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Manta (comics)
Encyclopedia
Manta is a fictional character in Marvel Comics
.
#137 (September 1980), and was created by Chris Claremont
and John Byrne.
The character subsequently appears in Phoenix: The Untold Story #1 (April 1984), Rom Annual #4 (December 1985), Classic X-Men #43 (January 1990), X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers #2 (June 1990), Quasar #32-33 (March-April 1992), Starblast #2 (February 1994), Quasar #55 (February 1994), New X-Men #124-126 (May-July 2002), Marvel Universe: The End #5-6 (August-September 2003), JLA/Avengers #1 (September 2003), and Uncanny X-Men #477 (October 2006), and #480 (January 2007), and X-Men: Emperor Vulcan #2-5 (December 2007-March 2008).
Manta appeared as part of the "Imperial Guard" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
#6.
Imperial Guard
. She has fought the X-Men on multiple occasions. First she fought the X-Men in the Shi'ar Empire's attempt to police the Phoenix Force, and later during New X-Men, she fought them under the manipulation of Cassandra Nova. In the latter, Manta seeks out Jean Grey, confident she could defeat Phoenix while armed with psychic armor, but Grey easily bested her in hand-to-hand combat. She was one of the survivors of the battle with Vulcan.
. Manta's eyes only perceive heat (as in infrared radiation), allowing her to see in the dark. She can generate blinding flashes of white or blue light. Whether these flashes come from her costume or her body (possibly her life-force) is unknown. Her species experiences memory in a manner different from that of most other species.
' team Legion of Super-Heroes
. Manta is based on LSH member Lightning Lass
.
. The first was during an approximation of the Dark Phoenix Saga
, and the second was in a reality where an evil Silver Surfer
had killed everyone in the Imperial Guard save Manta while trying to kill that reality's Galactus
.
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
Manta first appeared in Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#137 (September 1980), and was created by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and John Byrne.
The character subsequently appears in Phoenix: The Untold Story #1 (April 1984), Rom Annual #4 (December 1985), Classic X-Men #43 (January 1990), X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers #2 (June 1990), Quasar #32-33 (March-April 1992), Starblast #2 (February 1994), Quasar #55 (February 1994), New X-Men #124-126 (May-July 2002), Marvel Universe: The End #5-6 (August-September 2003), JLA/Avengers #1 (September 2003), and Uncanny X-Men #477 (October 2006), and #480 (January 2007), and X-Men: Emperor Vulcan #2-5 (December 2007-March 2008).
Manta appeared as part of the "Imperial Guard" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#6.
Fictional character biography
Manta is a member of the Shi'arShi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard (comics)
The Imperial Guard is a team of fictional super-powered alien warriors in the Marvel Comics universe. The Imperial Guard serves the rulers of the Shi'ar Empire, both by enforcing Shi'ar Imperial law on all planets within the Shi'ar Galaxy and as the Emperor or Empress's personal guard...
. She has fought the X-Men on multiple occasions. First she fought the X-Men in the Shi'ar Empire's attempt to police the Phoenix Force, and later during New X-Men, she fought them under the manipulation of Cassandra Nova. In the latter, Manta seeks out Jean Grey, confident she could defeat Phoenix while armed with psychic armor, but Grey easily bested her in hand-to-hand combat. She was one of the survivors of the battle with Vulcan.
Powers and abilities
Manta possesses the power of flightFlight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
. Manta's eyes only perceive heat (as in infrared radiation), allowing her to see in the dark. She can generate blinding flashes of white or blue light. Whether these flashes come from her costume or her body (possibly her life-force) is unknown. Her species experiences memory in a manner different from that of most other species.
Inspiration
Several of the members of the Imperial Guard are at least partly based on members of the DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' team Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. Manta is based on LSH member Lightning Lass
Lightning Lass
Ayla Ranzz, known originally as Lightning Lass is a comic book fictional character, who is a super heroine in a future DC Comics universe...
.
Exlies
At least two alternate versions of Manta have been seen in ExilesExiles (Marvel Comics)
The Exiles are a group of fictional characters that feature in three Marvel Comics series, Exiles, New Exiles, and Exiles vol. 2. The Exiles consists of characters from different dimensions, or realities, which have been removed from time and space in order to correct problems in various alternate...
. The first was during an approximation of the Dark Phoenix Saga
Dark Phoenix Saga
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men storyline in the fictional , focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, and ending in Grey's apparent death...
, and the second was in a reality where an evil Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
had killed everyone in the Imperial Guard save Manta while trying to kill that reality's Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
.
Television
- Manta appears in the X-MenX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
episodes "The Dark Phoenix" and "Fate of the Phoenix." She and the Imperial Guard had to fight the X-Men to determine the fate of Jean Grey after what the Phoenix Force did to some of the galaxies.