Shathra
| Shathra | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #46 (Dec 2002) |
| Created by | J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Shathra |
| Species | Extra-dimensional |
| Notable aliases | Sharon Keller, Spider-Wasp, Annabelle Adams |
| Abilities | Super-strength, flight |
Shathra is a Spider-Man villain and a character in the Marvel Comics universe.
Fictional character biography
Shathra is an insectoid creature from the Astral Plane and the totem of the spider wasp, much as Spider-Man is rumored to be a totem of the spider. As spider wasps kill spiders, she escaped the astral world where she lived to find Spider-Man (Spider-Man had previously visited her world and accidentally alerted her to his presence). Her plan was to feed "the spider" to her children once she killed him.[1]
Shathra assumed a human form and calling herself Sharon, she went to Fox News and claimed to be Spider-Man's lover to draw him out and disgrace him. Spider-Man quickly came to the studio and angrily attacked her, revealing her wasp form. After an intense battle, she poisoned him with wasp venom to paralyze him. After falling into a museum exhibit, he was found by Ezekiel Sims and taken to Ghana in Africa.[2]
There, as Peter waited in an ancient Spider Temple, Shathra tracked him, and they fought in an intense showdown. However, she was attacked by a swarm of spiders, which covered her and apparently killed her.[3]
Scarlet Spider
How she survived is left unknown but after her previous fight with Spider-Man, Shathra began looking for a suitable replacement for her children which she found in the form of Kaine. She imitates the form of Annabelle Adams, one of the few people that is aware Kaine is also the Scarlet Spider. When Kaine rejects Shathra after seeing the real Annabelle she morphs into her natural form and is able to defeat Kaine.[4] However, when she tries to kill Kaine's friend Wally, Kaine recovers enough to morph into a man-spider and rips her to shreds.[5]
Powers and abilities
Shathra is an extremely powerful foe, almost on the level of Morlun. She is very, very strong, and is very agile. Shathra also has the ability to shoot stingers out of her wrists (akin to an actual wasp), which causes her prey to be paralyzed-much as a spider-wasp actually does to a spider. Spider-Man later gained this ability (temporarily) during The Other storyline.