on the moon, I still can't see Jean forgiving Mastermind after all the damage he caused. But I guess that is the mark of a hero.

timbox

06-01-2008, 04:51 PM

What did you think of Regan Wyngarde? Would you like to have seen her involved more with the Hellfire Club? Do you wish she was on the X-Men for longer before betraying them? Do you hope she gave a DNA sample to Mr. Sinister so he can bring her back as a clone like he does all the other Marauders?

Love her! She's coming back, for sure. I'd like to see her back on an X-team with Omega Sentinel, they were great together.

La Fea

06-01-2008, 05:01 PM

Yes, I do wish Regan stayed with the X-Men for a little bit longer. I'm glad that she betrayed the team when she did because it really hit hard, but I wish she had at least a couple more adventures with the team under her belt.

However, I don't want her to be cloned by that dead guy because clones suck and she probably would have to get some New Warriors tech since the X-Gene can't be duplicated after M-Day. I think. But either way, clones suck. I'd rather her just be alive. Deathstrike's claws are much thicker and that Hellion boy survived it.

What do I think of her? One of the best villains of the decade.

worstblogever

06-01-2008, 10:00 PM

Jean Grey forgave him? She had all of Phoenix's memories, and though it wasn't HER that died on the moon, I still can't see Jean forgiving Mastermind after all the damage he caused. But I guess that is the mark of a hero.

She did. In fact, that annual also is known as the first time they introduced what is today an abandoned concept... a telepath who reads the mind of a dying victim runs the risk of severe trauma, and possibly even death if they try to stay in the mind of the person dying too long.

Again, it was an abandoned concept. The closest its come to being explained and said on panel... ironically was also a Hellfire moment. When Cable was reading the mind of the man who took a cyanide capsule during "The Tomorrrow Agenda" arc with Harbinger around his issue #50...

Dagger

06-01-2008, 11:14 PM

I'm hoping we get to see Regan again, as it was a crappy way for her to die. She was the break-out character of Carey's run. Even moreso than his Rogue, imo.

worstblogever

04-30-2010, 11:37 AM

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/8/83/Hellfirelogo.jpg

History of the Hellfire Club HQ:

The Hellfire Club's New York mansion is located at 840 Fifth Avenue, between 66th and 67th Streets. This places it in Manhattan's East Side, only a few blocks away from the Avengers Mansion. The name "mansion," with its connotations of grandeur and display, seems an inappropriate term for the Hellfire Club headquarters-at least as seen from the street. The brick building occupies the entire block, but it is inconspicuous. Designed in the New York elite style, the building is only 30 feet tall. Its entrance is set off from the street by a short, simple flight of concrete steps. Beside the white wooden door (of oak) is a small bronze plaque reading, "HELLFIRE CLUB ESTABLISHED MDCCLXIII."

The date, 1763, is when Sir Francis Dashwood of London founded a gentlemen's club devoted to debauchery, black magic, orgiastic parties, and political intrigue. Its membership included some of the most powerful men of the 18th-century England: the Prime Minister, the Lord Mayor of London, bankers, admirals, poets, the Archbishop of Canterbury's son , and Benjamin Franklin. Author Daniel P. Mannix, recounts the history of this British branch of the club in his excellent 1959 book, The Hellfire Club.

Several key Hellfire Club members emigrated to colonial America and started a new American Hellfire Club, independent of and unaffiliated with the British original. They occupied an abandoned church on the present site. The current building in New York was constructed in 1906. And, little known to many was that the New York Club was not the only one in the United States. A second branch existed in San Francisco in 1906, run by a Lord Molyneux, and with a member named Cornelius Shaw, as well as a psychic contingent led by a woman named Salome that used psychotropic drugs to enhance their powers. Lord Molyneux had hired Nicola and Catherine Bradley, the parents of Dr. Nemesis, to develop a energy device that was capable of powering their own robotic giant, the earliest known Sentinel ever created. The power cell was damaged, however, and somehow caused the great earthquake there.

Today the Hellfire Club is widely known as a respectable organization for the rich and influential, principally devoted to giving lavish parties. But very few are aware that the club's Inner Circle, formerly the "Council of the Chosen," conspires to dominate the world, through economic power, politics, a private mercenary army and-in many cases-mutant super powers. Members of the club's Inner Circle occupy positions named after chess pieces.

Inside the NY Club

(Note: Complete layouts of the Hellfire Club Mansion have not yet been revealed. What follows is a reconstruction based on published accounts. Later accounts may invalidate parts of this description.)

The Hellfire Club admits only members and their guests, so the front entrance is kept locked. Inside the door is a small foyer and cloakroom. (Note the locks, doors and building are all made of normal materials. Nothing about the mansion's construction betrays that it is anything but an ordinary social club.) The interior decor is 18th-century Colonial, matching the senior member's eccentric predilection for dressing in 18th-century garb during meetings. Walnut paneling, chandeliers, and candelabras of cut glass, gaslight globes in wall sconces-all project an air of obvious elegance, not at all understated.

The mansion's simple floor plan gives pride of place to the great central ballroom, a spacious carpeted room over 120 feet long and 40feet wide. The ceiling is about 29 feet high reaching the roof of the building. There is nothing above the ceiling but electrical wiring. Many elaborate doorways lead to the ballroom. The dominating feature of the room is a palatial fireplace, where a great fire blazes cheerily every evening during winter months.
There is also apparently a loading dock with advanced security for bringing in contraband, and within the walls of the Hellfire Club, until recently, Sebastian Shaw had employed a device within specifically utilized to block out psionic intrusion. It was destroyed, however, by Professor Xavier and Wolverine, and it is unknown if a replacement was put in place.

Of course, even with all the classical design, As shown during New X-Men (vol. 1) #142, Sebastian Shaw isn't above putting in stripper poles for some lovely young women when the moment's right.

Rooms and Chambers

A hallway surrounds the ballroom on both floors of the building. On the upper floors, it opens onto a sturdy wooden balcony overlooking the ballroom. Along the outer sides of the hallways on both floors, public restrooms and private chambers are arranged.Public room are on the ground floor. These include a large smoking room, an extensive library (with a large selection of books that earlier centuries deemed "indecent"), and a dining room that seats 64. Next to the dining room is a large and well equipped kitchen.
Two staircases and an elevator give access to the second floor. Members always refer to the 18 small cubicles on this floor as "chambers," as opposed to "rooms." The semantic difference is that "chambers" are for private matters, whether business, gambling or romance. Each chamber measures 15 feet by 10, and each has one roundtable, one chair and a wide padded divan. Chambers are soundproofed. At the rear of the second floor, above the kitchen, are the private rooms of the Inner Circle. Two fully furnished bedrooms are available for the rare times when leaders celebrate too heavily and are unwilling or unable to drive home. Between the bedroom is an elegant meeting room, where the Inner Circle once held the X-Men captive.

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/4/44/Hellfirenewyork.jpg

The Basement

The mansion has a basement with concrete walls, accessible only from the kitchen on the first floor. The storage area is filled with crates, containing mainly kitchen and party supplies. A locked and guarded basement room holds a small armory for the Inner Circle's mercenaries. Mercenaries have no barracks, lockers, or lounge on the premises, but often they hand around the kitchen. There was once another entrance to the basement...from below, through the sewers. Wolverine used this to break into the mansion and rescue his fellow X-Men. The basement floor had a locked iron gate. The round grate led to a concrete access tunnel and down to the sewers. The Inner Circle used this entrance to smuggle in mercenaries and firearms. But after Wolverine's invasion, the tunnel was filled in with concrete.

The Hellfire Club originated in England in the 1760s as a social organization for the elite of British society. The Club not only provided its members with pleasures, often of sorts that violated moral standards at the time, but also sewed as a means for the members to consolidate their Influence over British economic and political matters. Their mansion looks much more like a building of the sort than its New York counterpart.

http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/7/75/Hellfirelondon.jpg

worstblogever

04-30-2010, 11:59 AM

It's been two years since I touched this thread, and well, since its creation, there have been 16 Hellfire Club members, employees, recruits, or associates who weren't lucky enough to make the cut in 2008. So, in the OP, you can see through the month there's a bunch of "???" places where names would go. That'll be when they turn up. And, while I'm at it, I'll do a quick recap of what some of the other folks in this thread, like say Sebastian Shaw or Selene have been up to the past two years.

Hopefully, it'll be another fun time.

SunfireX

04-30-2010, 12:22 PM

worstblogever

04-30-2010, 03:24 PM

WBE, you are amazing!

I must say I think the Hellfire Club could be such cool adversaries for the X-Men but I don't think its been done right since the 80's. I want Carey or C&C to work with them again.

Some of the stuff that was being built up in the first 25 issues of X-Man, with Shaw, Maddie, Tessa, Selene, and Fitzroy in the 90s showed some promise, but before it really got to go anywhere, the creative team changed and the whole thing got dropped and left by the wayside. It was a damned shame.

And, I liked a lot of what was done with Sebastian Shaw by Mike Carey during his run with Xavier in X-Men:Legacy, and all that stuff in "Original Sin". It has flashes of hope for the H.C.

Of course, then Selene was shown sending her own group of killers through the New York Hellfire Club, getting her vengeance and slaughtering all sorts of guards and maids. That's a bit of a "reset" button, although the club will need a leader to do so.

An escaped Shaw, or maybe if Ms. Steed comes back from Limbo would be a nice start. Mercedes also survived "Original Sin", although she's not exactly as fleshed out as some other potential characters.

In short, the Hellfire Club is just too awesome a concept to be left by the wayside for too long.

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 02:15 AM

Haroun Ibn Sallah al-Rashid, Jetstream
– Hellion, student of the White Queen

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/12463/288099-144710-jetstream_large.JPG (http://www.comicvine.com/144710-jetstream/105-288099/)

First Appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #16
All Hellions Appearances: New Mutants (vol. 1) #16-17, Firestar (vol. 1) #2-3, New Mutants (vol. 1) #39-40, 43, 53-54, 56, 62, New Warriors (vol. 1) #9-10, Uncanny X-Men #281
Last Appearance: New Mutants (vol. 3) #8
Powers: Discharges thermo-chemical plasma beneath his body in the form of propulsive thrust. He is equipped with cybernetic components that have replaced his legs, fold out of his body as a rocket pack, and aid him in navigation and maneuvering.

His Life Before the Hellfire Club:

Haroun was born in the Rif Mountains in Morocco. A Moroccan Mor and Berber he was raised in a small village where he lived a very regular life. Very competitive and headstrong in his youth he didn't have many friends. As a result he didn't have much in the way of people skills. In contrast, he was a very proud and honorable young man always keeping his word. Not traits one expects to find in one that holds relationships in such low regard.

Around the time of his puberty, Haroun was surprised to find that he was a mutant. Though he was unaware of the technical terms he was able to concentrate thermo-kinetic energy and super-heated plasma and release it from his body. Initially, he could only release it from beneath his feet then much later from his entire whole lower part of his body. Haroun shared mutant powers similar to his future rival Cannonball. (The Hellions were actually created to be the anti-thesis to the New Mutants. Jetstream is what Cannonball could have been, had Cannonball been a little darker in his ways and not had his protective force field when his powers were activated.) Jetstream could use the propulsion created by his body and fly through the air like a jet. Haroun greatly enjoyed his gifts, using them whenever he had a chance. Due to his competitive nature he would always push his limits, attempting to try and move faster and faster. On one day Haroun way push his upper limits and he began to felt different, then seemingly from no where his lower part of his body was engulfed in flames and his skin began to tear. At this exact time a huge reading went off while the White Queen was in search of her future student, one she could not ignore. She left to recruit him immediately. When she arrived she found Haroun injured. She attempted to help and he, being proud as he was, would not accept help from any. He would be convinced by Emma to allow the Hellfire Club to aid him and provide him with the proper equipment to protect him when his powers were in use. When he would awake all the promises the Hellfire Club would make were true. Thankful and in debt to the White Queen and the Hellfire Club, with his sense of honor he would gladly accept the offer of the White Queen. (Though in retrospect, it may have been mental coercing or in that he must accept.) He would move to America and enroll into her private school, the Massachusetts Academy. She would also later appoint him as the leader of the young Hellions and gave his the code-name Jetstream.

Although Jetstream was the perfect student and even more so the perfect soldier in training, he had the inability to properly communicate with his team-mates. He came off as brass, stern and very mean spirited. Because of the way he handled himself he really didn't connect with his team as a team-mate normally would. Where the others would bond and make lasting friendships and even call each other by their first names, with him they did not, calling Haroun his codename on and off the field. He cared not, only the mission and the objective were his true concerns. His team-mates welfare or personal relationships with them were secondary. Jetstream's poise and quick thinking would help in him being appointed the title of field leader of the Hellions. Although the team didn't connect with him personally they respected him for his honorable nature and sound leadership skills.

These same skills would lead the Hellions through multiple battles in their time as a team. In the Hellions first battle as a team they would engage the New Mutants, who were attempting to rescue Doug Ramsey, and succeed in defeating them in battle. In fact, it would be Jetstream that would single-handedly take two of the most powerful team out of the battle. Both Cannonball and Magma were unaware that Jetstream was rocketing full tilt through the air right behind them. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #16) During the capture, however, Empath was willing to sacrifice Jetstream to make sure Cannonball was knocked out. Jetstream’s threats were met by Empath with enough of a judicious use of his powers to earn his affection again, for the time being. The Hellions, without the White Queen’s approval, decided to have a competition to grant Xavier’s students their freedom, if Cannonball could beat Jetstream in a race in the Massachusetts Academy’s equivalent of the Danger Room. While Cannonball took greater care and managed to beat him in the competition, the White Queen arrived after the fact and refused to honor the Hellions’ promise to free her captives, while chastising her own students for usurping her authority. However, before much else could be done about it, Kitty Pryde and Magik arrived to teleport the New Mutants to safety (New Mutants (vol. 1) #17).

While Hellion would soon thereafter briefly meet Emma Frost’s new prize student, Firestar during a team exercise where he struggled and was called an oaf by Emma Frost (Firestar (vol. 1) #2). His time in school would get even more confusing, when for a brief time the New Mutants, oddly near-emotionless after their run-in with the Beyonder, would be transferred to the Massachusetts Academy due to some manipulation by Emma Frost and Empath. Jetstream was asked to make the New Mutants feel welcome, but immediately tried to get Cannonball to agree to a rematch to their earlier duel. He also made it a point to insult Cypher’s power in his native Arabic, but of course, Cypher understood him perfectly. He also made it a point to rush to the defense of Catseye when she was injured later by Wolfsbane, as the latter was waking from a nightmare (New Mutants (vol. 1) #39).

Haroun’s training duel with Cannonball would this time be a competition to fly through flaming hoops in the air, created by Magma. And, since Cannonball went through the fire of one (although, was unharmed, thanks to his blast field), Jetstream won. He tried to claim his prize, a kiss from Magma, but she would only agree if he would kiss her while she was still lit ablaze. Before much else could come of that, though, Emma Frost arrived and let her charges know she was displeased that they were in the training room so early. Jetstream expressed concern over the nightmares his new teammates were having, and Frost performed a mental probe on Magma, realizing the children were all still in shock after their deaths and resurrections at the hands of the Beyonder. Jetstream would soon see his new classmates and rivals gone, when they would leave the Massachusetts Academy to help stave off the Avengers’ attacks on Magneto, and return to the Xavier Institute (New Mutants (vol. 1) #40).

However, the New Mutants were not about to let Empath’s outrageous use of his powers against Tom Corsi and Sharon Friedlander go unpunished. They kidnapped him, and when Catseye discovered their scents, the Hellions all debated about what to do about it. While Jetstream, at first, wanted to leave him to the New Mutants’ mercies, with all their disagreements, Thunderbird asked that they go rescue him, since abandoning him would make them little better than the cowardly Empath. The Hellions mounted a rescue, however, the New Mutants had already opted to stop short of really harming Empath, only taking revenge enough to startle him to no end (New Mutants (vol. 1) #43).

When next the two young groups of students would meet at a Hellfire Club ball, Jetstream would, for the third time, challenge Cannonball to a flying duel. Cannonball would pridefully agree to it, but it would end up being forgotten about when the two teams of mutants would end up distractedwhen Cypher got drunk and slapped Roulette for using her powers to help him cheat at gambling downstairs (New Mutants (vol. 1) #53). Instead, the two teams had a bit of a scavenger hunt, trying to find the identity of the person who sold Gerhard van Ostamgen a statue of Selene. The Hellions would win this competition, capturing Viper and the Silver Samurai (New Mutants (vol. 1) #54).

A few weeks later, upon the appearance of a mysterious “Bird Boy” in New York, the Hellions were watching the news reports about him, onlyto see a mysterious escape taking place at where it was being held. Jetstream recognized the blast field of Cannonball on the news broadcast, and the Hellions snuck out of the Hellfire Club to try to be the first one s to capture the mysterious Bird Boy, only to have the New Mutants and Magik teleport themselves and their quarry back to the Xavier Institute first (New Mutants (vol. 1) #56).

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 02:17 AM

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/135721-186756-jetstream_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/186756-jetstream/105-135721/)

A few weeks later, upon the appearance of a mysterious “Bird Boy” in New York, the Hellions were watching the news reports about him, onlyto see a mysterious escape taking place at where it was being held. Jetstream recognized the blast field of Cannonball on the news broadcast, and the Hellions snuck out of the Hellfire Club to try to be the first one s to capture the mysterious Bird Boy, only to have the New Mutants and Magik teleport themselves and their quarry back to the Xavier Institute first (New Mutants (vol. 1) #56).

Jetstream would get another chance to test his abilities against a student from Xavier’s when Magma would transfer to the Massachusetts Academy, and in their own training session, he would order Empath to use his powers to calm Magma down so the Hellions could defeat her. However, Empath would be unable to do so and the training exercise would come to an abrupt end when a letter would arrive from Magma’s father ordering her to return to Nova Roma. (New Mutants (vol. 1) #62).

As if one group of teenaged rivals wasn’t enough, the Hellions would soon find themselves In another battle with the New Warriors over whether or not Firestar should be returned to the Massachusets Academy. Jetstream's team-mates that would fare better then him, but to be fair, he was battling the cosmically powered Nova. But, after one well placed punch, Jetstream was slammed through a wall and knocked-out (New Warriors (vol. 1) #9-10).

Though all this would be for naught during one fateful night. The member's of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle were being murdered one by one leaving only a few members left, including Donald Pierce (the White Rook) and Emma Frost(the White Queen). Fearing for her life, the White Queen, would throw a ball and invite the X-Men. Her intentions were to use the ball as a means to ease tension between the two separate mutant factions [the X-Men and the Hellfire Club]. Her thoughts were that if another faction had the capacity to attack the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, and be as successful as they were, the X-Men couldn't be far from the next target. This of course, couldn't be a truer statement. Towards the end of the night Emma would call a closed meeting with her and her Hellions and Storm and the X-Men’s Gold Team. Jetstream and the other Hellions seemed pretty eager to battle the X-Men, with Jetstream especially wanting to attack Iceman, having argued with him earlier in the night. Jean Grey and Emma Frost would each calm their respective sides with their psychic powers, but would be strained by the effort. Two assailants, one man and on female, would enter the room but only the female one could be seen. She quickly tried to attack the White Queen, but was rebuffed and taken down as fast as she entered by Emma and her team of Hellions. While they attempted to question her, the other assailant would make his presence known. Jetstream and the superhumanly strong Beef were nearest to the door. With everyone’s attention on the female assassin no one would see the next attack coming. A bright flash of light and everyone turned to see Trevor Fitzroy, now visible in his armor, quickly attack both Jetstream and Beef. He would begin to absorb Beef's life essence (in effect killing him) and throw him out of the high-rise building they were all in. Jetstream though, would at least not be thrown, Fitzroy would keep him and absorb his entire essence, killing him in mere moments (Uncanny X-Men #281).

Jetstream would end up being one of the many mutants whose remains were located by Caliban, on behalf of Selene, and retruned to life from the grave with the techno-organic virus by Eli Bard. They were part of the attack force unleashed upon Utopia, and they actually had attacked Emma Frost, blaming her for their deaths. Wolverine tried to intervene, stabbing Jetsream, and for his trouble, Haroun blasted off, carrying Wolverine up into the upper atmostphere before shoving him off to fall back to Earth painfully (X-Necrosha #1). However, as Doug Ramsey, their fellow techno-organic thrall began to override the control held over him by Eli Bard and Selene, they were instead sent by Selene to retrieve him, and Jetstream and his teammates obeyed the Black Queen. While in pursuit, Jetstream managed to be caught in an automatic door on Utopia, cutting him in half. However, the techno-organic virus allowed him to regenerate from this injury. While healing, though, Catseye began to lick Jetstream’s wounds, a fact that he was les sthan thrilled about. The Hellions continued their pursuit of Doug Ramsey, eventually being confronted by the New Mutants and their returned teammate, Warlock, on Utopia’s roof. Warlock, a techno-organic being himself, deployed some sort of attack that appeared to blow the Hellions clear off the roof. Whether or not they survived the explosion, or if they were teleported back to Genosha by Blink to be consumed by Selene in the ritual she cast to achieve godhood is unknown. (New Mutants (vol. 3) #7-8)

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/36156/1041966-jetstream_zombie_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/jetstream_zombie/105-1041966/)

What did you think of Jetstream? Do you think he survived Necrosha? Would you like to see him continue his rivalry with Cannonball?

Raptor

05-01-2010, 02:22 AM

He looks rather chopped in half there in that picture.

Rivalry: I found both of the mutants powers in question kinda boring, so naw; the rivalry did nothin' for me.

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 02:46 AM

He looks rather chopped in half there in that picture.

Rivalry: I found both of the mutants powers in question kinda boring, so naw; the rivalry did nothin' for me.

He is, in fact, chopped in half in that picture. He got much better, though, because of the T/O virus.

Talisman

05-01-2010, 11:42 AM

We're reviving Hellfire Month???<3<3

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 11:57 AM

Amara Juliana Olivia Aquilla, Magma
– Hellion, student of the White Queen

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/33806/963029-81_new_mutants_8_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/81_new_mutants_8/105-963029/)

First Appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #8
All Hellions Appearances: New Mutants (vol. 1) #56-57, 62, New Mutants Annual #4, New Mutants (vol. 1) #81
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 3) #26
Powers: Geothermal power allows her to create small earth tremors and assume an energized state that gives off intense heat and light while enabling her to manipulate the planet’s tectonic plates, causing seismic upheavals, summoning volcanoes to the surface, and telekinetically propelling bedrock, either in its normal state or superheated by her power into a molten stage. Eventually developed the ability to achieve flight, as well.
Kinky Fetish I claim she has:

Her Life Before joining the Hellions:
The story of Magma starts in Nova Roma, an offshoot of ancient Rome, located in the rainforest of Brazil. When some Romans (rightfully) assumed that the Republic was doomed with the death of Caesar, they fled and established Nova Roma. The city remained undetected over the nearly twenty centuries, and although the Nova Romans interacted with some local Inca tribes native to the Amazon, they remained true to the traditions of ancient Rome. Naturally, Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla, daughter of Lucius Antonius Aquilla, the first senator of Nova Roma, was raised in these traditions too.

Having lost her mother at a young age - she was murdered by the mysterious Black Priestess - Amara had a rather close bond to her father and obeyed his every wish. With a faction of the city’s Inca population attempting to transform the republic into an imperial state and some dark cult following the Black Priestess regularly sacrificing young girls in a pit of fire in some caves beneath Nova Roma, the senator feared for his daughter’s safety and ordered her to hide among a friendly Indian tribe, disguising her features with a wig and body paint.

That is how Amara came to meet the New Mutants, who accompanied Sunspot’s mother on an archaeological trip in the region. After a brief battle, Amara was captured by Xavier’s students, who took her aboard their ship, only to later crash down a waterfall. The river washed away Amara’s disguise, though. Before Amara could answer any questions, the entire group was arrested by a group of Nova Roman Legionnaires. They were all thrown into a dungeon, and later prepared for performance in the arena. Despite Amara’s warning, the Mutants ate some of the drugged food offered to them, so she decided to escape on her own. However, she did not get very far and was captured by Selene, herself part of her artificial world as the wife of Roman Lord Gallio (Aquilla’s rival for power) and the Black Priestess in person (New Mutants (vol. 1) #8-9).

Amara was to be the next victim of Selene’s cult and she was pushed into a pit of molten lava for Selene to absorb her life force. However, instead, the incident triggered her mutant powers, her ability to call up and control fire, magma, and earthquakes. She rose from the pit that was meant to be her fiery grave and began battling Selene. Aided by the New Mutants, she managed to apparently kill the sorceress and also to stop the schemes of Lord Gallio, who had intended to inspire a rebellion and claim her father’s position (New Mutants (vol. 1) #10-11).

As her power was connected to her temper, Amara’s father thought it best for her to accompany the New Mutants and receive proper training to control it at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Reluctantly, Amara agreed, but when they arrived in Rio, she soon had troubles adjusting to civilization. Confused by the many new impressions, she ran away and wandering around the city, she had a bout of sunstroke. Hallucinating, she endangered the entire city as her fatigue caused her to lose control over her powers and cause tremors and minor volcanoes. After she was treated for exposure, Amara finally understood how great her need to maintain control of her powers was (New Mutants (vol. 1) #12).

When Amara first got to meet Professor X, she was not comfortable with his telepathic ability to read her mind, even though he assured her he would only do so to monitor her in training sessions. Magma was about to leave the school and return to Nova Roma when she heard a long distance conversation between Xavier and Lilandra who was busy trying to reclaim her empire. She realized that sometimes duty requires making personal sacrifices and stayed with the New Mutants. After the first culture shock, Amara soon got a handle of modern civilization, including such things as computers and electricity. She also made quick progress in the use of her powers, soon being able to melt tunnels in the ground with the walls cooling down in mere seconds (New Mutants (vol. 1) #13, 16).

Also, she quickly became a love interest for Cannonball. However, Magma did not respond to his attentions, being rather embarrassed by them. The matter soon resolved with Sam meeting and starting to date rock star Lila Cheney. That way, Amara and Sam grew and remained just good friends.

Amara had a lot in common with Rachel Summers, the latest addition to the X-Men; as both were time-displaced outsiders. One day, they went to New York for shopping and sightseeing, where they became aware of the presence of Selene. Both sharing a hatred for her for their own reasons, Selene having killed Amara’s mother and Rachel having seen her kill Nick Damiano, they decided to rescue the future victims of the energy vampire by killing her. They infiltrated the Hellfire Club as maids, and when encountering Selene, at first, she manage to hypnotize the both of them at first. However, Rachel’s telepathic abilities helped snap them both out of it. During the battle that proceeded, the X-Men interfered and Xavier reminded Amara that his students did not kill and told her if she could not accept it she would have to leave the school (Uncanny X-Men #189).

Some time after, some operatives a mutant circus in Los Angeles kidnapped Sunspot and Magma, and they were blackmailed into performing in a gladiator arena with the lives of some runaway children who would have been killed if they did not cooperate with their captors. They were also drugged to weaken their resistance, and make them use their powers more aggressively in the arena. Some of her teammates, including Kitty Pryde and Dazzler, who previously had encountered this gladiator arena, helped free both her, and Sunspot (New Mutants (vol. 1) #29-31).

When the Enchantress, acting on Loki’s command, whisked the New Mutants away to Asgard, they were ultimately separated in both space and time, as Magik’s teleportation power had gone haywire. Magma ended up with the fairy-folk of the realm, who gave her some poisoned food. She was magically transformed into a fairy herself, and still possessing her mutant power as well, attacked the neighboring area inhabited by dwarves, where Cannonball was staying. Sam managed to snap her out of her trance, though at first, the changes to her body seemed permanent. She was now half her original size, had huge pointed ears and eyebrows, and her hair reached all the way to the ground. Loki’s plans were thwarted by the X-Men and New Mutants working together against him, and he was forced to send the mutants back home and undo all the changes that had befallen them during their time in Asgard (New Mutants Special #1, Uncanny X-Men Annual (vol. 1) #9).

Back from the realm of the Norse gods, the New Mutants were surprised to find Magneto was now to be in charge of their teaching, as Xavier had been forced to leave with the Starjammers because of serious health problems. During Secret Wars II, all of the New Mutants, except for Sunspot, were killed and then resurrected by the cosmic entity known as the Be yonder (New Mutants (vol. 1) #37, Secret Wars II #9).

The incident left the New Mutants in sort of a zombie state, lacking any significant emotion or happiness. Magneto was puzzled how to get his young charges out of this lethargy. The New Mutants questioned the sense of life itself and most, like Amara, were apathetic. Unable to help the kids, Magneto asked the White Queen of the Hellfire Club for help, and the team was transferred to the Massachusetts Academy, where they joined the Hellions. Emma Frost welcomed them, having had plied Magneto with Empath’s powers to transfer his students, and began trying to use her powers to erase the memories of the painful events they’d endured. On a surface level, it seemed that the teenagers were themselves again, but Emma sensed something was amiss. Meanwhile, once Magneto learned he had been tricked by Empath, who had increased his feelings of self-doubt and despair, he angrily set out to confront the White Queen. Of course, she telepathically sensed this, and notified the authorities, who in turn, summoned the Avengers to stop the former terrorist from attacking what appeared to be only a school. Once the New Mutants learned what was going on, they went to assist Magneto. The White Queen decided to try another tack with the students, working with them to aid Magneto to gain their trust, and this time the New Mutants seemed to finally snap out of their lethargy. They returned to Xavier’s school, and Emma left peacefully, with her invitation to the Massachusetts Academy still open (New Mutants (vol. 1) #38-40).

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 12:00 PM

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5648/384859-146317-magma_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/146317-magma/105-384859/)

This did, however, provide Amara with a highlight in her life, when she met the Avenger, Hercules, a being from her own religion in Nova Roma. At first, she did not believe him to be the real demigod the religion was baded upon, but when they together helped save a child from a burning building and she later saw Hercules interacting with a teenage who was soon to die of his injuries received in the blaze, she regained her faith and kneeled before him. Hercules told her to stand up again, asking for friendship instead of worship (revealed in New Mutants (vol. 1) #81).

With the Hellfire Club and Xavier’s at a temporary truce, the New Mutans also attended the parties of the Hellfire Club, as their mentor Magneto had joined as the Inner Circle’s White King. In one such occasion, Amara got into an argument with Gerhard van Ostamgen over a statue he had brought of Selene, which Magma insisted was actually the likeness of her grandmother. Selene intervened, clarifying that both were right, and the statue showed herself, and she was in fact Amara’s ancestor. Amara denied this claim strongly (New Mutants (vol. 1) #53).

During the New Mutants’ many battles with the Hellions, Magma came to realize she was attracted to the Hellion known as Empath. Of course, she tried to keep this a secret, but it was exposed when Mirage, in a playful manner, created images of her teammates’ desires. Angry about her privacy being violated, she stormed into her room to read a letter from her father from Nova Roma. He reminded her that, according to Roman tradition, she was about the right age to be married, and asked her to return home soon. Empath, being an aristocrat like herself, Magma made the decision and transferred to the Massachusetts Academy to seek within her feelings to see if she really loved him or not, promising to stay in contact with the rest of the New Mutants (New Mutants (vol. 1) #56-57).

Her life with the Hellions:

Magma continued her training with the Hellions and it seemed that Empath cared for her as well, as he held back whenever he had to use his power on her. However, apparently, he was manipulating her on a subconscious level, at least, that’s what the White Queen recognized. When Amara received a second letter from her father, demanding her return, Emma Frost ordered Empath to escort her to influence her father into letting her stay at the Massachusetts Academy and also to make sure the Hellfire Club could make use of Nova Roma’s mineralogical wealth. On the way, their plane crashed and Amara and Manuel had to help each other survive in the Amazonian jungle. Along the way, they resolved their feelings for each other, and started a relationship. Empath also encouraged Magma to stand up to her father and not be married against her will (New Mutants (vol. 1) #62).

Senator Aquilla insisted on Amara at least meeting with the man he betrothed her to, when suddenly, scientists under the command of the High Evolutionary, needed a new test subject for a device he created that would supposedly remove mutant powers, kidnapped her. Her father contacted the White Queen for help and promised to let Amara stay at the school if she wanted. Emma, in turn, alerted her fellow Hellfire Club colleagues for a rescue mission. It did not matter that it was actually the New Mutants, and not the Hellions who freed Amara, as she was safely returned and the wedding was called off (New Mutants Annual (vol. 1) #4).

Magma decided to remain in Nova Roma a bit longer with Empath, which turned out to be a fortunate move, as in their absence, all the other Hellions were murdered by Trevor Fitzroy and his Sentinels (Uncanny X-Men #281-282). Along with the former Hellions Firestar and Warpath, Cannonball paid them a visit to deliver the sad news. Once there, they found something was not right in Nova Roma. As they investigated, Empath confessed that he had discovered the entire city of Nova Roma wa a lie, the inhabitants consisting of brainwashed kidnapping victims, who had been placed deep in the Amazon by Selene to be part of a society for her to rule over from within, and provide her with a food source with her magics. With her gone from the site, however, the spell had begun to fade, and the Nova Romans were all beginning to regain their memories. Empath, however, had found happiness for the first time in his life with Magma, and had used his empathic powers to try and continue the ruse for his own benefit. With the secret out, though, he revealed to Magma that she was actually Alison Crestmere, the daughter of a British diplomat who was stationed in Rio. The other Nova Romans too being told their “true identities”, Empath and “Alison” decided to work together to help the population adjust to life in the 20th century (New Warriors (vol. 1) #31).

Later, both Magma and Empath would become targets of the Upstarts during their Younghunt, when the Gamesmaster would set the team of villains upon the surviving members of the Hellions and New Mutants. The Fenris Twins would attack Empath and Magma, but the New Warriors and X-Force would rescue them before any real harm could be done. Magma then decided it was time to search for her parents in England, and thus, broke up with Empath, since the entire romance had begun upon the lie that her life had been (X-Force (vol. 1) #32, 34).

The quest for her (non-existent) British parents didn’t go too well, of course and eventually Magma was exiled from the United Kingdom. When next she appeared, it was clear that she was extremely unhappy about all of the confusion surrounding her life. Bitter, Magma decided to use her abilities for personal profit and became involved with King Bedlam’s team of New Hellions. Magma was promised a fortune for aiding them, and after getting a hold of the Armageddon Man, Bedlam blackmailed the U.S. government for a billion dollars. Yet, when he actually released the deadly individual, Magma helped X-Force detain him. She fled, however, before authorities arrived on scene (X-Force (vol. 1) #87-90).

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 12:05 PM

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/2/26773/1142913-amara_running_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/amara_running/105-1142913/)

After the Hellions:

Magma disappeared them for many months, but would return under tragic circumstances. She was at some point captured by the Church of Humanity, who crucified her on the front lawn of Xavier’s mansion. Magma was luckily one of the victims who was resurrected with Angel’s blood, but her injuries still left her somehow comatose in the Xavier Mansion infirmary. For weeks, both Xavier and Moonstar kept checking on her (Uncanny X-Men #423, New Mutants (vol. 2) #3).

Hearing about Magma’s plight, two Academy X students, the healer Josh Foley and his telekinetic friend, Julian Keller, decided to see if they couldn’t be heroes and help awaken her. Applying his healing touch, Josh succeeded, but Magma woke up confused, destroyed part of the building with her powers and ran away (New Mutants (vol. 2) # 7).

The shock of being “killed” and brought back to life a second time, Amara’s real memories reinstated themselves. When she calmed down, she believed that she was truly Amara Aquilla, daughter of Nova Roma, and the identity of “Alison Crestmere” was the lie. It is still unknown who was responsible for the lie, but Selene and Empath remain likely candidates (revealed in X-Treme X-Men #46).

Feeling ashamed for having lost control, Amara didn’t dare go back to Xavier’s and ask for the help of her old teammates, Karma and Moonstar. Instead, she turned to another former teammate of hers, Sunspot, joining him as a member of the Los Angeles branch of X-Corporation. When she arrived at the airport in Los Angeles, she was pleasantly surprised when Cannonball was the one to pick her up. At the time, he was a member of the X-Treme X-Men, who were based out of Valle Soleada, not too far away. She was less happy, however, to discover Empath was another member of the X-Corporation branch, and felt like he lied to her in Nova Roma (New Mutants (vol. 2) #13, X-Treme X-Men #34).

Meanwhile, the mysterious telepath known as Elias Bogan had undermined the X-Corporation in Los Angeles, making use of his pet telepath. Bogan influence Empath, who in turn manipulated Sunspot and Magma into kissing and embracing each other, despite no romantic connection between the two, and forcing Empath to watch. Although, apparently none of the parties involved remember this incident, the memory may be there on a subconscious level, as Amara has shown herself to be jealous in times when Sunspot flirts with other women (X-Treme X-Men #35). The X-Treme X-Men were also facing off against Bogan, and Magma was of special help when they battled him in his estate, using her powers to flood the chambers of the catacombs beneath it with lava (X-Treme X-Men #42-45).

Amara would return to New York after learning of the attack by Xorn, who posed as Magneto. This allowed for a full reunion for the original New Mutants, who would all be on hand to prevent an attack on Academy X by an escaped Donald Pierce. Amara also confided in Cannonball about her dual identity, and how confused she had felt about being manipulated. While the mansion was being rebuilt, Amara was offered a job on the X.S.E. by Storm, but time would show she apparently did not take her up on the offer (New Mutants (vol. 2) #13, X-Treme X-Men #46).

Instead, Magma returned to South America, where she would meet a mutant named Antonio who she fell in love with, who had similar powers to her own. She apparently developed the ability to fly, using her powers, and both would explore volcanoes together, their powers protecting them from the intense heat. However, tragically, the romance would come to end on the day of the Decimation, when Antonio would be in a volcano with Magma when it hit, and he lost his X-gene, forcing him to be burned alive. Amara, distraught, again began to lose control over her powers, causing a threat to the entire countryside. Empath was dispatched to calm her down, and return her to the Xavier estate, where all the world’s mutants began to conglomerate on the grounds, trying to figure out what to do next. The government offices of O.N.E. would soon dispatch Sentinels to watch over the mutants there, as a disputed form of protective custody. Not unlike a prisoner, Magma was forced to live on the grounds (and not even in the mansion, since her control over her powers was a concern that she might burn the whole mansion down), and even worse, she was living in the same place as Empath, who she outright told everyone she in no way trusted. Matters did not get much better on the estate, as a contingent of the 198 mutants on the grounds began to rebel against their government protectors, one of them being the mutant Johnny Dee, who had the power to take a DNA sample from another mutant, and create a small voodoo doll of them, which he could use to control their actions. When Magma was a part of the group of mutants under the leadership of the reality warper Absolom Mercator, known as Mr. M., Johnny Dee began to use his control over several of the mutants there to begin a fight between the X-Men and the 198. During it, Dee used his control over Leech to remove Mr. M’s extensive powers, leaving him vulnerable, then controlled Magma, forcing her to use her powers to burn him alive. Magma immediately blamed Empath for her being controlled, not realizing Dee’s involvement (X-Men: The 198 #1-5). Magma would also escape the mansion again as part of the 198 during Civil War, surviving an attempt by Johnny Dee to kill all of the mutants in a bunker at Hulkbuster base with a nuclear device (Civil War: X-Men #3).

At some point, the O.N.E. Sentinels’ restriction on keeping mutants at the Xavier Estate lapsed, and Magma was allowed to leave, traveling to Los Angeles where she apparently tried to resume a normal civilian life. This would come to an end when Rockslide, Wolfcub, and Dust would be sent on a mission by Donald Pierce, who was posing as Cyclops with an image inducer, to capture her for them. The three teens tried to get the jump on her by kamikaze flying the Blackbird at her, but she destroyed the jet out of the air and engaged the trio in battle. At one point, Magma would use her powers to turn Dust, in her living sand form into glass, neutralizing her and causing her to slowly die. Wolf Cub, though, would attack her from behind, and manage to claw her through her fiery form, knocking her out (Young X-Men #2-3). Eventually, the younger X-Men would discover Pierce’s ruse, and would free the original New Mutants they captured, defeating the villain (Young X-Men #4-5).

Cyclops made the decision to allow Cannonball to reform the original New Mutants as a squad of X-Men which he sent to Westcliffe, Colorado to try and locate Karma and Moonstar, who had encountered a resurrected Legion while trying to assist a young girl there. Fortunately, Legion was captured without any member of the team being killed and was returned to San Francisco, where the X-Club devised a treatment procedure to begin to rid Legion of his multiple personalities (New Mutants (vol. 3) #1-5).

Since, Magma proved herself again by fighting on their side against the threat of the Skrulls in San Francisco (Secret Invasion: X-Men #3), as well as against the forces sent by Norman Osborn after rioting in San Francisco, in his own X-Men team, H.A.M.M.E.R. agents, and the Avengers (Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1, Dark Avengers #8, Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus #1).

Not long after arriving on their new island home, Selene again threatened Magma, and the X-Men. Through an old ally of hers, Eli Bard, Selene had resurrected many mutants with the techno-organic virus and gained control over them. Among them was Amara’s old teammate, Doug Ramsey, who Selene forced to club her over the head with a pipe, sending her unconscious to the infirmary before she could react to seeing Cypher returned from the grave. She survived under the care of Dr. Nemesis, and eventually accepted an apology from Cypher for his having injured her so badly while under Selene’s control. She began recovering well enough for her next crucial mission (New Mutants (vol. 3) #6-8).

The mutant known only as Hope, the first mutant born after the Decimation, returned from the future, and was immediately put under attack by Bastion. Cyclops sent X-Men into the field to help recover her, putting the New Mutants on patrol in an X-Jet over the Midwestern United States, to have a central location as information about her whereabouts came in. As Cypher began to intercept messages from Bastion’s forces, it became clear that they had a large contingent of reinforcements under the command of Cameron Hodge in St. Louis. Cyclops ordered the New Mutants in to assure those reinforcements would never arrive anywhere near Hope, and Magma, during the battle, used her powers to kill dozens of members of the organization known as the Right, under Hodge’s command, bathing them in lava she summoned beneath their feet. She, and the New Mutants then defeated Hodge, and returned to Utopia (X-Men: Second Coming #1, Uncanny X-Men #523, New Mutants (vol. 3) #12, X-Men: Legacy #235, X-Force (vol. 3) #26).

What do you think of Magma? Was it weird that she joined the Hellions because she had a crush on Empath? Did you think it odd that the Hellfire Club didn’t place her in the Inner Circle, since she was related to Selene?

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5648/1172947-second_coming_damage_report_act_1_2010040103035994 2_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/second_coming_damage_report_act_1_2010040103035994 2/105-1172947/)

Filthy Mutie

05-01-2010, 03:23 PM

Tessa is pretty awesome.

coveredinbees

05-01-2010, 04:07 PM

Is Selene's maid on this list? She was there for the new circle during X-Man, so I think she should count! You could combine her entry with the doglizard to give it more substance.

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 09:09 PM

Is Selene's maid on this list? She was there for the new circle during X-Man, so I think she should count! You could combine her entry with the doglizard to give it more substance.

If you mean Elle? Yes. Yes, absolutely, I'm including Elle.

worstblogever

05-01-2010, 09:19 PM

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/8/80/Justicevance.jpg/440px-Justicevance.jpg

Vance Astrovik: Justice -
Proxy of Shinobi Shaw
First Appearance: Giant Size Defenders #5
All Hellfire Appearances: New Warriors (vol. 1) #43-46, X-Force #32,33
Last Appearance: Avengers: The Initiative #34
Powers: Vance can generate a psychokinetic nimbus of energy and direct it to grasp his body or other objects and lift them into the air, apply pressure to matter so that it moves in any direction, or make the nimbus into a solid force field

His Life Before the Hellfire Club:
Vance Astrovik was a normal teen who found himself secretly protected by the Guardians of the Galaxy, a group of superheroes from an alternate future who feared Vance was a target of the villainous Korvac. Upon meeting Vance Astro, the Guardian who happened to be an alternate-future version of himself, Vance experienced a mental shock that caused his mutant powers to emerge.

Vance had often been abused by his father throughout his childhood, but his powers led to more abuse from his father, a violent anti-mutant bigot. Vance soon ran away from home and eventually ended up adventuring alongside the Thing, who was taking a leave of absence from the Fantastic Four. Calling himself Marvel Boy, Astrovik joined the Thing as a member of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation before finally parting ways.

Vance, as Marvel Boy, later tried to join the Avengers, but was told by his hero, Captain America, that he needed more experience. Feeling rejected and embarrassed, Vance was then approached by Night Thrasher and Nova, who were forming their own team called the New Warriors. Vance quickly became one of the Warriors' most stalwart members and met fellow mutant Firestar, with whom he developed a romantic relationship.

Returning home for a brief period, Vance was struck again by his father, and, when retaliating with his powers, Vance killed him. His mother pressed charges, and Vance was arrested, serving time for murder.

His time working for Shinobi Shaw:
Later released from prison for good behavior, Vance adopted a new guise as Justice, and was invited to the Hellfire Club by Shinobi Shaw, its Black King (effectively granting Vance membership) to assist him in the Upstarts’ competition, the Younghunt, as his own proxy. Any kills that Justice got in the competition, would be credited to Shinobi. Vance, agreed, but only so he could warn the New Warriors, and any person Shinobi wanted killed. With the help of X-Force, Cable, and the rest of the New Warriors, Vance helped put an end to the Upstarts’ sick game, and rejoined the New Warriors, often serving in a leadership role.

After the Hellfire Club:
Firestar eventually asked Vance to marry her. Vance and Firestar, alongside their teammate Rage, were drawn into conflict with monsters summoned by evil sorceress Morgan Le Fay. Rage, once a member of the Avengers, brought the couple with him as the Avengers reassembled after a period of disbanding to defeat Le Fey. After a strong push to prove himself, Vance, with Firestar, were elected reserve members.

After serving several missions, and feeling vastly inferior to be joining the same league as his idols, Vance was elected to full membership. Continually trying to prove himself, Justice eventually won over his insecurities during the Avengers' battle with the robot Ultron. He had researched the Avengers files, discovering a new means of defeating Ultron and using it to help the Avengers destroy him. After seeing the emotional turmoil Hank Pym and the Wasp went through in the battle, Vance finally began to regard the Avengers as people rather than icons and became more relaxed about working with the team.

Soon afterward, Vance announced his engagement with Firestar, and the two left active duty, presumably to explore their relationship. In reality, they were asked to secretly infiltrate the headquarters of the Triune Understanding, whose leader, Jonathan Tremont, was surreptitiously attacking the Avengers' public image for his own benefit. Vance and Firestar discovered the true cause of the Understanding-- using the beliefs of its members to sympathetically power a spaceship to battle a cosmic menace. They helped a contingent of Avengers join the battle against the menace, and directly afterwards helped the heroes keep the time-travelling Kang from conquering the world. After the crises were averted, they again parted company with the Avengers.

Vance settled into civilian life with relative ease, as much as a public trial, a Dateline special, and four books written about him could allow, although Firestar had a rough transition settling into college studies at Empire State University. Vance was eagerly awaiting the next stage in his life, their upcoming marriage, but Firestar was reluctant. After a heart-to-heart, the couple agreed to call off the wedding, and even the status of their relationship remains uncertain.

After the Stamford incident, Vance had his public identity exposed by his former teammate, Hindsight, forcing him to sue with She-Hulk, as lawyer Jennifer Walters (She Hulk (vol. 2) #8). But as the Civil War went on, his opposition of SHRA eventually would lead him to joinCaptain America’s resistance, when the Registration’s Thor Clone would kill Bill Foster (Civil War #4).

After the war he joined Tony Stark’s Initiative, becoming an instructor at Camp Hammond while dating his colleague, Ultra Girl. However, very early into Camp Hammond’s operation, Justice became disenchanted with the Initiative, when the recruit Michael Van Patrick, aka MVP, was killed during a training exercise. At first, his death was covered up, and a clone of MVP was sent home to his family, .Justice apparently disgusted with the leadership of Henry Peter Gyrich, deserted from the Initiative to continue his investigation, and recruited Ultra Girl, Rage and other former New Warriors Debrii and Slapstick to his cause (Avengers: The Initiative #10). After clone of MVP, calling itself KIA went rogue and leaves the Initiative with major casualties, Justice and these former New Warriors, along with the two surviving Scarlet Spiders, officially inform Iron Man of their intention to quit the Initiative and act as Counter Force, a form of independent oversight for the program; as the group are all registered superhumans, Iron Man is unable to act against Justice's team unless they commit an illegal act. However, Ultra Girl decided to return to the Initiative, apparently ending her relationship with Justice (Avengers: The Initiative #12).

During the Skrull Invasion, Justice and Counter Force encountered Donyell Taylor at the an old New Warriors HQ, looking for a DNA sample to prove whether or not the Night Thrasher that died at Stamford was a Skrull imposter. Counter Force initially believe that Donyell is a Skrull, due to his reluctance to reveal his identity, and comes into conflict with Donyell's New Warriors (Avengers: The Initiative #15). When Donyell finally revealed his identity, the two teams joined together to storm the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier where the deceased New Warriors bodies were being held, and recover them. The corpse of Night Thrasher is proven to be of human composition, and the two teams bury the bodies outside the old base (Avengers: The Initiative #16).

When Ragnarok, the deranged clone of Thor, attacked Camp Hammond, Counter Force (Now calling themselves "The New Warriors", and boasting Night Thrasher as a member) arrived to help, in spite of the fact that Norman Osborn had taken over the Initiative. During the fight, Ragnarok killed one of the team’s Scarlet Spiders, and nearly killed Vance, who was saved by Ultra Girl. After the battle, Vance retrieves the corpse of the original MVP, seeking to give him a proper burial. (Avengers: The Initiative #21-22) However, their actions in exposing the duplicity to the public, allowed Norman Osborn to shut down Camp Hammond and reorganize the Initiative, placing villains on Initiative teams. The New Warriors would later rescue Gauntlet and Tigra from the Hood's gang and form the Avengers Resistance. During their time underground in the Avengers Resistance, Justice and Ultra Girl resumed their romantic relationship in secret. Things hit the tipping point for the Resistance, when Osborn orchestrated a Siege of Asgard by creating an incident similar to Stamford at Soldier Field in Chicago. Justice declared that while most of the Initiative would be busy with the Siege, the Resistance would take down Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. in order to expose Osborn once and for all. They did so, battling the Hood and several villains at the base before they all were called in to the front lines by Osborn, abandoning many of their number in the process. (Avengers: The Initiative #24-32)

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/11962/109706-122601-justice_large.png

What did you think of Vance’s brief stint with the Hellfire Club? Should the Hellfire Club try to use him into gaining leverage over the Avengers Academy? Do you think he's better off with Firestar or Ultra Girl?

Raptor

05-02-2010, 01:14 AM

What do you think of Magma? Was it weird that she joined the Hellions because she had a crush on Empath? Did you think it odd that the Hellfire Club didn’t place her in the Inner Circle, since she was related to Selene?

I rather like magma. She's among the characters I find more interesting. I have too many favorites so I just lump them all together. I think joining hte Hellions for Empath was a poor idea. I could chalk that up to power use or something on Empath's part though, I guess. n00B's gotta work their way up, Selene relatives or no.

What did you think of Vance’s brief stint with the Hellfire Club? Should the Hellfire Club try to use him into gaining leverage over the Avengers Academy? Do you think he's better off with Firestar or Ultra Girl?

I think Vance is a turd, his stint with the Hellfire club was not interesting to me. Since he wound up with them, I think the Hellfire club should use it to their full advantage, good stories could come of this. I think he's better off with Rictor.

worstblogever

05-02-2010, 03:06 AM

Axe –
Hired Mercenary of the Hellfire Club (first incarnation)
http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/107/4582_20060815114623_large.jpg

First appearance : New Mutants (vol. 1) #7
First Hellfire appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #7.
Last Appearance: Wolverine (vol. 2) #164.
Powers: Enhanced Strength and Durability

His life before the Hellfire Club:

Unknown. Believed to have become a mutant mercenary.

His working for the Hellfire Club:
Axe was hired to kidnap Nina Da Costa, the wife of, at the time, Hellfire Club recruit Emmanuel Da Costa by Sebastian Shaw before she could move deep into the Amazon and find the Maderia, the place where Emmanuel’s mining industry was based out of. His attempt was foiled, however, by the New Mutants, and his employment by the Hellfire Club was likely terminated summarily after this failure.

After the Hellfire Club:
Axe has only been seen twice since he was given his walking papers by the Hellfire Club. Once, was when he turned up as part of the “Gladiators” organization, that had an arena that they were battling some kidnapped New Mutants in. Before he could really attack Magma, Sunspot, or Cannonball in his second time crossing paths with the group, Magneto showed up at the Gladiator’s arena, and ripped it clean off to reclaim his New Mutant charges (New Mutants (vol. 1) #27).The last time he was seen, it was in a prison designed with power-dampeners for superhumans that he was shown to be an inmate at while Wolverine and Beast were briefly held there (Wolverine (vol. 2) #164).

What did you think of Axe? Should he come back with a grudge against the New Mutants? Do you think the Initiative should try to use him? Do you think he totally is a fan of Mr. T?

worstblogever

05-02-2010, 09:56 AM

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/4/4a/Blackheart3.jpg/440px-Blackheart3.jpg

Blackheart - Black King of Hellfire Club (Fourth Incarnation)

First appearance : Daredevil (vol. 1) #270
All Hellfire IV appearances : Fantastic Four Annual '99, X-Force #98
Powers : mystical / magical abilities

His pre-Hellfire history:
Centuries of murder saturated the Christ's Crown area with evil until the attempted rape of a young girl named Sarah drew Mephisto to create a “son”, Blackheart, from the accumulated wrongs. Slaying both rapist and victim, Blackheart explored the nature of evil under his father's tutelage, clashing with and failing to corrupt heroes such as Daredevil and Spider-Man.

Observing these mortals led Blackheart to rebel against his father and seek a newer form of evil; in retaliation, Mephisto diminished Blackheart’s powers. Focusing on those who walked the line between good and evil, Blackheart tried and failed to recruit Wolverine (Logan), the Punisher (Frank Castle) and the Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch) to his rebellion. Blackheart also aided Wonder Man against Mephisto and helped Misha of the mercenary Warheads as her telepathic “Voice”, using Mys-Tech’s Rathcoole to obtain a mystic sword which could harm Mephisto. Returning to Christ’s Crown, Blackheart altered his followers into the Corrupt, and employed Wolverine, Punisher, and Ghost Rider as a feint to allow him to anoint the sword with an innocent’s blood. He apparently slew Mephisto, banishing his “father” from Hell and restoring his own powers to full strength.

As Hell’s ruler, Blackheart focused on corrupting the Ghost Rider, aiding the Furies to possess mortal bodies to torment Ghost Rider and resurrecting the Scarecrow (Ebenezer Laughton) to send after Ketch. From his palace in the Burning Flesh district, Blackheart created his own Spirits of Vengeance: his consort Black Rose (the deceased Roxanne Simpson, ex-wife of Dan Ketch’s brother, Johnny Blaze), Verminus Rex (a spirit who had battled the Ghost Rider during World War I), Wallow (a homicidal mortal suicide whom Ghost Rider had thwarted), Doghead (a downtrodden immigrant), and Pao Fu (who had died in the arms of Ghost Rider as he tried to save her). Blackheart bargained to free Ghost Rider’s relatives from their curse; in return, Ghost Rider agreed to lead Blackheart’s Spirits. However, the pair fell out and Ghost Rider destroyed Blackheart, banishing him from Hell. In that void, Mephisto was revealed to somehow be resurrected, and has again reclaimed hell from his son.

While ruler of Hell, Blackheart had tormented the soul of the mutant Stryfe by manipulating the X-Force group, and led to a confrontation in his realm between Stryfe and the team. This mystic battle would attract the attention of the mutant sorceress Selene.

His time in the Hellfire Club:

Selene recruited Blackheart to be the Black King of the fourth incarnation of the Hellfire Club. One she created to be truly borne of Hellfire. Blackheart and his Hellfire Club allies would be uncovered by noted scholar Alyssa Moy, who was mystically attacked while researching the clandestine organization. She enlists the help of the Fantastic Four, who are totally out of their element and seek out help themselves, but none of their mystic friends (Dr. Strange, Hellstorm, Agatha Harkness, Scarlet Witch) are available, so they ask Margali Szardos and also gain another ally in Mechamage. Infiltrating the Hellfire Club, they discover that Selene restarted the Inner Circle her first new addition was Blackheart. Because of Margali‘s training the FF are able to hold their own against the mystic foes, and they even free Hellstorm who was defeated earlier. Together they imprison Blackheart in the Club's basement for the time being.

Blackheart later is freed and asked by Selene to retrieve the soul of Julianna, Sunspot’s girlfriend, who died saving him. She demands Bobby join the Hellfire Club in return for a new chance at life for Julianna. Bobby accepts, and the amnesiac soul is planted into a girl, who just died, by Blackheart. Bobby would later meet the girl on the street he runs into "Julianna". How it came to be that the incarnation of the Hellfire Club with Blackheart disbanded has never been explained, if it did indeed happen.

He been seen freed from this prison, alive, and attending a meeting with Mephisto, Satannish, Hela and Dormammu about a disturbance created by the newly resurrected Magik, who was looking for the soulsword and the original Bloodstone amulet. Belasco's daughter, Witchfire appears during the meeting and reveals she is now the current owner of the original amulet and vows to take her father's place as ruler of Limbo and seat at their table (X-Infernus #1).

http://toonsntunes.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/blackheart.jpg

What are your thoughts on Blackheart, and his role with the Hellfire Club? Where do you think he is now?

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 12:39 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/EliasBoganmask.jpg
Elias Bogan
– Rumored Original Lord Imperial of Hellfire Club (1780s founding incarnation)

First Appearance: Believed to have been X-Treme X-Men #21, provided he is never revealed to be the Shadow King.
First Hellfire Club appearance : Retroactive continuity reveals him as a member
All Hellfire appearances : Only revealed in flashback to have overseen a bet between Sebastian Shaw and one of his pawns, Oliver Ryland, where if he won, he would win Emma Frost.
Last Appearance: X-Treme X-Men #45.
Powers : Telepath, able to mentally possess foes.

Prior to being in the Hellfire Club:

Nothing is truly known about who Elias Bogan really is, only that he is a mutant telepath and a wealthy, powerful recluse. The rumor is that he was the inspiration for the original founding chapter of the Hellfire Club in the 1780s. (Rumors among readers are that he may have been intended to have been revealed to have been the original Shadow King, due to their identical power sets and that Amahl Farouk was simply another mutant whom Bogan possessed. That never came to fruition, though.)

While a member of the Club: Bogan was the first Lord Imperial but held no rank in New York branch of the Club. Still he was regarded by most as a formidable member of the Club and no one dared to investigate his identity, or his machinations. At one point, though, there was a wager between the new Black King of the Inner Circle, Sebastian and another member, Oliver Ryland, who was a pawn of Elias Bogan. If Bogan and Ryland had won, Emma Frost, the then-White Queen of the Club, would belong to him, and if Shaw would win, his fortune would be made. Shaw significantly swung the odds in his favor by enlisting help from Tessa, and seemingly achieved the impossible and beat Ryland in a poker game. Bogan honored the wager but held a grudge against Tessa for her interference.

Years later, Bogan exacted his revenge on Tessa by capturing her and branding her face with bleeding eyes marks, which is what usually happens to people being possessed by Bogan. Shaw could have ransomed her, at the cost of everything he owned, but the price was too much for him and Shaw abandoned Tessa. Tessa was saved by Storm.

After he was done with the Club:

Following a murder at one of Bogan's estates in Alaska, he followed the perpetrator Jeffrey Garrett (infamous for later being the New X-Men “ghost mutant”) to the Xavier Institute. There he took possession of Emma Frost. He also encountered and captured Tessa, now Sage of the X-Men, along with Bishop and other students of the school, and holed up in the Danger Room. Upon meeting their leader Storm, Bogan tried to take control of her and was unsuccessful.

However, during this incident, Bogan briefly gained full access to the X-Men’s Cerebra, which succeeded with the help of another X-Man who Bogan had made his telepathic slave, Rachel Summers. The X-Men didn’t learn about her involvement before coming into conflict with Bogan once again, this time in Valle Soleada, CA, which Bogan wanted to turn into his own private hunting preserve, believing that no one would ever find him there. Bogan had a secret base in the catacombs under it, that a century before had been the secret home of the Los Angeles branch of the Hellfire Club. (Nevermind that Los Angeles was hardly a metropolis prior to 1900.) The X-Men had to confront lawyers and mercenaries employed by Bogan several times before successfully infiltrating his base and gaining the possession of a crystal that held both Bogan’s and Rachel’s essences inside it. Rachel Summers was freed and the crystal shattered, but Bogan managed to run away again. Bogan attacked again the following day, but the psychic attack made Magma, of the X-Corporation, destroy the catacombs and the X-Corporation headquarters with molten lava. He has not been seen, nor heard from since.

What are your thoughts on Elias Bogan and his mysterious role with the Hellfire Club? Who is he really? Why did he seemingly step out of his role as Lord Imperial if he is truly immortal?

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/JamesBraddock.jpg

James “John“ Braddock sr.
(onetime Black or Red Bishop of London Hellfire Club)[/COLOR]
First Appearance: Captain Britain (vol. 1) #14
Last Appearance: Captain Britain (vol. 1) #14
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4
Powers: James Braddock stems from Otherworld and has slightly increased strength and stamina, though he apparently never used these abilities.

His time before the Hellfire Club:
Well, obviously he ended up having three kids with Mrs. Braddock that we know as Jamie Braddock, Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) and Elisabeth “Betsy” Braddock (Psylocke). Then…

As a Hellfire Club Member:
James Braddock Sr. is seen in his one comic book appearance joining the New York Hellfire Club, but somehow he later is referenced as a part of the London Chapter, indicating he was transferred to it, somehow. There, its been revealed he held the position of Bishop, but it is unknown which color (Red or Black). Braddock claimed he was only part of the Hellfire Club because it helped his business.

James Braddock's membership to the club has been offered to, or passed down to two of his children, Brian Braddock and Elizabeth “Betsy“ Braddock. His third child, James “Jamie“ Braddock Jr. has yet to have been shown to be involved with the club.

What are your thoughts on James Braddock, Sr., and his involvement with the Hellfire Club? What secret deals did he strike during his time within it?

eurazn

05-03-2010, 12:44 AM

Raptor

05-03-2010, 01:25 AM

I miss Blackheart terribly. I hope he's just biding his time for an EPIC comeback.

I'd like to see a crossover (however short) with Ghost Rider helping the X-Men take down Blackheart.

Craig Kyle
Chris Yost
and Choi

would be the team.

Pixie would finally die to Blackheart.

I'd buy as many copies as I could.

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 02:34 AM

WBE, the sheer extent of your knowledge frightens me, lol.

Is it bad that my first encounter with Blackheart was in that Marvel vs. Capcom video game? I didn't realize he even had any ties to the X-Men.

Believe it or not, there was a 90's one-shot that had Wolverine, Punisher, and Ghost Rider (http://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=2296) trying to save an innocent girl from being wed to Blackheart, and involved much manly thrashing of demons.

http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/118/18722_20060906073132_large.jpg

Okay, it was the 90s. That shouldn't be surprising. But could they do it twice, and give Blackheart a rematch (http://www.comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=64385)?

http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/137/64385_20061102153336_large.jpg

Yup.

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 03:33 AM

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Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) – Black Bishop of the London Hellfire Club

First appearance : Captain Britain (vol. 1) #1 (Marvel UK)
All London Hellfire appearances : Excalibur #96-100
Powers : Brian is superhumanly strong, able to lift 90 tons, and possesses enhanced reflexes, stamina and senses (sufficient to pierce holograms, but not on a par with Wolverine). He can also fly up to 770 mph for prolonged periods. He derives his energies from the friction between dimensions, focused in a matrix centered on the U.K., and formerly needed his costume to focus his powers and provide a battery when outside the U.K.; however he may have alleviated this weakness when he briefly severed his mystic connection to the U.K. to empower Kelsey Leigh. As Britannic, he had prophetic visions, tied to memories of experiencing all history while lost in the timeline. He is apparently immune to his sister's psionic powers, though not his elder brother's reality warping abilities.

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/090227/Alan-Moore/Captain-Britain_l.jpg
Before Joining the Hellfire Club:
Brian Braddock’s life was planned for him from before he was even born; for him there is no coincidence. Merlyn sent James Braddock to Earth-616 to sire a champion who could defend the multiverse against the myriad threats facing it; the studious Brian was his third child. He grew up a solitary child, save for his siblings, losing himself in books. Home on a break from studying physics at Thames University, Brian was out dating Valerie Campbell when his parents were killed, apparently in a lab accident but actually by the computer Mastermind; Brian was overwhelmed with guilt that he had not being present to prevent their deaths. He took a summer job at Darkmoor Nuclear Complex, a secret research facility near the Scottish border, soon after his parents died, trying to keep himself busy, but the facility was attacked by the forces of Joshua Stragg, the Reaver, who sought to kidnap the scientists within and make it look like they had all died in a reactor accident. At the urging of his mentor Dr. Travis, Brian fled on a motor bike to get help. Forced over a cliff by his pursuers, he dragged his injured body from the burning wreckage to witness a vision of Merlyn and the Lady of the Northern Skies (Roma) above a ring of standing stones; told to choose between the Sword of Might and Amulet of Right, Brian picked the latter, feeling the sword was a symbol of death and that he was no warrior. He was struck by mystical energy and transformed into the costumed hero Captain Britain; the new hero swiftly gained the upper hand against the Reaver, who, after grabbing the sword, had been transformed by the Nethergods, Merlin’s foes. Merlyn eventually took the opportunity to upgrade his champion, transforming his costume to enhance his strength and incorporate the powers of flight and forcefield previously part of his sceptre.

As a member of the Hellfire Club:

Since none of his operatives is in the Inner Circle were in London, Shinobi Shaw asks Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) to join the Club using his inherited membership, telling him that a dangerous villain, called Mountjoy, has infiltrated its ranks. Brian applies for the seat of Black Bishop by right of ancestry. The Club's Red Bishop challenged him to a duel for sole bishopric, but Brian pretty much one-punched the poor sap. In his short time as a member, Ms. Steed, the Black Queen, brings Brian up to date to the Club's business. The mysterious Scribe also appears in Brian's quarters and reveals that the Hellfire Club knows of Brian's life as a superhero and also cryptically talks about strange goals the Hellfire Club wants to achieve. As the London Hellfire Club have their plot revealed to establish a link to a power source beneath London, their Red Queen, Margali Szardos, is tricked into being its link to the surface. The power source was actually a demon, who began driving all of London insane. In the tumult that followed, the Scribe is revealed to be possessed by Mountjoy, and h e made an attempt to possess Brian, but was unable to pierce his force field, even with the help of Ms. Steed. After the demon was again contained, most of the Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club was thrown in jail, and Brian Braddock apparently resigned from his role as its Black Bishop Excalibur (vol. 1) #96-100.

Since he left the Hellfire Club…

Subsequently, Excalibur battled the Mutant Liberation Front when they attacked Muir Island. Brian renewed his proposal to Meggan, seconds before he was kidnapped by the Dragons of the Crimson Dawn, who planned to use his energies to open a rift between the Earth and their realm; instead, with the aid of Meggan, he absorbed the power of the rift, closing it, but at the cost of his own powers. No longer Captain Britain, Brian took a sabbatical from Excalibur to figure out what he wanted to do with his life now. He returned a few months later, confidant in one thing; that he loved Meggan. Soon after they were married on Otherworld by Roma. Brian returned to scientific research, working out of Darkmoor, until the arrival of Captain U.K., pursued by armored warriors. Together with Meggan, Psylocke and the Black Knight, Brian accompanied Captain U.K. to Otherworld, where they rescued Roma from Mastermind and an army of Warpies. During this adventure Brian encountered a hologram of his father which alleged his parents had deliberately had Mastermind kill them, and then renewed Brian’s powers. He took up the Sword of Might, returned the Warpies to human form, and ascended the throne of Otherworld. Some time later, he collected his sister’s body after she was slain by Vargas. Learning of Morgan le Fay’s latest plot against England, to reverse his mystical connection to the Matrix by attacking him in Otherworld with god-killer weapons, so that injury to him would cause destruction in Britain, he passed his mantle on to a new 616 Captain Britain, Kelsey Leigh, before Morgan could take him captive; without his connection, Morgan could not use him against his home, and Kelsey proved her worth by defeating Morgan.

A recent reality storm saw Brian and Meggan return to Earth-616, to try and avert disaster before Roma was forced to destroy the entire reality; there Brian was briefly transformed into the King of Britain in an altered timeline. Meggan apparently sacrificed herself to seal the rift between dimensions, preventing the damage from spreading, and after the original timeline was restored, Brian remained on 616 on the instructions of Roma and formed a new incarnation of Excalibur, that would eventually return to Otherworld and join the Exiles to try and protect Roma in battle from an onslaught of the forces of Mad Jim Jaspers, the Fury, and Merlyn. (X-Men: Die By the Sword #1-4).

After which, Captain Britain was a key component of Earth’s defense against the Skrulls during their Secret Invasion. While at first, it looked like the Skrulls killed him as part of their plan, destroying him near the Siege Perilous, Merlin helped resurrect Brian, and he would return to aid the rest of the U.K.’s assembled heroes, including Pete Wisdom, Spitfire, Faiza Hussein, and the Black Knight defeat the invasion forces, and protect the realm of magic against them. It of course, came with the price that several powerful demons were unleashed upon the Earth in the process, (Captain Britain and MI:13 #1-4). Soon, his team would gain a new ally, in the vampire hunter Blade, who would assist them all in preventing a global takeover by the demon known as Plokta in Birmingham (Captain Britain and MI:13 #5-9). One more threat of supernatural origin would soon surface to threaten England, when the lord of the vampires, Count Dracula, would lead an invasion force against MI:13, seeking to conquer it and make it a new home for the world’s vampires. An unexpected reunion with his long missing wife Meggan, who had been trapped somewhere in one of the Marvel Universe’s Infernal realms, was the turning point of the battle, and the team managed to defeat the vampiric army, and kill Dracula (Captain Britain and MI:13 #10-15).

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/40/452014-captainbritainmi13_03_secondprinting_super.jpg

What are your thoughts on Captain Britain’s time as a member of the Hellfire Club? Would you mind seeing Brian encounter them again in the future?

Justin K.

05-03-2010, 03:37 AM

What are your thoughts on Captain Britain’s time as a member of the Hellfire Club? Would you mind seeing Brian encounter them again in the future?

If it means seeing Scribe and Steed again, YES!

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 03:41 AM

If it means seeing Scribe and Steed again, YES!

It would have made for a good arc of Captain Britain and MI:13, since the demon Excalibur stopped in London in Excalibur (vol. 1) #100 could have been set free again, in theory, in CB&MI13 #4. Even if like, an underling of that demon helped set it free.

Then, Pete Wisdom and Brian would have had to go to the prison in England where all the supervillains are kept, which would have included most of the London Hellfire Club, to get intel on how to stop the demon this time.

I mean, it writes itself, nods to continuity... had the series not gotten the shaft, I think Cornell and Kirk would've knocked it out of the park.

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 12:11 PM

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Elisabeth “Betsy” Braddock, Psylocke
– Hellfire Club Member by Birthright

First Appearance: Captain Britain (vol. 1) #8
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 3) #26
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Treme X-Men #3, X-Men (vol. 2) #29, X-Men (vol. 2) #73
Powers : Her telekinesis allows her to manipulate matter through directed psionic energy, focus her mental energies into a psionic katana. She also has regained her telepathic powers, including wielding her psychic knife. At one point, she could also travel through shadows. Betsy is also immune to telepathy, and the ability of a reality warper to change her body.

Her early years around the club:
Elisabeth Braddock used to love to go to the London Hellfire Club as a child with her father. Later on, as a member of S.T.R.I.K.E., the British equivalent of S.H.I.E.L.D., she tried to infiltrate the master house of the Hellfire Club as a member of S.T.R.I.K.E.’s psi-ops division, but was thwarted and warned away by Tessa, Sebastian Shaw's assistant (revealed in X-treme X-Men #3).

Life goes On:
Betsy continued to work as a model, and spy until the crimelord Vixen would infiltrate S.T.R.I.K.E. and send her agent, Slaymaster, to kill all of the operatives in the Psi-ops division to avoid having them thwart her plans. Betsy resisted this assassination attempt, and continued in her role. She also foiled the attempt of Kaptain Briton, a version of her brother from another reality, to replace 616’s Captain Britain after avoiding being raped by him, then reading his mind, and using her restored telepathy to kill him (Captain Britain (vol. 2) #5-7). She would, for a time, be trained to be Captain Britain II during one of Brian’s absences by Linda McQuillan after this, only to be led into a trap on a mission by Slaymaster and Vixen. They nearly beat her to death, and stabbed out her eyes to blind her (Captain Britain (vol. 2) #13). While Betsy could use her telepathy to still “see”, she was at a resort in Switzerland when she was kidnapped by Mojo and Spiral who took her to the Body Shop and gave her bionic eyes, and tried to put her on one of Mojo’s shows called “Wildways”.

Eventually, the New Mutants would rescue Psylocke (as she was now being called), and bring her back to the mansion to learn how to cope with her new eyes, and her powers (Uncanny X-Men Annual #10). During the Mutant Massacre, Betsy’s instincts in escaping Sabretooth, and her telepathy (to both ease the pain of dying Morlocks, and help read Sabretooth’s mind to learn he was working for Mr. Sinister) proved so useful to the X-Men they allowed her to join the team from that point (Uncanny X-Men #213). She would eventually be exposed to the Siege Perilous, and once out of it, again ended up in Spiral’s body shop, having her body and soul intermingled with the assassin Kwannon, emerging in her body, and with much of her combat prowess (Uncanny X-Men #250, #255). She was brainwashed into working for the Hand, until Wolverine and Jubilee helped her become fully aware of what had been done to her.

Kwannon would eventually return to the X-Men, claiming that she was, in fact, the one true Betsy Braddock (X-Men vol. 2) #20). After Professor X’s mind probes, and Wolverine’s senses could not indentify the real Betsy Braddock, it would ironically be the fact that Kwannon, now calling herself Revanche, would gain the Legacy Virus, and with it a flux in powers to learn that Psylocke, was in fact the genuine article.

Betsy, however, would soon find a love interest in Warren Worthington III, finding they had much in common. Including… a family history with the Hellfire Club.

Return to the Hellfire Club:
In X-Men (vol. 2) #29, Warren Worthington III received an invitation from the Hellfire Club. Psylocke mentions that her family holds membership in the Club's London branch. The pair attend the party and are welcomed by Tessa. She leads them to Shinobi Shaw, who intends to re-establish the Inner Circle. Archangel is offered the title of White King. As they refuse a short fight starts; afterwards Betsy and Warren leave. However, when Sebastian Shaw returned to power, Psylocke did attend a Hellfire Club party with Warren in Rio (X-Men (vol. 2) #73).

worstblogever

05-03-2010, 12:12 PM

And back to life as normal, or what passes for it:
Betsy would soon thereafter be critcally wounded by Sabretooth during an escape, as he was being kept at the mansion in an attempt to rehabilitate him. Archangel, Wolverine, Dr. Strange, and Gomurr the Ancient went into the realm of the Crimson Dawn to find a means to save Betsy’s life (Uncanny X-Men #328-330). This would, however, attract the attention of the entity behind the Crimson Dawn, Kuragari. In the end, Archangel would give up a part of his life essence to free Betsy of the Crimson Dawn’s influence (Psylocke & Archangel: Crimson Dawn #1-4).

Betsy would then battle the Shadow King, and in order to keep his presence contained within her mind, so it could not harm anyone else, she had to cease to use her telepathy. In an experimental attempt to assist her, Jean Grey would accidentally give Psylocke all her telekinetic ability, and instead take all of Betsy’s telepathic power (X-Men (vol. 2) #96). Around this time, Psylocke would become estranged from Warren Worthington, and be drawn to Thunderbird III, before joining the X-Treme X-Men team with him. On one of the team’s first missions, Pyslocke was killed by Vargas (X-Treme X-Men #2). A year later, she would be resurrected upon the spot of her death, thanks to the manipulations of her brother, Jamie Braddock. She briefly joined the X-Men, and would end up with them in a second battle with the Shadow King (or “a” Shadow King, anyway) that would see her displaced from the 616 Universe, and end up as a member of the reality-hopping Exiles. (Exiles #90). She has stayed a member of this team since, battling alongside them for the fate of the Multiverse and Roma alongside New Excalibur, and began battling between realities with the team consisting of herself, Sage, and alternate reality versions of Rogue, Sabretooth, Kitty Pryde, Mystique, and Morph (X-Men: Die By the Sword #1-4, New Exiles #1-18).

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A-r6aj17C00/SwdDpANl97I/AAAAAAAAAFc/P2y6lHTSMfI/s1600/psylocke06.jpg

Oddly, from her universe-hopping adventures, Betsy would soon go missing, only to turn up as the prisoner of the Red Queen (actually Madelyne Pryor) and the Sisterhood. With the pooled efforts of Spiral and Madelyne Pyror, Psylocke was temporarily put back into her original body, and forced to attack the X-Men as part of the Sisterhood’s attack. Somehow, however, after Dazzker blasted her original body in the face with a high focused light blast, Psylocke gained enough control from this to plunge her psychic knife into her own brain. This allowed her to face off against some kind of magical creation on the Astral Plane, and after defeating it, Psylocke woke up in Kwannon’s body, and then decided to rejoin the X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #509-511).

Psylocke then went on a brief mission with the X-Club, the X-Men’s science team, back in time to attempt to collect DNA samples from the parents of Dr. Nemesis, some of the world’s first known mutants. The mission ended in failure, however, when the samples they collected were left underground in the past in what would be Golden Gate Park, and in the present, it happened to be the same place that the Sleeping Celestial decided to stand (Uncanny X-Men #512).

Betsy was present during the riots in San Francisco that led to the team’s battle with Norman Osborn’s forces, including his own H.A.M.M.E.R. agents, his own team of mutant agents and his team of criminals posing as Avengers, working with the X-Club as they successfully raised a crashed Asteroid M to serve as an island haven for all mutants to live on that they would name Utopia. They would soon battle Osborn’s forces there, and win (Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1, Dark Avengers #7-8, Uncanny X-Men #513-514, Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus) #1), Not long thereafter, Betsy was present when Dr. Takiguchi, the member of the X-Club, passed away before her eyes when she came to bring him tea one morning (Uncanny X-Men #515).

After a brief attack by the former Gene Nation member named Sack upon Utopia, where Betsy would use her psychic powers to save several of the New X-Men from being killed by him, Betsy scheduled a flight to bury her original body, as Kwannon, in Japan. The funeral, however, was cut short by members of the Hand, who were send by Matsuo Tsurayaba, her old nemesis. Betsy began hunting down Matsuo to kill him, and after briefly being waylaid by the ninja, Yukio, she discovered another individual was on the same quest, the mysterious assassin Jinn. As it turned out, Matsuo was tired of Wolverine coming to take a piece of his body at a time, and being forced to live in torment. He simply wanted someone to come kill him and put him out of his misery. Psylocke had to defeat Wolverine in single combat for the right to finally kill Matsuo, but it seemed she did it more out of mercy than vengeance (Psylocke #1-4).

After returning to Utopia, Betsy was on the island when a plane full of Predator Xs was flown overhead by Scalphunter as part of an attack coordinated by John Sublime. In its wake, she, Wolverine, and Colossus flew to New York to track down one last Predator X that was going through the Morlock Tunnels, and attacking what few mutants remained there. Before they could arrive to kill it, though, they discovered Fantomex had already done so. Instead, they pursued those who began the attack, a group of superhumans who were apparently created by John Sublime, and were near defeat when Fantomex again arrived to assist them, assuring they would defeat their foes (Uncanny X-Men #516-521). Since arriving back upon Utopia, Fantomex has shown a possible romantic interest in Betsy, bringing her flowers at one point (Uncanny X-Men #522).

Finally, as the mutant girl known as Hope was returned from the future with Cable, Cyclops sent Psylocke as part of his “Alpha Team”, along with Wolverine, Colossus, Magik, Angel, X-23, and Nightcrawler to rescue them. Racing against them were the forces led by Bastion, and Betsy and the Alpha Team engaged them to try and escort Hope back to Utopia. Along the way, the team would be dealt some casualties, but they would succeed in delivering Hope to her new home (X-Men: Second Coming #1, Uncanny X-Men #523, New Mutants (vol. 3) #12, X-Men: Legacy #235, X-Force (vol. 3) #26).

http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/images/0911/Psylocke.jpg

What do you think of Psylocke? Would you like it if she began attending Hellfire Club meetings again? Do you think she could make a good White or Black Queen?

Talisman

05-03-2010, 02:22 PM

The corset look would definitely be a step up in the wardrobe department.

Siena Blaze

05-03-2010, 02:55 PM

What do you think of Psylocke?
She's a whore.
Would you like it if she began attending Hellfire Club meetings again?
Only if she's there to be of service.
Do you think she could make a good White or Black Queen?
Yellow Whore would work.

coveredinbees

05-03-2010, 03:42 PM

What are your thoughts on Elias Bogan and his mysterious role with the Hellfire Club? Who is he really? Why did he seemingly step out of his role as Lord Imperial if he is truly immortal?

I want another story Elias Bogan. I wanted Larocca to draw the poker game. It was really disappointing.

Seresecros

05-03-2010, 03:44 PM

What are your thoughts on Blackheart, and his role with the Hellfire Club? Where do you think he is now?

Blackheart got beaten up by Cipher and the Young X-Men during The Darkstar Wars. And then Darkstar locked him in the Darkforce Dimension! I doubt we'll see him again, WBE.

worstblogever

05-04-2010, 04:00 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/NedBuckman.jpg

Edward "Ned" Buckman - Former White King (Hellfire Club version 0)
First appearance: Classic X-Men #6
Last appearance: Classic X-Men #7 [killed by being forced to shoot himself by Emma Frost]
All appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, Classic X-Men #6-7
Powers: None, baseline human

His life prior to the Hellfire Club: Unknown, presumably born into wealth.

During his time with The Hellfire Club: Ned Buckman, on behalf of the Hellfire Club, is funding Stephen Lang's Sentinels through their private council. While Sebastian Shaw, as a probationary member, is involved as well, he does not know the robots’ true purpose in wiping out mutantkind. Buckman knows, but claims to Shaw that their task is simply to capture and test the X-Men because they want to isolate the mutant gene for study. During one of the club's holiday parties Shaw and Buckman introduce their corresponding Queens, the White Queen's name is Paris Seville. Shaw's Black Queen is Lourdes Chantel, a mutant teleporter. Both Lourdes, and Shaw’s assistant, Tessa sensed some betrayal in Buckman and tried to make him wary of Buckman. A Sentinel attacks Shaw's beach house away from the main gathering, where Emma and Harry Leland are waiting, exactly as Buckman planned. Since Shaw had completed funding for the project, the Club no longer needed him. Lourdes reluctantly teleported the three of them to the beach house after hearing Emma Frost’s telepathic call and was killed by the Sentinel. The remainder of the mutant members of the Hellfire Club would defeat the Sentinel and return to the party that night where Emma Frost would telepathically take control of Buckman, force him to gun down the assembled council of the chosen, before turning the gun on himself.

What are your thoughts on Ned Buckman as a member of the Hellfire Club?

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/MsCabot.jpg

Ms. Cabot – Hellfire Club Member
First appearance: X-Men: Legacy #210.
Last appearance: X-Men: Legacy #210.
All Hellfire Club appearances: X-Men: Legacy #210.
Powers: Unknown. May be human, human mutate, technology user, magic user... seriously, she's never done anything but talk.

Her life before the Hellfire Club: Unknown.

Her life with the Hellfire Club: Ms Cabot appeared in X-Men: Legacy #210, and was talking with Sunspot, the Hellfire Club’s Lord Imperial about virtue when she was interrupted by an underling who was looking to report to Sebastian Shaw.

What do you think of Ms. Cabot? Is her beehive hairdo totally awesome or what? Do you think she has designs on Roberto DaCosta? Do you think we’ll ever see her again, or do you think Selene's group of killers whacked her when they attacked the Hellfire Club?

Firebaton

05-04-2010, 10:14 AM

worstblogever

05-04-2010, 10:16 AM

Thank you for reviving this thread. I just re-read the Lourdes Chantal entry, I wish she had been brought back in Necrosha, Shaw would have flipped.
Is it wrong I picture Maria Doyle Kennedy (Katherine of Aaragon on The Tudors season 1 and 2) playing her?

Actually, no, that's some amazing casting. Lourdes is actually based off an interpreter Chris Claremont met while at a comic book convention in Spain in the 80s, to my understanding, though.

Yeah, Brian Cronin covered it in C.B.U.L. #158 (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/06/05/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-158/). The Second Urban Legend in that entry.

Firebaton

05-04-2010, 10:27 AM

Cool thank you!

Talisman

05-04-2010, 10:34 AM

Believe it or not, there was a 90's one-shot that had Wolverine, Punisher, and Ghost Rider (http://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=2296) trying to save an innocent girl from being wed to Blackheart, and involved much manly thrashing of demons.

http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/118/18722_20060906073132_large.jpg

Okay, it was the 90s. That shouldn't be surprising. But could they do it twice, and give Blackheart a rematch (http://www.comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=64385)?

http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/137/64385_20061102153336_large.jpg

Yup.

I take offense to your 90's bashing!!! Other than having that Harpy, Mary Jane in the Spidey books non-stop, the 90's were a phenomenal decade.

worstblogever

05-04-2010, 10:41 AM

I take offense to your 90's bashing!!! Other than having that Harpy, Mary Jane in the Spidey books non-stop, the 90's were a phenomenal decade.

I will say that I own all of Generation X, and all of Road Trip X-Force, if that will heal your wounds.

worstblogever

05-04-2010, 11:47 AM

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/9241/592986-00cover4_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/00cover4/105-592986/)

Castlemere
– Hellfire Club member
First appearance: X-Men: Legacy #215
Last appearance: Wolverine: Origins #29 [killed by Mercedes, who blasted both him and Wolverine to cover her escape]
All appearances: X-Men: Legacy #210, 215, 217, Wolverine: Origins #29
Powers: Castlemere is a human cyborg, with the power to send energy tendrils out of his chest, and an apparent immunity to poisons.

Before his time with the Hellfire Club:
Unknown.

During his time with the Hellfire Club:
Castlemere was a member of the Hellfire Club who apparently held a very deep respect for the philosophy of Donald Pierce to attain personal power through cybernetic enhancements. He had to be ordered by Sebastian Shaw not to kill Turner Scholl for attempting to poison him, when he sought to do so with energy tendrils from his enhancements. He was one of three Hellfire Club members to discover Wolverine when he attempted to sneak into the Hellfire Club to find out where Daken was being held, when Sebastian Shaw kidnapped him, and while he was grappling with Wolverine, both were blasted by Mercedes, who used the opportunity to escape.

What are your thoughts on Castlemere? Would you rather he had lived and become one of Donald Pierce’s Reavers? Do you think he would have made another good member of Bastion’s slaves? Would you have liked to have seen him try and get his revenge on Mercedes?

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/2/24656/622624-castlemere_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/castlemere/105-622624/)

worstblogever

05-05-2010, 02:00 AM

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/LourdesChantel.jpg

Lourdes Chantel –
allowed to attend Hellfire Club (version 0) meetings with Sebastian Shaw
First appearance: Classic X-Men #7
Last appearance: Classic X-Men #7 [killed by a Sentinel]
All appearances: X-Men: The Hellfire Club #4, Classic X-Men #7
Powers: Shape an energy matrix out of the atmosphere that can teleport herself and others from place to place.

Before her time with the Hellfire Club:
Lourdes met Sebastian Shaw, who would fall in love with her, the first time he’d ever come to know it. Originally, when Shaw was invited to join the Hellfire Club, Lourdes was concerned for his well being. Lourdes feared that Shaw was becoming too power hungry, and it would be the death of him someday. Sebastian would eventually offer a marriage proposal Lourdes and she would accept.

During her time with the Hellfire Club: During one of the club's holiday soirees Chantel is introduced by Shaw to Ned Buckman, the White King, and the White Queen, Paris Seville. Lourdes tries to warn Sebastian she senses betrayal in Buckman, as a Sentinel attacks Shaw's beach house, where Emma and Harry Leland are waiting, exactly as Buckman planned. Lourdes receives a telepathic call for aid from Emma Frost, and reluctantly and bravely teleported herself, Shaw, and Tessa to the beach house to help. The Sentinel is defeated, but not before it kills Lourdes. That night Emma and Shaw kill the rest of the human Lords Cardinal to avenge her, and rise as new Black King and White Queen.

What are your thoughts on Lourdes Chantel? Would she have risen through the ranks of the Hellfire Club at Shaw’s side if she had not died? Would she have been a foe who would be challenged by Emma Frost or Selene?

Clearcut
-Hired Mercenary of Shinobi Shaw’s Hellfire Club II

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/surrealmonkey_wedding/worstblogever/ClearCut.jpg

First Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #62
Last Appearance: X-Force (vol. 1) #62.
Hellfire Club Appearances: X-Force (vol. 1) #62.
Powers and Abilities: Ability to Materialize Blades in his Hands, not mutant in origin.

His Time With the Hellfire Club:

Saying Clearcut is a member of the Hellfire Club isn't quite correct. The super-powered swordsman Clear-Cut was hired by Shinobi Shaw alongside Mindmeld as his personal assassin during Shinobi’s brief reign as Black King of the Hellfire Club. However, Clearcut quickly betrayed Shinobi, and aided X-Force in their battle against Shinobi while the team was trying to recover the kidnapped brother and sister of Karma. Clearcut simply stated he provided his assistance to repay a debt to Cable. It is unknown what the extent of his relationship with Cable is or what the "debt" was. His powers enabled him to create blades at will. He claims to not be a mutant and does not possess the X-gene so the source of his powers are unknown.

What did you think of Clearcut’s role with the Hellfire Club? What was the nature of the “debt” he owed Cable, in your opinion, that he would betray the Club? Why does he look like a reject from a Dragonball Z episode?

eurazn

05-05-2010, 02:04 AM

Teleporters are the red shirts of the X-Universe, aren't they?

worstblogever

05-05-2010, 02:38 AM

Teleporters are the red shirts of the X-Universe, aren't they?

Long distance ones, anyway. Their advantage is a writer doesn't need to use vehicles if a team has one.

Of course, if they have one, the character/team can always escape trouble with a thought. Thus, while good for a story or two... they end up being expendable because of their incredible potential.

Lourdes... such a great character that's never mentioned. Does Shaw still have a locket with her picture somewhere? Or is he a cold-hearted bastard who gets hummers from Emma Frost or whoever without ever giving Ms. CHantel a second thought again?

A great mystery of Sebsastian Shaw, I guess.

eurazn

05-05-2010, 02:42 AM

Lourdes... such a great character that's never mentioned. Does Shaw still have a locket with her picture somewhere? Or is he a cold-hearted bastard who gets hummers from Emma Frost or whoever without ever giving Ms. CHantel a second thought again?

A great mystery of Sebsastian Shaw, I guess.

Perhaps he gives her a second thought while receiving hummers from Emma Frost or whoever?

Even the long distance teleportation thing didn't save Kurt. Illyana's certainly suffered a few times, but I wonder when Pixie will be next.

I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but was Shinobi's mother ever revealed? Or will I have to wait until May 26th? heh

Daniel Mengsk

05-05-2010, 02:45 AM

Hey wbe, I love your Betsy info posts such wonderful work. Just a note; Betsy is no longer immune to either telepathy or reality changes to her body. ;)

She's a whore.

Siena Blaze you can just ---- --- ----! Thanks.

worstblogever

05-05-2010, 02:45 AM

Perhaps he gives her a second thought while receiving hummers from Emma Frost or whoever?

Even the long distance teleportation thing didn't save Kurt. Illyana's certainly suffered a few times, but I wonder when Pixie will be next.

I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but was Shinobi's mother ever revealed? Or will I have to wait until May 26th? heh

I'll tell you now... No. No idea who the Asian gal Shaw put his baby batter in was.

eurazn

05-05-2010, 02:47 AM

I'll tell you now... No. No idea who the Asian gal Shaw put his baby batter in was.

There aren't many of us "eurazns" out there, so I try to keep tabs on them. I liked Shinobi and his hedonistic ways, even if he did suck at murder.

worstblogever

05-05-2010, 02:47 AM

There aren't many of us "eurazns" out there, so I try to keep tabs on them. I liked Shinobi and his hedonistic ways, even if he did suck at murder.

The hot tub scene with cheesecake and beefcake at his beck and call is legend.

eurazn

05-05-2010, 02:50 AM

the hot tub scene with cheesecake and beefcake at his beck and call is legend.

yeeeeeeeeeees! <3

worstblogever

05-05-2010, 11:35 AM

Mrs. Cohen
– Massachusetts Academy Dance Instructor

First appearance: Firestar (vol. 1) #3.
Last appearance: Firestar (vol. 1) #3.
All Hellfire Club appearances: Technically None.
Powers: Human, no powers.

Her life before the Hellfire Club:
Unknown.

Her life with the Hellfire Club:
Mrs. Cohen was Firestar’s dance teacher at the Massachusetts Academy. After Firestar tripped and fell in ballet class, after falling victim to one of Roulettte’s “bad luck” discs, Empath used his powers on her to make her overreact greatly and call Firestar an ignorant buffoon. Firestar realized Empath’s involvement, and used her powers to set off the sprinkler system in response, soaking Mrs. Cohen and all present.

What do you think of Mrs. Cohen? If the Hellions were supposed to be the darker, nastier version of the New Mutants, was she the dark, nasty version of Stevie Hunter?

Arachne

05-05-2010, 06:25 PM

There aren't many of us "eurazns" out there, so I try to keep tabs on them. I liked Shinobi and his hedonistic ways, even if he did suck at murder.

I like him, too, even if he should have stuck to business and social high-jinx. I think we see and image of his mother in the issue where he tries to convince Angel to join the Hellfire Club. He also mentions her int he issue where he meets with various Asian criminal lords. He says he doesn't want them to cause trouble for his mother after all Sebastian put her through, or something like that.

worstblogever

05-06-2010, 02:14 AM

http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/t/a/Tarot_Marie_Ange_Colbert.jpg

Marie-Ange Colbert, Tarot
- Hellion, student of the White Queen

First appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #16
All Hellions appearance: New Mutants (vol. 1) #16-17, Firestar #2, New Mutants (vol. 1) #39, 43, 53-54, 56, 62, New Warriors (vol. 1) #10, Uncanny X-Men #281-282
Apparently died: Uncanny X-Men #281-282 [Tarot was shot by a Sentinel and later drained by Fitzroy]
Revealed alive: X-Force (vol. 1) #87
Revealed depowered by the Decimation: New Avengers #18
Turned Up as a Techno-Organic Virus-Infected Thrall: X-Necrosha #1
Powers and Abilities: Uses two-dimensional images found on her tarot cards as templates to shape astral energy into giant-sized, solid representations of those pictures. She can also utilize her cards as a medium to predict future events.

Her Life Prior to the Hellions:
Tarot was born in Lyons, France. Little is known about her life, or her recruitment to the Hellfire Club, save for her study of the Tarot.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5551/139491-175484-tarot_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/175484-tarot/105-139491/)

Her Time as one of the Hellions:

Tarot was brought to the Massachusetts Academy by Emma Frost to train as one of her mutant students, the Hellions. She was on campus when the New Mutants infiltrated the Academy as part of a rescue attempt for Kitty Pryde and Doug Ramsey, using her powers to use “The Devil” card to create a solid representation of a demon that attacked Dani Moonstar, putting a chain around her neck that began to corrupt her, body and soul. Magik dispatched this construct before it could do too much, and Tarot followed up the attack by using the Knight of Swords, which manifested as a skeletal knight mounted on a horse that attacked Magik, nearly knocking her out and sending her fleeing after the White Queen arrived to assist her (New Mutants (vol. 1) #16). The next morning, while the rest of the New Mutants were captive, Tarot dropped a card from her deck while she was thinking of them and it was “The Lovers”, making her believe she was destined to fall in love with one of her rivals. Soon, the Hellions offered the New Mutants their freedom if Cannonball could defeat Jetstream in a flying duel, and Tarot cheered on her teammate. While Jetstream would eventually lose, Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw would arrive and refuse to honor the Hellions’ bargain. It would not matter, though, as Magik and Moonstar would return to teleport their captive teammates to safety (New Mutants (vol. 1) #17).

Tarot would soon also meet the mutant girl known as Firestar while she was briefly attending the Massachusetts Academy. At one point after a training exercise where the Hellions particularly disappointed Emma Frost, she and her teammates were psionically mind-blasted by the White Queen for their lackluster effort (Firestar (vol. 1) #2).

Eventually, Emma Frost would make her second attempt at forcing the New Mutants to join her school, having Empath use his powers to coerce Magneto into transferring them to the Massachusetts Academy. The New Mutants, at the time, were despondent and lethargic after their death and rebirth at the hands of the Beyonder. While most of the Hellions were optimistic over having the students from Xavier’s as teammates, Tarot, consulting her deck and using her precognitive abilities, knew that that this would not be the case, and was proven right when the New Mutants would snap out of their trancelike state to help rescue Magneto from the Avengers, who the White Queen had manipulated into trying to arrest the (at the time) reformed villain (New Mutants (vol. 1) #39-40).

After learning what Empath had done to Magneto, as well as Tom Corsi and Sharon Friendlander, the New Mutants were incensed, and looking to get even. After they kidnapped and harassed Empath for an evening, with Magik even briefly threatening him with the forces of Limbo, the Hellions mounted a rescue and tracked him down. The New Mutants, discovering they weren't comfortable with revenge, returned Empath without a fight (New Mutants (vol. 1) #43).

The school rivals would cross paths again a short time later when the New Mutants were invited along with the Hellions to a ball at the Hellfire Club, of which Magneto was White King at the time. Tarot asked Doug Ramsey to dance, but under the influence of Empath, Doug rejected her, accusing her of trying to manipulate him on behalf of the White Queen, and called her a “Hellion tramp”. Marie would get more bad news later in the evening, when she would discover Doug drunk, and in bed with her own teammate, Roulette (New Mutants (vol. 1) #53). The situation would soon dissolve into a big argument, when Cypher would slap Roulette, and the two teams would try to settle their differences by discovering who had sold Gerhard Van Ostamgen a fake statue of Selene. Predicting her team’s victory, by what her cards told her (and getting chastised for letting her cards rule her life by James Proudstar), Tarot would be proven true when the Hellions would capture Viper and the Silver Samurai, and win (New Mutants (vol. 1) #54).

When the Hellions were given a weekend off from school to go to the Hellfire Club in New York, the team began to realize Empath had a crush on the New Mutant, Magma. Tarot began to tease Empath about her, and for her trouble, he used his powers to make her temporarily gain great respect for Amara, before he was forced to stop by Thunderbird. The team would sneak out of the Hellfire Club, and using psychic construct of “The Lovers” as a flying contraption, they would attempt to recover the “Bird Boy”, having already seen a news story that showed the New Mutants were trying to recover it, as well. Upon engaging the New Mutants over the creature, Tarot showed enough skill to summon “The Devil”, “The Knight of Swords”, and a lion, symbolizing “Strength” in her deck at the same time. When Magma would blast fire at her, though, and burn her cards out of her hands, it would destroy all four of the constructs she had created, including the flying contraption. This sent the Hellions tumbling to their deaths, but Tarot managed to grab the singed Devil card and summon another demon for the team to fly upon. Again, Magma would blast her, causing the Hellions to fall. Eventually, the New Mutants would be teleported away by Magik, with the Bird Boy (New Mutants (vol. 1) #56).

Magma ended up leaving Xavier’s to join the Hellions at the Massachusetts Academy, and upon her arrival, Tarot and the Hellions tested her in a training exercise, all ganging up on her at once. During much of it, Tarot began teasing both Amara and Empath about their apparent crush on each other (New Mutants (vol. 1) #62).

Tarot would also be present when the White Queen would send the Hellions, now with Beef and Bevatron, into battle against the New Warriors. One of her constructs, of a large bearded man, would assault Night Thrasher, and she would summon forth the Devil, some kind of a winged warrior, and the knight of wands to assault Marvel Boy (Vance Astrovik), and eventually threaten him with the Death card itself. Vance kept the reaper at bay with his psychokinetic shield, and as he was knocked out, he managed to hit Tarot in the jaw with a telekinetic blast, knocking out the both of them and ending their fight in a draw (New Warriors (vol. 1) #10).

It would be sometime before the Hellions’ last days at Massachusetts Academy that Tarot would come to meet the mysterious Christopher Aaronson, the man who would one day become King Bedlam, and with her precognitive abilities, in relation to her cards, she knew she was destined to one day be with him (revealed in X-Force (vol. 1) #87).

Though all this would be for naught during one fateful night. The members of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle were being murdered one by one leaving only a few members left, including Donald Pierce (the White Rook) and Emma Frost(the White Queen). Fearing for her life, the White Queen, would throw a ball and invite the X-Men. Her intentions were to use the ball as a means to ease tension between the two separate mutant factions [the X-Men and the Hellfire Club]. Her thoughts were that if another faction had the capacity to attack the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, and be as successful as they were, the X-Men couldn't be far from the next target. This of course, couldn't be a truer statement. Towards the end of the night Emma would call a closed meeting with her and her Hellions and Storm and the X-Men’s Gold Team. The Hellions seemed to have little interest in an alliance, and were eager to battle the X-Men, summoning the image of Death to battle Iceman, before being told to stop by Jean Grey, who knew there was a potential assassin in the building. Trevor Fitzroy, and his Sentinels, began their attack, with Tarot being caught in the grip of one of the giant robots. Iceman freed her, for the moment, with his powers. She told Iceman she owed him one, but as Bobby went to aid Colossus against another Sentinel, it turns out she would never get that chance. Another Sentinel came in, and as Tarot summoned a witch quickly with her cards, the Sentinel fired a blast that destroyed the witch, and then went through it to kill her (Uncanny X-Men #281). Or did they? While the Sentinels reported Tarot’s demise, she appeared later in the battle, but her life force was drained by Trevor Fitzroy, killing her a second time (Uncanny X-Men #282).

worstblogever

05-06-2010, 02:17 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/TarotRebirth.jpg

Her Reappearance as a member of King Bedlam’s Hellions:

Tarot would somehow cheat death a second time being nursed back to health by her one time acquaintance Christopher Aaronson. She would be the first of one of his own team of Hellions, along with Feral, Magma, Switch, and Paradigm. However, she would appear before her former teammate James Proudstar, now going by the name Warpath, and try to warn him of Aaronson’s dangerous plan to awaken the entity known as the Armageddon Man, before returning to King Bedlam. She, and the rest of the New Hellions would then reveal themselves to all of X-Force, in an attempt to see if they could force any of them to join (X-Force (vol. 1) #87). She continued to try and warn Warpath of the danger of King Bedlam, but would not go into detail, and refused to turn against him, claiming she loved King Bedlam (X-Force (vol. 1) #88). After X-Force would be captured, she would present the card of the Fool to Jesse Aaronson, King Bedlam’s brother on X-Force, and warn him that his plan to resurrect the Armageddon Man must be stopped. She walked into the reactor room at the Alamogordo Base herself, risking advanced radiation exposure, to summon the arcana from her Tarot deck directly out of her teammate Paradigm, who lost his control over X-Force, setting them free. Tarot went to confess her betrayal to King Bedlam, claiming that his plan to resurrect the Armageddon Man would only result in misfortune, not wealth. He went to punch her, but was prevented from doing so by Jesse Aaronson, who could see the toll being exposed to the reactor room’s radiation had already begun to have on her, but in the end, her efforts were for naught, and the Armageddon Man was revived (X-Force (vol. 1) #89). While in the battle that soon began again between X-Force and the Hellions, Tarot was willing to defend King Bedlam from their attacks, she also revealed the key to defeating the Armageddon Man to X-Force, to remove him from the Earth he drew his strength from. In the end, when most of this team of Hellions fled, Tarot was amongst their number (X-Force (vol. 1) #90). She would not be heard of until the Decimation, when her power signature turned up amongst those within the Collective, revealing that she lost her powers on M-Day (revealed in New Avengers #18).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/TarotBedlam.jpg

Whatever happened to Tarot after this (quite possibly she was killed for her betrayal by King Bedlam), she turned up as one of Selene’s techno-organic virus-infected thralls that attacked Utopia (X-Necrosha #1). Tarot summoned forth the Death card, creating a giant reaper with a scythe to attack Cyclops and Domino, only to have the teleport in front of it and nearly be decapitated (X-Force (vol. 3) #21). As Selene began to realize that her control over Doug Ramsey was beginning to lapse, she sent the Hellions to recover him. The New Mutants, however, managed to assure Selene’s control over Doug was broken using the Soulsword, and Warlock deployed some sort of counter-measure with some of his techno-organic offspring that blew the Hellions clear off of the roof of one of Utopia’s towers in a large explosion (New Mutants (vol. 3) #7-8). It is unknown, however, if when Blink returned to Utopia to collect Selene’s techno-organic thralls to return them to Genosha for her to feed upon their life-essences in her ritual to achieve godhood, if Tarot or the Hellions were amongst their number.

Her Reappearance as one of Selene’s techno-organic thralls:

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/36156/1041734-tarot_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/tarot/105-1041734/)

What did you think of Tarot? Should she act against the creators of Yu-Gi-Oh! For ripping off her gimmick? Would you like to see her former attractions to Cypher or James Proudstar explored?
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/33603/1011571-xn_24_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/xn_24/105-1011571/)