KONO SANADA

Real Name: Kono Sanada

Identity/Class: Human warrior

Occupation: Assassin, Mercenary; former sumo wrestler

Affiliations: employee of Damon Dran; former ally of Black Lotus, "Deadshot" Darrance, Golddigger, Iron Maiden, Laralie (now Wrangler), N'Kama, and Snapdragon (Sheoke Sanada)

Enemies: Americop, Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Captain America, Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Zachary Moonhunter

Known Relatives: Sheoke Sanada (Snapdragon, sister, deceased)

Aliases: Kono the Sumo

Base of Operations: currently unknown; formerly Damon Dran's mansion, New Orleans, Louisianna; Damon

First Appearance: Marvel Fanfare I#11 (November, 1983)

Powers: While Kono has no superhuman powers, he is very large and powerful, possessing peak human strength. His size, as well as the thickness of his muscle and fat render him more resistant to physical trauma. He is highly skilled in the art of sumo wrestling, and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, although he is not exceptionally fast.

History: Kono was originally a sumo wrestler, but he left the ring for the more lucrative career of a paid assassin. At some point, both he and his sister, known as Snapdragon, came into the employ of Damon Dran.

(MarvFan#11, 12)-Kono, along with several other assassins, was sent by Dran to capture the Black Widow. In the midst of the struggle with the Widow and the others assassins, Kono was shot in the head by a bullet from Darrance, which the Widow had managed to avoid. Kono was not killed, but was taken out of the fight.

(Captain America I#428-430)-Kono was still employed by Dran sometime later, when a series of events drew the Americop, Captain America, Diamondback, and Moonhunter to Dran's manor. Diamondback had come to learn more about the death of Snapdragon, which drew the attention of Kono. He empowered Diamondback (who was conflicted by feelings of guilt over Snapdragon's death) and was in the process of drowning her when Moonhunter smashed him in the back of the head with a metal statuette. Kono recovered a few minutes later, and was present when several of the heroes were captured. He was minimally involved in the rest of the struggle, and it is unknown whether he was arrested, escaped, or killed.

Comments: Created by Ralph Macchio and George Perez.

Clarifications: Kono the Sumo has no known connections to:
Sumo, General Wo, @ Tales of Suspense I#61/2
Sumo, of the Mutant Liberation Front, @ New Mutants I#93
sumo, an unnamed agent of the Silent Ones, @ Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu
...or any other sumos seen in various and sundry Kung-Fu stories.
Kono of Wakanda, the son of W'Kabi, @ Jungle Action#13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Last updated: 08/01/02

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