Man-Killer is a name used by two

supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...

s appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

. The second version Katrina Luisa Van Horn has been viewed by critics as a "caricature of feminists, who despised all men."

Publication history

The first version of Man-Killer first appeared in ''

Captain America Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1, published on December 20, 1940, by Timely C ...

'' #111 (December 1968) and created by

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

and

Jim Steranko James F. Steranko (; born November 5, 1938) is an American graphic artist, comics artist, comic book writer/artist, comics historian, Illusionist, magician, publisher and film production illustrator. His most famous comic book work was with th ...

. Man-Killer first appeared in '' Marvel Team-Up'' volume 1 #8 (April 1973) and created by

Gerry Conway Gerard Francis Conway Thomas, Roy. "Roy's Rostrum" (" Bullpen Bulletins") in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' #43 and other Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1974. (born September 10, 1952) is an American comic book writer, comic book editor, science ficti ...

and

Jim Mooney James Noel Mooney (August 13, 1919 – March 30, 2008) was an Americans, American comics artist best known for his long tenure at DC Comics and as the signature artist of Supergirl, as well as a Marvel Comics inker and Spider-Man artist, both ...

. The character subsequently appeared in ''Daredevil'' vol. 1 #121 (May 1975), 123 (July 1975), ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...

'' vol. 1 #126-127 (September–October 1979), and ''Marvel Team-Up'' vol. 1 #107 (July 1981), where she seemingly died. The character appeared several years later in ''Web of Spider-Man Annual'' #3 (1987), and made several appearances in ''Thunderbolts'' vol. 1, including issues #3 (June 1997), #18-20 (August–November 1998), 23-25 (February–April 1999), 27 (June 1999), 30 (September 1999), 34-35 (January–February 2000), 39-42 (June–September 2000), and in ''Deadline'' #2 (July 2002). After joining the Thunderbolts and taking the name Amazon, she appeared in ''Thunderbolts'' vol. 1 #64-65 (July–August 2002), 67 (September 2002), 69 (October 2002), 71 (November 2002) ''Marvel Universe: The End'' #5-6 (July–August 2003), ''Thunderbolts'' vol. 1 #73-75 (December 2002-February 2003), 80-81 (August–September 2003), ''New Thunderbolts'' #18 (April 2006), and ''Thunderbolts'' vol. 2 #100 (May 2006). She received an entry in the ''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z 2006'' #7.

Fictional character biography

Robot

Man-Killer was a robotic assassin sent by

Madame Hydra Madame Hydra is the name of several different fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a name given to a top female operative of Hydra (comics), Hydra. Fictional character biography Ophelia Sark ...

to kill

, but the robot is defeated and destroyed.

Katrina Luisa Van Horn

Katrina Luisa Van Horn was an Olympic

skier Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International ...

and is a militant

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

. After engaging in an argument with anti-Women's Liberation skier Karl Lubbings, the two took their disagreement to the slopes. Katrina was an Olympic-level skier, but Lubbings cut her off and both skiers plunged off the mountain. Katrina was severely injured and disfigured. She was fitted with a powered

exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...

and took the name Man-Killer (she no longer wears the exoskeleton so it is probable her strength has been enhanced somehow). She has worked freelance and as an agent for HYDRA. Man-Killer has been a member of Crimson Cowl's incarnation of the

Masters of Evil The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in '' The Avengers'' #6 (July 1964), with the lineup continually changing over the years. Publication ...

. During an altercation with the Thunderbolts, Katrina told

Songbird A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5,00 ...

that she'd rather not fight her, as she had no problems with women, just with men (Songbird attacked her anyway). Some time later however, Erik Josten (Atlas of the Thunderbolts) discovered Katrina working as a bartender in his team's adopted home of Burton Canyon,

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

. When Josten became a regular at the bar Katrina was congenial towards him, pretending not to recognize him as Atlas. Whatever animosity Katrina may or may not bear towards men, she has proven herself capable of working alongside them with a minimum of personality conflicts. As Amazon, she was briefly a member of the Thunderbolts under Hawkeye. She had fought

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...

on some occasions. Man-Killer is seen to be among the new recruits for Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. Man-Killer later appears as part of Baron Helmut Zemo's third incarnation of the Masters of Evil where they attacked the Winter Soldier's incarnation of the Thunderbolts. During the "Opening Salvo" part of the '' Secret Empire'' storyline, Man-Killer was involved in the Masters of Evil's next fight with the Thunderbolts which ends in her apparent death at the hands of Kobik.

Powers and abilities

Katrina Luisa Van Horn was given robotic implants replacing and/or compounded with bones and nerves, which give her superhuman powers, good athletic abilities, and the ability to throw knives at a range of hundreds of meters. She was also given Pym particles to grow in strength proportionate to size.

In other media

* The Robot version of Man-Killer appears in the '' Avengers Assemble'' episode "New Year's Resolution". This version is

Kang the Conqueror Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Fantastic Four'' #19 (October 1963) as Rama-Tut, an ...

's time-traveling robotic assassin. Two pose as Hydra agents to eliminate Howard Stark, but the first one is destroyed by

Peggy Carter Margaret Elizabeth "Peggy" Carter is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a supporting character in books featuring Captain America. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist ...

and the second one sent the two into the future before merging with the Iron Legion only to be destroyed by its intended target.

References

External links

Man-Killer
at Marvel.com

at SpiderFan.org

*
Gay League Profile
{{Thunderbolts Characters created by Gerry Conway Characters created by Jim Mooney Characters created by Jim Steranko Characters created by Stan Lee Comics characters introduced in 1973 Fictional bartenders Fictional feminists and women's rights activists Fictional German people Fictional skiers Hydra (comics) agents Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics cyborgs Marvel Comics female supervillains Marvel Comics mutates