Calypso (comics)
| Calypso | |
|---|---|
|
Calypso. Art by Todd McFarlane. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Amazing Spider-Man #209 (October 1980) |
| Created by |
Denny O'Neil Alan Weiss |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Calypso Ezili |
| Notable aliases |
The Witch Kraven Witch |
| Abilities |
Mind control Resurrection Use of potions |
Calypso is a fictional villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #209 and was created by Denny O'Neil and Alan Weiss.
Publication history
Calypso initially appeared as a minor character The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1, #209 and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1, #65, where was she was an ally of Spider-Man's enemy Kraven the Hunter. After Kraven's death, Calypso bewitched the Lizard into helping her attack Spider-Man in Spider-Man Vol. 1, #1-5, then made guest appearances in Daredevil Vol. 1, #310-311 and Daredevil Annual Vol. 1, #9. Calypso next appeared in Web of Spider-Man Vol. 1, #109-110 and Spider-Man Annual 1997, and was killed-off in a storyline that spanned The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1, #249-253.
Fictional character biography
Calypso was a nameless voodoo priestess of Haitian nationality.[1] She was a psychopathic woman who was associated with Sergei Kravinoff. Calypso seemed to enjoy driving Kraven into fits of rage and furthering his hatred of Spider-Man, which ultimately led to Kraven's suicide in the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline.[2]
When artist Todd McFarlane started writing the new Spider-Man comic in 1990, his opening five-issue story arc, "Torment", featured Calypso, whom McFarlane transformed into a dangerous threat for Spider-Man. The explanation for Calypso's supernatural powers was the sacrifice of her younger sister. She used her abilities to hold Curt Connors, The Lizard, in her grasp, and the two nearly succeeded in murdering Spider-Man. However, the webslinger managed to best them both, and Calypso was apparently killed.[3]
Her voodoo prevented her from truly dying and Calypso returned again. Commanding a squad of savages, she attacked Spider-Man and Alyosha Kravinoff, the son of the original Kraven the Hunter. Desiring revenge for losing Sergei, she used her powers to drive Spidey and Alyosha into fighting each other. Spidey and Alyosha fought off her spell, and shared a handshake. Alyosha said that he would hold Calypso at his mansion, so the villainess could tell him about his long-lost father. However, Alyosha slew Calypso instead.[4]
Powers and abilities
Calypso was well-versed in the religion and practice of voodoo. She often used voodoo drums, potions, and charms. Calypso used mind control, resurrection, and poisons.
Other versions
What If?
When Spider-Man is forced to kill the Lizard in an alternate version of the "Torment" story-arc, Calypso approaches the Lizard's distraught son, Billy, and offers him the chance to get revenge on Spider-Man via a potion that will make him "just like daddy".[5]
In other media
Television
- In the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Calypso was initially introduced as a research scientist named Dr. Mariah Crawford (voiced by Susan Beaubian), who was engaged to Sergei Kravinoff before his mystic serum transformed him into Kraven the Hunter who affectionately calls her "Calypso". She assisted Spider-Man in several episodes, most notably helping him develop a cure for the Man-Spider mutation where even Professor X had expressed doubt about his ability to develop a cure. In "The Return of Kraven," Dr. Mariah Crawford (who was in Africa at the time) came down with a disease prompting Sergei to use the serum on her. After returning from Africa, the serum caused Mariah to transform into a feral woman who greatly resembled the comic version of Calypso, but also was depicted with claws, green eyes, and lion-like ears. Sergei had to take the serum again to track her down when she starts attacking people in the park at night (which at the time Spider-Man thought it was Kraven). After a struggle with Kraven, Spider-Man and Black Cat assisted Kraven into subduing Calypso and administer the cure made by Dr. Curt Connors, which was able to reverse some of the transformation's mental effects. She and Kraven eventually left to be alone.
- Calypso appears alongside Kraven the Hunter in the The Spectacular Spider-Man[6] episode "Destructive Testing" voiced by Angela Bryant. In this series, Calypso is Kraven's lover and there is some indication she is a voodoo priestess. She presents to Kraven pictures of Spider-Man from a mysterious American friend, and encourages him to go to New York and hunt him. After Kraven's first attempt at killing Spider-Man, she suddenly appears in a robe and says, "You have need of me, love?". He states that he did not call her and declines her offer of help. After Kraven's second defeat at the hands of Spider-Man, Calypso rescues him and reveals that their friend has revealed himself - he is the Master Planner. The Master Planner then asks Kraven if he would like to "hunt in a pack", i.e. join his new Sinister Six.
Video games
- Calypso appears as a secret boss at the end of the video game Spider-Man 2.
- Calypso also appears as a villain that assists Kraven the Hunter in Spider-Man 3 voiced by Angela V. Shelton. She provided him with various potions and mutating the Lizard into an even larger, more monstrous form.
- A Noir version of Calypso appears as an exclusive villain in the Nintendo DS version of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions voiced by Jennifer Hale. Calypso uses her fragment of the Tablet of Order and Chaos to raise an army of zombies. She also hopes to use it to revive Kraven in a ritual. She is later defeated by Spider-Man Noir.
References
- ↑ "Spiderfan.org".
- ↑ The Spectacular Spider-Man #132
- ↑ Spider-Man #5
- ↑ The Spectacular Spider-Man #249-253
- ↑ Simon Furman (w), Dane McCart (p), Dane McCart (i), Mark Bernardo (col), Janice Chiang (let), Rob Tokar (ed). "What If Spider-Man Killed the Lizard?" What If? v2, #53 (10 September 1993), United States: Marvel Comics
- ↑ Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter: Monday, January 21, 2008