Volcana (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Volcana is a fictional character (a supervillianess turned superheroine) featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics
who first appeared in Secret Wars #3 (July 1984). She was created by Jim Shooter
and Mike Zeck
.
. Marsha was a day care center employee who, along with her friend Skeeter
, was a normal human resident of Denver who was spirited away to the Beyonder
's "Battleworld" during Marvel Comics
' Secret Wars
series. Lusting for power and respect, she and Skeeter agreed to serve Doctor Doom
, in exchange for super powers. Doctor Doom had managed to figure out how to operate a machine utilizing alien technology, and used it to grant her the ability to transform into a molten lava
form, and fire powerful thermal energy
blasts, hence her choosing the codename "Volcana". She allied herself with Doctor Doom and the criminal faction, and battled the She-Hulk
in a confrontation with the heroic faction. During the series, she developed a relationship with the supervillain
Molecule Man
. She bargained with the Enchantress
, and then battled the Enchantress with the intent to renege on her bargain.
Marsha later took up residence back on Earth with Owen Reece, and hosted the Beyonder upon his arrival on Earth. She tricked the Molecule Man into challenging the Beyonder, and then participated in the defeat of the Beyonder.
Some time later she accompanied the Molecule Man and the Fantastic Four
to the Beyonder's universe, and separated from the Molecule Man when he apparently became irrevocably merged into another "cosmic cube
" along with the Beyonder. Unlike her friend Skeeter, who became the supervillianess Titania, Marsha did some superhero work, She had battles with the Wizard
and Moonstone
. She also assisted the Avengers
in repairing the damage to the Earth's crust caused by the Beyonder. Later, she was briefly reunited with a de-powered Molecule Man (who had mysteriously returned to Earth) and battled Klaw. It was at that time that she gained the ability to assume volcanic rock and volcanic ash forms. She subsequently discovered that, just before his supposed "death," the Molecule Man had secretly "willed" her a portion of his reality-warping power and it was this power that gave her the ability to manifest these other forms at critical times, just when she needed them. Once he regained his power from her, she found herself no longer able to tolerate the darker side of his personality and terminated their relationship.
. As Volcana, she originally had the ability to convert her entire body into a plasma form, in which she blazes with white-hot intensity, at times setting aflame any surface beneath her. In her human form, the 6'5" tall Marsha has long black hair, and usually wears only her magenta
-colored swimsuit
; her clothing is manufactured from unstable molecules, thus it is not destroyed when she is in her plasma form. The alien technology that empowered her makes her powers totally undetectable when she is in human form.
Her plasma form grants her superhuman durability and consists of highly charged particles which surround her in white-hot flame and is able to emit controlled bursts of thermal energy up to 40 feet. She later gained the ability to convert her body into a stone form, a volcanic rock (basalt)-like composition which still enables movement and grants her superhuman strength. She subsequently gained an ash form, a volcanic ash (pumice)-like composition whose configuration she can shift, shape and control at will. Volcana cannot make partial transformations; she can possess the attributes of only one of her forms at a time. Monitoring devices subcutaneously implanted by Doctor Doom can be triggered to stimulate the aggression centers of her brain.
episode "Villainy Redux Syndrome!", voiced by Grey DeLisle
. She is shown to be the girlfriend of Molecule Man
and aids him into helping Doctor Doom
, MODOK
, and Abomination
break out of the Vault
.
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...
who first appeared in Secret Wars #3 (July 1984). She was created by Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
and Mike Zeck
Mike Zeck
Mike Zeck is an American comic book illustrator.-Biography:Zeck was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania to Michael and Kathryn Jean Zeck...
.
Fictional character biography
Marsha Rosenberg was born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Marsha was a day care center employee who, along with her friend Skeeter
Titania (Marvel Comics)
Titania is a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe, notable for being Marvel's strongest human female with the possible exception of the She-Hulk, and the wife of the Absorbing Man. She was created by then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, in the successful company-wide crossover known as...
, was a normal human resident of Denver who was spirited away to the Beyonder
Beyonder
The Beyonder is a fictional character in . Created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, the immensely powerful Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars vol. 1 #1 as an unseen force. He reappears in Secret Wars II #1 , which was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom.-Publication history:The Beyonder was a...
's "Battleworld" during 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...
' Secret Wars
Secret Wars
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is a twelve-issue comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton...
series. Lusting for power and respect, she and Skeeter agreed to serve Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
, in exchange for super powers. Doctor Doom had managed to figure out how to operate a machine utilizing alien technology, and used it to grant her the ability to transform into a molten lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
form, and fire powerful thermal energy
Thermal energy
Thermal energy is the part of the total internal energy of a thermodynamic system or sample of matter that results in the system's temperature....
blasts, hence her choosing the codename "Volcana". She allied herself with Doctor Doom and the criminal faction, and battled the She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
in a confrontation with the heroic faction. During the series, she developed a relationship with the 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...
Molecule Man
Molecule Man
Molecule Man is a fictional character, a supervillain or reluctant hero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #20.-1960s:...
. She bargained with the Enchantress
Enchantress (Marvel Comics)
The Enchantress is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe, the first of which is a powerful sorceress named Amora and is one of the most notable antagonists of Thor.-Publication history:...
, and then battled the Enchantress with the intent to renege on her bargain.
Marsha later took up residence back on Earth with Owen Reece, and hosted the Beyonder upon his arrival on Earth. She tricked the Molecule Man into challenging the Beyonder, and then participated in the defeat of the Beyonder.
Some time later she accompanied the Molecule Man and the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
to the Beyonder's universe, and separated from the Molecule Man when he apparently became irrevocably merged into another "cosmic cube
Cosmic Cube
The Cosmic Cube, called the Tesseract in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, is the name of a fictional object that appears in the Marvel Universe. The concept was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Tales of Suspense #79 .-Publication history:The first Cosmic Cube...
" along with the Beyonder. Unlike her friend Skeeter, who became the supervillianess Titania, Marsha did some superhero work, She had battles with the Wizard
Wizard (Marvel Comics)
The Wizard , also known as the Wingless Wizard, is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe...
and Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
. She also assisted 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 repairing the damage to the Earth's crust caused by the Beyonder. Later, she was briefly reunited with a de-powered Molecule Man (who had mysteriously returned to Earth) and battled Klaw. It was at that time that she gained the ability to assume volcanic rock and volcanic ash forms. She subsequently discovered that, just before his supposed "death," the Molecule Man had secretly "willed" her a portion of his reality-warping power and it was this power that gave her the ability to manifest these other forms at critical times, just when she needed them. Once he regained his power from her, she found herself no longer able to tolerate the darker side of his personality and terminated their relationship.
Powers and abilities
Marsha Rosenberg gained superhuman powers through genetic manipulation by highly advanced technology and performed by Doctor DoomDoctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
. As Volcana, she originally had the ability to convert her entire body into a plasma form, in which she blazes with white-hot intensity, at times setting aflame any surface beneath her. In her human form, the 6'5" tall Marsha has long black hair, and usually wears only her magenta
Magenta
Magenta is a color evoked by light stronger in blue and red wavelengths than in yellowish-green wavelengths . In light experiments, magenta can be produced by removing the lime-green wavelengths from white light...
-colored swimsuit
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
; her clothing is manufactured from unstable molecules, thus it is not destroyed when she is in her plasma form. The alien technology that empowered her makes her powers totally undetectable when she is in human form.
Her plasma form grants her superhuman durability and consists of highly charged particles which surround her in white-hot flame and is able to emit controlled bursts of thermal energy up to 40 feet. She later gained the ability to convert her body into a stone form, a volcanic rock (basalt)-like composition which still enables movement and grants her superhuman strength. She subsequently gained an ash form, a volcanic ash (pumice)-like composition whose configuration she can shift, shape and control at will. Volcana cannot make partial transformations; she can possess the attributes of only one of her forms at a time. Monitoring devices subcutaneously implanted by Doctor Doom can be triggered to stimulate the aggression centers of her brain.
Television
Volcana appears in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show
The Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "Villainy Redux Syndrome!", voiced by Grey DeLisle
Grey DeLisle
Grey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
. She is shown to be the girlfriend of Molecule Man
Molecule Man
Molecule Man is a fictional character, a supervillain or reluctant hero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #20.-1960s:...
and aids him into helping Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
, MODOK
MODOK
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...
, and Abomination
Abomination (comics)
The Abomination is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics...
break out of the Vault
Vault (comics)
The Vault is the widely used nickname of a fictional defunct prison facility for technological-based superhuman criminals in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. The prison's full official name is the United States Maximum Security Installation for the Incarceration of Superhuman Criminals.It first...
.
Novels
- Volcana appears in the novel Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-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...
/X-MenX-MenThe 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...
: Time's Arrow: The Present by Tom DeFalcoTom DeFalcoTom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well known for his association with Marvel Comics and in particular for his work with Spider-Man.-Career:...
and Adam-Troy CastroAdam-Troy CastroAdam-Troy Castro is a science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer living in Miami, FL. He has more than eighty stories to his credit and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Stoker. These stories include four Spider-Man novels, including the Sinister Six trilogy,...
, in which she is hired by agents of Kang the ConquerorKang the ConquerorKang the Conqueror is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Avengers #8 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
to fight CableCable (comics)Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
and the BeastBeast (comics)Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
. While she is not normally a mercenary, she needed the money to repair her car.
- An alternate universeParallel universe (fiction)A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
version of the character also appears in the book, as a member of a resistance movement against a fascist version of the X-Men.
External Links
- Volcana at Marvel Wiki