ASP
Real Name: Cleopatra "Cleo" Nefertiti
Identity/Class: Human mutate or mutant; citizen of Egypt
Occupation: Mercenary, exotic dancer
Group Membership: Serpent Society (aka Serpent Solutions) (Anaconda, Black Mamba, Black Racer, Boomslang, Bushmaster/Quincy McIver, Coachwhip, Copperhead/Davis Lawfers, Cottonmouth/Burchell Clemens, Death Adder/Theodore Scott, Eel/Edward Lavell, Fer-de-Lance, King Cobra, Princess Python, Puff Adder, Rattler, Rock Python, Sidewinder/Gregory Bryan, Viper/Jordan Dixon) formerly Army of Evil, Women Warriors (Black Mamba, Diamondback, Quicksand, Skein); B.A.D. Girls, Inc. (Black Mamba, Diamondback, Impala), Captain America's resistance forces (Black Mamba, Captain America (Rogers), Daredevil (Danny Rand), Diamondback (Leighton), Falcon, Firebird, Hawkeye (Bishop), Hercules, Hulkling, Human Torch (Storm), Invisible Woman, Justice, Living Lightning, Machine Man, Patriot, Punisher, Monica Rambeau, Speed, Spider-Man (Parker), Ultragirl, many others)
Affiliations: Baron Zemo (Helmut Zemo),
Captain America (Steve Rogers), Constrictor (Payne, son of Frank Payne), Nekra, Owl,
Paladin, Scorpion (former allies); Constrictor
former pawn of Llan the Sorcerer;
formerly Death Adder (Burroughs), Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Sidewinder (Seth Voelker)
Enemies: Alpha Flight (Box, Diamond Lil, Guardian/Heather Hudson, Sasquatch),
Arcade, Avengers (Black Widow/Natasha Romanova, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne), Battleaxe, Black Ant,
Black Panther (T'Challa), Luke Cage, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain America/Falcon (Sam Wilson), America Chavez, Circus
of Crime, D-Man (Dennis Dunphy), Dazzler (in Diamondback's body), Diamondback (Rachel Leighton),
Diamondback LMD, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Eel of Blessed Waters, Falcon (Joaquin Torres),
Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm),
Gamma Flight (Auric, Nemesis, Silver, Wild Child,
Witchfire), Gamecock,
Gambit (Remy LeBeau), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Iron Fist (Danny Rand), Jackhammer, Joelle, Justice (Vance Astrovik), Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff), Llan the Sorcerer, Makeshift clones, Misty Knight, MODAM, MODOK, Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond simulacrum), Poundcakes,
R.A.I.D. (Radically Advanced Ideas), Rat of 12 Plagues, Rocket Raccoon, Rive clones, Sabretooth (Victor Creed), She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Star-Lord (Peter Quill),
Steel Wind, Hope Summers, Superia
and her Femizons
(especially Ferocia,
Ice
Princess, Iron
Maiden, Whiteout),
Taskmaster, Thor (Odinson), Thundra, Viper
(Madame Hydra), Wyatt Wingfoot, Wolverine;
formerly Anaconda, Black Racer, Puff Adder, Rock Python,
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: The
Temptress, "Aspy;"
briefly masqueraded as Ice Princess
Base of Operations: Mobile across the USA;
formerly
Paladin's apartment; Serpent
Citadels
First Appearance: (photograph) Captain America I#308 (1985), (live) Captain America I#310 (1985),
Powers/Abilities: The Asp generates an unknown form of energy within herself, which is constantly through her skin in undetectable bursts which have the effect of rendering her toxic; prolonged skin-to-skin contact with her can be fatal. She can release this energy in blasts of various strengths; at maximum intensity she could kill a normal human with ease. After emitting a high-intensity blast it takes some time to recharge so that she can let loose with another, usually about one minute. Asp's skin tone is slightly grey. Asp has some expertise with security systems, and is an accomplished dancer and acrobat in excellent physical shape; however, she possesses no real hand-to-hand combat skills. She has a small transceiver implanted in her skull which allowed Sidewinder to track her; it is unclear if she or any other Society members are aware of this.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 115 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#1) - Asp was born in Tanta, Egypt.
(Captain America I#308) - While rifling through Sidewinder's belongings, Black Mamba found and showed the other two a series of files on them on several other snake themed criminals, including Princess Python, Asp, Cobra, and Constrictor.
(Captain America I#310) - At a posh midtown Manhattan hotel, Sidewinder (Seth Voelker) had invited several serpent-themed mercenaries to attend the organizational meeting for the Serpent Society. Those present were Sidewinder, Black Mamba, Death Adder, Princess Python, Cottonmouth, Diamondback, Constrictor, Bushmaster, Cobra (later King Cobra), Asp, Rattler, and Anaconda. Sidewinder's pitch was to mimic the heroes and to band together as a united group. He'd spent the previous nine months laying the groundwork for his new group, and promised a guaranteed pay scale, insurance, medical plans, pensions, greater access to tools and data, and, thanks to Sidewinder's teleportational abilities, no fear of long-term imprisonment. All but one attendee agreed to join; Constrictor refused and left.
(Captain America I#310) - To test their ability to be team players, Sidewinder split the group into three sections, and set each group out in a van to retrieve objects that he felt would be of use to the Society. While Anaconda, Cobra, and Rattler went to retrieve mutagenics equipment from Brand, it is not known what the other groups were not what they retrieved.
(Captain America I#311) - Following the successful completion of all three tasks, the group reconvened in their new headquarters, the Serpent Citadel. Seeking to advertise the group, Sidewinder broke them into teams of two and sent them to contact all the major criminal and subversive organizations in America. Among the potential contactees were the Maggia, Zodiac, Secret Empire, Kingpin, AIM, and Hydra. Asp and Cottonmouth made contact with the Kingpin in a Manhattan skyscraper, knocking out many of his guards in the process, while another team convinced AIM to hire the Society to kill MODOK
(Captain America I#313) - Asp and Cottonmouth were investigating an abandoned AIM facility when Sidewinder ordered them to New Jersey, where another team had found MODOK. Locating him in a mall, Diamondback took charge of the Society members and they headed in, though Anaconda took offense and Diamondback's take-charge attitude before Asp defended her. After a "gas leak" announcement (arranged by Captain America) emptied the mall, the team cornered MODOK but Captain America intervened; Cottonmouth ordered Asp, Diamondback, and Black Mamba to take out Cap while the rest attacked MODOK. Black Mamba engulfed Captain America in her phantom "skin" but Asp, unaware that it was part of Mamba, blasted Cap and the skin, knocking Mamba out. Diamondback leapt onto Cap's back but hesitated at the though of stabbing him with her poison darts; this hesitation allowed Cap to throw Diamondback into Asp, disabling both.
(Captain America I#315 - BTS) - Sidewinder freed from jail those serpents that had been imprisoned.
(Captain America I#315) - Needing MODOK's corpse as proof of their success, Anaconda, Black Mamba, Asp, and Cobra stole the body from the Monmouth County morgue. Black Mamba used her powers to get the team inside unseen, while Asp and Cobra blasted those present in the morgue itself and Anaconda carried the body out; no one was killed in the theft. The foursome delivered the body to AIM and received $100,000 in payment; they returned with the money to the Citadel, where everyone received their share.
(Captain America I#319) - All the Serpents were looking for the missing Death Adder and were present when Sidewinder teleported in with Death Adder's body, having found it in the local morgue. Sidewinder ordered everyone to drop all missions and concentrate on finding the killer. Asp and Anaconda went after the Circus of Crime.
(America#7 (fb)) - The Serpent Society (Cobra, Asp, Bushmaster) tried kidnapping a young America Chavez.
(Captain America I#341/2) - Sidewinder introduced four new Serpents to the charter members, and appointed them as probationary members of the team. The foursome quickly betrayed the team to Viper.
(Captain America I#342) - Bushmaster, Black Mamba, and Asp refused to join Viper, so she injected them with a poison which would leave them dead in an hour. The Captain and Diamondback came to their rescue and Diamondback gave the Cobra's universal anti-toxin to the trio and left them there to recover.
(Uncanny X-Men Annual#13) - Cobra accepted a commission from Ghaur (Deviant leader) and Llyra (Atlantean) to retrieve items of arcane mystic power; he split the Society into squads. Asp, Boomslang, and Puff Adder went to the Savage Land to retrieve a stone idol, but were interrupted by Wolverine and Dazzler (who had been switched into Diamondback's body but was still wearing her own costume). Asp blasted Dazzler, knocking her out, and the trio retrieved the idol, but Wolverine ambushed them and took down Asp; the X-Men retrieved the item and the serpents returned home.
(Captain America I#365/2) - Asp was present at a Serpent Society meeting when Cobra announced that a mystery man (Loki) had teleported into the Society's Bronx headquarters. He asked the group to keep an ear out for information about the stranger.
(Alpha Flight I#79) - Asp drove across the U.S.-Canada border not far from Winnipeg, called north due to the influence of Llan the Sorcerer.
(Alpha Flight I#80) - Controlled by Llan, Asp joined a battle between Alpha Flight and Nekra, the Scorpion, and the Owl. She exchanged blasts and blows with Diamond Lil while Gamma Flight joined the battle, trying to arrest all present, including Alpha Flight. Gamma Flight's sorceress Witchfire cast a spell which cut off the Llan's influence, and Asp and the other controlled Americans all fell unconscious.
(Captain America I#367/2) - Bushmaster noted that the Society had had to spring Asp after she got into a little trouble. The following day, Asp was present at a noon meeting of the Society where Cobra announced that he felt that he'd been underperforming as their leader and now intended to correct that and lead them to new heights as King Cobra.
(Captain America I#368) - Asp lunched with Diamondback and Black Mamba, and asked Diamondback to consider returning to the team. When a Society page told Asp that the Red Skull's people were offering a $100,000 reward for Magneto's whereabouts, Diamondback volunteered that he'd been hanging with the Hellfire Club and the trio briefly considered investigating.
(Captain America I#369) - Captain America sought out Asp at the somewhat seedy Pink Flamingo Lounge, where she was an exotic dancer. After a brief struggle, he told her that he only wanted her to pass on to Diamondback that he was looking for her, as he had no way to get in touch with her. When Cap denigrated her occupation, she defended it as an art form; she also enjoyed it, enjoyed the reaction from men, and it was great exercise. Asp did pass along the message to Diamondback, however.
(Captain America I#371) - When Diamondback went out on a civilian date, Black Mamba, Asp, and Anaconda were determined to make sure the date was trouble-free. The threesome acquired a limousine, and when the couple got stuck in a traffic jam caused by the Gamecock taking a hostage, Asp slipped out of the limo and blasted him unconscious, after which the police collected him. Later in the evening the couple stumbled across a fight between Jackhammer and Poundcakes, but Anaconda pulled the battling criminals into the limo, and Asp quickly blasted them unconscious.
(Captain America I#380) - When the captive Diamondback was tried by the Serpent Society for treason, Asp was in the minority which voted for a verdict of innocent. Asp and Black Mamba went to King Cobra and told him that they'd quit if he followed through with the execution; King Cobra replied they could leave but that if they interfered they'd be executed as well.
(Captain America I#381 - BTS (fb)) - Asp and Black Mamba went to Mamba's chambers, where Mamba called Sidewinder to come rescue Diamondback. The two then began packing to escape themselves.
(Captain America I#381) - King Cobra and Bushmaster confronted Black Mamba and Asp, bringing phone records that showed Mamba had called Sidewinder. The pair attempted to flee, but Cobra gassed them unconscious and trussed them in the gymnasium. Diamondback returned, with Paladin, to try to rescue them, but that pair was captured as well.
(Captain America I#382) - Captain America freed Paladin, Asp, Mamba, and Diamondback. King Cobra returned with Black Racer, Coachwhip, and Rattler, and Asp blasted Black Racer, knocking her out. While Captain America saw most of the Society hauled away by Guardsmen; Diamondback, Black Mamba, and Asp were allowed to remain free.
(Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue) - Asp participated in the Maria Stark Foundation charity swimsuit photo shoot.
(Captain America I#385/2) - From
Paladin's Trump Plaza apartment, Asp, Black Mamba, and Diamondback
watched coverage of the Society's arrests on TV, noting their own
"wanted" status. Realizing the other snakes might be hunting them, they
decided to band together as the B.A.D. Girls Inc, taking their name
from their three codenames. After acquiring new costumes to disguise
their identities they returned to Diamondback's apartment but were
quickly attacked by the other snakes. Rock Python cornered Cleo and
forced her to surrender, binding her hands so that she could not blast
the others.
(Captain America I#386/2) - With Puff Adder piloting their hovercraft, Anaconda and Rock Python loaded the three captured B.A.D. Girls into the ship. They were attacked by MODAM, who threw Python and Adder from the ship.
(Captain America I#387/2) - The four female serpents were offered $100,000 each by MODAM to come on board the cruise ship S.S. Superia. Not knowing what else to do, the three B.A.D. Girls decided to go along.
(Captain America I#388) - While lounging in the pool, the B.A.D. Girls met and quickly befriended Impala. Their discussion was interrupted when a fight broke out nearby between Anaconda and Quicksand. Unnoticed, Diamondback disappeared from behind them.
(Captain America I#389) - Impala's advice sent Asp and Mamba to Hospitality to try to find Diamondback, and they discovered that she was in the infirmary, having been found overboard nearly drowned. The traumatized Diamondback told them she intended to retire.
(Captain America I#390) - Captain America and Paladin invaded the ship; Mamba and Asp slipped away and informed Diamondback. The trio made it above decks just in time to see the unconscious men hauled away.
(Captain America I#391) - Asp and Mamba listened as Superia told the assembled women that she had a grand plan to bring about a female-dominated society. Black Mamba noted to Asp that Superia had assembled women of all races (and all under 30 and physically fit) and began wondering how serious Superia's plans were. She asked MODAM what happened to the two captured men, and was told that they were undergoing feminization treatment. Mamba and Asp decided to locate Diamondback (being held by Superia), and locate and free Captain America. They went to Dr. Nightshade to find Diamondback but instead found Captain America and Paladin there; they freed the men and then dressed them in their Serpent costumes while the women donned guards' outfits. Paladin accompanied Asp to find Diamondback.
(Captain America I#392) - Asp kicked in Diamondback's door and the trio headed out, but were quickly confronted by Whiteout, Ice Princess, Iron Maiden, and Ferocia. Asp took out Whiteout and Ferocia in the fight, then donned Ice Princess' costume and the three snuck off ship, where they met up with Mamba and Captain America. Stealing a small ship, they left the island and were picked up by an Avengers' Quinjet piloted by the Vision.
(Captain America I#393) - The quintet returned to Avengers' Mansion where Captain America offered to put in a good word with the police if they wanted to clear up their criminal records, but they declined. Asp, Mamba, and Paladin soon departed - they'd be staying with Paladin at the Carleton until they found a place of their own.
(Captain America I#394/2) - After retrieving the new costumes that Captain America had made for them, Asp and Black Mamba called on Diamondback, and Mamba, concerned for Rachel, used her powers to pluck what Diamondback most feared from her mind and give it form with her darkforce: that fear was Snapdragon. Rachel ordered the two off Avengers' property, saying she never wanted to see them again. The pair decided to track down Snapdragon, starting at the local Bar With No Name. There they were accosted by Golddigger, Steel Wind, and Battleaxe, who said that Superia would pay ten grand for each, dead or alive.
(Captain America I#395 - BTS) - Mamba told Battleaxe that they weren't the ones she was looking for; Battleaxe was briefly distracted by Crossbones.
(Captain America I#395/2) - Asp blasted Steel Wind and Battleaxe, knocking out Steel Wind, while Mamba took on Golddigger. Impala, not liking the unfair fight, took down Battleaxe and the three fled the bar together. As they ran, Mamba impulsively asked Impala if she'd like to join their team.
(Captain America I#396/2) - Asp, Black Mamba, and Impala broke into the Serpent Society's old Bronx headquarters. The computers there were all shut down and useless, but there was a Serpent Saucer they could take. However, the Avenger Sersi intervened, and transformed all three into snakes.
(Captain America I#397/2) - Mamba told Sersi who they were, and legitimately convinced her to let them go in the Saucer. Impala noted that Superia would know where to find to find Snapdrgaon, but the three decide to first check Snapdragon's old haunts in Europe after Asp said that she was unwilling to face Superia again without plenty of back-up.
(Captain America I#411) - Black Mamba, Asp, and Impala attended an A.I.M. weapons expo on the Caribbean island of Boca Caliente. They were briefly confronted by Mother Night (though this was actually a disguised Diamondback, who thought better of revealing herself); Asp warned her off before "Night" passed them by without uttering a second word.
(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#3 (Diamondback)) - When Diamondback learned that an LMD modeled on her had begun a relationship with Captain America, she contacted Black Mamba and the Asp and the pair recruited the Serpent Society to hunt Diamondback, keeping its LMD nature secret.
(Captain America IV#30) - Bushmaster, Puff Adder, and Asp burst in on Captain America's apartment. Asp blasted both of them, knocking out Captain America but not Diamondback, leading Asp to note for the benefit of the others that her blast should have knocked out Rachel as well. Asp was subsequently present in the Society's underground New York-area headquarters when Captain America and Diamondback (really an LMD) awoke, chained to a pillar.
(Captain America IV#31) - Asp was there while King Cobra taunted Diamondback (the LMD), promising to punish her for her betrayal. Sixteen hours later, Captain America escaped and King Cobra summoned the Society to his aid; everyone except Asp was then knocked out by Captain America and the Diamondback LMD and taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Asp may or may not have escaped.
(Cable/Deadpool#20) - The original B.A.D. Girls (Asp, Black Mamba, Diamondback) were hired to steal a hard drive (known as the Dominus Objective) from the Dominus Corporation in La Jolla, California, but were interrupted when Deadpool tried to steal the same technology. Diamondback and Asp attacked him, while Mamba used her Darkforce to expose his fantasies and disorient him. They disabled Deadpool but discovered that the device had already been stolen by a third party, and quickly fought their way out after locating evidence to lead them to the real thief.
(Cable/Deadpool#21) - Tracking the thief to Rand-Meachum, Asp overrode their security systems only for the trio to discover Deadpool, Cable, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage battling inside. After determining that the hard drive had since been restolen from the original thief, Black Mamba used her darkforce to knock out all the men present, and the B.A.D. Girls went to Hong Kong after the thief, who they identified as Shen Kuei, the Cat.
(Cable/Deadpool#22) - The team briefly battled Shen Kuei in his home. When he proved the team's better they agreed to talk, and he revealed that one party had hired virtually everyone involved.
(Cable/Deadpool#23) - Teaming with the Cat, the B.A.D. Girls traveled to India, where they met up with Deadpool and Cable and confronted Commcast, who Cable had arranged to end up with the chip so that he could convince Commcast to work for him. After battling an armada of clones of Makeshift and Rive, the B.A.D. Girls won out, learned that Cable had been behind their hiring, and received their paycheck.
(Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Following the death of Bill Foster during the "Civil War," Cleo and the other two active BAD Girls (Diamondback, Black Mamba) joined Captain America's resistance forces.
(Civil War: Battle Damage Report / Civil War#6 - BTS) - The three BAD Girls brought criminals Goldbug (Gilden) and the Plunderer (actually David Kivlin sent by Parnival Plunder) to join the resistance, but the Punisher killed both men.
(Civil War: Battle Damage Report / Civil War#7 - BTS) - All three BAD Girls participated in the final battle of the "war," but none accepted the amnesty offer that came with Captain America's surrender.
(Giant-Size Avengers#1/1) - The three BAD Girls were captured by the Avengers (Black Widow/Romanova, Ms. Marvel/Danvers, Wasp) in a New York City street mall.
(Avengers: The Initiative#26) - Asp joined up with the Initiative under Norman Osborn's leadership. She was appointed to the Woman Warriors team alongside Skein, Black Mamba, Diamondback, and Quicksand, and they were assigned to protect the state of Delaware.
(Avengers: The Initiative#29) - Alongside her fellow Women Warriors and Constrictor, Asp helped defeat an attack on Washington International Airport by R.A.I.D. (Radically Advanced Ideas). They were later treated as heroes by the assembled crowd.
(Siege#1) - Ares called the Initiative, including Skein, to arms for their battle in Asgard.
(Avengers: The Initiative#32) - The Women Warriors were sent by Osborn, alongside other villainous Initiative recruits and the Dark Avengers, to invade Asgard, which hung suspended over Broxton, Oklahoma.
(Avengers vs. X-Men#0) - Asp teamed up with Serpent Society teammates Anaconda, Bushmaster, Cottonmouth and Puff Adder, robbing a bank and holding hostages. Hope Summers attacked them and knocked the villains out.
(Gambit V#9) - Asp and Titania had a talk about how great the Club With No Name was. They were later among the villains who fought Gambit and Joelle when they caused a scene.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Captain America: Sam Wilson#4) - Asp was at a meeting of Serpent Solutions, the rebranded Serpent Society, in a conference room with Captain America (Sam Wilson) as captive. Captain America, who had temporarily been turned into a wolf/human hybrid, had just been captured by Serpent Solutions members Black Racer, Copperhead, Cottonmouth and Diamondback.
(Captain America: Sam Wilson#5) - Asp paralyzed Captain America (Wilson) with a venom-bolt before he was bound to a chair. Viper (Dixon) then monologued in front of all Serpent Solutions members and Captain America about how Wilson was destroying America and Serpent Solutions' businesses. Viper ended the monologue by shoving Cap, still bound to a chair, out a window. He was saved from certain death by the new Falcon (Torres), who was then confronted by Serpent Solutions, including Asp.
(Captain America: Sam Wilson#6) - Serpent Solutions went after Falcon (Torres), but eventually everything went wrong. Falcon survived a bite by Cottonmouth, Diamondback turned on them, Misty Knight and D-Man joined the battle and Captain America got back on his feet again. Their defeat on Wall Street at the hands of the heroes caused their stock to drop and bankrupt Serpent Solutions.
(Uncanny Avengers III#5) - Asp hung out at a casino for villains on a yacht.
(America#6) - Asp attended the boxing match in Las Vegas at the Midas Coliseum between America Chavez and Magdalena "La Sirena" Velez.
(Iron Fist IV#74) – The Serpent Society (Asp, Boomslang, Coachwhip, King Cobra, Puff Adder, Viper) teamed with the new Constrictor (Payne) to arrange a sale of the Book of the Iron Fist to Choshin. Days later, Choshin attacked with his army, including the Rat of 12 Plagues and the Eel of Blessed Waters, at the same time as Iron Fist and Sabretooth did.
(Iron Fist IV#75) – After a massive battle, Constrictor abandoned the team and the members of the Serpent Society were left unconscious.
(Fantastic Four VI#5/2 (fb) - BTS) - Johnny Storm accidentally hired members of the Serpent Society (Black Mamba, Anaconda, Asp, Fer-de-Lance, Princess Python, Black Racer) as entertainment for the Thing's bachelor party while they were in their private clothes.
(Fantastic Four VI#5/2) - The ladies took the opportunity and popped out of cakes in full costume to defeat the supposedly drunk heroes. They were quickly defeated by Luke Cage, Dennis Dunphy, Justice (Vance Astrovik), Peter Quill, Rocket Raccoon, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, T'Challa, Thor, Thundra (she had no interest to go with the ladies), Wyatt Wingfoot, and arrested by the authorities. Johnny Storm even took a moment to hit on her during the fight.
(Amazing Spider-Man V#23) - Armadillo and members of the Serpent Society (Anaconda, Asp, Black Mamba, Black Racer, Bushmaster, Cottonmouth, Rattler) were apprehended by the NYPD, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Falcon and Iron Man when they tried to escape Central Park.
(Avengers VIII#55) - One day the members of Serpent Solutions (Anaconda, Asp, Black Mamba, Bushmaster, Coachwhip, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Death Adder, Fer-de-Lance, King Cobra, Princess Python, Puff Adder, Rattler, Rock Python, Slither, Viper) fell under the influence of Mephisto and went from floor to floor in the building their offices were located and murdered everyone. With dozens of sacrifices stacked up Serpent Solutions prayed to Mephisto to open a portal to Hell for them. Nighthawk (a Kyle Richmond simulacrum created by Mephisto) took them all down single-handedly.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike Carlin (editor).
An Egyptian woman named the Asp, and her real name is "Cleopatra Nefertiti"? That stretches the bounds of even comic book names - I prefer to believe that that's a professional stage name. Perhaps she's had it legally changed to that? In any case, until Marvel says otherwise her "real name" is indeed Cleopatra Nefertiti.
Twenty years after her first appearance, the Asp still lacks an origin!
Asp has an entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#1, though it doesn't say much beyond describing her powers.
Asp also has an entry (with a similar dearth of information) in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition; her given weight there of 245 pounds is clearly an error!.
Asp and Black Mamba left the Serpent Society on bad terms, but have been seen with both them and the BAD Girls many times since. It seems clear by this point that somehow they've settled their differences with King Cobra and the Society, and are considered members in good standing. Diamondback, however, has never again worked with the Society.
Thanks to Ron Fredricks for the cleaned up main image.
Profile by SQUEAK
CLARIFICATIONS:
Asp has no known connections to
images:
(without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#1, pg 37 (main
image)
Captain America I#369, pg 3, p5 (headshot)
Captain America I#319, pg 19, p2 (venom blast)
Captain America I#391, pg 8 p1 ("stealth" costume)
Cable & Deadpool#20, pg11, p5 (newer costume)
Appearances:
Captain America I#308, 310-311 (August, October-November, 1985) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Paul Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike
Carlin (editor)
Captain America I#313 (January, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul
Neary (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Mike Carlin (editor)
Captain America I#315 (March, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul
Neary (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Mike Carlin (editor)
Captain America I#319 (July, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul
Neary (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Mike Carlin (editor)
Captain America I#341-342 (May-June, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer),
Kieron Dwyer (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Uncanny X-Men Annual#13 (1989) - Terry Austin (writer), Mike Vosburg
(penciler/inker), Bob Harras (editor)
Captain America I#365 (December, 1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark
Bright (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Alpha Flight I#79 (December, 1989) - James Hudnall (writer), John
Calimee (penciler), Mike Manley (inker), Carl Potts & Danny
Fingeroth (editors)
Alpha Flight I#80 (January, 1990) - James Hudnall (writer), John
Calimee (penciler), Mike Manley (inker), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Captain America I#367 (February, 1990) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark
Bagley (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#368-369, 371 (March-April, June, 1990) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Ron Lim (penciler), Dan Bulanadi (inker), Ralph
Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#380-382 (December, 1990-February, 1991) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Ron Lim (penciler), Dan Bulanadi (inker), Ralph
Macchio (editor)
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue (1991)
Captain America I#385/2 (May, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Mark
Bagley (penciler), Dan Panosian (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#386/2 (June, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Dan
Panosian (penciler/inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#387-392 (July-September, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald
(writer), Rik Levins (penciler), Dan Bulanadi (inker), Ralph Macchio
(editor)
Captain America I#393 (October, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Larry
Alexander (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#394/2 (November, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer),
Larry Alexander (penciler), Dan Panosian (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#395 (December, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik
Levins (penciler), Dan Bulanadi (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#395/2 (December, 1991) - Mark Gruenwald (writer),
Larry Alexander (penciler/inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#396/2-397/2 (January-Fabruary, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald
(writer), Larry Alexander (penciler), Dan Panosian (inker), Ralph
Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#411 (January, 1993) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Rik
Levins (penciler), Dan Bulanadi (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Captain America IV#30-31 (October-November, 2004) - Robert Kirkman
(writer), Scot Eaton (penciler), Drew Geraci (inker), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Cable/Deadpool#20-22 (November, 2005) - Fabian Nicieza (writer),
Patrick Zircher (penciler), M3th (inker), Nicole Wiley (editor)
Cable/Deadpool#23 (February, 2006) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick
Zircher & Dave Ross (penciler), M3th (inker), Nicole Wiley
(editor)
All-New Official Handboook of the Marvel Universe#3 (March, 2006) -
Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editor)
Civil War Battle Damage Report (2007) - Anthony Flamini (head writer),
Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Giant-Size Avengers#1/1 (February, 2008) - CB Cebulski (writer), Jim Cheung (artist), John Dell (inker), John Barber (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#26 (September-October 2009) - Christos Gage
(writer), Rafa Sandoval (penciler), Roger Bonet (inker), Jeannine
Schaefer (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#29 (December, 2009) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Jorge Molina (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Bill Rosemann
(editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#32 (March, 2010) - Christos Gage (writer),
Mahmud Asrar (pencils), Rebecca Buchman (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Siege#1 (March, 2010) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Olivier Coipel (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers vs. X-Men#0 (May, 2012) - Jason Aaron (writer), Frank Cho (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Gambit V#9 (April, 2013) - James Asmus (writer), Clay Mann
(pencils/inks), Steth Mann & Allen Martinez (inks), Daniel Ketchum
(editor)
Captain America: Sam Wilson#4-5 (February-March, 2016) - Nick Spencer
(writer), Paul Renaud (artist), Tom Brevoort, Katie Kubert (editors)
Captain America: Sam Wilson#6 (April, 2016) - Nick Spencer (writer),
Joe Bennett (pencils), Belardino Brabo (inks), Tom Brevoort with Katie
Kubert (editors)
Uncanny Avengers III#5 (April, 2016) - Gerry Duggan (writer), Carlos Pacheco (pencils), Mariano Taibo & Dave Meikis (inks), Tom Brevoort with Daniel Ketchum (editors)
America#6-7 (October-November, 2017) - Gabby Rivera (writer), Ramon Villalobos (artist), Wil Moss (editor)
Iron Fist IV#74-75 (January-February, 2018) - Ed Brisson (writer), Mike Perkins (artist), Mark Basso, Jake Thomas (editors)
Fantastic Four VI#5/2 (February, 2019) - Dan Slott (writer), Adam Hughes (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man V#23 (August, 2019) - Nick Spencer (writer), Ryan Ottley (pencils), Cliff Rathburn (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Avengers VIII#55 (June, 2022) - Jason Aaron (writer), Javier Garrón & David Curiel (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First Posted: 02/02/2007
Last updated: 03/12/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!