- Blacklash
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Blacklash is the name of 2 characters from Marvel Comics.
The best known Blacklash is Mark Scarlotti (also known as Whiplash I) is an enemy of Iron Man.
Contents
Publication history
Mark Scarlotti first appeared as Whiplash in Tales of Suspense #97–99 (Jan.-March 1968), with the storyline resolved in Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 (April 1968) and Iron Man #1 (May 1968) Whiplash becomes a recurring foe for Iron Man, and appeared in Iron Man #62 (Sept. 1973); #72 (Jan. 1974) and Marvel Team-Up #72 (Aug. 1978). The character returned in Iron Man #123–124 (June–July 1979) and #126–127 (Sept.-Oct. 1979), and then returned as the upgraded "Blacklash" in Iron Man #146 -147 (May–June 1981). Scarlotti made a brief appearance as Whiplash in Marvel Two-In-One #96 (Feb. 1983). The character battled both Iron Man and Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #145 (Sept. 1984) and reappeared in Spectacular Spider-Man #101 (Apr. 1985) and Captain America #319 (Sept. 1986). Blacklash featured as a mercenary in Iron Man #223–224 (Oct.-Nov. 1987); Iron Man #239 – 240 (Feb.-March 1989) and Amazing Spider-Man #319 (Sept. 1989). The character eventually reappeared in Iron Man vol. 3, #8 (Sept. 1998) and #26 (March 2000), before being killed in battle in #28 (May 2000).
During the Civil War storyline, two new villains called Whiplash and Blacklash appear, although neither has connections to Mark Scarlotti. The pair are forcibly recruited into the team the Thunderbolts.[1]
History
Blacklash I
Blacklash 
Blacklash (center) features on the cover of Marvel Team-Up #145 (Sep. 1984).
Art by Greg LaRocquePublication information Publisher Marvel Comics First appearance Tales of Suspense #97 (Jan. 1968) (as Whiplash)
Iron Man #146 (May 1981) (as Blacklash)Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan In-story information Alter ego Mark Scarlotti Team affiliations Maggia
Death Squad
Sinister SyndicateNotable aliases Whiplash, Marc Scott Abilities Weapons master Mark Scarlotti is originally a gifted electrical technician at Stark International's Cincinnati branch, but desires a life of luxury and becomes a professional criminal. With a costume and a sophisticated metal whip of his own design, the character becomes Whiplash, a weapons designer, special agent, and assassin for the criminal organization the Maggia. On behalf of the Maggia, Whiplash fights the hero Iron Man[2] – secretly inventor Tony Stark and Scarlotti's former employer – and AIM agents attacking a Maggia gambling ship.[3]
Scarlotti is assigned to work undercover for the Maggia at Stark International's Cincinnati plant, and becomes Head of Research. As Whiplash, Scarlotti then has another inconclusive battle with Iron Man and flees the scene, quitting the Maggia.[4] Whiplash, together 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 enter a "super-villain war" to win the Black Lama's Golden Globe of Power, but are all defeated.[5]
Whiplash rejoins the Maggia and battles the heroes Spider-Man and Iron Man in New Jersey, eventually being defeated by the vigilante Wraith.[6] Criminal mastermind Justin Hammer hires Whiplash, and with the Melter and the original Blizzard attempt the robbery of an Atlantic City casino, but are stopped by Iron Man.[7] Whiplash is released from prison by Hammer and battles Iron Man again as one of Hammer's costumed operatives, and despite overwhelming odds the hero defeats the villains.[8]
Scarlotti is re-employed by an unnamed consortium, financed by Hammer, to kill Stark employee Vic Martinelli, 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 dragged before his employers.[9] Scarlotti makes a brief appearance as Whiplash as a paid employee of the master villain the Mad Thinker in a failed attempt to kill the hero the Thing who is recuperating at a New York hospital.[10]
Scarlotti is eventually diagnosed as manic-depressive by prison psychiatrists. He attempts to reform, but rejected by his parents and residents of his home town, Scarlotti becomes Blacklash again. Blacklash attempts an assassination for the Maggia, he is confronted by Spider-Man whom he weakens with his whip, but is defeated by the second Iron Man.[11] Spider-Man beats Blacklash once again[12] and is also apprehended by Captain America while committing several robberies.[13] Blacklash is rehired by Justin Hammer and sent with the Beetle and the second Blizzard to assassinate Hammer's former agent Force. Iron Man, Jim Rhodes and Force, however, defeat the trio.[14]
At Hammer's request Blacklash, Boomerang, and the second Blizzard stop industrial sabotage by the vigilante the Ghost. Blacklash is sent to work with Iron Man and Jim Rhodes against the saboteur, but betrays them.[15] Together with Spider-Man villain the Rhino, Blacklash hunts down fellow rogue agent the Scorpion, who fails to return stolen weaponry to Hammer.[16]
Scarlotti decides to renounce his criminal identity and marries and has a child. A lack of money forces Scarlotti to assume his identity again, 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 vows to abandon the identity of Blacklash forever.[17] Scarlotti, however, 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 Man's new sentient armor, which crushes Scarlotti's throat against Iron Man's wishes.[18]
Blacklash II
During the Civil War (caused by the Superhuman Registration Act) two new villains called Whiplash and Blacklash appear, although neither has connections to Marc Scarlotti. The pair are forcibly recruited into the team the Thunderbolts and trained by Swordsman IV.[19]
Powers and abilities
Courtesy of Justin Hammer, Blacklash wears a bulletproof costume and wields a pair of cybernetically-controlled titanium whips that can extend to be swung fast enough to deflect bullets, or become rigid and be used as nunchaku or vaulting-poles. Blacklash also carries a variety of devices in a weapons pouch, including anti-gravity bolas and a necro-lash which releases electrical energy generated by his gauntlets. Scarlotti is a research engineer and weapons design specialist, with a college degree in engineering.
Other versions
Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate Marvel imprint title Ultimate Iron Man features an alternate universe version named Marc Scott, who is a businessman competing with Tony Stark for military contracts via his company Whiplash.[20]
Whiplash appears in the 150th issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, although any connection between Marc Scott and this Whiplash is not referenced. He is among a crowd as at a Tony Stark donation party outside the New York Hall of Science, when he attacks him, only to be stopped by Spider-Man. He is seen wielding two electical whips powered by some kind of Arc Reactor. When asked by Tony Stark as to why he is attacking him, Whiplash believes he is on a "mission from God to kill Tony Stark".[21]
In other media
Television
- Blacklash appears in the 1994 Iron Man animated series voiced by James Avery and later by Dorian Harewood. He is a servant of the Mandarin alongside MODOK, Hypnotia, Dreadknight, Grey Gargoyle, Blizzard, Living Laser, and Justin Hammer.
- Whiplash appears in the Iron Man: Armored Adventures episode "Whip Lash" voiced by Peter Kelamis. This version is the cybernetic hatchet man of inventor/arms dealer Mr. Fix. He targeted Pepper Potts after her father was wounded by Whiplash. Whiplash was defeated by Iron Man and thought to have been dead. He also appears in the episode "Man and Iron Man" where Mr. Fix upgrades his cybernetic whips to upload a virus into the Iron Man armor which caused its A.I. to take on a mind of itself. Whiplash and Mr. Fix were defeated again. In the season two premiere "Invincible Iron Man: Disassembled," he almost killed Iron Man when Iron Man and War Machine was trying to rescue Obadiah Stane from Whiplash. In the episode "Invincible Iron Man: Reborn," he alongside Mr. Fix and Blizzard are defeated by Iron Man and War Machine.
Video games
- Blacklash appears in the Iron Man video game voiced by Zach McGowan. This version possesses the ability to extend straight, black, energy-charged whips from his hands, and can also create a shield around himself. After being fired by Stark Industries, Mark Scarlotti starts working with Maggia to get revenge on Tony Stark. He encountered Iron Man when he was destroying the Ten Rings weapons stockpiles in Afghanistan and was defeated after a brief battle. In the Xbox 360 version, he is augmented with synthetic muscles that can shoot a stream of electrical energy and enhances his strength. Iron Man jokes, asking if the villain is trying to give him "whiplash".
Footnotes
- ^ Thunderbolts #104 (Sept. 2006)
- ^ Tales of Suspense #97 – 99 (Jan.-March 1968); Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 (April 1968)
- ^ Iron Man #1 (May 1968)
- ^ Iron Man #62 (Sep. 1973)
- ^ Iron Man #72 (Jan. 1974)
- ^ Marvel Team-Up #72 (Aug. 1978)
- ^ Iron Man #123 – 124 (Jun. – Jul. 1979)
- ^ Iron Man #126–127 (Sept.-Oct. 1979)
- ^ Iron Man #146–147 (May–June 1981)
- ^ Marvel Two-In-One #96 (Feb. 1983)
- ^ Marvel Team-Up #145 (Sept. 1984)
- ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #101 (April 1985)
- ^ Captain America #319 (Sept. 1986)
- ^ Iron Man #223–224 (Oct.-Nov. 1987)
- ^ Iron Man #239–240 (Feb.-March 1989)
- ^ Amazing Spider-Man #319 (Sept. 1989)
- ^ Elektra #5–7 (March–May 1997)
- ^ Iron Man #8 vol. 2, (Sept. 1998) & 26 & 28 (March & May 2000)
- ^ Thunderbolts #104 (Sept. 2006)
- ^ Ultimate Iron Man vol. 2, #1 – 4 (Feb. – May 2008) & #5 (Oct. 2008)
- ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #150
External links
- Blacklash (Mark Scarlotti) at Marvel.com
- Blacklash (Unrevealed) at Marvel.com
- Whiplash (Mark Scarlotti) at the Comic Book DB
- Blacklash (Mark Scarlotti) at the Comic Book DB
- Blacklash at the Marvel Directory
Categories:- Marvel Comics supervillains
- Comics characters introduced in 1968
- Characters created by Stan Lee
- Fictional characters from Ohio
- Fictional criminals
- Fictional engineers
- Film characters
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