SHAYA

Real Name: Shaya

Identity/Class: Human, mystic powers

Occupation: Priestess of the Cult of Kara-Kai

Group Membership: Cult of Kâli

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Iron Fist, Nekra, Ninja, Colleen Wing, Professor Wing

Known Relatives: Ushas (sister, deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York

First Appearance: Marvel Premiere#21 (March, 1975)

Powers/Abilities: Shaya wore a cloak which could create darkness, similiar to the power of the Shroud. Shaya also wielded a morningstar.

History: (Marvel Premiere#21)- Shaya and Ushas directed the capture of Professor Wing, an archaeologist who had obtained the Sacred Volume of Kâli. Placing him under their guard along with his daughter Colleen, they found themselves facing their ally, Iron Fist. Shaya used her cloak to encase the room in darkness so that Ushas could use it to her advantage in battling Iron Fist. However, when Iron Fist knocked over their statue of Kâli, Ushas spent herself saving her people's lives.

(Marvel Premiere#22)- As Iron Fist and the Ninja engaged in combat, Shaya used the opportunity to bring Ushas to safety, despite her protestations.

(Spider-Woman I#16 (fb))- Shaya and Ushas were put to death by their own cultists when the mutant Nekra supplanted them as the cult's leader after offering herself as a sacrifice, but surviving their attempts to kill her. She demanded that Shaya and Ushas do the same, sending them to their doom.

Comments: Created by Tony Isabella, Arvell Jones and Vince Colletta.

Shaya and Ushas' powers of light and darkness-- plus the connection to Kâli-- remind one of the Shroud and his one-time foe Firefly






by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Shaya should not be confused with:


Images taken from:
Marvel Premiere#21, page 15, panel 3
Marvel Premiere#21, page 17, panel 1


Marvel Premiere#22 (June, 1975) - Tony Isabella (writer), Arvell Jones (pencils), Aubrey Bradford (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Spider-Woman I#16 (July, 1979) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Carmine Infantino (pencils), Al Gordon (inks), Roger Stern (editor)

First Posted: 11/15/2004
Last updated: 11/15/2004

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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