Ishmael Ortega
Encyclopedia
Ismael "Izzy" Ortega is a fictional character
created for Marvel Comics
by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in the series District X
, where he was partnered with the X-Man
Bishop
.
police officer
that was stationed in Mutant Town
along with his partner Gus Kucharsky. After a horrible accident where a mutant woman uses her powers of persuasion to have Gus kill her husband, and herself (and an attempted suicide), Izzy gets a new partner: the X-Man
Bishop
. They have several events to deal with during the series, including: stopping the drug trafficking
of a mutant drug called "Toad Juice", trying to intervene in a gang war
between rival mob bosses "Filthy" Frankie Zapruder and Daniel "Shaky" Kaufman, discovering and stopping a group of tunnel dwelling mutants (who are not the Morlocks
) that are murdering innocents, as well as keeping an eye on the mysterious Mister M
and finding who put a hit
out on him.
Aside from work, Izzy also has two young children —Chamayra and Esteban— and a wife named Armena
who is a mutant. One afternoon Izzy left his gun at home and it was found by his son Esteban. The boy accidentally shot his sister and she would have died if not for the intervention of Mister M, who removed the bullet and sealed the wound.
This caused a lot of tension in his marriage, and instead of dealing with his problems Izzy ran into the arms of Lara the Illusionist
.
With the Scarlet Witch
going mad and restructuring reality in the House of M
storyline, Mutant Town became the mutant paradise Mutopia X. Izzy was one of the few high-ranking humans, and the main tension of the series was between him and his wife. They were trying to decide whether or not to let Chamayra go through the Rite of Transformation which would unearth her mutant potential. Izzy found the idea that normalcy was shunned —in fact it was considered a medical condition— appalling, whereas his wife wanted their daughter to go through with it. Like the main
Marvel Universe
, Chamayra was shot but this time Mr. M was not able to help her, since she was already dead. The reality later reverted to its proper order, but Chamayra had an odd side-effect
: she was suffering from massive internal bleeding
, like she had been shot with an "invisible bullet". Izzy ran to get Mr. M to help his daughter again, but it turned out to be a replay of the House of M: they arrived too late to save her. Distraught, Izzy was contemplating suicide
until Bishop came and convinced him to consider his family. At the end of the series, Armena, now human, and Izzy reconciled. It is unlikely that Izzy continued his job at the police department, because at the end of the series he vowed never to use a gun again.
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...
created for 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...
by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in the series District X
District X
District X, also known as Mutant Town or the Middle East Side, is a fictional location in Marvel Comics. It is a neighborhood in New York City, first seen during Grant Morrison's run on the series New X-Men in New X-Men #127, which was primarily populated by mutants...
, where he was partnered with the X-Man
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...
Bishop
Bishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
.
Fictional character biography
Ismael Ortega is a New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
that was stationed in Mutant Town
District X
District X, also known as Mutant Town or the Middle East Side, is a fictional location in Marvel Comics. It is a neighborhood in New York City, first seen during Grant Morrison's run on the series New X-Men in New X-Men #127, which was primarily populated by mutants...
along with his partner Gus Kucharsky. After a horrible accident where a mutant woman uses her powers of persuasion to have Gus kill her husband, and herself (and an attempted suicide), Izzy gets a new partner: the X-Man
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...
Bishop
Bishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
. They have several events to deal with during the series, including: stopping the drug trafficking
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
of a mutant drug called "Toad Juice", trying to intervene in a gang war
Gang War
Gang War is a 1928 gangster film, best known for being the main feature attached to Steamboat Willie, the debut of Mickey Mouse in sound. The film starred Jack Pickford in his last major role, as "Clyde", a saxophone player whose love for a dancer named Flowers traps him in the middle of a gang war...
between rival mob bosses "Filthy" Frankie Zapruder and Daniel "Shaky" Kaufman, discovering and stopping a group of tunnel dwelling mutants (who are not the Morlocks
Morlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
) that are murdering innocents, as well as keeping an eye on the mysterious Mister M
Mister M (comics)
Mister M is a comic book character created for Marvel Comics by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in District X #2.-Early life:Not much is known about the enigmatic man called Mr. M...
and finding who put a hit
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
out on him.
Aside from work, Izzy also has two young children —Chamayra and Esteban— and a wife named Armena
Armena Ortega
Armena Ortega is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in District X #2.-Powers and abilities:She generated a protective gelatinous coating while she slept. Currently depowered....
who is a mutant. One afternoon Izzy left his gun at home and it was found by his son Esteban. The boy accidentally shot his sister and she would have died if not for the intervention of Mister M, who removed the bullet and sealed the wound.
This caused a lot of tension in his marriage, and instead of dealing with his problems Izzy ran into the arms of Lara the Illusionist
Lara the Illusionist
Lara the Illusionist is a fictional mutant in the Marvel Universe. Lara has the ability to create illusions capable of fooling all of the five senses...
.
With the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
going mad and restructuring reality in the House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
storyline, Mutant Town became the mutant paradise Mutopia X. Izzy was one of the few high-ranking humans, and the main tension of the series was between him and his wife. They were trying to decide whether or not to let Chamayra go through the Rite of Transformation which would unearth her mutant potential. Izzy found the idea that normalcy was shunned —in fact it was considered a medical condition— appalling, whereas his wife wanted their daughter to go through with it. Like the main
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:...
Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, Chamayra was shot but this time Mr. M was not able to help her, since she was already dead. The reality later reverted to its proper order, but Chamayra had an odd side-effect
Unintended consequence
In the social sciences, unintended consequences are outcomes that are not the outcomes intended by a purposeful action. The concept has long existed but was named and popularised in the 20th century by American sociologist Robert K. Merton...
: she was suffering from massive internal bleeding
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is bleeding occurring inside the body. It can be a serious medical emergency depending on where it occurs , and can potentially cause death and cardiac arrest if proper medical treatment is not received quickly....
, like she had been shot with an "invisible bullet". Izzy ran to get Mr. M to help his daughter again, but it turned out to be a replay of the House of M: they arrived too late to save her. Distraught, Izzy was contemplating suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
until Bishop came and convinced him to consider his family. At the end of the series, Armena, now human, and Izzy reconciled. It is unlikely that Izzy continued his job at the police department, because at the end of the series he vowed never to use a gun again.