The Serpent Squad is a fictional mercenary group composed of snake-themed criminals in Marvel Comics. Most often antagonists of Captain America, the roster has changed through various incarnations. The original team first appeared in Captain America #163, and was created by Steve Englehart.

Fictional group history[link]

The Serpent Squad was founded by the original Viper after escaping prison with his brother, the Eel, and Cobra. Their plot involved ruining Captain America's reputation using false advertisements. Captain America soon caught on to their scheme, and along with the Falcon defeated the trio and sent them back to prison^[1].

Madame Hydra later assassinated the original Viper and took his name. She then reunited the Serpent Squad, urging the Eel to avenge his brother's death. At this time, Princess Python joined the group. Cobra was not willing to serve Viper, and challenged her to a battle, but he was easily defeated. Working with the warlord Krang in an attempt to raise the lost continent Lemuria, the Serpent Squad were ambushed by Captain America, then in his Nomad identity, who defeated the Eel and Princess Python. After Cobra eventually turned on Viper, she shot him in the back and managed to escape, while Nomad rushed Cobra to the hospital^[2].

A third Serpent Squad appeared much later, under the employ of Roxxon Oil executive Hugh Jones.^[3] The field leader Sidewinder, along with his teammates Anaconda, Black Mamba, and Death Adder, was ordered to retrieve the Serpent Crown and return it to Jones. After a battle with the Thing and Stingray, the Serpent Squad accomplished their task. However, Triton joined the battle, and the three heroes were able to defeat Anaconda, Death Adder, and Black Mamba and trap them under the sea. Sidewinder escaped and handed the Serpent Crown over to Hugh Jones^[4]. Anaconda freed herself and her teammates from the silt, and the trio worked as freelance mercenaries, eventually battling Iron Man^[5]. They were then invited by Sidewinder to join the criminal organization, the Serpent Society, which they accepted^[6]. Former Serpent Squad members Cobra and Princess Python also joined the Society.

While the Serpent Society was active, a new Serpent Squad suddenly appeared in Las Vegas. The members, Copperhead, Fer-de-Lance, Puff Adder, and Black Racer, committed acts of terrorism and theft in various casinos^[7]. Sidewinder noticed the group, and after they were defeated by Captain America, he freed them from prison and invited them to join his group. However, they were actually in the employ of the Viper, and she used them to commence her takeover of the Serpent Society. The mission was a failure, but Copperhead, Fer-de-Lance, Puff Adder, and Black Racer decided to stay with the Serpent Society. Copperhead soon left after conflict with the Cobra.

Most recently, a new Serpent Squad surfaced with Sin as the leader, a new Viper, the Eel, and the Cobra^[8]. They attacked the White House under the orders of the Red Skull, but Bucky, the new Captain America, attacked and defeated them all except for Sin.

Other versions[link]

Exiles Serpent Squad[link]

Another alternate version of the Serpent Squad appeared in Exiles #89. The Exiles team had to restore Earth #27537. The Exiles had a hard time defeating the Squad, who were working together with Diamondback, but eventually the Exiles did manage to win and moved over to another reality. What the Serpent Squad was doing on this Earth exactly wasn't revealed.

Ultimate Serpent Squad[link]

The Serpent Squad appears in the Ultimate Universe as a group of female mercenaries searching for the Serpent Crown. The Squad consists of Anaconda, Black Mamba, Asp, Princess Python, and a female Death Adder. While searching for the crown, they came into conflict with the Ultimate Fantastic Four. Anaconda was apprehended by Mr. Fantastic, while The Thing was able to blast Black Mamba away, and Human Torch got the best of Asp. However, Princess Python eventually knocked a piece of The Thing's body off of his upper arm. That, paired with Black Mamba's insulting The Thing over how he will "die alone," began the cross-over of Ultimate Power.^[9]

The Serpent Squad later reappeared in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man again hunting for the Crown. ^[10]

Notes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Serpent Squad at the Marvel Universe

Viper, formerly known as Madame Hydra, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe who is a foe of the Avengers and the X-Men. The character was created by Jim Steranko and first appeared in Captain America #110 (February 1969).

Fictional character biography[link]

It is known that Madame Hydra was orphaned as a child in Eastern Europe (Hungary) and that part of her face was scarred at one time, but this is obviously no longer the case. Among twelve other girls, she was taken in by HYDRA and raised by Commander Kraken. For twenty-two years, Viper excelled and became Kraken's best student.^[2] She eventually rose through the ranks of HYDRA and frequently came into conflict with Captain America and the organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. She first appeared as a leader of HYDRA under the codename Madame Hydra, and first fought and captured Captain America while trying to contaminate New York City's water supply.^[3] She captured Rick Jones to bait a trap for Captain America,^[4] and then subdued the Avengers with gas, and battled Captain America again.^[5] Some time later, it was revealed that the Space Phantom had exchanged places with her, and her whereabouts at the time were undisclosed.^[6]

She severed ties with HYDRA.^[7] Madame Hydra helped Jordan Stryke, a supervillain codenamed Viper, escape custody in Virginia, only to proceed in assassinating him and usurping his codename and leadership of the group known as the Serpent Squad.^[8] As the new Viper, she kidnapped Roxxon president Hugh Jones in order to put him in thrall of the Serpent Crown. She battled Nomad and Namor the Sub-Mariner.^[9] The previous Viper was the founder and leader of the elite criminal underworld through sheer ruthlessness, treachery, and the cunning of her black heart.

Viper took over the SHIELD Helicarrier, and planned to crash it into the Congress building. She employed Boomerang and the Silver Samurai as operatives, and battled Spider-Man, Black Widow, Shang-Chi, and Nick Fury.^[10] Viper later employed the Silver Samurai as her chief operative, and attempted to kidnap Michael Kramer, a man carrying a fatal experimental disease, in order to release it on America. The Viper battled the first Spider-Woman, and became convinced that she was Merriem Drew. Drew was the mother of Spider-Woman and was considered deceased since 1931. The issue revealed Merriem had become allied to Chthon and was granted longevity in return. The Viper revealed herself to have been a pawn of Chthon for fifty years, but saved Spider-Woman's life by defying Chthon.^[11] Viper, employing Constrictor as her chief operative, captured Spider-Woman, believing she was responsible for making her think they were related. It was revealed that Chthon had actually granted Viper false memories of mothering Jessica as part of a plan to place both women under his control. Viper captured Captain America, and planned to release her new bubonic plague.^[12] Whether Viper actually has extraordinary longevity was left uncertain.

Employing the Silver Samurai, Viper attempted to coerce Team America into stealing the cavourite crystal, and then battled the New Mutants.^[13] In one of her many terrorist acts, she would try to gain control of the snake-themed organization called the Serpent Society, with Slither, Copperhead, Puff Adder, Fer-De-Lance, and Black Racer as her operatives. The latter four operatives infiltrated the Serpent Society in an attempt to take it over. Viper dispatched Cobra, Boomslang, and Copperhead to poison Washington D.C.'s water supply with a snake mutagen. Viper terrorized the White House and the President, and battled Captain America.^[14] She attempted to assassinate the organization's former leader Sidewinder, but she was betrayed by Cobra and arrested by Captain America.^{[volume & issue needed]} Viper was later freed from prison by Tyrannus. She used a snake mutagen on drug addicts, and then battled the Punisher.^[15] She then turned against and battled Tyrannus.^[16]

Madame Hydra has also had conflict with the X-Men. She first came into contact with them upon trying to assassinate Mariko Yashida on behalf of her ally and presumed lover Silver Samurai, and tried to poison the team while disguised as Mariko's unconscious maid.^{[volume & issue needed]} She nearly killed X-Men members Rogue and Storm on two separate occasions, with Storm being nearly killed by Viper during the invasion of Khan.^[17] She also faced the New Mutants and was considered responsible for the presumed demise of Karma (Karma was only wounded and was abducted by the Shadow King for his own reasons).^{[volume & issue needed]}

Madame Hydra is a professional terrorist and has her own organization. She has come into conflict with many superheroes and supervillains over the years. Her nihilism and tendency to spread death around her has made it hard for other villains to associate with her. Only the Red Skull has found it a charming tendency and pursued a relationship with her for a while. The relationship ended when the Skull found out Viper was using his resources to finance massacres with no apparent financial benefit for either of them.^{[volume & issue needed]}

A doppelgänger of the Viper became involved with the Punisher and Silver Sable, but Viper killed the double when Pit Viper betrayed her.^{[volume & issue needed][18]}

Later she blackmailed Wolverine into marrying her as a means to secure her criminal empire in Madripoor. Although this was a marriage of convenience, she did request to consummate the arrangement. Some time later, her body was briefly inhabited by the spirit of Ogun, and Wolverine mortally wounded her as a means of driving the spirit from her dying body. In return for seeking medical attention to save her life, Wolverine demanded a divorce.^[19] It is later implied that she actually had feelings for Wolverine.^[20]

Viper was then a member of an incarnation of the Hellfire Club, working with Courtney Ross, briefly under the title 'White Warrior Princess'.^[21] She has also associated with the Hand and resumed her ties with the Silver Samurai. She has also retaken the name "Madame Hydra".^{[volume & issue needed]}

For a time, Viper was the dictator of the nation of Madripoor, using the nation's resources to support global terrorism via HYDRA.^{[volume & issue needed]} She was recently overthrown by new S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark and Tyger Tiger, the latter of whom is now ruler of Madripoor.^[22]

In Secret Warriors #2 during the Dark Reign storyline, Viper is seen leaving her lover, the Silver Samurai, to rejoin Baron Von Strucker and the ruling council of HYDRA.^[23] It was revealed in Secret Warriors #3 that she is no longer Madame Hydra, as she was replaced by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, taking up the mantle of Madame Hydra, wearing an elaborate tentacle headdress and elaborate HYDRA robes.^[24]

In Secret Warriors #12, Viper is kidnapped by the mysterious Leviathan group, who are determined to find out the location of a mysterious box that both she and Madame Hydra procured from the Yashidas. Madame Hydra arrived at the Leviathan headquarters and offered the box to its leader, much to Viper's dismay. Madame Hydra then shot Viper to death. However, when HYDRA arrived, the Hive resurrected her, giving her tentacles that stemmed from her head, and she renames herself Madame Hydra.^[25]

Following the Fear Itself storyline, Madame Hydra joins up with H.A.M.M.E.R. after Norman Osborn escapes from the Raft and regains his leadership.^[26]

Powers and abilities[link]

Viper has no superhuman abilities but her strength, speed, reflexes, agility, dexterity, coordination, balance, and endurance are of the order of an Olympic athlete. She is a great swordswoman and even greater markswoman with most long range weapons, and has extensive training in hand-to-hand combat. Viper occasionally employs poisoned weapons with snake-motifs, such as venomous darts or artificial fangs filled with poison. She utilizes experimental weaponry, including a ring that enables teleportation, and in X-Treme X-Men, she made use of razor-sharp claw attachments apparently built into her gloves.^[27] A brilliant strategist and tactician with extensive combat tactical experience, Viper is highly skilled in the management of criminal organizations and very well connected in the international criminal underworld. She is also a master of stealth and espionage. Perhaps her greatest strengths are her influence, the financial resources at her disposal due to her stature in organized crime, and an uncanny luck which has allowed her to cheat death in situations where lesser people would have died. Viper may or may not have supernaturally augmented longevity.

Viper is usually armed with various ray pistols and conventional handguns. She formerly possessed a teleportation ring. She has also used various other special weaponry, including poison-tipped throwing darts, knives, and whips. Inside the hollow caps of her teeth, which she had put on her canines to make them sharp and elongated, is a special poison to which she has an immunity.

For a brief time, Chthon replaced her right eye with a black orb capable of projecting persons into a magical dimension.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Madame Hydra VI[link]

Madame Hydra
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (Aug 1988)
Created by	Bob Harras and Paul Neary
In-story information
Team affiliations	HYDRA

Publication history[link]

The second Madame Hydra was created by Bob Harras and Paul Neary, and debuted in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (Aug 1988).

Madame Hydra received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #4, under the heading "Madame Hydra VI".

Fictional character biography[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

This operative of HYDRA impressed her superiors enough that, after only a short time in the organization, they promoted her to the level of Madame Hydra VI (The identities of Madames Hydra I through V, who rank above her, are unknown). One of her first missions as Madame Hydra was to capture Nick Fury and deliver him to the Deltites, a group of artificially created duplicates which were taking over S.H.I.E.L.D. After failing in her mission and discovering that the Deltites were manipulating her, she allied with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents against the takeover. She was later turned over to federal authorities and was found to be criminally insane, and sent to Arnold Sanitarium for psychiatric treatment (the same sanitarium that Bigfoot was later imprisoned in).

Other versions[link]

The Age of Apocalypse[link]

In this dark reality, Viper was married to the Silver Samurai, she along with her husband fought their way from the Island of Japan through hordes of Apocalypse's Infinites. Tragically, Viper was killed saving Samurai's life. Her death made the Silver Samurai later accept the offer of Magneto to join the X-Men.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Exiles[link]

One of the alternate dimensions that is visited in Exiles #91-95 has been overtaken by a version of Madame Hydra. This world (Earth 1720) was dominated by Madame Hydra (actually Susan Storm Richards), her lover Wolverine, and their top assassin Slaymaster. However, before the Exiles can exact retribution, Madame Hydra and her lackeys escape into the omniverse to seek out other worlds to conquer.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Ultimate Marvel[link]

Viper appears in Ultimatum: Spider-Man Requiem along with HYDRA. She attacks Tony Stark's offices in order to retrieve the Iron Man armor but is subdued by Iron Man, with the help of Spider-Man, and taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D.^[28]

In other media[link]

Television[link]

• Viper has appeared as Madame Hydra in the X-Men: Evolution episode "Target X" voiced by Lisa Ann Beley. She is shown as the leader of the HYDRA organization. It is unlikely that she survived her base's destruction at the hands of X-23, but her comics counterpart has been known to cheat death on occasion.
• Viper appears in the The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Gamma World" Part 1, voiced by Vanessa Marshall.^[29] In the episode "Widow's Sting", Viper's dealings are further explored. She is captured by S.H.I.E.L.D., but is also revealed to be a Skrull in disguise.

Film[link]

• Sandra Hess portrayed Viper in the 1998 TV-movie Nick Fury: Agent of Shield. It was stated in the film that her real name is Andrea von Strucker.

Video games[link]

• Madame Hydra appears as a villain in the video game Captain America: Super Soldier, voiced by Audrey Wasilewski.^[30]
• Viper is featured as a boss in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Viper (Madame Hydra) at Marvel.com
• MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Viper (Madame Hydra)
• Viper's Profile at The Women of Marvel Comics
• Viper at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Madame Hydra VI profile