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Scandal (comics)
Encyclopedia
Scandal Savage is a fictional character
, a supervillain
ess and antiheroine in the DC Comics
Universe
. She first appeared in Villains United
#1 (July 2005), and was created by Gail Simone
and Dale Eaglesham
. Scandal is a member of the Secret Six
and the daughter of supervillain Vandal Savage
.
superhero
es and supervillains in the DC Universe.
The character subsequently appeared in the Secret Six miniseries later in 2006, as written by Gail Simone which would embellish upon the relationship between the character and her father Vandal Savage. In Simone's final run on Birds of Prey
as part of the "Whitewater" story arc
, she saw a crossover
between the titular Birds of Prey and the Secret Six. When Tony Bedard
assumed control of Birds of Prey, the characters of Knockout
and Scandal continued to appear in issue #109 which followed from the conclusion of "Whitewater". Tying into the upcoming Salvation Run
miniseries, the character would appear again immediately following Birds of Prey #109, in Checkmate
#18 as part of an emerging build up towards Salvation Run.
's plans, the real Lex Luthor
, under the alias Mockingbird
, blackmailed Scandal and five other villains into antagonizing the Secret Society of Super Villains
. Despite being severely outnumbered, Scandal and the rest of the Secret Six
were able to thwart the Society on a number of occasions. Eventually Luthor granted the Six their freedom, telling them the safeguards placed against their rebellion were lies.
While working with the Six was originally all about saving her mother, Scandal eventually grew to care about her teammates, and is actually in an intimate lesbian relationship with one of the newest members. During Villains United
, Scandal positioned her lover Knockout
as a mole in the Society. During one of the attacks by the Society
, Knockout revealed her true allegiances by saving Scandal during a fight with Talia al Ghul
. Knockout then became an official member of the Six.
While the two were vacationing in Bangkok
, Knockout was almost killed when she was shot with a Thanagarian sniper rifle by Pistolera
. The shot implanted a bomb in her skin and when Scandal refused to leave her side, Knockout threw herself from the blast range telling her they would meet again in the afterlife. After the bomb went off, Scandal scrambled through the garbage to find Knockout miraculously still alive. Scandal vowed revenge on Pistolera for hurting Knockout, and soon would have it. The Secret Six managed to capture Pistolera and Scandal took pleasure torturing the hired gun. Ultimately, Scandal could not kill the person who almost took her beloved from her, so her teammate, Deadshot
, stepped in and did the deed for her. Knockout regenerated her injuries soon after.
It has recently been revealed that Vandal Savage was responsible for the attacks on Knockout and the rest of the Six, as a warning of what will happen if Scandal doesn't bear an heir for him. However, Scandal "killed" her father and escaped with the rest of the Six (minus the Mad Hatter
).
Following this, the Secret Six were hired for mercenary work by a Russian mobster to protect a Rocket Red
suit that was revealed to be occupied by the presumed-dead super-hero Ice
. During the battle against the Birds of Prey for the suit and Ice, Spy Smasher
made Deadshot accidentally shoot Scandal in the back. She appeared to be fine, but was too weak to continue the fight.
Following Knockout's murder by an unknown assailant, a drunk and distraught Scandal is kidnapped by Bronze Tiger
and Rick Flag
on the orders of Amanda Waller
. King Faraday
offers her a place in a revived Suicide Squad
, but she refuses and promises to kill him. Faraday then orders her to be shipped off to an unknown location (see Salvation Run
).
She was briefly seen attacking Bolt
for groping her. She was also shown to at some point to have gotten another tattoo underneath her left eye.
In the new Secret Six series (Sept 2008), Scandal was shown to still be drunk and depressed over the loss of Knockout. Catman and Deadshot tried to cheer her up, presenting her with a stripper dressed like Knockout. Scandal declined the woman's advances, and managed to pull herself together for the Six's new mission . During that time, the Six's new member, Bane
developed a father-like affection towards Scandal, much to her discomfort. Following the mission's success, Scandal encountered the stripper at a supermarket. Learning that her name was Liana Kerzner, Scandal entered into a relationship with her. After resurrecting Knockout with Neron
's "Get Out of Hell Free" card, Scandal proposes a polygamous marriage between all three women, which both her lovers accept. The Secret Six are ultimately defeated and captured by an army of superheroes, with most of the team's fates (including Scandal's) left unrevealed due to the September 2011 reboot.
to the chest and legs and still considered herself combat ready (threatening to kill her assailants). She and other people have made comments that imply that her life had been or will be longer than average. She has proven herself to be a vicious fighter, capable of holding her own against the likes of Fatality
, Hawkgirl
, and Talia al Ghul
.
In combat, she often employs a set of wrist-mounted blades, — the Laminas Pesar or "Lamentation Blades", which Scandal claims have been in the family for a long time. The blades have two settings. One is a pair of long, awl-like blades designed for stabbing. The other is three knife-like blades designed for slashing. She was also seen riding a motorcycle and seemed to be capable of combat while still riding this (though this was never seen).
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...
, a 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...
ess and antiheroine in the DC Comics
DC 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...
Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. She first appeared in Villains United
Villains United
Villains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade Von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
#1 (July 2005), and was created by Gail Simone
Gail Simone
Gail Simone is an American writer of comic books. Best known for penning DC's Birds of Prey, her other notable works include Secret Six, Welcome to Tranquility, The All-New Atom, and Deadpool. In 2007, she took over Wonder Woman...
and Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham is a comic book illustrator who has been working in the industry since 1986. He is best known for his work on titles like Conan, Punisher, Green Lantern, Villains United, Justice Society of America and Fantastic Four...
. Scandal is a member of the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
and the daughter of supervillain Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10 , and was created by Alfred Bester and Martin Nodell....
.
Publication history
Scandal first appeared as a shrewd businesswoman in Villains United #1 (2005) where she was created by author Gail Simone and artist Dale Eaglesham. Within this run her character was developed and revealed by the author to be as deadly a character as any of the others in Secret Six, where she unveiled her trademark "lamentation blades" and battle outfit. In Villains United #6, the character was officially confirmed to be among the few lesbianLesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es and supervillains in the DC Universe.
The character subsequently appeared in the Secret Six miniseries later in 2006, as written by Gail Simone which would embellish upon the relationship between the character and her father Vandal Savage. In Simone's final run on Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey (comic book)
Birds of Prey is a comic book series published by DC Comics that features the adventures of the heroine Oracle and her group of superheroines. The group is initially based in Gotham City and later operates in Metropolis and then relocates once more to "Platinum Flats", California, a new locale...
as part of the "Whitewater" story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
, she saw a crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
between the titular Birds of Prey and the Secret Six. When Tony Bedard
Tony Bedard
Antony "Tony" J. L. Bedard is a writer and editor who has worked in the comic book industry from the early '90s through the present. He is best known for his work at CrossGen Comics, where he was under exclusive contract, and for his run writing Marvel Comics X-Men spin-off Exiles.-Career:Tony...
assumed control of Birds of Prey, the characters of Knockout
Knockout (comics)
Knockout is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in Superboy vol. 2 #1 , and was created by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett.-Fictional character biography:...
and Scandal continued to appear in issue #109 which followed from the conclusion of "Whitewater". Tying into the upcoming Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
miniseries, the character would appear again immediately following Birds of Prey #109, in Checkmate
Checkmate (comics)
Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...
#18 as part of an emerging build up towards Salvation Run.
Fictional character biography
Scandal Savage is the daughter of immortal villain Vandal Savage and an unknown Brazilian woman, who apparently raised the child in her home country, though trained in combat by her father from childhood on. In an attempt to destroy an alternate Lex LuthorAlexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
's plans, the real Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
, under the alias Mockingbird
Mockingbird (DC Comics)
Mockingbird is the code name of several characters in the DC Comics Universe, denoting whoever is in charge of the Secret Six. The original Mockingbird's identity was unrevealed in the original series, but later identified as August Durant. The first Mockingbird of the villainous Secret Six was...
, blackmailed Scandal and five other villains into antagonizing the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. Despite being severely outnumbered, Scandal and the rest of the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
were able to thwart the Society on a number of occasions. Eventually Luthor granted the Six their freedom, telling them the safeguards placed against their rebellion were lies.
While working with the Six was originally all about saving her mother, Scandal eventually grew to care about her teammates, and is actually in an intimate lesbian relationship with one of the newest members. During Villains United
Villains United
Villains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade Von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
, Scandal positioned her lover Knockout
Knockout (comics)
Knockout is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in Superboy vol. 2 #1 , and was created by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett.-Fictional character biography:...
as a mole in the Society. During one of the attacks by the Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
, Knockout revealed her true allegiances by saving Scandal during a fight with Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin...
. Knockout then became an official member of the Six.
While the two were vacationing in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Knockout was almost killed when she was shot with a Thanagarian sniper rifle by Pistolera
Pistolera
Pistolera is a DC Comics supervillain, an assassin and sharp-shooter from the Batman family of comic book titles.-Fictional character biography:...
. The shot implanted a bomb in her skin and when Scandal refused to leave her side, Knockout threw herself from the blast range telling her they would meet again in the afterlife. After the bomb went off, Scandal scrambled through the garbage to find Knockout miraculously still alive. Scandal vowed revenge on Pistolera for hurting Knockout, and soon would have it. The Secret Six managed to capture Pistolera and Scandal took pleasure torturing the hired gun. Ultimately, Scandal could not kill the person who almost took her beloved from her, so her teammate, Deadshot
Deadshot
Deadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain/assassin in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
, stepped in and did the deed for her. Knockout regenerated her injuries soon after.
It has recently been revealed that Vandal Savage was responsible for the attacks on Knockout and the rest of the Six, as a warning of what will happen if Scandal doesn't bear an heir for him. However, Scandal "killed" her father and escaped with the rest of the Six (minus the Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter (comics)
The Mad Hatter is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Batman in the DC Universe. He is modeled after the Hatter from Lewis Carroll's novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll. He made his first appearance in Batman #49 in October...
).
Following this, the Secret Six were hired for mercenary work by a Russian mobster to protect a Rocket Red
Rocket Red
The Rocket Red Brigade is a DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Green Lantern Corps #208 , and were created by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton.-History:...
suit that was revealed to be occupied by the presumed-dead super-hero Ice
Ice (comics)
Ice is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in publications from DC Comics. Created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire, she first appeared in Justice League International #12 ....
. During the battle against the Birds of Prey for the suit and Ice, Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The first is a superhero that was formerly owned and published by Fawcett Comics...
made Deadshot accidentally shoot Scandal in the back. She appeared to be fine, but was too weak to continue the fight.
Following Knockout's murder by an unknown assailant, a drunk and distraught Scandal is kidnapped by Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.-Early years:Ben Turner comes...
and Rick Flag
Rick Flag
Rick Flag is the name of three fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are father, son, and grandson.The father, Richard Flag was in the original Suicide Squad, a World War II unit. After the war he was a member of Task Force X. The son, Rick Flag Jr...
on the orders of Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...
. King Faraday
King Faraday
King Faraday is a fictional secret agent featured in DC Comics. Faraday first appeared in Danger Trail #1 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino.-Fictional character biography:...
offers her a place in a revived Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
, but she refuses and promises to kill him. Faraday then orders her to be shipped off to an unknown location (see Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
).
She was briefly seen attacking Bolt
Bolt (DC Comics)
Bolt is a fictional character and supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Blue Devil #6 .-Larry Bolatinsky:...
for groping her. She was also shown to at some point to have gotten another tattoo underneath her left eye.
In the new Secret Six series (Sept 2008), Scandal was shown to still be drunk and depressed over the loss of Knockout. Catman and Deadshot tried to cheer her up, presenting her with a stripper dressed like Knockout. Scandal declined the woman's advances, and managed to pull herself together for the Six's new mission . During that time, the Six's new member, Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
developed a father-like affection towards Scandal, much to her discomfort. Following the mission's success, Scandal encountered the stripper at a supermarket. Learning that her name was Liana Kerzner, Scandal entered into a relationship with her. After resurrecting Knockout with Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...
's "Get Out of Hell Free" card, Scandal proposes a polygamous marriage between all three women, which both her lovers accept. The Secret Six are ultimately defeated and captured by an army of superheroes, with most of the team's fates (including Scandal's) left unrevealed due to the September 2011 reboot.
Powers and abilities
The full extent of Scandal's powers has yet to be revealed, although that it would appear owing to her father's immortality she is incredibly resilient to harm. She claims to be "damned hard to kill" at the least. In Birds of Prey #107, she took a bullet from Deadshot and was capable of regrowing her damaged organs talking to and carrying Knockout several minutes later, with no apparent ill effects. In Checkmate #18, it is speculated she may or may not be immortal like her father. She also took several rounds from a machine gunMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
to the chest and legs and still considered herself combat ready (threatening to kill her assailants). She and other people have made comments that imply that her life had been or will be longer than average. She has proven herself to be a vicious fighter, capable of holding her own against the likes of Fatality
Fatality (comics)
Fatality is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:The eldest child of the planet Xanshi's ruling family, the girl who would one day call herself Fatality was sent off-world to be educated by the Warlords of Okaara...
, Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, and Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin...
.
In combat, she often employs a set of wrist-mounted blades, — the Laminas Pesar or "Lamentation Blades", which Scandal claims have been in the family for a long time. The blades have two settings. One is a pair of long, awl-like blades designed for stabbing. The other is three knife-like blades designed for slashing. She was also seen riding a motorcycle and seemed to be capable of combat while still riding this (though this was never seen).