Not everybody wants or needs a mask. Sometimes a little makeup or a tattoo will do the trick! Welcome to Ten Things: Ten Supers With Facial Markings!

Whooshman-Bicarbonate Films, in conjunction with An Amateur Comics Historian and Post Malone, Presents:

TEN THINGS: TEN SUPERS WITH FACIAL MARKINGS!

10) RIPCLAW

A descendant of the Native American Iroquois Nation, Robert Berresford was renamed Robert Bearclaw by a Shaman of his tribe, who then marked his skin with blood to remind him of his heritage and spiritual destiny. Robert then became able (through either metahuman powers or magic, the stories aren’t always clear on this) to shape-shift into more animalistic forms, after which he was implanted with cybernetic hands by the unethical Cyberdata corporation. In addition to his physical powers and the requisite healing factor, Ripclaw has ill-defined spiritual/psychic abilities, making him a truly convoluted character to read about.

9) WILLOW

A member of X-Nation in the future year 2099, Willow Pierre has the ability to duplicate the exact genetic composition of anyone she wishes, which also seems to include their clothing. Having grown up imprisoned, she quickly bonded with her teammates and ended up stuck in the form of an alien. No matter whose body Willow duplicates, her facial marking (scar?) remains visible on her face.

8) SORANIK NATU

Once a Green Lantern as well as a talented neurosurgeon of some note, Soranik Natu was eventually named the team’s official ambassador to (and later a full-fledged member of) the Yellow Lantern Corps. This makes sense, given her birthright: Her father is Thaal Sinestro, that Corps’ founder. Under her leadership, the legions of fear became a force for justice in the galaxy. Her facial tattoo is apparently a family their family crest, but doubles as a tracker, allowing Papa Sinestro to keep tabs on her, even after her rejection of his questionable legacy.

7) CHRYSALIS

The representative of France in the Global Guardians, Chrysalis first appeared after a number of Guardians were killed in the line of duty. She joined the team, appearing sporadically with them, before it was revealed that she is, in truth, an A.I. created by one Dr. Gerard Yves Martet and is filled with plague-enhanced butterflies. This development has, to my knowledge, never been followed up on, and she has yet to be seen after the revamping of the DC Universe during the New 52.

6) SKY

A native of planet Spyre, Kaila is a member of a team called The Unparalleled, with powers derived from cosmic rays. Sky and her teammates lives in fear of the coming of alien conquerors, the Four-Told, only to find when they arrived that the legendary monsters were heroes themselves. (The Four-Told are, in fact, Earth’s Fantastic Four, with Spyre being the planet that Reed Richards intended to explore on the team’s initial journey.) She eventually married The Human Torch, with the expected confusing consequences.

5) DAZZLER-THOR

On Earth-15513, Alison Blaire became not a rock star, but a member of the Thor Corps, wielding a mystic hammer in the service of Emperor Doom. After the destruction of her world during Secret Wars, she was able to escape to the prime 616 reality, where she encountered her alternate self and her team, A-Force. Sadly, Alison died of M-Pox, a disease that targets mutant physiologies, leaving behind only her hammer. Her facial tattoo is similar to prime Dazzler’s original face-paint from the Disco era.

4) THRESHOLD

Member (and sometimes leader) of DV8 in the Wildstorm Universe, Matthew Callahan and his sister inherited powers from their father, who was a member of the legendary Team 7. Threshold lost an eye during experimentation with his telekinetic powers, but at least part of the red marking on his face is a tattoo, much like those worn by his teammates. Sadly, Threshold left the team violently, after a psychotic break, seemingly triggered by drugs fed to him by the team’s handler, and set out to create his own super-army.

3) MISTER SINISTER

Once a 19th-century scientist, Dr. Nathaniel Essex became obsessed with Darwin’s ideas on evolution, theorizing that humans could become superhumans, if not for that pesky morality. After his son died of genetic defects, he dedicated himself to improving humanity, no matter the cost. His transformation to chalk-skinned monstrosity with strange facial markings was a gradual one, eventually leading to him becoming a recurring foe of the X-Men.

It’s best to say his name so it rhymes: MIS-ter Sin-IS-ter.

2) RAD

Originally the 40s superhero named Miss Victory, Joan Wayne was empowered by compound V-45 to become a superhuman dynamo, not only super-strong and durable, but aging very slowly. Decades later, she was force-fed an unstable variant of her power drug, leading to a transformation into a punk-rock aberration with a bad attitude and the same incredible powers. It’s unclear whether the star is part of the transformation or painted on, but it remained part of the ensemble even after her daughter Jennifer took over the Rad identity.

1) THE SCHOLAR OF THE INFINITE

Normally the laid-back wielder of the Philosopher’s Stone, John Rhodes uses his elemental powers to heal himself and deal damage to his foes. You may think he’s a goof, but that’s just, like, your opinion, man… He’s always busy strategizing, and in this form, has control of mystical ley lines that give him even more power with the added complication of possibly tearing him to shreds if he loses control. That makes the Scholar of the Infinite a more proactive character, who may or may not give his life to save a fellow hero. (Sentinels of the Multiverse timelines are a bit complicated.)

This week’s topic, Ten Supers With Facial Markings, is all me, but feel free to follow along @MightyKingCobra on Twitter to suggest your own lists! Or check out the full Twitter archive here! As with any set of like items, these aren’t meant to be hard and fast or absolutely complete, if only because the 1990s happened, whether we wanna admit it or not. Either way, the comments section is Below for just such an emergency, but, as always: Please, no wagering!

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