Constrictor is the name of two
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
s appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
.
Publication history
The Frank Payne version of Constrictor made his first appearance in ''
The Incredible Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...
'' vol. 2 #212 (1977) and was created by
Len Wein
Leonard Norman Wein (; June 12, 1948 – September 10, 2017) was an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men ( ...
and
John Romita Sr.
John V. Romita (; born January 24, 1930) is an American comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and for co-creating characters including the Punisher and Wolverine. He was inducted into the Will Eis ...
, then drawn in his first issue by
Sal Buscema
Sal Buscema (; ; born Silvio Buscema, January 26, 1936) is an American comics artist, primarily for Marvel Comics, where he enjoyed a ten-year run as artist of ''The Incredible Hulk'' and an eight-year run as artist of ''The Spectacular Spider-Ma ...
.
The character went on to feature as a supervillain in ''
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
'' #228-229, #231 (1978–1979), ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' #126-127 (1979), ''
Power Man & Iron Fist'' #66 (1980), ''Captain America'' Annual #5 (1981), ''Power Man & Iron Fist'' #78, #84 (1982), ''Captain America'' #281-283 (1983), #309-311 (1985), ''
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
'' #334 (1989), ''
Marvel Comics Presents
''Marvel Comics Presents'' was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995. It returned for a second volume in 2007–2008, and a third volume that started in 2019.
Volume 1
The first volume ...
'' #74, #86-87. #89-92 (1991), ''The
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They traditionally consisted of teenage and young adult heroes, and were often seen to serve as a junior counterpart to Avengers (comics), ...
'' Annual #2 (1992), ''
The Spectacular Spider-Man
''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' is a comic book and magazine series starring Spider-Man and published by Marvel Comics.
Following the success of Spider-Man's original series, ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', Marvel felt the character could support ...
'' Annual #12 (1992), ''
Web of Spider-Man
''Web of Spider-Man'' is the name of two different monthly comic book series starring Spider-Man that have been published by Marvel Comics since 1985, the first volume of which ran for 129 issues between 1985 and 1995, and the second of which ran f ...
'' Annual #8 (1992), ''Iron Man'' #284 (1992), ''
Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' vol. 3 #36 (1992), ''Marvel Comics Presents'' #119-120 (1993), ''
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional team of Canadian superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters premiered in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #120 (April 1979), and were created to serve as part of the X-Men member Wo ...
'' #121 (1993), ''Captain America'' #412 (1993), ''
Sabretooth'' #1-3 (1994), ''
Marvel Fanfare
''Marvel Fanfare'' was an anthology comic book series published by American company Marvel Comics. It was a showcase title featuring a variety of characters from the Marvel universe.
Volume one
''Marvel Fanfare'' featured characters and settings ...
'' vol. 2 #6 (1997), ''
Thunderbolts'' #24-25 (1999), ''
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
'' vol. 3 #12 (1999), #16-19 (2000), ''Gambit'' Annual 2000 (2000), ''
The Hood
The Hood (Parker Robbins) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan, and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character was introduced in his own self-titled limited s ...
'' #2-4, #6 (2002), ''
Agent X'' #6 (2003), ''
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are conducted by List of government agencies in Marvel Comics, Department K, which turns willing ...
'' vol.2 #26, #28 (2004), ''
Secret War'' #3-5 (2004–2005), ''
Marvel Team-Up
''Marvel Team-Up'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story. The series was originally published from March 1972 through February 1985, and featured Spider-Man as ...
'' vol. 3 #7 (2005) and ''
She-Hulk
She-Hulk (Jennifer "Jen" Walters) is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in ''The Savage She-Hulk'' #1 (cov ...
'' #9 (2005).
Constrictor appeared as a supporting character in ''
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
'' #35 (1999), #38-45 (2000) and #61 (2002). The character went on to feature in ''
Cable & Deadpool
''Cable & Deadpool'' was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2004. The title characters, Cable and Deadpool, shared the focus of the book. The series was launched following the cancellation of the characters' previous ong ...
'' # 7-12 (2004–2005) and ''
The Thing'' vol. 2 #1-3, #8 (2006) in a more heroic role. Constrictor later appeared as a member of the
Initiative
In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...
in ''
Avengers: The Initiative'' #1, #4-5, #8, #10, #12-15, #17 (2007–2008) and featured prominently in #20-24, #26-35 (2009–2010) during the
Dark Reign and
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
storylines.
Fictional character biography
Frank Payne
Frank Payne was an agent of the international espionage organization
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
, and the father of an adult daughter, Mia. When S.H.I.E.L.D. needed a costumed "supervillain" to go undercover in the criminal organization called the
Corporation
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...
, Frank was given a snake-themed costume and a pair of wrist-mounted electrified metal coils. Using the false identity of "Frank Schlicting" from
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...
, and the codename of "Constrictor", he infiltrated the group, only to suffer a nervous breakdown and become a career criminal in earnest. As a result of his defection, S.H.I.E.L.D. allowed his daughter to believe that he had died. As the Constrictor, "Schlicting" debuted in combat against the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, while attempting to assassinate the Hulk's friend
Jim Wilson on behalf of the Corporation. The Corporation next sent him to assassinate
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
; the Constrictor was trapped in a cave-in of S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, and was freed by Captain America.
The Constrictor would remain an independent mercenary, criminal, and assassin after the dissolution of the Corporation. He next battled
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
as a member of
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a villainous entrepreneur, head of Hammer Industries and a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man. As he ex ...
's criminal army. He next teamed with
Sabretooth to safeguard a stolen jade tiger statuette, and battled
Power Man and the
Daughters of the Dragon
The Daughters of the Dragon are the duo of Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They first appeared as a team in ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' #32 (January 1977) in a ...
. He teamed with Sabretooth again to help Sabretooth get revenge on
Misty Knight
Mercedes "Misty" Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Tony Isabella and Arvell Jones, Knight was first mentioned (by name) in ''Marvel Premiere'' #20 (Jan. 1975) and appeared in ...
. They fought
Iron Fist, Power Man,
El Aguila
El Águila (Alejandro Montoya) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. El Águila is patterned after the literary hero Zorro. His name is Spanish for "the eagle".
The character made its live-action ...
, and Misty Knight.
Working for the
Viper
The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...
, he battled Captain America and
Nomad
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
. He wound up turning against the Viper. He next joined with other criminals in an attempt to assassinate the hospitalized
Thing
Thing or The Thing may refer to:
Philosophy
* An object
* Broadly, an entity
* Thing-in-itself (or ''noumenon''), the reality that underlies perceptions, a term coined by Immanuel Kant
* Thing theory, a branch of critical theory that focuses ...
.
Constrictor was also invited to join the
Serpent Society
The Serpent Society is an organization of snake-themed supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The society is a continuation of the original group the Serpent Squad and was later changed into Serpent Solutions. ...
, which he turned down and walked out after the first meeting. He subsequently tried to turn them over to the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
, and
Anaconda
Anacondas or water boas are a group of large snakes of the genus '' Eunectes''. They are found in tropical South America. Four species are currently recognized.
Description
Although the name applies to a group of snakes, it is often used ...
later exacted revenge on him. While in the hospital recuperating from the beating, he was nearly killed by the
Scourge of the Underworld
The Scourge of the Underworld is the name of a series of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Writer/editor Mark Gruenwald originally created the Scourge in 1985 as a plot device intended to thin the ...
disguised as a nurse, but was saved by Captain America.
Constrictor eventually took an assignment to kill the
Beast in Belgium by Commander Courage who was impersonating the
Red Ghost. Finding out that he had been set up, Constrictor teamed up with Beast to defeat Commander Courage.
He later had a showdown with his common-law stepfather McAvey, who had murdered his mother.
Constrictor has battled numerous heroes over the years, including repeated encounters with
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
,
Iron Fist,
Luke Cage
Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...
,
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
, the
Thing
Thing or The Thing may refer to:
Philosophy
* An object
* Broadly, an entity
* Thing-in-itself (or ''noumenon''), the reality that underlies perceptions, a term coined by Immanuel Kant
* Thing theory, a branch of critical theory that focuses ...
and even the short-lived character
NFL SuperPro
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ma ...
. Although Luke Cage and
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
eventually uncovered Payne's former identity, he chose to retain the Schlicting alias and to allow his daughter to believe that her father was dead. During the Acts of Vengeance, Constrictor was one of the many villains that attacked the Fantastic Four.
Constrictor appeared as a supporting character in ''
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
'' wherein he and
Titania moved in with him as his roommates. During their uncomfortable living situation, Constrictor was convinced that Titania was actually a man. It would turn out that he was right that she was not what she seemed; but not about her gender as Titania was revealed to actually be the mutant
shapeshifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
and Deadpool's former lover,
Copycat
Copycat refers to a person who copies some aspect of some thing or somebody else.
Copycat may also refer to:
Intellectual property rights
* Copyright infringement, use of another’s ideas or words without permission
* Patent infringement, a v ...
. He was later found to be under the employment of
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a villainous entrepreneur, head of Hammer Industries and a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man. As he ex ...
. When cutbacks forced his supervisor to lay him off, he responded by brutally attacking him.
He did join the seventh 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.
Publicatio ...
led by
Crimson Cowl. During the Deadpool story arc, it was also revealed that Constrictor had been part of a very short-lived rendition of the
Wizard's
Frightful Four
The Frightful Four are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They serve as the antithesis to the Fantastic Four.
Publication history
The Frightful Four first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' ...
.
At one point he was one of the many mercenaries hired to kill Alex Hayden, who was at this time thought to be Wade Wilson. He works with many unnamed mercs and some notable ones, including
Crossfire
A crossfire (also known as interlocking fire) is a military term for the siting of weapons (often automatic weapons such as assault rifles or sub-machine guns) so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I.
...
. In the story it was stated that Wilson was a hard-ass, so Hayden could not be Deadpool. Hayden then broke Constrictor's nose. The Constrictor was later seen in the same issue being used, or rather his vibranium coils were used, to drag the
Rhino
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
into a river. Somehow both escaped.
After a severe beating from
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
, the Constrictor was awarded several million dollars in a lawsuit.
Nighthawk
The nighthawk is a nocturnal bird of the subfamily Chordeilinae, within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, native to the western hemisphere. The term "nighthawk", first recorded in the King James Bible of 1611, was originally a local name i ...
, rich himself, convinces the Constrictor that with all his money there was no need to be a criminal anymore, and he has apparently turned over a new leaf and decided to be a hero. He is currently under the employment of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a member of the new
Six-Pack. He was most recently seen at an all-superhuman charity poker tournament hosted by the Thing (who also had a hand in the Constrictor's apparent reformation), where Hercules regains at least a large portion of the money he lost to the Constrictor in a non-tournament side game.
Constrictor plays a small role in the "
Secret War" crossover event.
The Constrictor was identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who have registered as part of the 50-State Initiative and joined Camp Hammond's staff. The Constrictor was later revealed to be part of the ''Shadow Initiative'', a black ops version of the Initiative under the command of
Henry Gyrich. He travels with Trauma and Mutant Zero, two other members of the group, into
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
; they rescue Initiative recruits from the invading alien forces called the
Warbound
"Planet Hulk" is a Marvel Comics storyline that ran primarily through issues of ''The Incredible Hulk'' starting in 2006. Written by Greg Pak, it dealt with the Marvel heroes' decision to send the Hulk away, his acclimation to and conquest of the ...
.
Constrictor saved Gyrich from the clone of
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
known as "KIA", however KIA severed Constrictor's forearms in retaliation. Constrictor was quickly ferried away to safety by fellow team member
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. He was given bionic hands which function like his coils, and was also presented with a
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
for his valiant efforts. Following a supervillain ambush outside of Camp Hammond, student hero
Butterball
Butterball is a brand of turkey and other poultry products produced by Butterball LLC. The company manufactures food products in the United States and internationally — specializing in turkey, cured deli meats, raw roasts and specialty pr ...
washed out the camp, he and fellow instructor
Taskmaster give Schaub a photo of himself standing triumphant over the defeated 'villains' as a reward for his efforts.
During the "
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
," Bengal discovers that the
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
s have taken over Camp Hammond and summons the rest of the Shadow Initiative to deal with them. They decide to assassinate Queen
Veranke
Veranke is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as the queen of the Skrull Empire. Introduced as Jessica Drew, Veranke is the main antagonist of ''Secret Invasion'', in which she leads he ...
, but the attempt fails and they are taken captive.
During a conflict with the initiative and some terrorists as seen in the "
Dark Reign," Constrictor helps the Women Warriors, one of the official government hero teams. He stops an out-of-control passenger plane, saving many lives, including that of the hero
Diamondback
Diamondback may refer to:
Animals
* ''Crotalus adamanteus'', the eastern diamondback rattlesnake
* ''Crotalus atrox'', the western diamondback rattlesnake
* Diamondback moth, a European moth that has spread to North America
* Diamondback terrapin ...
. Constrictor is visibly distressed as civilians thank him for his heroic actions. Soon after, he and Diamondback begin a romantic relationship. Frank later discovers that Diamondback is secretly working for
Gauntlet's "
Avengers Resistance". He keeps her secret despite knowing the danger this involves for them both; mainly the Initiative head, Taskmaster, would kill them both.
During the
Siege of Asgard, Constrictor becomes buried under a pile of falling rubble. Taskmaster digs him out and Constrictor sees Diamondback running towards Captain America. Wrongfully assuming that she has reconciled with and returned to her former lover, Constrictor sorrowfully joins Taskmaster in fleeing the battlefield. The two also begin working as mercenaries and partners in crime.
Constrictor was later recruited by Max Fury to join the
Shadow Council
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several fictional teams and organizations and this page lists them.
0–9 198
A A-Force
A-Next
A.I. Army
Because of his revelation that he is now a simulated A ...
'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.
Publicatio ...
.
As part of the "
Marvel NOW!
Marvel Now! (stylized as Marvel NOW!) is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including ''Un ...
" in the pages of ''
Avengers Arena
''Avengers Arena'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in December 2012 as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. The series shows 16 young heroes from the Marvel Universe and pit them against each other in a kill-or-be-kille ...
'', a flashback experienced by Arcade showed that he had previously acquired the ownership of a bar in Bagalia called the Hole where he catches Constrictor (who previously attended Arcade's birthday party and made fun of him) robbing it. Arcade defeated Constrictor by crushing him with a large hammer-like trap.
During the "
Infinity
Infinity is that which is boundless, endless, or larger than any natural number. It is often denoted by the infinity symbol .
Since the time of the ancient Greeks, the philosophical nature of infinity was the subject of many discussions amo ...
"storyline, Constrictor is among the villains recruited by
Spymaster
A spymaster is the person that leads a spy ring, or a secret service (such as an intelligence agency).
Historical spymasters
See also
*List of American spies
*List of British spies
* List of German spies
*List of fictional spymasters
This is ...
to help him attack the almost-defenseless Stark Tower.
In the pages of ''
Avengers Undercover
''Avengers Undercover'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in March 2014 as part of wave three of the ''Marvel NOW!'' relaunch. It serves as a sequel to ''Avengers Arena'', and concluded with September's issue #10.
Pu ...
'', Constrictor was with the Masters of Evil when Baron Helmut Zemo became the new leader following the death of Max Fury. Constrictor becomes the bodyguard of Baron Helmut Zemo. Constrictor is shown to live in a building called the Snakepit in
Bagalia
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
which is also the headquarters of the
Young Masters
The Young Masters are a comic book supervillain team created by Paul Cornell and Mark Brooks (comics), Mark Brooks. The team first appeared in ''Dark Reign: Young Avengers'' #1 (May 2009) as the analog to the Young Avengers.
Publication history
' ...
.
Frank Payne later retired from crime and moved in with Rachael Leighton. When it was discovered that Frank has a terminal illness, Rachael became Diamondback again and joined Serpent Solutions in order to get the money to help with his medical treatment. It was later revealed that Frank Payne had died.
[''Iron Fist'' #75. Marvel Comics.]
Frank Payne's son
When Frank Payne had a brief relationship with Sandy and later left him, Sandy gave birth to a son who hated his father for his abandonment. After Frank Payne died, he left his battlesuit for his son in his will and he became the new Constrictor. The son considered this as a way to get back at his late father.
Constrictor later went to the restaurant Herbie's and attended a supervillain meeting held by
Wizard who informed them that
Victor von Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
has gone straight. The meeting was crashed by Doctor Doom in his version of the
Iron Man armor.
Liwei later hired Constrictor to break into Danny Rand's apartment so that he can obtain for Chosin the Book of the Iron Fist. When Chosin refused to pay Constrictor double and planned to have him tortured, Constrictor summoned the Serpent Society. The fight was crashed by Iron Fist and Sabretooth. Constrictor was poisoned by Rat of 12 Plagues as Chosin starts to get his hands on the Book of the Iron Fist. To honor Frank Payne, Sabretooth took Constrictor to the hospital.
During the "Search for Tony Stark" arc, Constrictor later joined up with
Hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of Academic dress#Hood, academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitori ...
's crime syndicate where they attacked Victor von Doom at
Castle Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the ficti ...
.
In a prelude to the "
Hunted" storyline, Constrictor is among the animal-themed characters that are captured by Kraven the Hunter, Taskmaster, and
Black Ant for the upcoming Great Hunt that is sponsored by Arcade's company Arcade Industries. He was watching the fight between Spider-Man and
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
until the Hunter-Bots created by Arcade Industries arrive. When the Great Hunt begins, Constrictor is attacked by one of the Hunter-Bots. Surviving the attack, Constrictor and the surviving animal-themed characters met up with
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
.
Powers and abilities
The Constrictor's primary weapon is a pair of cybernetically-controlled, electrified, prehensile, wrist-mounted metal coils provided by
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a villainous entrepreneur, head of Hammer Industries and a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man. As he ex ...
. The coils eject and retract from special appliances running from shoulder to wrist. These cables are able to extend to a maximum length of and can be used as whips, capable of rending steel or lesser metals; or as bonds, capable of entwining an object or human being and constricting.
The previous sets of coils were made from an
adamantium
Adamantium is a fictional metal alloy appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and in various games in the Elder Scrolls franchise. It is best known as the substance bonded to the character Wolverine's skeleton and claws. In ...
alloy, then from
vibranium
Vibranium () is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store, and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in Wakanda, the metal is associated w ...
. The adamantium coils were traded to
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...
in exchange for a favor and are then subsequently used by
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont, the character was first mentioned as the employer behind the team of assassins known as the Maraud ...
to reinforce an ailing
Sabretooth's skeleton. The strength of the coils varies based on their construction, but the adamantium coils were powerful enough to lift and even temporarily restrain the Hulk. The vibranium coils have a contact-based aura that suppresses sound: while the coils are wrapped around a target's throat, the victim's voice cannot be heard.
The Constrictor's costume is lightly armored with partial bulletproofing around the chest and head area and the entire costume is electrically insulated, covering his entire body except for his lower face and chin. Although the Constrictor is a skilled unarmed combatant and street fighter, he usually relies exclusively on his coils in a fight.
After his encounter with KIA, Constrictor is implanted with cybernetic arms, the fingers of which duplicate the abilities of his old coils. His forearms still had the capacity to discharge coils out the wrist like previous.
Other versions
An alternative version of Constrictor appeared in ''
JLA/Avengers
''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, with ...
'' #4 (2003), part of the
Marvel
Marvel may refer to:
Business
* Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company
** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment
** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe
** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics
...
/
DC crossover storyline, as part of
Krona's supervillain army. Other versions of the character appear in the
What If? storylines ''What If?:
World War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled limited series and various titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk.
The series consists of five main issues titled ''World War Hulk'', wi ...
'' #1 (2010) and ''What If?:
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
'' #1 (2010) in minor and cameo roles.
House of M
A version of Constrictor appears in the
House of M
"House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a core eight-issue comic book limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel and a number of crossover tie-in books. Its fir ...
reality. In ''House of M: Masters of Evil'' #1-4 (2009–2010), Constrictor is a member of the
Hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of Academic dress#Hood, academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitori ...
'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.
Publicatio ...
opposing mutants' superior role in society. The character was later killed by
Sebastian Shaw during the group's fight with S.H.I.E.L.D.
[''House of M: Masters of Evil'' #4 (2010)]
In other media
Television
The Frank Payne incarnation of Constrictor appears in ''
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'', voiced by
Cam Clarke
Cam Clarke is an American voice actor, known for his work in animation, video games and commercials. Among his notable roles are Leonardo and Rocksteady in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated series, Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 ...
in his first appearance, and by
Troy Baker
Troy Baker (born April 1, 1976) is an American voice actor and musician. Baker is known for his video game roles, including Joel Miller in ''The Last of Us'' (2013) and its sequel (2020), Booker DeWitt in ''BioShock Infinite'' (2013), Samuel ...
in the second. In the episode "Breakout, Part 1", Constrictor escapes from the
Big House. In "Ultron-5", Constrictor joins the
Serpent Society
The Serpent Society is an organization of snake-themed supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The society is a continuation of the original group the Serpent Squad and was later changed into Serpent Solutions. ...
to fight the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
and
Ultron-5. In "Yellowjacket", Constrictor and the Serpent Society are captured by
Yellowjacket
Yellowjacket or yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genus, genera ''Vespula'' and ''Dolichovespula''. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of ...
and placed in a new Big House, though they later escape.
Video games
The Frank Payne incarnation of Constrictor appears as a boss, later unlockable playable character, in ''
Marvel: Avengers Alliance''.
Toys
* A figure of Constrictor was released as an exclusive foreign release as part of
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...
's
Secret Wars
''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'' for short, is a twelve-issue American comic book Fictional crossover, crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written ...
toyline.
* A figure of Constrictor was released in wave 11 of
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
's 3 3/4"
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
toyline.
* A figure of Constrictor was released in wave 1 of Hasbro's 6"
Marvel Legends
Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale.
The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
2012 toyline.
References
External links
Constrictorat Marvel.com
Constrictorat Marvel.wikia.com
*
In the PoP!-Light: Constrictor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Constrictor (Comics)
Characters created by Len Wein
Characters created by Sal Buscema
Comics characters introduced in 1977
Fictional mercenaries in comics
Marvel Comics male superheroes
Marvel Comics male supervillains
Marvel Comics superheroes
Marvel Comics supervillains