Real Name: Carol Susan Jane Danvers
Nicknames: Ace
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 120 lbs / 55 kg
Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts
Family: Joseph (Father); Marie (Mother); Steve (deceased Brother); Joseph Jr. (Brother)
Ms. Marvel is a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan. Carol Danvers is the most well-known Ms. Marvel, although Sharon Ventura also used the code name Ms. Marvel. The super heroine (as Carol Danvers) first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 of March 1968.
In her reign of more than 30 years as a Marvel character, she also uses the codenames Binary and Warbird, and associates with the Avengers and X-Men, but a series of personal tragedies have complicated her career. Carol is a CIA agent and the love interest of the superhero Captain Marvel. She gained her superpowers after her exposure to technology from Marvel’s Kree home world.
Ms. Marvel History
Carol Danvers
Ms. Marvel: The Female Fury!
During the '70s, Ms. Marvel was the image of super-heroine chic! Her feminist views and strong character captured the essence of the '70s woman.
Carol Susan Jane Danvers entered the Air Force upon graduating from high school to pursue her love of aircrafts and her dreams of flying. She was a top student at the Air Force Academy and enjoyed a rapid career advancement rising to the rank of Major. Because of her leading performance, superb combat skills and natural intellect, Carol was recruited into the intelligence field. She ended up serving with the CIA and during this time she was partnered with her lover Michael Rossi and encounters Wolverine and Nick Fury.
Following her career as a spy, she was appointed NASA security director at Cape Canaveral, where she encountered the heroic Kree, Captain Mar-Vell. Mar-Vell's mortal enemy, Colonel Yon-Rogg kidnapped Carol. In the battle, Carol and Mar-Vell were caught in the explosion of a “Psyche-Magnitron”, a device built by the Kree. The energy explosion somehow caused Carol's DNA to be fused with Mar-Vell's. While he was apparently unchanged by the event, Carol was now a perfect hybrid of Kree and human genes granting her superhuman strength, the ability to fly and a clairvoyant "seventh sense." With these powers, she assumed the guise of Ms. Marvel.
Carol lost her job at NASA because of her failure to save Captain Mar-Vell. However, she became an editor of WOMAN magazine even her viewpoints as a feminist created tensions with her boss J. Jonah Jameson. Just as Carol was beginning this new chapter of her life, the powers and persona of Ms. Marvel began to emerge. At first, Carol experienced blackouts triggered by her Ms. Marvel's precognitive seventh sense and the two personas were very distinct, both mentally and physically. Soon Carol and Ms. Marvel learn of each other and act as one mind.
She also joined the Avengers for a brief period. It was her affiliation with the Avengers which drew Carol to the attention of the creature known as Marcus, the son of Immortus. Marcus impregnated Carol with a child who would rapidly grow up into Marcus himself, enabling him to escape Limbo, a dimension outside of time. The pregnancy ran its course in a matter of days, leaving Carol shaken. The child grew within a day into a full-grown man, one who was determined to win his mother's love. Carol was still bewildered by the entire experience, agreed to accompany Marcus back to Limbo and leaves the team. In Limbo, his accelerated aging continues until he withers away to a husk, at which point she uses his technology to return to Earth. Seeking peace of mind, Carol decided to settle in San Francisco instead of returning to the Avengers.
Carol's return to Earth was sensed by Destiny, Mystique's partner. Destiny had previously prophesied that Ms. Marvel would be involved in an event that would destroy the life of Mystique's foster daughter, Rogue. Mystique had vowed to destroy Ms. Marvel before this could happen and developed an obsessive hatred for Ms. Marvel. Rogue decided to take the battle herself in which Ms. Marvel loses and steals her powers. After the fight, Rogue attempted to murder her by hurling her from the Golden Gate Bridge. However, Spider-Woman rescued Carol and alerted the Avengers and X-Men to Carol's plight. Rogue also drained her memories, most of which were restored by mutant mentor Charles Xavier. During this period, Carol was a frequent ally of the X-Men; Xavier's team of masked, mutant heroes.
Binary: The Celestial Starjammer!
Following her tragic encounter with Rogue, Carol was experimented on by the alien Brood, transforming her into the phenomenally powerful “Binary”. Carol now possessed more power than ever due to her link to a white hole, a virtually limitless source of cosmic power. She returned with the X-Men and was strongly considering joining them on a permanent basis when the desperately troubled Rogue came to Xavier for help. When the X-Men choose to let the severely disturbed Rogue join their team, Carol cuts all ties to the group and spends several years in space, often battling alongside with the Starjammers.
In space, Carol was able to escape her loss and rebuild her life. She remained with the Starjammers for a number of years. Despite fighting the Shi'ar forces and her former enemy Deathbird, she found herself frustrated at the lack of challenge among the Starjammers' nemesis. When the team came to Earth and into conflict with the Avengers, Carol helped resolve the conflict and decided to try and rebuild her life on Earth.
Warbird: The Fallen Avenger!
Eventually, Carol’s link to the white hole is broken, and as a result, she loses her cosmic-level powers as Binary but still retains a level of her superpowers. She rejoins the Avengers and changes her code name to “Warbird”. She is no longer as powerful as she was as Binary, but she is considerably more powerful than she was in her early days as Ms. Marvel. She tried to hide about her power loss from the Avengers, leading to a conflict with Captain America. She became alcoholic due to her insecurities which was immediately noticed by recovering alcoholic and fellow Avenger, Iron Man. When she is unable to function in a coherent capacity, she quits the team rather than forced demotion.
With the help of fellow alcoholic Tony Stark, Carol conquers her drinking and stabilizes her powers. She rejoins the Avengers for a few missions. As Warbird, she proved to herself and her teammates that she was an asset to the team. During her latest stint with the Avengers, Carol formed a fast friendship with the She-Hulk and the new Avenger, Triathlon. Warbird was offered a post as the Chief of Tactical Operations and Superhuman Liaison for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She works as a parole officer for the newest incarnation of the Thunderbolts.
Ms. Marvel Reborn
Carol has recently returned to her roots and reclaimed the name Ms. Marvel. Quicksilver convinces his sister Scarlet Witch to create a world where mutants are the dominant species on Earth. Carol was one of the more popular Sapien heroes operating under the rule of the House of M, going by the name Captain Marvel by a dying Mar-Vell. Once the world reverts, Carol is motivated by the realization of her potential, and she concentrates on reinvigorating her career. She retakes the name Ms. Marvel and strikes out on her own, turning down an offer to join the reformed Avengers and leaving her Homeland Security job. The new Ms. Marvel comic book series debuted in March 2006, and one of her first battles was a rematch with the Brood and a new enemy, the alien hunter known as Cru.
Affiliations
Over the years, Carol has found herself a member or ally of various teams and organizations below.
The Avengers
The Uncanny X-men
The Starjammers
U.S. Air Force
Major Enemies
The Brood
The Brood captured Carol but then rescued by Wolverine. The Brood are vicious, insect-like alien race, who were soon fascinated by Carol’s unique Kree/human genetic structure. It soon became apparent that they were experimenting with Carol's DNA and had changed her dramatically into “Binary”. She used her new cosmic powers to strike back against the Brood. Binary's attack devastated the Brood’s home world. Now her enemies have sworn vengeance on her for this bitter and complete defeat.
Marcus
Marcus manipulated Carol into believing that she loved him and took her to his home in Limbo. However, Marcus' plot backfired when he discovered that he aged at an accelerated rate in Limbo.
Sabretooth
Carol fought Sabretooth one-on-one as Ms. Marvel. They had heated battles, but in the end Carol stood victorious.
Rogue
The relationship between Carol Danvers and Rogue is a bitter and complex comic’s history. Carol's psyche controlled Rogue's body. The years they shared together have tragic events which irrevocably linked the two women.
Deathbird
Deathbird has been an enemy of Carol Danvers since her early days as Ms. Marvel. Unlike many of Carol's foes, Carol fought Deathbird as both Ms. Marvel and Binary.
Mystique
Mystique is a mutant shapeshifter who systematically attempted to disrupt Carol’s life. The villain became even more obsessed with destroying her when she learned that Carol would cause her foster daughter, Rogue, immeasurable harm. Mystique vowed to prevent this, despite the warnings against it.
Superpowers and abilities
Ms. Marvel possesses a wide array of superhuman powers. She is an exceptional pilot, and highly experienced in the fields of espionage, military operations and martial arts. She is a talented journalist.
Ms Marvel had superhuman strength, endurance, invulnerability, the ability to fly and a seventh sense until her powers where stolen by the mutant Rogue
Binary taps into the energy of a white hole and manipulates the cosmic energy released. This gives her incredible power, superhuman strength, durability, photogenic energy blasts, energy absorption; she can fly and travel at speed faster than light.
Warbird possesses superhuman strength, a high degree of durability, the ability to emit concussive photon bursts and the power of flight. Also, she can absorb various forms of energy, thus augmenting her other abilities. Carol can also alter her normal clothes into her Warbird costume and vice-versa.
Costume
Her first costume is based directly on Mar-Vell's second costume, a red outfit with blue mask, gloves and boots; her second, more prominently featured costume is a blue ensemble with a stylized lightning bolt across the chest, along with a red sash around her waist.
As Binary, her hair becomes a corona of flame and she dons a red-and-white costume with a stylized black starburst on the breast.
As Warbird, she wears again her classic blue Ms. Marvel costume.
Sharon Ventura
Real Name: Sharon Ventura
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Reddish-blonde
Height: Sharon 5' 8"; She-Thing 6'0"
Weight: Sharon 135 lbs; She-Thing 340 lbs.
Family: Jack Ventura (father, deceased)
Sharon Ventura is a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe and has been a member of the Fantastic Four. She has used the code name Ms. Marvel and later known as the She-Thing. Created by Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson, she first appeared in The Thing #27 of September 1985.
Sharon Ventura was the daughter of a strict officer in the United States Army. Her mother died while she was young. Her father had apparently wanted a son, so he never really encouraged or praised her for doing anything right. She had a hard time pleasing him and his impossibly high standards. She enrolled in military school, but she was kicked out for not turning her roommate in for cheating, and her father would not support her anymore so the two became estranged for nearly a year. Her father died during their time apart, and Sharon felt an extreme amount of guilt over his passing, but she was determined to show him that she could be the best at whatever she set out to do without all his rules and regulations.
Sharon Ventura spent the next few years of her life training in a number of dangerous physical activities. She signed up for the Power Broker's program in order to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. The Power Broker actually Curtiss Jackson, employed Dr. Karl Malus to create super-powered wrestlers for his competitions. Sharon was unaware of their criminal activities. They addicted the subjects to a drug, ensuring their obedience while boosting their subject’s strength. It has been said that she was raped while a prisoner of Malus, which caused her to develop distrust to men. Sharon managed to break free before Malus administered the drug. She adopted the costume which UCWF minder Auntie Freeze had arranged for her, taking the name Ms. Marvel.
Sharon received her first superhuman powers from Power Broker. Those powers were later enhanced by expose to cosmic radiation. She joined the hero team Fantastic Four, reuniting with Ben Grimm, the Thing. Sharon was mutated into a female version of him and she preferred this identity, due to the disappearance of the sexual harassment she experienced in her previous two incarnations. Although she later returned to her normal appearance, she was again mutated, this time by Doctor Doom into a much more monstrous form, and began calling herself the She-Thing. She joined the Frightful Four briefly before secluding herself from society.
Superpowers and abilities
Sharon Ventura is an accomplished gymnast, a skilled wrestler, an expert motorcycle stunt rider, mountain climber, scuba and sky diver, and stunt woman. Her natural abilities were boosted to their highest levels, and she was also granted superhuman strength, durability and resistant to injury through radiation treatments. When she was exposed to cosmic rays and transformed into a She-Thing, her strength and durability were increased to the levels of the Thing.
Other Media of Ms. Marvel
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Video game)
An action role-playing game announced by RavenSoft and Activision for Fall 2006. The companies said the game, previously referred to as Marvel Legends features 24 playable characters and more than 140 cameo appearances. Carol/Ms. Marvel will soon appear in this upcoming video game with all her comic powers.
X-Men animated series
Carol Danvers appears in the X-Men animated series in the Season 2 episode "A Rogue's Tale". Rogue and Danvers have a mental fight over control of Rogue's body, which Rogue wins. Danvers is not seen again, but the episode implies that she will recover. And yet Binary appears with the Starjammers and does not appear to recognize Rogue.