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Chameleon (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Chameleon is a fictional character
that appears in comic book
s published by Marvel Comics
. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man
#1 (March 1963), and was created by writer Stan Lee
and artist Steve Ditko
; the Chameleon is the first member of Spider-Man
's rogues' gallery, based on issue publication date, excluding the burglar
who murdered Ben Parker (Supercharger
was the first Spider-Man supervillain
chronologically).
, Sergei Kravinoff, and eventually became a minor associate to one Gustav Fiers. Although Dmitri and Sergei were friends, Sergei was often abusive to Smerdyakov, leading to a combination of admiration and resentment towards Kravinoff. Eventually, Smerdyakov emigrated to the United States of America
. As he had made a talent for himself during his youth, impressing his brother by impersonating friends and neighbors, he assumed an even more impressive disguise: the identity of the Chameleon. During his first known criminal outing, he impersonated Spider-Man, though he was exposed and arrested. Shortly afterward, Kravinoff, now Kraven the Hunter, himself came to America, and the Chameleon set his old associate's sights on Spider-Man. Both men became long-time enemies of Spider-Man, part of his primary rogues' gallery.
The Chameleon inspired Kraven the Hunter to begin hunting Spider-Man, inviting Kraven to dispose of the hero. With Kraven, the Chameleon battled Iron Man
and then confronted the Hulk
. At one point, the Chameleon disguised himself as Henry Pym
, and robbed Pym's laboratory for documents to combat Virus Nine. While delivering the documents and a shrunken Hulk to HYDRA
, he was encountered and defeated by the real Pym as Ant-Man. The Chameleon disguised himself as the Torpedo and battled Daredevil
.
When Kraven the Hunter committed suicide, the Chameleon became obsessed with making Spider-Man suffer for his failure to prevent Kraven from killing himself. He ingested a serum which made his face permanently featureless and malleable. He attempted to kidnap America's leading expert on superconductors, but was thwarted by Spider-Man. He then kidnapped J. Jonah Jameson
. He approached the Maggia
for support to become New York's new crime lord, and formed an alliance with Hammerhead
. Disguised as a scientist, the Chameleon temporarily removed Spider-Man's powers. He allied himself with the Femme Fatales
, Scorpion, and Tarantula to eliminate Spider-Man and the Black Cat
, but escaped when his plan failed.
The Chameleon's most ambitious play against Spider-Man happened when he formed an alliance with Harry Osborn
, the second Green Goblin
. Before Harry's death, he told Chameleon Spider-Man's secret identity could be found through Peter Parker, to construct androids of Peter Parker's (Spider-Man) parents (Chameleon later admitted that he went through with the plot to confirm once and for all that Peter was Spider-Man). The plan led to a psychotic breakdown for both Spider-Man and Chameleon, Spider-Man briefly renouncing his civilian identity while Chameleon is sent to Ravencroft Asylum. However, when Doctor Ashley Kafka sneaks him into a basement to try and continue treating him in the belief that he was close to a breakthrough when the court were preparing to put him on trial, Chameleon escaped and attempted to convince Spider-Man that he was actually a hallucinating writer who had suffered a mental breakdown after his daughter's death in a car accident, but Peter managed to break through this deception due to his strength of will. Chameleon's confirmation of Spider-Man's secret identity led him to try and attack Spider-Man through his family and friends, but this effort met with rather dismal results when Mary Jane Watson
subdued him with a baseball bat. Somewhere in between this and subsequent appearances, he appeared to have been destroyed by his nephew, Alyosha Kravinoff (Alyosha later threw a Chameleon mask at Spider-Man's feet, referring to it as 'That weakling, Dmitri'), but apparently recovered, waking in a hospital.
After tricking Spider-Man to the bridge where his first love Gwen Stacy
died, on the pretext of having kidnapped his wife, he declared his own loneliness and love for Peter. When Peter laughed out of surprise, he threw himself off the bridge. He reappeared some time later in a mental institution, completely incapacitated, believing himself to be Sergei Kravinoff rather than Dmitri Smerdyakov. He later reappeared in his Chameleon identity as part of the Sinister Twelve villain team organized by the Green Goblin.
, Scarecrow
, Swarm
, and Electro and also blackmailed the Molten Man
into his employ all in an effort to defeat Spider-Man and attack his family.
However, the Chameleon was dealt a most humiliating defeat at the hands of Spider-Man's Aunt May
, when he attempted to trick her into believing he was Peter, then murder her. However, May was not fooled by any means, and defeated the villain with a plate of oatmeal-raisin cookies laced with Ambien. Rhino
was also employed as part of the team up and later defeated Spider-Man only to be unable to collect payment from Chameleon as he was already captured.
After the Civil War
, Chameleon showed up among the villains at Stilt-Man
's funeral at the Bar with No Name where Punisher
poisoned the drinks and blew up the bar.
's Eleven. In this limited series it is revealed that he contacted A.I.M.
the moment he was telepathically summoned by MODOK. He then allowed A.I.M. to send in their newest creation the Ultra-Adaptoid
under the guise of being the Chameleon.
Additionally, it was revealed in Super Villain Team-Up: MODOK's Eleven that his apparent insanity and demise years earlier were in fact well-crafted ruses designed so that he could fade into the background once more.
storyline ended with the removal of Peter and Mary Jane's timeline from all memories, and no one knows Spider-Man's identity.
The Chameleon returns to New York more sadistic and sociopathic than ever before. To complete his hired goal of bombing City Hall, he kidnaps and takes the identity of Peter Parker, who works for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson. While posing as Parker, he tries to better his life, revealing that he always tries to rectify the problems in the lives of his "faces". Using Peter's security clearance to get access to various materials, Chameleon was poised to bomb City Hall before Peter escaped and thwarted his plans as Spider-Man. During the resulting confusion, Chameleon escaped.
Sometime later at an alley building, a distraught Chameleon is met by Sasha Kravinoff, Kraven
's wife, who wants his help in avenging the death of her husband. Various follow up issues during The Gauntlet storyline show Chameleon helping the Kravinoff family into creating an alliance of Spider-Man's enemies as well as Diablo. First, he and Sasha managed to spring Electro from prison. Then Chameleon approached Mysterio stating that he has friends that are "dying" to meet him. When it came to the Grim Hunt part, he posed as Ezekiel
in order to get close to Spider-Man, defeat him, and bring him to the Kravinoffs in order to sacrifice him as part of a ritual that will revive Sergei Kravinoff. After Sergei is resurrected, the Chameleon states that the problem might stem from inward anger of being resurrected. He and the Kravinoffs discover Spider-Man's corpse, which turns out to be Kaine
in Spider-Man's costume instead. The real Spider-Man goes to take revenge on the Kravenoff family. Spider-Man soon arrives and pulled Chameleon and Alyosha into the huge nest of spiders. Sasha realizes that the Kravenoff family wasn't hunting the spiders, but it was the spiders hunting them.
During the "Origin of the Species" storyline, Chameleon is invited by Doctor Octopus to join his supervillain team where he becomes involved in securing some specific items for him. He poses as Harry Osborn
to trick Spider-Man by telling him that Menace's infant has died. When Spider-Man has been away, Chameleon got the infant. Doctor Octopus later talks with the Chameleon saying that the baby is the first of a new species. Using a lead gained when he took down Shocker, Spider-Man arrives at the Kravinoff Mansion where he captures Chameleon who says that the baby is still alive and is in the clutches of the Lizard.
, who was later created by Steve Ditko after his run on The Amazing Spider-Man. Later, the Chameleon obtained a microcomputer from Spencer Smythe
for his belt buckle that could be programmed with the facial features of hundreds of people. The belt buckle also contains a video receiver that enables the computer to analyze the appearance of anyone the Chameleon encounters so that it can duplicate his/her features using electrical impulses. The computer utilizes holographic technology that allowed him to change his appearance at the push of a button. His electronic devices allowed him to appear as two different people to two separate observers simultaneously. The Chameleon's costume consists of "memory material" that can be altered by electrical impulses from his belt so as to resemble the clothing of the person he is impersonating.
Currently, the Chameleon's powers are innate: his epidermis
and skin pigmentation have been surgically and mutagen
ically altered by a serum so that he can take on the appearance of any person at will. He also wears fabric made of memory material that responds to nerve impulses and can appear to be what ever costume he wishes to be.
When his past friendship with Kraven the Hunter was revealed, it was also revealed that the Chameleon had taken the same serums that Kraven had taken over the years. This would suggest that the two characters were of a similar age (over 70 years old). It would also suggest that the Chameleon's physical strength and endurance could be somewhat augmented, but as the Chameleon's strength is much lower than that of Kraven, his augmentations may not reach a superhuman
level.
Aside from his physical advantages, the Chameleon is a master of disguise, and a brilliant method actor
and impressionist. He is also a master of creating lifelike masks and make-up. He is a quick-change artist who can assume a new disguise in less than a minute, although he no longer needs to use such skills. He also speaks several languages fluently. Although the Chameleon is not a scientific genius, during his increased lifespan he has been exposed to a wide array of sophisticated experimental technology, much of which he can apply effectively in his nefarious schemes.
In his 2010 appearances in Amazing Spider-Man, these special powers have been removed by Fred Van Lente
, resulting in a stronger emphasis on his skills of disguise. Chameleon kidnaps people and brutally kills them by dumping them in an acid bath. From listening to them beg for their lives, he alters his pitch to sound exactly alike and takes a face print to make into a mask. This more chilling Chameleon also seeks to fix the lives of his "faces", attempting to rectify the problems of their lives while he poses as them as a part of some warped heroic view of himself.
. This usually involves sampling their blood after killing the subject, although less lethal methods are possible; he was able to change into Sandman
after an accidental ingestion of some of his sand.
Chameleon encounters an alternate Uncle Ben from another future who has been transferred into the 'main' timelined by Hobgoblin of 2211, attempting to influence Ben to kill Edwin Jarvis
for his current involvement with this timeline's May Parker by arguing that, since the multiverse means every action possible is being committed, you might as well do what feels good. When Ben rejects the suggestion, Chameleon kills and replaces him. This fools Spider-Man 2211
whom he then kills when he arrives to try and return 'Ben' to his reality. After discovering the body, Sandman's father was framed for Ben's murder, and Sandman went to Spider-Man for help.
The two encountered Chameleon at Peter's high school (Chameleon had murdered the principal and was posing as him), where Chameleon reveals that he wasn't human at all but a giant monster. Chameleon was finally defeated, however, after Spider-Man (of Earth 616) used Spider-Man 2211's helmet to literally "administer poetic justice," causing a last-minute body switch between Chameleon and Sandman's father into an electric chair.
version of The Chameleon in Spider-Man Unlimited #5. This Chameleon, a reptilian Bestial
, is a depraved serial killer who both Spider-Man and a bestial Wolverine
team-up to defeat.
posing first as J. Jonah Jameson
, and later Peter Parker. He is defeated by Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake, and imprisoned in the Triskelion.
, during The Marvel Action Hour
, the Chameleon appeared in #4 of the cartoon based comic in service to Justin Hammer
. He used his transformation abilities to obtain The Grim Reaper (weapon) from Stark Enterprises.
(a.k.a. "The Goblin"). Like his mainstream counterpart, he has the ability to alter his features to imitate any individual, although this ability stems from his clay-like malleable features rather than any technological advantages. Osborn has him impersonate J. Jonah Jameson
in order to eliminate Ben Urich
and set a trap for Spider-Man. He was killed by Felicia Hardy when she witnesses him as Jameson killing Ben.
episode "Arsenic and Aunt May", posing as the spirit of Spider-Man's Uncle Ben to manipulate Aunt May.
The Chameleon was the featured villain in the "Seven Little Superheroes" episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
voiced by Hans Conried
. He lured Spider-Man, Iceman
, Firestar
, Captain America
, Doctor Strange
, Sub-Mariner, and Shanna the She-Devil
(referred to as "Shanna of the Jungle") to the remote Wolf Island to pick them off one by one.
In the Spider-Man animated series
, Chameleon is an international hitman
and spy
. He can't (or won't) speak while he is in his true form (in one episode, he transformed into the Kingpin
only to say one sentence), though in the episode "Framed", Richard Fisk indicates that Chameleon told them about Peter Parker's parents. Chameleon wears a belt, which is capable of capturing an image of a person, so that he can turn into that person as a form of disguise
. This proved to be his undoing in his first appearance in "Day of the Chameleon": an image of Nick Fury
from a Bugle front page which he copied had been inadvertently flipped. Thus, his eyepatch
was on the wrong side of his face and it was easy to tell which was the real Fury and which was the impostor. The Chameleon later attempted to kill two diplomats at a U.N.
conference, but was foiled by Spider-Man. Spidey easily picked him out from the crowd: he had taken the appearance of Peter Parker.
Mary Jane arrived at Daily Bugle to see Peter. She met the Chameleon, disguised as Peter, and asked him to come to a Shakespeare play that she saved him a seat. The Chameleon kissed Mary Jane on the lips passionetly to hide from some S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Mary Jane kissed the Chameleon back, thinking that he was Peter and thought he promised her to come to the play.
Chameleon later becomes a member of the Insidious Six and then works for the Kingpin
's son, Richard Fisk
, framing Peter Parker for getting restricted government information. After Parker's name is cleared, Richard and Chameleon are sentenced to jail. It is revealed that Chameleon is jailed in a S.H.I.E.L.D.
prison and was assigned by Kingpin to release Felicia Hardy's
father. In the end, Electro and Red Skull
, along with Captain America, were trapped in a time dilation loophole and Chameleon escaped, never to be seen again.
Interestingly, in the Chameleon's last appearance when he was fighting against Spider-Man, he was grunting numerous times and the grunts were provided by Jim Cummings
, who also played Shocker
in the series, which hints that the Chameleon can speak, but just doesn't have much use to talk in his true form.
The Chameleon appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Steven Blum
. His first chronological appearance was in the episode "The Uncertainty Principle", where a competitor of Oscorp hired him to disguise himself as Norman Osborn and steel the company's secrets, though it wasn't revealed it was him until the final episode, "Final Curtain". In the episode "Persona", he is hired by an unnamed general to steal the symbiote, but failed due to a battle between Spider-Man and Black Cat. Later, he masquerades as Spider-Man to commit various crimes and lay the blame on the real Spider-Man. His henchmen are Quentin Beck
, a special effects expert that uses his techniques to make it appear that Chameleon has all of Spider-Man's powers, and Phineas Mason
who uses his inventions to help commit the crimes and secretly photograph them and give the pictures to the Daily Bugle
. To defeat him, Spidey teams up with the cat burglar Black Cat. In the season 2 finale the Green Goblin is fighting Spider-Man while Norman and Harry Osborn are watching it in a helicopter. When Spider-Man rips off the Goblin's mask it turns out to be Norman. The Norman in the copter tells Harry its an impostor, but Harry remembers that Norman said he was sorry to Spider-Man early that night (this version of Norman never says sorry). Harry yanks at his face and the mask comes off revealing it to be the Chameleon. Chameleon bails by jumping out of the copter with a parachute after saying "I did not sign in for this."
This Chameleon is based on his mainstream Earth-616
version, with the same disguising abilities and mask design.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appears in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#1 (March 1963), and was created by writer Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and artist Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
; the Chameleon is the first member of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's rogues' gallery, based on issue publication date, excluding the burglar
Burglar (comics)
The Burglar is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe, left unnamed in most of his appearances. He is best known as the first criminal faced by Spider-Man, and as the killer of the hero's uncle and surrogate father figure, Ben Parker. The Burglar first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 .The...
who murdered Ben Parker (Supercharger
Supercharger (comics)
Supercharger is a fictional American comic book character. The character is a Marvel Comics supervillain who first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #17 .-Fictional character biography:...
was the first Spider-Man supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
chronologically).
Fictional character biography
The Chameleon was born a Soviet citizen named Dmitri Smerdyakov. In his youth, he was a servant and half-brother to Kraven the HunterKraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Kraven's name is Sergei Kravinoff. He also appears as Xraven, with white-grey skin and red eyes, possessing the powers of X-Men. He is the half-brother of Dmitri...
, Sergei Kravinoff, and eventually became a minor associate to one Gustav Fiers. Although Dmitri and Sergei were friends, Sergei was often abusive to Smerdyakov, leading to a combination of admiration and resentment towards Kravinoff. Eventually, Smerdyakov emigrated to the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As he had made a talent for himself during his youth, impressing his brother by impersonating friends and neighbors, he assumed an even more impressive disguise: the identity of the Chameleon. During his first known criminal outing, he impersonated Spider-Man, though he was exposed and arrested. Shortly afterward, Kravinoff, now Kraven the Hunter, himself came to America, and the Chameleon set his old associate's sights on Spider-Man. Both men became long-time enemies of Spider-Man, part of his primary rogues' gallery.
The Chameleon inspired Kraven the Hunter to begin hunting Spider-Man, inviting Kraven to dispose of the hero. With Kraven, the Chameleon battled Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
and then confronted the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
. At one point, the Chameleon disguised himself as Henry Pym
Henry Pym
Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...
, and robbed Pym's laboratory for documents to combat Virus Nine. While delivering the documents and a shrunken Hulk to HYDRA
HYDRA
HYDRA is a fictional terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.Despite the name's capitalization per Marvel's official spelling, the name is not an acronym but rather a reference to the mythical Lernaean Hydra...
, he was encountered and defeated by the real Pym as Ant-Man. The Chameleon disguised himself as the Torpedo and battled Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
.
When Kraven the Hunter committed suicide, the Chameleon became obsessed with making Spider-Man suffer for his failure to prevent Kraven from killing himself. He ingested a serum which made his face permanently featureless and malleable. He attempted to kidnap America's leading expert on superconductors, but was thwarted by Spider-Man. He then kidnapped J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
. He approached the Maggia
Maggia (comics)
The Maggia is a fictional international crime syndicate that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The organization exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
for support to become New York's new crime lord, and formed an alliance with Hammerhead
Hammerhead (comics)
Hammerhead is a fictional character, a supervillain that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. He is primarily an enemy of Spider-Man and a member of organized crime who exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
. Disguised as a scientist, the Chameleon temporarily removed Spider-Man's powers. He allied himself with the Femme Fatales
Femme Fatales (comics)
The Femme Fatales are a fictional group of female characters owned by Marvel Comics and antagonists to the superhero character Spider-Man.-Fictional history:In the comic book series the females are villains and mutants that serve as mercenaries for hire...
, Scorpion, and Tarantula to eliminate Spider-Man and the Black Cat
Black Cat (comics)
The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
, but escaped when his plan failed.
The Chameleon's most ambitious play against Spider-Man happened when he formed an alliance with Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
, the second Green Goblin
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
. Before Harry's death, he told Chameleon Spider-Man's secret identity could be found through Peter Parker, to construct androids of Peter Parker's (Spider-Man) parents (Chameleon later admitted that he went through with the plot to confirm once and for all that Peter was Spider-Man). The plan led to a psychotic breakdown for both Spider-Man and Chameleon, Spider-Man briefly renouncing his civilian identity while Chameleon is sent to Ravencroft Asylum. However, when Doctor Ashley Kafka sneaks him into a basement to try and continue treating him in the belief that he was close to a breakthrough when the court were preparing to put him on trial, Chameleon escaped and attempted to convince Spider-Man that he was actually a hallucinating writer who had suffered a mental breakdown after his daughter's death in a car accident, but Peter managed to break through this deception due to his strength of will. Chameleon's confirmation of Spider-Man's secret identity led him to try and attack Spider-Man through his family and friends, but this effort met with rather dismal results when Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
subdued him with a baseball bat. Somewhere in between this and subsequent appearances, he appeared to have been destroyed by his nephew, Alyosha Kravinoff (Alyosha later threw a Chameleon mask at Spider-Man's feet, referring to it as 'That weakling, Dmitri'), but apparently recovered, waking in a hospital.
After tricking Spider-Man to the bridge where his first love Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
died, on the pretext of having kidnapped his wife, he declared his own loneliness and love for Peter. When Peter laughed out of surprise, he threw himself off the bridge. He reappeared some time later in a mental institution, completely incapacitated, believing himself to be Sergei Kravinoff rather than Dmitri Smerdyakov. He later reappeared in his Chameleon identity as part of the Sinister Twelve villain team organized by the Green Goblin.
Civil War
After Spider-Man was unmasked, the Chameleon gathered a gang of villains called the Exterminators, including Will O' The WispWill o' the Wisp (comics)
Will o' the Wisp is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Universe. He is a physicist who gained control over the electromagnetic attraction between his body's molecules, allowing him to adjust his density...
, Scarecrow
Scarecrow (Marvel Comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Captain America, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Iron Man. His first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #51....
, Swarm
Swarm (comics)
Swarm is a fictional character and supervillain, an enemy of Spider-Man in the Marvel Comics universe. A former Nazi sympathizer, his most notable physical feature is that his entire body is composed of bees....
, and Electro and also blackmailed the Molten Man
Molten Man
Molten Man is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #28 .-Fictional character biography:...
into his employ all in an effort to defeat Spider-Man and attack his family.
However, the Chameleon was dealt a most humiliating defeat at the hands of Spider-Man's Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, when he attempted to trick her into believing he was Peter, then murder her. However, May was not fooled by any means, and defeated the villain with a plate of oatmeal-raisin cookies laced with Ambien. Rhino
Rhino (comics)
The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
was also employed as part of the team up and later defeated Spider-Man only to be unable to collect payment from Chameleon as he was already captured.
After the Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
, Chameleon showed up among the villains at Stilt-Man
Stilt-Man
Stilt-Man is the name of two supervillains in Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Stilt-Man first appeared in Daredevil vol. 1 #8 and was one of his earliest enemies. He is a criminal wearing a suit of armor with powerful telescopic legs .The character did not age well, as his powers were more a...
's funeral at the Bar with No Name where Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
poisoned the drinks and blew up the bar.
MODOK
The Chameleon next appeared in the newest incarnation of Super Villain Team-Up, called MODOKMODOK
MODOK is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #93 MODOK (acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character...
's Eleven. In this limited series it is revealed that he contacted A.I.M.
Advanced Idea Mechanics
A.I.M. is a fictional terrorist organization in the . The organization first appeared in Strange Tales #146 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
the moment he was telepathically summoned by MODOK. He then allowed A.I.M. to send in their newest creation the Ultra-Adaptoid
Super-Adaptoid
The Super-Adaptoid is the name of two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.The first Super-Adaptoid appeared in Tales of Suspense #82 The Super-Adaptoid is the name of two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.The first...
under the guise of being the Chameleon.
Additionally, it was revealed in Super Villain Team-Up: MODOK's Eleven that his apparent insanity and demise years earlier were in fact well-crafted ruses designed so that he could fade into the background once more.
Dark Reign
The One More DaySpider-Man: One More Day
"One More Day" is a four-part, 2007 comic book crossover storyline, connecting the six main Spider-Man series concurrently published by Marvel Comics at the time. Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, with art by Quesada, this story arc concludes the fallout of Spider-Man's actions...
storyline ended with the removal of Peter and Mary Jane's timeline from all memories, and no one knows Spider-Man's identity.
The Chameleon returns to New York more sadistic and sociopathic than ever before. To complete his hired goal of bombing City Hall, he kidnaps and takes the identity of Peter Parker, who works for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson. While posing as Parker, he tries to better his life, revealing that he always tries to rectify the problems in the lives of his "faces". Using Peter's security clearance to get access to various materials, Chameleon was poised to bomb City Hall before Peter escaped and thwarted his plans as Spider-Man. During the resulting confusion, Chameleon escaped.
Sometime later at an alley building, a distraught Chameleon is met by Sasha Kravinoff, Kraven
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Kraven's name is Sergei Kravinoff. He also appears as Xraven, with white-grey skin and red eyes, possessing the powers of X-Men. He is the half-brother of Dmitri...
's wife, who wants his help in avenging the death of her husband. Various follow up issues during The Gauntlet storyline show Chameleon helping the Kravinoff family into creating an alliance of Spider-Man's enemies as well as Diablo. First, he and Sasha managed to spring Electro from prison. Then Chameleon approached Mysterio stating that he has friends that are "dying" to meet him. When it came to the Grim Hunt part, he posed as Ezekiel
Ezekiel (comics)
Ezekiel Sims was a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe; a former supporting character in The Amazing Spider-Man.-Fictional character biography:...
in order to get close to Spider-Man, defeat him, and bring him to the Kravinoffs in order to sacrifice him as part of a ritual that will revive Sergei Kravinoff. After Sergei is resurrected, the Chameleon states that the problem might stem from inward anger of being resurrected. He and the Kravinoffs discover Spider-Man's corpse, which turns out to be Kaine
Kaine
Kaine is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain and antihero who serves as both an ally and an enemy of Spider-Man. He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #119, and is the Jackal's first failed attempt at cloning Peter Parker...
in Spider-Man's costume instead. The real Spider-Man goes to take revenge on the Kravenoff family. Spider-Man soon arrives and pulled Chameleon and Alyosha into the huge nest of spiders. Sasha realizes that the Kravenoff family wasn't hunting the spiders, but it was the spiders hunting them.
During the "Origin of the Species" storyline, Chameleon is invited by Doctor Octopus to join his supervillain team where he becomes involved in securing some specific items for him. He poses as Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
to trick Spider-Man by telling him that Menace's infant has died. When Spider-Man has been away, Chameleon got the infant. Doctor Octopus later talks with the Chameleon saying that the baby is the first of a new species. Using a lead gained when he took down Shocker, Spider-Man arrives at the Kravinoff Mansion where he captures Chameleon who says that the baby is still alive and is in the clutches of the Lizard.
Powers and abilities
Originally, the Chameleon had no superhuman powers and simply used makeup and elaborate costuming to impersonate his targets. In order to do this, he implemented a device in a belt buckle that emitted a gas that helped him mold his features. This method of disguising is reminiscent of that of The QuestionQuestion (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
, who was later created by Steve Ditko after his run on The Amazing Spider-Man. Later, the Chameleon obtained a microcomputer from Spencer Smythe
Spencer Smythe
Spencer Smythe is a fictional character, a comic book villain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #25 . He is the father of Alistair Smythe.-Fictional character biography:...
for his belt buckle that could be programmed with the facial features of hundreds of people. The belt buckle also contains a video receiver that enables the computer to analyze the appearance of anyone the Chameleon encounters so that it can duplicate his/her features using electrical impulses. The computer utilizes holographic technology that allowed him to change his appearance at the push of a button. His electronic devices allowed him to appear as two different people to two separate observers simultaneously. The Chameleon's costume consists of "memory material" that can be altered by electrical impulses from his belt so as to resemble the clothing of the person he is impersonating.
Currently, the Chameleon's powers are innate: his epidermis
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
and skin pigmentation have been surgically and mutagen
Mutagen
In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
ically altered by a serum so that he can take on the appearance of any person at will. He also wears fabric made of memory material that responds to nerve impulses and can appear to be what ever costume he wishes to be.
When his past friendship with Kraven the Hunter was revealed, it was also revealed that the Chameleon had taken the same serums that Kraven had taken over the years. This would suggest that the two characters were of a similar age (over 70 years old). It would also suggest that the Chameleon's physical strength and endurance could be somewhat augmented, but as the Chameleon's strength is much lower than that of Kraven, his augmentations may not reach a superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
level.
Aside from his physical advantages, the Chameleon is a master of disguise, and a brilliant method actor
Method acting
Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques used by actors to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances...
and impressionist. He is also a master of creating lifelike masks and make-up. He is a quick-change artist who can assume a new disguise in less than a minute, although he no longer needs to use such skills. He also speaks several languages fluently. Although the Chameleon is not a scientific genius, during his increased lifespan he has been exposed to a wide array of sophisticated experimental technology, much of which he can apply effectively in his nefarious schemes.
In his 2010 appearances in Amazing Spider-Man, these special powers have been removed by Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
, resulting in a stronger emphasis on his skills of disguise. Chameleon kidnaps people and brutally kills them by dumping them in an acid bath. From listening to them beg for their lives, he alters his pitch to sound exactly alike and takes a face print to make into a mask. This more chilling Chameleon also seeks to fix the lives of his "faces", attempting to rectify the problems of their lives while he poses as them as a part of some warped heroic view of himself.
Chameleon 2211
A version of Chameleon appeared in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. He has the powers of physically changing into any shape or form after accessing their DNADNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
. This usually involves sampling their blood after killing the subject, although less lethal methods are possible; he was able to change into Sandman
Sandman (Marvel Comics)
Sandman is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A shapeshifter endowed through an accident with the ability to turn himself into sand, he eventually reformed, and became an ally of Spider-Man...
after an accidental ingestion of some of his sand.
Chameleon encounters an alternate Uncle Ben from another future who has been transferred into the 'main' timelined by Hobgoblin of 2211, attempting to influence Ben to kill Edwin Jarvis
Edwin Jarvis
Edwin Jarvis is a fictional supporting character in the Marvel Comics titles, The Avengers, Iron Man, and Spider-Man.-Publication history:...
for his current involvement with this timeline's May Parker by arguing that, since the multiverse means every action possible is being committed, you might as well do what feels good. When Ben rejects the suggestion, Chameleon kills and replaces him. This fools Spider-Man 2211
Spider-Man 2211
Spider-Man 2211 is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. Spider-Man 2211 was created by Peter David and first appeared in the One-Shot comic "Spider-Man 2099 Meets Spider-Man."-Fictional character biography:...
whom he then kills when he arrives to try and return 'Ben' to his reality. After discovering the body, Sandman's father was framed for Ben's murder, and Sandman went to Spider-Man for help.
The two encountered Chameleon at Peter's high school (Chameleon had murdered the principal and was posing as him), where Chameleon reveals that he wasn't human at all but a giant monster. Chameleon was finally defeated, however, after Spider-Man (of Earth 616) used Spider-Man 2211's helmet to literally "administer poetic justice," causing a last-minute body switch between Chameleon and Sandman's father into an electric chair.
Counter-Earth
Spider-Man faces the Counter-EarthCounter-Earth (comics)
In the fictional Marvel Universe, there have been three versions of the hypothetical planet known as Counter-Earth, each one a near-duplicate of Earth.-Publication history:...
version of The Chameleon in Spider-Man Unlimited #5. This Chameleon, a reptilian Bestial
New Men (Marvel Comics)
The New Men are a fictional Marvel Comics universe group of hyper-evolved animals created by the High Evolutionary . They are also known as the Knights of Wundagore.-Fictional group history:...
, is a depraved serial killer who both Spider-Man and a bestial Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
team-up to defeat.
Ultimate Chameleon
An Ultimate version of the character appears in Ultimate Comics: Spider-ManUltimate Comics: Spider-Man
Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in August 2009 as part of the relaunch of Ultimate Marvel under the new "Ultimate Comics" imprint. It serves as a continuation of Ultimate Spider-Man, as well as an all-new series...
posing first as J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
, and later Peter Parker. He is defeated by Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake, and imprisoned in the Triskelion.
Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man
In Iron ManIron Man (TV series)
Iron Man, also known as Iron Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series based on Marvel Comics' superhero Iron Man...
, during The Marvel Action Hour
The Marvel Action Hour
The Marvel Action Hour was a syndicated television block from Marvel Productions Ltd The Marvel Action Hour was a syndicated television block from Marvel Productions Ltd The Marvel Action Hour was a syndicated television block from Marvel Productions Ltd (as "Marvel Films" (A Division of New World...
, the Chameleon appeared in #4 of the cartoon based comic in service to Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. As a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man, Justin Hammer exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
. He used his transformation abilities to obtain The Grim Reaper (weapon) from Stark Enterprises.
Marvel Noir
In Spider-Man Noir, Dmitri Smerdyakov (a.k.a. The Chameleon) is depicted as a former Coney Island freak working for mob boss Norman OsbornGreen Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
(a.k.a. "The Goblin"). Like his mainstream counterpart, he has the ability to alter his features to imitate any individual, although this ability stems from his clay-like malleable features rather than any technological advantages. Osborn has him impersonate J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
in order to eliminate Ben Urich
Ben Urich
Ben Urich is a Marvel Comics character, usually appearing in comic books featuring Daredevil and Spider-Man. Created by Roger McKenzie and Gene Colan, he first appeared in Daredevil #153 ....
and set a trap for Spider-Man. He was killed by Felicia Hardy when she witnesses him as Jameson killing Ben.
The Marvel Super Heroes
The Chameleon's first animated appearance was in the Iron Man segment of The Marvel Super Heroes episode "Cliffs Of Doom", and The Incredible Hulk episode "Enter The Chameleon".Spider-Man (1981)
He appeared again in the 1981 Spider-ManSpider-Man (1981 TV series)
Spider-Man is a syndicated animated TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character of the same name.-Production background:The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979...
episode "Arsenic and Aunt May", posing as the spirit of Spider-Man's Uncle Ben to manipulate Aunt May.
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is an animated series produced by Marvel Productions starring established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman and an original character, Firestar...
voiced by Hans Conried
Hans Conried
Hans Georg Conried, Jr. was an American comedian, character actor and voice actor.-Early years:He was born on April 15, 1917 in Baltimore, Maryland to Hans Georg Conried, Sr. and Edith Beyr Gildersleeve. His mother was a descendant of Pilgrims, and his father was a Jewish immigrant from Vienna,...
. He lured Spider-Man, Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
, Firestar
Firestar
Firestar is a fictional mutant superhero in the . Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, she has the ability to generate and manipulate microwave radiation, which allows her to generate intense heat and flames, and to fly...
, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, Sub-Mariner, and Shanna the She-Devil
Shanna the She-Devil
Shanna the She-Devil is a fictional jungle adventuress in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Carole Seuling and penciler George Tuska, she made her first appearance in Shanna the She-Devil #1 Shanna the She-Devil is a fictional jungle adventuress in comic books published by...
(referred to as "Shanna of the Jungle") to the remote Wolf Island to pick them off one by one.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
, Chameleon is an international hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
and spy
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
. He can't (or won't) speak while he is in his true form (in one episode, he transformed into the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
only to say one sentence), though in the episode "Framed", Richard Fisk indicates that Chameleon told them about Peter Parker's parents. Chameleon wears a belt, which is capable of capturing an image of a person, so that he can turn into that person as a form of disguise
Disguise
A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, costume or other ways. Camouflage is one type of disguise for people, animals and objects...
. This proved to be his undoing in his first appearance in "Day of the Chameleon": an image of Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
from a Bugle front page which he copied had been inadvertently flipped. Thus, his eyepatch
Eyepatch
An eyepatch or eye pad is a small patch that is worn in front of one eye. It may be a cloth patch attached around the head by an elastic band or by a string, or an adhesive bandage. It is often worn by people to cover a lost or injured eye, but it also has a therapeutic use in children for the...
was on the wrong side of his face and it was easy to tell which was the real Fury and which was the impostor. The Chameleon later attempted to kill two diplomats at a U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
conference, but was foiled by Spider-Man. Spidey easily picked him out from the crowd: he had taken the appearance of Peter Parker.
Mary Jane arrived at Daily Bugle to see Peter. She met the Chameleon, disguised as Peter, and asked him to come to a Shakespeare play that she saved him a seat. The Chameleon kissed Mary Jane on the lips passionetly to hide from some S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Mary Jane kissed the Chameleon back, thinking that he was Peter and thought he promised her to come to the play.
Chameleon later becomes a member of the Insidious Six and then works for the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
's son, Richard Fisk
Richard Fisk
Richard Fisk is a fictional character, a criminal in the , featured in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the son of the Kingpin and his wife Vanessa Fisk...
, framing Peter Parker for getting restricted government information. After Parker's name is cleared, Richard and Chameleon are sentenced to jail. It is revealed that Chameleon is jailed in a S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
prison and was assigned by Kingpin to release Felicia Hardy's
Black Cat (comics)
The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
father. In the end, Electro and Red Skull
Red Skull
The Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
, along with Captain America, were trapped in a time dilation loophole and Chameleon escaped, never to be seen again.
Interestingly, in the Chameleon's last appearance when he was fighting against Spider-Man, he was grunting numerous times and the grunts were provided by Jim Cummings
Jim Cummings
James Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
, who also played Shocker
Shocker (comics)
The Shocker or just Shocker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #46 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr.-Fictional character biography:Herman Schultz was born in New York...
in the series, which hints that the Chameleon can speak, but just doesn't have much use to talk in his true form.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Steven Blum
Steven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
. His first chronological appearance was in the episode "The Uncertainty Principle", where a competitor of Oscorp hired him to disguise himself as Norman Osborn and steel the company's secrets, though it wasn't revealed it was him until the final episode, "Final Curtain". In the episode "Persona", he is hired by an unnamed general to steal the symbiote, but failed due to a battle between Spider-Man and Black Cat. Later, he masquerades as Spider-Man to commit various crimes and lay the blame on the real Spider-Man. His henchmen are Quentin Beck
Mysterio
Mysterio is the name of three fictional characters, all of which are supervillains and enemies of Spider-Man in the . The original Mysterio was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appears in Amazing Spider-Man #13, although it was later retconned that the aliens seen in Amazing...
, a special effects expert that uses his techniques to make it appear that Chameleon has all of Spider-Man's powers, and Phineas Mason
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...
who uses his inventions to help commit the crimes and secretly photograph them and give the pictures to the Daily Bugle
Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
. To defeat him, Spidey teams up with the cat burglar Black Cat. In the season 2 finale the Green Goblin is fighting Spider-Man while Norman and Harry Osborn are watching it in a helicopter. When Spider-Man rips off the Goblin's mask it turns out to be Norman. The Norman in the copter tells Harry its an impostor, but Harry remembers that Norman said he was sorry to Spider-Man early that night (this version of Norman never says sorry). Harry yanks at his face and the mask comes off revealing it to be the Chameleon. Chameleon bails by jumping out of the copter with a parachute after saying "I did not sign in for this."
This Chameleon is based on his mainstream Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
version, with the same disguising abilities and mask design.
Video games
- He appears in Spider-Man, a video game based on Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He attacks the player by mimicking the appearances of The RhinoRhino (comics)The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
and the Owl.
External links
- Chameleon at Marvel.com
- SpiderFan.org: Chameleon
- http://www.marveldatabase.com/Chameleon
- The Chameleon on Spider-Man Wiki