Colleen Wing
Encyclopedia
Colleen Wing is a fictional character
in the Marvel Comics
.
#19 (November 1974), and was created by Doug Moench
and Larry Hama
.
's Columbia University
. Her mother was an unnamed Japanese woman, whose ancestors were samurai
and daimyo
. Colleen's late maternal grandfather, Kenji Ozawa, was the head of Japan's secret service, and has been succeeded in that position by his brother.
Colleen grew up in the Northern regions of Japan, more specifically in the mountains of Hoshu. She was raised by her grandfather Kanji. The reason for that is because Colleen's mother was killed apparently very early in her childhood. Her grandfather taught her the ways of the samurai, in which she later became very skilled.
Professor Wing learned from a monk who had been to the other-dimensional realm of K'un-L'un
that a young warrior, Iron Fist, would come from that land to seek vengeance on his father's killer, who was now based in New York (Iron Fist finally chose not to take the life of his father's murderer.) Professor Wing calculated when Iron Fist would come to New York and sent Colleen to meet him. Professor Wing and Colleen befriended Iron Fist, and Colleen has acted as his ally in many of his exploits.
In Colleen's first appearance, she met Iron Fist, and she then aided Iron Fist in battling the Cult of Kara-Kai.
Years later, Colleen went back to New York City to visit her father there. Upon arrival, she got caught in a gun battle by the local Manhattan police and some thugs. Luckily, she was rescued by officer Misty Knight
, who eventually became her best friend. Later, Knight's right arm was severely injured by a bomb explosion and was amputated. Colleen encouraged Knight to rise above her depression and return to an active role in life. Knight's right arm was replaced with a bionic steel arm.
Colleen Wing, as a detective, and Knight formed a partnership as private investigators and called their firm Knightwing Restorations, Ltd. Due to Wing's samurai-style training and both partners' expertise in the Asian martial arts, they have been dubbed "the Daughters of the Dragon."
Colleen was at one point captured by Master Khan
and Angar the Screamer
, who turned her and Misty Knight into mesmerized slaves. Colleen battled Iron Fist, who finally freed her from their mental control. Colleen then teamed with Misty in opposing agents of the criminal Emil Vachon in Hong Kong. Colleen was captured by Emil Vachon, however, who turned her into a heroin addict. She was rescued by Misty Knight, overcame her addiction, and took vengeance on Vahcon. Colleen then fought Davos, the second Steel Serpent
, and met Spider-Man
.
Colleen later aided the X-Men
and Sunfire in battling Moses Magnum
in Japan. She accompanied the X-Men to Canada, and made romantic overtures towards Cyclops
, whose girlfriend Jean Grey
was presumed to be dead at the time. She was held prisoner by Arcade
soon after that.
Colleen later met the actor Bob Diamond
, one of the Sons of the Tiger
. She then battled Constrictor
and Sabretooth
. Professor Wing then regained his memory, and Colleen's training in samurai skills by her grandfather was revealed. Colleen then began a romance with Bob Diamond. She was shot by Warhawk
, and later fought the Constrictor again. She was briefly turned to glass by the second Chemistro
, and was soon returned to normal. She then fought Fera (now Ferocia). Colleen later temporarily ended her friendship with Misty due to the latter's romance with Tyrone King. Colleen was next transported to K'un-L'un. She killed Chiantang the mystic dragon. She then attended the funeral of an impostor she believed to be Danny Rand.
Some time later, Colleen saw a second Danny Rand impostor on television. She confronted this impostor, who was actually the Super-Skrull
. She was present at the exhumation of the corpse of the first Danny Rand impostor.
due to the urging of Iron Man, Reed Richards and Spider-man.
Colleen has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who have registered as part of the Initiative
. In the group's most recent mission, Colleen Wing and Tarantula
were offered to the Brood Queen by their possessed teammate Humbug
When Shang-Chi and the other heroes come save them, Colleen is in traumatic shock; she is further agitated when Moon-Boy, whom the group had been hired to apprehend for S.H.I.E.L.D.
is taken into custody by Paladin
. Misty had made a deal with him in order to find both her and Tarantula after their capture. Colleen, deeply upset by this, left the group as a result. Heroes For Hire disbanded in the aftermath of this.
agents with no injury. Once brainwashed as a living weapon by Iron Fist foe Master Khan
, Danny melds his mind with hers in order to break her free of his control. Colleen retains knowledge from this time. Colleen gains knowledge of K'un L'un martial arts as well as chi control. As a result, she gains the ability to focus her chi to enhance her strength, accelerate her healing, and reduce her body functions to survive severe conditions.
She wields a 1,000 year old katana which she inherited from her grandfather. Colleen is also a seasoned detective with excellent detective skills.
.
. Later, she was among the captured Dragons in a trap arranged by both the Kingpin and the Brotherhood; but was freed by Luke Cage in order to help the Avengers defeat the Brotherhood.
the ultimate version of Danny Rand tells his teammates that he has a child with a girl named Colleen. Later in the same issue, a woman who looks like a younger version of Colleen is shown standing next to Danny and his daughter as he reads to her from a book. It is most likely that this woman is the ultimate version of Colleen Wing.
Fictional character
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...
in the 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...
.
Publication history
Colleen Wing first appeared in Marvel PremiereMarvel Premiere
Marvel Premiere is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It ran for 61 issues from April 1972 to August 1981....
#19 (November 1974), and was created by Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
and Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
.
Fictional character biography
Colleen's father is Professor Lee Wing, a teacher of Asian history and culture at New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Her mother was an unnamed Japanese woman, whose ancestors were samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
and daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
. Colleen's late maternal grandfather, Kenji Ozawa, was the head of Japan's secret service, and has been succeeded in that position by his brother.
Colleen grew up in the Northern regions of Japan, more specifically in the mountains of Hoshu. She was raised by her grandfather Kanji. The reason for that is because Colleen's mother was killed apparently very early in her childhood. Her grandfather taught her the ways of the samurai, in which she later became very skilled.
Professor Wing learned from a monk who had been to the other-dimensional realm of K'un-L'un
K'un-L'un
K'un-L'un is a fictional location in the Marvel Comics Universe usually associated with Iron Fist.-Publication history:K'un-L'un first appeared in Marvel Premiere #15 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane....
that a young warrior, Iron Fist, would come from that land to seek vengeance on his father's killer, who was now based in New York (Iron Fist finally chose not to take the life of his father's murderer.) Professor Wing calculated when Iron Fist would come to New York and sent Colleen to meet him. Professor Wing and Colleen befriended Iron Fist, and Colleen has acted as his ally in many of his exploits.
In Colleen's first appearance, she met Iron Fist, and she then aided Iron Fist in battling the Cult of Kara-Kai.
Years later, Colleen went back to New York City to visit her father there. Upon arrival, she got caught in a gun battle by the local Manhattan police and some thugs. Luckily, she was rescued by officer Misty Knight
Misty Knight
Misty Knight is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. She was first mentioned in Marvel Premiere #20 and appeared in the next issue. She normally appears with Colleen Wing.-Publication history:...
, who eventually became her best friend. Later, Knight's right arm was severely injured by a bomb explosion and was amputated. Colleen encouraged Knight to rise above her depression and return to an active role in life. Knight's right arm was replaced with a bionic steel arm.
Colleen Wing, as a detective, and Knight formed a partnership as private investigators and called their firm Knightwing Restorations, Ltd. Due to Wing's samurai-style training and both partners' expertise in the Asian martial arts, they have been dubbed "the Daughters of the Dragon."
Colleen was at one point captured by Master Khan
Master Khan
Master Khan is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Within the shared universe of that company's publications, Master Khan is a sinister sorcerer "god" of K'un-L'un who demands human blood sacrifices from his worshippers.-Publication history:...
and Angar the Screamer
Angar the Screamer
Angar the Screamer , also known as Scream, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain- Publication history :...
, who turned her and Misty Knight into mesmerized slaves. Colleen battled Iron Fist, who finally freed her from their mental control. Colleen then teamed with Misty in opposing agents of the criminal Emil Vachon in Hong Kong. Colleen was captured by Emil Vachon, however, who turned her into a heroin addict. She was rescued by Misty Knight, overcame her addiction, and took vengeance on Vahcon. Colleen then fought Davos, the second Steel Serpent
Steel Serpent
Steel Serpent is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe and an enemy of Iron Fist.-Fictional character biography:The Steel Serpent is an exiled native of K'un-L'un, and son of Lei Kung the Thunderer named Davos...
, and met 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...
.
Colleen later aided the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and Sunfire in battling Moses Magnum
Moses Magnum
Moses Magnum is a fictional character, an arms dealer, terrorist, and supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Moses Magnum first appeared in Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru....
in Japan. She accompanied the X-Men to Canada, and made romantic overtures towards Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, whose girlfriend Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
was presumed to be dead at the time. She was held prisoner by Arcade
Arcade (comics)
Arcade is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Arcade first appeared in Marvel Team-Up, vol...
soon after that.
Colleen later met the actor Bob Diamond
Bob Diamond (comics)
Robert "Bob" Diamond is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Bob Diamond first appeared in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1 and was created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin....
, one of the Sons of the Tiger
Sons of the Tiger
The Sons of the Tiger were three martial arts heroes featured in comic books published by Curtis Magazines called the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu...
. She then battled Constrictor
Constrictor (comics)
Constrictor is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. The character is primarily a supervillain, but is often portrayed as a redeeming anti-hero. Constrictor first appeared in Incredible Hulk vol.1 #212 and was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema.-Publication history:Constrictor...
and Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
. Professor Wing then regained his memory, and Colleen's training in samurai skills by her grandfather was revealed. Colleen then began a romance with Bob Diamond. She was shot by Warhawk
Warhawk (comics)
Warhawk, in comics, may refer to:*Warhawk , a Marvel Comics supervillain*Warhawk , a DC Comics character...
, and later fought the Constrictor again. She was briefly turned to glass by the second Chemistro
Chemistro
Three people have taken the moniker of the supervillain Chemistro in the fictional Marvel Comics universe.-Curtis Carr:The first Chemistro, Curtis Carr, was born in Kansas City, Kansas. While working as a chemist and research scientist for Mainstream Motors, he created an "alchemy gun" capable of...
, and was soon returned to normal. She then fought Fera (now Ferocia). Colleen later temporarily ended her friendship with Misty due to the latter's romance with Tyrone King. Colleen was next transported to K'un-L'un. She killed Chiantang the mystic dragon. She then attended the funeral of an impostor she believed to be Danny Rand.
Some time later, Colleen saw a second Danny Rand impostor on television. She confronted this impostor, who was actually the Super-Skrull
Super-Skrull
The Super-Skrull is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #18 The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The...
. She was present at the exhumation of the corpse of the first Danny Rand impostor.
Civil War and World War Hulk
After her relationship with Bob Diamond ended, Colleen once again started up the Daughters of the Dragon organization with Misty as bondsman. Succeeding in that, she and Misty create the new Heroes for HireHeroes For Hire
Heroes for Hire is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in Power Man and Iron Fist #54 , and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias.-Publication history and original concept:...
due to the urging of Iron Man, Reed Richards and Spider-man.
Colleen has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who have registered as part of the Initiative
Avengers: The Initiative
Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series from Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Slott and Christos Gage with artwork initially by Stefano Caselli, Steve Uy and Harvey Tolibao, the series dealt with the aftermath of Marvel's Civil War crossover Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series...
. In the group's most recent mission, Colleen Wing and Tarantula
Tarantula (Marvel Comics)
Tarantula is the alias of a number of fictional characters appearing in publications from Marvel Comics.-Clay Riley:The Tarantula is a Zorro-like western-era villain equipped with a scourge and has a mysterious Mexican accent. He first appears in Ghost Rider #2 . He is the leader of the villainous...
were offered to the Brood Queen by their possessed teammate Humbug
Humbug (comics)
Buck Mitty, known as Humbug, is a fictional character that appeared in the Marvel Comics universe. Humbug was originally a super-villain but later became a super-hero and a member of the Heroes for Hire.-Fictional character biography:...
When Shang-Chi and the other heroes come save them, Colleen is in traumatic shock; she is further agitated when Moon-Boy, whom the group had been hired to apprehend for 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....
is taken into custody by Paladin
Paladin (comics)
Paladin is a Marvel Comics character, a mercenary. While he claims that Paladin is his real name, he often goes by the name Paul Denning . Though not precisely a supervillain, his mercenary activities often bring him into conflict with superheroes.-Publication history:Paladin first appeared in...
. Misty had made a deal with him in order to find both her and Tarantula after their capture. Colleen, deeply upset by this, left the group as a result. Heroes For Hire disbanded in the aftermath of this.
Shadowland: The Daughters of the Shadow
Following Daredevil's take over of Hell's Kitchen, Misty, Colleen Wing, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Shang-chi confront him in attempt to stop him without violence. After a commotion happens elsewhere in his castle, he attacks the group, believing they are responsible. Days after the fight, Colleen is contacted by Daredevil, offering information about her mother. Upon visiting him again, he reveals to her that her mother actually led a resurrected Hand group of all women swordsmen called "the Nail". Colleen's mother and the Nail were eventually assassinated by one of The Hand's enemies. Daredevil then asks her to lead a new incarnation of the group. She eventually accepts and meets the Nail consisting of Black Lotus, Cherry Blossom, Makro, and Yuki. Colleen later betrays the Nail and has to defend herself against them.Powers and abilities
Colleen Wing is an athletic woman with no superhuman abilities. She has achieved mastery of the traditional combat skills of the Japanese samurai, including swordsmanship (kenjutsu); she is a talented swordswoman and has been shown defeating several HYDRAHYDRA
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...
agents with no injury. Once brainwashed as a living weapon by Iron Fist foe Master Khan
Master Khan
Master Khan is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Within the shared universe of that company's publications, Master Khan is a sinister sorcerer "god" of K'un-L'un who demands human blood sacrifices from his worshippers.-Publication history:...
, Danny melds his mind with hers in order to break her free of his control. Colleen retains knowledge from this time. Colleen gains knowledge of K'un L'un martial arts as well as chi control. As a result, she gains the ability to focus her chi to enhance her strength, accelerate her healing, and reduce her body functions to survive severe conditions.
She wields a 1,000 year old katana which she inherited from her grandfather. Colleen is also a seasoned detective with excellent detective skills.
Age of Apocalypse
Colleen appeared in the Age of Apocalypse briefly. She and Misty Knight were in the same human pens and escaped together. However, Colleen was killed by a Brood infested Christopher SummersCorsair (comics)
Corsair is a fictional character, a star-faring hero in the Marvel Comics universe. He leads the space-faring team the Starjammers and was best known as the father of X-Men superheroes Cyclops, Havok, and Vulcan...
.
House of M
Colleen appeared in the House of M, as a member of the Dragons, in which the leader is Shang-ChiShang-Chi
Shang-Chi is a Marvel Comics character, often called the "Master of Kung Fu". He was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin....
. Later, she was among the captured Dragons in a trap arranged by both the Kingpin and the Brotherhood; but was freed by Luke Cage in order to help the Avengers defeat the Brotherhood.
Ultimate Colleen Wing
During the Ultimate Knights arc of Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
the ultimate version of Danny Rand tells his teammates that he has a child with a girl named Colleen. Later in the same issue, a woman who looks like a younger version of Colleen is shown standing next to Danny and his daughter as he reads to her from a book. It is most likely that this woman is the ultimate version of Colleen Wing.
Video games
- Colleen Wing appears in Iron Fist's ending for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. After the events of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disrupted the development schedule for downloadable content for the original game, the additional content was made into a...
as a member of his new Heroes for Hire.