Vertigo (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Vertigo is a native of the Savage Land
who obtained superhuman powers at a young age by genetic engineering
. Her powers enable her to render a person severely dizzy
and even unconscious
.
, empowered by Magneto
, with whom she first battled the X-Men
and Spider-Man
.
, a group of mutants working as assassins for the enigmatic geneticist
known as Mister Sinister
. Sinister wanted his assassins to destroy a large community of mutants, known as the Morlocks
, who lived under New York City
, as he had deemed them genetically useless. The Marauders did succeed in annihilating a large number of the underground mutants. While the Marauders were accomplishing this, they also clashed with the X-Men, X-Factor
, Thor
, and Power Pack
. With the Marauders, she also attempted to kill Madelyne Pryor
.
Sinister later sent Vertigo along with the other Marauders to fight the X-Men in New York City just before the extra-dimensional incursion known as the "Inferno
". She was apparently killed in battle with the X-Men. Her alliance with Sinister was short-lived at that time, as she soon rejoined her Savage Land Mutate allies.
Said allies join with the more peaceful of the Land's inhabitants to resist a territorial grab by humanoid saurians. Her powers are central in defeating the enemy army. Various X-Men broker a peace agreement leaving the Mutates to their own devices again.
Vertigo encountered the Avengers
in the Savage Land. Vertigo used her powers to render them all unconscious and they were all taken captive briefly.
During Messiah Complex
, she aids the Marauders in search of the new mutant baby. During the Marauder's and the Acolyte's first battle with the X-Men in Alaska, she and Scrambler are taken out by Storm. After coming into a confrontation with Bishop
and finally getting her hands on the baby, she joins the others in the final fight between the X-Men and X-Factor and the Marauders and the Acolytes, only to be eaten by Predator X, who was teleported in by the mutant Pixie.
A Vertigo clone appears in X-Force
#9.
Vertigo appeared as an X-Man in the Age of X
.
who possesses the ability to project waves of psionic energy into her environment which affect the nervous systems of other living beings, distorting their physical perceptions and sense of balance. This power induces effects ranging from mild disorientation and vertigo to unconsciousness. Vertigo can focus her power on one or more individuals, or project it outward from herself in all directions, affecting everyone within her range of influence.
Vertigo is not immune to her own powers, as she was thrown off balance when Thor
reflected her psychic waves back at her with Mjolnir.
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
who obtained superhuman powers at a young age by genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
. Her powers enable her to render a person severely dizzy
Dizziness
Dizziness refers to an impairment in spatial perception and stability. The term is somewhat imprecise. It can be used to mean vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness....
and even unconscious
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
.
Fictional character biography
She was initially a member of the Savage Land MutatesSavage Land Mutates
The Savage Land Mutates are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain group based in the Savage Land, a hidden Antarctic environment of dinosaurs and primitive people in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional team biography:...
, empowered by Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
, with whom she first battled 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 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...
.
Marauders
Later, although not a mutant, she joined the MaraudersMarauders (comics)
The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
, a group of mutants working as assassins for the enigmatic geneticist
Geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
known as Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
. Sinister wanted his assassins to destroy a large community of mutants, known as 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...
, who lived under New York City
New 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...
, as he had deemed them genetically useless. The Marauders did succeed in annihilating a large number of the underground mutants. While the Marauders were accomplishing this, they also clashed with the X-Men, X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
, Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, and Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
. With the Marauders, she also attempted to kill Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. As the love interest and first wife of X-Men leader Cyclops , she became a long-standing member of the X-Men supporting cast, until a series of traumas — being abandoned by her husband, losing her infant son, and...
.
Sinister later sent Vertigo along with the other Marauders to fight the X-Men in New York City just before the extra-dimensional incursion known as the "Inferno
Inferno (Marvel Comics)
Inferno was a Marvel Comics company-wide crossover in 1989 that mainly involved the mutant titles, namely The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants...
". She was apparently killed in battle with the X-Men. Her alliance with Sinister was short-lived at that time, as she soon rejoined her Savage Land Mutate allies.
Said allies join with the more peaceful of the Land's inhabitants to resist a territorial grab by humanoid saurians. Her powers are central in defeating the enemy army. Various X-Men broker a peace agreement leaving the Mutates to their own devices again.
Vertigo encountered the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
in the Savage Land. Vertigo used her powers to render them all unconscious and they were all taken captive briefly.
Marauders/Cloned
Vertigo is a member of Mister Sinister's Marauders as well as living in the Savage Land. As a Marauder, she has been killed and cloned various times. It is unclear whether the Vertigo that appears in the Savage Land is another clone or indeed the original Vertigo, though it appears that the original Vertigo never left the Savage Land and does not have any ties with the Marauders.Messiah Complex and Death
Vertigo later reappears as a member of the reformed Marauders.During Messiah Complex
X-Men: Messiah Complex
"Messiah Complex" is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics from October 2007 to January 2008, which ran through the various X-Men books....
, she aids the Marauders in search of the new mutant baby. During the Marauder's and the Acolyte's first battle with the X-Men in Alaska, she and Scrambler are taken out by Storm. After coming into a confrontation with 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...
and finally getting her hands on the baby, she joins the others in the final fight between the X-Men and X-Factor and the Marauders and the Acolytes, only to be eaten by Predator X, who was teleported in by the mutant Pixie.
A Vertigo clone appears in X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
#9.
Vertigo appeared as an X-Man in the Age of X
Age of X
"Age of X" is a comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics which features an alternate reality of the X-Men. The first issue of the storyline, Age of X: Alpha, was published in January 2011. Publication continued in February, March, and April 2011...
.
Powers and abilities
Vertigo is an artificially enhanced mutateSavage Land Mutates
The Savage Land Mutates are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain group based in the Savage Land, a hidden Antarctic environment of dinosaurs and primitive people in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional team biography:...
who possesses the ability to project waves of psionic energy into her environment which affect the nervous systems of other living beings, distorting their physical perceptions and sense of balance. This power induces effects ranging from mild disorientation and vertigo to unconsciousness. Vertigo can focus her power on one or more individuals, or project it outward from herself in all directions, affecting everyone within her range of influence.
Vertigo is not immune to her own powers, as she was thrown off balance when Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
reflected her psychic waves back at her with Mjolnir.
Television
- The second Vertigo also appeared in the X-Men animated series voiced by Megan Smith. She was one of the followers of Mister Sinister in the Savage Land. In the series, her powers were amplified after Mister Sinister genetically modified her with Magneto's DNA. Later in the X-Men animated series she joins the Nasty Boys who were working for Mr. Sinister too.
- The first Vertigo was among the Salem's SevenSalem's SevenSalem's Seven was a team of magical supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. They were foes of the Scarlet Witch and the Fantastic Four. All seven were the children of Nicholas Scratch and the grandchildren of Agatha Harkness...
that appears in The Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They Stand is an animated series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team The Avengers. It consists of 13 episodes, which originally premiered on October 30, 1999, and was produced by Avi Arad and distributed by 20th Century Fox Television...
episode "The Sorceress' Apprentice." - Vertigo first appears in the Wolverine and the X-Men episode "eXcessive Force", voiced by Vanessa MarshallVanessa MarshallVanessa Marshall is an American actress, voice actress and model. She is the daughter of actress Joan Van Ark. She got into voice-over work after being discovered at a one woman show.-Films:* Bagboy! - Mrs...
. She appears as a member of Mister SinisterMister SinisterMister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
's MaraudersMarauders (comics)The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
. Vertigo and Blockbuster were pursuing Berzerker in the sewers only to run into Cyclops. She escaped to warn Arclight as Cyclops catches up to them. As Cyclops attacks Arclight, Vertigo escapes. She later appears in the episode "Shades of Grey" where she along with the other Marauders fight the X-Men. She is defeated by Emma FrostEmma FrostEmma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
.