Anaconda (character)

Anaconda
Anaconda as seen in Battle Scars #3. Art by Scot Eaton
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Two-in-One #64 (June 1980)
Created by	Mark Gruenwald Ralph Macchio
In-story information
Alter ego	Blanche Sitznski
Species	Human Mutate
Team affiliations	Six Pack Serpent Squad Serpent Society Femizons Legion Accursed Assassins Guild
Abilities	Excellent swimmer Skilled street fighter Superhuman strength and durability Limb elongation Underwater breathing Regeneration

Anaconda (Blanche Sitznski) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has generally been associated with the Serpent Society, often as a foe of Captain America. Sitznski was given her superhuman abilities by the Roxxon corporation, giving her the codename Anaconda due to her powerful, adamantium-enhanced arms which she uses to constrain or crush her opponents. Her first appearance was as part of the Serpent Squad, when they tried to retrieve the Serpent Crown only to be thwarted by Thing, Stingray and Triton. She later became a core member of Sidewinder's Serpent Squad and remained a member when they became the Serpent Society.

In 2020, Anaconda was ranked as CBR's 5th best female Marvel supervillain. ^[1]

Publication history

Anaconda was created by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio and first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One #64 in June 1980. ^[2]

The character received biographical entries in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1 (1983), The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1 (1985), Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #4 (1988), The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #1 (1990), and Deadpool Corps: Rank and Foul #1 (2010).

Fictional character biography

Anaconda squeezes the life out of the Thing.

Blanche Sitznski is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She works as a steelworker and as a calisthenics instructor at Taskmaster's academy until executives of the Roxxon Oil Company select her to become a special agent in covert operations. Sitznski is biologically enhanced to possess an adamantium skeleton, gills, and the ability to elongate her limbs. ^[3]

Serpent Squad

Anaconda's first mission as part of the Serpent Squad involves her, Sidewinder, Black Mamba, and Death Adder attempt to retrieve the Serpent Crown for Roxxon president Hugh Jones. During the mission, the group came into conflict with the Thing, Stingray, and Triton. However, they are defeated and trapped underwater. ^[4]

Anaconda frees herself and her teammates from their underwater captivity, and they are sent to search for a powerful weapon known as the Micro-Scanner. After battling Iron Man, Anaconda and the others are defeated and imprisoned. ^[5]

Serpent Society

Anaconda pummels Captain America.

Anaconda later joins the Serpent Society, a group of snake-themed criminals. ^[6] As part of the Serpent Society, Anaconda has many encounters with Captain America. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]} Additionally, she becomes romantically involved with Society member Puff Adder and joins the Femizons alongside Diamondback, Black Mamba, and Asp. ^[12]

Secret Invasion

During the Secret Invasion storyline, Anaconda rejoins the Serpent Society. The Society holds a number of civilians hostage in the American Midwest, claiming to be protecting them from the Skrulls. However, the Society is stopped by Nova and the Nova Corps. ^[13]

Serpent Solutions

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Anaconda appears as a member of Viper's Serpent Society under its new name Serpent Solutions. ^[14]

During the Secret Empire storyline, Anaconda and the members of Serpent Solutions join Helmut Zemo's Army of Evil. ^[15]

Powers and abilities

Anaconda constricts her arms around Cable.

Anaconda has the superhuman ability to elongate her limbs to about one and a half times their normal length. Additionally, she possesses a healing factor, superhuman strength and durability, and the ability to breathe underwater.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe variant of Anaconda from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel imprint as a member of the Serpent Squad. ^[16] She later leaves the Serpent Squad and joins the Serpent Skulls gang. ^[17]

Marvel Adventures

An alternate universe variant of Anaconda from Earth-20051 appears in Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #44 as a member of the Serpent Society. ^[18]

Earth-33900

In the Avengers series dedicated to the American Armed Forces, Anaconda appears as a member of the Serpent Society. ^[19]

Marvel Super Hero Adventures

An alternate universe variant of Anaconda from Earth-17154 appears in Marvel Super Hero Adventures as a member of the Serpent Society. ^[20]

Deadpool: Samurai

Anaconda appears in the second volume of Deadpool: Samurai, part of the Marvel × Shōnen Jump+ Super Collaboration.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

In other media

Anaconda appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes , voiced by Vanessa Marshall. ^[21]

References

1. Asidianya, Adaora (July 15, 2020). "The Best Marvel Female Supervillains, Ranked". CBR .
2. DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 18. ISBN   978-1-4654-7890-0.
3. Captain America #403 (July 1992)
4. Marvel Two-in-One #65 (July 1980)
5. Iron Man #160 (July 1982)
6. Captain America #308 (August 1985)
7. Captain America #310 (October 1985)
8. Captain America #315 (March 1986)
9. Captain America #319 (July 1986)
10. Captain America #342 (June 1988)
11. Captain America #370 (May 1990)
12. Captain America #381-386 (January - June 1991)
13. Nova (vol. 4) #19 (January 2009)
14. Captain America: Sam Wilson #4 (February 2016)
15. Captain America: Steve Rogers #16 (June 2017)
16. Ultimate Power #1 (December 2006)
17. All-New Ultimates #4 (August 2014)
18. Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #44 (October 2008)
19. The Avengers American Armed Forces Exclusive #13 (May 2012)
20. Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Ms. Marvel and the Teleporting Dog #1 (September 2018)
21. "Anaconda Voice - The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 30, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.

External links

• Anaconda at the Marvel Comics wiki

• Anaconda at Marvel.com (archived from the original on May 9, 2006)
• Blondie: An Anaconda Fansite (archived from the original on October 25, 2009)
• Anaconda at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe