TAO

Membership: Two members (names unrevealed)

Purpose: Criminal gains (robbery, destruction)

Affiliations: None revealed

Enemies: Spider-Man

Base of Operations: Shanghai, China

First Appearance: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.#5 (July, 2016)

History:

(Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.#5 (fb) - BTS) - In Shanghai, the two Tao members robbed an armored car.

(Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.#5) - Spider-Man chanced upon them and the Tao members immediately threw their explosive blasts at him. Spider-Man evaded the blasts and punched one out but the sudden arrival of a man hovering in an old Iron Man suit (a black market suit distributed by Hydra) stopped the fray. The armored man blasted the other Tao member before targeting Spider-Man. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents soon stopped the armored attacker and rescued Spider-Man, so it's likely that Tao were turned over to Chinese authorities.

Comments: Created by Marc Guggenheim & German Peralta.

It would be great to find out a bit more of these guys. Seemingly small-time hoods, but where did they get their powers? Possibly twins gaining similar powers at the same time -- they threw different colored explosive bolts from opposite hands and dressed in opposite black-white costumes that recall the bagua symbol of Taoism.

They were very likely Chinese citizens. Having only just encountered Spider-Man, their first word bubble from one was in Chinese ("die!"). Then in English, "We are Tao."

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Tao has no known connections to:

• TAO, SUN - Stark Enterprises, framed by Yinsen and Tiger Mynn for theft of the SKIN from Askew Electronics @ Iron Man III#31
• TAO-LOA of the Hyborian era - god @ Savage Sword of Conan I#103
• TAO-YU, CHANG - one of 5 brothers that form the Chinese hero Collective Man to multiply their powers @ Incredible Hulk II#250
  
• TAO-YU, HAN - one of 5 brothers that form the Chinese hero Collective Man to multiply their powers @ Incredible Hulk II#250
• TAO-YU, HO - one of 5 brothers that form the Chinese hero Collective Man to multiply their powers @ Incredible Hulk II#250
• TAO-YU, LIN - one of 5 brothers that form the Chinese hero Collective Man to multiply their powers @ Incredible Hulk II#250
• TAO-YU, SUN - one of 5 brothers that form the Chinese hero Collective Man to multiply their powers @ Incredible Hulk II#250
  
• or any other "Tao" characters/groups

images: (without ads)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.#5, p14, pan1 (main image)
   p14, pan4 (headshot of one)

Appearances:
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.#5 (July, 2016) - Marc Guggenheim (writer), German Peralta (pencils & inks), Katie Kubert (editor)

First posted: 12/30/2020
Last updated: 12/30/2020.

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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