Constrictor (Marvel)
Constrictor is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Frank Payne
At some point, his mother came to remarry with Frank and his sister gaining a stepfather in a man named McAvey. However, he proved to be a cruel and abusive man who caused the young Frank to be frightened for much of his childhood. One day, McAvey ended up killing Frank's mother and sister with him getting arrested by the police. For months, Frank practiced for the trial but by the time he took the stand he came to be too scared to testify against his stepfather. The incident came to haunt Frank for much of his life. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74)
It was noted that he came to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and trained as an operative of the espionage organization. One day, he was dispatched deep undercover to infiltrate the Chicago-based organization known as the Corporation where he went under the name of a rented thug called Frankie Schlichting. During this time, he was running laundered money when he got stuck in the middle of a fire fight between his employers and armed gangsters. To maintain his cover, he had to fire back where he ended up killing several of the shooters and was devastated at taking another person's life. In that time, he met with Nick Fury where he begged to be taken off the case but was instead ordered back into the field. Fury thought the matter would sort itself out but two days later all contact was broken by him with S.H.I.E.L.D. where he came to start the life as a career criminal. (Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. v3 #36)
Constrictor
Jim Wilson came to be creating a great deal of trouble for his employer leading to Constrictor being sent to eliminate him. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212)
Kligger of the Corporation came to dispatch the Constrictor to eliminate Captain America. This saw the mercenary gaining access to the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. spy complex located beneath a barbershop in New York City. From there, he was able to ambush the Super-Soldier with him being unaware that the facility's self-destruct sequence being activated with the intention of killing both combatants. During their fight, he came to snatch the shield from Captain America's hands and attempted to crush it but was unable to do so. This allowed his foe to get the drop on the Constrictor but their fight was interrupted as the complex started collapse in on them. (Captain America v1 #228)
He came to be invited to join the ranks of the Serpent Society that was gathered together by the Sidewinder. The villain looked to form a supervillain union of the snaked-themed members though Constrictor refused to join their ranks. Seeking to eliminate them, he made an anonymous tip to the Avengers about the supervillain gathering. The Serpent Society came to separate from the meeting with the Constrictor following them in order inform the superheroes of the villains location. Afterwards, he went to a bar where he was tracked down by Anaconda who had determined that Constrictor had sold them out to the heroes. This led to a fight between the two mercenaries where Anaconda came to beat Constrictor nearly to the point of death but left him alive. (Captain America v1 #310)
Later on, Frank came to learn that his stepfather McAvey had come back in time leading to the Constrictor going on a rampage in search for him. He beat the man badly but left him alive in order to leave him terrified the way he made Frank with the promise that he would come one day to kill him. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74)
Constrictor came to be recruited into the Shadow Initiative by Henry Peter Gyrich. (Avengers: The Initiative v1 #5)
During the events of Siege, Frank fought for Osborn with the villains, and was in the immediate proximity of Asgard when it fell. His last sight was Diamondback running towards Captain America, who had arrived with the Avengers. He assumed that, because Diamondback and the Captain had dated previously, she was going back to him and did not really love a "loser like him." He then left with the Taskmaster to renew a life of crime. (Avengers: The Initiative v1 #35)
Constrictor attended Arcade's birthday party, but found him insufferable. His complaints were overheard by Arcade, so he had him ejected from his party. Not long afterwards, Arcade opened a bar called the Hole in Bagalia, which Constrictor tried to rob. However, he was tricked into pressing a button that launched a giant hammer at him, knocking him out. (Avengers Arena v1 #7)
He was later hired by the Philadelphian crime-lord Lord Ogre to fight Venom. Constrictor worked with Lord Deathstrike, and Jack O'Lantern, all employees to Lord Ogre. Venom was able to escape in the midst of the fight. (Venom v2 #37) Constrictor was with the Masters of Evil when Baron Helmut Zemo became the new leader following the death of Max Fury. Constrictor became the bodyguard of Baron Zemo. (Avengers Undercover v1 #1)
Legacy
Overview
Personality and attributes
Whilst undercover, he went under the name of Frankie Schlichting. (Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. v3 #36) As a costumed supervillain, he came to operate under the name of Constrictor. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212)
Originally, he had been an abused and frightened kid who spent his entire time looking under the bed as he was afraid of the shadows. Ultimately, the fear that he had experienced had been one created by his stepfather. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74)
Schlicting did not consider himself to be a good guy or bad guy but rather a person plagued by nightmares from his past. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74) He had said that his wrath was monstrous when he had to deal with incompetence. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212)
In time, he came to be a high priced assassin noted for his skill. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74) As a mercenary, Constrictor claimed that he always fulfilled a contract given to him. In that time, he came to operate unseen secretly and rarely did he attack in the open. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212) Such was his confidence in his ability that he did not think he would ever get arrested nor had a need to team up with others mercenaries. (Captain America v1 #310)
For a time, he came to serve the Corporation and was loyal to them thinking that they looked after their own. (Captain America v1 #228)
At some point, his mother came to re-marry with Frank and his sister gaining a stepfather in McAvey. He had hated his stepfather who he blamed for taking away his childhood and his family. (Marvel Comics Presents v1 #74)
It was said that he had a daughter by the name of Mia Payne. He had abandoned his wife and daughter when he started life as a criminal. This led to Fury informing that Frank Payne had died at sea where he maintained his cover as an international business executive. (Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. v3 #36)
Frank was known to had a relationship with a woman named Sandy in Chicago. She came to be pregnant with his son leading to Frank abandoning the pair. This left her alone to raise their child who grew up to hate his father. Sandy was noted to have had later died in a car accident. (Iron Fist v1 #75)
Powers and abilities
In the past, he was regarded as one of the best agents of Nick Fury. (Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. v3 #36) It was said that he possessed a snake=like speed that allowed him to escape harm. In fact, he claimed that his agility and speed were far greater than that of any reptile. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212) Even a Super-Soldier came to be surprised at the Constrictor's uncanny speed. (Captain America v1 #228)
He was also shown to be strong enough to snap the neck of a person. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212)
For years, he operated as the world's foremost assassin who fulfilled his contracts unseen and undiscovered. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212)
The suit was capable of shooting out tendrils from above the wrist that he could use as part of his attacks. These retractable whips were forged of Adamantium alloy and capable of harming even superhuman foes. The metal's composition meant that even powerful opponents were incapable of destroying. It was shown that the Constrictor was capable of electrifying the coils to killing voltage in order to shock people that were trapped by the whips. (Incredible Hulk v1 #212) He had such fine control of his tendrils allowing him to snatch objects from another person's hands. (Captain America v1 #228) Alternatively, he could use the extendable Adamantium cables to latch onto a target to pull him towards them. (Captain America v1 #310)
His costume was electrified as well allowing him to shock those that struck him and burn their hands in the process. (Captain America v1 #228)
He came to be invited into the ranks of the Serpent Society that consisted of a large group of superhuman mercenaries. (Captain America v1 #310)
Notes
- Constrictor was created by Len Wein, John Romita Sr. and Sal Buscema where he made his first appearance in Incredible Hulk v1 #212 (June, 1977).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
Video games
Appearances
- Incredible Hulk v1: (1977)
- Captain America v1:
- Marvel Comics Presents v1:
- Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. v3:
- Captain America: Sam Wilson v1:
External Links
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