SNAKE EYESSNAKE EYES
Real Name: Michael Lamont
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Criminal, Gang leader
Group Membership: Leader of the Black Hand (Brother Cash)
Affiliations: An unnamed doctor/surgeon (See Comments)
Enemies: Nathaniel "Blackbyrd" Byrd, Iron Fist (Danny Rand-Kai), Sons of the Tiger (Abe Brown, Bob Diamond, Lin Sun)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Snake-Eyes
Base of Operations: Harlem, New York
First Appearance: Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu#18/2 (November, 1975)
Powers/Abilities: Snake Eyes' body has been
reinforced by a combination of bulletproof glass, and high
density metal and plastic. The extent to which the rest of his
body has been reinforced is unknown, but he possesses superhuman
strength (enhanced human to Class 5, enabling him to lift/press between one to
five tons), durability, speed, and stamina.
He is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat, as well as
the use of conventional firearms.
In addition, he commands the Black
Hand.
History: The full origin of Snake Eyes is unrevealed. He apparently was born with (or at least had them prior to his later mutation) what appeared to scales around his eyelids, hence his nickname.
(Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu#18/2 (fb) - BTS) - Over five years ago, Snake
Eyes killed a blind war veteran and was sent to prison by Blackbyrd.
Snake Eyes escaped from prison at some point but was nearly
killed in the process. According to him, "A doctor-friend o' mine fixed me
up! Gave me the power!" He was rebuilt with a
combination of plastic, steel, and bulletproof glass and gained
superhuman physical abilities in the process.
At some point Snake Eyes came to head the Black Hand.
(Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu#18/2) - Snake Eyes led the Black Hand in a
plot to steal a shipment of a radioactive isotope being brought
in to treat a medical epidemic. Snake Eyes planned to force the
city to pay him ONE MILLION DOLLARS! to return the
isotope. In addition, he needed the isotope to stabilize his own
body.
The plot ran afoul of Snake Eyes' old enemy, Blackbyrd, but also
drew in Byrd's allies the Sons of the Tiger, and their new
friend, Iron Fist. The heroes made short work of the Black Hand,
but none of them could stand up to Snake Eyes' new power, and he
savagely battered the heroes. Finally, Iron Fist saw his opening
and struck with his <surprise> Iron Fist, shattering Snake
Eyes' chest plate, apparently killing him.
Comments: Snake Eyes created by Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick (artist), and Terry Austin (inker).
Big glass plate protecting your internal organs...hmm...what could possibly happen to that?
He apparently died in the comic, but then again so have so many other characters--he could always come back.
Could one of his parents have come from--say--Starkesboro, Massachusetts via Boston? And, could his doctor-friend have been Nightshade? (That would certainly explain why Dredmund Druid chose her to experiment on the people there, just before the Cap-Wolf Saga.)--Carycomix
His real name was revealed in the Sons of the Tiger profile in OHotMU A-Z HC#10.
Profile updated/edited by Kyle Sims
CLARIFICATIONS: Snake Eyes has no known connection to:
The Black Hand has no known connection to:
(Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu#18/2) - The Black Hand was a highly
trained paramilitary outfit of Harlem-based African-Americans
serving under Snake Eyes. They were highly skilled in armed and
unarmed combat. Their primary motive appeared to be financial,
along with seeking political power.
Brother Cash was the only other member named (pictured to the right,
the character on the left side).
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#9-BTS) - Following the death of Snake Eyes, the Black Hand apparently became more involved with crime for profit, although this may have been to finance their revolution. They also became much less--black.
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#9-10) - The Black
Hand sought to steal the highly valued Erskine manuscripts from
the Empire State University. They were fought off by the White
Tiger (Hector Ayayla) and Blackbyrd. However, because a White
Tiger imposter (Prof. Ramon Vasquez) stole the manuscripts, the
original White Tiger was suspected of being in league with the
Black Hand. Blackbyrd recognized, defeated, and captured them, proving the White Tiger's
innocence, in turn.
Turk was named in Spectacular Spider-Man II#10
(pictured below in the center).
Comments: Was...[the Black Hand]...an Afro-centric offshoot of the similarly-named ninja cult [the Hand]? Funded, perhaps, by the Silent Ones (the S[ons] [of the] T[iger]'s extra-dimensional archenemies)?--Carycomix
Appearances:
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu#18 (November, 1975) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#9-10 (August-September, 1977) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Mike Esposito & Frank Giacoia (#10) (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
First Posted: 04/18/2002
Last updated: 02/14/2013
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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