KASHMIR VENNEMA
(Earth-13010)

Real Name: Kashmir "Kash" Vennema

Identity/Class: Extradimensional/Alternate Reality (Earth-13010) human technology user

Occupation: Technological weapon purchasing and sales

Group Membership: Possibly the unidentified successor to Vennema Multiversal (or possibly they used the same name)
    formerly Vennema Multiversal (initial incarnation)

Affiliations: Black Knight-13019, Black Widow-62111, Bloodstorm-13391, Ghost Rider-13139, Moon Knight-39131, Venom-91313;
    formerly Captain America-616, Black Widow-616

Enemies: Vennema Multiversal (or at least it's past incarnations), especially Kashmir-11712 and the Inner Council;
    Hunt Squad (Eel-28121, Spider-Woman-82121, Ulik-81212), Beast-31406, Human Torch-20653, Sabretooth-46031, Thing-31223)

Known Relatives: Unidentified husband and daughter (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Starship in an unidentified location in an unidentified dimension;
    formerly Vennema Multiversal, Earth-17121;
    formerly Earth-13010

First Appearance: (Behind-the-scenes, as Black Widow-62111's employer) Captain America and Black Widow#636 (November, 2012);
    (Behind-the-scenes, Black Widow's employer mentioned, unidentified) Captain America and Black Widow#637 (November, 2012);
    (Seen, identified) Captain America and Black Widow#639 (January, 2013)

Powers/Abilities: Kash does not have actual superhuman powers; however, she is highly intelligent (possibly genius level) and charismatic. She is also an experienced field agent and capable combatant. She pilots a ship with interdimensional travel capacity as well as flight through air; she also utilized a starship (or perhaps her other ship could modify itself for travel).

    She had access to advanced technology taken from Vennema Multiversal and other sources. She apparently has a device below the skin on her left cheek that allows her to activate her "bodyslide" (teleportation) technology. She was seen to operate an automatic firearm.

    She utilized a number of superhuman agents as warriors.

Height: Approximately 5'8"
Weight: Approximately 135 lbs.
Eyes: Green (some panels look more brown)
Hair: Black
Distinguishing Features: She has a long, linear scar running on the left side of her face, from forehead to chin, and a smaller scar starting just below the center of her lip and radiating slight to the right and toward her chin. On the right side of her face, she has one starting from the middle of her forehead, extending toward her right eye, and then continuing below her eye toward her ear, and one extending from just below and lateral to her nose toward the angle of her mandible.
    She typically shaves the right side of her head.

 

 

History:
(Captain America and Iron Man#637 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Kashmir "Kash" Vennema-13010 was recruited into Vennema Multiversal, an organization of Kashmir Vennemas across numerous universes, who obtained technology from one reality and sold it to another for profit, heedless of the damage to each reality.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Kash-13010 allegedly gave her all to Vennema Multiversal.

(Captain America and Black Widow#639 (fb) - BTS / Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - When Kash-13010 decided she wanted to leave Vennema Multiversal so she could start a new life, the organization (presumably directed by CEO Kashmir-11712 and/or other members of the Inner Council) killed her husband and daughter.

(Captain America and Black Widow#639 (fb) - BTS) - Kash's experiences left her with multiple scars on her face.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Kash-13010 freed a number of Vennema Multiversal's brainwashed operatives -- including Black Knight-13019, Black Widow-62111, Bloodstorm-13391, Ghost Rider-13139, Moon Knight-39131, & Venom-91313 -- from a life of slavery and enlisted them to her cause of taking down Vennema Multiversal.

(Captain America and Black Widow#637 (fb) - BTS / Captain America and Black Widow#639 (fb) - BTS) - Kashmir Vennema-13010 employed Black Widow-62111 to take out other Kashmirs.

(Captain America and Black Widow#637 (fb) - BTS) - Black Widow-62111 slew dozens of Kashmir Vennemas in an effort to "lop off the head of the snake."

Captain America and Black Widow#636 - BTS) - On Earth-62111, Black Widow-62111 slew Kashmir-12116.
    On Earth-616, Widow-62111 slew Kashmir-16211 and members of Earth-616's Secret Empire. Having been witnessed and subsequently confronted by Captain America-616, Widow-62111 shot him as well.

(Captain America and Black Widow#637 - BTS) - Black Widow-616 arrived and defeated the Widow-62111, after which two Vennema Multiversal agents "slingshot it," sending the stasis containers, Captain America, both Black Widows-616 & -62111, and everything within their disrupted perimeter containment field to another dimension at random (Earth-12128).
    Black Widow-62111 explained to Cap and Widow-616 that they were dealing not just with one woman, but with an empire, Vennema Multiversal. She further told them that she was employed by "a disgruntled customer."

(Captain America and Black Widow#638) - After Cap-616 and the two Widows on Earth-12128, Kashmir-11712 decided to send the Hunt Squad (Eel-28121, Madcap-21281, Porcupine-12812, Spider-Woman-82121, Ulik-81212) to slay them.

(Captain America and Black Widow#639 - BTS) - Cap-616 convinced the Lizard-12128 to give Widow-62111 access to his technology to repair her dimensional transport device. As Widow-62111 finished, Lizard-12128's base was assaulted by the Hunt Squad. After a brief struggle, Lizard-12128 attacked the Hunt Squad on his own and instructed Cap to depart so he could fulfill his promise to save his people.
    After Widow-62111 had taken Cap and Widow-616 on at least seven jumps, the remaining members of the Hunt Squad (Eel-28121, Spider-Woman-82121, Ulik-81212, who had defeated Lizard-12128) tracked them down and blasted Widow-62111's transport device out of her hand.

(Captain America and Black Widow#639) - Kash Vennema-13010 arrived with her agents -- Black Knight-13019, Bloodstorm-13391, Ghost Rider-13139, Moon Knight-39131, & Venom-91313 -- who took out the rest of the Hunt Squad. Kash-13010 then introduced herself, and Widow-62111 greeted her boss.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Kash-13010 invited Cap and the two Widows aboard her ship, which transported them (including her warrior agents) to Earth-17121, and they began heading for Vennema Multiversal HQ.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 - BTS) - At Vennema Multiversal HQ, Kashmir-11712 and her Inner Council boardroom discussed the imminent threat (and the potentially inappropriate response that had allowed things to reach this point). More than the threat, each was concerned with their role in the hierarchy and what they might do to improve or maintain it.

 

 

(Captain America and Black Widow#640) - En route to Vennema Multiversal, Kash-13010 shared that as unsettling as this seemed to Cap andWidow-616, they should imagine how disquieting it was for her, as it was basically other versions of herself that had betrayed her. When Captain America-616 questioned Kash on her motivations, she explained her past, admitting that while Vennema Multiversal was involved in operations that put countless innocents -- countless worlds -- at risk, at least part of her motivation was revenge. Widow-62111 explained how Kash had freed her and the other from a lifetime of brain-washed slavery, and she further noted that Cap and the Widow-616 should make a decision, as soon they would be past the point of safe return.
    Kash-13010 told Cap and Widow-616 she would understand if they wanted to sit this one out, in which case she and her allies would still take them back them back to Earth-616 afterwards (assuming they survived the assault on Vennema Multiversal). Kash-13010 elaborated that she doubted either of them would ever know what it felt like to betray yourself the was she did. She ultimately won over Cap and Widow-616's support by explaining that the plan was not killing her former associates, because that wouldn't hurt them; the plan was shutting down Vennema Multiversal. Kash-13010 feigned agreement with Cap's rule that they go in like heroes and not kill anyone.

    Outside Vennema Multiversal HQ, Ghost Rider-13139 led the assault against the security forces -- conventional security standing behind a front line of more brainwashed super-agents, including Beast-31406, Human Torch-20653, Sabretooth-46031, and Thing-31223 -- followed by Cap and Widow-616, Widow-62111, Kash-13010, Black Knight-13019, Bloodstorm-13391, Moon Knight-39131, & Venom-91313. As Kash's agents fought Vennema Multiversal's brainwashed agents, the invading force breached the gate to Vennema Multiversal HQ, and Widow-62111 rushed in to try to take out the inner council; not trusting Widow-62111, Widow-616 rushed in after her.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Widow-62111 slew multiple Kashmirs, including apparently Kashmir-11712 and the rest of her Inner Council

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 - BTS) - As Kashmirs ran through the facility ,Widow caught up to Widow-62111 and found her standing over the slain Inner Council. Widow-616 again defeated and captured Widow-62111.

    Realizing they were on the losing end of things, most Kashmirs continued scrambling for exits from Vennema Multiversal HQ, leaving behind numerous heroes in stasis.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Cap-616 joined Kash-13010 in entering Vennema Multiversal HQ.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640) - Seeing the fleeing Kashmirs, Cap noted how it would take forever to round up all the Kashmirs, and that they were leaving a number of heroes in stasis behind. He wondered if they could be saved and/or set free. Kash-13010 replied, "Honestly? Not my problem. Bodyslide," and she teleported away. Frustrated, but realizing he should have expected this, he continued exploring the base.

(Captain America and Black Widow#640  - BTS) - Captain America considered that with all of the different Kashmirs scattered and their empire toppled, the various Kashmirs wouldn't dare peek out of their hidey holes.

 

 

 

(Captain America and Black Widow#640 (fb) - BTS) - Kashmir-13010 contacted, at least, a trio of other Kashmirs and arranged a meeting aboard a starship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Captain America and Black Widow#640) - From the spaceship, near a red, crater-marked world, Kash-13010 told the three other Kashmirs, "We all know that Vennema Multiversal collapsed under its own weight. There were simply too many queen bees and not enough drones. That just breeds a culture of mistrust. But a small group...this group...can do great things. We still have access to many of Vennema Multiversal's resources: The hidden warehouses. The supply caches. There's still a lot of money to be made in the multiverse. We just have to ask ourselves one question. Which world first?"

 

 

 

Comments: Created by Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)

    With the way she went on to organize a group similar to Vennema Multiversal, I wondered if she had been lying about losing her husband and daughter, but she thinks it to herself at one point...though I suppose she could have been projecting that thought in case anyone around had telepathic powers.

    While geography and real world history aren't really my strong-suits, you can Google "Kashmir" to see it is an Asian region incorporating different territories ruled by India, Pakistan, and China.

    These Kashmir Vennema profiles may be a bit heavy in detail and dialogue, but that's because I'm trying to give each counterpart some distinction in terms of behavior, speech patterns, etc.

    What is up with the choice of her name? I think Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) says it best in Avengers Assemble#21: "What's a cashmere enema?"

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Kashmir Vennema-13010 should be distinguished from her various alternate reality counterparts:

images: (without ads)
Captain America and Black Widow#639, last page, 2nd to last panel (with agents);
    #640, pg. 2, panel 1 (airship/dimensional transporter);
        pg. 3, panel 2-3 (face and close-up);
            panel  5 (mostly full body);
        pg. 8, panel 3 (in combat);
        pg. 15, panel 2-3 (activating bodyslide);
        pg. 20, panel 1 (starship);
            panel 3 (meeting with new group)

Appearances:
Captain America and Iron Man#635 (October, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Barry Kitson (artist), John Denning & Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Black Widow#636-637 (November, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Black Widow#638 (December, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Black Widow#639 (January, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Black Widow#640 (February, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)

Last updated: 05/20/15

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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