IMPALA

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human, African

Occupation: Adventurer, former professional criminal

Affiliations: Bad Girls Inc. (Black Mamba, Asp);
the Bar With No Name, Diamondback, Sersi;
(former) Superia, Superia's Femizons

Enemies: Battleaxe, Coal Tiger, Golddigger, Steel Wind, Voortrekker;
(former) Captain America, Paladin

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, formerly Zambia, West Africa; Femizonia

First Appearance: Captain America I#388 (July, 1991)

 

Powers/Abilities: Impala is an Olympic-level javelin thrower and athlete. Her costume is equipped with several javelins, which can be used to vault herself over walls, or thrown at opponents.

History: Impala's past is unknown. She is known to be native to Zambia, West Africa, and embarked on a career of apparent criminal activities. During this time, she became an opponent of Voortrekker and Coal Tiger.

(Captain America I#387 - BTS) - Impala was among the costumed women invited by Superia on an ocean cruise to Femizonia.

(Captain America I#388) - Aboard the cruise vessel, she met Asp, Black Mamba, and Diamondback, at that time, the three members of Bad Girls Inc., a private detective organization. She befriended the three of them, and invited them to that evening's "power pageant".

(Captain America I#389) - After Diamondback went missing, Asp and Black Mamba asked Impala for help in finding her. Later that evening, the two of them joined Impala for the "Pageant of Power", and watched as Impala demonstrated her javelin-throwing abilities. When the Femizons discovered Captain America and Paladin spying upon them, Impala was among those who joined in attacking them.

 

(Captain America I#390) - Impala threw two of her javelins at Captain America, but he caught one in his hands, and used it as a weapon against the other Femizons. Nonetheless, he and Paladin were ultimately defeated by the Femizons' sheer numbers.

(Captain America I#391) - Upon their arrival at Femizonia, Impala was among the Femizons as they were addressed by Superia, who shared with them her plans to make them the most powerful women on Earth.

(Captain America I#392-BTS) - Superia's plans were foiled by Captain America, and the majority of the Femizons went their separate ways.

 

(Captain America I#394/2-BTS, 395) - Some time later, at one of New York's "Bars With No Name", Impala witnessed Asp and Black Mamba being assaulted by former Femizons Battleaxe, Golddigger and Steel Wind, who were attempting to claim the bounty Superia had placed on them. Impala joined in the fight, and helped defeat Battleaxe. As Black Mamba and Asp fled from the scene, Impala caught up to them, explaining that she had joined in the fight to even the odds. Asp and Black Mamba asked her if she would like to join Bad Girls Inc., replacing Diamondback, and she accepted.

(Captain America I#396/2) - For their first operation, the three semi-heroes broke into the abandoned headquarters of the Serpent Society, to obtain one of the Society's old Serpent Saucers to use for transport. In doing so, they set off an alarm at Avengers Headquarters, and the Avenger Sersi was sent to the scene to investigate. Sersi believed them to be members of the Serpent Society, and when Impala threw a javelin at her, she responded by transforming it into flowers. She then turned all three women into snakes, but soon returned Black Mamba to normal so she could be interrogated.

(Captain America I#397/2) - From speaking with Black Mamba, Sersi learned that the three of them were not criminals, and she turned Asp and Impala back to normal as well. Black Mamba was further able to convince Sersi to allow them to leave with the Serpent Saucer, and the three of them discussed what their mission would be. Asp and Black Mamba had intended to find Snapdragon, the woman who had beaten Diamondback in combat and nearly killed her. Impala suggested they confront Superia to learn her location, but the other two declined. They decided that instead, they would look for mercenary opportunities in Europe, continuing to search for Snapdragon as they did so.

(Captain America I#411, 412, [413, 414]) - Eventually, their quest brought them to AIM Weapons Expo at Boca Caliente Island. There, they ran into Diamondback, disguised as Mother Night, who was searching for Snapdragon herself. Diamondback did not reveal her true identity to them, and finally took care of Snapdragon herself.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald and Rik Levins.

Since Captain America I#411, Black Mamba has turned up solo in titles such as Deathlok and Thunderbolts, so it would appear that Bad Girls Inc. disbanded behind-the-scenes.

Impala's known enemies include Voortrekker and the Coal Tiger. Voortrekker is one of the Supremacists (@ Black Panther II#2), while the Coal Tiger is up for debate. I believe that this is the name that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had originally intended for the Black Panther (or at least it was one they had discussed). An alternate dimensional counterpart of T'Challa, the Coal Tiger, was brought to Earth-616 by the Gatherers, but did not receive the stabilization process, and died. In the future of Earth-MC2, T'Chaka (the son of T'Challa) is known as the Coal Tiger.
Neither of these previous conflicts have been seen, but I'd be very interested in some further background. Who's up for an Impala limited series? Ultimate Impala? no? ok, never mind--Snood.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Impala should not be confused with:

Other appearances:
Captain America I#389-392 (August-September, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#394 (November, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Larry Alexander (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#395 (December, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Larry Alexander (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#396-397 (January-February, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Larry Alexander (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#411-414 (January-April, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik Levins & M.C. Wyman (#414) (pencils), Danny Bulanadi & friends (#414) (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)

First Posted: 11/28/2002
Last updated: 11/28/2002

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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