Bombshell (Marvel Comics)

Bombshell is a name used by fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

For the DC Comics character of the same name, see Bombshell (DC Comics).
Bombshell
Bombshell (Wendy Conrad). Art by Mike Perkins.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceWendy Conrad: Hawkeye #3 (November 1983)
Lana Baumgartner and Lori Baumgartner: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2 (November 2009)
Created byWendy Conrad: Mark Gruenwald, Eliot Brown
Lana Baumgartner and Lori Baumgartner: Brian Michael Bendis, David Lafuente
In-story information
Alter egoWendy Conrad
Lana Baumgartner
Lori Baumgartner
Team affiliationsWendy Conrad: Death-Throws
Femizons
Lana Baumgartner: Champions
Lori Baumgartner: Sinister Six
AbilitiesMaster juggler
Explosives expert
Stun blasters concealed in her wrist bands
Formerly:
Explosive energy projection

Publication history

The original version (Wendy Conrad) appeared in Hawkeye Vol. 1 #3, and was created by Mark Gruenwald. She appeared in Hawkeye #3-4 (1983), Captain America #388-392 (1991), Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12 (1992), Web of Spider-Man Annual #8 (1992) and New Warriors Annual #2 (1992). As a member of the Death-Throws, Bombshell appeared in Captain America #317 (1986), Avengers Spotlight #23-25 (1989), Captain America #411-414 (1993) and Union Jack Vol.2 #2 (2006). She also appeared as part of the Death-Throws entries in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #3 (1985) and Dark Reign Files #1 (2009). In her early appearances (Hawkeye Vol.1 #3-4, Captain America #317, Avengers Spotlight #23-25), Bombshell was portrayed as being a woman with a muscular physique. However, in later appearances (Union Jack Vol. 2 #2), the character was drawn with a more slender look.

The Ultimate Marvel incarnation are a mother/daughter criminal team, the Baumgartners (Lori and Lana), who first appeared in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2.

Fictional character biography

Wendy Conrad was born in Scarsdale, New York. She used her juggling talents and explosives expertise to become the supervillain Bombshell. Bombshell, along with juggler Oddball, was hired by Crossfire to eliminate Hawkeye and Mockingbird. The two juggling supervillains were able to subdue the two heroes and deliver them to Crossfire. However, Hawkeye later managed to escape and defeat all three villains.[1]

Bombshell and Oddball, together with Knickknack, Ringleader and Tenpin, formed the juggling-themed Death-Throws supervillain group. The group were hired by Crossfire to help him escape from prison. When Crossfire was unable to pay them, the Death-Throws held the villain hostage. They were defeated by Hawkeye, Mockingbird and Captain America.[2] Later, the Death-Throws attempted to claim the bounty placed on Hawkeye's right arm but were defeated by Hawkeye, Mockingbird and Trick Shot.[3]

Bombshell underwent a genetic experiment to gain superpowers. She gained the ability to fire explosive energy blasts from her hands. Bombshell then joined an all female team of supervillains called the Femizons. The female team, led by Superia, sought to sterilize all men so women would rule the world. The team was defeated by Captain America. Bombshell's experimental new powers soon faded.[4]

Justin Hammer hired a number of supervillains (including Bombshell) to battle Spider-Man and the New Warriors.[5] Hammer and the supervillains allied themselves with the Sphinx.[6] When Sphinx revealed his true intentions of world domination, Bombshell panicked and fled from the scene.[7]

The Death-Throws are hired by R.A.I.D to take part in a terrorist attack on London. They attack civilians from the top of Tower Bridge, but soon come into battle with Union Jack and Sabra. Bombshell, the last member of the team left standing, defuses her bombs and surrenders.[8] Union Jack uses one of Bombshell's bombs (which he had earlier confiscated) to take down a giant Dreadnought.[9]

Powers and abilities

Bombshell is a master juggler and an explosives expert. Bombshell uses an array of anti-personnel weapons including hand grenades, stun grenades and smoke bombs. She also has concealed weaponry in her wrist bands that fire stun blasts.

After a genetic experiment to gain superpowers, Bombshell gained the ability to fire explosive energy from her hands. However, these powers soon faded.[10]

Other versions

A woman called Bombshell appears in The Last Avengers Story set in an alternate future.[11]

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel incarnation is originally a mother/daughter criminal team called the "Bombshells" (Lori Baumgartner and Lana Baumgartner). They have the ability to fire explosive energy beams from their hands. In their first appearance, the foul-mouthed Bombshells attempt to rob a bank vault but are foiled by the original Spider-Man (Peter Parker).[12] Later, they attempt to rob an armored truck until the Human Torch and Spider-Woman arrive on the scene and defeat them.[13] They were originally believed to be mutants whose powers activated when close to one another, but it's later revealed that Lori's powers are the result of experiments carried out by the Roxxon Corporation while Lana was in-utero. Lori's pregnancy was not noticed until after the experiments and the discovery prompted Lori to forcibly terminate her contract as a test subject utilizing her powers.[14] Lana, having been released on juvenile parole, later teams up with Spider-Woman, Cloak & Dagger and the new Spider-Man (Miles Morales) as an amateur superhero team to take down Donald Roxxon.[15] After Roxxon is arrested, Lana has a moment of clarity and realizes that she is supposed to be a superhero. It is also revealed that Lana was forced into crime by her mother.[16] As a consequence of the reality-ending phenomena Secret Wars, Lana's entire universe came to an end but one of the few survivors of the universe was Miles. After Miles helped an omnipotent being who was keeping a composite world called Battleworld together,[17] Miles was repaid by bringing his family and friends into Earth-616, in such a way it was as if they had always lived their entire life there; Lana and her mother were among the people brought to Earth-616.[18] Since then she has acted as both a super-hero and super-villain at different times.[19]

References
  1. Hawkeye Vol.1 #3-4
  2. Captain America #317
  3. Avengers Spotlight #23-25
  4. Captain America #389-392
  5. Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12
  6. Web of Spider-Man Annual #8 (1992)
  7. New Warriors Annual #2
  8. Union Jack Vol.2 #2
  9. Union Jack Vol.2 #4
  10. Captain America #392
  11. The Last Avengers Story #1-2
  12. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #2
  13. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #9
  14. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #26
  15. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #28
  16. Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1
  17. Ultimate End #5
  18. Spider-Man (2016) #3
  19. Spider-Man #234
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