main imageMUSE

Real Name: Shannon Fitzpatrick

Identity/Class: Human mutant/mutate (Irish)

Occupation: Great Game player

Group Membership: Great Game

Affiliations: James Johnsmeyer, Mosh, Pierce, Quorum

Enemies: Joystick (Janice Yanizeski), Kaine, Polestar (Thomas Duffy), Rhino (Alexei Sytsevich), Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: James Johnsmeyer's tropical island estate

First Appearance: Spectacular Spider-Man II#231 (February, 1996)

Powers/Abilities: Muse is telepathic, and can psychically persuade others to do her bidding. She can also fire powerful concussive blasts, although her control over this ability is limited.

History: (Spectacular Spider-Man II#231 (fb) ) - Muse was James Johnsmeyer's greatest player in the Great Game, a series of staged fights between superhumans.  At some point she faced off against Quorum, another of Johnsmeyer's players.

(Scarlet Spider Unlimited#1 - BTS/Spectacular Spider-Man II#231 (fb) ) - Muse and Mosh followed Detective Jacob Raven to the warehouse where Kaine's body had been moved and stole it, bringing it back to Johnsmeyer's estate, where he was nursed back to health.

(Spider-Man I#66 (fb) ) - Johnsmeyer had Muse fake an injury and befriend Kaine to manipulate him into participating into Great Game fights.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#231) - Muse greeted the newly-revived Kaine as he defeated Quorum, Mosh, and several other thugs.  After giving Johnsmeyer a progress report, she attended to Kaine, explaining his resurrection.  She introduced him to Johnsmeyer, but Kaine refused his offer to play in the Great Game and left.  While leaving the Johnsmeyer estate, Quorum and Mosh confronted him, but Muse knocked Quorum out and mesmerized Mosh to put his gun down, allowing Kaine to defeat him.  She asked Kaine to take her with him.

(Sensational Spider-Man I#2) - As Muse and Kaine escaped through a New York City alleyway, they were confronted by the Rhino, who had joined the Great Game. As the Rhino tried to goad Kaine into a fight, Spider-Man intervened, rescuing Muse from a toppled wall only to be buried in rubble himself.  In the confusion, Muse and Kaine escaped.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#409) - Hiding out in a Lower West side warehouse, Muse suggested that Kaine should rest, only for the Rhino to burst into their hideout.  He was soon joined by fellow Game players Joystick and Polestar.  Muse briefly mesmerized Polestar, but Joystick kicked her in the face. Kaine tried to attend to her; when the Rhino took advantage of his distraction, an enraged Kaine beat him to a pulp until Muse stopped him. With Polestar and Joystick occupied by Spider-Man, Kaine and Muse slipped away.  Later, Muse contacted Johnsmeyer, informing her pleased employer of their whereabouts.

(Spider-Man I#66) - Cornered by the police and Spider-Man, Kaine took a bullet meant for Muse and pulled a wall down on the officers, forcing Spider-Man to save them while he and Muse escaped.  After she dressed his wound, they set off for the headquarters of Johnscorp, Johnsmeyer's company.  He destroyed the building's defense systems, and she unmasked him and kissed him, although he was reluctant to let her do either; despite her orders, she found herself falling for him.  Spider-Man caught up with them, just in time for the roof to open up, dropping all three into a room filled with video monitors displaying the Great Game's sponsors.  Muse landed on her feet as her sling came off, revealing that her injury was faked.  Johnsmeyer offered Kaine a position in the game, and revealed Muse's deception.  Tormented by memories of his first love, Louise Kennedy, who had also betrayed him, Kaine grabbed Muse by the throat and prepared to kill her, but Spider-Man talked him out of it.  Kaine tossed her aside and fought Spider-Man, who wasn't willing to let Kaine escape.  As Spider-Man gained the upper hand, Muse hit Spider-Man with a concussive blast, then blasted a hole in the wall.  She jumped out, allowing Kaine to escape while Spider-Man saved her.

Comments: Created by Todd Dezago, Sal Buscema, and Al Milgrom.

It's never stated explicitly that Muse is Irish, but her name is "Shannon Fitzpatrick" and she says "ye" a lot.  That's how Irish people talk, right?

Muse's hair kind of fluctuates between brown and red - let's just say it's auburn.

I wonder if there's any chance of Muse showing up again, now that Kaine has his own series as the Scarlet Spider.

Profile by Minor Irritant.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Muse has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#231, p6, pan3 (main image)
Spider-Man #66, p20, pan3 (using energy blasts)

Appearances:                                                                                   
Spectacular Spider-Man II#231 (February, 1996) - Todd Dezago (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Al Milgrom (inker), Eric Fein (editor)
Sensational Spider-Man I#2 (March, 1996) - Dan Jurgens (writer/pencils), Klaus Janson (inker), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#409 (March, 1996) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Larry Mahlstedt (inker), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Spider-Man I#66 (March, 1996) - Howard Mackie (writer), John Romita, Jr. (pencils), Al Williamson, Dick Giordano, & Al Milgrom (inkers), Eric Fein (editor)

Last updated: 07/30/09

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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