BLACKBIRDBLACKBIRD
Real Name: Heather O'Gara
Identity/Class: Human, technology user
Occupation: Mercenary, spy
Group Membership: Superia's Femizons
Affiliations: Former agent of the Leader, Nightshade, and Superia (one of her lieutenants); Iron Maiden, Snapdragon, briefly assisted Avengers and Hulk; formerly utilized Megalith
Enemies: AIM, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Leader, MODAM, Omnivac, Paladin
Known Relatives: None
Aliases:
Jackdaw
Base of Operations: Formerly Omnivac (in Earth's orbit); formerly Femizonia Island (presumably) and the S. S. Superia ship
First Appearance: (As Jackdaw)
Incredible Hulk II#274 (August, 1982);
(as Blackbird) Captain America I#388 (July, 1991), (named) 389 (early
August,
1991)
Powers: She possesses a lightly armored
winged suit enabling her to fly at great speeds. She has some
knowledge of technology and is skilled with a variety of weapons.
She also uses a cable claw which can ensnare and bind her foes.
This cable is strong enough to hold a man with enhanced human
strength.
see Megalith below
History: Her origins are unrevealed. She somehow made a name for herself and became a highly paid mercenary.
(Incredible Hulk II#274-275) - Under the employ of the Leader, Jackdaw was sent to Gamma Base to obtain certain pieces of technology. She arrived at the same time as Betty Ross and Bereet (that's her, the shadow in the sky), and shortly before the Hulk returned, but she initially remained hidden from them, exploring the base in secret. In fact, Bereet made Jackdaw's entry into the Base easier by destroying a number of the security systems via her "pet", Sturky. Jackdaw had been sent to obtain some advanced experiments and discoveries in the field of gamma radiation. However, she was distracted and very impressed by the giant robot, Megalith. She put on the "symbio-bands" to control Megalith, and attempted to escape with it. Her initial clumsiness alerted the Hulk, who sought to stop her. At first, she overpowered the Banner-brained Hulk, until he got annoyed enough and shattered the giant robot. Blackbird suffered tremendous agony as the damge done to Megalith was transmitted back to her via the symbio-bands. After Megalith's destruction, she fled back to the Leader, hoping for mercy.
(Incredible Hulk II#277-281, 283(fb), 283, 284) -
Jackdaw was at
the Leader's side as he prepared for his next plan. She was there
when the Leader defeated the intelligent Hulk and sent him back
to Earth. However, when she learned of the Leader's plan to go
back in time and mutate primitive man with gamma rays, she turned
against him. Not wanting to be mutated into a gamma-creature, she
tried to stop the Leader from activating his time machine. The
Leader directed his intelligent computer, Omnivac, to take a
humanoid form and "discipline" Jackdaw. Omnivac
disciplined her nearly to death.
Jackdaw, obviously badly beaten, appeared when the Hulk and the Avengers invaded Omnivac, but she was too late to stop the Avengers from being sent back in time, as per the Leader's plans. The Hulk and the She-Hulk were not sent back, as the Leader had unwittingly made the device unable to be used on him against his will, and the two gamma-powered heroes had similar immunity. The Banner-minded Hulk deciphered the Leader's codes, and sent himself and the She-Hulk back in time, where they regathered the Avengers and foiled the Leader's plot. Omnivac attempted to alter the time machine so that none of the heroes could return, but Jackdaw ripped the wires out of his head, stopping them.
BTS-Sometime after this, she changed her name to Blackbird. She was one of the "super-women" recruited (probably hired) by Superia to help her in her plot to direct Earth's timeline to become that of Earth-Femizonia.
(Captain America I#388-389) - As Captain America and Paladin attempted to track Diamondback, who had been "invited" (initially abducted) to Femizonia Island, they were attacked by MODAM. After they fought off MODAM, Blackbird and Moonstone were sent to stop them. Blackbird ensnared Paladin, but Cap freed him. After Paladin took out Moonstone, Blackbird decided to fly off for reinforcements. However, Cap snagged her before she could take off and cut off her air until she passed out. Both Blackbird and Moonstone were taken aboard the Avengers quinjet that came to assist Cap, and they were taken to police custody.
(Captain America I#411-414) - After her release or
escape,
Blackbird joined back up with Superia, serving as one of her
lieutenants, alongside Iron Maiden and Snapdragon. These four
attended the AIM Weapons Expo on Boca Caliente, with the plan of
taking over the Island, and using their profits to finance
Superia's further plans of worldwide conquest. Superia met with
Alessandro Brannex, the head of AIM, and blasted a hole through
his chest. She was quickly subdued by MODAM, who retained her
loyalty to AIM and refused to aid Superia. Brannex was revealed
to be an adaptoid, and he recovered from the assault. Brannex
directed MODAM to dispose of Superia.
Blackbird and Iron Maiden flew to help Superia, while Snapdragon was confronted by Diamondback (who had been toughened by recent experiences and sought revenge for her near drowning on the S. S. Superia). Diamondback killed Snapdragon, while MODAM blasted Blackbird into submission, leaving the Iron Maiden unable to stop MODAM as she took off with Superia.
Comments: Jackdaw and Megalith were
created by Richard Konkle and first used in as story by Bill Mantlo,
Sal Buscema, and Joe Sinnott.
She was renamed Blackbird
by Mark Gruenwald.
I thought the name Jackdaw had a lot more pizzazz than Blackbird (which is a European bird similar to, but smaller than, a crow). Maybe she could be the Grackle...ahh, that's taken, too.
Her full name was revealed in the Hulkbusters' entry in OHOTMU A-Z HC#5.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Jackdaw/Blackbird has no
known connection to:
Megalith should not be confused with:
Megalith was constructed at Gamma Base,
presumably as an
anti-Hulk weapon. It was approximately 25' tall robot
possessing superhuman (Class 75-100) strength and durability. It
was designed for remote control via symbiotic-linkage to
enable precise direction. Wearing a vest and helmet allowed
Megatlith's controller to see what it saw and feel what it felt.
Via the same linkage, it would exactly mimic the physical
movements of its controller (this was pre-virtual reality
technology, you know). It was never used by the staff of
Gamma Base against the Hulk or any others, as far as is known.
The Hulk shattered it into pieces when Jackdaw used it against
him. Jackdaw was nearly devastated by the pain she felt through
the symbiotic linkage, and reasoned that this was the reason why
Gamma Base had never used it.
--Incredible Hulk II#275
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#274-275 (August - September, 1982) - Bill Mantlo
(writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#277-278 (November - December, 1982) - Bill Mantlo
(writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#279 (January - March, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer),
Mark Gruenwald (pencils), Greg LaRocque (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#280 (February, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal
Buscema (pencils), Andy Mushynsky (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#281 (March, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal
Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#283-284 (May-June, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal
Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Captain America I#388-389 (late July - early August, 1991) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph
Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#411-414 (January-April, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald
(writer), Rik Levins (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Mike Rockwitz
(editor)
First Posted: 11/18/2001
Last updated: 09/28/2007
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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