Shanna the She-Devil (Shanna O'Hara, Lady Plunder) is a fictional

jungle adventurer ''Jungle Adventurer'' ( it, La montagna di luce, lit=The Mountain of Light) is an Italian adventure film. It starred Richard Harrison. The film is loosely based on Emilio Salgari's 1902 adventure novel ''La montagna di luce'' (''The Mountain o ...

superhero 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 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 Comics'' in ...

. Created by writer Carole Seuling and penciller George Tuska, she made her first appearance in ''Shanna the She-Devil'' #1 (Dec. 1972).

Publication history

''Shanna the She-Devil'' was introduced in one of a trio of Marvel Comics aimed at a female audience, alongside '' Night Nurse'' and '' Claws of the Cat''. Marvel writer-editor Roy Thomas recalled in 2007 that editor-in-chief

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

: Seuling in 2010 recalled: "My instructions were to make hannasomeone who would fit in with the times and also was prone to a little more violence than Sheena or the other jungle queens of the past". With veteran penciler George Tuska, she created the lead character and her two leopard companions, as well as

game warden A conservation officer is a law enforcement officer who protects wildlife and the environment. A conservation officer may also be referred to as an environmental technician or technologist, game warden, forest ranger, forest watcher, forest g ...

and potential romantic interest Patrick McShane, loosely based on after actor Patrick McGoohan's game-warden character in the film ''

Nor the Moon by Night ''Nor the Moon by Night'' is a 1958 British drama film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Belinda Lee. It was based on the novel by Joy Packer and partly filmed in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. The title is a quote from the Old Test ...

''.Seuling in Buttery, p. 5 The writer Steve Gerber, in his first assignment for Marvel Comics, supplied additional dialogue for that first issue, as well as the next. Seuling explained:

Steve Gerber did not collaborate with me on the scripts or the origin story, but he added some additional dialogue since Stan eeand Roy homasthought the stories were a bit light on the talking. However, ... Steve Gerber was not one of the creators. He provided additional dialogue for the first two ssuesand then took over when I left fter four issues ... Gerber himself, before he died a few years ago, denied that he had any part in Shanna's origin.Seuling in Buttery, p. 6

This initial series ran five issues (Dec. 1972 - Aug. 1973), with Jim Steranko drawing the covers of #1-2,

John Buscema John Buscema (; ; born Giovanni Natale Buscema, December 11, 1927 – January 10, 2002)Social Se ...

and Joe Sinnott of issue #3, and John Romita Sr. of the final two issues. The character went on to a series of guest appearances, first in the jungle lord comic '' Ka-Zar'' #1 (Jan. 1974); then in a storyline running through the

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

comics ''

Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...

'' #109-111 (May–July 1974) and '' Marvel Two-in-One'' #3 (May 1974), which supplied additional details about Shanna's past and family, and notes McShane's murder by the

supervillainess A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are often u ...

Nekra in the interim; in ''Daredevil'' #117 (Jan. 1975); and in a Ka-Zar story in the black-and-white, mature-audience comics magazine '' Savage Tales'' #8 (Jan. 1975).Buttery, p. 6 Shanna then starred in two solo stories in ''Savage Tales'' #9-10 (March & May 1975) by writer Carla Conway (assisted by then-husband

Gerry Conway Gerard Francis ConwayThomas, 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, screenwriter, te ...

on the former), with pencil art by, respectively, Tony DeZuniga and Ross Andru.Shanna the She-Devil
(character) at the Grand Comics Database In the first of these two stories, Shanna's leopards Ina and Biri are killed. Gerry Conway recalled in 2010 that this "was part of the strategy to make her a stronger, fiercer character in the ''Savage Tales'' mode. It also raised the stakes for her personally, and by eliminating these 'rivals' for her affections opened her up to a relationship with Ka-Zar", whom she would eventually marry, in ''Ka-Zar the Savage'' #29 (Dec. 1983). In the meantime, Shanna starred in a backup story in ''

The Rampaging Hulk ''The Rampaging Hulk'' is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The first volume was a black and white magazine published by Curtis Magazines (an imprint of Marvel) from 1977–1978. With issue #10, it changed its format to color and its ...

'' #9 (June 1978), by writer Gerber and artist DeZuniga. She then starred in several eight-page solo stories in the omnibus title '' Marvel Comics Presents'', beginning with a tale by writer-artist Bruce Jones in issue #13 (Late Feb. 1989), followed by the 10-part "The Bush of Ghosts", by writer

Gerard Jones Gerard Jones (born July 10, 1957) is an American writer, known primarily for his non-fiction work about American entertainment media, and his comic book scripting, which includes co-creating the superhero Prime for Malibu Comics, and writing f ...

and penciler Paul Gulacy in issues #68-77 (Jan.-Late May 1991). Dovetailing with the end of that run came four full-length stories begun in 1978, completing plot threads from Shanna's solo story in ''The Rampaging Hulk'' #9. Written by Steve Gerber and penciled by

Carmine Infantino Carmine Michael Infantino (; May 24, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American comics artist and editor, primarily for DC Comics, during the late 1950s and early 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comic Books. Among his character creations are ...

Bret Blevins Bret Blevins (sometimes spelled Brett Blevins) (born August 13, 1960) is an American comics artist, animation storyboard artist, and painter. He is perhaps best known for his stint as the regular penciler of ''New Mutants'' for Marvel Comics. C ...

(two stories, the first credited as "A. Novice") and DeZuniga, these non-chronological, essentially flashback stories ran in '' Marvel Fanfare'' #56-59 (April-Oct. 1991). The title's editor, Al Milgrom, unearthed the unpublished stories because Marvel has also published alternate universe versions of Shanna, unrelated except for the name. Shanna was featured in the '' Marvel NOW!'' book titled ''

Savage Wolverine ''Savage Wolverine'' was an ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics and starring Wolverine. The series began in January 2013 as part of Marvel's relaunch initiative, Marvel NOW!. The series ended after 23 issues. Publication history ...

''. The new series, written and drawn by Frank Cho, debuted in January 2013. The title is a team-up story with Shanna and

Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a musc ...

as they try to survive the

Savage Land The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs in ''Uncanny X-Men'' as well as other related books. P ...

together.

Fictional character biography

Shanna O'Hara, Lady Plunder is the daughter of an Irish diamond miner named Gerald O'Hara. Born in Africa, she spent the majority of her childhood growing up in the

jungle A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''ja� ...

s of Zaire. At the age of six, her father went to kill a rogue leopard that belonged to her mother, Patricia O'Hara. While hunting for the leopard, Shanna's father accidentally killed her mother. This traumatic incident led to Shanna's lifelong crusade against the use of firearms. After the incident, Shanna moved to the United States to live with relatives. Shanna grows up to become an accomplished Olympic athlete, specializing in

competitive swimming Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

and

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

. She then became a licensed veterinarian. After completing college, Shanna began to work for the Central Park Municipal Zoo in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

as a zoologist. While working at the

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to z ...

, Shanna raised many

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage ...

s, including a female leopard named Julani. During this period another shock to her system came when Julani was shot and killed by a zoo guard. The following day, the zoo director proposes Shanna take Julani's cubs, Ina and Biri —

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

names meaning "bright" and "black", respectively — to the Dahomey Reserve in Africa. While in Africa, Shanna becomes more attuned to nature, patrolling the jungle and living freely in the wild lands. She begins to wear Julani's fur pelt as a sight-and-sense cue to help with the raising of the cubs. In the jungle, Shanna becomes more and more at home with herself and her new native element, all the while protecting the

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US ...

from poachers as Shanna the She-Devil. During her stay in Africa, her father is kidnapped by the Mandrill. Shanna searches for him until the wizard Malgato kidnaps her to the

, a prehistoric jungle within

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

. She escapes with the help of Lord Kevin Plunder, a.k.a. the jungle lord Ka-Zar. Shanna returns to Africa to look for her father, and learns he was killed by the Mandrill. Seeking revenge, she goes to North America to aid

and Black Widow in stopping the Mandrill and Nekra's plan to overthrow the American government. After this, Shanna travels between

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

and the Savage Land, finally returning to Africa only to find Ina and Biri have been killed by a cult leader named Raga-Shah. After a short grieving period in North America, Shanna tracks and kills Raga-Shah by feeding him to her python Ananta. Around this time, she begins therapy with psychologist Dr. Dorothy Betz. Shanna returned to the Savage Land and became Ka-Zar's lover. They discovered their lost world was only part of a larger realm, Pangea, filled with wondrous races. The couple's relationship was tempestuous: Shanna married Mele of the Botor who died in a hunting accident while with Ka-Zar. Shanna was also targeted by the demonic Belasco (who felt she resembled his lost love Beatrice). When Ka-Zar was seemingly killed while they were in New York, a distraught Shanna rampaged, was institutionalized, and nearly romanced Peter Parker. Shanna was rescued by a revived Ka-Zar, aided by Spider-Man, and the two returned to Antarctica, where they were married despite interference from Belasco and others. They employed the native warrior woman Zhira as nanny and protector of their son Matthew. They survived the temporary destruction of the Savage Land by Terminus and its later re-creation by the High Evolutionary and

Garokk Garokk (also known as the Petrified Man) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Garokk first appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #2 (Nov. 1970) and was created by Roy Thomas ...

. Shanna briefly attained a mystical bond to the spirit of Africa, foiling Sir Guy Cross-Wallace who slaughtered and consumed wildlife, seeking the bond himself to rule the continent. Shanna was also briefly given power over the natural world by the High Evolutionary. Together, Ka-Zar and Shanna fight to preserve the Savage Land from external threats and from pollution by technology. Shanna and Ka-Zar find Skrulls mining the rare metal vibranium in the Savage Land. Soon afterward as part of the " Secret Invasion" storyline, a Skrull ship crashes in the Savage Land, releasing earlier versions of modern superheroes (who claim to be the originals replaced by Skrulls for some time, and who have escaped). Shanna and Ka-Zar soon learn, however, that these are simply more Skrulls in disguise. Spider-Man soon encounters Ka-Zar, Shanna, Zabu, and some of the natives accusing them of being Skrulls. Just then, the Captain America from the ship attacked, thinking the same for Spider-Man. Ka-Zar, Shanna, and Zabu help Spider-Man fight the Captain America from the ship until it is hit by a dart that causes it to regress to a Skrull named Pit'o Nilli. Shanna then kills Pit'o Nilli. Shanna stays behind with Zabu to fight off any Skrulls left in the Savage Land, while Ka-Zar heads with the New Avengers and the Mighty Avengers to New York to fight the Skrulls. Ka-Zar and Shanna later encounter the return of the Ethereals and end up fighting them when it comes to the Ethereals wanting the tribes of the Savage Land to be united with them. As part of the 2012 '' Marvel NOW!'' branding in the pages of ''

'', Shanna agrees to guide a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to a mysterious island within the Savage Land. A dampening field generator causes the transport to crash, and all the agents are killed by the native Neanderthals. At the same time, Wolverine crashes on the island, and joins with Shanna the She-Devil to destroy the dampening field generator. When Shanna the She-Devil is accidentally killed by the Neanderthals after running into Amadeus Cho, Amadeus and the local Neanderthals perform a ritual that involves a Man-Thing different from Ted Sallis that was rooted in the Savage Land for a long time. A blood sample was taken from it and Shanna was reborn. They then encountered the Hulk where a fight between him, Wolverine, and the giant gorillas accidentally damaged the dampening fields, which freed the alien Morrigon who returns to his master Visher-Rakk. During the " Empyre" storyline, Shanna the She-Devil falls under the control of the Cotati that were operating in the Savage Land. This was because of Shanna's connection with the Savage Land's life force and the Cotati took advantage of that. Shanna tries to get Ka-Zar to join them as Matthew states to the Black Knight that they have to do something. Doctor Voodoo used a trick to do a mental trick. The Scarlet Witch does the same as she tries to free Shanna from the Cotati's control. To assist her, the Scarlet Witch brings Ka-Zar into Shanna's mind, where he learns that some creatures in the Savage Land are dying and trees are falling. As Matthew and the Black Knight fight the Cotati, a Doctor Voodoo-controlled Man-Thing fights the Cotati's control and defeats Ventri. When Ka-Zar frees Shanna from the Cotati's control, he is stabbed by a Cotati using the Black Knight's Ebony Blade. As the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Voodoo work to extract Ka-Zar's soul, Shanna the She-Devil uses the same waters that resurrected her in order to revive her lost love. The newly returned Ka-Zar helps turns the tide on the Cotati invaders by working with his wife in summoning dinosaurs to help repel boarders.

Powers and abilities

Shanna is gifted with Olympic-class

athleticism Athletics is a term encompassing the human competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, and the systems of training that prepare athletes for competition performance. Athletic sports or contests are competitions which are primarily base ...

along with extraordinary agility. She is a well-trained veterinarian, with the capability of being close to wild animals. Shanna is adept at hunting and gathering, healing and tracking. She is an experienced fighter, familiar with knives, spears,

bows and arrows The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was commo ...

and other primitive forms of weapons. She has Olympic athlete-level strength: naturally excelling at swimming, diving, climbing, leaping, and running with great speed and determination. After her resurrection, Shanna is tied into the life force of the Savage Land. She also instinctively knows the languages and history of the Savage Land and its people. Now not only possessing the strength of 10 men whilst being able to run 52 miles per hour over uneven terrain. The She-Devil now has an unmitigated connection with the floral and faunal elements of the rural era environs. Being able to discharge energy blasts, bend plant matter to her will and directly communicate with the creatures of the land around her to enlist their aid.

Other versions

Frank Cho version

A blonde, alternate-universe version of the character starred in the seven-issue miniseries ''Shanna, the She-Devil'' (vol. 2) (April-Oct. 2005), written and drawn by Frank Cho. This Shanna is the result of genetic experimentation that endows her with superhuman strength and agility. One member of a scientific expedition that encounters her names her Shanna "after the comic book character". The series was published with a "PSR+" rating through issue #4, and a "Parental Advisory" rating afterward. A four-issue sequel miniseries, ''Shanna the She-Devil: Survival of the Fittest'' (Oct. 2007 - Jan. 2008) by writers Justin Gray and James Palmiotti and penciller

Khari Evans Khari is a village development committee in Dhading District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. ...

, features this same alternate version of Shanna.

Ultimate Marvel

Shanna and Ka-Zar first appear in the Ultimate Marvel

imprint Imprint or imprinting may refer to: Entertainment * ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series * "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror'' * ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film ...

on the final page of ''

Ultimates 3 ''The Ultimates 3'' was a five-issue, monthly comic book miniseries published in 2008 by Marvel Comics in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. Written by Jeph Loeb, and illustrated by Joe Madureira, it is a sequel to '' The Ultimates'' and ''The Ultimates ...

'' #3. Flashbacks reveal that she, Ka-Zar, and Zabu have been friends since childhood. After the Ultimatum wave, they join the

New Ultimates ''Ultimate Comics: New Ultimates'' is a comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics that began in March 2010 as part of Marvel's "Ultimate Comics" imprint. The series was written by Jeph Loeb, writer of ''Ultimates 3'' and '' Ultimatum'' ...

where they helped to fight Loki.

Reception

Shanna was ranked 53rd in '' Comics Buyer's Guide's'' "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.

In other media

Television

* Shanna the She-Devil appeared in the ''

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends may refer to the following shows: * ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 cartoon series * ''Spidey and His Amazing Friends'' (2021 TV series), a 2021 Disney Junior cartoon {{Disam ...

'' episode "7 Little Superheroes", voiced by

Janet Waldo Janet Waldo (born Jeanette Marie Waldo; February 4, 1919 – June 12, 2016) was an American radio and voice actress. In animation, she voiced Judy Jetson in various Hanna-Barbera media, Nancy in ''Shazzan'', Penelope Pitstop, Princess from '' ...

. However, she was referred to as Shanna the Jungle Queen instead of the She-Devil. She alongside Spider-Man, Iceman, Firestar, Captain America, Namor and Doctor Strange are invited to Wolf Island where Chameleon ends up hunting them. * Shanna the She-Devil appears in '' X-Men: The Animated Series'', voiced by Megan Smith. She is seen as Ka-Zar's wife and was first seen being chased by and later hypnotized by

Sauron Sauron (pronounced ) is the title character and the primary antagonist, through the forging of the One Ring, of J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'', where he rules the land of Mordor and has the ambition of ruling the whole of Middl ...

in ''Mojovision''. She is seen later on as one of the prisoners of Mister Sinister. Shanna is present as Ka-Zar welcomes Karl Lykos into his tribe following Garokk's defeat.

Video games

* Shanna the She-Devil appeared in '' X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse'', voiced by

Masasa Moyo Masasa Moyo is a Canadian television, film and voice actress. Filmography Film * '' Kingdom Come'' (2001) - Delightful Slocumb * ''Nosferatu L.A. '02'' (2002) - Laytesha (voice) * '' Paris'' (2003) - Golden Gate Bartender * '' Woman Thou Art Loo ...

. She and Ka-Zar are seen in Magneto's base in Avalon during the X-Men and Brotherhood of Mutants' mission in the Savage Land. * In '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'', Shanna (along with Ka-Zar and

Zabu Zabu is a fictional Pleistocene sabretooth tiger character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is connected primarily to the Savage Land, and the X-Men, and most recently the Avengers (by way of the " Pet Av ...

), make a cameo in Amaterasu's ending. In it, Amaterasu and her Celestial Envoy Issun find themselves in the

, and team up with the trio to fend off a wild Tyrannosaurus. * Shanna the She-Devil appears in '' Marvel Heroes'', voiced by

Catherine Taber Catherine Anne Taber (born December 30, 1979) is an American actress. She is known for voicing Padmé Amidala in '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and Lori Loud on '' The Loud House''. Biography In 2000, Taber made her feature film debut starrin ...

. * Shanna appeared as a playable character in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. She was purchasable once the player has completed a series of side-quests.

Collected editions

References

External links

Shanna the She-Devil
at Marvel.com
Shanna the She-Devil
at Marvel Wiki
Shanna the She-Devil
at Comic Vine {{DEFAULTSORT:Shanna The She-Devil Characters created by George Tuska Comics characters introduced in 1972 Fictional competitive swimmers Fictional conservationists and environmentalists Fictional explorers Fictional hunters Fictional Irish people Fictional Olympic competitors Fictional queens Fictional track and field athletes Fictional veterinarians Fictional women soldiers and warriors Irish superheroes Jungle girls Jungle superheroes Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics female superheroes Marvel Comics orphans