Femme Fatales (comics)

The Femme Fatales are villains and mutants that serve as mercenaries for hire. Group members Bloodlust and Whiplash have a history of working together prior to joining the Femme Fatales, as members of a previous group called the Band of Baddies.[1] They were hired by fellow villain the Chameleon in the disguise of Dr. Turner to threaten an ambassador. Spider-Man intervened and saved the ambassador, making him an enemy of the Femme Fatales. They then joined forces with other villains the Scorpion and the Tarantula, but all of them were defeated by Spider-Man and his ally the Black Cat. Though the villains got away.[2]

The Femme Fatales later received an invitation to join Superia and her organization of female criminals, the Femizons. They accepted, and battled Captain America and the Paladin in the process.[3]

The group would splinter and disband sometime later: Bloodlust and Whiplash was seen at the A.I.M. Weapons Expo.[4]

Bloodlust later lost her powers after Decimation. Mindblast, who retained her powers, briefly allied herself with Hammerhead during the "Civil War" storyline.[5]

During the "Avengers: Standoff!" storyline, Bloodlust and Mindblast were turned into duplicate Maria Hills through the powers of Kobik in order to keep the Avengers away from Pleasant Hill.[6]

During the "Hunt for Wolverine" storyline, the Femme Fatales are joined by Viper and Sapphire Styx, with Whiplash taking the name Snake Whip. The Fatales ambush Kitty Pryde's group at the King's Impresario Restaurant at Hightown, Madripoor. While Knockout defeated Rogue, Bloodlust fought Domino, Snake Whip fought Jubilee, and Mindblast fought Psylocke until Sapphire Styx used her lifeforce-draining ability on Psylocke. Kitty Pryde got Jubilee and Domino away from the King's Impresario Restaurant as Snake Whip states that they won't get far.[7] As Mindblast and Knockout prepare to have Rogue and Storm delivered to Viper's bosses in Soteira, it was revealed that Sapphire Styx was given to Viper and the Femme Fatales by Soteira as Viper tells Snake Whip to let Sapphire feed. Meanwhile, Bloodlust was seen at the Wheelers and Dealers casino with a mathematician named Stenya Ubacowits who was hired to help in the flight trajectory of a satellite.[8] As Domino fights Bloodlust at the launch site and defeats her, Snake Whip works to restrain Sapphire when she starts to see Wolverine's Patch alias. Kitty Pryde and Jubilee fight Mindblast and Knockout until Kitty destroys the psychic-enhancements on Mindblast's back enough for Magneto to recover and join the fight. By the time, Kitty Pryde, Domino, and Jubilee catch up to Sapphire Styx, they discover that Psylocke is mentally attacking Sapphire.[9] After Sapphire Styx exploded enabling Psylocke to create a new body from Sapphire's soul power, Kitty Pryde goes into the rocket and frees Rogue and Storm. As Rogue steals some of Knockout's strength to defeat her, Psylocke uses her powers to defeat Bloodlust and Snake Whip. Kitty Pryde and Domino persuade Magneto not to take revenge on Mindblast. After Viper gets away with Magneto pursuing her, the Femme Fatales are locked up. In a discussion between Kitty and Rogue, Snake Whip cooperated with Kitty and told her about Soteira looking for Wolverine's body in exchange for a lighter sentence.[10]

The Femme Fatales also exist as a team in the Ultimate Marvel universe. Bloodlust, Knockout, Mindblast and Whiplash briefly encounter the All-New Ultimates.[11]

In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Femme Fatales is a team bonus for any four-person combination of Storm, Elektra, Spider-Woman, Invisible Woman, and Ms. Marvel.

In Marvel: Future Fight, Femme Fatales is a team bonus composed of Elektra, Black Cat, and Black Widow.

• List of Marvel Comics characters

• Femme Fatales (Superia's Femizons, Spider-Man foes)