DELILAH

Delilah

Real Name: Unrevealed, possibly Delilah (see comments)

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Assassin, enforcer

Group Membership: Sinister Six (8-Ball, Killer Shrike/Simon Maddicks, Melter, Squid/Don Callahan, Swarm/Fritz von Meyer);
formerly the Rose's Crime Family, "Spider-Man Revenge Squad" (Daniel Axum, Man-Killer (Van Horne), Scorpion (Gargan))

Affiliations: Elektra, Freak, Fuyumi Fujikawa, Looter, Scorpion (Gargan), Will O' The Wisp;
   formerly Dr. Octopus (Octavius), Electro (Dillon), Don Fortunato, Ricochet (Parker), the Rose (Conover), Scorcher, Scrier (unrevealed), True Believers (Master Zei, others), several unnamed members of the Rose's crew

EnemiesBlack Tarantula, Bloodscream, Chesbro, Darkhawk, Martha "Mattie" Franklin, El Uno, Detective Garon Lewis, Herb (last name unrevealed), Hollow, Marty (last name unrevealed), Mickey Musashi, Julie Power, Ricochet (Gallo), Spider-Man (Otto Octavius), Spider-Man (Parker), Spider-Man (Reilly), Roughhouse, Don Vito Torrancio, unidentified MGH donors, Phil Urich, Devon Washington, X-Men Special Class (Ernst, Eye Boy/Trevor Hawkins, Glob Herman/Robert Herman, Hellion/Julian Keller, No-Girl/Martha Johansson, Rockslide/Santo Vaccarro, Shark-Girl/Lara Dos Santos);
   formerly Dr. Octopus (Trainer), Stunner

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "The Deadly Delilah"

Base of Operations: Formerly the Rose's penthouse headquarters on Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#414 (August, 1996)

Powers/Abilities: Delilah possesses superhuman strength (able to lift up to 8 tons), and is a skilled fighter and assassin. While favoring hand-to-hand combat, she is skilled with knives and other forms of weaponry. Delilah engages in regular exercise to maintain her form, and, although possessing superhuman durability is vulnernable to mystical-based attacks.

History(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black#1 (fb) - BTS) - A professional assassin and mercenary, Delilah was hired by the Rose to serve as his chief enforcer.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#417/I#421/2 (fb) - BTS) - Despite a close working relationship, the Rose refused to reveal his true identity to Delilah but let it be known that he was not Richard Fisk, the original Rose. (see comments)

(Amazing Spider-Man I#414) - Sent by the Rose to kill Don Vito Torrancio, Delilah posed as a singer and killed the Don with a razor-sharp microphone. After finishing off the Don's men, Delilah received another assignment to go after Detective Garon Lewis. Tracking down Lewis while he was spending time with his son Devon in Central Park, Delilah attacked with a bomb concealed in a baby carriage. Saved by Spider-Man (Reilly) who had been trailing Lewis to make sure Devon, the son of his employer, was safe, Delilah attempted an escape through a nearby manhole, but was tracked by Spider-Man and Lewis. Using Devon as a bargaining chip to escape, Delilah told the others that she was hired by Hammerhead, returning to the Rose with news that her assignment, to send Lewis in Hammerhead's direction, was successful.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#416) - Delilah discussed the recent arrest of some of the Rose's men while exercising. Her workout came to an abrupt end when Scrier made a startling entrance.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#417) - Delilah joined the Rose for another meeting with Scrier, smirking as the Rose rebuffed Scrier's claims that he was Richard Fisk, the original Rose.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#419) - During another workout, Delilah discussed the Black Tarantula with the Rose and what his presence in New York organized crime circles would mean for their operation. Interested in pursuing the Black Tarantula's offer for black market emeralds at a discounted price, the Rose sent Delilah to complete the transaction. When the Black Tarantula's emissary, El Uno, revealed that the arrangement was a scam and he was going to kill Delilah and the Rose's men, Delilah took advantage of the chaos to attack El Uno. Beaten by El Uno, Delilah departed, activating a bomb in her bag. While El Uno took the brunt of the blast, Delilah fled.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#420) - Working off the frustration of her defeat by El Uno in the Rose's gym, Delilah was buoyed by the news that he miraculously survived the blast, and set about tracking him down for a rematch. Ambushed by El Uno during her search, the two engaged in another fight that ended with El Uno taking the brunt of an exploding fuel truck. Delilah used his incapacitation to decapitate El Uno, bringing his head back to the Rose, whereupon it was sent to the Black Tarantula as a Christmas gift.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#421/2) - Delilah attempted to reassure a frustrated Rose of his standing in New York's underworld following several attacks on his warehouses by the True Believers, a ninja cult affiliated with the Black Tarantula.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#422) - Delilah prepared Electro for an infusion of electrical energy that would geometrically increase his electrical field (neither knowing for sure whether or not Electro would survive the infusion). When it proved successful, Delilah introduced the Rose to his newest enforcer.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#423) - Delilah became angered when Electro boasted that the jobs the Rose had planned for him were beneath someone of his power, but was calmed by the Rose who assured her Electro would live up to his responsibilities.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#424) - Delilah was present when Elektra contacted the Rose for information on the True Believers. When recognized, Delilah asked if she should be flattered that Elektra had heard of her but was told she probably shouldn't be.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#425) - The Rose sent Delilah and Electro to rob an armored car, but Electro, revelling in his power surge, blew up the car, destroying the cash and nearly killing the guards. Delilah later stood beside the Rose when he confronted Electro about the botched robbery and when news broke that Electro -- driven to power-mad ambition -- threatened to ravage Manhattan with an electrical bomb. Suggesting to the Rose that they drop Electro since she's powerful enough an enforcer for the Rose herself, the Rose told Delilah that however true that may be, he sees the value in having an underling that can be easily sacrificed (which Delilah considered the sweetest thing he'd ever said to her).
   Believing he'd found the perfect candidate to fill Electro's shoes, the Rose hired the True Believers to bring that candidate to him, explaining to Delilah that "if you can't beat the competition, hire it". Delilah later watched Electro face off against Spider-Man and Nate Grey, and fall to his seeming death in the Hudson River.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#426) - Delilah joined the Rose at the Morgan Haskell "No Bull Meatpaking" (sic) Plant, where the True Believers presented the body of Dr. Octopus, who the Rose wished to have resurrected as a mindless drone to serve at his command. When Dr. Octopus's associates Carolyn Trainer (who took up the mantle of Dr. Octopus in his stead) and Stunner arrived at the "No Bull" plant, Delilah attacked them to prevent any interference with the Rose's plans. The arrival of Spider-Man prompted the Rose to propose that they ally themselves against their common foe, and they defeated Spider-Man and readied him to be the sacrifice required to bring Dr. Octopus back to life.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#427) - Standing by as the True Believers began the resurrection of Dr. Octopus, Delilah leapt after Spider-Man as he regained conscious. Delilah was eventually bested by Spider-Man, just prior to Dr. Octopus's rebirth.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#428) - Gathering herself, Delilah and the Rose slipped away during the chaos of Dr. Octopus's fight with Spider-Man. Returning to the Rose's penthouse headquarters and into a hot tub, Delilah mused over her issues with the Rose's secretive tendencies until being startled by a sudden noise.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#428/Amazing Spider-Man I#434 (fb)) - Grabbed and thrust against a wall by the Black Tarantula, Delilah was savagely beaten and had her neck broken, only to be instantly healed by the Tarantula who wished to have this attack serve as a warning against the Rose.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#428) - Departing, the Tarantula left Delilah beside a tarantula shaped carving in the wall.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#434) - Overseeing an attempted hijacking of "Bear Baby" stuffed animals by the Rose's men, Delilah watched the mysterious Ricochet (secretly Spider-Man) interrupt the job and ask for a cut from the haul. Following Ricochet from the hijacking, Delilah soon confronted Ricochet and offered him a job with the Rose following a fight designed to test his combat skills. Angered as Ricochet made light of the Rose's war against the Black Tarantula, Delilah recounted her near-death experience, telling Ricochet that strong as she is the Tarantula battered her around like she was a baby. Having gained an idea of Ricochet's power, Delilah offered him the job, which he accepted.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#435) - Delilah lifted weights while discussing Ricochet with the Rose, assuring her employer that the seemingly ruthless Ricochet would be an asset. Meeting up with Ricochet, Delilah and her new partner followed the Black Tarantula's hirings Bloodscream and Roughhouse to a meeting with the Tarantula's right hand, Chesbro. Wasting little time, Delilah went after them, threatening Bloodscream for information on his employer's plans. Instead of answers however, Delilah found herself at the mercy of Bloodscream's deadly touch, which forced blood from her eyes and nostrils and left her incapacitated. Seeing police nearby, Ricochet left Delilah in their care.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black#1/Thunderbolts I#80/The Loners#2 (fb) - BTS) - Delilah recovered from Bloodscream's attack, but resented Ricochet for leaving her behind after her near-death experience. After the Rose was unmasked and his operations dismantled, Delilah, escaping police custody, kept a low profile until becoming romantically involved with the Scorpion.

(Thunderbolts I#80 (fb) - BTS) - Delilah, the Scorpion, and Man-Killer formed a team to defeat Spider-Man.

(Thunderbolts I#80) - Delilah and the Scorpion joined Man-Killer and criminal-turned-pit fighter Daniel Axum for drinks and to offer Axum a spot on their team.

(Thunderbolts I#81) - After discussing their ideas of the kind of man Spider-Man is out of costume, Delilah and the others continued their planning against Spider-Man. When Axum and Man-Killer opted not to continue with the revenge plot, Delilah and the Scorpion went ahead with it on their own and were summarily defeated.

(The Loners#2 (fb) - BTS) - Hearing that Ricochet had resurfaced in Los Angeles, Delilah moved to LA to get revenge for being abandoned following her run-in with Bloodscream (failing to realize that this Ricochet was Johnny Gallo, who assumed the identity after it was abandoned by Spider-Man). She eventually found work as an enforcer for the unscrupulous Fuyumi Fujikawa.

(The Loners#2) - After Ricochet, Darkhawk, and Spider-Woman (Franklin) exposed with one of Fujikawa's Mutant Growth Hormone operations, Delilah assumed Ricochet would strike at another, and lay in waiting for him. Explaining her hatred and ignoring Ricochet's claims that he wasn't the one who betrayed her, Delilah was knocked unconscious when she paused to glance at a MGH holding tank that was damaged by Ricochet.

(The Loners#3) - Delilah accompanied Fujikawa and her bodyguards when they confronted Ricochet and his associates in the Excelsior support group. Demanding that freed MGH donor Hollow be returned to her, Fujikawa soon came to an agreement with Mickey Musashi (formerly Turbo of the New Warriors), and called off, Delilah teleported away.

(Superior Foes of Spider-Man#2/2 (fb) - BTS) - Delilah joined forces with Scorcher, Freak and Will O' the Wisp.

(Superior Foes of Spider-Man#2/2 (fb) ) - After Looter defeated Scorcher and demanded to become NYC's ganglord Delilah warned him of Spider-Man, who had become more brutal since Looter had left town. Looter asked her if it needed a lot of money for her to join him and she confirmed it. Looter then left to go after Spider-Man.

(Spider-Man and the X-Men#4) - Delilah joined Swarm's all-new Sinister Six. They robbed a gold shipment worth 10 million dollars from a New York City Bank, but were apprehended by Spider-Man and the X-Students' Special Class (Ernst, Eye Boy, Glob Herman, Hellion, No-Girl, Rockslide and Shark-Girl). Delilah fought with Shar-Girl until Swarm was blown apart by Hellion. She surrendered and was arrested.

Comments: Created by Tom DeFalco (writer) and Mark Bagley (pencils)

That Delilah's name may actually be "Delilah" was first suggested in her profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black. Delilah also received a profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 3.

Delilah's major 'looks' are pictured in this profile, but her appearance varied depending on the artist. Her first costume was selected for her handbook profile, so it seemed as good an example of her standard attire here, even if that particular look didn't last very long. It's worth noting that the skull-cap pictured with her second costume was only worn with this costume during Amazing Spider-Man I#426-428; her costume worn in Amazing Spider-Man I#435 was a sleeveless version of her suit from I#434; and her costume from Thunderbolts I#80 and 81 was basically a stream-lined version of her second suit with the chest-hole filled in.

Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but it seemed like Delilah was in on the fact that it wasn't Richard Fisk under the Rose's mask. Then again, since she didn't know who the Rose really was, her seeming awareness that the Rose wasn't Fisk may have just been general posturing.

Delilah seemed relieved that Electro didn't kill the armored car drivers in Amazing Spider-Man, implying that Delilah, ever the killer-for-hire, has some conscience as far as innocent civilians go.

Delilah's, ah... unique speech pattern from her earliest appearances has been dropped in recent years. It's unrevealed what the significance having bits of her speech in brightly colored unusual fonts was; if I had to guess though, I figure it'd be like shouting every fifth word in a flowery tone.

The ultimate fate of Delilah's relationship with the Scorpion is unrevealed, but they likely parted ways after their humiliating defeat (as evidenced by her absence a few months later when the Scorpion gained Eddie Brock's symbiote and became the new Venom).

Fuyumi Fujikawa was first identified by name in The Loners#5 recap page.

Profile by G Morrow. Update by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS: Delilah has no known connections to


Fuyumi FujikawaFUYUMI FUJIKAWA

(The Loners#5 - BTS) - Fuyumi Fujikawa was president of Fujikawa Industries.

(The Loners#1/The Loners#3 (fb) - BTS) - Fujikawa set up a Mutant Growth Hormone harvesting operation in Los Angeles. While many of her donors were held against their will, some, including Nekra, provided their genetic material for a fee.

(The Loners#2 (fb) - BTS) - Fujikawa hired Delilah as an enforcer.

(The Loners#3 (fb) - BTS) - Fujikawa cut Nekra loose after her run-in with Ricochet, Darkhawk, and Spider-Woman, and she was forced to let her captive MGH donors go.

(The Loners#3/The Loners#5) - Fujikawa confronted the Excelsior support group, demanding that former captive MGH donor Hollow be returned to her. Conferring in private with Mickey Musashi, Fujikawa reached an agreement that allowed Hollow to remain with Excelsior and departed.

(The Loners#6 (fb) - BTS) - Fujikawa later spoke with renegade Excelsior member Phil Urich, who agreed to return Hollow to her in exchange for letting Excelsior take Red Ronin.

--The Loners#2 (The Loners#3, #4

 


Don VitoDON VITO TORRANCIO

(Amazing Spider-Man I#414) - Lighting a cigarette while Delilah began to sing in his honor, Don Vito Torrancio was caught off guard when Delilah stabbed him with her microphone. As the Don slumped over, his men reached for their firearms but were killed by weapons concealed in Delilah's necklace.

--Amazing Spider-Man I#414

 

 

 


images: (without ads)
Amazing Spider-Man I#414 (from OHotMU:SM:BiB profile), p15, pan1 (main image, first costume)
Amazing Spider-Man I#414, p1, pan1 (hommena, hommena, hommena)
Amazing Spider-Man I#427, p10, pan6 (second costume)
Amazing Spider-Man I#434, p11, pan1 (third costume)
The Loners#2, p19, pan4 (fourth costume)
Amazing Spider-Man I#414, p2, pan3 (Don Vito Torrancio)
The Loners#3, p14, pan4 (Fuyumi Fujikawa)


Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#414 (August, 1996) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Larry Mahlstedt (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)

Amazing Spider-Man I#416 (October, 1996) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#417 (November, 1996) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#419 (January, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#420 (February, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#421 (March, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Geof Isherwood (art), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#422 (April, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (guest penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#423 (May, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (pencils), Ralph Cabrera, Harry Candelario, & Bud LaRosa (inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#424 (June, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (pencils), Bud LaRosa & Ralph Cabrera (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#425 (August, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#426 (September, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#427 (October, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#428 (November, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#434 (May, 1998) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#435 (June, 1998) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thunderbolts I#80 (August, 2003) - John Arcudi (story), Francisco Ruiz Velasco (art), Andrew Lis (editor)
Thunderbolts I#81 (September, 2003) - John Arcudi (story), Francisco Ruiz Velasco (art), Andrew Lis (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black#1 (April, 2007) - Mike Fichera (head writer/coordinator), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grünwald (editors)
The Loners#2 (July, 2007) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), Karl Moline (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
The Loners#3 (August, 2007) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), Karl Moline (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
The Loners#5 (October, 2007) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), Karl Moline (artist), Mark Pennington (ink assists), Bill Rosemann (editor)
The Loners#6 (January, 2008) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), Karl Moline (pencils), Mark Pennington (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 3 (July, 2008) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editor)
Superior Foes of Spider-Man#11 (May, 2014) - Elliot Kalan (writer), Nuno Plati (artist), Tom Brennan (editor)
Spider-Man and the X-Men#4 (March, 2015) - Elliot Kalan (writer), R.B. Silva (pencils), Rob Lean (inks), Katie Kubert (editor)


First Posted: 07/24/2009
Last updated: 03/14/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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