BLACKLASH

'Blacklash' ('Mark Scarlotti'), formerly known as 'Whiplash', is a deceased
fictional character and a supervillain in the Marvel Universe. The character first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' (1st series) #97 (January 1968).

Contents

Fictional character biography

Other versions

Amalgam

In other media

Television

External links

References

Fictional character biography

'Mark Scarlotti' is originally a gifted electrical technician at the organization Stark International's Cincinnati branch, but desires a life of luxury and turns to crime. Scarlotti creates a sophisticated metal whip, and with a costume and the alias of Whiplash becomes an assassin for the criminal organization the Maggia. Whiplash then fights the hero Iron Man - secretly inventor Tony Stark and Scarlotti's employer - to a standstill. ^[1] Scarlotti is later assigned to work undercover for the Maggia at Stark International's Cincinnati plant and becomes the head of research. As Whiplash, Scarlotti then has another inconclusive battle with Iron Man and flees the scene. ^[2]
Deciding to leave the employment of the Maggia, Whiplash - along with fellow supervillains the Melter and Man-Bull - is recruited by other-dimensional villain the Black Lama to form the team the Death Squad and fight Iron Man. They are, however, defeated. ^[3] Several years later criminal mastermind Justin Hammer hires Whiplash to join an army of supervillains and battle Iron Man, who subsequently beats Whiplash twice in a matter of days. ^[4]
Several months later Scarlotti is re-employed by an unnamed consortium to kill a Stark employee, and is provided with an upgraded costume and weaponry and the new alias Blacklash. Despite the upgrades, however, Scarlotti is defeated by Iron Man and humiliated by being literally dragged before his employers. ^[5]
Scarlotti makes a very brief appearance as Whiplash once more as a paid employee of the Mad Thinker in a failed attempt to kill the hero the Thing. ^[6]
After this Scarlotti attempts to reform, but his criminal record makes this difficult. Rejected by his parents and mocked by the residents of his home town, Scarlotti becomes Blacklash again. Blacklash then battles Iron Man and on this occasion the hero Spider-Man, who defeat him. ^[7] After a joining the supervillain team the Sinister Syndicate in a failed attempt to kill Spider-Man, ^[8] Blacklash is then rehired by Justin Hammer, and together with the villains the Beetle and Blizzard battles Iron Man and his allies Jim Rhodes and Force to a standstill. ^[9] Soon after this Blacklash joins forces with Iron Man and several villains to battle the vigilante the Wraith, but courtesy of the Wraith's mental powers is almost drive insane. ^[10]
After recovering, Blacklash accepts a new assignment from Hammer. Together with the villain the Rhino they hunt down fellow rogue the Scorpion, who fails to return stolen weaponry to Hammer. Despite opposition from both the Scorpion and Spider-Man they are successful. ^[11] Scarlotti gives up his criminal identity and marries and has a child. A lack of money forces Scarlotti to assume his identity once more, and he becomes the target of an assassin, who kills his wife when she returns to their apartment. As Blacklash, Scarlotti then finds and kills the assassin, and then vows to abandon the identity of Blacklash forever. ^[12]
After several months of inactivity and depression, Scarlotti is hired by a rival of Stark and returns as Whiplash, with an upgraded costume and new weaponry. Whiplash manages to battle Iron Man to a standstill in their first encounter, but is killed several weeks later by Iron's Man new sentient armor, which beats Scarlotti to death against Stark's wishes. ^[13]

Other versions

Amalgam

In the Amalgam Comics universe, Scarlotti is combined with DC Comics' Doctor Polaris to create 'Doctor Whiplash'.

In other media

Television

Blacklash appears in the 1994 ''Iron Man'' animated series as one of the minions of the Mandarin. The character is voiced by Dorian Harewood.

External links

★ Blacklash at MarvelDirectory.com

References

1. ''Tales of Suspense'' v1 #97 - 99; ''Iron Man and Sub-Mariner'' #1 (1968); ''Iron Man'' v1 #1. (Marvel Comics)
2. ''Iron Man'' v1 #62. Marvel Comics
3. ''Iron Man'' v1 #72. Marvel Comics
4. ''Iron Man'' v1, #123 - 124 + 127. Marvel Comics
5. ''Iron Man'' v1 #146 -147. Marvel Comics
6. ''Possibly a continuity error'' - See ''Marvel Two-In-One'' #96. Marvel Comics
7. ''Marvel Team-Up'' v1 #145 Marvel Comics.
8. ''Amazing Spider-Man'' v1 #280. Marvel Comics
9. ''Iron Man'' v1 223- 224. Marvel Comics
10. ''Iron Man'' v1 #239 - 240. Marvel Comics
11. ''Amazing Spider-Man'' v1 #319. Marvel Comics
12. ''Elektra'' v2 #5 - 7. Marvel Comics
13. ''Iron Man'' v2 #8 + 26 & 28. Marvel Comics